diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 15fa9ec..1fb146a 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::io::Write;
+use std::{io::Write, ops::Deref};
 
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use regex::{Captures, Regex, RegexBuilder};
@@ -13,17 +13,49 @@ const CODE_BLOCK_RE: Lazy<Regex> = Lazy::new(|| {
         .unwrap()
 });
 
+pub enum MaybeOwned<'a, T: 'a> {
+    Owned(T),
+    Borrowed(&'a T),
+}
+
+impl<'a, T> Deref for MaybeOwned<'a, T> {
+    type Target = T;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        match self {
+            Self::Owned(v) => &v,
+            Self::Borrowed(v) => v
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, T> From<T> for MaybeOwned<'a, T> {
+    fn from(value: T) -> Self {
+        Self::Owned(value)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, T> From<&'a T> for MaybeOwned<'a, T> {
+    fn from(value: &'a T) -> Self {
+        Self::Borrowed(value)
+    }
+}
+
 pub struct SyntectParser<'a> {
-    syntax_set: SyntaxSet,
-    theme_set: ThemeSet,
+    syntax_set: MaybeOwned<'a, SyntaxSet>,
+    theme_set: MaybeOwned<'a, ThemeSet>,
     theme: &'a str,
 }
 
 impl<'a> SyntectParser<'a> {
-    pub fn new(syntax_set: SyntaxSet, theme_set: ThemeSet, theme: &'a str) -> Self {
+    pub fn new<S: Into<MaybeOwned<'a, SyntaxSet>>, T: Into<MaybeOwned<'a, ThemeSet>>>(
+        syntax_set: S,
+        theme_set: T,
+        theme: &'a str,
+    ) -> Self {
         Self {
-            syntax_set,
-            theme_set,
+            syntax_set: syntax_set.into(),
+            theme_set: theme_set.into(),
             theme,
         }
     }
@@ -38,11 +70,11 @@ impl<'a> SyntectParser<'a> {
 
 impl<'a> Default for SyntectParser<'a> {
     fn default() -> Self {
-        Self {
-            syntax_set: SyntaxSet::load_defaults_newlines(),
-            theme_set: ThemeSet::load_defaults(),
-            theme: "base16-ocean.dark",
-        }
+        Self::new(
+            SyntaxSet::load_defaults_newlines(),
+            ThemeSet::load_defaults(),
+            "base16-ocean.dark",
+        )
     }
 }