(A Very Serious Ranking)
Welcome to the official ranking of fictional men who have no business being this attractive.
This list is not taken lightly. These men have been evaluated based on:
- Emotional damage potential
- Loyalty (or lack thereof 👀)
- Protective instincts
- Chemistry that ruins your ability to function
Some will rise. Some will fall.
And some will absolutely wreck you.
⚔️ Jump to:
- Top Ranked Book Boyfriends
- Honorable Mentions
- New Contenders for the Throne
- Leaderboard Update Schedule
- How This Works
After extensive research (aka years of reading fantasy romance and developing unrealistic standards), here is my official, extremely serious Book Boyfriend Leaderboard™.
Bookmark this page. Follow my reviews to catch the latest contenders. Enjoy the menu… er, leaderboard.
🏆 THE TOP TEN: BOOK BOYFRIENDS WORTH DATING
1. Rhysand (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
The blueprint of tall, dark and handsome. He is the High Lord who listens, supports autonomy, and is the gold standard for book boyfriend material.
🔥 Tropes:
• Tall, dark & broody
• Emotionally intelligent
• Self-sacrificing
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
👉 Get it here
2. Fanfiction Draco Malfoy
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Important distinction: canon Draco? Jail. Fanfiction Draco? Husband (in every universe). Grovels properly, deliciously dark in AUs, secretly a cinnamon roll for her.
🔥 Tropes:
• Redemption arc specialist
• Dark but secretly soft
• Simp energy for her only
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
Archive of Our Own (fanfiction database)
3. King Cyrus (This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Quiet. Controlled. Devastatingly competent. Says very little, means everything, a man who yearns.
🔥 Tropes:
• Loyal to the core
• Magical and powerful
• Puts her first, even while ruling a kingdom
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
👉 Get it here
4. Prince Caspian (Beasts of the Briar series by Elizabeth Helen)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Morally gray and unreasonably devoted. Dangerous competence, emotional restraint until he snaps. “Touch her and you die” energy.
🔥 Tropes:
• Villain energy
• Emotionally restrained
• Morally gray
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
Bonded by Thorns by Elizabeth Helen
👉 Get it here
5. Aaron Warner (Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Intense. Terrifying. Still worth it. Obsession meets vulnerability, ride-or-die loyalty.
🔥 Tropes:
• Soft for exactly one person
• Would annihilate your enemies
• Needs therapy but self-aware
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
👉 Get it here
6. Blake (The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Sneaks up on you. Knows when to lead and when to step back. Automatically ahead of 70% of fantasy men.
🔥 Tropes:
• Protective without suffocating
• Knows what he wants
• Wolf energy
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman
👉 Get it here
7. Jacks (Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Chaos, heartbreak, bad decisions wrapped in pretty words and tragedy. Would dating him ruin your life? Possibly. Would it be unforgettable? Absolutely.
🔥 Tropes:
• Devastating charm
• Cursed but committed
• Emotionally dangerous
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
👉 Get it here
8. Toven Hearst (The Evermore Trilogy by Julie Soto)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Lives in that space between menace and quietly obsessed. Powerful, quietly devoted, dangerous.
🔥 Tropes:
• Sharp edges
• Slow-burn devotion
• Falls harder than intended
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
👉 Get it here
9. Captain Nolan Astor (The Lost Girl series by T.A. Lawrence)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Let’s get one thing straight here. I’m not talking about that Disney dude. (Gross) I’m talking about the man who will literally destroy anyone who gets in the way of his wife. (Including his fated mate 👀)
🔥 Tropes:
• Loyal to a fault
• Morally flexible but emotionally sincere
• Fun and dangerous
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
Losing Wendy by T.A. Lawrence
👉 Get it here
10. Kaan Vaegor (The Moonfall series by Sarah A. Parker)
❤️ Why We Love Him:
Reserved. Intimidating. Surprisingly gentle. Here to protect, endure, and stay.
🔥 Tropes:
• Strong silent type
• Actions over words
• Earned loyalty hits harder
📖 Where You Can Meet Him:
When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
👉 Get it here
There’s a reason When the Moon Hatched lives rent-free in my head.
🌒 HONORABLE MENTIONS
These men didn’t crack the top ten, but I would still absolutely hear them out:
- Luka (Legacy series) – Emotional depth, solid heart, underrated.
- Rorrik (We Who Will Die) – Grim, loyal, and quietly devastating.
- Patrick (A Forbidden Alchemy) – Soft intelligence + devotion = dangerous combo.
- Samkiel (Gods and Monsters series) – Powerful, tortured, and trying his best.
- Death (Souls in Ruin) – Existential dread but make it romantic. Somehow works.
👀 New Contenders For the Throne
James from Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi
Why he’s here:
He’s a total badass, dangerous, and also ridiculously funny
📊 Status:❤️ Would date. (I can fix him)
🆕 Newly added — ranking pending
📖 Read my review
Raphael from A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake
Why he’s here:
He’s a morally grey vampire king willing to serve her
📊 Status: ❤️🔥 Endgame. No notes.
🆕 Newly added — ranking pending
📖 Read my review
📆 Leaderboard Update Schedule
This leaderboard is updated twice a year—because ranking fictional men is serious business.
Next Update: June 2026
What Happens During Updates:
• New book boyfriends are officially ranked
• Existing rankings may shift (yes, your favorite is at risk)
• New heartbreakers may enter the list
Until then, keep an eye on the New Contenders section to see who’s coming for the throne.
📊 The Book Boyfriend Leaderboard (Official Rules)
This book boyfriend leaderboard is alive.
🖤 How This Works
Met a new book boyfriend? → He goes in New Contenders
Mid-year & end-of-year updates → He gets ranked
Rankings are not permanent (emotionally devastating, I know)
Rankings are based on:
- Emotional intelligence
- Loyalty under pressure
- Respect (non-negotiable)
- Willingness to grow
- Overall “would I recommend dating him to a friend” factor
This is a democracy (run by me).
Think someone deserves a spot? I’m always watching the shelves.
🔥Make It Your Own
I put together a free Morally Grey Book Boyfriend Starter Pack featuring the fictional men who set the standard for broody, dangerous, and emotionally devastating.
If you like your love interests:
- morally questionable
- obsessively loyal
- and one bad decision away from burning down a kingdom
Drop your email below and I’ll send it straight to you.