Let’s face it, there are a lot of love triangles in YA literature and many readers either love them or hate them. I first saw a spike in the love triangle concept when Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight came out in the mid 2000s. The Edward, Bella, Jacob combination was one that I—and many fans— found compelling. I was so excited to find out which guy Bella would pick. The choice that she made definitely added to the suspense of the plot. Unfortunately, she didn’t pick the guy that I liked, so I was devastated. Why? Well, what is it about the one girl, two guy factor that is destined to ruin our world? Most obviously we will have to make a choice and one guy will end up being the loser. Portraying love triangles in YA novels is a good way to show how hard it is for teens to stay neutral and how they might have to make a list of pros and cons in order to make their decision.
Let’s look at the choices involved in most love triangles. Often, there’s the hot bad boy who makes all the girls drool. You know this guy, he’s almost always a jerk or has obsessive tendencies. The bad boy might be a chosen because he seems exciting and adventurous. His good looks are fine, but beyond his looks there is a possessively driven heart. Then, there’s the adorable best friend type, a dependable guy who usually melts our hearts with his sweetness. Each appeal to characters—and readers—for different reasons.
The good news is that love triangles have been evolving and changing over the years since Twilight and a few have redeemed my faith in them. Here’s what I found out: Some love triangles have two good guys, but one is just a little sweeter and bakes really good bread. Continue reading Love Triangles in YA: Is There Hope After All?