Book Boyfriend: Cricket Bell

We decided that Thursday needed a little pizazz and stumbled on this feature while hanging out at one of our favorite blogs, A Book and a Cupcake. So we took ourselves over to The Unread Reader to see what it was all about and join the fun. The Unread Reader features this meme on Wednesdays, but we figured moving our participation to Thursday wouldn't hurt anything. We'd love it if you'd leave a comment if you participate in this so we can check out your book boyfriends as well. 

Cricket Bell from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Read my review of Lola and the Boy Next Door

Check out my Book BFF post on Lola

My ideal Cricket is Matthew Florida. Check out Matthew's IMDB page to see if he fits your vision too.

Appearance:

* Legs that are "impossibly long and slender" (Kindle Location 409)

* "Cricket Bell has always been taller than most boys, but in the last two years, he's added half a foot. At least. His slender body - once skinny and awkward, despite his graceful movements - has also changed. He's filled out, though just slightly." (Kindle Location 419)

* He has dark brown hair that "is tall. It's floppy, but ... inverted floppy ... It gives him the air of a mad scientist." (Kindle Location 419)

* He has bright blue eyes

Facts About Cricket:

* He is related to Alexander Graham Bell

* His middle name is Graham

* He always wears "a multide of colorful bracelets and rubber bands" on one wrist and "a thick, black leather watchband" on the other (Kindle Location 437)

* His twin sister, Calliope, is a figure skater

* He has an older brother named Aleck

* He lives with his family in a lavender Victorian next door to Lola Nolan in San Francisco

* He often sits on his windowsill and talks to Lola through her open window

* Attends college at Berkley and is friends with Anna and St. Clair

* He is a science wiz and loves to invent things

* He often writes reminders on his hands in black ink

* He's listed in Lola's cell as "Naked Tiger Woman"

Quotes:

"It's the hair," he says with a straight face. "Gravity has always been my nemesis." ~ Cricket discussing his height, Lola and the Boy Next Door, Kindle Location 419

Cricket Bell had always been ... nice. And he was cute, and he was intelligent, and he was older, and it was only natural that I would develop feelings for him.  ~ Lola and the Boy Next Door, Kindle Location 428

There's something about blue eyes.

The kind of blue that startles you every time they're lifted in your direction. The kind of blue that makes you ache for them to look at you again. Not blue green or blue gray, the blue that's just blue.

Cricket has those eyes.

 ~ Lola and the Boy Next Door, Kindle Location 1594

"I prefer my women with ... fewer carnivorous beasts and less weaponry." He pauses and smiles. "Naked is okay. What she needs are a golden retriever and a telescope. Maybe then it would do it for me." ~ Cricket, Lola and the Boy Next Door, Kindle Location 2363

"So you believe in second chances?" I bite my lip.

"Second, third, fourth. Whatever it takes. However long it takes. If the person is right," he adds.

 ~ Lola and the Boy Next Door, Kindle Location 3237

"Once upon a time, there was a girl who talked to the moon. And she was mysterious and she was perfect, in that way that girls who talk to the moon are. In the house next door, there lived a boy. And the boy watched the girl grow more and more perfect, more and more beautiful with each passing year. He watched her watch the moon. And he began to wonder of the moon would help him unravel the mystery of the beautiful girl. So the boy looked into the sky.

But he couldn't concentrate on the moon. He was too distracted by the stars."

~ Lola and the Boy Next Door, Kindle Location 3873

*This is only a small portion of this scene; I LOVE the entire scene*

Why He's My Book Boyfriend:

Cricket Bell is endearing and loyal. I love how in so many ways he is not the traditional leading man. He's nerdy and awkward. He isn't always sure of himself and at times he doesn't seem to be comfortable in his own skin. A moment later though he will exude confidence and spout of these incredibly brilliant comments and observations. Cricket is also a true romantic soul. He was constantly making me swoon with his words and actions. Every girl should be lucky enough to have a guy like Cricket in her life.