Here’s an odd request, but it occurred to me following our discussion as to why the BDB books are like the crack: what romances do you know and love that focus mostly on the hero’s story? On one hand, it can often make for weak heroines, or heroines that don’t live up to the worth and depth of the hero, but on the other hand, when it’s done right, a hero-centered romance with a well-written heroine can make for some damn delicious reading. So what are the best examples of romances that focus on the hero and his world, but roxxor your soxxors as a romance novel?
Bring it on!
Oh, I’m the first to respond! My all-time favorite audiobook is a wunderbar hero-centered romance: Northern Lights by Nora. *Great* book and I *adore* Nate.
Nora Roberts does really excellent things with Hero-centered romances, as does Suzanne Brockmann. My favorite Nora hcr’s are the MacKade quartet; my favorite Suzanne hcr’s are the Navy SEAL books like ‘Get Lucky’. I also like Georgette Heyer novels such as ‘The Toll Gate’ and ‘The Quiet Gentleman’.
In keeping with the Nora theme, my absolute favorite hero centered books (aside from JR Ward’s) are the ones in the CHESAPEAKE BAY series. Its about a band of adopted teenage misifts who grow into handsome, sexy, if slightly troubled men. The women are almost secondary characters, we care about them, but not as much as the men who evolve over the four books.
I have a stupid question: What do GS and STA stand for?
(My first thought was “Stargate: Atlantis” which has some lovely heroes…but are out of place for a romance novel blog.)
Jenna it means Good Shit vs. Shit to Avoid I believe.
I’ll second (or third or wherever we are) the Chesapeake Bay series, those books were the first time I read romances where the male characters were to well developed and prominent. And not to mention quite yummy too.
*squints thoughtfully at my bookshelves* Laura Kinsale’s “The Shadow and the Star” and Mary Balogh’s “Slightly Dangerous” have really excellent portrayals of the heroes. Both are damaged men who have a lot of stuff to work through before they can accept love—and even then, you can tell it’s not going to be happily-ever-after right away. I know that when I think of these books, I think of Sam and Wulf first and foremost. The heroines are good too, but the men are definitely the protagonists.
Suzanne Brockmann and her Navy SEALs~~very hero focused and those books are like crack to me LOL
The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye. It’s a fabulous great saga of a historical novel set during the time of British rule in India. It’s not quite a romance—its ending is hopeful rather than blissfully happy, and a big lump of the book deals with the hero before he meets the heroine—but it’s sweepingly romantic.
Sandra D, thank you. My reading comprehension is suffering today, it would appear.
I thought instantly of Elizabeth Hoyt’s The Serpent Prince. It’s really mostly about Simon’s emotional journey. And it’s a wonderful story, not to mention hot, hot, HOT.
Of course, it’s still a romance GENRE boo, so I’m not sure it’s really what you had in mind.
My first post ever. Standing in the Shadows by Shannon McKenna. I have the next two McCloud brother books by her calling to me from my TBR pile.
Linda Howard’s MacKenzie series comes to mind. Whew. Is it getting warm in here?
I’ve got to go with Nora and the Chesapeake Bay Series. Nobody does it better than Nora from the male POV. And the heroines did not get lost in the sauce.
Fantabulous!
Pretty much of any Sandra Brown’s hardcovers. BTW, is she still considered romance?
I also enjoy Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Darkhunter books, a lot of those are told mainly from the male pov and are quite entertaining.
Oh, Nora’s CHESAPEAKE BAY series and Linda Howard’s MACKENZIE’S. How could I forget about those? I love all of those too!
“Pretty much of any Sandra Brown’s hardcovers. BTW, is she still considered romance?”
I think Sandra Brown’s in Mystery. Was she ever in romance?
I’ve always been a fan of well written hero centric books – the emphasis on well written (ironically I just finished reading The Shadow and The Star today Lara).
There’s just something about seeing into the psyche of a wounded man and what he goes through in the course of the book. I figure it’s because the female mind is so much more familiar, and the male’s more of a mystery.
“I think Sandra Brown’s in Mystery. Was she ever in romance?” Her early books were pretty much straight romance.
I agree with Northern Lights by Nora Roberts. Also love that book because she mentions Loreena McKennitt-one of my favorite singers.
Great thread! I’ve been wondering the same thing myself. It’s gotten to the point where I actually crave male pov, in large part because I’m really, REALLY sick of the limited variations on female pov.
And I mean gaggingly sick.
Nora Roberts is the obvious choice as others have mentioned…but I’ve always felt, though they are from Claire’s POV, that the Outlander books are very much Jamie’s story above anything else.
Wild at Heart by Pat Gaffney.
The Francis Lymond series by Dorothy Dunnett.
I’ve always loved Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels books (Petals in the Storm, Dancing on the Wind, Thunder and Roses, Shattered Rainbows), as well as the spinoffs.
Rafe, Lucien, Michael, and Nicholas are all root-able and hot and well-drawn, but the women are nothing to sneeze at.
I also adore Kenneth from River of Fire, Robin from Angel Rogue (probably one of my favorites of the bunch), the Renbourne twins, and Gavin from The Bartered Bride. The latter trilogy, the “bride” series (ugh, does every author have one?), is a bit more female-driven, but the guys and their emotional development are still key to the story.
And I can’t say enough good things about Suzanne Brockmann and have to add to the compliments already here. She gets a male POV like nobody’s business.
People have already mentioned my favorite—Kinsale and Putney.
Jenna said:
“(My first thought was “Stargate: Atlantis†which has some lovely heroes…but are out of place for a romance novel blog.)”
Well, Sheppard got a little sumpthin in the episode from two weeks ago, and the Larrin character is expected to return. I’m all for bringing on the Science Fiction Romance.
Really, if I can get my Science Fiction Nerd on and at the same time read a Romance I’m a happy camper.
(My first thought was “Stargate: Atlantis†which has some lovely heroes…but are out of place for a romance novel blog.)
Yes, but you can go to my blog to discuss them. 😉 (Although I do ‘ship Sheppard/McKay, which may not be your cuppa.)
As for HCR’s, like everyone else I’m thinking of the Chesapeake Bay series by La Nora and the Troubleshooters series by Suzanne Brockmann. As for other books… I’m afraid I can’t brain today and so am drawing a blank for the moment. I’ll check my bookshelves when I get home.
These are mysteries, not romance, but there’s an ongoing romance in them: Sarah Smith’s trilogy that begins with THE VANISHED CHILD. Definitely read that one first, as elements in it will be spoiled by reading out of order. It’s mostly the hero’s pov. The second book, THE KNOWLEDGE OF WATER, is mostly the heroine, but the third, A CITIZEN OF THE COUNTRY, is back to the hero again.
One of my favorites in this categoy is DANCE by Judy Cuevas—it’s fun to watch the hero be frustrated by the heroine.
Carla Kelly is great with male pov—ONE GOOD TURN is a good place to start. Or THE WEDDING JOURNEY.
Lois McMaster Bujold gives awesome male pov in both her sf and fantasy.
It’s a blast to imagine yourself as the snarky Avon in Georgette Heyer’s THESE OLD SHADES.
Dunnett’s Lymond series doesn’t actually feature more than a few pages among thousands of Lymond’s pov, but for the most part, everyone else is focusing on his actions and trying to interpret them and forming varied opinions of him.
This book is an old one, and science fiction, but I love DEATHGIFT by Ann Tonsor Zeddies for its male pov, among other things.
I agree with the recs of Putney’s FALLEN ANGELS books above, and Laura Kinsale. I actually recommend Kinsale for any and all reasons….
I second the Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory rec. Her heroes are phenomenally drawn and so very, very lickable. (Likable, too.) I could gnaw on Nardi from Bliss for days, and Mick from The Proposition would also be a lovely snack. One of the things I like best about her heroes is that they aren’t alpha/beta/gamma/delta force or any other type of easily identifiable category—they’re just fully actualized men with many facets.
I gotta weigh in on the Quinn brothers in the CHESAPEAKE BAY series as probably my favorite la Nora series (along with MONTANA SKY). I think it’s one of the best contemporary reads with a lot of male character perspective and it always makes me laugh. THE SHADOW AND THE STAR is another one of my all time favorites (still have my original copy from, jeez, 13 years ago?) with a great troubled male perspective and character journey. And the OUTLANDER series gets a lot more of Jamie’s perspective in the later books from VOYAGER on. I like Howard’s MCKENZIES too for quick and uncomplicated stories and great alpha men. Love Brockman’s SEAL team 16 and Troubleshooters books too -they’re just such guys – i just wanna eat ‘em up.
So basically I’m just agreeing with the rest of you fabulous people.
I agree with everyone who mentioned Nora’s Chesapeake Bay series, and I’ll also submit that two of the books in her recent Circle trilogy (Morrigan’s Cross and Valley of Silence) focus primarily on the heroes. You’d think I wouldn’t have to look up the titles after spending all of last Wednesday trying to do that effing trivia quiz.
Three Fates, one of my very favorite Noras EVAR, has two male heroes that are a primary focus. And they’re brothers. And in another trilogy, Jewels of the Sun and Tears of the Moon are very much about the heroes (the latter more than the former).
Elizabeth Lowell’s Donovan series also has several books that focus on the heroes. The series is about six siblings (although there are only books about four of them so far) and Jade Island and Pearl Cove are about the boys. The strapping, law-breakin’, pushy boys. Rowr.
I think I’m spotting a trend with these sibling-focused romances. Maybe during the strike Nora can go do some doctoring on the Brothers and Sisters teleplays.
I love the men of Tara Janzen’s CRAZY series and I also have to throw in my vote for Shannon McKenna’s books about the McCloud brothers. Hawt!
Just a Hint- Clint by Lori Foster.my favorite book atm. My library doesn’t have any of her other Visitation books so I don’t know if she always has the focus on the hero’s journey.
I’m in love with the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Not only is each book centered on a Hero and each book ties somehow to the others, but the Heroine gets plenty of screen time and is plenty strong in her own right.
Jumping on the Suzanne Brockmann bandwagon here, especially the TDD books. They are shorter reads than the Troubleshooters, but they fill the contemporary HCR need for me nicely. I just wish they would get on the ball and reissue the last few in the series. Hellooo? Anyone listening?
My first thought was “To Rescue a Rogue” by Jo Beverly. Another: Danika Harper’s “Heart of the Winter Wolf” (if you like the wolfies).
I’m chiming in really late: I agree especially about Suzanne Brockmann, and really especially about Shannon McKenna. Seth from Behind Closed Doors is one of my favorites ever.