Notebook vs. 50 Shades: Readers Rank the Top Fictional Romance Characters

When it comes to the popular top fictional romance characters, it turns out it's largely Team Notebook vs. Team 50 Shades.

I'm no stranger to getting lost in a good book and feeling the storyline deeply. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this! Thanks to studyfinds.org who so thoughtfully took a poll from avid romance readers, many of us fall in love with book boos, and not surprisingly we all are dreaming of the same characters.

The survey asked 2,000 romance readers which characters from popular novels embodied the qualities that they desire in a partner. Romance novels are appealing not only for their characters but for the promise of a happy ending to the storyline. The reminder that love is not only possible but everlasting is a big reason readers are drawn to the genre.

"For many readers, romance novels work twofold: helping them escape to a dreamy other world and inspiring them to keep believing in a happy ending," says Hagen. "There’s something enticing about a fictional world with a feelgood outcome that makes you want to escape your own world, and also compels you to believe that those feelings of giving love and being loved could be waiting for you at the next turn."

The top bookish babes from girlfriend to boyfriend are as follows, according to pollsters. There's no accounting for taste for the top fictional romance characters.

Nicholas Sparks did something right when he penned Noah, that's for sure.  He drew his inspiration for Noah and Allie from his then wife's grandparents, of whom he said " But though their story was wonderful, what I most remember from that day is the way they were treating each other. The way his eyes shined when he looked at her, the way he held her hand, the way he got her tea and took care of her. I remember watching them together and thinking to myself that after sixty years of marriage, these two people were treating each other exactly the same as my wife and I were treating each other after twelve hours. What a wonderful gift they’d given us, I thought, to show us on our first day of marriage that true love can last forever."
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Originally inspired as a fan fic spin on Twilight, soccer moms everywhere wildly embraced Christian Grey and sent 50 Shades soaring to the top of the bestseller lists. He creatively exhibits traits that most woman are looking for in a partner, for instance the single-minded attention to just one woman. Once Mr. Grey focuses on the object of his affection, his attention doesn't stray.

Of course, the teen dream vampire guy made the list.  Rounding out the top 3 of best fictional boyfriend is Stephanie Meyers' blood sucking son, Edward Cullen.  Pop culture and romance hasn't been the same since he came into existence, in part due to his adoring fans and his portrayal of a partner willing to do anything for their partner.

The Grey/Steele power couple duo is a strong pairing, according to romance readers.

Bella was written to be very fair, trying to consider everyone's feelings and perspectives.  Readers really connected with her kind and caring nature, and how she softened Edward's harsher edges.  Apparently, she did have some kind of supernatural pheromone thing going on, as every werewolf, vampire and lake monster within the tri-county area was tripping over themselves to catch her big brown eyes.

Readers weighed in and voted Juliet the third in the top three best bookish girlfriends. To be fair, she didn't really get much to time to really explore that situation as her relationship with Romeo was doomed from the start.  However, her lovely countenance and trust in her man, while misplaced, did make her a pretty good girlfriend.  To bad she backed the wrong pony in Shakespeare's story world.