Hey, Stephanie Plum Fans! Are You Team Morelli or Team Ranger?

Love triangles have an undeniable appeal, and there have been more than a few iconic ones throughout literary history. Who could forget Rhett Butler, Scarlett O’Hara, and Ashley Wilkes in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, or Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby?

Fast forward to today, and readers are still listening to the same old song, from supernatural trio Bella, Edward, and Jacob (Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga) to Katniss, Peeta, and Gale (Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games trilogy).

But perhaps the juiciest ongoing literary love triangle can be found in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum saga (the latest novel, Takedown Twenty, was released last week). The heroine of this series—bumbling but lovable New Jersey bounty hunter Plum—is caught in the middle of a love triangle with two certified hunks: Trenton cop Joe Morelli and Ricardo Carlos Mañoso, aka Ranger, a second-generation Cuban American who owns his own security agency.

It’s a tough choice—I’d hate to be in Stephanie’s shoes. In Takedown Twenty, she’s struggling mightily with the idea of getting engaged to Joe and settling down with him—especially with Ranger still in the picture. Here’s a breakdown of what she’s choosing between:

Joe Morelli

“Morelli is six feet of lean, hard muscle and hot Italian libido…”—Ten Big Ones

Stephanie has known Joe since they were kids—and there’s an undeniable attraction between them. He is, according to Stephanie, “friggin’ sexy” and gainfully employed—he owns his own house and has a toaster! But, as documented in Takedown Twenty, he not only eats tongue casserole but also has a crazy grandmother who hates Plum and has cursed her with the Evil Eye on numerous occasions.

Ranger

“Ranger was definitely wow. He stood half a head taller than me. He was perfectly toned muscle, and he had classic Latino good looks. He always smelled great. He dressed only in black. His eyes were dark. His hair was dark. His life was dark. Ranger had lots of secrets.”—Twelve Sharp

This mysterious man, described in Takedown Twenty as “hot, and luscious, and magic in bed,” is sexy, intelligent, and more than a little intimidating. A former Special Forces soldier turned security expert, this guy obviously loves Stephanie and would do anything to protect her—but is he relationship material?

If you were Stephanie, who would you choose?