For bookworms, the perfect love story might involve grand gestures ripped straight from the pages of a novel — but one man took that idea literally.

When Christian Keenan decided to propose to his girlfriend, Ella McGivern, he didn’t just borrow a ring. He borrowed a quote from her most treasured book, turning their romance into a scene even Leigh Bardugo’s “Six of Crows” characters would envy.

Early in their relationship, McGivern playfully teased Keenan that he’d need to read her favorite novels before popping the question. Fast forward nearly four years, and Keenan took the challenge to heart. After diving into “Six of Crows”, a fantasy novel McGivern adores, he stumbled upon a passage that mirrored his own feelings. Highlighting the lines in pink, he tucked the book into a snowy, starlit proposal setup that left his girlfriend breathless.

Ella McGivern’s favorite lines in ‘Six of Crows’ by Leigh Bardugo. Courtesy of Ella McGivern

“He somehow found my favorite quote in my favorite book,” McGivern said. The lines from Six of Crows read: “Many boys will bring you flowers… Only that boy earns your heart.” For McGivern, the quote encapsulated Keenan’s devotion.

We are both students… He knows me like no other person on the planet does,” she said.

Unaware of Keenan’s plan, McGivern thought their trip to Banff, Canada, was simply a belated Valentine’s escape. But after a romantic dinner, Keenan led her to a secluded spot behind the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. “The stars were shining in the sky by the handful… There was not a soul in sight,” McGivern recalled. When Keenan suddenly veered off the trail, confusion turned to disbelief as he handed her the book.

The happy couple. Courtesy of Ella McGivern

“He told me to open page 136 and read it to him,” McGivern said. Flipping to the page, she found her highlighted quote — and a handwritten “Marry Me?” beside it. “Tears started to pour down my face,” she said. By the time she looked up, Keenan was on one knee, ring in hand. “I dove down and hugged him before he even got a word out… I was shocked, sobbing and saying ‘yes’ a million times,” she added.

The moment felt like a culmination of their journey. Their first date, an eight-hour walk, echoed in the starlit proposal stroll. “He was laughing so hard but pulled us both up and kissed me the way every girl wants to be kissed,” McGivern said.

For McGivern, the book’s significance runs deeper than romance. A gift from her late grandmother, “Six of Crows” anchored her love of literature. She’s read the series 10 times, runs two book-focused social media accounts, and is set to publish her debut novel, “Ski You Later.” Keenan, a PhD student in Space Physics, champions her ambitions. “He is right there, reminding me I can do anything I set my mind to,” she said.

As for the boy who “earned her heart”? McGivern put it simply: “He means everything to me.” And while their future may not yet hold fancy gifts, it’s already rich with shared dreams — and a proposal story even the best novels couldn’t top

@ella.writes.alot This is. Without a doubt. The best day of my life. ❤️ #bookfyp #engagement #sixofcrows #leighbardugo #fantasybooktok #youngadultbooktok #romantasy #crookedkingdom ♬ original sound – •Hazel•

Source: People