America's Favorite Book Boyfriend Is…

And more fun facts from our 2,000 person survey

Last month, in a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ThriftBooks, 2,000 romance novel lovers shared their thoughts and opinions about the genre and their favorite characters. Read on to see what we learned about Romance vs. Real Life.

Respondents Favorite Romance Novels

1. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (26%)
2. The Fifty Shades series by E.L. James (23%)
3. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer (22%)
4. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (19%)
5. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks (14%)

The top three most beloved book boyfriends are:

1. Noah from The Notebook (33%)
2. Christian Grey from the Fifty Shades series (28%)
3. Edward Cullen from the Twilight Saga (21%)

The top three most beloved book girlfriends are:

1. Anastasia Steele from the Fifty Shades series (27%)
2. Juliet from Romeo and Juliet (25%)
3. Bella Swan from the Twilight Saga (23%)

What's most fascinating here is that Fifty Shades of Grey was originally inspired by Twilight, and both Twilight and The Notebook took inspiration from and allude to Romeo and Juliet. New Moon, the second of the Twilight saga, is a direct Romeo and Juliet allegory complete with quotes from the source material. It seems Shakespeare's classic love story is one we want to keep telling again and again. Here are some other Romeo and Juliet inspired works for those who can't get enough of forbidden love:

• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
• These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
• Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
• Romeo and/or Juliet: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North

Romance novels can impact our expectations of real relationships

Among the 2,000 surveyed, about 1/3 (31%) said their interest in romance novels has impacted their expectations of what love should feel like, as well as their overall perspective of love and relationships.

Romance novels impact who we choose as a partner

We were surprised to see that while only about 1/3 said romance impacts their expectations, more than half of our respondents (56%) said novels make them more particular in choosing a partner.

Our VP of Marketing, herself a big romance fan and a good expert on the pulse of book lovers, had this to say: "Everyone loves a good love story, but who knew that it affects how people see their partner in real life? Results showed that the power of good storytelling moves people so much that it can affect their perceptions of love, relationships, and the kind of person they want to spend their time with. For many, finding someone who makes their stomach flutter like their favorite romance story is the real-life version of getting that classic happily ever after."

And find that stomach flutter they will, with 49% of respondents saying that romance novels bring them hope that they will find the right person someday.

If you love Barbara's perspective, you can check out her favorite Romance Movies to Fall in Love With, which has recommendations perfect for your next date night!

Our favorite characters have something in common with our favorite people

It's no surprise that with people finding inspiration in what makes a good partner, our survey also found that over 40% of respondents currently have partners who share qualities with their favorite heroes and heroines. The most-shared qualities were:

• Humor at 44%
• Patience at 41%

If you're looking for a funny romantic lead, here are some favorite funny, lighthearted characters sure to give you butterflies:

• Jack from The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn
• Nearly everyone in The Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert
• January and Henry in Beach Read by Emily Henry
• Jacob Black from Twilight (we just know he would have something snarky to say about Edward making the book boyfriend ranking)

For the ones who understand patience is a virtue, these romances that focus on kind, steadfast love should hit the spot:

• Lovelight Farms by K. Borison
• Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn
• Float Plan by Trish Doller

Books help us make romantic gestures in real life

Maybe the way those survey-takers found their romance-novel-perfect partners was because they themselves found inspiration in the characters they love. About half of respondents found courage through books to make the first move!

• 50% were inspired to confess their feelings
• 44% were inspired to start flirting

The big confessions is a universally beloved love story trope for a reason. The big emotions that swirl within the characters finally breaking through, often leading to a big kiss? We can't swoon enough. Here are some books with the best, most epic love confessions:

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (and Persuasion. Austen has a knack for this)—"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."
• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas—"If you were going to die, I was going to die with you."
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi—"Why don't you understand?"

As you daydream of your dreamboat (or dream book), remember that while parting is such sweet sorrow, books are forever, and our favorite heroes and heroines will always be here to give us that rush of first love again and again.

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 people who read romance novels was commissioned by ThriftBooks between Jan. 17 and Jan. 21, 2024. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

Read more by Amanda Cleveland