Let’s face it: if book boyfriends were like real boyfriends, then I would be a little fast, as my grandmother likes to put it. I have so many book boys that I’ve fallen for over the years, and so many more that I continue to fall for with every new book I read. I’ve even shared some of them here on BookTrib, including my love for Jace Herondale (swoon) and Jamie Fraser (all the swooning). But since then I’ve read a bunch more books and fallen for a bunch more guys. These are those characters who are hot and caring, strong and sensitive, charming but still gruff. If only book boyfriends existed in real life, amiright?
Without further ado, here are the 4 current book boyfriends I wish I could bring home to meet the parents (or maybe just make out with a little in the driveway):
Gideon Cross: Crossfire Series, by Sylvia Day (Berkley)
Matt Bomer as Gideon Cross
I have a weakness for stoic bad boys who fall hard for that one special lady, and Gideon Cross is one of the best. From the moment I met him in Bared to You, the first book in Day’s sexy Crossfire series, Gideon captured my attention. Dark and sultry, he’s the biggest player in town before meeting Eva. Of course he instantly changes his ways, devoting his life to the beautiful but damaged girl. But Gideon isn’t just some one-dimensional hottie. He’s just as damaged as Eva –- both suffered devastating childhood abuse –- and the two have to work hard to make their relationship a success. Gideon proves over and over that he’s worth the struggle, both in the bedroom and out of it. This is one bad boy CEO I would love the chance to tame.
Carlos Fuentes: Rules of Attraction, by Simone Elkeles (Bloomsbury USA)
Tyler Posey as Carlos Fuentes
Speaking of stoic bad boys, Carlos is a walking ball of anger and angst before he meets good girl Kiara. But he’s also sweet, sensitive, and caring, and he’s literally willing to put his life on the line for the woman he loves. After the events of Perfect Chemistry (his brother Alex’s story), Carlos also finds himself caught up in gang life. Only unlike Alex, Carlos feels right at home in Mexico and resents getting shipped off to Colorado so he can clean up his act. But then he meets Kiara and everything changes. Still, Carlos never loses his humor or his edge, and his devotion to his new girl just makes him even hotter. All of Elkeles’ Perfect Chemistry series is worth a read or two (or ten), but Rules of Attraction will always hold a special place in my heart, as will Carlos, of course.
Will Traynor: Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes (Pamela Dorman Books)
Sam Claflin as Will Traynor
Me Before You came out years ago, but I didn’t read it until right before the movie premiered in June. Now I wish I’d discovered the heartbreaking love story earlier. At first Will seems pretty unlikeable; he’s left paralyzed after a devastating accident and finds it extremely difficult to adjust to life as a paraplegic. But his sarcastic humor and wit shines through even in his darkest moments, making it clear why his flightless caretaker Louisa eventually falls for him. The two have a pretty moving relationship as they grow together and constantly inspire each other. It’s a tearjerker of an ending, but Will stays crush-worthy through it all.
Ron Weasley: Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling (Scholastic)
Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley
Forget Harry. I’ll take everyone’s favorite ginger, please. Ron has always stood out to me as the soul of the group, the one supporting Harry as a hero and encouraging Hermoine (the clear brains of the operation). But he’s also realistically infallible and struggles with playing second fiddle to “the boy who lived.” By the end of the series, Ron has grown into a mature, courageous and funny wizard who’s beyond worthy of hero status. It doesn’t hurt that his on-screen counterpoint, Rupert Grint, also turned into a super hottie. Now that Rowling is releasing her screenplay for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I can’t wait to see what Ron is up to in his later years.
Main image credit: Warner Bros.
