We received an email from Reader Nettle about her recent love of unassuming heroes. While I’m personally a fan of (at times overbearing) Alphas, I know some ladies at SBTB HQ love a good, quiet Beta hero.
SB Sarah: ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME! *ahem*
Here’s what Nettle wrote to us:
This might be an odd request. I just re-read Georgette Heyer’s Cotillion, and Freddy made me want more heroes like him – not necessarily quick-witted, but loyal and nice and wise in the end.
And then I went a step further and thought of other heroes I love, the characters who aren’t the brightest in the room or who deliberately allow people to underestimate them, or dismiss them – or encourage people to perceive of their intelligence and awareness as less than what they really are. It’s a particular flavor of beta hero, or maybe behind-the-scenes secret alpha? Ash from KJ Charles’ The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh comes to mind.
I loved Lord Vere from Sherry Thomas’ His at Night, too. He was just pretending, but seeing the mental gymnastics everyone went through was entertaining as well.
Do you have any recommendations along those lines?
SB Sarah: Amanda and I have been going back and forth on this one, because I think Nettle is looking for a particular sort of hero, one that isn’t the biggest, loudest, mostest-most dude in the room. She’s after, I think, the hero who might get overlooked or dismissed, allowing the heroine and the reader to be the ones who recognize all the awesomeness he’s hiding.
His at Night by Sherry Thomas ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au ) immediately comes to mind – as does Turnip Fitzhugh in Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series. I think he shows up in several books before getting his own story in The Mischief of the Mistletoe ( A | BN | K | G | AB ). And, if you’re a Turnip fan, we did a fan collaboration contest to come up with a cover for the bonus chapter, which came about because many readers were sad that Turnip didn’t get a sex scene. So, Willig wrote one for us in Away in a Manger: A Very Turnip Wedding Night.
There’s also Jack Langdon, the very underestimated hero of Loretta Chase’s The Devil’s Delilah. He is wonderful. As I said in my review:
The story opens when Jack Langdon, a distracted, socially awkward and extremely intelligent bookworm, comes upon a woman holding Lord Streetham at gunpoint in an inn. He tackles the woman – who turns out to be Delilah – because Lord Streetham is the father of one of his best friends. Jack judges the situation at face value (someone he knows and respects being threatened by a person he does not know) and tries to subdue Delilah, who turns out to be very strong, crafty, and entirely in the right to hold Streetham at gunpoint. When the reason for her having a gun pointed at Streetham are revealed, he apologizes to her, is miserable for having embarrassed himself and possibly having harmed her, and withdraws from the group.
I might have to go re-read The Devil’s Delilah now. I love that book.
So, what about you? Do you know of any other historical heroes to suggest for Nettle? Please share your suggestions!
What timing! Tonight I just finished Eva Leigh’s TEMPTATIONS OF A WALLFLOWER, which features an adorable, sexually-inexperienced beta hero who happens to be a vicar. It’s a pretty good read, and sounds like it might be right up Nettle’s alley.
What about Nick in Rose Lerner’s Sweet Disorder?
I hate an Alpha hero and would much rather read about someone who lets his lady get on with cracking heads and making decisions, so I’m following the comments with anticipation.
Hmmm, let’s see…Robert from “The Duchess War” by Courtney Milan. Alex from “Anyone but you” by Jennifer Crusie (a contemporary featuring the relationship between a 40yo woman and a man ten years younger) And Houston from the absolutely fabulous Texas Destiny (American Historical) by Lorraine Heath.
I second Temptations of a Wallflower! Nettle might also try Courtney Milan’s The Countess Conspiracy. One the one hand, the hero, Sebastian, allows people to overestimate him professionally, because he’s the public face of the brilliant scientist heroine’s controversial work. But simultaneously, he allows the people who are closest to him (especially his brother) to write him off, when he’s actually smart and dedicated and good in his own right. He may be my all-time favorite hero, though, so I’m a little biased. 😉
Also, this probably goes without saying, but there’s always Scarlet Pimpernel for the classic underestimated-by-design hero!
Just wanted to clarify that Countess Conspiracy is probably not a perfect fit if Nettle is only looking for quiet/nerdy underestimated heroes, because the hero’s act there is almost the opposite– he pretends to be much more cocky/vapid than he is. Still worth a read!
” Alex from “Anyone but you” by Jennifer Crusie (a contemporary featuring the relationship between a 40yo woman and a man ten years younger)”
I looooooooooooooove that book. It’s actually more of a novella – short and AWESOME. It was my first Crusie.
Also, I just looked up The Devil’s Delilah at Amazon and it turns out I already have it, just haven’t read it yet, but for those interested the Kindle edition is just $2.99
OH! I just remembered: “The Blushing Bounder” by Meljean Brook is a short “Iron Seas Companion story” and it fits the bill nicely if you like a little steampunk. Also it 99 cents for the ebook at Amazon – free if you have Kindle Unlimited
I promise I don’t work for Amazon :p
Do they *have to* be historical?
Because Ivan Vorpatril from Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance came to mind IMMEDIATELY….
Seconding the Rose Lerner rec – her A Lily Among Thorns and Listen to the Moon also have quiet beta heroes.
Also seconding Robert from Courtney Milan’s The Duchess War. Ned from her Trial by Desire is also definitely of this sort.
Oh boy do I love the unassuming/beta hero!
There’s already so many good recs but here are a couple more from my keepers:
Lucus Cortez from Dime Store Magic (as well as other Women of the Otherworld instalments) by Kelley Armstrong. Lucus is kind of a nerd. He’s incredibly intelligent, has amazing work ethic, and he uses his lawyerly skills for good not evil. Lucus is a Rebel with a Cause.
Rupert Carsington from Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase. Rupert is the fourth son of an Earl and seems to get himself into trouble all over the place. He’s not completely stupid but spends a vast majority of the book letting Daphne think he is because he realises that it not only puts her at ease, but that she’s smarter than him anyway so he may as well follow her lead.
C.L Sturgis from Tell Me Lies by Jennifer Crusie. C.L is a reformed bad boy. He is always completely honest with everyone, refuses to take crap from people and is utterly dependable. Plus best name of any romance hero ever.
Mathew Swift from Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas. I often forget how much I genuinely love Mathew until I start reading Scandal in Spring again. He’s dependable and nice, which as Daisy says is entirely underrated. Plus if Mathew had enough pockets he could save the world.
Sir Harry Valentine from What Happens in London by Julia Quinn. Is there anything more lovely than a man you can read with? I often use a quote from the book to describe it to people who haven’t read it yet:
He felt a bit like Romeo to her Juliet, minus the feuding families and poison. And with pigeons.
Carter Maguire from Vision in White by Nora Roberts. He’s a high school English teacher, he is a total klutz, had an uber crush on Mackenzie when they were in high school back in the day, and occasionally he wears tweed. Carter’s just the nicest guy and it’s so much fun to watch him freak out and fumble around as he attempts to impress Mac.
Ok. I’m off to re-read all of these again.
Mary Balogh’s The Arrangement, it’s the second book in her Survivor series. Or what about Valentine in Virtuoso by Grace Burrows?
OK, someone has just got to compile all these with links to A/BN/etc. PLEASE?? I also second Bea’s suggestion of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Vorpatrils-Alliance-Vorkosigan-Saga/dp/1476736987/
Ingrid Hahn’s Lord Corbeau in “To Win a Lady’s Heart” is an introverted, possibly suffering from social anxiety, hero. He’s darling.
In contemporary, Victoria Dahl’s Gabe in “Taking the Heat” is HOT, but definitely not an alpha type. Very much a caretaker in many ways.
@rudi: I recently listened to The audio-book of Mr Impossible. Kate Reading’s narration is amazing and I fell in love, all over again with the big oaf!
I’d add Daniel Merial from “Diary of an Accidental Wallflower” to the list. He’s of a lower social class than the heroine, and generally observes from the sidelines. He’s also extremely dedicated to his medical work. His constant observation allows him to see the heroine for the intelligent woman she is, instead of the vapid socialite she’s pretending to be.
https://www.amazon.com/Diary-Accidental-Wallflower-Seduction-Diaries-ebook/dp/B00KPVB4JA?ie=UTF8&qid=1463667449&ref_=tmm_kin_swatch_0&sr=8-1
@Bea, I was going straight to Ivan Vorpatril, too!
Thank you, wonderful people! I’ve read everything Rose Lerner and Courtney Milan have out, and I have so many to add to my TBR now!
@Bea, they don’t have to be historical! Thanks for the suggestion!
Cotillion is the absolute best. There are not enough heroes like this. Pretty much everything I’ve thought of has already been recommended. There was another Nora Roberts, where the hero writes comic books, and I recall him being a good beta hero but it’s been a while. And he was definitely smart, but very mild mannered.
In the vein of His at Night (which I agree is not so much beta as – I like your term – secret alpha) I recommend Lady Fortune by Anne Stuart. He’s the court jester, with bells and everything, but with a secret mission.
I spent all of 2 seconds thinking “and what about heroines who are underestimated?” before smacking my forehead. As we all know, IRL having boobs is an excellent way to get people to dismiss you and we see that a lot in romances as well. Really you would think there would be a lot more spies using drag as a disguise.
@kkw That one is Tribute! Nora is so good with the beta heroes. I’d also recommend The Game Plan by Kristen Callihan, Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren, Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh, Beauty and the Mustache by Penny Reid, and Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts.
Thanks so much for this question. Beta heroes are my absolute favorite but it wasn’t until I looked back on my reading list from this year that I realized how few I’d actually read recently. Looks like it’s time for a Beta binge!
I can do this ALL DAY. Ready?
Contemporary:
– In the Clear by Tamara Morgan. The absolute BEST “beta hero finally loses his shit” EVER. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH.
– Blonde Date by Sarina Bowen. One of the very few New Adult books I love unreservedly. Dorky Jewish basketball player and sorority girl.
– Off the Shelf by Lucy Felthouse. Super-cute short story.
– Restraint by Charlotte Stein. Another great “beta hero loses his shit.”
– Once Upon a Rose by Laura Florand. Lady rock star and growly rose farmer. In France.
– Still Life with Strings by L.H. Cosway. Repressed violinist and bad-girl bartender.
– Changing His Game by Megan Ericksen. Nerd love.
– All of the Alaska books by Teri Wilson. Also, cute dogs.
Historical:
– My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin. I get faint-hearted every time, and I read this a lot.
– Miss Jacobsen’s Journey by Carola Dunn. Awkward road trip/
– After the Scandal by Elizabeth Essex. Nerdy and reclusive (and former pickpocket) duke gets the girl of his dreams.
– It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist. Hero is an inventor at the Chicago World’s Fair.
– The Mad Lord’s Daughter by Jane Goodger. The secondary romance is the keeper in this one.
– A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong by Cecilia Grant. *happysigh*
– In Love and War series by Stacy Henrie. Homefront WW1 stories.
– A Most Unconventional Match by Julia Justiss. READ THIS TRUST ME YOU WILL LOVE HAL.
– Miss Milton Speaks Her Mind by Carla Kelly. Another “finally gets the girl of his dreams”
– The Surgeon’s Lady by Carla Kelly. Or pretty much any Carla Kelly.
– Her Convenient Cowboy by Lacy Williams.
That’s all for now – if you read LGBT, I have lots of those too 🙂
I have Some!
Contemporary: Han from Taken by Charlotte Stein
Lincoln from Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Phil from Lightning that Lingers by S.& T Curtis
Historical : Theo from A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
Gilly from Foundling by Georgette Heyer
Major David Lancaster from The Bargain by M.J. Putney
Ian from The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by J. Ashley
Mick from The Proposition by Judith Ivory (where did she go?)
Joss from Secrets of a Scandal by Theresa Romain
Sydham from Simply Love by Mary Balogh
Fantasy : Brishen from Radiance by Grace Draven
Mad Machen from Here There be Monsters by Meljean Brooks
I loved all of the above and there are of course those already mentioned by others. Happy TBR pile.
I’d add Kate Noble’s “Revealed” to the list, as well as enthusiastically seconding the vast majority of Kelly’s recommendations (and I don’t disagree with the others, just haven’t read them yet!). Revealed is a historical with a lovely beta hero.
I do think Ivan Vorpatril is a great example, but I would encourage reading previous books in the series a) on principle b) because Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance has even more resonance/payoff/gleeful chuckling after pages/years of ‘Ivan you idiot!’
My novel The Unexpected Miss Bennet has a shy, ADHD, dyslexic outdoorsy hero, perfect for bookish Mary Bennet.
I love Cotillion to a big part because of Freddy☺
My suggestion is Tamara Lejeune – Simply Scandalous has Lord Swale who maybe aint so sharp but he aint so dumb either as people think.
If you like your romance as fantasy novels, I really like Andrea K Host’s heroes. For this specific trope, probably Hunting fits the bill (she also says she wrote this book because she wanted a heroine who would dance over the heads of her enemies after being frustrated by Heyer’s Regency Buck) but I quite love her Darset Series, Stained Glass Monsters and Medair.
They’re not exactly this since she tends to write about GIANT DUDES, but Charlotte Stein often writes about pretty reserved men who are kind of intimidating to the heroine on the outside but just shy flowers on the inside. Restraint and Almost Real come to mind of her earlier work.
Local Custom by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller has a quiet male protagonist who comes from a planet where the men are more open about crying and etc.
Enthusiastically seconding many of Kelly’s recommendations, especially the “pretty much any Carla Kelly” part, and Julia Justiss’s “A Most Unconventional Match.” And thanks for reminding me that I have “My Fair Concubine” on my Kindle and somehow haven’t read it yet.
Also, Hugo, the hero of Georgette Heyer’s “The Unknown Ajax,” deliberately lets his extended family think he’s dumb and uneducated, because they expect him to be, until he proves he’s very much not. It’s not quite the same as Freddy in “Cotillion,” but Hugo is one of my favorite Heyer heroes.
This thread is doing my book budget no favors 😉 following obsessively.
I will third the Carla Kelly nomination – she is a genius at creating lovely, beta heroes. Libby’s London Merchant has a prime example! Also, thank you for all the great suggestions from all the posters, I love beta heroes.
Simple Jess by Pamela Morsi is the one that came to my mind.
If contemps are alao acceptable, then Private Politics by Emma Barry. A nerdy, squishy beta hero with a very successful political commentary website helps the woman he’s had a crush on for ages with a work problem.
I jumped on here to make suggestions, but basically everyone has already made them. Although, I would like to briefly mention David from Meljean Brook’s Riveted. He’s a volcanologist and very sweet and very non-threatening, although everyone else is threatened by him.(Because they’re dumb.) Archimedes from Heart of Steel is beta — but kind of only in reference to Yasmeen. He’s still butt kicky-y and badass. But Annika and David are both very gentle and this whole violence and world gone to bonkers hell in a hand basket is very new for them, and they’re just very lovely people. (Also, super highly recommend the audiobook. Alison Larkin is a treat.) And now to add a bunch of titles to my wish list.
@Mary Beth: oh I second Libby’s London Merchant so heartily – that one even had me fooled!
So happy
Please could we have a list?
Two more from Georgette Heyer:
The Foundling
The Unknown Ajax
I totally second Rupert from Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase – LOVED him.
Also Gideon from The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie.
And a case could be made for Colin from Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn.
If you like fantasy, I also cannot recommend enough Lynn Kurland’s Miach and Morgan trilogy. Miach is the archmage of the realm who pretends to be a farmer to go unnoticed. Morgan is a swordswoman who bests absolutely everyone and hates magic. Miach is the best – modestly self-deprecating but brilliant, great sense of humor despite the pressure of his role, always puts others first, and loves to tease Morgan just to watch her pat herself for the nearest blade. Book one is Star of the Morning.
Lauren Willig’s The Mischief of the Mistletoe has a most unusual hero who is a side character in other novels in the Pink Carnation series
My TBR file will be bursting after reading all these posts!
My additions:
Thomas Jennings from Thomas by Grace Burrowes is an unassuming hero who is also a horseman. My book boyfriend for at least a week now.
Christian, the Marquess of St. Cyr from Captivated by a Lady’s Charm by Christi Caldwell, thinks he doesn’t deserve to be a hero.
Lucien from Seduced by a Lady’s Heart by Christi Caldwell doesn’t want to be happy or considered a hero.
While I don’t know that they’d be considered romance, more alternate history/fantasy The Golden City trilogy by J Kathleen Cheney has a great beta in Dulio. He makes all of society think he’s brainless, but really he’s sectetly a police consultant who is also a seer. Oh, and he’s half selkie.