by I don’t know about you, but I love ‘em both — the upright, serious, duty bound heroes and the ones who’ll break a girl’s heart without thinking twice, and maybe laugh while they’re doing it
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The bad boys charm us because they keep us guessing-and because we keep hoping that the right woman will turn them around and put their feet on the right road. The good ones are our white knights-even though their unbending honor codes and determination to do the right thing can be annoying as all get out.
Which would you choose, if you could? Which one would you take home for keeps?
In my upcoming Harlequin Historical, The Borrowed Bride (November 2008), readers will be getting a taste of both. To make things more interesting, the two men are brothers — Quint and Judd. And Hannah, our heroine, is forced to choose between them. Ahhh… but there are complications.
What kind of man would seduce his childhood sweetheart, then run off to hunt gold in Alaska and seemingly drop off the face of the earth?
And when the poor girl learns she’s pregnant, what kind of man would marry her to give his brother’s child the family name, then refuse to lay a hand on her-even when she wants more than his hand (I’d say, a lot more)?
Should Hannah choose the sweet, wild, irresponsible father of her baby? Or should she choose the maddeningly honorable man who married her out of duty? I won’t tell you how the story ends, except to say that this book is the first of two. And the rejected brother will get a love story of his own.
How about you? Do you go for bad heroes or good ones? I’d love to hear.
Hi, everyone.
Thanks to Sybil and to all of you for welcoming me as a guest. This is such a great site. I’ll be looking forward to your comments.
Elizabeth
Welcome, Elizabeth!
Actually, I think I would like both 😀
But a more serious answer would be… I would give the bad boy a chance as long as there was some glimmer of his growing up and becoming a man I could count on. Somehow I’m guessing that happens in his story 😀
Good answer. In my book, bad boy Quint is only 21. He has a lot of growing up to do. Thanks for your comment.
Elizabeth
I want the bad boy in the PICTURE! I love that pic. I stole it from the goddesses’ blog, http://thegoddessblogs.com/ – he was one of their FROS’s.
I want a bad boy who still has a sense of honor. I have enough responsibility to go around. I want the spontaneity and fun you get from a bad boy.
I guess what I’m saying is I want a good boy who knows how to be bad when warranted.
Isn’t that a yummy picture, Gwen? Credit Sybil for putting it with my blog. He looks like just the right kind of bad!
🙂
Elizabeth
Oh my goodness. I’ve got to stop looking at that pic. He just makes me daydream and distracts me too much!
I know what you mean, Gwen. I want to reach out and grab that hand!
🙂
LOL I admit I the bad boy needs to grow up, but as you say he was 21 when the book starts.
At the same time Judd is a good boy who sees himself as a bad one. soooooo I take him 😉
Love your comment, Sybil–as the only person besides my editor who’s read the book you know where you’re coming from.
I love the picture. One can make up stories to go with that picture!
With a bad boy, I need that inner core of integrity. He has to adhere to his own sense of honour.
I think all heroes have a certain amount of growing to do. And I want to do is to fall in love with the hero…along with the heroine.
Bad boy or good? I’m going to give a trick answer – it depends on the heroine. What kind of man does SHE need?
And thanks for the wise insight, Michelle. After all, isn’t that the real purpose of a romance, to give the reader the vicarious experience of falling in love? For me, at least, it is. Have a great day everybody.
And I like your trick answer, Michelle. The thrill of a bad boy versus the stability of a good one–it would depend on the heroine.
I love the description of this book! I have always enjoyed the bad boys, but more and more I find myself drawn to those stoic, uptight, do the right thing heroes. They’re always like, seething with passion inside, and there’s something very sexy about the idea that you could be the woman to bring that side out.
Thanks, Devon. Wish I could give you the book early–I don’t even have the cover yet. But there’s a lot of seething going on in it. 🙂
I think either one can be a great book but if I’m picking I go for the good guy.
Thanks, Maureen. I’d especially go for the good guy in real life. Some bad boys are bad to the bone!
At least we can enjoy the bad boy in a book and not have to worry.
🙂
I have to say that I like both. I enjoy reading about bad boys who deep down have a heart of gold just waiting for the right woman to bring it out of him. I also like the good and honest man who has a little streak of bad boy when it comes to the woman he loves.
Mmmm. Great comment Cheryl. Especially the part about the little streak of bad boy.
Elizabeth
I like a little bit of both in the hero. Makes him more interesting.
Thanks for your comment, Kimmy. I also like the good guy made bad by some awful, unjust tragedy.