The Best Book Boyfriends: Romance Heroes That Steal Hearts
Book boyfriends in romance novels have undoubtedly heightened the standards in relationships.
Almost every person who reads romance novels has at least one book boyfriend, and let’s be honest, they keep growing with every new read. Some are mysterious and brooding, while others are cute and outgoing. Nonetheless, all of them have the power to make us swoon. These book boyfriends set the bar high for real-life partners.
Theo Silva from Reckless by Elsie Silver – one of the most persistent book boyfriends
When it comes to book boyfriends, Theo Silva is my favorite. I read this book several times just because of him. Theo falls first, and in this case, he falls hard. He is a sunshine, golden retriever boyfriend. This bull rider goes above and beyond to make his girlfriend comfortable.
He is a reformed playboy who, once he realizes that Winter is the one for him, makes changes to become worthy of her. He was attentive to her needs and knew how to be assertive when necessary. His teasing was perfect, and his wooing skills were exceptional.
About the book If You Love Reformed Playboy Book Boyfriends:
Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package.
And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal.
But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak.
The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist.
Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard I try to freeze him out, he melts my icy exterior and pulls apart all my defenses.
Over a drink in a small town bar, I blurt out my deepest, darkest secrets. Then I spend the singular hottest night of my life with him.
He worships my body. He makes me blush. I come alive beneath his hands.
Then I tell him to forget it ever happened. I want simple, and with him it all feels complicated.
It was supposed to be a one-time thing.
A secret.
But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.
Book Boyfriends Hero: Archer from Archers Voice by Mia Sheridan
This book is a classic in the romance genre, loved by some and hated by others. However, Archer Hale is probably one of the best book boyfriends ever written.
He is sweet and caring, and despite his traumatic past, he does everything to make his girl happy and safe. All the guys on this list are incredible, but Archer’s actions stand out.
Bee is terrified of thunder. Since she was angry at him, he decided to spend the night outside her house so she wouldn’t be alone during the thunder.
He is selfless, caring, thoughtful, loving, and courageous. All of these qualities make him irresistible.
Despite living an isolated life and having no prior experience with romantic relationships, Archer knows how to treat a lady right, especially Bee, whom he cares about deeply.
About the book If You Love Gentle Book Boyfriends:
When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.
Archer’s Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.
Compassionate Book Boyfriends: Bo from Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young
Bo and Win met at a Halloween party. Their chemistry is instant. After their Halloween hookup, they weren’t expecting to see each other again, but a positive pregnancy test has changed all of the previous plans.
Both of the main characters have disabilities, which makes them connect on a more personal level. The author captured the sensibilities, doubts, and worries both characters need to deal with daily due to their inability exceptionally.
Bo is sunshine to Win’s grump. One of the tropes includes forced proximity, and he went above and beyond to make her and their new and confusing situation easy and comfortable.
I fell utterly in love with him when he showed his nerdy side. His care and devotion towards Win and their future baby solidified it more. Sweet, caring, and a master of DnD, he has everything book boyfriends require.
About the book If You Love Nerdy Book Boyfriends:
Winnifred “Win” McNulty has always been wildly independent. Not one to be coddled for her limb difference, Win has spent most of her life trying to prove that she can do it all on her own. And, with some minor adjustments, she’s done just fine.
That is until she has a one-night stand with the incredibly charming Bo, a perfect stranger. And that one night changes everything.
While Bo is surprisingly elated to step up to the plate, Win finds herself unsure of whether she can handle this new challenge on her own or if she’ll need a helping hand.
Together, Win and Bo decide to get to know one another as friends and nothing more. But, as they both should know by now, life rarely goes according to plan.
Misunderstood book boyfriends: Michael Phan from The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Michael is an escort. He is a perfect example of how we can not judge people on their status or occupation. Stella, our main heroine, is sensitive to touch and hires Michel to help her with her bedroom skills because she feels lacking. Although hesitant, Michael eventually agrees to take this unusual job, and they start to form a friendship that develops with time.
Stella is wealthy and very successful, which Michael adores. I rarely read books with reversed roles: rich female character/ struggling male character, but I loved it.
Michel’s caring and protective nature towards Stella is evident right from the start, even though he doesn’t know her complete story.
However, this friendship and relationship were quite complicated. Michael was not perfect. He is the most flawed of all book boyfriends on this list, but his imperfections are what eventually made me fall for him.
About the book If You Love Flawed Book Boyfriends:
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice—with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan—from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…
Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he’s making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…
Grumpy book boyfriends: Brendan from It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Book boyfriends, take notes! He built a pergola for her. With his own two hands. Before they even went on a date. His name is Brendan Taggart, a sea captain and a widower.
The main heroine, Piper, is a socialite. These two are complete opposites. What makes this book worth the hype is the best character growth I have ever read in a rom-com.
Although they do start as enemies, Breandan was helping Piper even then. He was her biggest fan, even without knowing what a fan is. These two opposites were perfect for each other. Sunshine Piper has loosened up fisherman Bran, and he showed her what matters in life, and it is not a number of social media followers and people admiring you. Piper only needed one real fan to have her back, and Brendan was that.
About the book If You Love Alpha Book Boyfriends:
Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.
Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.
Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.
Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.
Acts of service love language: Ryan Shay from The Right Move by Liz Tomforde
This man took everyone by the storm, and rightfully so. Ryan is probably on everyone’s book boyfriends list. His love language is acts of service but on a new, deep-consuming level. He also expresses alpha nobody touches my women’s behavior, and somehow looks like a gentleman while he does it. Furthermore, he likes to praise and complement Indie. Everyone needs and deserves someone who will treat them like the rarest diamond, just like Ryan did to Indie.
About the book If You Love Professional NBA Player Book Boyfriends:
RYAN
She’s a distraction, that’s what she is.
I’m the newest Captain of the Devils, Chicago’s NBA team, and the last thing I needed this year was for Indy Ivers, my sister’s best friend, to move into my apartment. She’s messy, emotional, and way too tempting.
But when the team’s General Manager vocalizes his blatant disapproval of my promotion to Captain, referring to me as an unapproachable lone wolf with no work-life balance, I can’t think of a better way to convince him otherwise than pretending to date my outgoing roommate.
The only problem? Faking it feels far too natural.
Having a fake girlfriend wasn’t supposed to be messy but having Indy under my roof and in my bed is complicated, especially when she wants all the romantic parts of life that I could never give her.
INDY
I never imagined I’d be living with my best friend’s brother, NBA superstar Ryan Shay. Even more unbelievable? He needs me to act as his loving girlfriend who’s suddenly changed him into a friendly and approachable guy.
Because, well…he’s not. He’s controlling of his space and untrusting of others.
Our arrangement isn’t one-sided, though. I’m in a wedding coming up, one where every one of my childhood friends, including my ex-boyfriend, will be in attendance, and there’s no better date than my ex’s celebrity hero.
Blurred lines make it almost impossible to separate real from fake. Falling for my roommate was never part of the deal, especially when Ryan is quick to remind me that he doesn’t believe in love.
I’m a romantic and can’t help fantasizing that he’ll change, but soon enough, I find myself questioning if sharing a roof with my best friend’s brother was the right move after all
Misunderstood Hero: Jack from Love, Theoreticly by Ali Hazlewood
Love Theoreticly is my favorite Ali Hazelwood book, and Jack is one of the main reasons why. All Hazelwood heroes and heroines are part of the STEM industry. If you are searching for book boyfriends that are into science, check Hazelwood books.
Jack and Elsie met under quite unusual circumstances. She was fake dating his brother. The story they told to Jack further complicated Elsie’s situation since she started working at Jack’s university.
Jack is an experimental physicist, and Elsie is theoretical. These two specialties are feuding. All due to our dear Jack.
He is an enigma and mysterious from the start. Ali Hazelwood’s books are always in one POV, and the guys are hard to read.
Right from their first scene, his attraction to Elsie is obvious. So are the reasons why he doesn’t act on it.
Also, it is clear that although it is hard for him to believe Elsie, he would do anything for her. He is the epitome of a misunderstood hero.
About the book If You Love STEM Book Boyfriends:
The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.
Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?
Caring and compassionate boyfriend: Wes from Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
I read this story in one sitting. This book contains a lot of tropes, some of which include childhood friends, enemies to lovers, and fake dating. The influence of rom-com movies on the story is truly remarkable. You won’t want to miss out on the captivating storyline that will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for the characters.
The main male character, Wes, and our heroine, hopeless romantic Liz, have grown up together.
Although they consider themselves enemies, it is obvious there is more to it, especially with the special treatment Wes is giving Liz. He takes care of her even when she is not kind. He understands Liz and her sometimes ridiculous actions even before her.
About the book If You Love Fake Dating Book Boyfriends:
In this rom-com about rom-coms, in the spirit of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, a hopeless romantic teen attempts to secure a happily-ever-after moment with her forever crush, but finds herself reluctantly drawn to the boy next door.
Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar – and maybe snag him as a prom date – even befriend Wes Bennet.
The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.
But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love – and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like.
A hero who will charm you with his words: Roman Kitt from Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Rebecca Ross writes the most lyrical and heartbreaking stories interwoven with meaning and tragedy, hope, and loss. I noticed this while reading her last series. This lyrical style is pure talent. I laughed. Ross is probably the best fantasy romance writer I have ever read, and I can’t wait for her new stories to come out.
She is a master when writing strong female characters and perfect soft and powerful heroes.
I read both her fantasy series, and all her couples were perfect. Honestly, I had quite a hard time between Jack and Roman, but in full transparency, I fell for Roman since his first letter. Roman and Iris grew up differently. He is wealthy and privileged while she is struggling.
Both are journalists and start as rivals. They correspond through magical typewriters. And he will make you fall in love with his love and understanding even when they are two opposite worlds. Roman was ready to give up his world and life for Iris. He truly is something special. Out of all book boyfriends on this list, he is the softest one, but he has his way with words the best.
About the book If You Love Magical Realism:
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.
Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.
Affectionate cowboy: Luke Brooks from Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
I believe Brooks deserves more recognition as a book boyfriend. He was a supportive, caring, and loving friend and a boyfriend. If you love small-town, found family cowboy romances, you will love this book, and it is a matter of time before Brooks steel your heart well.
Brooks and Emmy grew up together, so they knew each other as young kids, but they needed to get to know each other as grown-ups.
Emmy needs to deal with reminders of her accident and confides in Luke, who keeps her secret and does his best to help her deal with her problems. He encourages her to move forward, but he is not pushy. He knows emotional boundaries very well and sticks to them, being what Emmy needs and showing up when she needs him.
About the book If You Love Childhood Friends to Lovers Romance:
For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.
Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.
Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?
Quiet but loves fiercely: Zachariah from Keepsake by Sarina Bowen
Zach grew up in a cult, isolated from the real world, so he needs to learn everything. He tries to discover himself while working hard at the ranch. This book also presents strong family and found family bonds.
Lark and Zack both dealt with trauma, but while Zack is doing ok, Lark is struggling. Zack helps her every step of the way, even if it takes him a whole night to comfort her, and he is not sure how to deal with such a serious matter since he is not sure about himself or his interaction with others. If one of your favorite book boyfriends is Archer from Archer’s Voice, you will adore Zach.
About the book If You Love Nightmare trope:
Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.
When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.
Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.
Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.
Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that he’s good for much more than farm labor.
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