Sometimes true love comes from unexpected places. Couples who have amazing, loving relationships can start out as two wildly different strangers. This happens a lot in fiction too, and it sometimes catches readers off guard to see them pair up. Here are five of the most unexpected romances found in popular fiction. Let’s get started!
Spoiler Alert! This article may contain spoilers for the various books/TV shows we feature. Read at your own risk!
Ino and Sai from Naruto
Initially, Sai was emotionless and cold, while Ino was overflowing with strong feelings and emotions. A lot of their relationship development happens in a canon-compliant series of novels called Hiden, while very little happens in the anime and original manga. In Boruto, we see how happy and affectionate they are — even their friends comment on it! Sai is the only one who can fluster and calm Ino when she’s flustered or angry, and he relies a lot on her emotionally. They’re the sweetest, happiest couple in all of Konoha.
Elide and Lorcan from the Throne of Glass Series
This couple definitely started off on the wrong foot — as literal opposites. Elide was desperate to help Aelin while Lorcan wanted only to kill her. And where Elide is kind, Lorcan is brusque. But they fell in love anyway — even after the betrayals and hurtful words thrown at each other. This relationship is tooth-rotting levels of sweet: Lorcan is soft for Elide and no one else, and Elide cares for Lorcan even when no one else spares a thought for him. Major relationship goals!
Cress and Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles Series
Cress was very inexperienced with the world; she grew up isolated and alone with only net shows and computers for company. Thorne was the complete opposite, traveling far and wide and getting into plenty of trouble — all his own doing, of course. Cress developed a crush on him from afar, which only grew when they met face-to-face. Their relationship was a little rocky, especially since Thorne didn’t initially want a romance, but they eventually changed each other for the better. Cress made Thorne see that he could be good, that he was capable of showing kindness to others. And Thorne helped Cress see that despite her short and fragile stature, she was brave and capable of anything life threw at her. They look out for each other in their own ways, never wanting the other to suffer.
Olivia “Liv” Durand and John Breed from the Beautiful Creatures Series
Liv is a kind former-Keeper-in-training, and John is cocky Caster-Incubus who is used as a puppet by Abraham for dirty work. They don’t seem to have anything in common, right? Well, despite all their differences, they still manage to fall in love. John is completely changed after loving Liv; he shows a softer, kinder, and more protective side that no one else has seen. Liv loves him just as much; she was the first person that ever showed him true kindness.
Princess Annaleigh and Cassius from House of Salt and Sorrows
It was a bit of a toss up who Annaleigh would go for: Cassius, the half-god, or her childhood friend, Fisher. Eventually, her heart chose Cassius. Even if Fisher hadn’t died, literally preventing her from choosing him, Annaleigh would still know Cassius was a better match. She didn’t know that Cassius had the power of a half-god when she met him, and she still fell in love. Cassius already knew about her from her sisters, but he still worked to truly get to know her without listening to the vile gossip about her family. In the end, their passionate wishes to see each other again finally aligned and they were reunited, ready to restart their epic love story.
Seeing couples like these is enough to believe in true love. If only real life could be just like fiction, it would be perfect. Make sure you check out these novels to read these inspiring romances!
Click here for an article about couples who would make great romance novel leads.
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