Love this post at Book Riot about dreamy teen male characters. As a high schooler without anything resembling a romantic life, I lived vicariously through books. Jodi makes some awesome choices (Ponyboy!), but I thought it would be fun to add a couple of my own:

Phineas “Finny” from A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Charming, athletic, good-natured–it’s like Finny was made to be a preppy girl’s crush.

Dirk from Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block
Lots of Block’s characters could have made this list, but Dirk has a special charm. He’s Weetzie’s best friend (and the best friend you want to have); he’s got major style; and his story in Baby Be-Bop is heartbreaking. The fact that he ends up with Duck (who’s just as great) makes him even cooler.

Gilbert Blyth from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Who didn’t love Gilbert? I love that he and Anne have a healthy sense of academic competition. (I was totally that girl in middle
school.) His friendship and eventual relationship with Anne feel very natural.

George Cooper from The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce
Dude is the youngest King of the Rogue ever in Tortall. Charm? Heck yeah. And he appreciates a strong woman.

Sean Kendrick from The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Sean feels so real–he’s got a lot of sadness and anger, but it feels totally earned, and he’s not defined by those feelings. He’s compelling and talented and thoughtful. Plus, I loved the progression of Sean and Puck’s relationship.

Thinking about all these swoony guys, I think what I like most about them is that they’re their own characters. They don’t just exist to love the heroine. They have their own goals and fears and personalities. Something to keep in mind when we’re writing our own swoony characters.

Who would you add to the YA boy crush list?

(image: Anne of Green Gables Wiki)