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5 Books for When You Need a New Book Boyfriend

Gianna Ortiz Student Contributor, James Madison University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at JMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

We all know the feeling. Whether it’s a situationship that just didn’t work out, a messy breakup, or the end of the semester, meaning no more seeing your class crush; sometimes you just need a new book boyfriend. Whether they’re a billionaire CEO or a meet-cute farmhand, BookTok has a romance novel for just about every kind of fictional boyfriend you could imagine.

Whether your preferred book boyfriend resides in a penthouse in Manhattan or in a far off fantasy world, there’s a book for everyone to have their fictional fiancé. So instead of spending your nights swiping past yet another fish picture, dive into these five books for your ideal man, available both digitally and in physical copies.

*Please note that some of the books listed below may contain content that is sensitive for some readers. Always check a book’s content warnings before indulging!*

1. Twisted Love by Ana Huang

Who doesn’t love opposites attract? Follow college student Ava Chen as she uncovers secrets of her past while also navigating a future with ruthless, grumpy billionaire Alex Volkov. Filled to the brim with grumpy x sunshine cuteness and hints of mystery, you’ll be thinking about this book for weeks! Bonus: the Twisted series follows four best friends and their four love interests, which means three more men to love 😉

2. The Fine Print by Lauren Asher

Set in a Disney World-esque theme park, main character Zahra is who we all want to be. Sunny, bubbly, and a pro at her job of giving character makeovers. But when a drunken proposal for a ride turns into an opportunity of a lifetime, she’s more than a stylist. She’s now the employee of company heir, Rowan Kane. With a less than welcoming attitude, will working for him turn her dream into a nightmare? This book is perfect for the enemies to lovers readers!

3. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

More into supernatural lovers but tired of Twilight? Look no further than From Blood and Ash! Poppy, a young maiden, knows exactly how her life has been outlined. Never to be looked at or touched. But when the complications of a kingdom resting on her shoulders and a certain golden-eyed man named Hawke, who awakens a fire in her soul, threaten to derail everything, will she be able to both prove herself worthy to the gods and hold her world together? This book is the perfect book for lovers of vampires, werewolves, and mythology!

4. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

We’ve all dreamed of having a hot scientist explain our chem homework to us, right? For lovers of the fake dating trope, this book will have you wanting to get that STEM degree. Adam Carlsen, the young hotshot professor who’s knocking it out of the park, may be an ass, but he’s not above participating in PhD student Olive Smith’s fake dating scheme to prove to her best friend that she can, in fact, enjoy romance. Slowly, their secret becomes more complicated, proving to both that life is more than just equations.

5. Muse (Fighting Fate) by Maree Green

Eighteen year old Mia Campbell has one goal for starting her freshman year of college: remain unseen. Lead guitarist Jace Wallace is ready to live the rockstar life he’s always dreamed about; huge popularity for his band and a different girl every weekend. His goal? To succeed. But when Mia and Jace stand in the way of each other’s goals, will they be able to keep their no-strings-attached relationship going, or will it become something more? Perfect for the rockstar lovers, this book will have you dreaming of your guitar playing fictional boyfriend for hours.

So whether you’re into supernatural beings or rockstars, there’s always a book boyfriend for you!

Gianna Ortiz is a Communications major at JMU with an emphasis on Public Relations and Pre-Law. She enjoys learning about the music industry and marketing and plans to attend law school for copyright law.

Reading, writing, and marketing have always been some of her biggest passions and she loves getting to engage in those areas with HerCampus. She is both a writer and a graphics contributor for her chapter.

Outside of academics, she loves music, shopping, getting tattoos, and sweet treats. Find her on Instagram @gianna.e.19