Book boyfriends we'd never date

Possessive, dangerous, impossible. We adore them on the page. Here's who they are, why they work, and the one we'd actually say yes to.

The Love Desk · 2 min read

A woman curled in a velvet armchair at night, biting her lip over a dark hardback book

Here at the Desk we have one firm belief about fiction: wanting the dangerous one on the page is completely normal. Fantasy is a safe place to feel things you'd never choose in real life. The rule is simply knowing which is which.

So here are four heroes we'd happily reread and run from in real life, plus the one we'd actually date. All picks are from our own shelves; spice is out of five.

Fourth Wing

Rebecca Yarros · The Empyrean #1 · Enemies to lovers · romantasy

Xaden Riorson has every reason to want Violet dead: his father led the rebellion her mother helped crush, and was executed for it. Instead he trains her, guards her and can't stay away from her. The tension between them is the best-written part of the book.

SPICE ●●●○○ 3/5Never date because: secrets, and a lot of them

Cruel Marriage

K.A. Linde · Antihero · married to the enemy

Katherine and Camden are married, powerful and very good at hurting each other. Camden is a true antihero, dark and resourceful, and he loves his wife in his own twisted way. Best read after the earlier books in the series for the backstory.

SPICE ●●●●○ 4/5Never date because: he plays long games, and you're the board

Devil's Cub

Georgette Heyer · Alastair-Audley #2 · Reformed rake · Georgian

The Marquis of Vidal is a Georgian rake who duels, gambles and plans to carry off the wrong sister. Mary Challoner takes her sister's place and, when he gets out of hand, shoots him. It's that kind of book, and it's glorious.

SPICE ○○○○○ noneNever date because: abduction is not a first date

Something Borrowed

Emily Giffin · Darcy & Rachel #1 · Love triangle

Dex isn't dark at all, which is what makes him the most dangerous man on this list. He's lovely, he's attentive, he's engaged to someone else, and he takes the whole summer to decide. Read it, then never spend a summer waiting for a Dex.

SPICE ●○○○○ 1/5Never date because: he lets you wait

And the one we'd actually date

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen · Enemies to lovers · classic

Mr Darcy is proud, rude at the first dance and terrible at proposing. But when Elizabeth tells him exactly what's wrong with him, he listens, changes his behaviour and quietly fixes her family's disaster without asking for credit. That's the green flag that matters.

SPICE ○○○○○ noneDate because: he took the feedback

Her side

"I love the possessive ones on the page because I'm in control of the story. I can close the book. In real life I want someone who asks, not someone who takes."

His side

"I don't get why the scary ones are the heartthrobs. Then I read one and got it: it's not the danger, it's that he only has eyes for her."

That second point is the real secret. What readers love in these heroes usually isn't the control; it's the devotion. Real life can absolutely give you a partner who only has eyes for you. It doesn't need to come with the kidnapping.