What Kind of Hero Do You Like? By Tracy Wolff
For those readers who have read my books, either as Tracy Wolff or Tessa Adams, they know that I like my heroes tall, dark and angsty. I mean, seriously angsty. I love me a bad boy (and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way. But for my new book, UNGUARDED, the third in my recent Superromance trilogy, I thought I’d try something new. Not only looks-wise (although Shawn’s looks are way different than my usual heroes since he’s a blue-eyed blond) but also in attitude.
An archetype book by Tami Cowden claims there are eight main archetypes for heroes: the chief, the bad boy, the best friend, the charmer, the professor, the lost soul, the swashbuckler and the warrior. I have a tendency, no matter what I’m writing whether it’s paranormal, YA, contemporary or erotica, to write the bad boy or the lost soul, although I have also done the warrior and the chief (both of whom were liberally sprinkled with bad boy, just to make me happy 😉 But this time around, I went totally out of my comfort zone and wrote a charmer. A serious charmer with best friend overtones and I have to admit, I’m really thrilled with how Shawn turned out.
My heroine, Rhiannon, has a really dark past. The survivor of a brutal rape that ruined her self-confidence, her career and her marriage, she has spent the last few years trying to make a new life for herself, but struggling under some really heavy obstacles. I was completely intrigued with Rhiannon when she showed up in BEGINNING WITH THEIR BABY and knew that I had to give her her own story. But when I started to give her a hero like I normally write, I knew that wasn’t going to work. She didn’t need a dark hero with a terrible past—she needed some sweet and funny and absolutely crazy about her. Graphic novelist Shawn Emerson was born, and though he has some darkness in his own past, he does an amazing job (I think 😉 of drawing Rhiannon out of her shell and helping her find her way again.
So, how about you? What kind of heroes do you like? The chiefs who so often make up Silhouette Desire and Harlequin Presents? The best friend? The swashbuckler? Or are you like me—the badder the boy or the more lost the soul, the more I love him? Leave a comment for a chance to win BEGINNING WITH THEIR BABY, the second book in the trilogy.
Hi Tracy, I really enjoyed reading your blog post! Your new Harlquin SuperRomance looks wonderful!
I guess I must go for chiefs since I enjoy Harlequin Presents and Silhouette Desire heroes! I also like swashbucklers!
Actually I like trying out all kinds of heroes, I like variety.
This was a fun blog post! Good luck with your new book! 🙂
I love almost any kind of hero as long as he knows his way around a woman’s body and is willing to make sure she sees stars before he finishes for himself!
I love tall, dark and tortured heroes the best.
This is a hard question, but it really depends on what type of hero would compliment the plot and the heroine. Overall, though, it’s definitely the tall brunettes that give me the shivers. I like them full of humor (honestly, I have to have a man who can make me laugh) but I also admire the brooding hero that needs to be challenged a little bit. Overall, though, the broodier the better! Oh! And long hair. Gotta love it!
I used to mainly go for bad boys, but lately I’ve been really loving the best friend. The only one that tends to annoy me is the chief- they sometimes go from “alpha-male” to “ass-hat” which isn’t as sexy.
I love the Warrior. Since Highlanders i kilts are my favorite that makes sense I guess 🙂 Love me a bad boy who has heart and compassion under that hard, stern exterior. The books sound very interesting. Thanks for the post. I enjoyed reading it.
Carol L
Lucky4750@aol.com
I love the dark, brooding alpha male hero. I like a confident hero, but not overbearingly cocky or arrogant. I have to say though, I adore a charmer too (must possess confidence enough to spare) and your Shawn sounds just my type. 😉
Hi Tracy, I enjoyed reading your blog post! I’m with you, the badder the better.
Hey Tracy,
Charmers are great as long as they stick to charming the heroine only. I like the lost soul, cause I often feel like that myself. And I also love the bad boy, cause I’m always such a good girl at heart. So I can’t really choose between those.
Best, Kirsten
I like to read the charmer and best friend hero, but my favorite is also the bad boy! 🙂
Hi Tracy,
I love them all. It would be a drag if every hero was the same. Variety being the spice of life and all that. Btw, I love Superromances. They comfort me. In times of extreme duress I can be found reading a good Super. All I have to do is look at the cover of a one and my blood pressure drops. Looking forward to reading yours. Happy Holidays!
I think it depends on what kind of heroine it is — sometimes dark, brooding and alpha is perfect but sometimes sweet, gentle and beta is what is called for!
I think I like the charmer or the warrior.
I like to read about all kinds of heroes, however, I seem to favor the tall, dark and handsome rugged individual who has a sense of purpose. He has to have a good sense of humor
Your book sounds really good.
I like the tortured, angsty type a lot. They always seem to fall the hardest in the end 😉 Your book sounds wonderful!
My ideal hero is somewhat of a mystery – he seems gruff and stern but is really a big cupcake, he seems hard-driven but he’s always the one helping out someone is trouble or need – he seems strong but is really vulnerable – he strong and sexy but is always genlte – he’s my husband, my perfect hero.
I love all types of heros as long as they are not overly self-centered. I laughed at D.L.’s comment about the Chief who becomes an ‘ass-hat’ because I have been guilty of writing him myself. Luckily, I have great CP’s who aren’t afraid to point that out. I do love a tortured Bad Boy. And a Best Friend. Really, I am very open minded when it comes to falling in love with men 😉 Oh, but he needs to be tall and strong. I’ve yet to read a book where the hero has been scrawny. But, I am rather tall myself, with broad shoulders, and I like a man who makes me feel ‘dainty’. Probably some kind of evolution thing. God, if some man wrote this post about a woman, he’d be flogged. lol.
For me its the intelligent alpha male – someone to be respected but also powerful. Wouldnt do to be able to confuse or control the hero!
Hi Tracy. Your books sound good. My favorite heroes are tortured alpha males. I love a guy who is a little damaged.
I like the redeamable alpha male. They have to have a little sensitivity about them also. The confident, arrogant, but not cruel heros! happy Holidays!
The bad boy turned good usually makes a good hero, but I also like the friends to lovers plotline.
I enjoy reading about the angst hero as long as it doesn’t go too far and reduce the hero to wallow in self-pity. Though, really, any hero that has a good story is great.
The badder the boy the better!
I like the kind of hero who rides in on a white horse to “save the day” and well, you too. Would enjoy reading your book.
I like swashbucklers, with a splash of bad boy and a pinch of smarty-pants!
I like the bad boy hero with a hear of gold!
Is there some way to bundle up characteristics of all of the above? I love to read about them, one and all. Of course, if it is a bad boy, the badder the better. They all need to have lots of sex appeal to lure (?) the heroine, or does she lure them? LOL! Anyway, I just love men — correction: I only love my hubby but I love reading about heroes and heroines.
I love the bad boy/lost soul and best friends. I feel like the female finally has the chance to be supportive and the strong one in the relationship when they are trying to get through to the bad boy. I also love when the characters realize that the person who they consider is his/her best friend is also the person they cannot imagine their lives with. I love the development from friends to lovers.
I enjoy a variety of heroes. I think it is up to the author and seems to work out quite often!!
I love bad boys – they seem to represent everything your mother warned you about but end up all nice and squishy inside. The warrior guys conjure up images of norsemen or highland warriors from long ago – Strong, handsome HE-men. My other favorite is lost souls – I never thought of them in that way, but these are the guys who are tortured inside and just need a good woman to bring out their best side.
I have a taste for the bad boy and the lost soul! If he is a bit charming to boot it is even better!
I am not fond of heroes who whine. I like my dark dark and dangerous.
You know I don’t think I can pick just one, I like them all.
I tend to like the Lost Soul and the Warrior types. Throw in a bit of the Best Friend and the Professor and that works well. The bad boy may be someone who is interesting, but not my type.
Wow! This was so much fun! I love hearing about the kinds of characters readers love– and why they love them. Thanks so much for your great comments 🙂
I like dark and dangerous hereos. I like alpha males with a bit of angst.
I like all the types, a dark and dangerous bad boy and also the charmer who’s a friend.
Any hero that is well-drawn and well-rounded will make me happy. The main thing is that he and the heroine have to fill one another’s needs and desires. Heroes don’t need to be alpha 24/7, but even the mildest mannered gentleman should be able to turn into an alpha (in bed and out) if his heroine needs him.
Hi! I think I like a mix of the best friend and the professor with a liberal dose of the charmer thrown in for good measure. Well, maybe a bit of the swashbuckler, too.