Welcome to my small corner where the romances are questionable and the list of books we need to read grow ever longer.
This post is more for seasoned romantasy readers, but if you’re new, welcome! Today I will be covering the topic of book boyfriends.
Book boyfriends are essentially a list of main male characters the audience finds attractive or likable. There are also book girlfriends! But since we have a genre of books mostly written by women for women, there is bound to be some backlash.
Romantasy is typically reduced to shallow filled romance books outside of the genre’s community. I myself have been told that is the only reason why I read these books.
Despite the fact, romantasy deals with a lot of differing themes like feminism, female rage/empowerment, racism, sexism, autocratic regimes, marginalization of minority groups, activism, and political corruption.
A lot of these “book boyfriends/book girlfriends” would be walking red flags in real life; however, there is a comfort in the fantasy of a man or woman being the perfect love interest. There are different rules when it comes to the fictional world.
We know it’s fantasy! Online, many people make jokes about how, if a man told them, “You’re mine,” we would literally run very far away. As a reader, I can enjoy both the romance in a story and not be condemned for it while also finding the themes discussed fascinating. I find power in these books, and they make me happy. If you’re a reader of any kind, read what makes you happy!
My List
That said, I have some of my own when it comes to romantasy. Here are some recommendations based on the book boyfriends/girlfriends. They are in no particular order. No spoilers, and I am trying to avoid repeats!
Number 1
Number 1 is Caduan from Daughter of No Worlds.
This series is a completed adult trilogy. This is one of my all-time favorite series. I could make a post just on this. All three books were five stars and did make me cry more than once.
Caduan is one of my top book boyfriends. He is morally questionable, but he is also fae. So, to me, the two cancel each other out.
Here is a quote from Caduan to make you read this series:
“I have spent my entire life chasing knowledge, but now the only thing I want is you. Every part of you. I want you to be the last thing I see when death comes for me. And I want you beside me when we build this new world.”
The way I was giggling any time this man spoke! I also recommend this author’s other series, Serpent and the Wings of Night, because all her main male characters are exquisite.
Number 2
Number 2 is Luther from Spark of the Everflame.
This is an uncompleted four book adult series with only three books out. This series does have an annoying female main character; however, she did not really bother me that much compared to others I saw discussing her online.
I would still recommend the series as a whole because it is fun and fast-paced.
Luther is the ideal book boyfriend; he literally crawls on his hands and knees to attempt to save the female main character. That scene had my heart hurting! He is respectful, and he listens to our main character.
Here is a quote from Luther showing the yearning man that he is,
“I would sooner wither without food or water, sink into the sea until my lungs burst, abandon my magic and let my godhood burn me alive from within than endure one more day of life without you in it.”
Number 3
Number 3 is Manon from Throne of Glass.
This is a completed YA/adult series of eight books. Yes, this is a commitment, but it is so worth it! The series starts slow, but the last book is literally my Roman Empire.
Manon is a witch, and she literally drinks men’s blood. I love her so much; she is such a strong female character and puts men in their place! Her character development throughout the series is one of the best.
Here is a quote from Manon,
“There are few sounds she enjoyed more than the groans of dying men, but the wind was one of them.”
This woman is my idol.
Number 4
Number 4 is Blake Drakharrow from On Wings of Blood.
This is an unfinished adult four-book series with only three books out. I have read only the first two.
This series does have its own problems; in the second book, I noticed numerous typos and repeated conversations between characters. However, I would still recommend it because it was such a fun read; just don’t think too hard about the plot.
Blake Draharrow has been compared to Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter, and I have to admit I see the appeal. Sadly?! I have been converted to a Draco Malfoy girlie, even though when I originally read Harry Potter, I did not even like his character at all.
Blake is very cruel to our main female character, Medra, and it is a bully romance. However, I ended up liking his character more than Medra. This is because we are able to see inside his head and see the hard choices he is faced with daily, making him a more complex character. He is also a vampire.
Here is a quote,
“She was still my anchor. My reason for not burning this whole place to the damn ground.”
Here are some other book boyfriends compared to Draco Malfoy: Toven Herst from Rose in Chains, Kaine Ferron from Alchemised, and Osric Mordaunt from The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy.
For more recommendations, check out this video by the amazing ravenhairedreader.
Whatever your taste is in book boyfriends or book girlfriends, I hope you gained a recommendation from this list! My next post will be going into tropes, specifically the most popular in romantasy: enemies to lovers.
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