Predictable or Unhappy Endings

In book reviews, I read complaints over and over again that books, especially those with some romance in them, are too predictable. I don't mind predictability if it means there'll be a happy ending, and I would be very upset if I spent my time reading a book that concluded with an unhappy ending. Certain genres seem to necessitate some degree of the expected.

I've read books that try too hard to provide a twist. The worst ones end up trying to trick the reader into believing one thing, when something else has really happened. I hate this technique, because it doesn't make sense to me. If I'm in a main character's point of view, he or she is not going to be thinking in a misleading way. In essence, the author ends up lying to the reader for a while.

As you can tell, in a contest between being unpredictable and having and unhappy ending or being predictable and having a happy ending, I would choose the latter hands-down. However, the best scenario is to be less predictable and still have a happy ending. I've read authors that do this well. However, if you like romances, you'll likely know how the novel is going to end. But it's still fun to see how it gets there. If you had to choose between the two, what would your choice be?

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