History PlatonicWritingRomanticReading / Literature

* ''Literature/LandOfOz'': Ozma and Dorothy's relationship may not have read as romantic to the child audiences of the 1900s. Like ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' below, the time period had different standards of physical and emotional affection, though Baum was more socially liberal in many ways than Tolkien, being heavily involved with the suffragette movement. Many of the prominent suffragette leaders in America were partnered with other women, either platonically or romantically. Likewise, the Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow also are very cheerfully fond of one another, frequently visiting one another with matching thrones in their respective palaces so they both can sit together.
* ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': When Creator/JRRTolkien created Sam and Frodo as one of fantasy's signature [[HeterosexualLifePartners BFFs]], he probably didn't realize that there would be those who would interpret it romantically. The whole world he created in fact has different standards, standards that would normally be respected today. People are openly, emotionally, and physically affectionate without it being perceived as emasculating or sexual. At the time he was writing, especially considering Tolkien's own life experiences, this sort of friendship was common and even encouraged -- although playing it for HoYay was not unheard of either (see [[Analysis/TheLordOfTheRings analysis]] as well as [[HoYay/TheLordOfTheRings the series' HoYay page]]).

* ''Literature/ThePendragonAdventure'': Mark and Courtney spend the entirety of the series getting close to one each other. Mark is the one to save Courtney from [[spoiler:one of Saint Dane's attacks]] and he spends time in the hospital by her side. Courtney's boyfriend, Bobby, ends up breaking up with Courtney since he fell in love with Loor, a sentiment that Courtney accepts as she feels she has grown apart from Bobby in the many years he's been gone. In book 8, Mark and Courtney share an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove [[spoiler:at gunpoint]] that made fans think the two had become an OfficialCouple... Except Creator/DJMacHale clearly hadn't meant it that way, since the whole thing was entirely ignored in book 9 and then sloppily retconned out by the end of book 10 in favour of Bobby/Courtney.

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'':

* ''Literature/TheGreatGatsby'' has Nick and Gatsby. Probably unintentional, but one of Nick's first descriptions of Gatsby was "there was something gorgeous about him." Then again, since there's more than a little evidence that Nick is gay or at least bi (including an ambiguous encounter with another man at a party), whether this was a Relationship Writing Fumble or deliberate {{subtext}} is a matter of considerable literary debate.

** [[DesignatedHero Bella]] and Jacob have a pretty popular fanbase due to Meyer actually taking the time to develop their relationship and stated that they knew each other as kids. Yet Jacob still ends up as the [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Unlucky Childhood Friend]], whereas no matter how much Meyer states that what the OfficialCouple Edward/Bella have is [[SexEqualsLove "true]] [[StalkingIsLove love"]], it doesn't change that she wrote their relationship as creepy and obsessive.

* ''Literature/HowNotToWriteANovel'' discusses this trope, using an example story called "The Deafening Hug" in which the narration describes the protagonist's sister in very amorous ways, giving the impression that there is (possibly one-sided) BrotherSisterIncest going on. Afterwards the author points out that people will [[ShippingGoggles see love interests everywhere]] so you'd better be careful when, say, writing cousins ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' style.

* Mor and Cassian from ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'' are intended to be LikeBrotherAndSister, but some of their interactions make it seem more like they're romantically/sexually attracted to each other. For starters, Mor ''lost her virginity to Cassian''; although Mor says she mostly did it to get out of her arranged marriage, Cassian was quite willing to go along with it. Then there's Cassian's protectiveness of Mor and her using him as a buffer from Azriel (who has unrequited romantic feelings for her), which frequently includes her flirting with him. Mor also becomes quite possessive of Cassian whenever Nesta is around (whom Cassian is [[LoveAtFirstSight mated]] to), inserts herself between them and warns Nesta to stay away from him. Cassian himself often acts as if he's done something wrong if Mor catches him with Nesta and he tries to avoid being with her when Mor is about. One could argue Mor is just looking out for her friend given Nesta's prickliness, but the reactions from both of them can make it seem more like a woman being territorial over her crush and said crush not wanting to make her jealous.

* ''Literature/ThePendragonAdventure'': Mark and Courtney spend the entirety of the series getting close to one each other. Mark is the one to save Courtney from [[spoiler:one of Saint Dane's attacks]] and he spends time in the hospital by her side. Courtney's boyfriend, Bobby, ends up breaking up with Courtney since he fell in love with Loor, a sentiment that Courtney accepts as she feels she has grown apart from Bobby in the many years he's been gone. In book 8, Mark and Courtney share an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove [[spoiler:at gunpoint]] that made fans think the two had become an OfficialCouple... Except ''Creator/DJMacHale'' clearly hadn't meant it that way, since the whole thing was entirely ignored in book 9 and then sloppily retconned out by the end of book 10 in favour of Bobby/Courtney.

* ''Literature/LandOfOz'': Ozma and Dorothy's relationship may not have read as romantic to the child audiences of the 1900s. Like ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' below, the time period had different standards of physical and emotional affection, though Baum was more socially liberal in many ways than Tolkien, being heavily involved with the suffragette movement. Many of the prominent suffragette leaders in America were partnered with other women, either platonically or romantically. Likewise, the Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow also are very cheerfully fond of one another, frequently visting one another with matching thrones in their respective palaces so they both can sit together

* ''Literature/TheLandOfOz'': Ozma and Dorothy's relationship may not have read as romantic to the child audiences of the 1900s. Like ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' below, the time period had different standards of physical and emotional affection, though Baum was more socially liberal in many ways than Tolkien, being heavily involved with the suffragette movement. Many of the prominent suffragette leaders in America were partnered with other women, either platonically or romantically.

* ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'': Ana and Kate are just supposed to be good friends, with Kate saying she loves her like a sister, but a lot of their interactions can come off as LesYay, especially from Ana's end considering how often she points out Kate's physical attractiveness with similar terms she uses for Christian. It doesn't help that Kate cares a lot more about Ana's happiness and well-being than [[BastardBoyfriend Christian]] seems to.

%%* At first in the ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'', Eragon's feelings for Arya seem forced. This ''was'' a problem in ''Eldest'', but he does improve in ''Brisingr'', two sharing more natural moments together. At the end of the series, Arya has developed feelings for him, but decides the only proper thing is a JailBaitWait. Eragon, meanwhile, thinks that'd be nice, and might give that a try, if he didn't have some important business to do--whoops look at the time! Not really their faults mind you since they both made promises they couldn't back out of and that those promises had to be fulfilled on [[spoiler: two separate continents...]]

* In the teen novel ''Party'' by Tom Leveen, a character talks about his casual friend like he has a crush on her and is in denial. However, nothing happens and he helps another guy get together with her with no sign of jealousy.
-->"She's very good looking but I'm not interested in her."\\
"I'm jealous of any guy who would date her."\\
"I can't be interested in her because my father wouldn't let me date a non-Muslim."

* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Literature/SenseAndSensibility'' -- the two {{Official Couple}}s are Elinor/Edward and Marianne/Colonel Brandon, yet Marianne gets all the interaction and conversations with Edward on the proverbial screen (because he and Elinor are TwiceShy), and Elinor and Colonel Brandon become such close friends and spend so much time together that the [[ShipperOnDeck Shippers On Deck]] understandably soon believe they are the OfficialCouple (because they are frequently the only two sensible people in the same room, and therefore gravitate toward each other). Creator/JaneAusten frequently mocked {{shipping}} in her books (see ''Literature/{{Emma}}'').

* ''Literature/{{Graceling}}'': It ''seems'' like Kristin Cashore does this in ''Fire'' with the title character and Prince Brigan, with his nearly 180 regard of her, going from ([[ItMakesSenseInContext understandably]]) absolutely ''despising'' her for being the daughter of a monster to honestly trusting her. It becomes FridgeBrilliance, however, once it's revealed [[spoiler:Brigan learned early on in the book that Fire [[SelfMadeOrphan killed her own father]] in order to save Brigan's life--because Brigan's survival meant the difference between the kingdom's survival and the kingdom falling into complete ruin. It's a good enough reason for Brigan to seriously reconsider his initial hatred of her]].