Woot! Congrats! Please email vivi@viviandrews.com and let me know which of the still-available packs at the bottom of today's post you'd like to claim.
And now, with yet another chance to win, the Saturday question:
DAY FIVE QUESTION: In all our talk of heroes a few days back, their appearances didn't seem to play a large role - but is that just because all romance heroes are such studly specimens? Does a hero's appearance impact your enjoyment of a romance? And if so, do you have a favorite type you look for? I remember a while back hearing something about how books with dark-haired heroes on the front actually statistically sold better than those with blond men. (Just hearsay, I don't have an actual study to refer to.) So is a dark hero really sexier? Or does he only need to be darkly fascinating on the inside? Is this the one case where blonds don't have more fun?
***PRIZE UPDATE: The following prize packs are still available!***
Contemporary Romance Pack:Lead Me Onby Victoria Dahl, Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James, & First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips- Paranormal Rom-Com Pack: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (hardback) & A Date with the Other Side by Erin McCarthy
- Uber-Sexy Paranormal Pack: Demon's Fire by Emma Holly, Deadly Desire by Keri Arthur, & Master of the Night by Angela Knight
- Future/Space Sexiness Pack: Take Me & Need Me by Shelli Stevens & Beyond the Shadows by Jess Granger
Historical Awesomeness Pack:Two Eloisa James Desperate Duchess Books,Sins of a DukeandBefore the Scandalby Suzanne Enoch- Romantic Suspense Pack: A trio of books by Roxanne St. Claire, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood
- Contemporary Drama Pack: Red Hat Club Rides Again by Haywood Smith, Coast Road by Barbara Delinsky, and Suddenly One Summer by Barbara Freethy.
- Karmic Consultants Pack: Signed print copies of The Ghost Exterminator & The Sexorcist and a digital ARC of the not yet released short story A Cop & A Feel
- Shifter Digi-Pack: Digital copies (in format of winner's choice) of Serengeti Heat, Serengeti Storm, Serengeti Lightning and the SOON-TO-BE-RELEASED Serengeti Sunrise.
22 comments:
I hadn't thought about this before. Oddly, I find that I have a split response. When it comes to cover images, the dark heroes appeal to me most. But in the story, the hero's coloring doesn't matter to me.
This got me thinking about some of the books I've read featuring heroes and heroines who don't have classic romance novel looks or physiques. Some books now have plus-sized heroines, which I think is a good development in our "can't be too thin" culture. But of the books I've read with unconventional looking heroes, they have been scarred or disfigured in some way. Overweight or out of shape? Not so much. I suppose it's shallow of me, but I can't regret that!
It's strange, I think I often forget what the hero "looks" like. If I don't like what an author has done, I'll simply revise. The hero has a beard or goatee? In my mental space, non-existent.
Vivant, I agree. No need for the perfect musculature authors are so enamored with, but one mention of belly fat or coffee breath, and I'm likely gone.
But it's also nice when the hero is unexpected. I didn't really like Lorelei James' "Shoulda Been a Cowboy" but I _loved_ Cam McKay. With all those perfect ex-soldiers running around in novels these days, it was heart-wrenching and emotionally beautiful to see Cam deal with the everyday realities of a prosthetic leg.
Also, actually on topic: I think it's the difference between Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Bingley: scatter-brained, easily persuaded, not much substance -- light coloring. Darcy: thoughtful, implacable, brooding -- dark coloring. Boy is that an overstatement :-)
"Does he have to be tall, dark, and dishy?"
No, but short, pale, and fugly doesn't really read as well. ;p
My ideal heros are the tortured bad boys. Blond, brunette, shaved bald, doesn't really matter to me. I like to know of some identifying feature. A scar across the cheek, a wicked tattoo or piercing will help a hero stand out in my mind. And give him...well...character.
And if our female lead is into it, I will be too.
The only thing that really doesn't work for me is when the hero isn't clean. Read a book awhile back with a group stranded on an island. There were bugs, and less than perfect bathing. That was not hot for me.
Mrs. Missive
I don't have a preference that much, I do like heros that have a sense of humor. Make me laugh and I will love you forever lol
No, it does not matter what they look like, as long as they believable and make sense to the story
gigi
Personally, I mean in real life, I prefer dark hair and eyes. I write blondes with green or blue eyes. I do have one hero with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes. Funny that covers with dark haired heroes supposedly sell better. I would have thought it would be the other way around.
I dont have a preference as long as the heroine think they are georgous it good enough for me
meandi09@yahoo.com
As much as I love envisioning tall, dark, and gorgeous heroes, sometimes I prefer them to be a little more realistic (uh, not to the point of unwashed and with a beer gut, thanks!). I'm OK with them looking a little more ordinary because usually what ultimately defines them as hero material is how they behave under pressure and what they reveal as their character. I really like stories where the heroine (and the reader) get to see a man transformed, not because he's physically changed, but because of who we see him to be as he reacts to his situation or circumstance, and we see how appealing he truly is.
This may sound kind of strange but when it comes to the cover of a book i love a cut or muscular guy but when I reading about the hero in the story I usually care what he looks like.
I mean one book I read had a hero that was both physically and emotionally scarred before he was made immortal and I liked him all the same.
Actually i sort of prefer heroes that are a bit dark on the inside because, well in the end they usually end up getting the happily ever after they deserve;
And to me that says that everyone eventually gets a happy ending no matter what you look like on the outside or what you're like on the inside.
I mean I'll be honest here, I like when the hero is good looking, but if he's not then that's fine for me too.
For me it does matter. The race no but I like my men to have dark hair, sexy.
For me, not so much. I guess I'm weird. Looks are very secondary to me. For me, his personality traits and how he treats other people count more. Is he nice to other people, intergrity, honesty, funny, thoughtful....I realize now I described a boy scout. LOL!
maw1725@gmail.com
BTW, Jimmy Thomas on the cover is nice......just saying.
I really had to think about this one. I realized that in the books with the most memorable heroes for me, they weren't the gorgeous and handsome hunky guys-don't get me wrong, I love those too-but I am drawn to the geeky hero who uses his brain as much as brawn to save the day. The everyday hero, the guy next door always intrigue me.
Well, a short, dumpy hero just isn't going to cut it unless he is hiding a little something magnetic in his cranium. Smart heroes are very dynamic--as long as they come with honor and a backbone.
That said, tall, dark, and handsome is still the fortune-teller's fave, and there must be a reason. Large, blond, and burly won't make the cover gods swoon, but in real life, great hubby material! ;-)
My favorite heroe's tend to dark and sexy both inside and out. A guy might look like a dream but if he's a total jerk, he will probably keep me from reading an otherwise wonderful story.
I tend to like the alpha male persona in the romance stories I pick. But it has to balance out with a great sense of humor, the ability to compromise and be a partner in life and love, and when he finds love, allows a woman to be herself.
Mad protecter skills don't hurt either, plus my made to order hero would be the perfect picture of masculinity. A long, sleek build with just the right kind of muscles, long dark hair and blue or green eyes.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
I like my heros to be dark and sexy and mysterious! And bulked up more than a swimmers build.
Though if they are major alpha - I will take them in any color/flavor! :)
susanmik AT gmail DOT com
It really doesn't matter to me in real life whether they are dark or light, but I guess it doesn't matter either in romance novels. But In real life the eyes are a big turn on, color doesn't matter, but what they say without words with those eyes make a big deal Like an earlier comment, they definitely have to be clean for goodness sakes..humor, has to have a sense of humor.
Thanks for the great contest and wonderful questions *S*
Darcy
pommaow,f @hotmail.com
I have a set type in real life but not so much in fiction. I find that if the book is paranormal, I want the man buff, studly, almost too beautiful and mysterious. Hair color is not an issue. Lately, I have been paying close attention to body hair. Men should have some unless there is some reason for them not to. Mostly, I want the hero to have looks that go with the story. I mean a small, scrawny loser with a pimply face just wouldn't fit in most romance novels as the hero.
jepebATverizonDOTnet
I just love a hero with long hair :) I guess that because I love men with long hair :) My fianc is the classic tall dark and handsome guy :) But my heroes can be blonde, red haired, it doesnt matter as long as they have long hair :) (oh and really piercing eyes...like ice blue, very intense green or very dark.)
I feel like I missed out alot on not reading this blog more often!!
Ashley A
ash_app@hotmail.com
Raising hand in favor of dark-haired men. I've never seriously been attracted to blond men (Brad Pitt? cute, but no, thanks). And LONG-HAIRED dark men? Be still, my beating heart!!
As far as cover images go, though, I largely try to ignore them. They never look even remotely like the people I imagine while reading, and they rarely project enough of an intelligent look, which is critical to me (even more critical than the dark hair, LOL!).
I love the "no belly fat or coffee breath" comment, because those would definitely make me lose interest in a hero (though not necessarily a real-life man). But handsomeness isn't needed. Joanna Bourne's Forbidden Rose has a hero verging on ugly, but I loved him!!
A hero's color of hair/skin/eyes etc. doesn't decide anything for me. One of my favorites is Z from J.R. Ward's books- shaved head, scars, tats, piercings, and underweight til the end...but the man was hot. I think a hero is sexy because of a combination of things: his heart, his attitude, strength, wit and I will admit he should be in shape:)
I do tend to lean towards the dark haired men but I do prefer no chest hair and mustles but not huge mustles that make them look like they've been taking steriods for a few years.
Zina
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