I know most people pick Mr. Darcy. And yes, he is quite swoon-worthy. And Colin Firth is just OMG… But I always had a soft spot for Colonel Brandon. Perhaps it was due to Alan Rickman’s portrayal of him. But I would totally marry him despite the age difference, and I think Marianne was a lucky gal to have his quiet but loyal devotion.

This one is also because of the movie adaptation portrayal. Some people find Professor Bhaer boring, but I disagree. I love his kindly steadfast support of Jo and his understanding and appreciation for her intellect and her ambition. He’d be the perfect life partner for a strong and independent woman.

This one is because of the book. No offense to Matthias Schoenaerts, who I believe is a fine actor, but he’s simply not what I see in my head when I think of Gabriel. That being said, I haven’t yet seen this movie adaptation, so maybe he will win me over. We shall see. I would have been more likely to choose someone like Luke Evans, classically handsome but still with a sort of brooding masculinity.

Again, while I love Matt Damon and I do think he was right for the role, he’s certainly not why I crush on Watney. The book Watney had this amazing wit and a visceral intellect. I don’t think any movie version portrayal could ever be as powerful as the book version of this character. So book Mark Watney is a major crush, and I could only hope to keep up with him in witty banter. But I’d definitely be up for the challenge. Honestly, I could also substitute Ryland Grace from Project Hail Mary and it would be totally acceptable. But, I’m sorry, Ryan Gosling is not at all what I picture for Ryland Grace and I’m a bit disappointed. But he’s a fine actor, so maybe he’ll be able to convince me. Still… not a happy camper at the moment.

I mean, how could I not be attracted to Atticus Finch? He’s a deeply honorable, introspective man who is both fiercely intelligent and kind. He’s a good dad and a fine human. Someone would be crazy to not like Atticus.

A man during this time period who is willing to tell hateful prejudiced townsfolk to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine in order to stand by the woman he loves? And handsome and bookish to boot? Count me in! Ok, maybe he was a bit too perfect and highly unlikely considering the time period and the region, but I don’t care. He’s perfect!

This was a positively delightful book, as is pretty much any book written by Rowell. As a love story, this is the kind I like. Quirky characters who seem to be truly pulled from life. Lincoln is an internet security officer for his company who is tasked with reading the emails of employees within the company to make sure they aren’t abusing the company computers. When he inadvertently falls in love with one of the employees based on her emails with a colleague, he has to figure out how to get the girl without seeming ridiculously creepy and maintaining his integrity. Lincoln just seemed to down-to-earth and real, and I thought he was infinitely charming in an average, possibly overlooked but worth it kind of way.

This one is possibly my oddest pick. Namely because Dominick has some SERIOUS FAULTS!! But that’s also part of his charm. He’s still well-meaning and his character arc is so wonderful, you just want to give him the chance to prove himself. Wally Lamb did such an amazing job crafting Dominick. He’s such a complete and authentic human, you really feel like you know him, and what he hides beneath his tortured exterior you want to take the time to unearth. For the record, I haven’t yet gotten the opportunity to watch the series, so I’m talking about book Dominick, though I think Mark Ruffalo is a positively wonderful choice to play the twins.