Most people would agree that reading is a hot-person hobby. Spot someone out in the wild with a book in hand, and they will probably appear more attractive, more intelligent, and more aware of the female gaze. (There’s a reason why the Instagram account Hot Dudes Reading has a casual 1.3 million followers.)
Even people on dating apps agree: according to data sourced by Bumble, 66 percent of Gen Z and millennial singles say they would be more likely to swipe right on someone who mentions reading in their profile. The only problem? Not everyone’s love for books is as genuine as it seems.
As I like to call it, “bookfishing” is what happens when someone pretends to love books or reading in an attempt to appear more dateable. Similarly to how someone may be labeled a catfish if they look nothing like their photos, your dating apps might be polluted with people pretending to be literary bookworms, too.
This was the case for Lizzy*, 30, when she matched with a man who included a photo of himself reading “Jane Eyre” in his profile. When Lizzy messaged him saying she needed to check out his attic before agreeing to go on a date, he responded with a series of question marks, clearly missing the Mr. Rochester reference. “I unmatched him. Did he even make it past the first chapter before deciding to snap a photo of himself reading?” she says.
“Did he even make it past the first chapter before deciding to snap a photo of himself reading?”
Alexis, 29, also remembers the time she encountered a bookfish. As a book lover herself, she was drawn to a man’s profile who said his perfect Sunday involves reading a good book. When she asked him about his favorite authors and titles, she thought his response felt off (and possibly even generated by ChatGPT). However, she gave him the benefit of the doubt.
When they decided to meet up at a bookstore a week later, he admitted to not knowing as much about books as his profile implied. “He told me he wanted to get more into reading, which is great, but he acted like he was already into it on his profile,” she says. “It honestly felt like a lie.”
According to Tinder, mentions of “book boyfriend” increased 306 percent between 2023 and 2025, and mentions of “reading” in bios have also increased on average 184 percent year over year. Based on this data, reading has clearly become the hottest new dating flex. In one Reddit thread, a user even asked, “Would reading books that women like help you attract women?”
But unfortunately, the rise of of mentions of books and reading has made it impossible to know who is bookfishing or not in their profile. So, how can you spot a bookfish? Though you may not be able to tell from your first few conversations online, switch to a phone call, FaceTime, or in-person date to discuss books.
If they can talk about books beyond the surface level and share opinions on a storyline or how a book ended, it’s probably a good sign they’re not bookfishing you. But if the conversation revolves around common book classics they were probably forced to read in high school, then you’ll have to decide how honest you think they are.
At the end of the day, no one should have to “prove” their love for reading to anyone – and if someone’s favorite book really is “The Catcher in the Rye,” then so be it. But if reading is important to you, don’t settle for someone who just looks good holding a copy of “The Catcher in the Rye” in their profile. With a little bit of sleuthing and patience, you’ll be able to find someone who actually makes it through the entire book without doing it for validation.
Though Alexis remains single, she says she would rather date someone who is honest about their reading habits than be with someone who pretends to read for more matches. “It’s OK if books aren’t both of our passions, but don’t lie to me before we even go on a date,” she says.
*Name has been changed
Taylor Andrews is the senior balance editor at Popsugar, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.
