My Book Boyfriend #1

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by the awesome blogger Missie at The Unread Reader.   What is My Book Boyfriend you might ask.  Well it is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out Missie blog The Unread Reader.

Name:  Thomas (Tom) Mackee

Age: 22  

Skills: plays guitar, can sing and writes his own music

I was first introduced to the character Thomas Mackee in Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta . He was a secondary character, one of Francesca's friend and was 17.  Something about his snarky troublemaker attitude grabbed my attention and my heart. Then Marchetta decide to write a whole book on Tom's life based 5 years later called The Piper's Son and after reading it I was crushing even harder.

What I love most about Tom is he is flawed and realistic - he isn't the perfect guy that doesn't exist in the real world.  He comes across as a bad boy but he is a good guy underneath.  Yes, sometimes he made me mad and certainly made plenty of mistakes but I loved that he is a character that grew and changed and learnt to put his feelings out there.  And every time he did I crushed big time.  Tom also makes me laugh which is a very attractive trait.

Some favourite quotes:

"Thomas Mackee on the dance floor is totally uninhibited and is hysterical to watch.  Despite his lanky slobbiness, he moves well.  He makes the most ridiculous faces as he twists, his mouth in an O shape and we're laughing so much our stomach hurt."  Saving Francesca

"I lean against a streetlight and throw up, just near his shoe. He looks down at the ground and then at me. 'The guacamole was a mistake' he says, matter-of-factly. For the second time that night he makes me laugh. 'Don't make me have to you like you,' I tell him." Saving Francesca

"She's tired and leans her head on his shoulder, which is the resting place for all their heads, but when Justine and Siobhan and Francesca use his body so shamelessly he doesn't feel the need to turn his head and press his mouth against their hair."  The Piper's Son

"Maybe she'd always been there. Maybe strangers enter your heart first and then you spent the rest of your life searching for them.  He doesn't say anything at all after that and nor does she .  But they stay on the line.  And there goes another week's wage, but he doesn't care."  The Piper's Son

Who is your literary crush? Is anyone else crushing on Thomas Mackee? 

I would like to say thank you to Missie for hosting this meme.  I swear I have a new literary crush each week, so this meme is perfect for me!