Texas Book Lovers Who Are Cleaning Up on Dating Apps

National book lovers day is right around the corner, and if you're single in Texas, now would be a good time to declare your love of books! With the rise of "Booktok"- a thriving community on TikTok dedicated to books and reading, it's once again cool to stay in and curl up with a good book (to which I say, when was it ever uncool?!), even more cool? Curling up with someone who love books just as much!

What Really Makes Texas Singles Swipe Right

Move over cowboy hats, shiny belt buckles, and shirtless fishing photos- in Texas, the real dating app power move is holding a book. According to a new study, being well-read is officially hotter than having six-pack abs, and Lone Star singles are swiping right for brains over brawn. Whether you’re flipping through a Larry McMurtry classic in Fort Worth or sipping cold brew over a Colleen Hoover novel in Austin, Texas daters agree: nothing says “date me” like a good read.

And the numbers back it up, big time! Headway’s survey of 2,000 people found that 75% would rather date someone well-read than someone who’s just easy on the eyes. One in three admit they’ve swiped right just because someone was holding a book in their profile pic, proving a paperback might be more powerful than the perfect selfie.

Turns out, the right book can be a total dating app superpower! 24% of singles say they’ll instantly swipe right if your photo shows you mid-read. But 51% admit they’re a little pickier- it has to be the right book! So yes, that mystery thriller could earn you a date, but that dog-eared copy of your high school math textbook? Probably not.

For non-readers, the news isn’t so great. A whopping 58% say they wouldn’t date someone who doesn’t read at all, and one in seven call it a full-on dealbreaker for a first date.

But the benefits of reading go way beyond finding a date. The survey found that people who read 11 or more books a year are more likely to be in happy relationships (51%), make career progress (72%), and pick up better habits like eating healthier, exercising more, or- in a plot twist worthy of its own novel- ending a bad relationship altogether.
So if you’ve been endlessly swiping with no luck, maybe skip the gym selfie and grab a good read instead.

With National Book Lovers Day on August 9th, there’s no better excuse to refresh your dating profile with a little literary flair!