Tuesday 10 December 2013

Ten Men to Fall in Love With

I am honored to have a special guest on my blog today Chanel Cleeton. She'll be discussing my favorite topic--Men erm Fictional Men. Thanks Chanel!



Ten Men to Fall in Love With
By Chanel Cleeton

I started reading romance novels when I was ten years old.  The moment I read my first romace, I fell in love.  There’s something about a great romance novel— you fall in love with the story, the writing, the characters.  You live within the pages of the novel.  More than anything, though, so many of us fall in love with the hero.  Over the years, I’ve ready so many great stories about dukes and businessmen, assassins and vampires.  Alpha men.  Men who are willing to fight for their heroines and risk all for a happy ending.  But of all of these heroes, these ten men stand out the most:

1.      Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
I can’t say enough about Mr. Darcy.  He is the ultimate romance hero.  He’s charismatic, powerful, and undergoes a transformation that has readers falling in love with him.  He’s sexy too— without even kissing Elizabeth, he’s able to conduct a courtship full of passion and love.  He’s a gentleman, one who is made better through his love of Elizabeth.

2.      Rhett Butler, Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Okay, so this one is arguably, not a romance, but Rhett Butler is the kind of character who doesn’t play by the rules so he earned his place on this list.  He is the ultimate alpha male.  He challenges Scarlett and is the quintessential Southern gentleman— with a naughty twist.  He’s also the perfect example of a rake redeemed.

3.      Hardy Cates, Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
Hardy is another alpha male.  He’s a Texan whose success is entirely self-made.  He’s a little rough around the edges, but the way he cares for Haven, the story’s heroine, will melt your heart. 

4.      Matthew Farrell, Paradise by Judith McNaught
Matt is probably responsible for my unrealistic views on men.  I read this contemporary romance when I was a kid and fell completely in love.  He’s another alpha male— self-made and proud of it.  He can be brash and over-confident, but his love for Meredith defines him.

5.      Leopold Dautry, Duke of Villiers, A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James
I’m a total sucker for a story with a duke.  A wicked duke? Even better.  Villiers is really more of a duke redeeming himself— he’s trying to track down the many illegitimate children he’s lost track of— but he still has plenty of opportunities to be a bit wicked.  He’s a chess prodigy and brilliant, challenging the novel’s heroine at every turn.  If you like intelligent, witty heroes, then he’s the one for you.

6.      Calder Hart, The Deadly Series by Brenda Joyce
Calder’s another one of those heroes who I fell in love with in a young age.  He’s the quintessential alpha male— jaded, powerful, loved by many women.  But then he meets Francesca, the series’ heroine.  The best thing about Calder? He loves Francesca for who she is, accepting her bluestocking ways and unorthodox profession (she’s a sleuth).  He’s an easy hero to fall in love with.

7.      Will Sumner, Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren
Will’s in between a nice guy and a player, until he meets his match.  A successful venture capitalist, Will’s budding relationship with his friend’s younger sister, Hanna, is enough to make the reader fall in love.  Will’s confident and sexy, but not an over-the-top alpha male.  He’s the kind of guy who is a great “catch.”

8.      Jason Fielding, Marquess of Wakefield, Once and Always by Judith McNaught
Pretty much every hero ever written by Judith McNaught belongs on this list.  No one writes alpha males like she does.  But Jason has a special place in my heart.  He carries a lot of dark, difficult baggage with him and strains under the weight of an immeasurable loss.  It isn’t until he meets Victoria, the novel’s heroine, that he begins to open his heart again.  Jason is a complex, jaded hero, but he’s also one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book.

9.      Rehvenge, Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward
You would think it would be hard to make an occasionally impotent, drug-dealing vampire wearing floor length fur coats sexy.  Somehow J.R. Ward does it…and then some.  Rehvenge is another tortured hero with a really dark past and a pretty tough present.  But, Rehvenge is also the ultimate alpha male and when he meets his perfect match, he sets out to change his life.  J.R. Ward writes the best heroes.

10.   Julian Spenser, Marquess Dryden, How the Marquess was Won by Julie Anne Long
I struggled a bit with this one because I LOVE all of Julie Anne Long’s heroes.  But Julian stands out because he has some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read and he pretty much steals the story.  His love is fierce, protective, and changes him completely.  This book is a bit of a Cinderella story and Julian is a perfect Prince Charming.

These are some of my absolute favorite heroes.  What heroes have you fallen in love with?

Chanel Cleeton writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers. Her New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, will be released on February 1, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, Chanel is happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband. Chanel loves to travel and is currently living an adventure in South Korea. 
 
www.chanelcleeton.com
www.goodreads.com/chanelcleeton
www.twitter.com/chanelcleeton
www.facebook.com/authorchanelcleeton
 

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