WitchLove: Love Triangles in YA Fiction

After a couple of semi-negative comments about my Witchblood series having another love triangle in it I thought I'd address the issue and explain my reasons. Firstly I would like to point out that I don't believe I have actually written a true love triangle in Witchblood. There is an ex-boyfriend and there is a new boyfriend. Jess's emotions may overlap on occasion but I wrote this on purpose... not to toy with my readers emotions, but to reflect real life.

We have to remember that Jess is only 17. One reviewer asked why so many YA writers were introducing love triangles, and asked why they couldn't just have one love... Well I don't know about other writers, but for me it makes it more realistic. Part of growing up and becoming an adult is about falling in love and generally six months later falling out of love again! I know I thought every boyfriend from the age of 15 was 'The One', at least for a short time! Ironically my husband was the only one I started out dating, not expecting him to be the one I would marry, and it turned out he was the only one that could offer me everything I'd ever wanted.

So yeah, I don't think it's very realistic to have a teenage girl meet the love of her life at 17 and not be tempted by other relationships. Sure some may marry their first love, but not many. Some may meet 'The One' at 17, but then split up, date other guys and then end up going back to her first love. Sometimes love changes to friendship, and sometimes you have to date half a dozen idiots to realise how good you had it... And in the last book WitchLove I intend to take Jess on that journey of discovery, and her current love prospects may change yet again!