All this week, we here at Novel Novice & the guys at Boy’s Don’t Read are featuring five of our favorite guy characters from YA lit and evaluating whether we’d date them (here at Novel Novice), OR at Boys Don’t Read, if they’d play World of Warcraft (WoW) with them, or in general hang out with them.
Here is today’s pick, and share your thoughts in the comments below, plus other YA guys you’d swoon over (or play WoW with)!
Cricket from Lola & the Boy Next Door
The reason the protagonist from Stephanie Perkins’ latest romantic delight made our list is pretty self-explanatory. He’s the boy next door.
Okay, okay, there’s more to it than that. Sure, Cricket’s a bit misguided — but he’s always loved Lola and when he gets a second chance to prove it, he’s not afraid to go out on a limb for her heart. And what girl doesn’t want that? Cricket is the kind of guy we all dream about meeting — and then when we do meet him, we can’t believe he really exists! (Just ask my boyfriend … we’ve had this conversation.) Sure Cricket has his flaws, but who doesn’t? He’s a good guy with all the right intentions.
Final Verdict: Take him home to mom! She’ll definitely approve.
Now see what Boys Don’t Read had to say about this boy next door.
Novel Novice 
Great pick. I just finished Lola and the BND and he is definitely book crush worthy. I love that he gets nervous, but doesn’t give up.