To All the Boys (and Grown Men) We’ve Loved This Summer

It’s easy to have an icy, cynical heart when there are so many terrible things happening in the world today. And yet, as Hugh Grant once said, if you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around. The summer of 2018 will forever go down as the season when Noah Centineo, Henry Golding, and French World Cup stud Kylian Mbappé burst on to the scene, broke down our defenses, and reminded us we can love again. Before we progress to sweaters and suede and pumpkin everything, let’s follow the fictional Lara Jean Covey’s lead and reflect on all the boys—and grown men—we’ve loved this summer.

Noah Centineo

Netflix ended summer on a heart-tingling note with the instant classic, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, blessing the world with Peter Kavinsky (Centineo), the Jake Ryan of the Internet era who made this face after a hot tub make-out sesh.

Henry Golding

Crazy Rich Asians marks a monumental, celebratory moment for Asian and Asian-American representation in Hollywood. And, also, Golding is devastatingly gorgeous.

Shawn Mendes

His “rain”-soaked performance at the VMAs was a sexual persuasion unto itself.

LeBron James

Turns out there are few things hotter than a well-suited man founding a groundbreaking, state-of-the-art school for at-risk children.

Post Malone

In the rom-com of our lives, Posty’s private jet scare made something suddenly clear: The sleazy-chic menswear icon is his own special brand of hot.

Beto O’Rourke

First of all, he’s challenging Sen. Ted Cruz in the midterms, which is an aphrodisiac in itself. But if the viral clip of the Texan upstart eloquently defending NFL players’ right to kneel didn’t do it for you, consider this photo of him from the ’90s looking like a beautiful lost member of the Lemonheads.

Steph Curry

Piercing eyes and an essayist arguing for closing the gender pay gap? Please and thanks.

Alex Rodriguez

New relationship goal: Get you a guy who films your crowning achievements with the zeal of a dad at a peewee soccer game, like A-Rod did while beholding J.Lo at the VMAs.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Ansel Elgort

A highlight of DiCaprio’s best summer ever for the 20th summer running? All-star beach volleyball in Malibu with the Baby Driver actor. Just don’t call it a pussy posse.

Kylian Mbappé

The dreamy French forward won the World Cup—and hearts everywhere.

Chris Messina . . . and his butt

The Mindy Project star got gritty this summer on HBO’s Sharp Objects—and notably flashed his rear in a sex scene with Amy Adams. Is there such a thing as Supple Butt Energy?

Drake

The rapper spent his summer visiting little girls at the hospital. Rihanna, give this man a chance?

Mr. Rogers

The much-loved new documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor sealed the late Fred Rogers’s fate as the rare pillar of integrity in a world seemingly filled with toxic men, which is pretty attractive these days. Summer lovin’, had us a blast. Summer lovin’ . . . discovering the clip of Mr. Rogers advocating for children’s public television happened so fast.

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