What makes a hero? Are they real or fantasy? I say, they are both. As a writer, I love inventing hot, sexy, passionate, take-charge men who know who they are. They are definitely rough around the edges. They are seriously appealing. Men who shield their heart and emotions. They are not your everyday run of the mill man. They don't send flowers. But they'll do something unique that will make the heroine fall a little bit in love with them, even though she knows she shouldn't.
In Fortune's Vengeful Groom, Reese Parker makes no mild gesture to Eliza. No, he has an agenda of his own, so he tempts her with something he knows she can't resist. He's about as unyeilding as they come, wanting revenge. A true hero shows only a small measure of himself to the heroine, and slowly, little by little, his defenses against her crumble. It's that slow melting down that romance readers cheer on and hope for.
I love my western cowboy heroes. There's no doubt about that. But heroes, whether contemporary or historical have many things in common. They are strong in body and mind. They show little outside emotion, but we know what they're thinking, by the arch of an eyebrow, the ticking of their jaw, the swagger of their walk. They ooze sex appeal.
In short, heroes have MAJOR ATTITUDE.
For me, the key to a really great story is a really hunky, jaw-dropping, what's-he-going-to-do next hero. I love heroes who never doubt themselves. They are cocky, determined, strong-willed, intelligent, confident men who know exactly what they want. Often time, their attitude defines them. They rarely show the true measure of their emotions to anyone, until they meet our heroine. They don't like that there's a woman out there who can steal into their hearts and bring them to their knees. Yep, loving the right woman can do that. And it's a joy to see our heroes fall in love, the rollercoaster ride of emotions is an E-Ticket. (and I'm not speaking of electronics here).
Some of my own personal favorites from my stories are of course, Reese Parker in my latest release, but I did love Jake Griffin in Expecting the Cowboy's Baby. Kane Jackson, in Renegade Wife and Sam Beaumont in Bunking Down with the Boss. BTW, Sam's brother's story is coming this June in Between the CEO's Sheets.
So, tell me who are your favorite heroes?
What traits do you look for in a hero? And if you've read Fortune's Vengeful Groom, what was it about Reese Parker that you liked the most?
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