Can reading books improve your chances in love? A recent EliteSingles survey says yes! In fact, 60% of respondents say that they prefer dating those who read avidly. It’s official then, smart is sexy! We reveal what our singles find attractive on your bookshelf.
- 60% of singles would prefer to date a book lover.
- Men are most attracted to women who read erotica.
- Women prefer men who read thrillers.
- 93% of Brits are avid readers themselves.
In an EliteSingles survey of 1700 people, nearly two thirds of those surveyed said they prefer to date avid readers. However, before singles pick up just anything for their train journey read, they need to take a minute to plan – for not all books are created equal and, in fact, it’s what you read that makes you attractive.
Putting the lover back in book lover, the survey revealed that men’s heads are most easily turned by women who read erotica: in fact, for 1 in 5 men, erotica readers are as sexy as it gets. In other words, if you’re a woman wanting to meet a man on your next commute or beach vacation, it might be time to put down the paper and pick up 50 Shades of Grey.
However, single men looking to make eyes at the woman on the next table should take a different route. Women were not fans of erotica: just 6% said they found men who read it attractive. Instead they prefer men of mystery, with 19% picking thrillers as the sexiest genre a man can read, so any men palming through one of Benjamin Black’s crime fiction novels (real name John Banville, he uses Black as a pseudonym – it just adds to his mystery!) have probably caught the attention of nearby ladies.
EliteSingles psychologist Salama Marine says that singles love those who love books because ‘’people look for those who have interesting hobbies – and reading is one of them. Why? Because a great book leads to great discussions.’’ She goes on to add ‘’also, your taste in books can highlight aspects of your personality: are you curious, romantic, dreamy? By sharing your tastes you can show and share your inner world.’’ Marine also maintains that an interest in ‘quieter’ hobbies like reading can suggest that ‘your date is a balanced, independent individual with something to offer – which tends to appeal to singles, especially early on in the relationship.’ There you have it then, reading makes you a more balanced intelligent individual – no wonder people are finding it more and more attractive!
Of course, there could be a more simple reason: the law of attraction! Like is attracted to like and, as it turns out, the Irish like books! In fact, as the survey revealed, a whopping 87% of Irish like to read for pleasure.
No matter what the reason, though, one thing is clear. To get in someone’s good books, you must first pick up a good book!
About the author: The EliteSingles Press Team