Romance Novel Heroes
Men. The older I get, the more I love them. And I’m obviously not the only one since there was one-and-a-half BILLION dollars in revenue generated last year from the romance genre. So what is it that makes us take our hard earned dollars and countless hours of our time to read about romance novel heroes who make our hearts lust (among other parts) and leave us wanting more?
In thinking about what we’re looking for when we escape into our eReaders, audiobooks, or paper-bound books in our stolen moments (often referred to as ‘guilty pleasures’), I couldn’t help but wonder if it was (1) the story or (2) the sex, or (3) the hero that we crave? As a writer of romances that are considered steamy (not erotica), my answer was ‘YES’ to all of the above.
There has to be a good story, obviously. And depending on your degree of reading desire, the sex can be anything from first kiss to bondage to everything in between. But there tends to be a consistency in the men we fall in love with, one book at a time.
FOCUS ON THE HERO
When I started writing my first novel, Thunder Snow, I took a picture of a man I found attractive and had him all over my computer. He was my Jack, and as I wrote the story, he’s what I had in mind. Even though he didn’t end up on the cover, he physically embodies what many of us are looking for in our romance heroes. Here’s what I believe we consistently look for in our Alpha male heroes. It doesn’t have as much to do with their looks as it does with who they are on the inside. I think I did a pretty good job of giving Jack most of these qualities.
WHAT MAKES A ROMANCE HERO IRRESISTIBLE?
- Protective – not controlling; he simply cannot stand by when someone he loves is threatened.
- Competent – he knows how to handle things. Bonus points if he can build or fix them.
- Fiercely loyal – when he gives you his heart, he’s all in.
- A safe place – when everything falls apart, he’s the person you want beside you.
- Strong but tender – strength in the world, gentleness with her.
- Honorable – he does the right thing even when it costs him.
- Confident – secure enough in himself that he doesn’t need to prove it.
- Intelligent – capable of matching her mind as well as her heart.
- Emotionally guarded – there’s something behind those walls, and she gets to discover it.
- Vulnerable with her – eventually, she’s the one person who gets to see all of him.
- Passionate – he doesn’t merely love her. He burns for her.
- Faithful – once he’s hers, there is no one else.
- Funny – whether it’s wit, dry humor, or playful teasing, he can make her laugh.
- Intuitive – he notices. Sometimes he understands what she needs before she says it.
- Experienced – he’s lived enough life to know who he is and what matters.
- A little scarred – his past has shaped him without destroying his capacity to love.
- Soft underneath – gruff, powerful, reserved . . . until you find the tenderness he’s hiding.
- Loves her as she is – he doesn’t fall for the woman he thinks she should become.
- Chooses her – not temporarily, not until things get difficult. Her.
- Committed – the story ends with him building a life with her, not merely falling in love with her.
- Entirely Optional but Greatly Appreciated – Tall. Attractive. Strong. Older. Clean. Good hands. Can build stuff.
I would love to know what YOU think should be added to or subtracted from this list.