Speakeasy Book Playlist

Five crush-worthy characters for readable romance

By Taryn Lentes, Staff Writer

May 9, 2008 | 11 a.m.

Admit it, most people at some point crush on someone who does not technically exist. While TV’s McDreamy is one popular option, for the literary-minded girl, the printed page holds plenty of crush-worthy characters.

Single? Troublesome boyfriend? Luckily there are plenty of fictional substitutes for the reality of dating. Eternally loyal, devoted and good-looking, the men on this list can also be contained within the printed page and thrown in a purse or backpack for ultimate portability.

Romeo Montague from “Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare

Predictable maybe, but some classics never go out of style. No character personifies fictional perfection better than Shakespeare’s Romeo. Sure, he can be a little fickle, moving on from Rosaline to Juliet in the flash of an eye. Yes, killing his last girlfriend’s cousin probably is not going to win him any points with a modern girl or her family. But the fact remains that the boy can write a poem like nobody’s business and probably does not look half bad in his tights either. Even in our advanced, hyper-technological age, every girl needs a little old-fashioned romance, and that is why Romeo is still the measuring stick for all other love interests, fictional or otherwise.

Westley from “The Princess Bride” by William Goldman

Speaking of men who are good with a sword, Westley from “The Princess Bride” has a lot of things going for him. Completely devoted to his true love, Westley outsmarts pirates, giants and princes all in order to be reunited with her. The swashbuckling type is very popular these days, and where else is a girl going to find a guy whose favorite phrase is “as you wish"? If a lady ever finds herself being forced into a marriage or encounters some R.O.U.S. (Rodents of Unusual Size), Westley would definitely come in handy.

Noah Calhoun from “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks

The movie may have managed to make nursing homes seem romantic and turned Ryan Gosling into a huge star, but it was the book by Nicholas Sparks that first introduced the world to Noah, another contender for the title of perfect guy. Instead of running from commitment, Noah dedicates 10 years of his life to winning back the girl he loves. Once he has her, he refuses to leave her side for the rest of their lives. It may seem a little clingy or even downright creepy, but as long as that kind of blind devotion is left on paper, it sounds semi-appealing.

Edward Cullen from “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer

Any girl in her right mind would run away from a person who has the powers of Superman and the same dietary cravings as Dracula unless, of course, that person is Edward Cullen. The most recently created member of this list, Edward may be a vampire, but he also has the looks of a model, the manners of a gentleman from a previous century and rattles off lines like “you are my life now.” The fact that he chooses to hunt animals rather than humans does not hurt his case either. If his legions of fans, from "Twilight Teens" to "Twilight Moms," are any indication, there is still something inexplainably sexy about a vampire.

Mr. Darcy from “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen

Of all the handsome love interests crafted by Jane Austen, Mr. Darcy has to be the most enduringly crush-worthy of them all. Call it a love/hate relationship or an example of opposites attract, but there is something irresistible about the way Mr. Darcy blunders his way into true love with Elizabeth Bennett. Sure, readers still may not be sure if he was the prideful one or the prejudiced one, but they know that he is romantic, poetic and willing to overlook society’s demands in order to be with the one he loves. Oh, and was it mentioned that he is also filthy rich?

They say there is nothing like the real thing, but a comfy chair, a good chocolate bar and some quality time with any of these fictional, though quite dreamy, guys just might come pretty close.

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