Let’s be honest, we all love a good break-up that leads to an ultimate make-up. Personally, my favorite moment is the lightening strike of realization for a character that stops them in their tracks. The all-consuming need to find this other individual and atone for all their mistakes. Is that too cheesy? Sue me, I’m a romantic. Now I must give the following disclaimer, if you read past this point and haven’t read all the books in this line-up there will be spoilers. You have been warned.
Best Break-Ups and Make-Ups From YA Books
1. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
A tale as old as time, the sordid on-again off-again, ‘you might be my brother’ love affair that is Clary Fray (i.e. Fairchild) and Jace Wayland (i.e. Herondale). How could be there be a more epic break-up than “finding out” the guy you’re in love with is your brother? Luckily before both Clary and Jace it’s revealed that they are not brother and sister. We don’t truly get a “make-up” moment for this couple until Book 6 but it’s worth the wait. I mean what’s more epic than having a super cozy/cutesy profession of undying love when you’re trapped in a cave in a demon realm preparing to die?
2. Arc of a Scythe Series by Neal Shusterman
The entire time I was reading Scythe, I kept waiting for Citra and Ronan to stop their dance of attraction. They clearly belonged together, Scythedom rules and decorum be damned. Then good old Neal gave me the make-up and break-up all in one! Just check out this quote below.
“I love you,” he said.
“Same here,” she responded. “Now get lost.”
How does anyone read the above and not squeal?! Agh they’re so freaking adorable I can’t. It takes these characters two more books and hundreds of thousands of years to finally get their ultimate make up. I will admit Neal stole a small part of my heart with the ending of The Toll but that’s one spoiler I won’t tell you.
3. The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett
It is no secret that I am a Jenn Bennett fan-girl. Her romances leave me sputtering and unable to contain my joy. The Lady Rogue follows in true Jenn Bennett fashion but adds in a historical/mystical aspect that I am living for. Childhood friends, Theo and Huck, grew into young-adults together and couldn’t help but fall in love. Insert being caught by her gruff bear of a father and Huck is shipped across the world from the U.S. to Ireland in record time. Except Theo doesn’t realize that he left involuntarily. Fast forward to years later and on a harrowing race across 1920’s Romania with the boy who broke her heart, together they will find a way to mend their relationship and make up for lost time.
4. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
If you haven’t already read Five Feet Apart or seen the movie, then I am very confused. For those who don’t know – this book is one of the best heartbreaking teen love stories around. The inability to physically be within 6-feet of your love interest is a pretty solid reason to break up. That doesn’t stop our love birds Stella and Will. The rebels give their hearts a foot, just one foot. Five feet can’t kill them right? SPOILER ALERT: neither die. Instead of an epic make-up we get a bitter-sweet acknowledgment of love and tearful goodbye. Stella finally has new lungs and they both deserve to go out and live their lives.
5. Come Back to Me by Mila Gray
Mila Gray loves to give some tears with her steam. She’s crafty in her romances. The hot and heavy rush of love comes with some difficult situations. In Come Back to Me there’s the ever realistic scenario of wondering who will return home military duty. Jessa can’t help but fall for Marine, Kit Ryan, the fact that he’s best friends with her brother can’t stop her. Jessa and Kit’s relationship is summer romance turned into something more that’s cut short by his redeployment. It brings me no joy to detail their make-up because it comes at the cost of her brother. Only one Marine makes it home to Jessa.
6. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Trilogy by Jenny Han
Peter K. and Lara Jean, what more is there to say? For those of you who have read the books and not just seen the movie, you know that our favorite fake to real couple Lara Jean and Peter K. have their epic break-up at the end of the first book. They don’t actually get back together until the second book despite the accelerated make-up in the Netflix movie. I find their make-up incredibly endearing. Lara Jean has written this super raw letter only when she gets to Peter he’s not the most welcoming and she becomes insecure and decides she can’t give him the letter after all. Then a super cute tug of war for the letter occurs and Peter lets on that he was playing hard to get and of course he still likes her, the dummy. I mean, CAN THEY BE CUTER?
7. Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Please name something cuter than a shy romance? Tanner is counting down the days until he can escape his small town in Utah. More than anything he’s ready to come back out of closet, since he hid being bisexual when he’s family moved from California. Sebastian Brother is a Mormon writing prodigy whose brought in to mentor the seminar Tanner is taking in his final semester of high school. Their initial get together is the sweetest thing, it leaves you with a toothache it’s so sweet. Slowly, the two broach the subject of Tanner’s feelings and Sebastian comes out and they kiss and it’s everything. That being said we all know the big break-up is coming and it’s as ugly as you imagine. But you have to read the book to hear their heart swelling make-up speech ❤️.