My Top Three Book Couples in YA Fiction

Since it's February and love is in the air, I decided to get a little romantic and talk about my favourite "book couples" as well as the moments that made me squeak in anticipation while reading their story. Yeap, you know the ones... When the hairs on your arms stand up, your pupils dilate, your mouth opens, your breathing accelerates, and you heart pounds... And the characters you have been following for the entire book finally, and I say it again, f.i.n.a.l.l.y. get it together. Thank heavens! The tension was killing you! Yep. Those. Here are my top three from my favourite YA Fiction.

1. Jace & Clary - City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2)

At this point, Clary and Jace have already kissed once, but she since found out that Jace might be her bother, so they have been avoiding each other. However, during a mission, Clary gets stuck in the Seelie Court and the Fairy Queen tells her, Jace and Simon (who she's kind of seeing) that to be set free she must receive the kiss she desires the most. Problem is... She is dating Simon, but she's in love with Jace.

"That's right" It was Jace. Clary saw him, at the blurred edge of her vision, as he moved toward her and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. "It's just a kiss," he said, and though his tone was hash, his hands were inexplicably gentle. She let him turn her, looked up at him. His eyes were very dark, perhaps because it was so dim down here in the (Seelie) Court, perhaps because of something else. She could see her reflection in each of his dilated pupils, a tiny image of herself inside his eyes. He said, "You can close your eyes and think of England, if you like"   

"I've never been to England," she said, but she shut her eyelids. She could feel the dark heaviness of her clothes, cold and itchy against her skin, and the cloying sweet air of the cave, colder yet, and the weight of Jace's hands on her shoulders, the only thing that were warm. And then he kissed her.   

She felt the brush of his lips, light at first, and her own opened automatically beneath the pressure. Almost against her will she felt herself go fluid and pliant, stretching upward to twine her arms around his neck the way that sunflower twists toward light. His arms slid around her, his hands knotting in her hair, and the kiss stopped being gentle and became fierce, all in a single moment like tinder flaring into a blaze..."

2. Seth & Aislinn - Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely #1)

She turned away, quickly, squeezing the bottle and squirting honey on the counter. "I didn't mean anything. Too much flirting lately, and that call, and... I know you probably have a dozen girls you could call. I'm just tired and..."   

"Hey." His hand was on her shoulder, trying to turn her to face him. "There's no one to call or anything else. Just you. No one for the last seven months."   

He tugged gently on her shoulder again. "There's no one but you in my life."   

She turned, and they stood there. She stared at his shirt; there was a button missing. She clutched the bottle of honey until he pulled it out of her grasp and sat it down.   

Then he kissed her.   

She stretched up on her tiptoes, tilted her head, trying to get even closer. Seth slid a hand around her waist and kissed her like she was the air and he was suffocating. And she forgot about everything; there were no fairies, no Sight, nothing - just them.   

He lifted her on to the counter where she'd sat and talked to him countless times. But this time her hands were in his hair, wrapping her fingers in it, pulling him closer."

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3. Xavier & Crystal - Seeking Crystal (Benedict-Savant #3)

My heart was pounding; I could hear it and feared Xav could too. I wished I'd remembered to suck a mint since my last cup of coffee. I felt all awkward limbs and aircraft carrier mouth; I was sure I'd get the romance wrong, bump noses or giggle at the wrong moment.

Xav must have picked up on my tension. "Shh. It'll be fine." He rubbed my back in a little circle. "It's just make-believe. He's right. You do look incredible. A princess. I've been dying to kiss for days now."

I told myself he was just doing this for the lip readers, but the cameras weren't rolling yet.

"And action!" shouted the director.

This time I promised myself I'd resist Xav's spell and notice Steve Hughes going past but then Xav's lips touched mine and all thoughts fled. His kiss was incredibly soft and tender. Tingles ran from my mouth and down my spine, radiating to every inch of my body. My bones seemed to melt and I could do nothing but hold on to him with that perfect point of contact joining us. Cold dry ice whirled around my ankles. Warm arms enfolded me, keeping me upright. A hand cradled my head in just the right position to deepen the kiss, lips exploring, touching the curve of my jaw, the column of my neck. I was wo enthralled that I had not even heard James shout 'cut'. Xav lifted his head, I stepped back only to find us in the centre of some very amused technicians.

James cleared his throat. "Ok, guys. I'm so pleased some of you really take my direction to heart. Well done, Lovers, that was very... convincing. Let's go again from the top."

I put my hand on Xav's arm. He was trembling and I was feeling pretty shaken myself. I was relived I hadn't been the only one affected; it would have been horribly embarrassing to find him shrugging the moment away as of no account.

[...] Xav sighed. "With kisses like that, I wish this was the universe where you were my soulfinder." He leant his forehead against mine. Steeling himself for the onset of yet more incredible emotions as we kissed again for the cameras.

"I do too." I breathed, letting his lips meet mine.

So there you have it... My three favourite couples in YA Fiction. What are your top three?