Evernight Contest #4 (this is a good one)

Posted on May 5, 2008

The entries for the third Evernight contest were so amazing: You guys really know how to argue for your favorite vampire! There were very good arguments for Louis from Interview With a Vampire, for Edward, Jasper and Alice from the Twilight books, for characters from BTVS, ATS, “Blood Ties” and “Being Human,” and even an honorable mention who declared herself a vampire. How was I supposed to choose?

Well, around about that time, I came into a second ARC. So I am naming TWO winners:

First, I chose Count Dracula, who was nominated by this week’s first winner,hersheekiss358. She made a strong case that it’s too easy to take the original Big Bad for granted, that he’s still pretty terrifying today, that we owe almost all of our current yummy vamps to him, and that really, we should be a little scared not to name him the greatest ever.

Second, I chose Carlisle Cullen, who was nominated by our second winner, towerofwisdom. She pointed out that misguided moral righteousness can be scarier than bloodsucking, and that Carlisle’s attempts to reconcile his vampirism with religious faith make for some very complex storytelling.

So, congrats to hersheekiss358 and towerofwisdom! As soon as I get their mailing addresses, their ARCs will be on the way.

Thank you to EVERYONE who entered. If you didn’t win, there is still hope for an ARC — read on.

Now, for Evernight Contest #4:

As readers of this LJ must know, I am a big fan of the work of Elizabeth Scott, who writes wonderful YA novels such as Bloom and Perfect You. Well, she has another book, Stealing Heaven coming out soon — on May 27, the same day as Evernight So we decided to hold a cross-promotion; she’s giving away one of my Evernight ARCs, and I’m giving away one of hers. As my rules are a little harder, I’m also sweetening the deal: Not only will you win Stealing Heaven, but you will also get an advance copy (not an ARC — an actual hardcover) of Evernight and a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.

The rules: Stealing Heaven is about a girl who’s been raised by a career-thief mom, and her efforts to make her own choices in life. Pretty far cry from my vampire novel, right? Not if you look at it this way: Both novels are about romances that involve deep, dark secrets. So, I want you to Tell me your favorite “secret love” in fiction. Books, plays, movies, TV, you name it — tell me those two people who loved each other despite all the obstacles in the way, far away from the world’s prying eyes, and I’ll pick one winner to get the whole prize package.

Ready, set, go!

By the way, I got to visit with a lot of great people at Floral Park Memorial last week — I’ll post more about it as soon as I have time to get the pics off my camera. What’s kept me so busy? Finally finishing revisions to the third book in the series, Hourglass, which is with the publisher as of this morning. Whew!

128 Responses to “Evernight Contest #4 (this is a good one)”

  1. citys_summer

    I just read Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and the relationship between Sebastian (aka Tony) and Maria was so undeniably forbidden and sweet and dangerous. Sebastian is 17 and isn’t allowed to leave his house except once a day to go running because his father is overprotective. Maria is 23, has two children, and an abusive boyfriend who happens to be the father of the two children and the only boyfreind Maria’s ever had.

    So when they meet on the subway during both of their secret nightly rides, they instantly get caught up in a romance that can either leave both of them with nothing–or possibly dead–or have them whisked away to the Mojave desert and the windmills where they both can be safe and happy.

    Turns out, their romance turned out to the my favorite to read about ever. The Bell/Edward romance is sweet because it’s dangerous and forbidden, but the Tony/Maria romance is even more dangerous and forbidden–not to mention ILLEGAL–because it’s real. It’s happening. I COULD happen.

    This story has come to be known as another rendering of West Side Story, but I have to say, it was infinitely better than that, almost as classically told as the original, Romeo and Juliet.

    And since their love is kept from Carl (the abusive boyfriend) and Sebastion/Tony’s father, it really is a secret.

    And my favorite.

    β™₯Heather

  2. Anonymous

    Contest

    I would choose Romeo and Juliet. They are the 2 famous teens who are in love despite that they’re families hate each other. They want to be together and end their families feud with their marriage. They are the foundation of today’s secret and seemingly impossible, forbidden love. If their story hadn’t been written I doubt we would have love stories like Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and Wicked by Nancy Holder or other love stories that have captured our heart and refused to let go.

  3. Anonymous

    I think my favorite would have to be Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, and unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years you are familiar with their story. At first, Elizabeth absolutely HATED Mr. Darcy, (especially since Mr. Darcy had the nerve to insult her) but as the book progressed they fell in love. Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favorite novels. I love Jane Austen and her amazing writing skills.
    (btw, Keira Knightley and Talulah Riley did an amazing job with that recent remake of the movie)

    And! I absolutely love Elizabeth Scott! I entered into her contest for your novel as I was loading up this page.

    • Anonymous

      Elizabeth/Mr. Darcy Post

      SHOOT! I realized I forgot to put my name, also!

      Megan (www.paperxxflowers.blogspot.com)

      Thanks!

  4. maisfeeka

    Jamie and Nina from the movie Truly, Madly, Deeply are my favorite ‘secret love’. They’re a little different from your average secret love because Jamie is dead. Nina grieves so much that Jamie returns to be with her again, which is where the secret part comes in. She can’t exactly tell anyone that he’s come back from the dead, without being thought crazy, and yet she’s never been happier.

    The thing I particularly like about the movie is that although he appears to have come back to be with her, you discover that he’s actually there to help her realize that she’s ready to move on with her life without him. It’s a beautiful, touching movie with really the epitome of selfless secret love. If you haven’t seen it I totally recommend it!

    Mai

    • hhw

      ooh, that’s a good one. Plus, anything with Alan Rickman is worth watching (or just listening to — I love his voice).

      • maisfeeka

        Oh, definitely! I bought a book on tape that I really had no interest in just because he was the one reading it.

  5. tezmilleroz

    Secret Love = Calamity Jane and Wild Bill in Calamity Jane. I like the song, and I’m not much for lovey stuff. And Calamity was kick-arse, although too trigger-happy for my liking (I’m Australian – I don’t like guns).

    Have a lovely day! πŸ™‚

  6. Anonymous

    Contest!

    Up until recently, I would’ve probably had to say something along the lines of the Bella/Edward romance was my favorite, but I was introduced to ‘Wake’, by Lisa McMann, and that’s completely changed – the two main characters, Janie and Cabel, are completely real and struggling through basic, everyday nightmares (sometimes more literally than not) – minus the dreaming problems and Cabel’s ‘second life’. They’re both not perfect in the slightest, but the way they bonded together and saw the best in each other when everyone else thought they were losers and labeled them with degrading remarks makes it seem more romantic than so many kiss-and-hug romances I’ve read in the past. They have problems and they have stories. They fight and they assume and basically, they’re the average couple with a few very dramatic and straining twists. It also helps that they have a sense of humor towards the entire thing.

    And snickers bars! What kind of girl can’t love a guy who slips her snickers bars?

    As for the secret part, part of Cabel’s entire lifestyle involves tricking a girl to believing he loves her – while he’s dating Janie, and yet he can’t exactly tell her.

    Oh, man. This is making me want to read it again.

    Wish you the best!

    Lauren
    (laurenreynolds@swbell.net)

  7. tehanu_chan

    Congratulations to and . Good choices ^^

    Even though I did not win I’m kind of glad. Reading back the entries I think I was the only one who choose Anne Rice’s Louis (if I’m wrong, please correct me). So that means I made a good argument, which is awesome itself given that, sometimes, I feel so insecure about my english ^^U

    So thanks a lot for helping me gain confidence and for hosting this contest. Now, to the second one! (Yes, I’m not giving up, do you have any idea how hard is to get new english literature in Argentina? xD)

    Umm, it’s funny, but I’ll have to go with Monica Geller and Chandler Bing from the TV series, Friends. Why? Ok, is hard to have a romance between different species, different social status, whatever. But between friends?

    In such a small group they give it a shoot, against all odds! That’s pretty brave. In the beginning there was this totally weird first night together. Talk about mind blowing! They knew that that was a crossroad. No way back, my friend.
    But back to NY, the “thing” eventually got serious, REALLY SERIOUS. They couldn’t fight against it. Period.
    However, they knew this was not only about them, they were not that selfish, they knew that this would affect the whole group. So, they kept it a secret, as long as they could… well, if your best friend is name Joey, that’s a little hard πŸ˜‰
    Happily for them, the group eventually accepted it ^^

    Fact 1: Their love is real, you can relate with them completely. They work, they pay taxes, they have to struggle their way out through life and no… they don’t now what awaits them, like you and me.

    Fact 2: They are absolutely sweet and supportive with each other!! When they finally got their children must have been one of the most adorable moments of TV.

    Fact 3: Ok, there’s no action, no life and dead choices, no blood. But everybody wishes for a Chandler to their Monica (or vice versa), don’t you?

    Thanks again n_n

  8. Anonymous

    good contest, I love love stories sooo…. hmmm ok Airhead, SPOILER Emerson and Christopher. their love story is unique, I don’t want to say why cause it will spoil it. Spoiler over

    • trudeau1031

      good contest, I love love stories sooo…. hmmm ok Airhead, SPOILER Emerson and Christopher. their love story is unique, I don’t want to say why cause it will spoil it. Spoiler over
      brittany
      (sorry this is my account!)

  9. Anonymous

    Stealing Heaven Contest

    Ahhh well, there are so many to choose from but I’m obvoiusly going to have to go with…Edward and Bella from Twilight!
    Email: strawberryxfruit@gmail.com

  10. Anonymous

    Stealing Heaven Contest

    Ahhh well, there are so many to choose from but I’m obvoiusly going to have to go with…Edward and Bella from Twilight!You’d never think that a human and vamipire could possibly be together but they end up going against all odds.
    Email: strawberryxfruit@gmail.com

  11. Anonymous

    Evernight contest #4

    I really loved the book This Lullaby, the “secret lovers” are Remy and Dexter.

    Remy has had so many boyfriends over the years and after the romantic rush of the relationship she usually breaks up with the boy. Well one day she meets Dexter who is a clumsy and always moving kind of guy, he’s also a musician. No musicians for Remy, because her father was one and wrote a song for her call “This Lullaby” (how appropriate), he passed shortly after. The whole story is about how Remy falls in love with Dexter, but doesn’t know it until they break up and she feels lonely and heartbroken, a feeling she has never experienced.

    This love story is a really good book. I guess they aren’t really secret lovers but I think they qualify because Remy keeps her feelings for Dexter a “secret” to herself until she loses him. I’m so not going to spill the ending but consider reading it!

    <3 Alex...email- AlexAxel23@msn.com

  12. Anonymous

    I’m going to have to agree with Miss Paperxxflowers on this one. I absolutely love the love/hate relationship between Miss Bennett and Mr. Darcy. The whole time you just want them to be together, it just about kills you, and then finally! It gives me goosebumps everytime…. Another one, more frequent secret love, and it would be so very cool if this was true. But from the movie Becoming Jane, Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy, they had everything going against them. what a bittersweet love story! If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you should watch it! But those would be my favorites.

    Awesome contest! And Hourglass! You have a title for the third, how very exciting!!! I can’t wait!

    Kristi

  13. Anonymous

    Gemma and Kartik

    My favorite “secret love” is Gemma and Kartik in Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty trilogy. They can’t have a relationship because Gemma is of “high society” in Victorian England and attends a prestigious all-girls boarding school, while Kartik is Indian and sent by a secret order to guard her from her visions of hidden realms.
    I chose them because Gemma is so independent and stubborn. Even when she’s unsure of herself, she doesn’t just run to Kartik for comfort. Kartik is so devoted to Gemma even though the English look down on him, and he would do anything for her.

    ~Melissa N. pepsivanilla14@hotmail.com

  14. Anonymous

    Contest

    Well, in my life (that sounded deep…not to mention a nice Beatles reference), I have read many young adult novels. I seriously have a whole closet full of them. I call it The Library. However, if I had to pick one novel out of all of those books, I’d have to choose Just Listen by Sarah Dessen.
    Although all are awesome (and are equally read multiple times), something about this book sticks out to me. The two main characters, Annabel and Owen, made me laugh and even tear up a little. Although complete strangers at first, they have this special bond that brings them together through talking about music. The way they support each other amazes me. Amidst all the confusion and family problems, they find sole happiness in the music they discuss. They disagree and fight but at the end of the day, they still love each other.
    When I finished this novel, all I could do was smile. The reason why I still enjoy it so much is because it shows how love can be in the simplest places, such as music. You never know when or where it will appear. All you can really do is just listen. :]

    – Claire (squiggles3408@aim.com)

  15. Anonymous

    Romeo, Romeo, where art thou…

    I definitely have to agree with a previous comment about my favorite forbidden romance. I can’t help it; Shakespeare is simply amazing. And so is Romeo (omg, in this one movie, I swear, he looks exactly like Zac Efron). Anywho, back on topic. I think it is just extremely romantic that Romeo and Juliet could fall in love at first sight; that in itself is incredible. And the fact that they go against all odds, especially the rivalry between their families, makes it even more romantic (I can’t find a better synonym for romantic). Romeo and Juliet is such a beautiful love story, and it’s definitely unforgettable. And the tragic ending is romantic too, because they kill themselves thinking that the other is dead. *sighs* It’s just such a lovely story…

  16. Anonymous

    Romeo (continued)

    I forgot to put my name. whoopsie.

    -The Book Muncher

  17. Anonymous

    To me, it’s obvious — it has to be Ennis and Jack from the movie, Brokeback Mountain. These two fall in love and clearly ache for each other; their relationship spans twenty years, but at no point can they ever really be together. They can’t be open about their relationship (consider societal constraints in 1963, Wyoming), and the only times that they’re free to spend time together is when they meet at Brokeback Mountain, where there’s no one else around.

    -Rylie (bcanyon at gmail dot com)

  18. Anonymous

    Congrats to the winners!

    This contest sounds so much fun.

    I don’t know if this counts, but Sarah Dessen’s This Lullaby — probably my favorite book — brings together cynical, tough-girl Remy and quirky guitar-playing Dexter. Most of their obstacles involved Remy’s inner conflicts, how she always battled herself and her past and tried not to love Dexter. Denial keeps a relationship secret, doesn’t it?

    I can’t wait to read Evernight AND Stealing Heaven.

    *fingers crossed*

    Paige
    paigeaniyah@gmail.com

  19. xrockstarbeauty

    I think I’m going to have to go with the Batman/Catwoman’s complex relationship (especially in Batman Returns). It’s complex because on one hand you have a man who has made a pledge to save his world and yet he finds himself attracted to someone who embodies everything he goes again. I think the scene in Batman Returns when they realize who the other is and wonder if they have to start fighting each other, just because of who they are.

    Maybe that was incredibility nerdy, but it really stands out to me.

    I’m Shannon
    cooki.dough@gmail.com

  20. anialove

    For absolute favorite secret love, I have to delve into an obsure fandom.

    BASARA is a manga by Yumi Tamura, and is now over ten years old (although VIZ only recently finished releasing the English translations). It’s the kind of story that you’re drawn into against your will because it’s so well written, but you know it cannot end well.

    In this futuristic sci-fi, the despotic ruling family (currently headed by the Golden Emperor) feared a prophecy about the “child of destiny” – until the Red King killed him. However, his twin sister Sarasa takes his place, crusading in his name to keep the hope of the common people alive. She cannot pretend to be a boy all the time, so she likes to bathe in private. One day she meets Shuri. Sparks fly and they fall in love through a series of adventures.

    Of course, Shuri doesn’t realize that Sarasa is Tatara. And Sarasa doesn’t know Shuri is the Red King.

    When they’re together, Sarasa and Shuri don’t have to pretend anything – they’re just two teenagers falling in love. Apart, they’re brilliant leaders both struggling to do their best for the country. Their relationship draws the reader in, even as the reader fears their inevitable discovery of the other’s identity.

    I wish this story weren’t obscure. I only have one friend to with which to gush about it.

  21. Anonymous

    Contest. =D

    My favorite love story that I’ve ever read is actually a Harry Potter fan fiction. *hangs head in shame* … ok. It’s called Hinge of Fate by Ramos and it’s intense. It’s hard to explain without making it sound terrible, but it’s Hermione and Snape, which sounds gross but it’s actually really really awesome! The writing is perfect and there are no loose ends. All I can really say is that I recommend it!
    -Bri [BriannaAlvarez89(at)gmail(dot)com]

  22. Anonymous

    Favorite Lov e Story

    My favorite love story which I’m not entirely sure if it’s a love story, but The Girl with the Pearl Earring. I love how Griet wants Johannes Vermeer to love her, but she’s his maid. He’s her lord and he’s already married. I don’t really like the ending, but I love the intensity they both have in the story.

    -Pretty

  23. alatarielsun

    While I was at school this last semester, I read Sunshine by Robin McKinley. As an obviously huge fan of vampires, this was one of the hottest yet…strangest vampire novels I have ever read. The vampire, Constantine, and the girl, Rae, aren’t exactly in a hot and heavy romantic relationship…but at the same time, reading them together makes your heart beat and makes your fingers tremble as you turn the page in anticipation. You so want them to be together. She’s the light and he’s the dark, in some ways quite literally, and they’re party to merciless vampire killers. Their romance is not only away from prying eyes, but it’s between the very lines of the text. Robin McKinley is AMAZING. πŸ™‚ I don’t know if I could ever just pick a single favorite, but this is definitely one of my favorites. πŸ˜€

    –Dawn

    • Anonymous

      My favorite secret romance comes from the sci-fi fairytale retelling “Beauty” by Sheri Tepper: the relationship between Beauty and Giles. When the story opens, Beauty is 14 and in the middle ages and can’t be with Giles because of all those social status complications. Then she is picked up by time travellers, swept into the future, impregnated by a rapist and brought back to the past where some years have gone by. This time she can’t be with Giles because she marries some guy to make her child legitimate. Beauty travels back and forth from the future a few more times, always meeting Giles when she comes back. You’ll just have to read the book to find out if they end up together in the end or not. But it’s very worth the read – one of my favorite books of all time!

      lenoreva AT hotmail DOT com

      • taragel

        Stealing Heaven Contest

        I have two books and one TV show that immediately sprang to mind.

        I’m a huge fan of the “childhood friends become lovers” plotline and I have two classic favorites where the love is secret though not necessarily forbidden.

        1) Anne of Green Gables–Spirited, Imaginative Anne is possibly my all-time favorite heroine and her slow evolution from hating to loving the charming Gilbert Blythe is one of the great romances of all time. Her pride stands in the way of her admitting her feelings for him until his wonderfully romantic gesture of giving up his position as the local schoolteacher so she can stay with her adoptive mother Marilla who is going blind.

        2)Another favorite is the burgeoning love between Polly and Tom in Louisa May Alcott’s lesser known novel An Old-Fashioned Girl. Set in turn-of-the-century New York, poor country girl Polly is the good girl friend to dandy, rich and reckless Tom. She holds a silent torch for him until his family’s fortunes are dashed and he is dumped by his snotty fiance. She also fears he’s in love with another woman but it turns out to be a Big Misunderstanding and there’s a happy end after all.

        And as a new convert to Battlestar Galactica, I’m totally shipping Starbuck and Apollo’s love-hate relationshp. I understand that in Season 3 it gets even more intense as they’re both in relationships with other people but can’t stay away from alternately beating each other up and loving each other in all their damaged glory.

  24. vitadei

    My choice as my favorite “secret love” would have to be Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala from the Star Wars prequels.

    Anakin was a slave with no future for himself. She was a queen in disguise and he fell in love with her when he was 9 years old.

    10 years later the two reunite and fall in love. They get married. He will spend the next 3 years away at war and she will wait for him. They have very few meetings during these 3 years.

    The reason I am such a big Anakin/Padme fan is because of their dynamics. I’ll list them here

    1)Their age difference. He is 5 years younger than her. He is immature and rebellious. The age difference shows and makes the relationship a little more endearing. He’s loved her since he was 9 and held onto that love for the next 13 years of his life.

    2) The fact they can’t be together. He is a Jedi-who are not allowed to have any sort of relationships or attachments. She is a senator. During the Clone Wars they rarely see each other, but through this all they still love each other.

    3) Padme’s love for him saved him and destroyed him. After Anakin murdered the Sand people that killed his mother, she consoled him. He seemed to listen to her and in a sense she made him a better person. She also can be blamed for the millions of lives that Darth Vader took. If not for her, Anakin would not have had dreams of her dying. He would of not searched for a means of keeping her alive. He would of not become Darth Vader. but in the same light………..her love for him gave Luke Skywalker life-who will eventually redeem Anakin.

    4) Anakin’s stuggle. He searches for any way to save her. He is so desperate he throws away all of his morals for her. All of his friends, including his very faithful friend,Obi-Wan Kenobi. His mind is so tortured by this that he will do any means neccasary to keep her alive. And when he finally seems to have fufilled the requirements for saving her, he is no longer the man who wanted to save her. He will later lie to himself and tell himself that he does not love her and that his old life means nothing to him. This is of course a lie. His reaction to Padme’s death is to crush everything around him. He later in life becomes obbessed with contacting their son, Luke.

    Anakin and Padme are like Romeo and Juliet, expect they don’t get the mercy of dying. Padme dies of a broken heart(Ophelia-itis) but she does give birth to Luke and Leia. Anakin does on to spend the next 24 years of his life trapped in a suit. But indirectly, Padme redeems Anakin. She in her dying breathe tells Obi-Wan Kenobi that he can be redeemed. This belief continues on to her son, Luke, who does redeem him. Darth Vader becomes Anakin Skywalker one last time before he dies and reconciles with his son.

    While they are not the perfect couple-they had many problems-they loved each other to a fault. To the point of their own demise. THAT is why I love Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala

  25. Anonymous

    favortie “secret love”

    i Would probably say my favorite secret love was hands down was Lena and Kostos from Sister hood of the traveling pants. even thought they lived on different continents they were together, even though Kostos married a girl who turned out to be pregnant (not she totally lied) they were together.

  26. Anonymous

    bella and edward

    my favorite love pair would have to be bella and edward from the twilight series. talk about forbidden love, eh?

    Andy

  27. Anonymous

    My favorite love story

    Man there are so many great responses. Here’s mine, its not really a “secret love” but its my favorite love story. Oh and beware, there are spoilers for this movie (Garden State).

    In the movie Garden State Andrew Largeman is this messed up guy who’s been on several medications since he was young. When he comes back home for a few days after being gone for around 10 years he meets this girl, Sam. Sam is an outrageous liar, but Andrew sees something in her. Over the next few days that he’s home he spends a considerable amount of time with her and the end up falling in love. Andrew stops taking his meds and Sam stops lying (well mostly). At the end of the movie he’s going to leave to go back to California and he tells her that things will be fine and he’ll call her as soon as he lands. Well he gets on the plane and gets right back off again and finds her crying in a phone booth. He tells her his idea was stupid and that he’s just going to stay there and they’ll figure out things later. I just always melt watching that entire movie, its so amazing. Andrew and Sam’s love is so strong after only a few days despite all of his problems and Sam’s bad habit of lying. I just love that.

    That whole movie is amazing.

    -Breanna
    queenbloop@gmail.com

    • Anonymous

      Re: secret love

      My favorite love? It would have to be Cecilia and Robert in Atonement(the book!). The intensity was great. They were two lovers separated by a misunderstanding, and still they found each other with a war raging around them. All the time they were apart they could only think of getting home to each other. There’s something just so romantic about a wartime romance, isn’t there? And even though they never really had a happily ever after, I like to think they’re together, somewhere.

      • Anonymous

        Re: secret love

        OH wait…I forgot my email. Of course. Ok, I’m Catherine, I was going on about Cecilia and Robert (=]) and my email is: smorglepuffs@yahoo.com

  28. Anonymous

    I’m thinking Buffy and Spike. I always loved Angel a lot, and I have a soft spot for him in my heart, but Spike went through SO much for Buffy. He chose to get his soul back, whereas it was thrust upon Angel, and I’m not sure he ever would’ve opted to get it. The whole vampire vs. slayer thing made it hard for him, and Buffy never loved him as much as he loved her, but still – one of my favorite fictional romances.

    – Juanita, juanita.bason@gmail.com.

  29. Anonymous

    My favorite love story is the one in West Side Story between Tony And Maria. This story is actual in all times. A forbidden love story based on the Romeo en Juliette theme, but set in New York between two gang wars. Can it be more romantic then with the wonderfull and genius music of Leonard Bernstein?

  30. Anonymous

    Marjolein

    My favorite love story is the one in West Side Story between Tony And Maria. This story is actual in all times. A forbidden love story based on the Romeo en Juliette theme, but set in New York between two gang wars. Can it be more romantic then with the wonderfull and genius music of Leonard Bernstein?
    Marjolein
    (www.novalilly2003@hotmail.com)

  31. dreamerofnight

    Hey!

    My favorite would have to be Bloom (OBVIOUSLY), but my second favorites would be Violet on the Runway and Violet by Design by Melissa Walker. She is just an incredible writer, and Roger’s love for Violet is intense. πŸ™‚

  32. blbooks

    my favorite

    The obvious choice for me would have to be sam & jack from stargate sg-1. Their love is such a great undercurrent of most of the seasons–well, the first eight seasons anyway. And they are a very big part of the reason why I became such a huge stargate fan. I love watching the fan-made music videos highlighting their relationship.

    Becky
    http://blbooks.blogspot.com
    laney_poATyahooDOTcom

  33. Anonymous

    Stealing Heaven

    The minute you said favorite romance I knew I would write about the romance of Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea. Their romance is long coming. While they have loved each other since they were teenagers, Anne doesn’t let herself give in to her feelings till many years later. Gilbert’s devotion is probably the strongest and most endearing of any fictional male which has left him as #1 on my hottest fictional males list for years. You can’t help becoming involved in this romance every time you read the books or watch the movies!

    -Amee
    (amee821@hotmail.com)

  34. venioinnocenter

    I see that a lot of people are saying Edward/Bella, while I think that would be great choice for “forbidden” love…its not exactly secret. Everyone knows that they’re together; they just don’t know what he is.

    The Last Summer (of you and me) by Ann Brashares. Alice, Paul, and Riley have been best friends their entire lives. Alice and Riley are sisters. Paul was the boy next door. He grew in a house where he felt unloved, without a family. He sought company in their house, becoming part of the family. Alice was always the odd man out. Paul and Riley were always together, with Alice tagging behind.

    Over the course of a Summer, having not seen Paul in a few years, he comes back. He’s hot and Alice is beautiful. They begin to form a bond. Alice, having always been head over heels for Paul, is seen in a new light by him. They begin seeing each other secretly. They did not want Riley to know, because they did not want to make anything awkward or change the relationships everyone had always known.

    Over the Summer, Riley becomes seriously, deathly ill. Alice pushes Paul and their secret love aside, feeling ashamed to have had it in the first place. In a way, feeling a though they had somehow caused this.. or has isolated Riley unintentionally. Alice gives up everything to take care of Riley, even her happiness. Even her Paul.

    In the end, it works out. They find each other again and know that it is meant to be. A summer that can turn into a lifetime of being together.

    I just love the whole idea of knowing someone your entire life.. and then suddenly the world shifts and now they’re yours. The whole “girl next door” concept has always been sweet. Keeping it a secret also makes things seem dangerous, even though later it can complicate everything to an extreme.

    Thanks ;]

    Patricia
    VenioInnocenter@yahoo.com

  35. pennesue

    contest.

    My favorite fictional love of all time, would have to be Jim//Pam from NBC’s The Office. I can never get enough of them, && neither can the millions of viewers the show had each week. There is something wonderful about their love that can never be described fully without seeming like you left something out. Their love is the best fictional love I’ve seen in a long time, && that’s saying something for a hopeless romantic like me :]

  36. Anonymous

    I think one of my favorite fictional love stories are Oliver and Emily in the movie “A Lot Like Love,” played by Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet. They meet in a very random way on a plane, and after an initial romantic experience, remain friends for years afterwards, having “relations” off an on during that entire time, while also being in other relationships during the time period. I love that through all the obstacles of living in different cities, having tremendous fights, and working through it all, they still work it out to be together. For me at least, I have a similar relationship with my best guy friend, and this fictional relationship is just reassurance that it is possible for it to all work out in the end, and I wouldn’t be surprised if in ten years we ended up getting married <3.

    -Mitzy
    just1linmichele@aol.com

  37. ren_not_lauren

    My favorite secret love in fiction is defiantly Bella and Edward in Twilight. I know this is probably a very typical answer I really think it is the only choice!

  38. Anonymous

    Wow, thanks for the cool contest! Such a wonderful idea!

    Well, I’ve narrowed it down to two (this was really hard!). My first would have to be Tommy and Phoebe from Generation Dead by Daniel Waters (AMAZING book). The second would be Cathy and Victor from Cathy’s Book (not only is it a very cool story, but the book itself is SPECTACULAR! I can’t wait until I can rustle up enough money to get the sequel, Cathy’s Key). Both books are paranormal, and HIGHLY reccomended!

    Thanks again!

    Cheers,

    The Compulsive Reader


    For book reviews, author interviews, contests and more, visit: http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/

  39. Anonymous

    My favorite “secret love” in fiction:)

    I know it’s a lot of people’s favorite fictional love story, but the love between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan from Twilight will always be my favorite. They care about each other so deeply, even though Bella is in danger at every moment and Edward feels guilty for putting her in that position. They come from very different backgrounds, which can be put into context in so many ways in real life, and yet they’re completely comfortable with one another. It never crossed Bella’s mind to not want Edward for any reason except when she thought she wasn’t good enough for him; likewise for Edward. Nature, family, and fate in general seem to be trying to keep these lovers apart, but in the end, nothing can, because their love is just that real. That’s why it’s my favorite story.

  40. swtinsanewhspr

    secret love

    My favorite couple that went against the odds was Wes and Macy in Sarah Dessen’s the Truth About Forever.
    The book started out Macy had the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend, then her father dies and she’s not the same anymore, but no one understands that. She meets Wes and he is far from perfect. Wes has been in jail and he lost his parents and he has a girlfriend. Somehow they are able to bond even though Macy’s mother wants her to have absolutely nothing to do with any part of Wes’s world. In the end, they win each other and both of their lives start to make more sense.

  41. Anonymous

    Love Story

    The one love story that I will never forget is The Phantom of the Opera.
    I love the story and the movie. The love the Phantom has for Christine is
    scary, but mad-blowing. He steals her away while her performance on stage.
    He wants Christine bad enough to steal her away which is an action of love for me.
    Even though he is scarred, Christine still shows him love.

    -Brittany D.

  42. Anonymous

    Hmm…they might not be my ultimate favorite…I’ll probably think of something in an hour and say “aww snap!”…but mine would have to be Jeremiah and Ellie from Jacqueline Woodson’s If You Come Softly. This book is extremely short and bittersweet, but what got me was how they had the love of a lifetime in such a short period of time…

    I’ll be crossing my fingers now. πŸ™‚

    Tamarra (Teekayh706@yahoo.com)

  43. Anonymous

    I really liked the movie John Tucker must die: because these two characters liked eachother, and yet she was on a mission to break his heart…but despit that…after he found out what was really going on; I know they still loved eachother =]

    simply-chillin@hotmail.com

    –Rachel

  44. samstreet

    My favorite ‘secret love’ in fiction… Tom Lefroy and Jane Austen from the movie “Becoming Jane”. He was wild and free and a fighter and she was struggling to write a novel. They met and he tried to get her to broaden her horizons and she thought him rude. But still, when it came time for the ball… she found herself wondering where her Mr. Lefroy was. The scene where they danced together was amazing and I keep seeing it in my head as I write this.

    But alas, it was not to work out. Someone intervined and an uncle threatened. Then Mr. Lefroy got engaged.

    But he was heartbroken for his one true love and so was she. So he came back…

    And they ran away together.

    Of course, anyone who knows anything about Ms. Austen knows she was always a Miss. So it didn’t work out but, seriously… I loved them two together. They are my favorite.

    -samantha
    xjohnnynonamex@yahoo.com

  45. oh_remy

    I’m going to go with Jace and Clary from Cassandra Clare’s “Mortal Instruments” trilogy. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS! You are forewarned.

    Jace, who is a Shadowhunter, was raised to deny all feelings of love, and was instead taught to focus on becoming a great warrior for the cause. He has grown up never allowing himself to love or become attached to another person – his father once told him that love and obedience are two different things – obedience is desired, and love destroys.

    When Jace meets Clary, and begins to fall in love with her, his emotions don’t quite register on the normal for him – he fluctuates between tenderness, anger, resentment, and annoyance with her. Clary’s never quite sure where she stands with him. It’s his job to protect her, so they’re stuck together in that sense.

    Through his interactions with Clary, he learns to allow himself to feel love, something that he confides to her that he never thought he could feel – she’s awakened something in him, a part of him he had thought “was dead forever”.

    It’s not easy, it’s not utterly romantic. It’s the kind of romance and love that takes time to figure out and get used to, and just when they are on the verge of settling in to their feelings, they find out that they are brother and sister.

    It doesn’t get all incest-y, but you can see how they are struggling to tame their feelings, and how much Jace grows as a person just by having experienced love. A small part of them desires to run away together and live in solitude under assumed identities (they didn’t grow up together, obviously, so they’re having to work on developing the brother/sister roles), which means Jace would have to give up his life as a Shadowhunter, something that he has lived for and loved.

    While not always romantic, it’s a beautiful ideal of how being touched by love can change you, right down to the deepest part of who you are and what you believe, and then working with what you have. I’m really not doing it justice here, but it’s one of my all-time favorite secret loves, because it’s so complicated and when they learn of their relation, they don’t want to lose that love, and have to work on denying it and channeling it more platonically.

  46. lab08

    My favorite “Secret Love” would have to be from the musical RENT. Roger was diagnosed with AIDS along with his girlfriend. She leaves him a note to tell him about it but then kills herself. Sometime after this, he meets a girl named Mimi. She has AIDS as well, but neither know that the other one has it too until later on in the play. But before they find this out, Mimi trys really hard to get Roger to be with her and to just live his life, for he’s been shut up in the apartment since he got out of rehab. She wants him to live by the philosophy of “No Day but Today.”

    As the play goes on, Roger starts to change and the two begin a relationship. They both realize they have AIDS, but it doesn’t stop the hardships between them. Roger is off drugs, but Mimi is still using. She tries to stop as their relationship progresses, but that’s not the only thing between the two. Mimi is getting sick faster then Roger and Roger doesn’t want to be around for that, since another friend has just died. He takes off and Mimi says to him before he leaves “You don’t want love without lifetime guarantees. You don’t want to watch me die.” which explains a lot on how he feels.

    But by the end, Roger is back and Mimi is finally found, for she goes missing and has been leaving on the streets.

    The two have a lot in common, and yet the things are so awful, it’s hard for them to have a normal relationship, and yet they eventually make it work with help from friends.

    I think Mimi says it great at one point in the play.
    “I want baggage that goes with mine.”

    They have a love that overcomes many obstacles, definitely, and it’s not the most secret love for their friends know about it…but it’s a small group that lives in New York City with only each other as company, for their families all live far away. So I definitely think it’s a love that takes place away from “prying eyes.”

    -Lauren
    lauren51990@aol.com

  47. inkwazsilver

    This is really difficult…

    At first I couldn’t really think of my favorite, but then I thought…hmm… of course !

    I adore the novel Airborn by Kenneth Oppel and always knew that Kate de Vries and Matt Cruse were meant to be together. But even after Matt was in the Academy, their positions in life kept them apart *sniff*. It was like a Victorian romance but with pirates and airships.

    …Reeve…

  48. Anonymous

    Bunny’s Entry

    I think the best secret love story is that of from The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It’s about the great love of Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun. Allie comes from a wealthy family, so her parents disapprove of her seeing Noah. The whole family moves just so they can separate those two young lovebirds. Noah writes to Allie but obviously she doesn’t get the letters because her mom stashes it away. Allie then gets engaged to a handsome young soldier named Lon…
    This was made into a nice movie. I loved it.

    • Anonymous

      Re: Bunny’s Entry

      Ooppss.
      My email addy:
      bunnybox9 [at] gmail dot com

  49. horsegirl17

    Evernight Contest #4

    Hi! I just finished reading Beauty by Robin McKinley for the second time, and the last few chapters are my favorite. They are a great example of two people who fall in love against the odds and stay in love. Beauty has to go live with the Beast in order to save her father’s life. The Beast was described as horrible, inhuman, and having a temper; but what she finds is much different. He swears never to harm her- and he never does. He is kind, fulfills her every whim- food, books to read:D, dresses, lets her keep her horse with her:D, etc. But every night he asks her if she’ll marry him. Every night she says no! She just can’t pull herself to do it- at this point in the story she’s fallen in love with him only in a pitying-a-friend way. But, when she hears news of an issue at her home, he lets her go visit her family. So she gets there, and stays with them for a week. She realizes that she actually misses the Beast!She doesn’t realize yet about how she loves the Beast, but it’s there, deep-down inside her heart. She tries to talk to her family about him, about how he’s kind to her & how they have intellectual conversations together & how there’s more behind the face. But her family can only think about how he’s keeping her there, in his castle, and how he’s only letting her visit for a week. Her family just seems to be tsk-ing over how she “pities” the Beast.She feels sad about that, but can’t bring herself to feel mad at the Beast.But really she’s feeling pangs of love for him.
    He had let her go for only a week. Well, she leaves late in the last day, intending to stay as long as possible, but in the end she panics and runs-off back to the castle. When she gets there, everything is run-down and falling apart. The castle had been magical and beautiful, but now it’s dilapidated and cold-looking. She runs into the castle, yelling for the Beast- because she feels that something is indefinably wrong. Eventually she finds him, and he’s lying listless in the same chair that she’d left him in. The only thing different is that he was wearing different clothes. She gets to him, and says how she’ll never leave him. Here is where she professes her love to him, and how she’ll never leave him again. Then there is a flash and a bang, and he turns back into a human. But Beauty doesn’t realize this, and she says “Where’s my Beast? Where has he gone?” then he tells her “I am him. I love you Beauty”. Then they end-up getting married and everyone looks at the Beast and says “Such a handsome, kind man. How he could have ever been that horrid Beast, I don’t know”. It all works out in the end, and Beauty&the Beast are together forever after! I really enjoyed reading that story, and it seemed even better the second time around. It’s not your average happy-ending fairytale, even though it’s a re-do of the famous Beauty&The Beast tale.

    I really liked the Twilight series and that’s been influencing me to read more vampire books recently, so when I saw the ad for Evernight on Elizabeth Scott’s website(I just finished Perfect You and I’m reading Bloom right now- both awesome books!) I just had to check out this contest.

    Thanx! Cya,
    horsegirl17

  50. Anonymous

    Loovvveeee

    okay “Secret love” in fiction. there’s just to many books to chose from like:

    1. Wild Roses by Deb Caletti. In this book there’s this girl Cassie who has this insane step-dad, Dino. Dino is a world-renowned violin player and composer, to the public but to Cassie its like HELP!! Dino teaches This boy named Ian. the two fall in love but can’t let Dino know because then he will stop teaching Ian, Ian needs to be an great violin player because his family needs the money. So they keep that they love each other a secret because of Dino, hate him. So I don’t want to ruin the book so that is all I’m saying.

    2. A Great and Terrible Beauty series by Libba Bray. Gemma and Kartik are so in love with each other but she’s English and he’s Indian in the old days like really old days. So they become a secret because it would be forbidden love, not to say the whole thing with the “order.” Can’t give anymore away about the books.

    3. Luxe by Anna Godbersen. Will and Elizabeth. Will is her stable boy, and Elizabeth is a rich proper young lady in Manhattan, 1899. they run away together because they can’t see life without each other. tell me that’s not true love.

    4. Rumors by Anna Godbersen. Dianna and Henry. Dianna is Elizabeth little sister and Henry is to/was be Elizabeth husband. And this is Manhattan in 1899, so this relationship isn’t suppose to be happening.

    so I’m only going to list four because i could keep on listing books with “secret love” besides I think four is a good number.

    By the way Stealing Heaven is great, just like Bloom and Perfect you, I loved it.