Love triangles.
They’re everywhere, it seems.
In best-selling books.
In non-best-selling books.
In almost every romance you ever have read.
And I have yet to find one that doesn’t drive me wild.
What is it with these crazy, indecisive girls?
Perfect Guy 1 is obviously a great choice for Stupid Girl . But she doesn’t accept Guy 1 because Perfect Guy 2 is in the way.
And this goes on for a long time before Stupid Girl FINALLY decides that Guy 1 is better.
Something Reader 1 knew from the beginning. And the only reason Reader 1 was reading Book About Stupid Girl was because he/she wanted to see if Stupid Girl could get any stupider.
Great reason to read a book, right?
As if that weren’t enough, enter Reader 2. Reader 2 doesn’t like Guy 1. Guy 1 ain’t Reader 2’s kinda guy. Reader 2 prefers Guy 2.
Reader 2 walks off disgusted, frustrated, and disappointed, not wanting to read anything more by Author 1, not wanting to every read Book About Stupid Girl again, telling all his friends not to read anything by Author 1 or Book About Stupid Girl.
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a wee bit.
Well, a lot.
But you get my point, right? Love triangles are a waaaaay overused device by authors to keep a reader’s attention and to get more readers. Because if the reader doesn’t like one hero, he’s sure to like the other. But, unless your main character lives in a polygamous society, someone’s bound to be disappointed.
Unless Guy 2 is positively hateful and neither Reader 1 or Reader 2 can bear him.
But, in that case, why is Stupid Girl into him in the first place? Why do we like Stupid Girl if she’s blind enough not to see Guy 2’s faults?
There are probably some well-done love triangles … I just have yet to see one that didn’t cause me to lower my opinion of the book.
So, if you’re going to put romance in a book, be merciful to your readers! Don’t use the cliché-est of clichés! Keep the love triangles away!
~Kellyn Roth
*Love triangle image from here.
32 Responses
You make such a brilliant point here!
Thank you! 🙂 I’ve been reading quite a few books with love triangles in them and got to feeling kind of strongly about it … and this happened. 🙂
I’m cool with Romance, generally. If the Romance format is Happy Dating Couple, not Happy Dating Couple with jealous friend. Also, what if 2 girls were fighting over a guy? I can’t think of any novels with that plot line….😏*evil laugh*
There probably are some … though I can’t think of one. There’s Taylor Swift’s song, “You Belong with Me” though. The music video is sooooo cute. 🙂
True, true. 🙂
Yeah I’ve read very few love triangles that can pull it off without making me hate the girl in the middle!
It’s really irritating, right!? I can hardly stand it! It’s especially annoying when it ruins the rest of a perfectly-good plot. XD
Exactly! It often feels like a lazy way to create conflict – I avoid most of them now, unless I see a good review from someone I know.
I know. It’s super annoying … I can’t stand it! Hopefully I’ll be able to forever resist the urge to be that lazy in the future. 🙂
If you do it well, no judgement here 😉
XD Thanks. 🙂
I have to agree with this. I really hate love triangles. There are only a few books I read where love triangles are involved. I really hate them as a main story line. Subplots I don’t mind as much but only if it’s small. Needless to say, I’m not a fan of love triangles. lol 😀
Exactly! Well … actually, It kinda annoys me in subplots, too, but then, I’m not the most tolerant of people, sadly. XD
Ya love triangles can be annoying…I experiencing one right now as I type this.
I seriuosly cant decide over Original Lays potato chips or Barbecue Lays potato chips!
I love them both equallly so i just dont know which one to pick!
I guess that makes me the stupid girl, huh?
Maybe makes you the ‘worried about very small things’ girl.
Hmmmmm…..you have a point there.
But still! You have been in a situation where you just cant choose between the 2 chip bags, right?!?!
Like at subway?!?!
(im not the only one–I do know that!)
Not me, because I’m so picky. So I like have one favorite. Which is why I’ll never be stuck in a love triangle. XD I know what I want …. 😉 😛
I love the Original Lays! They’re like … the cute, blonde, sweet, sensitive dude. XD
I never thought about that…kell, if you were the stupid girl in a love triangle who would you go for; cute, blond sweet guy, or, tall dark handsome and brooding dude? (ide deff go for blond guy!) 😉
Cute, blonde guy. Not really into the bad boy ….
This is a deep, profound article that just about gets every point. Only joking in my wording!
I feel just the same as you. Except I’m only remembering love-triangle movies right now, not books….THOSE THANGS DRIVE ME NUTSER!!!!
High Society was killing me …. I love the movie, but … ugh, just make up your mind, Grace Kelly!!!!!!
I thought you loved high society to the max!!! *gasps* You actually hate something about it wow.
See kell, im different, I could see myself getting stuck in a love triangle…like, if there was, y know, 2 guys fighting over me…which will never happen…so since that is but a wondefful dream, I have to limit my love triangle experiences to potato chips and other such delish foods. 😉
You remember Joe/Betsy/Tony? That was so heartbreaking! I actually don’t mind that love triangle. I mean, it makes sense. And it kind of deepens Betsy’s characters … shows how once-again failed she is! 🙂 😉
Ya that was wonderfull;) *sighs in contentment* I don’t know which one I would have gone with if I was betsy…I would have been all like “uh…can I have both of you at the same time? We”ll be a triplet!?”
lol 😉
That would be weird ….
I would have totally died! JOE AND TONY ARE BOTH SOOOO PERFECT!!!!
You know, Rhett/Scarlett/Ashley wasn’t so bad. Though, obviously, Rhett was superior …. XD
That was a total no brainer! I mean, “Rhett or Ashley? Oh…..that’s so hard NOT!”
(just goes to show how dum scarlet is hee hee!) 😉
RHETT!!!
Bay, I need some encouragement. Somebody told me Rhett is a selfish jerk and you have got to remind me how awesome he is! 😛
Ohmygoodness kell!
First off, stop talking to that person, you don’t need that kind of negativity in your life!
Second off, RHETT IS AWESOME AND DONT YOU LET ANYOE TELL YOU DIFF!!! 😉
Hes…just….indescribably selfLESS….saving scarlett and…..oh ya hes awesome! 😉
THANK YOU!!!
Bring GWTW to the sleepover … just in case … although the Pixar movie is top priority. I NEED TO SEE THE GOOD DINOSAUR!!!