I recently finished my first Rachel Gibson novel, NOTHING BUT TROUBLE and it received my first 10 star review (You can read it here). Now, I won’t review a book unless I can really sing it praises, and this one struck all the right chords in me. Never once during this book did I think, “Now, I wouldn’t have done it like that.” I wouldn’t have changed one phrase, one word. Which got me thinking. Why did I love this book so much? What was it about this book that hooked me so completely that I went out and bought practically all of Rachel Gibson’s backlist?
Well in large part, it was the hero. In NOTHING BUT TROUBLE, this was Mark Bressler. What was it about him I found so appealing? Well, I love a hero who is initially completely immune to the charms of the heroine–or believes he is. Mark doesn’t want a personal assistant and he doesn’t want Chelsea Ross in his life. What does this say to me? It tells me that Mark has a long way to fall–and you know he’ll fall hard. And things only get better the more he resists the eventuality of the attraction and the inevitable headlong plunge into love. I love it!
Marcus, the Earl of Westcliff, of Lisa Kleypas’s IT HAPPENED ONE AUTUMN is another favourite hero of mine. Outwardly, Marcus is hard-edged and remote, a stickler for aristocratic propriety. The heroine, Lillian Bowman, finds him humourless and cold. He thinks she’s a manner-less, unruly hoyden. They are oil and water. Both heroine and hero resisting their explosive attraction to each other. To me, nothing gets better than that. I absolutely loved Marcus’s memorable thoughts on the normal frequency of sexual congress.
“St. Vincent, if a man has time to bed a woman more than once a week, he clearly doesn’t have enough to do.”
Later in the book, his friend, Simon Hunt, finds him–clothes in a complete disarray–rolling on his study floor with Lillian.
“Pardon, my lord, Hunt said in a carefully controlled voice. “I did not anticipate you would be…meeting…with someone at this hour.”
Marcus skewered him with a savage stare. “You might try knocking next time.”
…
As Simon Hunt withdrew from the room, however, it seemed that he couldn’t keep from ducking his head back in and asking Marcus cryptically, “Once a week did you say?”
St. Vincent, from Lisa Kleypas’s DEVIL IN WINTER, is another hero I loved. For all intents and purpose, he’s so not hero material. He’s selfish, a spend-thrift, vain and he turns out to be a villain of sorts in IT HAPPENED ONE AUTUMN. And he can be mean. Here’s a small excerpt of an exchange he has with the heroine, Evie, who incidentally, stutters.
“Have a seat if you like,” he said. “Though, I wouldn’t plan to stay long if I were you. I’m easily bored, and your reputation is hardly that of a scintillating conversationalist.”
This from a man who later is willing to give his life for her. That’s one of the ways you redeem a villain. The ultimate sacrifice. 🙂
This is a very small sampling of the heroes I’ve adored. As you can see, these heroes are handsome, self-assured (others might call them arrogant), sexy-as-hell, wholly masculine and resisting. Their conflict with the heroine only heightens the sexual tension between them and makes for an unforgettable read.
What about you? Who are some of your memorable heroes?
Of all the Wallflower books, I loved The Devil in Winter the most, and I think St. Vincent had a lot to do with that. I adore a hero with a snarky sense of humor, one who can make that perfect biting comment. And while we’re on the topic of Kleypas heroes, someone has to mention Derek Craven, so I suppose I’ll have to take the plunge.
I can’t even say why he’s so yummy, but, damn, he is.
I’ve never read Rachel Gibson before, but since you’ve been raving about it, I’m going to have to pick it up next week when it comes out.
As for my favorite heroes, I would have to go with St. Vincent and the hero of Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. I didn’t like him at first but by the end I was hooked. I’m like you, I like that a little arrogant.
Rachel Gibson is one of my favorite authors and I’m just jealous you’ve read the latest already. I agree with you 100%, she writes a yummy hero. See Jane Score is one of my absolute favorites.
I loved Cam from Private Arrangements and Logan Scott in Because You’re Mine. If I dig through my shelves of books, I’ll find a ton more.
Rachel Gibson is a really good author. I love her books.
Gosh, I’m loving all of these heroes listed so far. I also need to add Michael Stirling from JQ’s When He Was Wicked. He fits into my dark, tortured and brooding mold. But also very stoic.
Can’t tell you how much I LOVED Cam from PA. And Krista, I have See Jane Score coming in the mail, hopefully soon. Everyone who’s read that book has raved about it, saying it’s their favourite Rachel Gibson book, so needless to say, I’m champing at the bit to read it.
I used to be the biggest Johanna Lindsey fangirl around-so almost all the Mallorys stand out in my mind, but I adored James the most. I also really liked the Duke of Tremore from Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke. I also loved the hero in This Is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland-Christopher. It was just a sweet story.
I love Rupert Carsington from Loretta Chase’s Mr. Impossible. Beauty, brawn, and secret brains. So adorable. St. Vincent is fabulous (and as an aside, Devil in Winter was the first book trailer I ever watched and I got chills from it, no pun intended). Mayne from Eloisa James’s Essex sisters quartet got a bunch of members on her BB hot and bothered. Dare from Jo Beverley’s To Rescue a Rogue made me root for him in the worst way—-so tortured and noble. I love a hero who is funny and sexy, but brooding and sexy is good too. 😉
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Nothing But Trouble and agree with Beverley’s top star rating. I read it in one day. It was THAT good. Gibson’s writing is so smooth, her ability to infuse sensitive & vulnerability to her characters while making one laugh out loud is unparalled.
Favorite heroes?? I have a thing for Harry’s. I love Harry Pye – The Leopard Prince (Hoyt), Harry Braxton – As You Desire (Brockway) and most recently I added Gabe Rossiter from Pamela Clare’s, Naked Edge to my list. Gabe is an anti-hero of sorts but I love him.
I can’t resist a cowboy–an emotionally tortured cowboy. I wish westerns would come back in a hurry.
I seem to love the one I’m with! I love the hero I am reading about at the time! Cowboy seem to be about my favorite type of hero though right now. I have really been hooked on them!
I couldn’t agree with you more! Love both Marcus & St. Vincent! But I also love Ruark Beauchamp from Shanna by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Roarke from Naked in Death by J.D. Robb, and Vasili Petroff from You Belong to Me by Johanna Lindsey.
Oh how I love Marcus and St Vincent. They will always have a place in my heart since they were the first ones I met. I also love Colin Bridgerton from Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Chase from Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl is up there too with his sexyness. I guess I have a thing for heros who are not what they seem.
Wow! A 10-Star Review! I immediately pre-ordered after reading that, Bev…then came back to read about your favorite heroes! St. Vincent makes my list, for sure…along with Eloisa James’s Earl of Mayne, and the incredible Devil Cynster (who makes my husband jealous).
Favorites:
Damien from the Pregnancy Test by Erin McCarthy and the hero from Always a Lady by Sharon Sala (contemporary)
The hero from Sweet Lullaby by Lorraine Heath (Out of print but worth finding) (historical) and Will from Morning Glory by L. Spencer and Ace from Keegan’s Lady by Catherine Anderson and the hero from A Promise of Spring by Mary Balogh (all historicals)
Series: The hero from The Prodigal Wife by Susan Fox; Trace from The Cowboy’s Baby by Patricia Thayer and the hero of Cherokee Thunder by Rachel Lee and the hero from A Natural Father by Sarah Mayberryand the hero from I heard it Through the Grapevine by Sally Hayes
I forgot the hero from One True Cowboy by Janette Kenney (historical)
Gosh, silly me, I had 2 9 stars reviews for Maggie’s Mistress By Mistake and Sarah’s Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and that was due in large part that I absolutely LOOOVED Bay and Gabriel.
There have been lots of heroes. In the very first two Kat Martin books I read, the hero in each was exceptional. The books were connected and both men were in each book. the first was Randall Clayton of PERFECT SIN (2000) and the second Nicholas Warring of WICKED PROMISE (1998). Both men are less than lovable at the beginning of the books and not always nice throughout the story. They both redeem themselves and everyone gets their HEA.
I like the sound of the Lisa Kleypas books you mentioned above, so I hit one of my TBR bookcases. I have DEVIL IN WINTER but not the Autumn book. I do have SECRETS OF A SUMMER NIGHT which is part of that series. I’ll have to check them out and find the other 2 in the series.
Wulfric Bedwyn is one of my very favorite heroes, and will probably remain so no matter what else I read. His stoic control and eventual fall into love was so perfect.
A new hero I have very much enjoyed is Sara Lindsey’s James Sheffield in Promise Me Tonight.
Memorable heroes are, from the top of my head-
Jamie Fraser of Diana Gabaldon’s ‘Outlander’ series, though not really a romance novel it HAS all the elements of one…lol. Can’t forget this tall, very yummy red-haired HERO. In all senses of the word.
Then I’d say Bentley Rutledge of Liz Carlyle’s ‘The Devil you Know’, one of the best (if not MY best) tortured heroes ever.
Also Daemon Sadi of Anne Bishop’s ‘Black Jewels’ series. If looks could kill…ok his looks can and he often does XP
My favorite Kleypas hero…too hard. Like them all! Honorable mentions to Cam Rohan and Gage Travis though 😀
oh and of course, having only read it last night it’s still fresh in my mind, a stand out James in the romance world—James Rutherford hehe Love a hero who just can’t help himself.
I had so many, but I’ll just list my top three, Jamie Fraser from The Out Lander series. Roarke from J.D. Robb’s In Death series and Rafe MacKettrick form Linda Lael Miller’s The Mackettrick’s series.And every gorgeous Highlander I have ever read LOL
Carol L.
Lucky4750@aol.com
oops I apologize for the misspelling of McKettrick name.
Carol L.
I fall in love with so many of them, but Devil Cynster from Devil’s Bride remains my all time favorite! Lord Dain from Lord of Scoundrels is another!
Ok – I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about Rachel Gibson’s newest book – but now I’m so excited. She’s one of my favorite authors!
As for heroes… Yes St. Vincent is at the top – Bobby Tom Denton in SEP’s Heaven, Texas. Also Ren, in Breathing Room. Cal, in Nobody’s Baby But Mine. Then there’s Cal from Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. My list goes on, but those are by far some of my favorites.
Sebastian St. Vincent is definitely on my list of favorite heroes.
As is Dain from Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels
Christian from Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale. When he comes to the church where she is to read her renunciation of their marriage and stumbles through his defense of their marriage and their love I cry every time.
Sebastian St. Cyr from C.S. Harris’s series is a complex hero and he is tortured more in each book!
I have to agree with Gillian. Wulfric Bedwyn is one of my favorite heroes of all time.
And every single one of Anna Campbell’s heroes is just amazing – tortured, complex, passionate and TOO HOT for words.
Another of my longtime favorites is Lord Devlin Steele from Diane Gaston’s The Mysterious Miss M. Sweet, passionate, honorable and just a swoon-worthy hero.
I don’t know about Mark yet but Marcus and Sebastian are definitely on m list too.
I’d add Kevin Tucker from SEP This Heart of Mine and Jamie Fraser from Outlander… those two have a special place in my heart *sigh*
Oh gosh! I always love Lisa Kleypas’ heroes! One of them is McKenna from (Again the Magic), and another is Simon Hunt (Secrets of a Summer Night) and Matthew Swift (Scandal in Spring).
Other memorable heroes are Trevor Sheridan (Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney), Justin Ross (Heartless by Kat Martin), Clayton Harcourt (The Fire Inside by Kat Martin), Royce Saint-Michel (His Forbidden Touch by Shelly Thacker), and Philip Hawthorne (Secret Desires of a Gentleman by Laura Lee Guhrke)
and…and… I’ve got more… LOL