“Will They or Won’t They?” is the common source of tension for romance books. Will they get together in the end? Of course, the point of the whole genre is that they do.
But… is there any book out there where the answer is, “Maybe we’re better apart”?
Obviously, this book would *not* be a romance, since that defeats the purpose of the genre, but I’m curious if any romantic subplot out there answers the question that way.
by HelloDesdemona
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Gone With the Wind
‘Into the Wild’ by Jon Krakauer is a profound tale I often suggest for its exploration of the allure of nature and the dangers that come with abandoning society. It’s a thought-provoking account of Christopher McCandless’s journey into the Alaskan wilderness that will leave you reflecting on the meaning of freedom and happiness.
**She is a Haunting** is the first that comes to mind. Horror novel. It was a lovely aspect of the book because their relationship is left open ended, maybe they’ll come back to it, but for now they both have other things they need to process and work through.
**Little Thieves** has an almost “won’t they” ending. The couple is more or less together and ready to live happily ever after, but the MC has some huge abandonment issues and runs away, inviting him to chase her. It sounds a little weird out of context, but in the context of the story it makes a ton of sense and it so perfectly captures the fear of getting close to people that comes with abandonment issues. There’s a sequel I haven’t read yet, they probably do end up together, but the first one works as a standalone. I didn’t know there was a sequel planned and was just as satisfied. Similar to the other, it left it open ended, maybe they’ll come back to it, but theyre not ready yet.
Nation by Terry Pratchett.
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Lemon Orchard by Luanne Rice