This post has been linked up to the 2017 Book Blog Discussion Challenge.
Okay, first of all, in case you’re like I was when I first started blogging and you’re like, What the heck’s an OTP?—it means One True Pairing. (Seriously, why do we bloggers need to make up acronyms for everything? We write for a living—or at least for a very serious hobby—can we really not muster up the energy to write three extra words?)
A One True Pairing is that couple that you will ship until the end of time, that you need to be be together in order to be able to go on with life. If the couple does not get together, you will cry buckets and lay around on the couch in a malaise for all of time … or something like that. (Let’s not get overdramatic here, people.)
In the bookish world, an OTP is like a necessity. Every wrap-up questionnaire, every tag (Are those a thing anymore? I don’t see tag posts much anymore.), every link-up that poses questions at some point or another seems to ask about our OTP. Who is this year’s OTP? Who is your all-time favorite OTP? Do you have an odd OTP that others don’t ship? They’re mentioned everywhere in the book blogging community! Especially the YA blogging community. (Case in point: I got the idea for this post because Shannon mentioned them in her Discussions from the Trash post.)
I’m obviously supposed to have an OTP … or three … but I don’t.
Well, okay, I guess I should clarify. I DO have an OTP in real life. I’ve been with my husband since we were in high school, so I think that totally qualifies. And, let’s face it, if I were going to choose between a bookish OTP and a real-life OTP, I’d rather have the real-life one. But that just doesn’t work for all these little questionnaires—I mean, if every time there was a question about my OTP, I answered that it’s me and my husband, I think you guys would (rightfully) roll your eyes. Um, that’s obviously not the intent of the question!
So, I always sit and try to think about a couple I shipped really hard. I mean, I ADORE romance in books, so this should not be a hard question. Looking back at my recently read books on Goodreads, I see tons of couples that I really wanted to get together. Couples that gave me the feels and made me all swoony and sometimes tied my stomach in knots or even had me in tears when things weren’t going well. See, it’s not that I don’t love a good romance. It’s just that not many of these couples stand out in my mind in ways that make me think of them on even a semi-regular basis. I’m not pining away for them … or even thinking about them at all when I’m not looking at my Goodreads read list. So are they an OTP? Probably not, right?
I think there are a few reasons that I don’t have an OTP:
- I’m fickle. Like, I said, I love a good romance. But when I finish a book and I’m all moony over a couple, I usually immediately start a new book. And I find a new couple to swoon over. And, most times, I love this new couple just as much as the last … and my heart swells for them and breaks for them and … yeah, I ship this new couple just as much and kind of leave that last couple behind …
- I have a terrible memory. When I look back at the books I’ve read, I can barely ever remember names. That makes it hard to talk about how much I adored so-and-so and so-and-so together because … well, I can really only remember them as so-and-so and so-and-so. If I can remember a character’s name, they must have been spectacular!! And if I can’t even remember something as basic as the characters’ names, I can’t really be that in love with them …
- I’m on the right side of the ship. Part of what makes an OTP so desperately angsty is when there’s a good chance your couple isn’t going to make it, right? But most of the time, I root for the obvious guy—the one who’s gonna get the girl. And when I don’t, I tend to have trouble attaching to the romance because I know I’m rooting for the wrong guy. Then I just get frustrated, and there’s no OTP in sight.
- I tend to fall for the guy, not the couple. When I looked back at my recently read books, I saw the Bloodlines Series, and I thought, Well, what about Adrian and Sydney? I loved them together! But then I realized that it’s really just Adrian I loved. Back when I read the Vampire Academy Series, I shipped Adrian and Rose. I didn’t care about Dimitri at all. (That was one of those cases where I knew I was rooting for the wrong guy.) So, I was over the moon when I found out Adrian was getting a whole new series … and then I shipped him with Sydney. But I really just wanted Adrian to get his happy ending. I don’t know if I could call it an OTP in this case … not because I didn’t love Sydney and Adrian as a couple, but because I was pretty much just rooting for Adrian and whoever he was with. (Sydney’s better than Rose anyway, I think … but that’s a whole other issue.)
- Needs to be a series. There are lots of contemp couples that I love, but I tend to remember the fantasy ones more. Why? I think it’s actually just that memory thing again. I need at least three books to imprint a couple on my brain … constant reminders that I love them. If there’s a standalone with a couple I love … I tend to forget them without all that extra reinforcement.
So, I guess I don’t have a true OTP, but there are some couples I’ve loved. Here are a few (and, yes, I had to look through my Goodreads read list to come up with these, so …):
- Adrian and Sydney from Richelle Mead’s Bloodlines Series
- Rafe and Lia from Mary E. Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles
- Fitz and Molly from Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy
- Katniss and Peeta from Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy View Spoiler »
- Meg and Simon from Anne Bishop’s The Others Series (I really need to read the last book next so I can find out if they end up together! I mean, of course they do … at least they’d better!!)
- Ridge and Sydney from Colleen Hoover’s Maybe Someday (A standalone contemp!! Though I have to confess, it’s really Ridge that I adore.)
Er, I had no idea this was a thing. I think one of the pleasures of reading is that while in real life I am monogamous, in books I can always be looking for the next great romance, while not getting too stuck on any one in particular working out. The more love, the better, I say!
I think it’s more common on YA blogs (and maybe some romance blogs too). I agree that books are great for fantasies—and those don’t have to last! 🙂
But KATNISS AND PEETA. I mean, I know you still ship them but… the thing under the spoiler! You need to go have a talk with Jess @ Curiouser and Curiouser, you two are quite the pair 😉 Also, good call on Lia and Rafe! Looooove them! I am also much more likely to have an OTP if it is a series- it’s like, I need more time to fall in love with them! And as for your REAL OTP, I am not rolling my eyes, just green with envy 😉
Ooh! I do need to go talk to Jess. That just really bugged me for some reason, even though I wanted to be happy with the way things turned out.
Lmao, I think you should definitely answer every questionnaire with the answer that your OTP is your husband because that’s adorable. But seriously, you’re not alone! I don’t have one either! I seriously never have answer for those questions. Although, actually, this is funny and oddly perfect timing because I was just telling this to someone the other day. You might think I’m crazy (or maybe not since everyone’s OTPs are fictional character so really mine isn’t any weirder than that), but I play The Sims 3 and I started playing this one couple again recently who I’ve been playing for a long time and just the other day I realized that THEY are totally my OTP. Like, I just freaking adore them as a couple. So there you have it, my OTP is my sims lol.
A Sims OTP sounds perfect! I’m sure it makes the game more fun when you’re attached to the characters.
Thanks for educating me, lol! I had no idea this was a big thing. I’m with you on many of your points, especially the bad memory.
Most of the time, I know who is going to end up together so it’s a non-issue. I think that’s probably because I don’t read many books that have more than one romantic interest for the main character. The only series I can think of off the top of my head where I am probably rooting for the wrong guy is the Sentinels of New Orleans series by Suzanne Johnson. I’m in the pirate’s corner on that one!
Maybe it’s not as prevalent as I thought, but I feel like I see it all the time. I almost always end up skipping the question when I see it somewhere.
I’ve kept seeing this ‘OTP’ thing everywhere, and had no idea what it meant! So thanks for clearing that up! 🙂
I think I’m the same as you with this one – there’s plenty of couples I’ve really liked in books, and plenty that’s i’ve shipped, but I couldn’t really say I’ve been bothered enough to have an OTP! I think a lot of it is memory with me too – I recently decided to post about my favourite book couples for Valentine’s Day, and had to really cast my mind back to remember the couples that i really liked (thankfully once I did, I was all like ‘oh yeah, they were so cute!’).
I do think I sometimes end up on the wrong side of the ship though, just because in a lot of books it’s fairly obvious that the heroine will end up with the more conventional love interest, whereas personally I have a thing about the underdog characters!
Great post! 🙂
I actually just read your post a little while ago and I thought it was fun that we’d talked about a similar topic! 🙂
Never heard of an OTP before…possibly because I don’t read romances? Which means I don’t have one either.
Yeah, if you don’t read romances, I’m sure you avoid this topic! 🙂
NOOOO was my reaction when I read the title of this post! ?? hahaha because I personally have like tonssss of OTP! I love shipping haha but I get what you mean about fantasy couple being more memorable. But I reread contemporaries A LOT so somehow they’re memorable to me too hahaha I’m at the point where I can’t choose ONE OTP because I have too many. But on top of my head I have Jude and Oscar from I’ll Give You the Sun <3
PS it's so romantic that you and your husband have been together since high school! You're both are so lucky, me and my high school boyfriend are long gone hahaha 😛
I guess you make up for my lack of OTPs then. We need some of me to balance you out, right? LOL!
You’re not alone! I have no OTPs, and I’ve never gotten into the whole “shipping” thing. I guess I’m just not as passionate about book romances as other people. I’m looking at my bookshelves right now, and in most of the books, I don’t remember which characters ended up getting together.
I can look at a list of books and remember that I liked the main couple, but I often can’t come up with even their names, so I figure I can’t be all that passionate about them.
Yeah, I’m always stuck with “Elizabeth and Darcy” or “Anne and Gilbert” when I hear that question. I mean, in most well-written books the romance is set up to be rooted-for, right? It’s only with love triangles that there becomes “sides,” and it just seems weird to me to root for a couple that the author didn’t want to put together. I mean, I’m not a fan of Ron/Hermione OR Harry/Ginny, but not because I have my own romance in mind for any of them. It’s more that I met them as children, watched them grow into teenagers, and see no reason why they should have met the love of their life during that time span.
And okay, I know there are people who shipped Gale with Katniss, but I was annoyed all along that he wasn’t just left alone to be her friend and big brother figure. It wouldn’t have affected the main plot at all to keep him as a platonic ally. There was enough will-they-or-won’t-they suspense with Peeta and Katniss already.
As much as I love Six of Crows and the Lunar Chronicles, I also found it a bit weird that the characters are paired off so neatly. How about someone stays single? Or goes for the completely wrong person? Not everything has to be a romance.
The neat pairing is definitely another issue. It’s often SO convenient!
I’ll be 100% honest…maybe I am too old but this is the most confusing post I ever read lol. I still have no idea what an OTP is or what it means when you say shipped? I love Romance book and read all sorts but I don’t think I ever heard of OTP (I actually had to go back to correct OTP because I put it as OPT) I also have short term memory when it comes to characters names. Sometimes I forget them as soon as I close the book. Sticky notes are my friends while I read 🙂
Great post, even if I didn’t quite understand it! lol
Oh, funny! I wouldn’t know what OTP or shipping was if it weren’t for all the YA book blogs that I read. I sometimes think that blogging world (and maybe even the YA blogging world specifically) has it’s own language! We need a dictionary or something! 🙂
I am totally with you on this one. Whenever I am asked that question, I usually just pick the couple from the last book I read (I know, I am horrible). BTW, when I read about your OTP, I did not roll my eyes. I smiled and said “awww”.
Yeah, I think I need to just pick one of the couples from my list and use it as my “stock” answer. Then I won’t have to fret about it anymore. And I’m glad I didn’t make anyone roll their eyes at me. I think I’m safe mentioning him as my OTP once or twice, but if I used it all the time people might start to look at me askance. LOL!
I don’t really understand the concept of a OTP. There are couples I think work really well together, like Anne and Gilbert, but I don’t know that I’m so invested in any of them that I’d say they were my OTP….
Right. I’m just not THAT invested in any of these couples.
I think I didn’t know for the longest time what an OTP was. 🙂 I think you’re right though about moving on to a new book- I mean I might really be behind a couple but once I’m done and the review is written I’m moving on, and pretty soon there’s a NEW couple. So yeah. And maybe I don’t do the whole ship thing as much as others…
Having said that, I’ll comment on your list. 🙂 Molly and Fitz jumped out at me- that was an emotional relationship because man Robin Hobb puts her people through the wringer. Poor Fitz… good grief. And Molly too. I remember HATING Burrich for marrying her, even though I sorta got it. Even now… err.
I seem to ship shows more? Not that I go to overboard but The 100 is a case where I’m totally Bellarke lol.
I’ve been listening to the Kingfountain Series by Jeff Wheeler and the main couple in that book is reminding me a bit of Fitz and Molly because they’re being kept apart by duty and outside forces. Only two books in, but it’s made me think a lot about Hobb’s books because of that. Which reminds me … I need to go catch up on Hobb’s newest series! I think it’s easier to get attached with shows because they run so long … that’s why I need a series … preferably a long one!
I’m glad I’m not the only with no OTP. The only time I ever have any kind of ship is when it comes to TV shows because they run over a long period of time and they stick in my mind better. I don’t apply ships to books ever, really. I agree, there are no couples which stay with me too long after reading. I know there are plenty of books I want to reread but it’s for the story more than the couple. Honestly, I thought I was alone in having no OTP so it’s so good to know other people see it my way!
Ha! Glad I could keep you company! I agree that it’s easier with TV shows because they run for so long and you have a lot longer to get attached to the couple.
You’re not the only one! 😉 I’ve never bothered with OTPs, book boyfriends, and all that jazz. Maybe I’m not as much of a romantic as most other readers. Then again, like you, I’d probably care more about real life couples than fictional ones but even then, I rarely care enough to want to ship till the end of times.
Yeah, I usually avoid book boyfriend questions too. I guess I just want to fall in love with my imaginary guy and then … move on. (Luckily I don’t do that in real life!!)
I love a lot of couples while i’m reading the book but as soon as I start a new one I kind of just move on. But if I had to had one OTP I would definitely have to go with Jamie and Clare from Outlander!
I’m one of the only people who hasn’t read that series. I definitely need to fix that!
I TOTALLY understand this feeling. I have some couples that I love but I’m not as angsty-obsessed with them the same way as I was when I was a teenager. I think now that I’ve been with my bf for so long (also since high school!) some of the mystique of reading about couples has faded (I still enjoy romance, I just find it doesn’t evoke as strong emotions, especially in YA when it feels like I’m sort of immune to some of the feels since it’s been so long since I was a part of the high school dating scene). If I were to choose an OTP it would definitely be one of Sarah J Maas’ couples!
Yay for another high school sweetheart! I always chuckle when people talk about how unrealistic it is to find your “one true love” in high school (even though I know it really is unrealistic for most people—we got lucky, I guess). 🙂
This is such a fun topic! I can see how not having an OTP would work out, but I definitely have two. My favorite by far is Katy and Daemon from the Lux Series by JLA and the 2nd runner up is Tristan and Scarlett from The Archers of Avalon by Chelsea Fine…..awww I just love those couples. But then I have like 30-40?+ more after that lol. I’m obsessed about characters, but I’m definitely always looking for my next “I love this couple so please let them with out” scenario.
I have a confession to make … I didn’t like Daemon in the first Lux book. At all. I did eventually jump onboard the Katy/Daemon train, but it took me a couple of books to get there. I think I gave that first book three stars, which is like sacrilege to most people. 🙂
Oh. My. Gosh. I was the SAME way! And then it became my favorite series. So when I read it the 1st time, I only liked it. I struggled with understanding Daemon’s douche-baggery ways and his hot and cold feelings towards Katy only frustrated the ever loving daylights out of me. Then months (or a year?) later I saw the pre-novella, Shadows, go on sale and grabbed it for $0.99. Everyone kept raving about the series so I thought, what do I have to lose besides $0.99 lol. And reading that Novella, it ALL made sense. I got it. I fell in love with all of the characters. So I read the 1st book again and saw it in a completely different light and then devoured the rest of the series. 🙂 Funny how that worked and then it became my favorite series ever.
I actually don’t think I ever read Shadows. I was feeling much better about Daemon by book 2, but it took me awhile to get there!
Well, me and my husband are definitely my OTP so I think we should band together and totally make that a thing. Real-life married couple OTP’s for the win! 🙂
I am so with you when you said you fall for the guy not the couple. YES! I’ve never put it into words before but I definitely do the same. There are exceptions of course, but for the most part I’m totally swooning over the guy and connecting to the guy and getting all the feels from him. Good call on that one! And I love that you mentioned Ridge and Sydney (well, okay, Ridge). Maybe Someday was the first book I read from Colleen Hoover and I have such a soft spot for it.
Such a fun topic, Nicole!
Yay for real life OTPs! You and I can go around gushing about how our hubbies are our one true loves and let everyone else gush about the couples in their books. 🙂
Nope! I don’t have an OTP either! I think my reasons are very similar to yours. I also have a TERRIBLE memory. Sometimes after completing a book or series with a romance that I adored, I will swoon…until I begin my next read. I don’t think I have ever pined over a couple after being done with the book. And there are some books that I love so much just because of the romance in them. Like you, I also would fall for the guy character rather than the couple. I don’t really get the whole OTP thing, to be honest…
I’m glad I’m not the only one with memory issues!
OMG, Acronyms kill me too!
Nicole you can’t get me down the drama whole and then expect me not to be dramatic LOL 😛
Drama is MY THING 🙂
I don’t see tags in the book blogosphere anymore BUT OMG THEY ARE A BIG THING IN BOOKSTAGRAM and it drives me crazy that it’s a thing I’m not on top of :0
Ok so back at the OTP… awwww high school sweethearts that’s awesome Nicole! My husband and I have been friends since we were 12 and dating since we were 19. So that counts right?
oh right.. bookish OTPs! Why am I getting so distracted? UGH
I have worse memory than Dory and I’m all about the guys too so this is a hard one. Let me think. Thinking. thinking. Thinking.
[Nicole wait… be patient. I can’t function under all this pressure!] 🙂
OK OK OK OK GOT ONE!
Janie and Zane in Marked {dark protectors #7]!! They have also known each other since they were kids and he has been protecting her his entire life. That’s SEVEN books in the series. So when they are finally adults in the last book which is FINALLY about them as a couple… OMG… you are sooooooo invested in their relationship. THE WORLD WOULD END IF THEY WERE NOT TOGETHER [how is that form drama :)]
I could also add Wolf and Scarlet from the Lunar Chronicle and Penryn and Raff form the End of Days. Great post!
See, I just don’t manage to feel that strongly about the couples in my books. I’m glad that you do, though—it makes the reading experience more fun when it’s an emotional rollercoaster. (At least I think so!)
I’m with you, I have book couples I like but no couple that would leave me lying crying on the couch for days on end. I usually end up rooting for the guy who always gets the girl so I’ve never had this problem.
Yep, I typically root for the “right” guy—or I’m just not invested at all.
I would also add that a lot of times if you’re wondering who the MC is going to end up with…there is probably some sort of love triangle and those drive me nuts most of the time. I’m with you though, I tend to not have an example when wondering about an OTP. I mean, I love the HP books…but those OTP’s didn’t and probably wouldn’t have ended up together. Regardless, I like to ship them in my mind. In that case, it would be Harry and Draco OR Harry and Luna. 🙂
-Lauren
I’ve never done that random shipping of characters really. Harry and Luna would be a fun combo that I’d never thought of, though!
[…] post about not having concrete OTPs really resonated with me, since I have been feeling less emotionally connected with book romances […]
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It is kind of true and weird that OTPs are more of a thing when they fail and you kind of carry on wishing they could’ve been together forever. I’m someone who is also always on the right side of the ship… BUT because I like to be a fangirl sometimes I still choose to make those included as OTPs. So here’s to Edward and Bella being my OTP forever.
So true. It’s hard to get truly passionate about a couple when everything works out for them too easily.
[…] fantastic discussions on her blog. Recent topics have included Watching Bloggers Come and Go and Am I The Only One Without An OTP? Nicole is also one of the hosts of the Book Blog Discussion […]