Almost every Wednesday evening, I get together with a group of friends for a LOST watch party. And yes, it’s mostly an excuse to drink wine and ogle the actors when they’re all sweaty in the jungle, but after the Chardonnay there are sometimes attempts at deciphering character development/overlapping themes/whatever. One of my friends suggested that which guy on LOST a woman likes can tell a lot about her. (I happen to like Sawyer–not sure I want to know what that says about me!!!)
Anyway, that, along with Cara’s post on Austen movie heroes, got me thinking about heroes in romance novels. They are, of course, one of the most important components of any story. As an author, you want your readers to fall in love with the heroes you write about; as a reader, you want to do the falling in love. But every woman who reads a romance (just as every woman who watches LOST!) is different. I happen to like a “dark” hero, though I have found there is often a fine line between “dark” and “whiny”. Dark–yummy. Whiny–not so good.
Someone asked me once how I keep from falling in love with the heroes I write. I have to say, 1) they’re not real, duh. They live in my head. And I know that. Most of the time. And 2) I don’t really write my “fantasy perfect man”, though they usually do have aspects that I admire in real life (intelligence, humor, ripped abs, whatever). I write the hero that is perfect for that particular heroine. I want to believe, once I finish writing a manuscript or reading a book by a favorite author, that these two people were made for each other and will be able to weather life’s storms together forever.
So, I took a look at my keeper shelf and came up with this list of some favorite romance heroes (mostly Regency-set, but I let a couple others sneak in):
1) Lord Dain from Loretta Chase’s LORD OF SCOUNDRELS
2) Lord Rival from Diane Farr’s FORTUNE HUNTER
3) Lord Lucien from Gaelen Foley’s LORD OF FIRE
4) Sir James Stoker from Judith Ivory’s SLEEPING BEAUTY
5) Ruck from Laura Kinsale’s FOR MY LADY’S HEART (probably the #1 romance hero I wanted to come to life!)
6) Lord Michael Kenyon from Mary Jo Putney’s SHATTERED RAINBOWS
7) Captain William Chartwell from Mary Blayney’s THE CAPTAIN’S MERMAID
8) Alverstoke from Heyer’s FREDERICA
9) Edgar Downes from Mary Balogh’s A CHRISTMAS BRIDE
10) And one of my newest favorites, Adam Ashworth from Janet’s DEDICATION
So, now it’s your turn! Who are some favorite heroes, and why? What aspects of a hero’s character do you like to see in novels (besides great hair and a cute behind!)? And who is your favorite on LOST? 🙂
(BTW, the pic was a gift from a Photoshop-gifted friend who helps me indulge my Orlando Bloom obsession once in a while. Do you think I make a good Lizzie????)
Oh, Amanda, great post! I agree with Lord Dain and Lord Rival…I also love the guy from Mr. Impossible (of course I forget his name, ’cause I always do), Lord Ragsdale from Carla Kelly’s Reforming Lord Ragsdale, the guy from Anne Stuart’s To Love A Dark Lord, and whathisname from Brockway’s As You Desire. Plus Lord ? from Balogh’s Notorious Rake…with the exception of Mr. Impossible and whathisname, the heroes I love are impossibly dark, some might even say tortured. And that’s how I like ’em. I don’t watch Lost, so can’t tell which one I like. But I bet if I did, it’d be the most alpha/bitter/angsty one of the bunch. Just a guess.
You make a darling Lizzie, Amanda, and Orlando is a dishy Darcy for you!
As to Lost…I might like Sayid best…but then again, why choose? Jack would be an ideal husband. Charlie is so sweet. Sawyer sure is the sexy bad boy. Jin is probably the most gorgeous man on the island, but I would never put up with him controlling me like that! Even Locke is strangely attractive…
I’m drawing a blank right now on my favorite romance heroes…well, okay, how about the Scarlet Pimpernel?
Cara
Gosh, Amanda, Adam and I are SO flattered, but I promised him to one of my crit partners first, so you’ll just have to wait your turn.
How about Joseph from The Bookseller’s Daughter by Pam Rosenthal–he can read, too! Wow! The Duke of Thing from Mary Balogh’s Slightly series (I have a lot of trouble with characters’ names). That nice blonde young thing from A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverly, or whoever the guy on the cover is (can’t remember his name, couldn’t figure out the plot, but I read along quite happily waiting for the next swordfight). Any of Jennifer Crusie’s guys.
Love that pic, Amanda!
Re favorite heroes, there are so many. Dain, definitely, what a poor loveable brute! Any of Laura Kinsale’s heroes. Reggie, from Mary Jo Putney’s THE RAKE (AND THE REFORMER). Dove from Julia Ross’s THE WICKED LOVER. But gosh, there really are too many to name!
I really don’t have a favorite kind of hero. I’ve written a lot of nice guys myself. And I don’t like when people label them Beta heroes and then imply that Betas are weaker than Alphas–how does kindness make a man weak, I ask you? But I did a bad boy in SAVING LORD VERWOOD and I’m sure I’ll do more of them, too.
I guess I’m a ho. I like variety in my fantasy men!
Elena 🙂
You know, this alpha hero thing drives me mad. Sometimes all that dark brooding tortured testosterone-y stuff equates to whining. I tend to judge heroes on whether I’d like my daughter to date them. (Oh isn’t that sick, now I think about it. But true.) I don’t want some Heathcliffe glowering and shedding male-ness in the living room over nice cups of tea.
The heroes I write tend to burst into tears rather a lot and at least once in the book offer the heroine groveling apologies, usually with good reason (this is fiction).
Janet
Exactly right, Elena! Variety is the key. Think how dull it would be if every couple in every book was exactly the same. 🙂 And I’m with you on the alpha/beta thing. I don’t like labels. I tend to take characters as individuals. (And there are more than a few “alpha” heroes out there I would love to see get a swift kick and a “get over yourself already”).
And I also agree with Cara about the men on LOST–it’s a veritable smorgasbord on there. 🙂
You know, I hate the term “beta” hero. I see why it was invented, but the name itself clearly says that betas are second place! And I don’t agree.
I think most of Austen’s heroes are “betas” (for lack of any other term…)
Well, why don’t I make up a term? “Alphas” are growly, so they can be bears. Betas are more human, so I’ll call them…tigers. In control of themselves, but still deadly. 🙂
I think Darcy’s more of a tiger than a bear.
Rochester’s total bear. So’s Heathcliff.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a tiger. So’s James Bond, and Indiana Jones.
Anyway, that’s my new theory, and I’m sticking to it….at least until tomorrow.
Cara
Janet,
Sometimes tortured heroes can come across whiny. But worse, sometimes they seem like the reason women’s shelters are built.
But if a hero that hasn’t done anything truly cruel and he grovels really well, I usually can forgive him! Nothing like good grovel.
Cara, I love your bear/tiger analogy!
I agree, Elena — groveling is strangely attractive. 🙂 Perhaps it’s because people who are unable to say “I’m sorry” are in the long run very hard to take… Physical courage is all very well, but in a marriage, moral courage ends up being more useful.
Cara
I’m a fan of Lost and it would be really interesting to do a study on which character we like the best and why and what that says about us. I’m a fan of darker characters too. I think my favourite is Derek Craven from DOY. I also love Dain from LOS, Nicolas from Thunder and Roses, Jason from Once and Always. And sticking with that theme, my favourite Lost character is Sawyer.
Oh, Kristie, you’ve just added some more titles to my TBR list!
I have to confess I haven’t watched LOST. Sounds like I should!
And Cara, I forgot to ask, is Todd a bear or a tiger???
Elena 🙂
Wow, a lot of Sawyer fans here! I guess bad boys are always popular. 🙂 I think my fantasies more involve men who could rescue one from villains (or dragons or cockroaches) so I tend to find men like Sayid more attractive than men like Sawyer (who’d probably say “go kill the cockroach yourself, I’m reading!”)
BTW, Elena, Todd is definitely a tiger. And (luckily for me) a cockroach killer. Not that I’ve ever lived in a place with cockroaches. But if I did, he’d kill them. 🙂
Cara
Plus Sayid looks really good in a tank top. 🙂 That’s very useful when, you know, killing cockoaches or setting explosions or whatever. And you’re right, Jin is certainly beautiful, though the chauvinism would have to go. And in real life I would be totally in love with Jack. Too bad we can’t combine them all into one ultra-perfect guy. 🙂 I think what I find interesting about Sawyer (besides those abs) is his complexity and mystery. It seems clear he could go either way–good or evil–and you’re just never sure. Or maybe I’m just thinking about it because I’m watching the show right now!
And good to know Todd is a tiger, LOL! What about our other married RRs?
I think mine is a bear trying desperately to be a tiger. He’s very alpha at times: arrogant, confident, smart-alecky, quick. But he’s also very concerned with not seeming like too much of an alpha, so sheathes his claws a lot, so to speak. His favorite animal is a tiger, too. And favorite color is orange. Hm.
Mine often seems like a tiger, but he’s really a bear that doesn’t growl too often (except when he’s sick and can’t decide if he wants to be pampered or left alone).
I’ve done a pretty good job training him. Oh, and he’s good at killing bugs, too.
Elena 🙂
Boy, tune out of the Risky Regencies blog for a few days and when you return you find yourself on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom! 🙂
Sadly, I haven’t read many of the books on Amanda’s list, so I’m not sure I have a favorite hero from them. 🙂 I like Hugo from “The Unknown Ajax” quite a bit. But my perspective is probably slightly different than yours.
As for LOST–sadly few female characters to choose from! All quite dishy, to be sure, but Shannon is too shallow; don’t know enough about Claire, really; Kate is attractive; but I’d worry about being involved with a woman who could probably break me in half; and as for Sun, I’d worry about being involved with a woman whose father would probably pay someone to break me in half.
As for the men on LOST…I like Sayid, too. But not in a whoa-check-out-that-tank-top kind of way. 🙂
Wow, a lot of smileys. I must be channeling Cara. Or maybe it’s my inner Tiger showing.
Todd-the-Tiger-or-maybe-the-Tigger
I have to agree with your “Edgar Downes” selection from Mary Balogh’s A CHRISTMAS BRIDE. Edgar presentation as such as strong man who makes his way into the world is obvious. IT’s all the more surprising because his the female protagonist is a strong mature woman who knows her own mind. Edgar is “man enough” for such a strong female character.
I like most of your other choices as well. Will have to read the ones that I am unfamiliar with.
A fellow Regency lover aka Lady D,