Love is in the Air
Alright, so this is hardly an original idea, but it IS Valentine's Day after all. So, I've composed my list of favorite couples from the genre of Urban Fantasy... I would include PnR, but for some reason, none of them made the list (nudge nudge, Kate... see what I did there?).
A warning to the spoiler uptight (like me) listing couples from a book or series is always a bit spoilerish. Most of them are fairly obvious, but there are a some here that are more spoilerish than others, with the relationship developing late in the series or unexepectedly.
10) Lestat and... well... Lestat
The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
Urban Fantasy? Okay, maybe not. Usually, you'll find this classic series under horror, but to me it is definitely a forerunner to what these days is called Urban Fantasy. If you haven't read the series I strongly recommend it, at least the first two books. Interview with the Vampire is a great book in it's own right, but it takes on a whole new dimension when paired with The Vampire Lestat. By the end of Interview, you'll hate Lestat like you've hated few literary characters. By the end of tVL, well... try it, you'll see. As for the couple, Lestat is probably the only meglomaniac that I actually adore.
9) Sookie and Bill
Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
Yeah, you read that right! Wanna make something of it? I'll be the first to agree that Eric of True Blood is way more yummy delicious, but as far as the books go, I think Bill was always the better match for Sookie. Yes, he f'ed up royally. But he's spent every book since trying to get back into Sookie's good graces. I have little doubt BILL would do ANYTHING for Sookie. Eric? It really just depends on what's in it for him. I can't remember his name right now, but with regard to the books, I'd choose the were-tiger for Sookie, before Eric. Sorry, Rene and Sonnie, I call it like I READ it.
8) Elena and Raphael
Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh
Elena is one of those heroines you just love to read about. In a world where most of her adviseraies over-match her, she still manages to come out on top thru her wit, fighting prowess and her decisiveness. Raphael is a male lead with tremendous gravitas. Is he Barrons or Curran? No, but he is cut from the same cloth. Together this is a fantastic power couple. Besides, I like the pairings that clash with each other. It makes for heightened romantic tension and energetic exchanges.
7) Kat and Bones
Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost
Yeah, yeah. A lot of you would rank this couple much higher than me. The early books in the series were very good, but I think it has been less so of late. That's neither here nor their really. Kat is your typical ass kicking heroine and although Bones can rightly be considered a powerhouse, unlike Raphael above, he isn't cut from the same cloth as a Curran or Barrons, even tho I've seen a ton of ladies suggest that he is. My problem is, when I read these books, the term "whipped" always jumps to mind when I read about Bones. *Shrug* to each their own ;)
6) ?? and ??
Newsflesh Trilogy by Mira Grant
Last chance. I withheld the names above in case you haven't read ALL of this series. If you don't want to be spoiled, stop reading now or skip the rest of this entry. Still here? Fine. It's a little on the creepy side, but all the same Georgia and Shaun are fantastic together. Some will pick up on the romantic overtones immediately. Some will only see the familial relationship and overlook the more disturbing current that only becomes in your face in the third book. Regardless, these two make a great pairing.
5) Toby and ??
October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire
You see the "??" right? You know what that means, don't you? You need to have read all of the series to date to avoid the spoiler. You have been warned. Okay, I pretty much saw this coming from the beginning although Seanan sure tried to make it seem like it wouldn't go that way. Tibalt is da friggin' bomb yo diggity! Don't believe me? Ask Kate, she'll tell you. Cats friggin rock. The king of cats? Forget about it. Tibalt is just the right about of billigerence tempered by total reliability. He's one kitty welcome to curl up on my lap anytime he feels like it.
4) Anna and Charles
Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs
Like I said, Kate, I confined this list to UF... deal with it ;) Anna is a very entrancing lead female. It's hard to make a woman vulnerable in books without making her weak. Anna is the perfect blend of fragile and assertive, you want someone to be protecting her while at the same time know that she'll manage to take care of herself regardless. Charles' armor is far from the shining variety, but he is a brute of a champion. He loves Anna with a possessiveness reserved for Alphas and Doms without making you hate his overbearing nature. He can take care of me anytime ;)
3) Kori and Ian
Unbound Series by Rachel Vincent
I can't tell you how impressed I was with Kori in this book. She's easily one of my all time favorite female leads. She's gritty, tenacious, brilliant, and selfless. An absolute joy to read about. Ian was a perfect compliment. The chemistry these two had was fantastic and was an even better pairing than Liv and Cam in the first book. While I can't wait for book three, I'm really going to miss this particular pairing. I hope they get a bigger cameo than Liv and Cam got in Shadow Bound.
2) Mac and Barrons
Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning
Whoop there it is! Yeah, I know what you're thinking... Why isn't this number one? Well my friend it is a truly close call. This is a brilliantly conceived and amazingly executed story. You really have to treat the whole series as a single contiguous book. The amount of growth Mac goes thru is staggering. It's rare to see so much change in a lead character, but the ride is well worth it. Barrons is the quenticential alpha male. He's bad all the way thru in the best sort of way. The only time you'll think "whipped" with him is if he's brandishing one. Yum!
1) Kate and Curran
Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews
Did I say it was a close call for the top spot? Well, it was, but in the end there's no beating the chemistry between Kate and Curran. The WRITERS a husband and wife team that have dubbed themselves Ilona Andrews capture that magical quality everyone wants to experience in their own relationships. The banter between these two love birds is uproarious good fun and Curran is every bit as Alpha as Barrons is only with a more honorable side. While Mac and Barron's relationship is dark and wild, Kate and Curran's is just flat out fun.
So there you have it, good reader, my top 10 urban fantasy couples. Happy Valentine's day!
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