Ah, the love triangle. One of the most iconic ways to add angst and tension to a romance novel. Person A is dating Person B, but along comes the BFF from way back who wants to declare their all-encompassing love, and Person A is confused about who to choose. Sound familiar? I mean, it’s not the only way that scenario plays out, but in YA especially, it is the most common. But what if there needn’t be a choice, and Person A gets their cake and eats it too? That’s right; we don’t want love triangles; we want throuples!
We at Bookstr have gathered our favorite love triangles that we believe would have been better as throuples.
Tessa / Will / Jem – The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare
My pick for a love triangle I wish could have been a throuple is this tragic trio from Cassandra Clare’s much-beloved steampunk series in her Shadowhunter Chronicles line. These three love each other so much, and because of that, it leads to various romantic angst throughout the trilogy. Now, while I love how this triangle resolved over the course of the larger series, it feels rather dated in that we don’t consider they could just be together without choosing. They’ll always be famous.
- Brock Mackinnis, Editorial
Rose / Dimitri / Adrian – The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
Rose is such a badass character with nothing but love to give. Dimitri and Rose absolutely belong together, but Rose brings out nothing but the good in Adrian, and he does the same for her. Rose and Dimitri could be that much better, more communicative, and open if Adrian were their equal partner. Adrian never stopped loving her, no matter her choices, and Dimitri will never get past what he did as a strigoi. The three together would be the emotional support they all need.
- Kristi Eskew, Editorial
Sookie / Bill / Eric – Sookie Stackhouse Novels by Charlaine Harris
Sookie and Bill are a couple most of the time. Sookie hates Eric until she doesn’t. The characters are dynamic and would be great! It would be an interesting dynamic to see that maybe both Eric and Bill want Sookie, and Sookie, in turn, wants both of them. If this had been the case in the books as well as the television derivative, the storyline would have definitely changed. I’d even throw Alcide Herveaux in the mix. Let’s make this a quadrouple. This would definitely add to character development as these guys would have to learn to work with one another to be a part of Sookie’s life. Sookie is a Southern firecracker; we all know she wouldn’t take any mess from them. I’m banking on the “Enemies to Lovers” romance trope that so often creeps up in romance novels. It would be hard to see Bill and Eric actually being fidelis to one another because they obviously aren’t gay men, but I could see this being a vee situation: they both are integrated into Sookie’s bubble but not with one another.
- Sam Barnette, Editorial
Rebecca / Sasha / Arth – The Antagonist’s Pet by Harnenn (author) & Seobo (artist)
Although never stated, anyone who read this manhwa knew that Sasha, Rebecca, & Arth should have ended as a throuple. You go into reading this manhwa believing the end OTP will be Rebecca & Sasha because of the close-knit affection the two share but then enters Arth. The journey of acceptance, growth, empowerment, and love the three go through as they go against a common adversary is truly special. With Sasha’s kind personality, it is no wonder that Rebecca & Arth fall for her. I got deprived of a three-person wedding, but their relationship will always be a favorite of mine.
- Jhade Gales, Graphics
Tess / Will / Jem – The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare
Ok, I know this has already been said, but more than anything, these three are in love with each other. I mean, they say it’s a love triangle, but it doesn’t even feel like it in the books. Yes, both boys love Tessa, and that is very clear. Yes, Tessa loves both boys, and that is also very clear—but also lines like, “In your eyes I found grace,” or “I hold your hand, my brother, so that you may go in peace,” are said not to or from Tessa, but between Will and Gem. A bit of a funny side note, “If the man who comes to save you says the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs, then the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs,” is a line one of the boys said to Tessa. I don’t know if these quotes are exact, but it’s pretty close, and I think it shows why all three of these people are in love with each other. Will once put his hands in a fire to save the medicine Jem needed to live. It’s love, and I can’t be convinced otherwise.
- Rubin Leigh, Editorial
Why choose when you can have it all, together! While we agree that not all love triangles would work as a throuple, we really just want our favorite couples to be happy. What are your thoughts?
Check out more about literary polyamory relationships here!