Don't Be Afraid of the Dork: TOP TEN TUESDAY | The Book Characters I Wish Were Real

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme for bloggers who like books and lists. It's awesome and is graciously hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

It is shocking to me that I haven't done a list like this before! I kind of suspect I have bt can't find it... Anyway, I love writing about my favorite characters and there are so many I'd love to meet as real people. Yes, this week's topic is...

October 3: Top Ten Book Boyfriends/Girlfriends (Which characters do you have crushes on?)

I think I am going to stick with male characters - if I opened it up to females it would be too hard to narrow down. And these are all men that I have a little bit of a crush on. It's not weird to crush on fictional characters, right?

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1) Anthony Lockwood from the Lockwood and Co.Series by Jonathan Stroud

This is my most recent book crush and it does feel a little skeevy since Lockwood is only supposed to be like 14. My only excuse is that the way he is written makes him seem much older. Lockwood is very warm and charming, has a distinctive style, is a great leader, courageous, loyal and has a great sense of humor. He's also got his emotions locked away tight and doesn't open up too easily.

2) Peter Grant from the Peter Grant Series by Ben Aaronovitch...Or maybe Nightingale...

I love Peter's sense of humor and how down to earth and loyal he is. Nightingale is his mentor and boss in the supernatural unit of the London Metropolitan Police and is also very alluring though we don't get to know him as well or as personally.

3) Augustus "Gus" McCrae from Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Gus is one of my favorite characters of all time. He's romantic, sweet, genuinely likes and respects women, and is funny and wise. He's also a bad ass retired Texas Ranger. I just simply adore him.

Art by Merwild

4) Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz is basically a darker more extreme version of Lockwood, above. I don't know what it is about emotionally damaged men who have reined in their emotions so tight except for that one girl that they are madly in love with, but I adore them with every fiber of my being. It creates such sweet, slow-burn romance.

5) Frances Crawford of Lymond from the Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett

So, in reality, Lymond would make me feel like a moronic, awkward clod of earth and I would be no where near interesting enough to capture his attention but I'd surely like to be the type of lady that could turn his head. Lymond is impossibly clever, charming and always 10 steps ahead of everyone. And yes, he is basically an even darker version of Kaz and Lockwood. A blonde Tom Hiddleston is probably my favorite fantasy casting for him.

6) Adam Parrish from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm afraid that once again, I fall for the damaged boy who just needs love to start healing him. You could argue that Ronan is more damaged but I really identify with how Adam deals with his issues in becoming more of a rule follower and striving to excel and get out. He's so sweet and was definitely the character who had my most steadfast loyalty throughout the series.

7) Zacharias Wythe from Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Oh how I loved the clever, introverted, talented wizard in Sorcerer to the Crown who defeated his enemies by being more polite, more talented and better than all of them. Sadly, the love interest that Zen Cho chose for him, reckless, impulsive, rule-disdainer Prunella, stressed me out big time and I kind of hated them together. 😢

8) Carswell Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Just to show what a complete double standard I have, I find reckless, impulsive, disdainer-of-rules Carswell Thorne, delightful. I don't think it's because he's a guy and can get away with it, I think it's because he's got a great sense of humor and is very charming. He and Cress are my fave couple in the Lunar Chronicles and I love his and Cinder's dynamic so much as well. He's for sure the quintessential, lovable rogue!

9) Cross aka Jasper Arlesey from One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean

Perhaps my favorite all-time romance hero though my affection for me him may be mostly influenced by his good sense to fall in love with the odd and quirky Pippa. He's a big old nerd who, you guessed it, is damaged and haunted by his past. He swears to stay abstinent as a punishment and because he thinks he's no good when really he is known by women low and high as the person you go to for respect and no judgement. Sigh...I love he and Pippa. AND now I want to do a re-read:).