Bookfishing: Why People Lie About Their Love For Reading

Most people would agree that reading is a hot person. hobby. Spot someone in the wild with a book in their hand, and they are likely to appear more attractive, more intelligent, and more attentive to the female gaze. (There's a reason the Instagram account Hot dudes reading has a random 1.3 million followers.)

Even dating app users agree with this: according to data obtained Bumble66 percent of single Gen Z and Millennials say they are more likely to swipe right on someone who mentions reading in their profile. The only problem? Not everyone loves books as sincerely as they seem.

As I like to call it, “bookfishing” is what happens when someone pretends to like books or reading in an attempt to appear more dateable. Just as someone can be called a catfish if they look nothing like their photos, your dating apps can be clogged with people posing as literary bookworms.

Such was the case for 30-year-old Lizzie* when she met a man who included a photo of himself reading Jane Eyre on his profile. When Lizzie wrote to him that she needed to check out his attic before agreeing to go on a date, he responded with a series of question marks, clearly omitting any mention of Mr. Rochester. “I had no equal to him. Did he even get through the first chapter before he decided to take a photo of himself reading?” she says.

“Did he even get through the first chapter before he decided to take a photo of himself reading?”

Alexis, 29, also remembers the time she encountered a book fish. As a book lover, she was drawn to the profile of a man who said his ideal Sunday involved reading a good book. When she asked him about his favorite authors and titles, she found his answer to be obnoxious (and perhaps even generated by ChatGPT). However, she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

When they decided to meet at a bookstore a week later, he admitted that he didn't know as much about books as his profile suggested. “He told me he wanted to get into reading more, which was great, but in his profile he acted like he was already into it,” she says. “To be honest, it felt like a lie.”

According to TinderBetween 2023 and 2025, mentions of “book guy” increased by 306 percent, and mentions of “reading” in bios also increased by an average of 184 percent compared to last year. Based on this data, reading has clearly become the most popular new way to meet people. In one Reddit threada user even asked, “Will reading books that women like help you attract women?”

But unfortunately, the rise in mentions of books and reading has made it impossible to know who is book-hunting or not on their profile. So how do you spot bookfish? While you may not be able to tell from your first few online conversations, switch to a phone call, FaceTime, or in-person date to discuss books.

If they can talk about the books beyond the surface level and share opinions about the storyline or how the book ends, it's probably a good sign that they're not baiting you for the books. But if the conversation revolves around the classic books they were probably forced to read in high school, then you'll have to decide how honest you think they are.

After all, no one has to “prove” their love of 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 and has a copy of The Catcher in the Rye on their profile. With a little effort and patience, you can find someone who will actually read the entire book without having to do it for testing.

Although Alexis remains single, she says she would rather date someone who is honest about their reading habits than someone who pretends to read for the sake of more matches. “It's okay if books aren't our passions, but don't lie to me before we even go on a date,” she says.

*Name has been changed

Taylor Andrews is a senior editor at Popsugar magazine, specializing in topics including sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has extensive experience in content creation and storytelling. Before joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.