He’s handsome, dashing and makes your heart melt like butter on a sunny day. What’s more, he is at your beck and call and you can make a date with him for any time of the day or week you choose.
Yes, we’re talking about your latest book boyfriend. (Or boyfriends – we don’t judge.)
While he may exist only in your head and in the pages of a book, that’s no reason not to fall in love with him. And let’s face it, book boyfriends do have some advantages over real-life partners. You don’t have to nag them to do the washing up for one, and in your mind’s eye, they will also always be perfectly groomed (while simultaneously not minding if you haven’t washed your hair for a few days and are still in your pajamas at lunchtime). Plus, they don’t get jealous if you snuggle up with another bloke for a while.
Here are some of our favorite book boyfriends from the past few years. Which one would be your date of choice?
And if you’re looking for a new love, don’t forget to pre-order Cursed Lands for 22 stories of magic, mystery, and romance, and discover which men got our writers’ hearts a fluttering…
Jace Wayland (The Mortal Instruments)
“Tawny eyes with flecks of gold”. Yup, you had us there. While he can be rude and arrogant, we know this angel-blooded bad boy has a heart of gold, and his fearless exterior hides a soft, caring center. A greenhouse may not be our first choice of date locations, but if Jace is there, we’d happily chill out among the flowers and trees.
Gale Hawthorne (The Hunger Games)
It’s a contentious one… Are you Team Gale or Team Peeta? Peeta may be able to bake a good cake but there’s something about the strong hunter type which calls to us, and in our opinion, Gale didn’t get nearly enough book or screen time. Whether it’s tossing blackberries around or swimming in a wild lake, we’d love to get to know this Hunger Games hottie a little better.
Salvatore Brothers (Vampire Diaries)
Three is most definitely not a crowd if your two companions are the sexy Salvador brothers from the Vampire Diaries. Whether you preferred the books or the TV series, both had more love triangles that you can shake a stick at. Arguments about whether Elena’s heart belonged to Damon or Stefan may rage into the afterlife, but in the world of book boyfriends, thankfully, you don’t have to choose between them.
Eric Northman (True Blood)
We do love a good hate-to-love romance and none better than the relationship between Eric and Sookie in True Blood (based on Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse novels). With those Viking looks and a willingness to jump into battle at any moment, this is one boyfriend we can rely on to defend us to – and arguably beyond – the grave.
Raffe (Angelfall)
Brooding, mysterious and super-hot – the only thing that can top that is a willingness to sacrifice all for the woman he loves. Add on a sense of humor and a willingness to banter and this is one angel we would love to cross swords with. After all, in the world of our imaginations, we always have the perfect witty comeback on the tip of our tongue.
Cal (Red Queen)
If you’re anything like us, you spent most of Red Queen wondering whether Mare’s heart would go to Cal (or Tiberius Calore the Seventh if you want to give him his full title) or his brother Maven, and silently screaming “CAL!” all the way. He may not have Maven’s soft heart and soothing words, but his steadfast loyalty and strength won us over from the beginning.
