I have had many boyfriends over the years, just most of them were fictional. A book boyfriend will never let you down. You can leave him on the shelf and know he will be there whenever you need him, or you can pick him up again and again and fall in love with him all over again. This is the story of four such men.
I often say I was lucky enough to marry my own Gilbert Blythe. We were friends for a few years before we finally admitted we did really like each other as more than friends. There were other relationships in between, but our friendship finally turned into more and we’ve now been together 10 years, married for three and have a 10 month old son. Apart from a relationship that stemmed from friendship , my husband has other characteristics like Gilbert: smart arse, smart, hard working, good looking, caring and has the balls to call me on my crap.
Like Anne, I have a very over active imagination and tend to have the flare for the dramatic (something it appears my son has also inherited) and like Gilbert, Tim takes it in his stride. Or calls me out on it. He challenges me and supports my goals and dreams while still achieving his. Gilbert loved Anne because she was smart, spirited, different and although not as classically beautiful as other girls, he knew there was no other woman for him. He loved her from the moment he saw her.
Take home to the family factor: 10/10
I never liked Mr Darcy and at the risk of being stoned by the masses, I’ve never got the appeal. I get the appeal of Colin Firth jumping into a lake with a white shirt that turned see through, but apart from that, he’s kinda moody and sullen, much like a teenage boy. I know, I know that’s the appeal, moody, broody male, but I prefer my Austen men to have a little bit more spunk, like Mr Tilney from Northanger Abbey.
My real life boyfriends, crushes and now husband all seem to have one trait in common: they were smart arses. It appears I like myself a quick witted smart arse that can put me in my place without putting me down. Like Mr Tilney. He teases our heroine Catherine pretty much from the moment he meets her and out of all of Austen’s love interests, he is my favourite.
He’s kind and loves his sister, he somehow turned out to be normal after having an a-hole for a dad and cad for a brother and most importantly? He loves Catherine despite her massive over imagination, yep, that point is a key one. And he’s kind, upfront and not moody. No pride here peeps.
Take home to the family factor: 8/10
Which brings me to a contender a little from left field. Let me introduce you to Captain Rhett Butler.
Oh, Gone With The Wind, one of my favourite movies and books of all time. This epic has produced one of the most masculine and reformed ladies men of all time. Captain Butler has been disowned by his only family, cavorts with prostitutes, throws away his money gambling and makes a profit from an impending civil war and during while making a nice profit from blockade running. All up, on paper he’s a cad, but guess what? He stops that for a woman.
Now, I’m not saying you can change a man and you shouldn’t have to, but Captain Butler loves Scarlet with every fibre and he stops his womanising ways once she finally marries him. He gives her funds to restore her family estate to its former glory understanding that it’s important to her. And the biggest winning point? His love for his daughter.
Nothing warms my heart more (well, maybe an elderly couple holding hands is on par) than seeing a man with his kids. Seeing my husband and our my friends and my friends husbands play and look after their kids just melts my heart. Rhett Butler would have gone to hell and back for Bonnie and this I feel is a very big redeeming feature. And who doesn’t love a former bad boy?
Take home to the family factor: 6/10
And finally, Jamie Fraser (insert love heart eyes emoji)
If you don’t know who who Jamie Fraser is, where the hell have you been?
The Outlander (originally known as the Cross-stitch series) series is pretty heavy reading but introduced me to a hunk of a man I didn’t know existed until last year. Jamie is all that is man and is one hell of a sexy character. In fact, I would go as far to say that he is one of, if not my favourite male literary character.
My favourite accent in the world is Scottish (tick) I am very attracted to a man in a kilt (tick) and his love for Claire (tick) literally has him killing people. He’s a warrior who’s not afraid to show and say he loves his wife and he’s just super hot. He’s a man who lives in a very manly world, but he has a soft side.
Take home to the family factor: 8/10
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