Gone are the days when YA literature was only read by youngsters, many of us enjoy reading the genre now and there are a great number of world best selling novels that were initially aimed at audiences of younger readers.
YA literature does appear to have the best romantic liaisons and if you are after a bit of romance without perhaps the graphic erotic aspects that many modern ‘grown up’ novels seem to think is an essential part of any romance worth writing about, then YA romances are the way forward and here we have five of the very best for you to enjoy.
Katniss and Peeta
OK OK so perhaps this is an obvious pick but it is still one of the best romances you will ever come across in YA literature. When Katniss and Peeta are selected to represent their District in the Hunger Games whereby youngsters are pitted against one another in a fight to the death emotions were bound to be running high. Forced together Katniss discovers that there is far more to the shy baker’s boy than a few loaves thrown to a starving girl.
Mary and Dickon
Perhaps I am venturing a little into children’s fiction with this selection but The Secret Garden is truly a book for all ages and the blossoming relationship between Mary and Dickon is perfectly adorable. After surviving the cholera epidemic which killed her parents Mary is sent to live with her uncle where she is well looked after but lonely and isolated, cue the appearance of Dickon, a boy who has a way with animals and with lonely young Mary.
Lennie and Joe
The story of an American high school girl, Lennie Walker who is struggling to cope with the sudden death of her older sister and who becomes involved with her dead sibling’s fiancé Toby who is wallowing in grief. Pulled from this sadness by a new boy in town the romance in this novel is so bitterly sweet as Lennie has to decide between her addictive yet unhealthy relationship with Toby and the boy she knows is perfect for her.
Mae and Nick
I have a thing about paranormal YA literature and this series of YA novels is one of the best I’ve read. I fell on these books accidentally after getting the first for free on one of my Amazon wanders and was instantly hooked. Nick’s brother has a secret, he is a demon and he needs to be protected from himself and from the rest of the world, Mae is a stubborn, irritating and independent teenager and the last thing she needs is to fall in love, especially not with someone who’d rather run someone through with a sword than talk about his feelings. These books do have a few hot under the collar moments but they’re all excellently written and not at all jarring. Read them, you’ll love them.
Taylor and Jonah
Abandoned at the 7/11 on the Jellicoe Road by her mother when she was 11 Taylor is not a classic protagonist, erratic and with no people skills she will frustrate and annoy you as much as she does everyone else around her. Stuck in the middle of a territory war between the Townies and the Cadets Taylor suddenly realises the tall, handsome leader of the Cadets is the boy she ran away with when she was 14, the one with whom she has history, unfinished business and of course, the inevitable unwanted romance. These are no wallflowers and you get no shy softness from this story, it’s all smash and grab and it will drag you into itself before you know it.
It was really hard to choose just five and we’re sure you also have a ton of suggestions, feel free to add them in the comments. My TBR pile is beginning to look manageable and needs boosting.
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