We had a discussion of heroes – now I have to ask: who are your favorite romance heroines?
I have to say, romance heroines are fascinating creatures. As Lisa Kleypas said in an interview for the Bosoms, she’s often a creature of moderation – not too tall, not too loud, not too big, not too small. There’s a bit less wiggle room (no pun intended) with the heroine in some sub genres.
In other sub genres, like urban fantasy, she can be as Cranky Sue as she wants to be, ferocious and pissed off, uncomfortable and strong.
When I think about my favorite heroines, there is always an element of strength – and stubbornness. For example: I love Frances from Catherine Coulter’s “Midsummer Magic,” which occupies a soft and permanently fond place in my heart as the first romance I ever read. Frances is stubborn, daring, smart, and angry – and not afraid to scheme. The scheming part alone rocked my 15 year old world – you can have ambition, even if that ambition at present is to dress like a nearsighted dowdy zealot to avoid marriage to a guy who uses cream?! WHOA.
I also love Mercy Thompson and Anna Latham from Patricia Briggs’ series, because both are strong, and both are wounded. Their struggle to be strong while recovering from those wounds is one of my favorite things about those characters.
I like Daphne from Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, specifically The Duke and I, because part of what stood in her way is that she was friends with so many of the gentlemen of the ton. She didn’t play games or flirt or simper – she was herself, and she had plenty of personality, and strength of her own.
But of course, if I try to think of who I would pick if I could only pick one heroine, my mind goes blank and I forget I ever learned to read, much less which book and which heroine I’d pick. I don’t know if I can pick one – but I can ask you to do so!
Who’s your favorite heroine(s)? Why? Do you gravitate toward strength? Fearlessness? A smart mouth? Pursuit of perfection? Excellent swordfighting skills or dancing skills?
As usual, I’m looking to add your quotes to the book, so if you leave a comment, I could quote you in the manuscript. I’m free to use pseudonyms, so don’t worry about giving me your real name. (This is going to be the best works cited page ever.) But if you want to participate and do NOT want me to quote you, please do let me know. And as usual, thank you thank you thank you.
Eve Dallas, Kresley Cole’s heroines, Chase’s Jess and Daphne, Howard’s Grace…all full of win. My favorite SEP heroine is Phoebe from “It Had to Be You.” Damaged and defiant, you are going to have to look past the surface to see the real her but it will be worth your time.
I do like a good JAK heroine, smart and feisty and endearingly single-minded with their goals.
A couple of old-school shout-outs from my youth: First, my very favorite heroine as a teen, Shanna. I was reading a lot of Silhouette sweet romances at the time, and here comes Shanna the anti-sweet, arrogant and spoiled and snotty and often letting her pride override any measure of common sense. But she grew nicely, LOL. And Alaina from “Ashes in the Wind,” a very small woman in a very big war with some very nasty enemies, she uses her wits to survive and stays strong when it would have been easier to give in at times. Loved her.
You can quote me if ya wanna.
OMFG. I just reread Shanna. It was the first romance novel I ever read (as a teen) and after all the talk about Old Skool romances, I just had to see if it was as I remembered. I read it as a very sheltered teen – thinking I might learn something about ……you know. I learned that passion came in “swirling cauldrons” (WTF?)
Sinjun Sherbrooke from Catherine Coulter’s The Heiress Bride is my all time favorite heroine. She’s the type of woman who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. She sees a man that she wants, finds out he needs a rich bride and boldy approaches him and announces that she’s the lady for him.
Sinjun can manipulate with the best of them. She is stubborn, funny and endearing. Definately the sort of woman that I’d want to be the best of friends with.
I really like Haven from Lisa Kleypas’ Blue-Eyed Devil. She goes through so much but she’s still strong and vulnerable and funny.
Let’s see, who else…I love Sophy from Georgette Heyer’s The Grand Sophy. She’s managing and clever and brave, totally unflappable.
Crusie heroines are also classic, pretty much across the board. Smart, snarky, strong, funny as hell.
I guess I go for a heroine who is really smart, capable, brave, and having a good sense of humor doesn’t hurt.
I DON’T like heroines who are doormats or martyrs. I don’t like it when they repeatedly embarrass themselves in front of the hero like that’s cute or something. I don’t like it when they’re bitchy for no good reason. (But bitchy with good reason can be pretty satisfying.)
Generally, I like heroines who are smart and sensible and have a sense of humour. I totally despise doormat heroines and of course the kind who run away in the middle of the night during a hailstorm, wearing nothing but a blanket, just because the hero didn’t confess his love for her when they had mindblowing sex 10 minutes ago.
That said, many of my favourite heroines have already been listed, but I’d like to mention Alexandra Keller from Lynn Viehl’s Darkyn Series.
Another one (although not really smart and sensible all of the time) is Mary Lou Starrett from Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter series. I found her development from an avaricious, alcoholic, racist slut to a responsible adult, good mother and devoted lover quite remarkable. In Gone too Far, I found her storyline much more interesting than Sam and Alyssa’s.
Another vote for Eve Dallas! Just Roarke would be reason enough (I love me some Black Irish!) but as the first poster pointed out, she has wonderful qualities as well. And it cracks me up when she has to do something very feminine since sometimes she mirrors my own response to those sorts of things. My very favorite Nora Roberts books/series of all time!
My choice would be Fiona Sinclair from Marion Chesney’s Miser of Mayfair. Surviving in a dangerous world by using every weapon at her disposal and possessed of a native intelligence that impressed the heck out of me. Hopefully I’ll run across heroines as good as her, but I doubt I’ll find one any better.
Love all the comments and will have to check out Mercy, Venetia, and Annique. Also, Mary Challoner is a wonderful heroine, but crazy ass Vidal is the star of that book.
Good luck with your continued research.
The first romance I ever read was The Grand Sophy by Heyer and I have to say Sophy remains one of my favorite heroines of all time. I love that she lives up to her nickname. She had all these crazy adventures and organizes peoples lives in a ruthless but loving manner. I liketo imagine her growing older and being the matriarch of a large family and ruling them all. I totally want to be her when I grow up.
I wouldn’t say I have a favorite EVER, but I do love Margrit Knight from C.E. Murphy’s Negotiator Trilogy. (Not strict romance, but with a strong romantic element.) She’s smart. Really, really smart. She’s one of the few lawyers I’ve ever found in romance novels. Women in romance novels are always “smart” but they’re never in traditionally masculine careers. They’re always matchmakers and interior decorators. Margrit outwits all of her opponents with just her fantastic mind, and since she finds herself as the representative of the human race in an a game of wits between otherworldly forces that’s not an easy thing to do. Moreover, she’s got drive. She’s a public defender, and even more complicated an appellate defender who tries to reverse wrongful convictions. So, you know, she’s got the traditional heroine stubborn soft-hearted thing going too. But her BRAIN. Is AWESOME.
And yes. You can quote me on that.
1. Killashandra Ree, the Crystal Singer [Anne McCaffrey]: Strong, sexy, independent, skilled worker, sexy. Plus she gets Lars Dahl, a Han Solo-type rogue who is initially sent to kill her [GG].
2. Kate Daniels. Paranormal hunter dealing with all kinds of supernatural nasties in Atlanta, Georgia.
I’ve really enjoyed reading about everyone else’s favorite heroines. Here are mine:
Lydia from Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran ( I related to this character on a frightening level)
Mina from Written on your Skin also by Duran (the hero was forgettable, but the way this heroine was written, I was in love with her!)
Arabella from Arabella by Heyer (the perfect ingenue—had Mr Beaumaris wrapped around her finger instantly)
Nearly ALL of Loretta Chase’s heroines (Mirabelle, Daphne, Olivia, Jessica, etc)—Chase just gets it right more often than any other author working today
Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games (not romance, I know, but strong romantic elements)
Claire Beauchamp from Outlander ( I read this in 1992 when I was supposed to be studying for my last semester finals—still can’t believe I got that diploma)
Scarlett O’Hara (still hoping for her happy ending)
Lady Julia Grey from the series by Deanna Raybourne (she’s getting SMARTER with every book)
Lymond’s Love (won’t say her name, but those who know, know who she is)
Maddy Timms from Flowers in the Storm by Kinsale (Kinsale gets some grief about her heroines, but I quite like them, for the most part)
I think that he most important quality a heroine has to have is AGENCY. The drive and impetus to affect change within the story. She can’t just be a static presence, waiting to be rescued.
Have to say that I didn’t like many of Loretta Chase’s characters but when I read Last Night’s Scandal, I totally loved Olivia because she is so smart and witty and takes no crap from people, and yet she’s vulnerable. She’s real. Plus, I loved, loved, LOVED her letters at the start of every chapter.
Another favourite of mine, was Hyacinth Bridgerton from It’s in His Kiss. She is just as sharp as a knife, and doesn’t like to hide it. I also love Daphne Bridgerton because she is the kind of heroine that could be your best friend.
And Harriet, Duchess of Berrow from Duchess by Night is lovely. She is so sad and dull at the start and just the kind of heroine I don’t really like, and then she is transformed into a strong and brilliant character.
I almost forgot! Brett Benton from Karen Harper’s Dawn’s Early Light. I love sassy colonial women!!!
I could go with smart, funny, confident, and all those other things but the overarching idea is she must be willing and able to stand on her own two feet. She must stand up and scream to the heavens that she is capable. I just can’t stand a needy, whiny heroine. Lord, save me!
Amelia Peabody is by far my favorite. She’s strong and determined and feminine.
Phedre no Delauney in Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series. Phedre is into pain, so she is an S & M courtesan. Sold into slavery by parents as a child, Anafiel Delauney buys her and has her instructed in the fine arts of courtesanship. Born with a scarlet mote in her eye which distinguishes her, she is called an Anguisette – beautiful, intelligent and very well educated, she is in demand and has many many adventures. She is a one of a kind and so are these books!
I, too, vote for Eve Dallas!
Mary Challoner and Jessica Trent for being oh so level-headed, and bringing an impossible man under control; that also goes for Regina from The Duke’s Wager by Edith Layton. Caroline from Mackenzie’s Mission and Daphne from Mr. Impossible for being smart as whips and not trying to hide it. Evie from A Devil in Winter and Melisande from To Seduce a Sinner for proposing to the hero. Lucinda from England’s Perfect Hero, Hope Merridew from The Perfect Waltz and Margaret from At Last Comes Love for seeing beneath the surface and rescuing their heroes. Jo Bourne’s Annique and Chastity from My Lady Notorious for all around gutsiness in a tough situation. So I guess you could say overall that I love action heroines.
In one of the earlier SEP books, the heroine secretly removed all of the charms from the hero’s Lucky Charms cereral boxes (Dr. Jane Darlington from Nobody’s Baby But Mine?). Simply and brilliantly evil. Nothing says ‘FU” on such a personal level as going after someone’s sugar. So to speak.
Blue Bailey in Natural Born Charmer, also by SEP. So dang quirky and flawed! Her quick wit sold me early on in the book.
A love a heroine who can verbally put a true hag in her place while remaining classy without breaking a sweat….Lauren Edgeworth from A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh fits this description to a T! After reading a couple of those scenes, I felt like standing up and hollering…‘take that, you nasty ho!’. But I didn’t since the other folks in the airport might have tasered me.
And of course, my fav, Jessi in Spell of the Highlander (Moning). The scene in the airport where she will stop at NOTHING to find her mirror/man still makes me cheer.
So…she’s gotta be witty, inherently kind without being a pushover and willing to bitch slap someone when they need it. I want her flawed, just like a normal, everyday woman.
The heroine makes or breaks the book for me. I have been known to ditch the whole book without finishing, because the heroine is TSTL—life is too short to spend time with stupid bitches-whether real or fictional.
Quote away.
What do I want from a heroine? She has to be strong, smart, capable and reasonably self aware. Sure certain situations might mess her up but ultimately she’s not a wuss and will eventually figure out what needs to be done and do it. For example (and granted this is Horror not Romance but whatever) in Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong after Jaimie is kidnapped she won’t let Jeremy untie her until she is reasonably sure she has worked out a way in which she could have rescued herself.
So my all time favourite romance heroines are:
Eve Dallas – In Death Series. (J.D Robb)
Agnes – Agnes and the Hitman (Jennifer Crusie)
Sophie Dempsey – Welcome to Temptation (Jennifer Crusie)
Anna Spinelli – Sea Swept (Nora Roberts)
Penelope Featherington – Romancing Mr Bridgerton (Julia Quinn)
So interesting reading these!
Rather than list the many competent, confident heroines I like, I want to comment on the fact that at least one person here has cited Linda Howard’s repellent Blair Mallory! To me (totally different culture), she came over as a rude, vulgar, shallow, boring, self-obsessed bitch.
Takes all sorts, eh?
🙂
Hm, who hasn’t been mentioned yet?
Ysandre, Melisande, Sidonie, and Alais from the Kushiel series too.
I like Amanda Quick’s heroines: they are usually in their late twenties, very intelligent, and have some sort of ruling passion, be it paleontolgy, finance or the writing of sensational novels in serial form which gives them more interesting things to do than wait around for the hero to fall in love with them. Spamword: has92 as in “Amanda Quick has 92 novels, all variations on basically the same plot. But I don’t mind, since its an entertaining plot.”
Vivian Swift in “Heart of Deception” by Taylor Chase.
Best. Heroine. Ever. Ruthless, conniving, and intelligent.
Another Blair Mallory hater here.
The heroines I like are the smartmouthed, witty, strong but not scary and sometimes the akward-when-they-were-young. However, i don’t like the last ones to become smashing beauties, because, yes, you can improve, but.. reallly?
Also, and I haven’t got a clue why, i like heroines in comtemporaries that are single moms.. Specially the Nora Roberts’ Single Moms (Red Lily, Key of Valor, etc)
Also in contemporaries, Lori Foster’s heorines are quite resourceful and I have yet to come across one I can’t stand, I personally like Cyn in When Bruce Met Cyn, and now that I think about it, Jamie’s heroine was quite NOT lovable, but still readable.
In historicals, I love the heroines that are smart, and somehow go -as far as they can go- against the “norm”. Daphne in The Duke and I, or Kate in The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn are aslo some of my favs. Actually… pretty much any of the Bridgerton’s heroines (but this may be because I have been reading Julia Quinn recently).
I also find the quietly strong characters found in Garwoods’ hisotircals quite lovable, I’m thinking The Secret and Ramson, but I can’t for the life of me, remember their names.. (strangely so, I can name all 3 hero’s names… hm…)
I second Lynne’s spoiler free nomination of the heroine of Dunnett’s Lymond series. Annique from Spymaster’s Lady comes in a close second. Both gals kick ass, but in ways that are rendered plausible in the world of the story.
I’ve seen Eve Dallas mentioned so many times, i’m really going to have to read the book now.
I’ve liked all of Briggs’ and Ilona Andrews’ heroines so far. They’re smart, confident, they seem to know their limits and they don’t take crap from the heroes.
Also throwing in my vote for Jessica Trent. She shot him, what more needs to be said
LOL! What does it say about us, this universal admiration for heroines who are prepared to shoot the hero if the occasion seems to warrant it? Mary Challoner, in Heyer’s Devil’s Cub, is another of them, and of course Heyer’s unforgettable Sophy did not hesitate to employ firearms to drastic effect…
I don’t quite understand the great popularity of NR’s Eve Dallas. Admittedly I read only one book of the series, but I did not find her outstanding, and I frankly could not bear the hero.
didn’t read all the comments, so don’t know if anyone’s mentioned Christine Wells yet? I think she writes some of the strongest heroines in the historical genre – not just foils for a good hero, but smart, time-appropriate, and oh-so-beautifully human. I just adore her books for the heroines!
i totally agree with jennifer sookie rocks.
i love Mercy & Anna too!
Tempest from Christine Feehan’s “Dark Fire” & Shea from her book “Dark Desire”
Beth from “The Madness of Lord Ian Mckenzie”
Anne Smith from Christina Dodd’s “Scent of Darkness”
Ellysetta Baristani from C.L. Wilson’s Tairen Soul Series
Sara Munroe from Judith James’s “Broken Wing”
There are so many good one out there
but i think my favorite right now is Belle from Gena Showalter’s “Playing with Fire” & “Twice as Hot”
I’m still fairly new to romance, although my TBR list has gone from 5 to 500 with help of the SB archives, so I haven’t found my perfect heroine yet. However, I’m always blown away by heros who have loved before and have been hurt, yet take a chance on love again. To be 18 and in love is easy. To be 30 and to know that if this person breaks your heart how bad it could get and to still take a chance is HOT. (like Leo in Married by Morning). So far the heroine’s I’ve read, if they’re miraculously not virgins, have never known love.