Category: love triangles

I write romance, but I’ve never written a love triangle. The tension in my stories doesn’t arise from a girl choosing between two guys. It arises because the hero and heroine have conflicting goals.

Yet love triangles are popular in the world of romance. And in the world of vampires, apparently. Because Bella has to choose between Jacob and Edward, just like Elena will ultimately have to choose between Stefan and Damon.

Only in Twilight, we all knew who Bella would choose. Sure, there are people who wear Team Jacob shirts, but I don’t think many of them truly thought Bella would choose Jacob in the end. It was obvious. Jacob would not win.

Yet in Vampire Diaries, I have no clue who Elena will end up with. And I’m genuinely torn, because I love her with Stefan, yet I’m rooting for Damon at the same time. 

This is rare.

Love triangles tend to be obvious. The heroine might have feelings for two guys, and those feelings might add some tension to the story, but usually the reader knows who she’s going to pick. I don’t think any of us watched The Notebook and really thought Alli would go with Lon. Of course it had to be Noah, even though Lon was an attractive, likable man. 

I tweeted about this recently. Love triangles. I asked if it was possible to write one where the reader truly has no clue who the heroine will choose. And my friend Heather Sunseri replied: Yes, but apparently it makes readers a little angry with the writer.

So this leads to a conundrum.

The majority of love triangles are obvious. But even if a writer manages to write one that isn’t, she risks angering 50% of her audience. Or maybe I’m missing the point. Maybe it’s okay for love triangles to be obvious. Maybe the point of them isn’t to keep the reader guessing.

Which leads to my question….

Let’s Talk: What’s the point of a love triangle? Do you like them? If so, what’s your favorite one?