My Favourite Romantic Relationships in YA (I will go down with these ships!!)

Posted on by ilsa

As much as I like talking about platonic friendships, I am TRASH for a good romance.

And if you haven’t guessed by the title, I’m going to be talking my top five favourite ships and why I love them SO MUCH! Warning: CAPS LOCK OVERLOAD AHEAD.

note: For each book I mention, there will be spoilers of the end-game ships for the series so be warned.

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A SUMMARY OF THIS POST

#1 Blue and Gansey / Ronan and Adam from THE RAVEN CYCLE

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I CAN’T CHOOSE BETWEEN THESE TWO OKAY??

I feel like a few months ago, I would’ve said that Bluesy is my favourite ship out of these two, because they genuinely make me stop breathing when I read their interactions. But after re-reading The Raven King and the entire Raven Cycle, I like Pynch a whole lot as well and enjoy reading Adam and Ronan being cute, so yeah.

I love Bluesy because it’s lowkey a forbidden romance and I love that trope. Like Blue can’t kiss Gansey and they’re not really supposed to be together because Gansey wants them all to be friends and not show any favouritism because then PROBLEMS like Ronan getting sad and jealous. BUT THEY STILL LOVE EACH OTHER.

He pulled away. He said, “And now we never speak of it again.”

-Gansey, The Dream Thieves

I love Pynch because both Adam and Ronan deserve happiness and love!! Ronan expressing emotion and love when he’s so full of anger and hatred for himself usually is the best thing ever. And after everything Adam and Ronan have been through, they DESERVE HAPPINESS. And that’s what makes this ship the most PUREST THING EVER.

“His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he’d let them overflow and now there wasn’t a damn place in the ocean that wouldn’t catch fire if he dropped a match.”

-Ronan, The Raven King

#2 KAZ AND INEJ FROM SIX OF CROWS

Is this a surprise to… anyone? Because if it is, then you must not know me at all.

I love Kanej because it’s not an easy relationship and their romance is complicated because of each characters’ mental illnesses. It’s very different from the normal romance I read in books because Kaz suffers from PTSD. He has horrible memories from his childhood and this means that he nearly is always wearing gloves, as he can’t handle skin-to-skin interaction. Inej has lived as a sex slave in the past, and also suffers from trauma because of this. Kaz doing his best to express his emotions to Inej and not being able to kiss her, and Inej also overcoming her trauma, is one of the most beautiful and heart-breaking things about their relationship. they’re both so broken but they’re trying to heal, and they know that they need each other, and care about each other endlessly.

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.

Kaz, Crooked Kingdom

Okay, I’m going to cry now. (This would be a good place to note that every ship in Six Of Crows is amazing and I cry about all of them)

#3 Jude and Cardan from The Cruel Prince

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THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST INTENSE RELATIONSHIPS EVER.

I love Jude and Cardan because It’s kind of hate-to-love but really it’s “I HATE YOU BUT I LOVE YOU AT THE SAME TIME”. And I’m kind of obsessed with reading about them. Their romance is so toxic but they’re both very aware they’re both cruel and terrible people, so their romance is very VERY VERY intriguing to read about. I am just left gasping for air everytime they’re in the same room. In other news, I need the third book, QUEEN OF NOTHING, right now.

“I hate you so much that sometimes I can’t think of anything else.” 

Jude, The Wicked King

#4 WARNER AND JULIETTE FROM SHATTER ME

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I have no words.

I love Warner with my whole heart and how much he cares for Juliette literally makes me want to cry. Their relationship REALLY has its ups and downs but I’ve been rooting for Warnette from the beginning so yeah.

I can’t even pinpoint exactly why I love Warnette so much. I just think their romance is so whirlwind and complicated, and Juliette rejects Warner for so long but then realising she actually likes him and Warner’s so happy and they just deserve each other so much?? I’m a mess.

“Can you hear my heart? I want to ask him. 

Juliette, Ignite Me

#5 I have a lot of OTPs okay?!

Okay, let’s just accept that I have a lot of ships I would DIE for and I can’t decide on just five.The above four are probably my favourite ever, but these are all ships I REALLY LIKE!!!

Girls of Paper and Fire Legendary Strange The Dreamer A Thousand perfect Notes Simon Vs ADSOM Legend A Study in Charlotte Ace of Shades Lara Jean

  1. Tella and Dante from Legendary by Stephanie Garber
  2. Sarai and Lazlo from Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor
  3. Beck and August from A Thousand Perfect Notes
  4. Simon and Blue from Simon Vs The Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli
  5. Kell and Lila & Rhy and Alucard from Shades of Magic by V.E Schwab
  6. June and Day from Legend by Marie Lu
  7. Jamie and Charlotte from A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
  8. Enne and Levi from Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

What are some of your favourite romances from books? What’s one ship you wish was canon but isn’t? What’s your favourite romance trope? Tell me in the comments below!

note: I’m still figuring out how I want my featured images to look! Do you like this current one or my colourful matte previous ones? Sorry for how muddled everything is right now. x

73 thoughts on “My Favourite Romantic Relationships in YA (I will go down with these ships!!)”

  4. I’m so happy your ships “are sailing”! loved reading this – definitely going to add lots of the books mentioned here to my tbr. really unrelated, but I’ve been following for awhile now, and I can’t believe that I haven’t commented yet on your beautiful blog! also, I’m totally in love with your new blog design 😍great post as always!

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      1. …..uhhhhhh okay listen I like bluesey but they’re not an otp okay they’re just cute they don’t crush my soul it’s okay it’s fine

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  6. Blue and Gansey, Adam and Ronan, and Kaz and Inej are definitely among my favorite book couples!!! 😍😍😍 And I also adore Simon and Blue (love those cute emails ❤️) and Lara Jean and Peter K (who can possibly resist fake dating???) This post makes me so happy and reminds me of all the wonderful ships out there! 😄

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  7. Love this post, Ilsa!! Simon and Blue are so adorableeee and aahhh just thinking about them and SVTHSA just warms my heart 😭💖 I haven’t read SOC, The Raven Cycle, or The Cruel Prince yet but I’m planning to since everyone loves these books so much, haha. Hopefully they live up to the hype!! I’m also very excited to read Legend; Marie Lu is AMAZING.

    Also, I like this current featured image! ☺️ Great post as always; I’m trash for a good romance as well.

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    1. Thanks Dezzy! Simon and Blue really are so adorable, i loved their emails to each other so much!! and omg you must read six of crows, it’s fabulous – but I’m sure you’ve seen enough people screaming at you to read it aha! and i hope they all DO live up to the hype – i know disappointing it can be when books are disappointing and everyone else likes them.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. JUDE AND CARDAN, WARNER AND JULIETTE, AND JUNE AND DAY RISE!!!!! FourTris will forever be my OG OTP. But, man, I do love those people. Wow I’m genuinely way too excited about this?? I need to calm down. (brb gonna go cry about my ships for a while)

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  10. I SAW PYNCH AND CAME STRAIGHT TO THE COMMENT SECTION TO SCREAM OML OML I LOVE I REMEBER WHEN WE WERE READING THE LAST BOOK AND YOU WERE SCREAMING AT ME BC ALL THE SHIPS WERE SAILING SO HARD AND OMG THE PURITY (lol purity… RONAN AND ADAM STOP SUCKING EACHOTHERS FINGERS AND STARING AT EACHOTHER WHILE YOU DO IT) OF THIER SOULS I LOVE AND I JUST WANT TO. I WANT THEM TO BE REALLLLLLL. THEY ARE REAL. that’s it. they’re real. no one can challenge me on this. they’re real.

    AMAZING POST ( omg KAZ AND INEJ tho i think that i prefer JESPER ADN WYLAN MY SMOL BOYS) (i hAD TO SKIP THE CRUEL PRINCE SPOILER BUT! I WILL TELL U WAT I THINK AFTER READING IT!) (AND I HAVEN’T READ SHATTER ME, FORGIVE ME QUEEN)

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    1. lu you are a fangirling MESS and i love you for it!! I THINK YOU MIGHT BE A BIT TOO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT PYNCH BUT AREN’T WE ALL? THEY ARE THE PUREST, and what do you mean OF COURSE THEY’RE REAL.

      Whesper is also the purest thing!! LIKE WYLAN IS A SMOL AND HE DESERVES THE WORLD BUT THE WORLD DOESN’T DESERVE HIM. and shatter me first book is TRASH but it gets better and better (well for me) as the books progress!!

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  13. I feel like when it comes to bookish couples, I truly am the queen of unpopular opinions, hahah. But I do also have a soft spot for the romantic relationships in The Raven Cycle, though I love the series mostly for the friendships. My favorite non-canon couple of all times is also from this series, which was Ronan and Kavinsky. Granted: Kavinsky is disgusting and probably one of the worst characters I’ve ever read about, but he was so complex & interesting and I couldn’t help but root for them? I don’t think they would’ve ever worked, as both characters are veryyyyy different, but I like to wonder what they could’ve been if Kavinsky was less of a d*ck.
    My favorite couples are quite basic, really. I love Four/Tris from Divergent and Percy/Annabeth from Percy Jackson. They’re both cute, but also have quite tragic outcomes, so there’s that, hahah.

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    1. The Raven Cycle has the most awesome friendships I agree! I especially love Ronan and Blue’s friendship. It’s so hardly touched upon but it’s there and I adore it. and Omg YES!! I always wonder what Ronan and Kavinsky would’ve been like? I mean Kavinsky can go to hell but I really liked his confidence and attitude and I’d want to see what his relationship with Ronan would be? like hate-to-love? but also pynch is superior.

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  14. Ahhh I just LOVE ALL THESE SHIPS (even though I haven’t read Raven Cycle or Strange the Dreamer yet haha oops I’m sure I’ll love them though!!) I would literally DIE FOR KAZ AND INEJ. Oh my god. Though seriously the SoC ships are all so freaking amazing 😭😭 This post was so so great ahhh my heart is so full with all the love I have for these ships 😍😍

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  16. i’m basically screaming throughout reading the entire post bc THESE SHIPS ARE SUCH TOP QUALITY like bluesey is just next level slow burn (they almost killed me waiting) and UGHHHGHGHGH KANEJ how perfect are they?? literally teared up at that quote JUDE AND CARDAN, my new favs. so much angst.

    im just going to pretend not to see warner and juliette okay plz don’t hate me

    I CANT BELIEVE YOU HAVE JAIME AND CHARLOTTE YES YES YES their banter and their dynamic is soooo good I am trash. and okay I love your new look, very cute, very you 👏

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    1. bluesy is the most slow-burn EVER but also i LOVE IT. and i tear up and feel like screaming everytime i see the word kaz and inej in the same sentence so,,, i mean.

      i’ve only read a study in charlotte so far but their dynamic is so good and realistic and makes me so happy? and thank youuuuu, you are too kind to meee ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  17. AHHHH I LOVE ALMOST ALL THESE SHIPS. (Except Warner and Juliette. I think their relationship is horrible. Although I also haven’t finished the series, so who knows, my opinion might change.) My absolute favorites have to be Wylan and Jesper, Rhy and Alucard, and Simon and Blue, but ahhhh I have SO MANY! Wren and Lei were soooo good together, and I love Sarai and Lazlo, and Kell and Lila, and Kaz and Inej, and Ronan and Adam, and soooo many others!! Also Celia and Evelyn from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Achilles and Patroclus from The Song of Achilles, and I’m going to shut up now or else I will go on for waayyyy too long because I have so so so many ships.

    And I love this featured image!! I definitely prefer it to the plainer, colourful ones you had.

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    1. ooh unpopuliar warnette opinion? ‘m here for this!! what book ae you on, i’m curious to see if i can convince it will get better! i need to read the 7 husbands of evelyn hugo oh my gosh!!!
      and i’m glad you like the ft image!! thank you for commenting and talking about ur fave ships, i agree with nearly all of urs too! ❤

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      1. I’ve only read the first two, but I really don’t like Warner so far 🙈 And ahhhh Evelyn Hugo is sooooo good, and you definitely should read it soon!!

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  18. I absolutely loved reading this post, I do love romance a lot as well! I loved the mention of Lei and Wren, they deserve all the happiness 💗 From your list I really like Jude and Cardan and Warner and Juliette! From my recent reads and rereads I’d have to mention Tessa & Jem/Tessa & Will, Charlotte & Henry and Gideon & Sophie from TID, Safi & Merik from Truthwitch … So many options and romances!

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  19. Be right back sobbing because these quotes just 😍 ugh I love all of these SO much, such FANTASTIC choices, Kaz and Inej make me want to sob and ugh I love them SO much. I also adore Ronan and Adam, that quote is one of the best quotes ever. AND!YES!LARA!JEAN!PETER! I love them, the fake dating trope is everything!! 🙂
    Wonderful post! ❤

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    1. i’m so evil putting all these quotes here but also i’m crying at all of them. i’m so glad we agree on these ships, because they’re all the best tbh. i really want to read more books with the fake dating trope, there’s not enough!!
      thank you marie ❤

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  20. *screams softly about Jude/Cardan* I kind of get frustrated when people call out the book for problematic romance because like !! THIS BOOK IS SO SELF AWARE. It’s supposed to be toxic lmao. Cardan is a souless faerie and Jude is heckin’ traumatised. Like they’re going to kiss?? Stab?? We don’t know. 😂It’s not healthy but they know it so I very much enjoy reading it. Alsoooo YES to Pynch and Blusey, bless their little hearts that make me cry with all the feels. I also love how Kaz/Inej’s relationship didn’t have to involve physical affection (at least not yet) to be valid. 💛💛💛 ilovethemsomuch

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    1. YES i 100% agree! of course, i’m against romances (usually) that are toxic and the book pretends they’re not – but judexcardan is so obviously toxic bc they’re both really bad people and they KNOW it and anyways, their dynamic makes me scream. and yes! i like that kaz and inej HELD HANDS and made the whole book community scream – the fact they didn’t kiss was so powerful??

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  21. Oh my gosh, YES, I too will go down with Bluesy and Pynch. Their random drives in the middle of the night!! Gansey sitting there wishing for her to call him!! The fact that they couldn’t be together!! WOW I AM NOT OVER THE RAVEN CYCLE AT ALL.😂And with Ronan and Adam, I didn’t think it was going to happen and IT DID, AND I WAS SO HAPPY. I vividly remember screaming into my pillow because it was late at night and everyone else was asleep.

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    1. their midnight drives and almost kisses and noses touching and conversations – gosh i keep on dying everytime i remember how much i love bluesy!! and gansey losing sleep for blue MAKES ME SO HAPPY. i mean, gansey go to sleep but their phone calls are so sweet and perfect!! AND PYNCH WILL NEVER NOT MAKE ME SCREAM AHHHH IM SO EXCITED FOR THE DREAMER TRILOGY.

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  22. I do love a good romantic ship to get deeply invested in. Pynch are one of my favourites– just all the quotes about them are to die for (well not literally) but they deserved happiness– I can’t wait for the dreamer trilogy to come out.
    And Kaz and Inej are amazing– so well written out and I really want them to be super happy.
    And I haven’t read the rest yet *looks to huge TBR* but I am exciting to join all the ships I’ve yet to sail 😂😂

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      1. I know I am so excited to read it– November can’t come fast enough!!! It will be full of AMAZING-ness!! Ronan is the best!!
        Thank you– I appreciate and need all the luck 😂😂
        You’re welcome 💛

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  23. i love how all us bookish people are in the comments wailing over our ships. there is an aura of pure book love right now in your corner of the internet 🤗😂 i actually haven’t read any of these books but a thousand perfect notes (i am very behind on the trends oof) but six of crows is going to scoot up my TBR because, WOW. i want to see this kind of romance !!! this post is adorable, ilsa 💛✨

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  24. Lazlo and Sarai! *heart eyes* I think they’re my top ship because ever since I read the books I’ve fallen in love with everything about them. Though of course, I’m still waiting for Kanej to sail completely. Another huge ship of mine is IsraXGem from a book called Of Beast and Beauty, a retelling I loved, by Stacey Jay.

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      1. Yes! Although for Kanej I always knew a kiss would be a long time coming, if it ever happened. I guess I just wanted to see more of them together as a couple ❤ I KNOW endings like that sometimes are best because we know they’re okay, but I can’t help but want to get more pages with them 😭

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  25. Omg your post made me realise I accidentally spoiled Blue’s identity in my upcoming favourite couples post that I scheduled yesterday ahdgsjdf Gotta change that quickly 😂 Anyway I love those two so much and also Kanej and Bluesy and Pynch adsjkhfbg Why they all gotta make me feel thingsssss

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  29. Okay, I totally agree with you in all your ships, because honestly they are some of my all time faves as well and I will defend them to death! Though to be honest I started rooting more for Jude and Cardan after re-reading TCP and finishing TWK! But still, now I’m absolutely obsessed💕.

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  30. i am right beside you screaming about blue and gansey into the void bc my babies are way too tortured and pure and i love them. gansey is the dad™ of the group and it’s so hilarious how everyone acts like the sulky child who needs his attention but oh well. also, ronan and adam?? imagine my internal breakdown when maggie announced the dreamer trilogy release date and title. i lost it.
    cardan and jude are one of the best done enemies to lovers ships because it’s not a straight road from hate to love for them,,, it’s just this complicated mess of feelings and i am HERE for it.

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  31. YES TO THIS POST. I love Blue and Gansey so much that they earned so much of my silent screams. Kaz and Inej is THE ship. The Kaz line you quoted is my favorite quote of ever. I’m trash for very good ships too. Jude and Cardan make the most complicated ship and I’m 100% here for that.

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  32. KAZ AND INEJ MAKE ME C R Y. I love them so much individually and I love them so much together and they are just a power couple and especially a mental illness/trauma power couple I love them I love them I lfdslakfhkdlkf;jlesdgelw

    okay I still have mixed feelings on Cardan but I DO see where all the Jude/Cardan stans are coming from like god tier scene was Jude holding a knife to Cardan’s throat as she held a knife to his throat like what !!!! and I WILL shoot you for mentioning June and Day I can’t believe you just came into my house and betrayed me like that,,,

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    1. I’VE JUST BEEN SPAMMED WITH MAY COMMENTS AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED!!!

      and honestly BIG MOOD on Kaz and Inej everything about them is literally golden and beautiful and anyone who doesn’t ship them is evil?!?! lfdslakfhkdlkf;jlesdgelw

      OKAY YOU NEED TO READ THE WICKED KING!!! i think you’d like it better than the cruel prince since more stuff happens and it’s better!! and YES THAT SCENE ALWAYS HAS ME DYING, but there’s an even better scene in the wicked king 😉

      i’m sorry I’M SORRY but also we’re getting a legend book 4 and i’m literally so excited see…june and day reunite i’m so curious to what that will be like!!

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