How Can I Make a Love Triangle Believable?

[Rainbow Rose]

Okay, so in this novel I'm writing, A girl named Juniper ends up getting drunk and hooking up with her friend Lewis after going through a supernatural and life-threatening event with him that only they know about. This would be all fine and dandy...If Lewis was single. Lewis is dating a guy named George, who is unaware of what is going on between Juniper and Lewis.

This is where I'm having trouble. The hookup was justifiable because they were drunk, but I'm having trouble figuring out their justifications for keeping things going. Why Lewis wants to date George while seeing Juniper behind his back. Why Juniper lets this happen rather than listen to her conscience.

If anyone can help with this, please do! I don't want to demonize any characters, especially Juniper since she's the protagonist.

 

[Lady of the Lake]

Maybe Lewis give empty promises and hopes that he plans on breaking things off with George, even though that is not truly the case, or that really is his plan, but his feelings then change again and he ends up not wanting to break things off with George. But Juniper, being the hopeful soul that she is, believes him, even though he does not keep up his end. Idk, just a thought. Kind of demonized Lewis though. Or makes him immature, indecisive and irresponsible.

 

[Rainbow Rose]

Maybe Lewis give empty promises and hopes that he plans on breaking things off with George, even though that is not truly the case, or that really is his plan, but his feelings then change again and he ends up not wanting to break things off with George. But Juniper, being the hopeful soul that she is, believes him, even though he does not keep up his end. Idk, just a thought. Kind of demonized Lewis though. Or makes him immature, indecisive and irresponsible.

I wouldn't say that demonizes Lewis, it just points out a flaw in his character. Lewis is a strong, yet soft-spoken man with a dark past, so being rather indecisive and immature could be the result of his past. Lewis came from a family of arms dealers, so he had to witness a lot of hell in his childhood, making him want to have both rather than choosing just one lover.

 

[Tellural]

The thing about getting drunk and hooking up with someone is that you're usually pretty conscious of your actions, it may feel like at the moment you can do anything and there won't be any consequences but you're aware of what you're doing. Though, that is really just from my limited personal experience so take it with a grain of salt.

Coming off of that note though, I'd start with figuring out the relationship that Juniper and Lewis had before the hookup, why would they want to hook up with each other in the first place even with knowing that Lewis was already in a relationship. They obviously felt some sort of connection or attraction to each other, even if it was passive and if not for the extenuating circumstances that they were placed in they never would have acted on it. Maybe Lewis was never actually happy with George, or has been slowly becoming less interested in him over time? Maybe Juniper had a childhood crush on Lewis but never had the chance to act on it? Maybe things between the two of them are just that good, that they don't care it's cheating?

It's difficult to try and justify their actions without placing the blame on someone or making them look like a bad person, because at the end of the day cheating when in a monogamous relationship is largely considered wrong. Especially when it continues past the point where it had been recognized as cheating by both the cheating party and the person they are cheating with.

Hopefully this helped, even if just a little bit. Good luck with your novel!

 

[Rainbow Rose]

The thing about getting drunk and hooking up with someone is that you're usually pretty conscious of your actions, it may feel like at the moment you can do anything and there won't be any consequences but you're aware of what you're doing. Though, that is really just from my limited personal experience so take it with a grain of salt.

Coming off of that note though, I'd start with figuring out the relationship that Juniper and Lewis had before the hookup, why would they want to hook up with each other in the first place even with knowing that Lewis was already in a relationship. They obviously felt some sort of connection or attraction to each other, even if it was passive and if not for the extenuating circumstances that they were placed in they never would have acted on it. Maybe Lewis was never actually happy with George, or has been slowly becoming less interested in him over time? Maybe Juniper had a childhood crush on Lewis but never had the chance to act on it? Maybe things between the two of them are just that good, that they don't care it's cheating?

It's difficult to try and justify their actions without placing the blame on someone or making them look like a bad person, because at the end of the day cheating when in a monogamous relationship is largely considered wrong. Especially when it continues past the point where it had been recognized as cheating by both the cheating party and the person they are cheating with.

Hopefully this helped, even if just a little bit. Good luck with your novel!

It really does! Thank you so much!!