Last night was our first night with the baby, and aside from moments of, “Are we doing this right?!” and “Are we ever going to sleep again?” we did ok. Hubby and I were a team, and even at six in the morning when we had to change our sheets because someone hosed them down in his own special sauce, and then feed, and then change again, and then get back in bed, lather rinse repeat, we still managed to keep our sense of humor. And we’re tired but happy this morning.
Without delving into TMI territory, I have to say that seeing my own husband, whom I’ve known since high school when we were 17, become a father and handle the responsibility and the change with affable grace is really freaking sexy. I mean, no sex for me for at least a month and a half, but still, yowza! Men who manage fatherhood happily – that’s some yummy right there.
So last night while I was trying to get back to sleep, which was surprisingly difficult after the change/pee/sheets/pee/change/feed/change hour of madness, I started making a mental list of the romance heroes that I’ve read about that were sexy fathers as well, possibly during the course of the story. It’s probably hormones, but I couldn’t think of more than a few. One of Hubby’s fatherhood books, the one I am totally jealous of because it is better than all the other books I have put together, talks at length about the stereotype of inept fatherhood, and how men are more likely to be portrayed as bumbling fools when it comes to being a dad, instead of as able caregivers who can change diapers and do laundry and not suffer any loss of their manhood. Am I suffering from a black hole in my memory, or is few and far between to find a hero who is also an able, caring father?
Aside from the “secret baby” genre, what books are out there that you liked that featured strong, sexy fathers as heroes? Consider this an open call for the “Father Genre” – what books do you recommend?
I know at least one of you SB’s isn’t a Linda Howard fan, but Wolf Mackenzie of Mackenzie’s Mountain is very hot.
And it takes him a while to figure it out, but Sebastian Ballister from Lord Of Scoundrels turns out to be a pretty good father. We already knew he was hot.[g]
Finally, Aral Vorkosigan from Lois McMaster Bujold’s series about Miles Naismith Vorkosigan. Aral’s great as a romantic lead in Shards of Honor, but he turns out to be an incredible father as well, giving Miles and Mark the support and love they needed with their difficult lives.
First, Sarah, welcome home and congratulations, again! I have a friend whose almost-your-age-daughter is definitely not experiencing the team parenting you are, so I think you can be even more proud of your husband, because I don’t think active fathering is the norm for men in their 20s and 30s yet. Of course Freebird looks so much like your husband that, in addition to his love for you and your first child, how could he not be totally besotted with his son?!
As for your question, I can think of two books at the moment that I could say fit the bill. First, Jennifer Ashley’s The Pirate Next Door, in which the hero discovers he has a 12 year old daughter who changes his life. Second, Kinsale’s The Dream Hunter, which I particularly liked because he’s such a loving father and has a few things to teach the heroine about not being overprotective. Oh, and how about Jerveaulx from Flowers From the Storm? Granted, he’s not a father for most of the book, but it figures powerfully into the plot and the course of the hero and heroine’s relationship? And Jo Goodman’s latest, A Season to be Sinful featuers a hero who is a surrogate father, and he’s damn sexy for it, as well. And again, Goodman figures that angle into the book in a significant way.
I really liked an old category called Mr Family. It’s also an arranged mariage, in Hawai’i no less but the guy was great to his kid. And so “ono”, c’est le big love!!!
The Duke of Abbercombe in Judith Lansdowne’s “The Bedeviled Duke” … spymaster, father of eight children, and with a wicked sense of humor. Probably my favorite literary father of all time.
Atticus in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Robert Pirsig in “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”
Miles in “Empire Falls”
And just for the record, I would do Jake Weber (the dad on the NBC drama “Medium”) faster than you can say Pampers Ultra Dry
I started making a mental list of the romance heroes that I’ve read about that were sexy fathers as well, possibly during the course of the story.
You know this is one reason I have enjoyed the dreaded secret baby books. And why I can enjoy having children around in romances, too.
Of course, now I can’t think of any off the top of my head.
Oh, the dad from Medium is amazing. I’m always surprised at his portrayal in the show, in that he’s so darn normal. In a good way.
Phineas Tucker from J. Cusie’s “Welcome to Temptation” is a sexy, capable dad. As is Mitch Malvaso in Kathryn Shay’s “After the Fire”.
I think Nora Roberts has a couple hot daddies but I can’t think of any right at the moment.
Oh oh! One reason I loved the Seaswept trilogy by Nora Roberts was because the three brothers all have to take on a parenting role for their much younger brother.
I’m blanking on father-heroes for the moment—but I’m new to romance reading. I will second Angela H’s nomination of Phineas Tucker. *great* father.
I wanted to ask, though, as I’m leaving for a baby shower in about half an hour—what’s the name of your husband’s great fatherhood book, Sarah? My friend’s husband might be interested.
Congrats to both of you. 🙂
Oh my gosh yes, Medium dad is so hot in his capability.
And I have to say, the hero of A Very Virile Viking is lustworthy, especially for the scene when the family realizes they’ve been sent forward in time, and has a family meeting to discuss what they will do about it. *sigh*
I second the vote for Kinsale’s The Dream Hunter, and along the same lines, I’d go for Arnette Lamb’s
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Cheiftain. (Hiding from the wrath of Maili. Not only is this book Scottish, but it features a truly virgin married MOTHER. Virgin Birth! Aigh!)
Except that both these father-heroes demonstrate understanding for wayard toddlers or young children. I can’t think of a book off the top of my head which shows the shift from virile hunky stud muffin to tender capable dad with an infant. That’s a shift of only a day or two—you have it or you don’t.
But then, I admit to not liking babies crawling around in my romances. I’ve been known to stop reading when labor pains begin. I have three of my own already. Love them to pieces, but reading about how someone else skillfully juggles motherhood, sex, possible mortal danger, and personal emotional development becomes less of a fantasy trip and more of a depressive self-flagellation exercise. No thanks.
Mac Taylor in “All I Want for Christmas” by Nora Roberts, is a great single dad of twins, and super hot to boot!
I also agree that any of the Mackenzie men (i.e. Wolf, Joe, Zane) by Linda Howard are fabulous dads and I’d jump any of them, anywhere, anytime.
Yes to Phin Tucker! Also I’ll mention Sam Holland in Maggie Osborne’s “The Bride of Willow Creek”. I thought he was a good dad.
mmmm … love, love, love Phin Tucker. He’s a great dad and then hot as hell in the bedroom. Yum.
I’m having a hard time thinking of heroes who are fathers the whole way through, but one of my favorite epilogue father moments in The Pretenders by Joan Wolf. Dad is taking care of the baby and mom walks in while he’s looking at the baby and almost cries at the love in his eyes. Really nice moment.
I’ll add to the growing list of people who this the dad on Medium is a total hottie. (Mom thinks I’m crazy, but it might be the length of his hair).
I know I’ve read some category with good dads, but the question is remembering them:
Luke’s Daughters and Matt’s Family by Lynnette Kent had a wonderful father-figure in Matt.
“Michael’s Family” by Kathryn Shay
“His Wedding Ring” by Kate Hathaway
And yes, Nora Roberts manages to make good daddies in her series follow-up books.
I just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!
And big hugs and more sleep for everyone!
Must..have..more..caffeine….
The only one that jumps out in my memory at the moment is Gossamer by Rebecca Hagan Lee. It’s a historical set in late 19th century San Francisco. The hero is the father of four Chinese infants/toddlers that were abandoned and/or left for dead. If I remember correctly, he hires the heroine to be their nanny….
Congratulations, Sarah! Best wishes to you all!
I know the Outlander saga is a controversial topic lately, but I have to say that one of the qualities in Jamie that I’ve always loved is his parenting. He’s just so good with kids.
And I’m so with you on the sexy daddy thing! I find it very sexy when my hubby is playing with the kids, or changing a diaper, or even washing the dishes.
Congratulations, SB Sarah and Hubby, and welcome to Freebird.
I second (third? fourth?) the votes for Phin Tucker, and NR’s Quinns. I read a mostly forgettable RS category lately, with an awesome alpha & beta hero: Bo Rokowsky. He’s a USAF pilot, he’s a musician, and his college degree is in elementary education. Technically, he’s not a dad, but he has an awesome parenting scene with the heroine’s daughter. *sighs* Almost made me consider turning over a new leaf re: my general refusal to read romances with single moms as heroines. But only almost.
CONGRATS SARAH on her new baby, her sexy husband and her new life!
I’ll pop up for Jayne Ann Krentz here…the old Dream books, Summer in Eclipse Bay (WONDERFUL DAD there), I think Absolutely Positively (correct title? where his nephews come to stay). Even as Jayne Castle in After Glow, it starts out with the hero coming in after handling a camping trip with a scout group….
Love to all,
Robin (who, of course, should be writing)
I thought of another good father, Lord Aiden Bedwyn from Mary Balogh’s Regency era historical, Slightly Married. Aiden inherits two children when he enters into a marriage of convenience, but he quickly becomes their father in their eyes, and in his. There’s a scene that brings a little thickness to my throat where he explains to the boy what it means to be an honorable man.
I love scenes like that. There’s one in “The Magnificent Seven” where one of the boys tells gunslinger Charles Bronson he’s so much more heroic than their fathers, who are only farmers. Bronson hauls the boy up and paddles his bottom, angrily telling him that their fathers are the heroes, going off to the fields every day to do backbreaking work so their families will have food and shelter, not abandoning them to run off and be gunslingers.
Congratulations! Ah, the days of multiple changes! Glad the team parenting is going so well.
I’m just reading The Rose Red Bride by Claire Delacriox (I think) and the hero is a father trying to get hold of his land for his daughters. Haven’t seen the daughters yet in the book, but as a dad, he’s going after what he has to to take care of his girls.
I really liked Dillon Taber from True Confessions by Rachel Gibson. Though his son was also a convenient plot device for his emotional unavailability to the heroine. Oh well, no matter.
Sarah, congratulations! I’m glad you and your husband are having fun. Amazing how the hormones and andrenaline kick in those first few days and make you think the peeing all over the place is “charming.” Just a couple of weeks ago I was holding my son above my head as he grinned and giggled. Next thing I knew I got a face full of regurgitated breast milk, like some kind of infant money shot. Ah, motherhood. It’s so fuckin’ glamorous… And yet I’m still convinced I have the cutest baby in the world.
As a semi new mom, I’m exercising amazing restraint in not offering tons of half baked advice. However, when you do a special SB edition on parenting and sleep books, I’ll add my 2 cents.
Congratulations. I’m massively impressed by your cogency – how can anyone with a new baby string a sentence together?
Murphy’s child by Judith Duncan is my favourite book along those lines. The heroine is a hugely reserved girl who accidentally gets pregnant. The couple don’t instantly get together, but the hero wants to be involved with his child, and when she can’t cope with the new baby – who has bad colic – he helps, and she in complete exhaustion lets her guard down & HEA thereafter.
Duncan captures the new mother exhaustion and panic that I felt – bizarrely I get a lactating tingle when I reread it.
Read Pink Moon by Steph Ann Holm for the god of all Fathers! And a two hankie read.
Susan
Delurking to say… I woke up this morning and realized “Hey! Brother Gregory (or Gilbert, if you prefer) from In Pursuit of the Green Lion (by Judith Merkle Riley) eventually takes to fatherhood like a duck to water! Eventually.” And then I had quotes from the book running through my head for like an hour, so thanks, because I’m very fond of it.