Top 10 Best YA Fantasy Book Boyfriends

Writing about the best YA Fantasy book boyfriends is really an odd topic for me.

Why?

Well, because I’m a guy with a wife and two kids (and two cats, but that’s irrelevant).

So why write about YA Fantasy book boyfriends?

Well, because I founded and run the largest YA Fantasy Facebook group and it’s a hot topic among the ladies. In fact, book boyfriends get mentioned at least 2-3 times a day.

Yeah.

I don’t get it.

Either way, you ladies really like your book boyfriends.

But all these posts about book boyfriends got me wondering, which YA Fantasy boys/guys/men are seen as the most desirable?

You see, there are many different types of guys in YA Fantasy.

There’s the good first impression nice guy who turns into a creepy stalker psychopath, and then there’s the dark, suave, bad boy who really has a soft side, and of course every other type of guy in between.

So what type of guy do you ladies like the most?

I don’t even have to wonder. A recent post in YA Fantasy Addicts covered the topic in great detail.

I’ve tallied more than 200 comments and listed the top 10 best YA Fantasy book boyfriends for you in order from least to greatest.

Best YA Fantasy Book Boyfriends

10. Adrian Ivashkov

Were you expecting a sexy photo of a hot guy?

Sorry to disappoint.

There’s copyright issues with sharing images that aren’t mine (or public domain) and we can’t forget the fact that… you know, I’m a guy, so I don’t want to post the wrong photo of the wrong guy and get you all upset.

Thus you get book covers.

Adrian Ivashkov is in Vampire Academy. Or so almighty Google tells me.

I actually haven’t read this series.

Sorry again!

Adrian brings up the rear at #10

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9. Azriel

Coming in at #9 is everyone’s favorite winged Illyrian.

Well, maybe everyone’s SECOND favorite. (Keep reading)

Ahem…

I don’t get the fascination with Azriel. I’m just thankful Tamlin wasn’t anywhere on this list.

Azriel makes his first appearance in the second book of the series: A Court of Mist and Fury.

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8. Aaron Warner

I loved the Shatter Me series.

If I’m being honest, Warner is an easily forgettable character.

Sure, sure, I remember his name. But I remember almost nothing about him several years removed from reading Shatter Me.

I’d have placed him below Azriel, but hey, I’m not the one ranking these guys.

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7. Dmitry Belikov

Another Vampire Academy book boyfriend?

And Russian at that.

Or are all the guys in Vampire Academy Russian?

Is it exotic sexiness?

Is it the accent?

What?

Maybe I should read Vampire Academy and find out what’s so fascinating about this book.

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6. Kaz Brekker

I haven’t a dirty confession to make.

I haven’t read this book either. I’ve started to, but it didn’t grab me out the gate, which is a pretty big requirement for me.

They say first impressions are everything.

But I did some reserach on Kaz.

Wow.

You ladies like your bad boy book boyfriends.

He’ll do any job, no matter the danger or violence, so long as he makes money?

That’s what Wikipedia said.

Sheesh.

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5. Jem Carstairs

Oh look, another book I haven’t read.

For shame!

Some of you just checked out right there.

I feel like I’m failing you.

I read lots of YA Fantasy, I do. My books just have more of the “off with your head” types than the dreamy fall in love types.

That’s not to say I haven’t read a good YA Fantasy romance. I’m just apparently not reading the RIGHT ones?

About the only thing I know about this series is the order of the Cassandra Clare books.

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3 & 4. Will and Jace Herondale

I lumped 3 and 4 together to save myself the pain of having to come up with multiple captions.

You ladies are killing me.

By now, you’ve got to skimming past all my commentary, because it’s quite laughable how little I know about your YA Fantasy book boyfriends.

I suppose Will and Jace are related?

You know, I tried to do some research on the matter, but couldn’t find anything concrete.

I actually have this book on my bookshelf. Maybe I’ll actually start this series.

Finally?

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2. Rowan Whitethorn

I’m so happy!

A character I actually know.

Say what you will about Maas and her triangles and tendency to rip away the first love of her characters, Rowan Whitethorn is awesome.

For once, you ladies didn’t pick the bad boy.

Rowan is patient, strong, loyal, and crazy in love with Aelin.

Their relationship is so complete it makes you not mind the fact that Aelin didn’t end up with those other guys (spoilers?)

Rowan first appears in Heir of Fire, which will be the third or fourth book you read in the series depending on your preferred Throne of Glass reading order.

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1. Rhysand

Landing in the number one spot for best YA Fantasy book boyfriend is Rhysand.

Shocker…

Not.

Rhysand or Rhys won be a landslide.

To be honest, I stopped tallying the votes long before I read all 200 comments, but the trends were pretty obvious.

Rhysand had more than double the votes of Rowan.

But I’ve got to hand it to you ladies, and to Maas, because Rhysand might just be the perfect male lead.

The mystery surrounding him during their meeting, the revelation of who he really is (and I don’t mean his title, I speak of his heart), the dedication and loyalty from those who follow him, and all the way down to the love he has for his people and for Feyre.

It’s no wonder Maas did what she did at the end of ACOWAR. Though I might agree to disagree with it.

I’m being intentionally vague so as not to spoil it for anyone if they haven’t read it.

Honorable Mentions

Obtaining several votes, but not enough to clinch a spot in the top ten, is (in no particular order):

Dorian Havilliard
Thomas Cresswell
Nikolai Lantsov
Grey
Lazlo Strange
Cardan
Chaol Westfall
Cassian
…and the Darkling.

Also listed were:

Percy Jackson (a little young?)
Sirius Black (a little old?)
and Snape (eww?)

Conclusion

Well there you have it.

The top 10 YA Fantasy book boyfriends as told by more than 200 women of the YA Fantasy Addicts Facebook group.

This has been an awkward, yet enlightening, experience and hopefully someone else, besides myself, finds a few new books to read.

Or, you know, maybe just reread these books all over again, cause who hasn’t read them?

I’m sure you’re out there.

Maybe?