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YA Love Triangles from Before 2020

Young adult books with love triangles that didn’t completely ruin the book for me.

“There’s an exception to every rule” is never more true than when reading a book.

I’m not big on romance novels.
Unless it’s weird, dark, hilarious, or disturbing.. it’s not typically something I go looking for.
(Let’s blame Disney and it’s tendency to encourage unrealistic expectations.)

But even some of the most dedicated romance readers can agree that one of the most frustrating tropes for the genre is the ‘love-triangle..’ For good reason!
(Wait.. Reverse harems don’t count.)

If you can ignore the impulse to immediately dismiss any book supporting such drama.. I’ve found that some aren’t half bad.
(Did I just say that? I did.. didn’t I?)

Anyway!

Here are a handful of books that didn’t feel like the romantic portions were being shoved down my throat.. and were, dare I say it, entertaining.


Click on the link or image to see more on Amazon!

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Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book 1 of 5: Covenant

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi—pure-bloods—have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals—well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem—staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.


Wolf Tower by Tanith Lee

Book 1 of 4: Claidi Journals

(A great read.. even if you can’t ignore the ‘romance’ here if you tried. And I did try. But, don’t worry, it grows on you.)

A new teen fantasy series begins with this story that sweeps readers into an epic adventure while probing truths of adolescence.

Claidi is a 16-year-old orphan, forced to serve as a handmaiden to a cruel, royal family in the oppressive House. Outspoken and ready for romance, she becomes embroiled in a plot to rescue a handsome, intriguing prisoner.


Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

Book 1 of 5: Strange Angels

(Combine ‘City of Bones’ by Cassandra Clare with ‘Vampire Academy’ by Michelle Mead.. and you basically get this series.)

In Strange Angels, Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.)

Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?


Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Book 1 of 3: Kricket

(This was an interesting series.. but the romance was pretty forgettable for me. Not that I’m complaining about that.)

Kricket Hollowell never wished upon stars. She was too busy hiding in plain sight, eluding Chicago’s foster care system. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, she now eagerly anticipates the day she’ll stop running and finally find her place in the world.

That day comes when she meets a young Etharian soldier named Trey Allairis, who has been charged with coming to Earth to find Kricket and transport her to her true home. As danger draws close, he must protect her until she can wield the powers she cannot use on Earth…and he soon realizes that counting a galaxy of stars would be easier than losing this extraordinary girl.

Kyon knows the powerful depths of Kricket’s gifts—gifts he’ll control when he takes her for his tribe and leads the forces that will claim Ethar and destroy his enemies, starting with Trey Allairis. Now, Kricket faces the most difficult choice of her life: whether to wage a battle for survival or a fight for love.


Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Book 1 of 3: The Infernal Devices

(This is the only series I actually like from Clare and I have to give her credit.. the outcome of the love-triangle just goes to show that you can, in fact, have your cake.. and eat it, too.)

When Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length…everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world…and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.


Born at Midnight by C. C. Hunter

Book 1 of 5: Shadow Falls

Welcome to Shadow Falls, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

Kylie Galen has never felt normal. One night she finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens—but within hours of arriving, it becomes clear that her fellow campers aren’t “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic, and live in the normal world. They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought to Shadow Falls for a reason.

As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half Fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a brooding werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. Even though Kylie is uncertain about everything, she starts to realize that Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…


Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington

Book 1 of 11: Imdalind

(A little dark.. which is probably why I found it interesting. This is one of the few YA triangles I don’t mind.)

It was one kiss…
… and it very nearly ended my life.

Secrets are dangerous, and sometimes they can kill.
My secret may not be that bad, but it sure has put a wrench in my high school plans.
I am in love with my best friend.

I know, I know. It’s every teenage girls big confession, but most of them at least have a chance. Cute boy next door and all that.

Not me, I just so happen to have a crush on a guy that is way out of my league.
Ryland LaRue is insanely hot, insanely rich, and way too nice for his own good.

It’s clear I can’t have him, and not just because his evil overlord father hates my guts. My crush on Ryland is not my only secret. I’m hiding something bigger than that. It’s the reason my dad left, and I am pretty sure it’s why his ‘magical’ cult is now following me around.

The only problem? Ryland has a secret too, and his just happens to have all the answers I need.

Which brings us to that kiss…


Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Book 1 of 7: Throne of Glass

(Their love triangle, or whatever it is, didn’t make me want to gouge my eyes out.. Go them!)

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.


The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Book 1 of 3: Darkest Powers

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don’t even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won’t leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a “special home” for troubled teens. Yet the home isn’t what it seems. Don’t tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It’s up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.


The Key by Jennifer Anne Davis

Book 1 of 3: True Reign

(Lies, betrayal, and heartbreak make this a fairly intriguing read.)

Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king’s son and Commander of the King’s Army. He spends his days roaming the island, doing his father’s bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.

When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik’s brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik’s interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.

As Rema is taken to the palace with the Crown Prince, Darmik confronts the growing rumor that a legitimate blood heir to the throne exists and is trying to overthrow Darmik’s family. In Darmik’s quest to hunt down and kill the threat, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Locked in the king’s castle, Rema finds herself a key player in a massive power struggle. When Darmik shows up, she’s not sure if she can trust him. The line between friends, enemies, and loyalty becomes blurred. As truths are unlocked, Rema understands that she just might be the key to finding the rightful heir and restoring peace to the kingdom . . . if she can manage to stay alive long enough.


The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith

Book 1 of 4: The Vampire Diaries

(So much angst.. so much drama)

Elena Gilbert is a high school golden girl, used to getting what she wants. And who she wants. But when the boy she’s set her sights on—the handsome and haunted Stefan—isn’t interested, she’s confused. She could never know the real reason Stefan is struggling to resist her:

Stefan is a vampire, and Elena’s in danger just by being around him. What’s more, Stefan’s dark, dangerous vampire brother Damon has just arrived in town. And wherever Damon goes, trouble always follows.


Defy by Sarah B. Larson

Book 1 of 3: Defy Series

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king’s army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince’s guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can’t prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she’s sworn to protect?


Anew by Chelsea Fine

Book 1 of 3: The Archers of Avalon

(This series is ridiculously similar to ‘The Vampire Diaries’.. but without vampires.)

Three curses.
Two brothers.
One love triangle.

Sometimes love is meant to be. But sometimes…love is the death of you.


The Host by Stephanie Meyer

(I find it very amusing that Meyer ended up on a list for love triangles.. but not for Twilight.)

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, didn’t expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.



That’s a wrap!
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my post!

Have you read any of these before?
How do you feel about love triangles?

Stay safe out there and, as always, happy reading!

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Leah's Books

    I loved The Infernal Devices series best, and Throne of Glass is one of my faves. Great list!

    1. Sheri Dye

      The Infernal Devices books were the only series from her I liked… what she did with that love triangle was kind of brilliant.
      And Throne of Glass is a favorite of mine, too.. It’s such a shame the series is over. 🙁
      Thanks, Leah, glad you enjoyed it!

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