Kathryn asks:
I wanted to consult the collected powers of bitchery readers to get some book recommendations.
I was wondering if anyone knows of a book where the heroine is the one who makes a move on the hero initially, instead of the other way around. I am really over the whole man pursuing woman with massive erection angle (haha, angle). Can anyone help?
The first book I thought of was Maya Banks’ The Tycoon’s Rebel Bride, which features a virgin heroine who pursues the man she has wanted for years. It’s a good one, especially for the final scenes.
What about you? What romances do you adore – all genres – that feature the heroine making the first move?
@Alpha Lyra, I agree the books listed seem to have a more ‘back and forth’ tug of war with the controlling partner in the relationship. But I think that is because they reflect reality in a moderately healthy relationship. BUT while I was thinking on that I remembered a Georgian storyline, where the woman kidnapped the man, and ‘had her way with him’ , against his will, (a reverse bodice ripper if you will) to get an heir. Who wrote this? Jo Beverley, Secrets of the Night, book 5 I think in the Malloren Series.
Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl was most definitely about the female pursuing the male. The male couldn’t get out of his head that she was his best friend’s kid sister, you don’t mess with your best friend’s kid sister, even if you DO like her. (Plus, he didn’t know what she did for a living, and he was afraid it was something bad) So, she goes after him. It was very good, and very hot. I highly recommend it.
Carahe and Carin: I wrote VD, giggled, and then decided to leave it thinking that most people would be more familiar with STD. Apparently I was wrong.
I feel kind of bad for Victoria Dahl now.
Johanna Lindsay’s “Love Only Once” the Regina/Nicholas story of the Malory saga.
In Sara Lindsey’s debut novel, Promise Me Tonight, the heroine goes all-out after the hero—and it sort of backfires, because by trapping him she almost guarantees that he won’t admit he loves her. It’s an interesting dynamic; I really enjoyed it.
Talk Me Down for sure! I think it’s a little easier to write a contemporary romance where the woman is the aggressor; lots of us go after someone we want, rather than waiting for him to make the first move (or even ALL the moves, ugh).
On a random side note, while trying to thing of romances where a woman honestly says to a man “I want you” before he says it first, my mind jumped to a favorite film. There’s that wonderful sequence in Tootsei where Julie (Jessica Lange) tells “Dorothy” (Dustin Hoffman’s character Michael, dressed as a woman) that she wishes a man would just come up to her and said honestly “I could lay a big line on you, but the simple truth is I find you very interesting, and I’d really like to make love to you.” Then Michael meets her at a party and says exactly that, and she throws wine in his face and storms off! Sometimes a little finesse is sexier than honesty.
The Stolen Bride by Brenda Joyce
Eleanor’s the pursuer, she’s been after the guy since they were kids…BUT this is in the middle of a series, and the books before it are more traditional.
I am intrigued by this book, and at the same time terrified by that scenario. Doing things in one’s sleep without meaning to freaks me the heck out!
I’ve just been reading Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran. The heroine arguably goes after the hero—she’s sick of being a proper, imposed-upon lady and wants to be a free spirit. The heroine instigates her first kiss with the hero (asking him to kiss her) and their first sexual encounter (going to his sleeping compartment on a train at night).
This reminds me of Tessa Dare’s Goddess of the Hunt, which JamiSings mentioned already. The heroine goes after the hero… because she wants practice to pursue another man. She never really gets around to that last bit.
Another heroine-pursues-hero book that comes to mind is The Suitor by Sandy Hingston. The hero starts out wooing the disinterested heroine, which he has been hired to do. When he leaves, the heroine runs away to follow him to France (from England), gives him a gun to break out of jail, and goes on the lam with him. She doesn’t instigate the relationship, but she does cross the Channel to see him again, which is hardly shy-and-retiring.
I think it’s 4 and Devilish is 5, but I might be wrong. And it’s not quite as rape-y as it sounds—IIRC, the heroine saves the hero’s life and then asks for sex as payment (because her impotent husband needs an heir… not because she’s a ho-bag, or anything). She does hold him captive, though.
There’s one of Stephanie Laurens’ Cynster books that fits this trope. I can’t remember which twin but one it’s of the On a Something Time of Day ones. She decides who she wants, persuades him to get engaged to her and then plots for him to admit that he loves her. I don’t know that I would specially recommend the book but it is definitely a heroine pursuing hero plot.
Don’t feel old. I’m 22 and I thought of VD in terms of venereal disease too. Poor Victoria Dahl.
@Ros
The Stephanie Laurens book you mean is On A Wicked Dawn and it’s about Amelia going after Lucien Michael Ashford, 6th Viscount Calverton, who she’s been in love with for ages.
The other Cynster twin novel was On A Wild Night.
@Rudi_bee, about VD – Don’t feel bad for Victoria Dahl! We’re all saying her name and making lots of people remember her! That’s good for her AND good for all the people who will read Talk Me Down and her other books. (Never mind me, just being a little fangirl, here!)
This might have been menionted already, but at least the first two of Stephaie Laurens new Black Cobra series, Untamed Bride and the Elusive Bride have the women pursing the men. There is also a story of adventure too – a little bit of thriller in story.
I’d recommend that book in any kind of context. It’s fabulous and has the best dialogues ever!
I think there was also a little bit of woman pursing man in “What Price Love?” about Dillon Caxton and Priscilla Dalloway
sorry for the typos! – Stephanie Laurens
The Hazards of Hunting a Duke by Julia London
What a Lady Wants by Victoria Alexander
Here’s another Nora Roberts book: Tears of the Moon. It’s second in the Irish trilogy.
If I’m remembering right, Cathy Maxwell’s The Marriage Ring has a heroine who does the deed while the hero is practically unconscious, to save his life. Seriously. Talk about aggressive pursuit!
I’m gonna toss in This Hear of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Hilarious first scene where she hops into bed with her old crush and seduces him in his sleep.
I also second the idea that any hero or heroine that gets into stalker territory can be no fun to read about.
I would say A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer falls into this category. The high-class hero is badly in need of money, the heroine’s father has money but no class, and he offers to clear up the hero’s money troubles in exchange for a desirable marriage for his daughter. The heroine uses all her wiles (including such things as good cooking, a comfortable home, and lack of histrionics) to woo the hero.
This is my favorite book by Heyer, and I have read and reread it many times, enjoying it every time.
I like the idea of the heroine as the pursuer, but the execution of it usually falls somewhere on the spectrum of creepy to rape. Same when the heroine wants a baby by “natural means”. (Not in all cases, for sure, but a lot of the ones I’ve read.)
I like when the story has a give and take between the H/H; that usually comes across a lot better, IMHO.
The ur-story to this plot has to be The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. Kay is frozen into immobility by the splinters of the trolls’ mirror in his eye and heart and captive of the Snow Queen. He is completely passive, while Gerda is all action, braving danger, challenges, and perils to rescue her beloved friend. I have read many stories based on this fairy tale and loved them all. Unusual to find a story like this one published in 1845, where the stories usually feature a helpless female, who needs to be rescued by the dynamic, active male character. I read this as a child and remember being absolutely terrified by the Robber Girl (another strong, active female character), tickling the neck of her reindeer with a sharp knife.
I remember Joan D Vinge’s take on this in her fantasy novel The Snow Queen. I read this book when it was published 30 years ago and still remember elements of the love story that is at the center, especially the taking captive of the hero, who assumes his position as the Starbuck and becomes the Snow Queen’s lover, until he is rescued by his true love.
Wow, powerful memories.
Kilian, I would strongly disagree with your reading of A Civil Contract. I don’t think Jenny has any wiles and I don’t think she ever sets out to woo Adam. She loves him, yes, and she’ll do whatever she can to make him happy, but I don’t think she has the slightest expectation of being able to make him love her. She really isn’t proactive at all in pushing for their relationship to move in a particular direction. I don’t think she’s weak and feeble, exactly, but she’s not in any way a strong or feisty heroine.
I just remember another old favorite of mine that fits this trope, this time an historical (not a Regency, I think it’s early medieval).
It’s called Master of Desire by Kinley Macgregor, it’s a silhouette I believe. I read it in Dutch, so the names might differ, but I liked the story.
Emily’s father has lost his wife and a couple of daughters while they were giving birth, so he refuses to let his remaining marry.
Due to an order of Henry 2, Emily has to become the ward of Draven Montage, Earl of Ravenwood, for 1 year.
She believes this is her only chance of getting married and become a mother, so she throws all her charms in the fight to win Draven over.
He however is quite traumatized by the death of his mother at his father’s hand, and will be put to death by Henry II if he touches her.
What I loved about it is that when she gets to know him her objectives change from getting him to marry her, to simply make him laugh. It shows her true affection in such a nice way.
There’s also a subplot about sex in the middle ages, which was quite realistic—though the medieval version of a Kama Sutra book was slightly hilarious—.
I’d recommend it because neither are pushy at all. (Though I still recommend my first idea more. YAY for ‘Just a Little Fling’—sometimes I feel like I’m the only person the world who read that one :p )
Agreed. Would totally read.
Agree with “Crazy For You” by Jennifer Crusie. I’m racking my brain for other examples. I think in Nora Roberts’ “Signs of the Seven” trilogy (which is excellent, btw) the first couple featured were mutually putting the ball in each others’ courts.
I agree with several of the suggestions here, but would also add Anne Gracie’s “How the Sheriff was won”. Very witty.
+1111 with Killian’s summary of Vinge’s Snow Queen. All the female characters have much more gumph than any of the male characters. For the life of me, I can’t see why anyone was interested in Sparks (other than his prettiness), but I’m not a heterosexual female.
However, I do like the fact that the women in those novels take charge of their lives, and while they’re obviously enamoured of their men, they don’t sit around to wait for those men to get their sh*t together.
Personally, I find a lot of romance actively offputting when an otherwise strong and capable woman suddenly has a frontal lobotomy when it comes to dealing with a particular man. This is one of the many reasons why La Nora is a fab writer – her heroines aren’t abdicating responsibility for their lives and are actively choosing their partners.
I agree with Ross about A Civil Contract, I don’t believe Jenny makes any of the running at all. In fact, I don’t really think either of them do any running in that one. (I still like it though. Partly because of that.)
However, The Grand Sophy does feature a heroine in pursuit, even if it’s not clear what’s she’s really up to till the very end of the book. She’s pushy, manipulative, maddening and totally charming – and she gets her man.
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW by Liz Carlyle – the heroine gets the rake hero to sleep with her
DEVIL IN WINTER by Lisa Kleypas – don’t know who made the first move sexually, but it’s the heroine who proposes to the hero
This may not be quite as strong of a first move as you had in mind, but it is so memorable. The first book that popped in to my mind when I read your question was “The Perils of Pleasure” by Julie Anne Long. Its a historical romance and the heroine (Madeleine) does indeed make the first move on the hero (Colin) in this book. Its one of my all-time faves.
In my 3 favorite Robin Schone books/novellas (all historical romance), the heroines (all virgins!) make the first move. In “The Lover” Ann seeks to end her virgin status by purchasing a month of Michael’s services. Victoria sells her virginity and pursues Gabriel in the follow up novel, “Gabriel’s Woman”. Abigail offers herself to Robert in “A Lady’s Pleasure”, a novella/short story in the “Captivated” anthology.
Another example in a completely different genre is J.R. Ward’s “Lover Awakened” where Bella definitely pursues Zsadist. It’s part of her “Black Dagger Brotherhood” series of urban fantasy/romance novels. Even in the first book in this series, Beth makes the first move with Wrath in “Dark Lover”. Odd that this occurs in these testosterone-rich books. J.R. Ward is really wearing thin (for me) but oddly enough those are the 2 in that series that I like. I’m sure there are others in this genre; it seems that the heroines in paranormal/urban fantasy novels are much more likely to be assertive.
Something Wicked—Jo Beverley
Master of Desire—Kinley MacGregor
Ravished—Virginia Henley
Sinful—Susan Johnson
A Lady’s Pleasure—Renee Benard
Hope’s Folly by Linnea Sinclair. He’s in love with her, but is put off by the age difference between them. He feels that he’s old enough to be her . . . uncle. She, on the other hand, is not bothered by that at all. Like all of Sinclair’s, it’s SF, and so might not be to everyone’s taste.
“What a Girl Wants” by Selena Robins. Very nice book ! Its a contemporary romance about a woman who decides to sleep with her friend whom she’s known for six years. The guy’s kind of a player, which is why he never made a move on her before because he knows that if they hook up it won’t be a casual thing between them and he’s not ready for a serious relationship. I like that the author takes her time getting them together and explores their friendship first. Most often the characters just jump into bed and fall in love which works sometimes but most often its just an excuse cram in more sex scenes. I highly recommend this book.
Lisa Kleypas’ Scandal in Spring
The heroine definitely pursues the hero, and actually seduces him… much more so than in Devil in Winter, which I highly recommend but does really involve the hero chasing the heroine around with a raging hard on and conflicting emotions.
Thanks everyone, I will definitely look into these books. I have actually read some of them in the long ago, but I will use this awesome list to explore some new authors. Yippee!
Jo Beverley’s Forbidden from the Rogues Series has a heroine who initiates the first physical encounter with the (virgin) hero while he’s still half asleep – but sporting the morning goodness.
http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Zebra-Historical-Romance-Beverley/dp/0821775995/ref=cm_lmf_tit_4
Read it years ago, and just tracked it down on Amazon last year for a re-read!
Northanger Abbey!
The Manhunting mini series by Lori Borrill, Joanne Rock and Betina Krahn. There are three stories, all about a group of women who swear not to spend another Valentine’s alone. The Chase is not so much a proactive female, but The Takedown has a girl going after her brother’s friend and The Satisfaction has a girl going after a hot fling before having to marry the boring nice guy.
From what I can remember of Loretta Chase’s Miss Wonderful , the heroine makes the first literal move most of the time throughout the book, though both she and Carsington admit to mutual attraction. They even made a bit of a game of her “making the first move.”
Sidebar: My first post, and I’m so giddy to have actually made a recommendation!
The brilliant Laura Lee Guhrke wrote “She’s No Princess,” and I believe the heroine comes on really strongly, seducing the man, in that one. It’s not my favorite book—“And Then He Kissed Her,” which is hero-seduces-heroine to the nth degree is my favorite, but all of her books are great.
This is a great thread…I’ll be checking out Crusie’s “Crazy for You” and Loretta Chase’s “Miss Wonderful” ASAP!