Every love story starts somewhere. Some couples fall fast and hard: two people lock eyes across the room or bump into each other, and sparks fly. Others get off on the wrong foot, leaving us wondering how on earth they could possibly make it work.
These memorable meet-cutes set the stage for some of our favorite bookish pairings — romantic and platonic! Read on, and maybe you, too, will fall head over heels.
Content warning: this article contains some spoilers.
Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet
However you feel about Shakespeare’s most famous play, he sure knows how to write a meet-cute.
It’s love at first sight for Romeo when he first sees Juliet at a ball. Their union, however, is not meant to be: their families, the Montagues and the Capulets, have been at war for years. We know their story won’t end well, of course. But for a single, perfect moment in time, the rest of the world falls away, and only young love remains.
Elizabeth and Darcy, Pride and Prejudice
Okay, calling this one a meet-cute might be a bit of a stretch…but it’s so iconic we had to include it.
Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy don’t have the greatest of first encounters. Though the chemistry between Elizabeth’s sister Jane and Darcy’s friend Bingley is undeniable, Darcy doesn’t care for Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Elizabeth finds Darcy an insufferable snob. But Jane and Bingley’s budding romance means these two enemies start seeing a whole lot more of each other. Amid scandal and family drama, their walls start to crumble, and they begin to view each other in a new light.
Jo and Laurie, Little Women
Introverts, this one’s for you.
Neighbors Jo March and Theodore “Laurie” Laurence finally meet face to face while both avoiding people at a party. They hit it off immediately, and after sharing a dance in the hallway, Laurie offers Jo and her sister a ride home. This chance encounter sparks a long and storied friendship between these two misfits, rife with mischief, mayhem, and pure admiration.
Unlike many of her readers, author Louisa May Alcott was not a Jo/Laurie shipper. But their electric chemistry is undeniable nonetheless — and their playful banter is a sheer delight to read.
Westley and Buttercup, The Princess Bride
You’ve heard of a meet-cute, but what about a meet-again-cute?
After falling for farm boy Westley, Buttercup is devastated when he disappears at sea. Years later, she’s rescued from a kidnapping by the mysterious Dread Pirate Roberts. In a fit of anger, Buttercup pushes her savior into a gorge — where he reveals himself to be her long-lost Westley. Their blissful reunion is short-lived, threatened by numerous obstacles: a scheming fiance, a six-fingered count, and terrifying Rodents of Unusual Size. But as with any good fairytale, love conquers all.
Jesper and Wylan, Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom
You know, sometimes you just have to shoot your shot — even if you’re in the middle of a heist.
Sharpshooter Jesper Fahey and demolitions expert Wylan van Eck first team up for a prison breakout in Six of Crows. Despite their different backgrounds — Jesper is an experienced criminal, Wylan, a runaway merchant’s son — they share a clear mutual attraction. After exchanging flirty banter throughout the job, Wylan finally makes a tentative first move — and Jesper returns his interest. Of course, the book ends just as things are getting good — but the two boys find plenty of time to pine in Crooked Kingdom.
BONUS: Elphaba and Glinda, Wicked (the movie)
Not quite the book, but it still counts, right?
Much as we love Fiyero, the reluctant-roommates-to-bosom-besties arc between Elphaba Thropp and Glinda Upland has all the trappings of a good rom-com. On the surface, the two witches seem to be polar opposites: Elphaba’s a quiet outcast, and Glinda’s, well, popular. But their mutual relentless ambition creates delicious tension as they attempt to impress their professors while barely tolerating each other. It’s all the more heartwarming when the two girls finally accept each other — and all the more devastating when they’re forced to part ways.
(In other words, we can’t wait for Part 2.)
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