Isn’t it fun to have a book boyfriend?
You know, the guy who never disappoints,
always says and does the right thing and is there for you no matter what.
My literary love affairs started early with Nancy Drew’s boyfriend Ned, even though I was puzzled by his constantly changing personality. Decades later I learned there was no one author named Carolyn Keene, but a stable of different writers who penned the series. Which explained the lack of continuity with Ned. Around the same time, I was intrigued by Trixie Beldon’s adopted brother, Jim. I so wanted those two to get together and drop the friendship act, but the writers shied away from anything romantic between them.
My literary love affairs started early with Nancy Drew’s boyfriend Ned, even though I was puzzled by his constantly changing personality. Decades later I learned there was no one author named Carolyn Keene, but a stable of different writers who penned the series. Which explained the lack of continuity with Ned. Around the same time, I was intrigued by Trixie Beldon’s adopted brother, Jim. I so wanted those two to get together and drop the friendship act, but the writers shied away from anything romantic between them.
As I matured, so did my reading tastes. I still remember my crush on Connan TreMellynn
in Victoria Holt’s Mistress of Meylynn, which I read shortly before Harlequin
Presents burst onto the scene, with their SSB heroes. Sneering, Sardonic Bastards, for readers
who are too young to remember that era.
Written entirely from the female POV, our erstwhile heroine was always
shocked and delighted to learn, in the last chapter, the SSB had secretly loved
her from the beginning, but was fighting those feelings for mysterious reasons which
may or may not be revealed as they ride off into the sunset.
Then Kathleen Woodiwiss gave us the unforgettable
Ruark! There was a swoon-worthy hero,
willing to do anything, make any sacrifice for Shanna. Pant, pant.
Flutter, flutter. His was a tough
act to follow although many authors tried, and brought us a wide variety of men
we loved to love. Even if Fabio did grace many a cover.
Fantasies and magic also wielded a big influence on
romance readers, fueled by Harry Potter and Cedric. Why have an ordinary book boyfriend when you
can have one with extraordinary powers?
And haven’t Vampires always been sexy?
Thank you Twilight!
In keeping with this month’s Beaches and Book Boyfriends contest, I offer up my hot hero, Jesse Quantrill in Anora’s Pride, “a hero who steams into every woman’s heart with his bad-boy-turned-hero machismo.” RT Reviews.
If you’ve been following my new series, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, BRODY'S BRIDE is available now, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SRHCQK8
soon to be joined by BRADLEY'S BRIDE https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TQ488XC
and BRAYDON'S BRIDE.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TM3RGYG
both at a special pre-order price of only 99 cents.
Better yet, join my VIP Reader’s Group and download the free Prequel, Before the Brides .http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1
Please take a minute to like us and follow our Facebook page. It’s a great place to connect with like-minded readers.
And we have a brand new contest for you to enter here.
Click Rafflecopter to enter BEACHES and BOOK BOYFRIENDS, our July Giveaway. Visit the Monthly Giveaway page to see all the prizes. Enter often and tell your friends. There are some great prizes up for grabs.
Even tho he's married to the fabulous EVE DALLAS and she could kick my a** from here to Milwaukee if she knew, I have a serious crush on for my book boyfriend ROARKE in the IN DEATH series by JD Robb. le sigh...
ReplyDeleteOMG, YES!! That was who I immediately thought of as well.
DeleteGood one, Peggy.
DeleteI read this book years and years ago. Susan Kay Law wrote it. Since I read all of hers, I can't for the life of me remember which one it was, but in it, the hero was falling down a mountain or something heroic like that, and he WHIMPERED. It was so funny and unexpected, it gave me a new kind of vulnerability to look for even in the most alpha of heroes. Other than that, I guess my book boyfriends are always the ones next door, the tire-changers, the ones who have your back but are glad you have theirs, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a treat when the hero surprises you.
DeleteLove book boyfriends. I could always imagine them leaving their book girlfriend and falling madly for me. I always thought Rhett in Gone With The Wind would in that last scene tell Scarlet he'd finally found the true woman he loved, me.
ReplyDeleteHe was a fascinating character.
DeleteOh, gosh. I have a lot. I loved Ned, too, but my first book boyfriend is technically Laurie from Little Women. My favorite book boyfriend from an author who is currently writing would be Wulfric Bedwyn from the Slightly series by Mary Balogh. He reminds me of Mr. Darcy -- another book boyfriend. Wulfric is staid, brilliant, and a brick wall when it comes to taking care of the people he loves. He's fantastic.
ReplyDeleteOh, these are great choices--I want to borrow them. Constantine was a favorite Mary Balogh of mine--I don't remember the series. Just him.
DeleteGreat choices, Kara.
DeleteWith every new book I read, I get a new book boyfriend and I think all of them are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteNo point being a one-man woman in your reading, Bernice.
DeleteI was a huge Trixie Belden fan and always loved the scenes with Trixie and Jim!! But I can't say I ever have a book boyfriend. I love so many guys from the millions of books I read but I am such a romance fanatic that I want them to be with the person they fell in love with in the book.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever imagine you were that girl in the book?
DeleteJames "Jamie" Alexander Malcom MacKenzie Fraser anyone?
ReplyDeleteI believe they call him 'the king of men'. He's certainly larger than life.
DeleteIf I were picking from another author, I would say the incomparable Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. If I were picking from my own books it would be a toss-up between Griff Pierce in my short story A Billion Reasons, and William Grant from welcome to Chance
ReplyDeleteDarcy certainly had his charm.
DeleteI can’t name just one, but I now know I love the “beast”. A good tortured hero grabs me every time.
ReplyDeleteTortured heroes are fantastic! I love to make mine suffer.
DeleteOh, Ruark de Beauchamp! Yes, yes, yes. Just reread Shanna last month. He's still a wonderful hero. Never cared for the SSB guys. Not boyfriend material at all. Loved your post.
ReplyDeleteThe SSB's were not keepers in any way. That's what made Ruark so unforgettable.
DeleteOMG I LOved SHANNA!!! I read it when I was 16 and, my GOD!!!! that woman could write a man!!
DeleteHonestly, I remember Edward Cullen. This was before all the chaotic celebrity/fan/critics ballyhoo touched and soiled the memory of the books, when only my imagination pictured what he would be like, before it was spelled out for me. The book(s) got me through a tough time. Maybe that's why I remember fondly of him.
ReplyDeleteGosh! It's so hard to choose. I think I fall a little in love with whatever hero I'm reading at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI really loved Giovanni Vecchio from Elizabeth Hunter's Elemental Mysteries series. (A Hidden Fire is the first book in that series, and I highly recommend it to any vampire/ paranormal lovers out there.)
Even his name is hot!
ReplyDeleteUntil you realize it's really (translated to ) Jonny Old! hahahaha
Delete