Welcome to Tuesday Book Chat. This is where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week.
Today’s question is:
What makes a romance hero attractive to you?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation by commenting on this post or on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group.
Let’s chat!
I am not sure, I like a hero who is relatable. Preferably not someone who knows everything and tends to talk down to people. I like someone who is good to children and animals. Someone who shows their caring and vulnerable side. The ones who is ok with asking for help and wanting to learn.
Your turn.
I look forward to reading your comments here or at the FB group. Remember all comments go into the monthly drawer for a gift voucher.
That’s a loaded question you have there, Jenny! 😉 I’m partial to many romantic heroes – cinnamon-roll sweet, Mr Grumpy, the protective Alpha – but he will always need to be real… believable. And have a kind/generous heart, not just for the heroine. i.e. I love it when you have gruff guys who don’t talk much, but speak more in their actions. Maybe the uncle who plays with/babysits the niece and nephew, or quietly helps single parents after-hours, or has a mutt-of-a-dog he shows compassion to. Stuff like that to show his heart, even if he’s a little prickly on the outside.
Yes it is. I looked at the question and thought I don’t know. If they have a rescue cat they may win me too. I know I don’t like the argumentative type or the negative personality. Oh or the always right or have to put others down. Thankfully its not in as many books but they are in real life and I have removed several as friends of fb or put them on snooze.
Yeah, I find those “Mr Always Right” or negative heroes rather tedious when reading, but as you said, they’re not common in romance. But real life? You’re not wrong! My hubby is always amazed with how many people put their spouse/partner down. He thinks I’m the bees knees (he he) so would never talk like that behind my back, let alone around me (as I would never do about him). God’s blessed us with a wonderful marriage and family. Why would we want to focus on the negatives???
Sheridan, you and your husband are blessed! I fully agree – I hate to see spouses put each other down, especially in front of other people. That’s never okay. If you have issues, deal with it together, privately.
Thanks, Susan. I think I scored the jackpot with Mr Wonderful. 🙂
That is so nice. After dad had a stroke he changed and his thinking changed. if the fire needed a piece of wood his brain didn’t connect that he needed to put a piece on it. After the dr explained rather than getting annoyed and telling him to do things she would say Oh I think I need to get a piece of wood for the fire and he would be up and get it for her. Or when she wanted to do the lounge she would say I think today after I hang out the washing I will take the rugs out to sweep. Before she finished hanging the washing the mats would be taken out and swept. (the carpet was thread bare in places so we had rugs to cover all the bare bits and they needed to go out to be swept and she could vacuum the rest. So I saw the love in action.
I hate when men and women put the other one down. You wonder if a spouse is so rude and mean in public what is happening behind closed doors.
Love in action! Such a great testimony, Jenny. Your dad learned some “new tricks” and showed you what marriage is all about. But, yes, it does make me wonder what’s going on when no one’s watching when I see public rudeness in a relationship.
Thanks for the question, Jenny. I like heroes who are comfortable with their masculinity, who take their God-given role as protector, provider and presider seriously. I like heroes whose masculinity is not threatened by showing emotion and vulnerability, who puts God first and embraces life. Heroes who have a soft side – children, animals etc – and can also bring that strong, protective mode when necessary. Modern secular culture seems determined to “wussify” men and demonise their God-given strengths. I love it when Christian authors can show what real men are.
Thanks for commenting Susan, I fully agree.
I definitely agree with the above thoughts, plus I enjoy it if the hero has some issues in his background he needs to work through – with help from his sweetheart. Plus nice broad shoulders help. 🙂
Rita, I have to agree – nice broad shoulders are a definite plus! 😊
Thanks for stopping by, Love the broad shoulders needed the laugh. I have always said I like blue eyes and blond but my favourite cricketers or heros in most shows tend to be dark brown – black hair and often brown eyes. I need expressive eyes its the first thing I tend to notice. I agree with issues to work through. I tend to identify with the hero at times more than the heroine as I am not into makeup and stuff. I can get ready in 5 mins if needed. I think in a book a romantic hero can be different in different books. It depends on how he is written.