Looking for an unforgettable collection of YA books with love triangles in unexpected places? As an award-winning author and blogger about issue-driven YA fiction, I know that love triangles are the popular trope that people love to hate, such as Bella, Edward, and Jacob in the Twilight saga or Katniss, Peta, and Gale in The Hunger Games. Here are my top three recommendations, each offering a unique and unexpected story:
Hollow Beauty by Khristina Chess - prom should be magic, but when her date tells her to lose weight, Olivia’s quest for perfection pulls her into a toxic spiral of extreme dieting and exercising - until another boy helps her see herself clearly again.
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - a beautiful novel about a grieving girl who falls in love with two boys: the cute new kid in school and her dead sister’s boyfriend.
My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak - an orphaned girl finds herself living at the home of her mother’s dear friend, where she is surrounded by 11 gorgeous brothers.
You’ll find detailed reviews of these and many other favorites below.
So which YA books about love triangles should you read next? Discover your next great romantic read for Valentine’s Day in this roundup. This list includes a few YA books that have love triangles in unexpected places that you might not have discovered yet. I think you’ll love them. I did.
Hollow Beauty by Khristina Chess
“I wondered what it would feel like if he rolled over and kissed me. Would I feel that panicked need to escape that I always felt when Brody kissed me? When I thought about kissing Ross, I felt nothing but excitement.” ― Khristina Chess from Hollow Beauty
A romantic love triangle that will appeal to fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before—this compelling novel explores insecurity and the power of words to hurt and to heal.
The story starts with a casual criticism from a cute boy: maybe you could use the next two months before prom to lose some weight.
That’s right. When tall, gorgeous Brody asks Olivia to prom, she’s ecstatic—until he suggests that she go on a diet!
But how thin is thin enough?
What starts as a few skipped meals spirals into a dangerous obsession—hours spent scrolling pro-ana and thinspo forums, tracking calories like a lifeline, and watching the number on the scale plummet. The more weight she sheds, the more she disappears. Ross, the new prep cook at the diner, sees her differently, and the only time Olivia feels like herself is when she’s riding dirt bikes and cave-hunting with him. But with Brody, romance feels more like devour or be devoured.
She’s almost perfect for prom. Almost thin enough.
Until the unthinkable happens.
If you’ve ever suffered the pain of unkind criticism, Hollow Beauty is for you. This dreamy YA novel with an unexpected love triangle also explores the slippery slope of pro-ana culture and the brutal consequences of chasing perfection. What makes Hollow Beauty special is the realistic portrayal of how Olivia falls into the self-esteem trap of trying to change herself for someone else. I loved seeing her journey and choices as the events escalated toward the story’s climax. This one is worth the read!
In fact, Khristina Chess has written several awesome YA books. She’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she has so many thought-provoking novels to choose from!
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
“What kind of girl wants to kiss every boy at a funeral, wants to maul a guy in a tree after making out with her sister’s boyfriend the previous night? Speaking of which, what kind of girl makes out with her sister’s boyfriend, period?” ― Jandy Nelson from The Sky Is Everywhere
I love, love, loved this book! The writing is so lyrical, and the story is incredibly sad. It begins with protagonist Lennie, who is grieving the sudden death of her sister. Although Bailey is dead, the relationship between these siblings is very much alive on the pages of this novel. Lennie writes beautiful poems, and she spends time in their room and shares so many memories that I feel I know Bailey.
A charismatic new boy shows up at school, and Lennie ends up entering into 2 romances at the same time. This is the love triangle. One romance is with the new boy at school, and the other is with her dead sister’s grieving boyfriend. Sooner or later, she has to decide which one of these guys is the one she’s going to stick with. Oh, boy.
All of the characters are vivid, and the story is captivating. The creative visual aspect of the novel is also a nice touch; Lennie writes her poems on scraps and scatters them everywhere, and these appear at the beginning of chapters.
This book is a must-read for anyone looking for YA novels with love triangles in unexpected places. In fact, I highly recommend that you also read Nelson’s other novel, I’ll Give You the Sun.
My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
“Love takes more than a couple days and a secret, shotgun marriage to develop into something worth dying for.” ― Ali Novak from My Life with the Walter Boys
Jackie is an orphan who finds herself transported from a life of privilege and private school in New York City to a rural ranch in Colorado, where she shares a very crowded home with 11 boys and one tomboy. There were plenty of opportunities for this story to explore the themes of grief, sisterhood, and being an orphan more deeply, but instead, the book focuses on the love triangle that develops between Jackie and two of the brothers.
That’s just fine. The pages turned quickly. I thought I’d be too disoriented by all those gorgeous and talented brothers, but Novak does a good job of introducing them and making them unique as Jackie gets to know them. I felt her sense of being overwhelmed by the family initially, and then one by one, the boys (and sister) became individuals. The parents are kind.
I liked the ending. This is nice debut book and a sweet romance for readers who like love triangles.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
“I want to say yes, but I don't want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody else's first choice.” ― Jenny Han from To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Lara Jean is a super sweet adorable character, and even though the story seems like a common love triangle, there are enough twists to keep the pages turning. Plus, Lara Jean herself is such a star. She’s naive and on her own for the first time, and she’s making all kinds of mistakes. She’s basically a train wreck. I love her immensely. Two plot points surprised me, and I thought I had those wrapped up early on.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, but I finished it in two sittings. Now I see why everyone’s been reading it! :-)
If you’re the last person on the planet to miss this one, you must go and read this YA book with love triangles in unexpected places.
Other YA Books That Have Love Triangles in Unexpected Places
If you are looking for other YA books that have love triangles in unexpected places, check out the Best YA Book Love Triangle Books and YA Love Triangle Books lists on Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of YA books by type.
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.