9 Swoon-Worthy Book Boyfriends You Can Spend Your Valentine’s Day With

by Aishani Laha · February 13, 2018

Valentine’s Day is literally around the corner, and if you are reading this, then it is most likely that you don’t have plans for the much-anticipated day of love. It’s okay even if you do though, no one is judging. A great way to spend the day is by reading which is why you should be equipped with a great Valentine’s Day reading list. I know there are a ton of those out there, and you can literally pick out any book that you have been avoiding reading and make it your Valentine’s Day reading list.

However, it is after all the day of love. You would want to read something that makes you feel better/worse about the idea of love, which is all people are thinking about on this day. If you have a boyfriend or a date to chill with on Valentine’s Day, then I have a better alternative for you. If you don’t, then there is no need to fret because real boyfriends are overrated anyway. They demand your time and your effort and you have to shave your legs for them sometimes and more often than not, it ends in disappointment and heartbreak.

So worry not, I have compiled for you a list of the best book boyfriends ever, who will make you feel wonderful things without all the complications of real life. Sure, you might feel sad afterwards that they don’t really exist, but at least you’ll have nice company on Valentine’s Day!

1. Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A few of you might find this inclusion slightly problematic. That’s understandable. However, there is no denying that we all crave to be loved the way Jay Gatsby loved Daisy. Despite the fact that Daisy was a complete even b*tch, and she didn’t deserve Gatsby and at the end of the novel, you are left with a sense of despair and relief at the same time, you still want a Jay Gatsby in your life who will legit become a millionaire just to gain your love and wait for you for eternity.

Not only did he build a mansion for her, but also took the blame for a hit and run case that was her fault and then literally died for her, which is just peak romantic hero for me, tbh. Do they even make people like this in real life? My guess is not.

2. Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars is one of the many wonderful books written by the extremely talented John Green, and even though most of these books have incredible protagonists, no one trumps Augustus Waters when it comes to being boyfriend material.

The story is about cancer, and cancer survival and love and heartbreak, and while Hazel Grace tries to navigate her way through life with her oxygen tank and her health constantly deteriorating, she meets Augustus Waters who sees her like no one has seen her before. He is charming, kind, funny, good looking, and literally perfect, which is why the ending legit leaves you stunned. (Haha, cliffhanger there so that you definitely read this one if you haven’t already).

3. Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

You know you have boyfriend material when they propose twice, take care of you and see you through all your meltdowns and are there beside you no matter what kind of trials life has to throw at you.

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is a classic in the true sense of the term because of the wonderful characterization and narrative, but the love interest, that is, Gilbert Blythe is just one of those characters that you wish existed in real life. He knows he loves Anne, which is why he proposes to her twice, understands the value of hard-work and doesn’t give up on her even she is clearly hating on him.

4. Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mr. Darcy is possibly the most popular book boyfriend ever. Literature critics might find that a little problematic because he does have an ego and attitude problem. However, once he realizes that he has been an absolute ass to Elizabeth for no reason at all, and that being classist and stuck up isn’t really cool anymore, he becomes the very definition of perfection.

I mean, that proposal tho. From the moment he acknowledges that he loves Elizabeth, he loves and protects her fiercely and you know you could do with a Mr. Darcy of your own (especially if he looked like Colin Firth).

5. Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James

There is a reason the 50 Shades series became such a massive bestseller. We can all admit that it isn’t a literary masterpiece, and it has a very shady, angsty narrative going for it, but Christian Grey is enough to make up for all of that. To say that he is hot is a gross understatement. Apart from the whole sex thing that he has going for him, and his Red Room of Pain and what not, it is undeniable that he does make for a rather good boyfriend.

He is constantly buying her expensive presents, and if you not into shallow things like that, then he also protects her and sings for her and does the most swoon-worthy romantic things. This is probably why half the people in the world bought the book in the first place- to will Christian Grey into existence.

6. Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Even though in the beginning you are kind of rooting for Gale and feel sad that Peeta and Katniss are growing ever close while literally trying to survive a screwed up game where rich people make poor people go through hell where they ultimately die, you can’t deny Peeta is cute. He loved Katniss from the beginning and stays true to his love right till the end, we can’t help but cry when he finally gets her. He goes through hell and back for her and says the most perfect things ever.

While real boyfriends don’t even hold doors open for you anymore, Peeta went through ridiculously extreme physical and mental torture, all to protect Katniss. At least he finally gets her in the end, even though he has to deal with his rival for three entire books.

7. Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

When you are asked to describe your perfect boyfriend, the most common adjectives that people use are “charming,” “funny,” “good-looking,” “caring,” “exciting,” etc. if you have used any of these words to describe your ideal boyfriend, then you my friend, just described Rhett Butler. For generations now, this character has charmed people because he is just so perfect.

Even before the super dreamy Clark Gable decided to bring him to life on screen, Rhett Butler was the kind of man everyone wanted. He is wild and caring, free-spirited and grounded in reality at the same time. Not to mention, he is also very easy on the eyes and has a sprawling mansion.

8. Florence Ariza from Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A lot of people tend to overlook the incredible character of Florence Ariza from Love in the Time of Cholera, perhaps because of the fact that he defined by his steadfastness, his patience and his unending, honest, quiet and passionate love for Fermina, which makes him fade into the background of flashier, more elaborate loves.

However, love he does. Because of their class difference, Florentina’s father doesn’t allow the two of them to marry, and she marries someone else. What does Florence do? Wait for her of course. Through decades and decades, he patiently waits for her to come back to him. He doesn’t allow anyone else into his heart, and when at the end of their lives, her husband finally does, he is there waiting to love her with as much as passion as he did all those years ago. I mean, if that isn’t true love, what is?

9. Jonathan Harker from Dracula by Bram Stoker

Before I start gushing about him, here is what he says about his love for his woman in his diary:

This I know: that if ever there was a woman who was all perfection, that one is my poor wronged darling. I love her a thousand times more for her sweet pity of last night, a pity that made my own hate of the monster seem despicable.

Back when Dracula was written, people did love differently. However, that doesn’t mean that when you read Dracula now, you don’t wish for Jonathan Harker to be an actual person that you and love and keep for yourself forever. Also, don’t we all wish we had a boyfriend who would write things like this for us in his diary?

The thing is, book boyfriends are the reason we have such high standards from reward boyfriends, which is why a Valentine’s Day reading list could make you feel much better than a date would. Hope we managed to solve your V-Day crisis. Don’t forget to tell us about your favorite book boyfriends in the comments section below!

Featured image source: Instagram

Summary