fictional characters i would date | a valentine’s day special

hey, friends and happy valentine’s day!!

i wasn’t planning on not posting for a whole month, but that’s what happened (again haha). i wanted to have a fun post that would get me back into posting, and bookish posts are my favorite to write. so since it’s valentine’s day today, i’m doing a “book characters i would date” list! my little sister and i love talking about books together so she made a list for the post, too.

i also have pride & prejudice (the miniseries) playing in the background while i write this, and i don’t think there’s a more fitting movie to watch!

my list

my favorite characters

• gilbert blythe, anne of green gables* – the list can end here.
• nick geiger, the penderwicks on gardam street – also cagney in the first book.
• adam eddington, the austin family chronicles
• darcy hawthorne, the mother-daughter book club*
• george knightley, emma – the best of jane austen’s heroes.
• charles bingley, pride & prejudice – please don’t come after me for picking bingely instead of darcy.
• jeffery tifton, the penderwicks* – basically he’s a better version of laurie (little women).
• oliver tremane, the nature of a lady
• drake elton, the number of love
• sean, holly’s heart – i like jared more, but sean is definitely the better choice.
• joshua jones, once upon a summer*
• avery, the winds of autumn
• jim frayne, trixie belden
• theodore sheridan, to treasure an heiress – i almost forgot him, but he seriously is the funniest character on this whole list.

mercy’s list

mercy’s favorite characters

• jared wilkins, holly’s heart
• zach norton, the mother-daughter book club
• romeo calhoon, pumpkin falls mysteries
• tristan berkeley, the mother-daughter book club*
• fish byrne, nothing else but miracles
• orlando, the vanderbeekers
• eliot, the pippa park series
• julian jarman, gone away lake
• rupert loomis, the mother-daughter book club – specifically in wish you were eyre. he’s basically a good version of mr. collins.
• theodore laurence (laurie), little women
• rush melendy, the melendy quartet*

*characters who made it on both of our lists

walking red flags

our least favorite characters

• mr. collins, pride & prejudice – “i do sometimes amuse myself with suggesting and arranging such little elegant compliments as may be adapted to ordinary occasions, i always wish to give them as unstudied an air as possible.” what was charlotte lucas thinking?!?
• mr. elton, emma
• mr. rochester, jane eyre – controversial, i know. i need to reread this because one of my friends made me think about him completely differently (mostly his change & growth in the end of the book). but for now, he’s on this list.
• mr. wickham, pride & prejudice – i don’t know whether jane austen was more talented at writing characters to love or characters to hate.
• mr. churchill, emma
• danny meyer, holly’s heart
• zachary, the austen family chronicles – honestly, a really good complex character, but how he acted with vicky?? i hated it.
• oliver, the penderwicks in spring
• ned nickerson, nancy drew diaries – i think he was better in the original books? but terrible in the diaries.
• emilio, pumpkin falls mysteries

now, it’s your turn!

comment below with your characters!

thanks so much for reading!
pearl 🤍