You know the type — one of them is a little sunshine baby with a heart of gold, ready to make you laugh, hold your hand, and defend your honor with golden retriever loyalty. The other is broody, quiet, sometimes even a little mean (but we love them for it), with black cat energy that could stop traffic. Together? They’re magic.
So here are my favorite golden retriever / black cat bookish couples that made me absolutely feral in the best way.
1. Aaron Warner & Juliette Ferrars
📚 Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi
- Warner is the king of black cat boyfriends: tortured, unreadable, and secretly soft. Juliette is kind-hearted, powerful, and resilient, and she softens him in all the right ways. Bonus points for his “touch her and die” energy.
2. Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood
📚 The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
- Magnus is glitter and sass and centuries-old charm (golden retriever with sparkle), while Alec is reserved, serious, and duty-bound (total black cat vibes). They balance each other out in the most beautiful way.
3. Rhysand & Feyre Archeron
📚 A Court of Thorns and Roses series
Look, I know people have strong opinions about this series, but let’s be real: Rhys is classic black cat energy with his secrets and shadows. Feyre is the strong, golden heart who brings him back to the light.
4. Scarlett Dragna & Legend
📚 Caraval series by Stephanie Garber
Scarlett is soft, loyal, and brave despite being thrown into literal magic and chaos. Legend is aloof, manipulative, and impossible to pin down — until she gets under his skin.
5. Alex Claremont-Diaz & Prince Henry
📚 Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Alex is chaotic, loud, and wears his heart on his sleeve (golden retriever if I’ve ever seen one). Henry is all British repression and melancholy until Alex crashes into his life like a meteor.
BONUS: Nina Zenik & Matthias Helvar
📚 Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo
Nina is bold, sensual, and hilarious. Matthias is broody, morally conflicted, and full of slow-burning angst. Their romance is tragic and tender and unforgettable.
If you’ve ever read a book and thought, “Oh no… he’s scary and soft only for her,” congratulations: you’ve been golden retriever x black cat’d.
Tell me your faves. Add to my list. Let’s scream about fictional love.
Happy Reading,
Taylor 🖤✨
