I’m 90% sure that this wasn’t a request so much as an idea brought about by the hero on the cover of Pretty Face by Lucy Parker, where I took it upon myself to schedule a Rec League for all those “silver fox” heroes. See also Paul Mason, the “fashion Santa,” who made headlines a couple Christmases ago.
These romances don’t necessarily have to include age differences. All they need is a hero who doesn’t mind showing a little gray.
Sarah: The Sugar Baby series by Rebekah Weatherspoon.
Amanda: Ruthless by Anne Stuart ( A | BN | K | AB ) has a significant age difference and I THINK the hero qualifies. It’s been a while since I’ve read it, but the hero is definitely an alpha hero and the romance is a little darker.
Elyse: Only Beloved by Mary Balogh ( A | BN | K | G | AB )
Amanda: Would the hero of Pretty Face ( A | BN | K | AB ) count, Sarah? I’m going based on the salt and pepper hair on the cover.
Sarah: You know he might. He isn’t gray, but he’s older and visibly so.
What about you? Do you have any heroes who qualify as silver foxes? Maybe a little distinguished graying around the temples?
Yes to Pamela Clare’s Soul Deep and Howard’s Open Season. She also had a character in Cover of Night, ex Marine with a letch on for an ex nun that I wanted about two hundred more pages of. Definitely one of the reasons that book took her off my autobuy list.
The book that immediately popped up in my brain when I saw the rec heading was an old Sandra Brown category romance under her Erin St. Clair nom de plume: Words of Silk. Broken elevator, black out sex, surprise pregnancy and a hero described as a lot more silver than the cover art would lead one to believe. In fact, the bff and I still refer to it as the silver fox book.
Louder than Love by Jessica Topper! Loved that Adrian! An aging rocker & a single mom. Great story.
I think The Boss by Abigail Barnette would qualify? He’s in his late 40s (so maybe not quite silver) and she’s 24. [I haven’t read it; but I know people who really love the series.]
Also I feel like there *must* be a Jennifer Crusie book with a silver fox hero, but I’m blanking. Maybe Fast Women? I know the heroine was in her late 30s or maybe early 40s and I think he was older than her by at least a few years.
Seconding the recommendation for the Nadia Stafford series by Kelley Armstrong as well.
The first person I thought of was Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon, from Heyer’s These Old Shades. The trope is May-December, and Avon may not actually be gray. I believe the description is very black and white. Still love it though.
Also love Gentleman Jole–a silver fox even though he represents the May half of that trope.
oooh, @KaySiske, Julie and Romeo remains one of my favorite books. It must be a decade old by now. Nice to see it mentioned here.
Fanning the Flames by Victoria Dahl is a novella featuring an older H firefighter with salt and pepper hair. I don’t remember if it’s the Hero or the heroine but one of them has a college aged kid. Heroine is a librarian.
Roberta Gellis’s Alinor. Older hero and much younger love interest. First book in the Roselynd series.
I can’t help but think of Evie and Sebastian’s cameo appearance in Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas. The Devil still has it!
Don’t Let Go by Sharla Lovelace is a book I recommend whenever someone mentions “older hero.” Noah is pushing 50 and I pictured him as a hottie with salt and pepper hair.
Grayson in Glass Tidings by Amy Jo Cousins is described as having dark hair with gray patches at the temples. Definitely a difference in ages, and experiences, between him and Eddie.
A second vote here for Rose Lerner’s Listen to the Moon.
Being a lady of a certain age, my TBR pile grew today. sigh.
Sandra Antonelli writes romances with older heroes and heroines. I particularly liked A Basic Renovation and For Your Eyes Only.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility. I don’t know if he had gray hair or not (as I recall, Jane Austen wasn’t big on physical descriptions), but he’s the definitive “older hero”–especially when he’s played by Alan Rickman.
I’m going to point out that a silver fox isn’t necessarily an “older” person. I have more than a few friends who started going silver in their 20s.
Does anyone else picture George Clooney whenever the term silver fox comes up? It’s just me, isn’t it?
“The Enigmatic Rake” by Anne O’Brien has a hero whose hair is described as “prematurely silvered to a gleaming and stunning pewter”. I’m reading it now, which is why I have the quote right to hand. It’s a very good story about a spy who is pretending to be a reprobate as part of his cover, and he ends up marrying his housekeeper. Both of them already have a child from a previous marriage.
It’s an oldie and a little dated now, but Mansion of Golden Windows by Elsie Lee has an older hero with about a 15 year age difference. I really wish they’d bring her romances out in e-book!
Barefoot Bay Timeless Series by Roxanne St. Claire has mega-hot silver foxes!
I love Misha from Avon Gale’s POWER PLAY (who also appears in OVERTIME AND EMPTY NET), a retired hockey player turned head coach. He learns his assistant will be the same guy whose career he unwittingly ended in a playoff years earlier. He’s so careworn, wise, and incredibly sexy, and his dynamic with Max (and their players) is really touching.
That should be OVERTIME and EMPTY NET, sheesh!
@ Ren and @Demi. After your recommendation of Pretty Face. I read an excerpt on Amazon and found your quote ““Should I serve, sir?” the young man asked, impeccably polite. He was slightly built, freckle-faced, and Luc couldn’t tell if he was actually fifteen years old or if he himself had just become so fucking old that every person under the age of twenty-five looked as if they ought to be at home playing with blocks.” Sold.
Merrick’s Eleventh Hour by Wendy Rosnau features characters in their 40s and 50s. Very emotional read.
I love Lucy Parker. Might have to reread Act Like It. I just wish she would write faster!
I’ll add The Duke of Olympia meets His Match by Juliana Gray to this list. The hero is 70 or so I believe, but he’s a spy so he’s in great shape. The story is set on a steamer ship where he meets the 50 YO heroine while trying to perform a secret mission. It’s.only novella length but was a very satisfying story and romance.
Oh yes, the Duke of Olympia – good one! I have that on my TBR list, glad you recommended it. He is for sure a silver fox, no doubts on that one.
A)Rupert Graves’ Lestrade = silver fox
b)Sci-fi Romance: Hope’s Folly (Dock Five Universe #3 but this is a stand-alone)by Linnea Sinclair
I just started Pretty Face and oh my that book is so so so good. I love it when characters have a bit age on them – makes them so much more fascinating. As for fashion Santa – I live near the mall that brought you that particular Santa and last year he sued them for trade mark issues. Me- I always preferred the jolly one well, jolly. A lot of us in the area hated that marketing ploy. Who wants to take your kids to fashion Santa?!
The Duke of Olympia Meets His Match by Juliana Gray. Hero is 70 and heroine is an attractive 50 year old widow. It’s a fun read, kind of a mystery and romance rolled together. Entertaining and engaging.
@Demi. Yes I found the one I was looking for!!!! It’s by robin schone and called scandalous lovers. It’s listed as erotica and while steamy it didn’t totally read as erotica to me – more character development – amazing side characters, including a guy in a wheel chair. Both H/h are older. The h is post-menopausal. Amazing book.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01M7PIZM0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492804921&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=robin+schone
I just finished the audiobook version of Pretty Face and so much good book noise.
I find it interesting that so many of these recommendations are for historical titles. Do you suppose that’s because it less acceptable to think of older main characters in a contemporary setting where even CEOs and billionaires are wunderkinds in their mid thirties if not younger?
Anyway, I’m thinking of a few authors who aren’t adverse to heroes and heroines who have plenty of life experience and some silver in their hair. Cherise Sinclair, Kristen Ashley, Betty Neels, Robyn Carr, and Kaje Harper are some that come to mind.
Trigger warnings for kink and past abuse in Cherise’s bdsm centered stories. But Sam from “This is who I Am” and Simon from “Simon says: mine” are two silver haired foxes with partners who match them in years. I find that a few series based around bdsm clubs have older protagonists who are not afraid to be and act their age.
“The rebuilding years” and “Life: some assembly required” by Kaje Harper are m/m that feature a 40+ landscape artist
and a 25+ med student.
I never got into Ashley’s Rock Chick books, but “The Will” and “Soaring” both feature main characters well past the new adult angsty years.
I’d be interested in more authors who write stories about mature couples rather than great age differences.
Virginia
I agree with Penny Watspn’s Apples Should Be Red and
I highly recommend Robin Owen’s Heart Quest. The hero is a Silver Fox for sure.
Tate from Kristen Ashley’s Sweet Dreams is a full grown man and so is his lady. Same with the Hero in Wild Man.
Sun-Kissed Florand, Laura has a great older couple. It is hot too.
Something Shady Morsi, Pamela is awesome and he is above 40.
Love Once Upon a Pirate Block, Nancy He has silver streaks in his hair.
A Man And A Woman Schone, Robin, Hero is a eunuch. Amazing novella.
Softer than Steel is great. Jessica Topper./
Hm, most of the ones I’m thinking of have grey/white hair for paranormal reasons, not aging. Heartily agree with the rec for Hope’s Folly (so, so, good, and features a favorite trope, Cats in Space), as well as Apples Should Be Red and Fanning the Flames (I think they both have adult children?).
I feel like maybe the hero in Wild Designs by Katie Fforde is on the verge of silver? Oh! and I’m pretty sure that one of the heroes in Guardian’s Secret by Amy Raby is greying – m/m historical fantasy novella, set in her Hearts & Thrones series (which is EXCELLENT and needs to be read by more people).
I vote for Sir Ross in Lady Sophia’s Lover by Lisa Kleypas too.
There is also a book that came out about 10 years ago called Knitting Under the Influence by Claire LaZebnik that is more about the friendship of three women who knit together (and the bad things that happen to your projects when you mix in booze). Each woman has her own romantic journey and one of them is involved with an older man. I found their story more interesting of the three because they talked to each other about their misgivings which weren’t just about age.
Late Fall by Noelle Adams has older hero/heroines, in their 70s/60s. It’s a very good, sentimental read about falling in love in your older days (also dealing with being older and all the thibgs that go with it) which is rare in romancelandia. Tiotally a recommended read!
Sandra Antonelli specializes in older heroes and heroines. She writes contemporaries.
Dude. Thirding the Nadia Stafford books (Kelley Armstrong).
Also, Kristen Ashley tends to focus on older H/h pairs. Tack Allen in Motorcycle Man is, I think, 41 and has silver in his hair. Her Magdalene series is all also north-of-45 characters.
I also think Jay Crownover just had a younger man with early grey in the first book of her new Western series–I enjoyed.
A bit random, but Tohr from JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood has a white streak from losing his first love.
Also, Cherise Sinclair’s character Sam (can’t remember the title of his book…This is Who I Am?) is a full-on silver fox. And also a (seriously sweet) sadist. Sinclair’s BDSM is mild on the scale of light taps to full-on Blevins in Safeword series territory.
Seconding/thirding the recs for Sala’s Familiar Stranger and Watson’s Apples Should Be Red.
Very apropos for this thread is Donna McDonald’s _Dating A Silver Fox_ (H/h are 62/67 – yes, that’s also OWYM). I also recommend _Carved In Stone_ by same author (H 53/h 47).
Sarah M. Anderson’s _Something About A Cowboy_ has a Hero in his early 50s, IIRC.
Dee Brice, Bearded For Her Pleasure. Not sure about the availability though, since this was a Ellora’s Cave title.
Emma Shortt, December December. H/h are 50/44.
Thanks so much for all the recs, guys! Love older characters!
A lot of my favourites were mentioned, but I haven’t seen Helen Simonson’s Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. Hero is around 70 and heroine about 60. But that’s not even the most serious obstacle for them. He’s English and she’s Pakistani. And they live in a tiny British village where everybody thinks other people’s business is their business. So there aren’t any steamy scenes (though they had sex in the end), but that book is so rich and complex, it’s just beautiful!
[…] Trashy Books has a post discussing the appeal of older heroes and heroines. Here’s the link: http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2017/04/rec-league-silver-foxes/ Scroll down to check the comments for recommendations from actual readers─there’s a ton of […]
Dance With Me has not only a silver fox hero, but the heroine is just a year or two younger than him. They’ve been married over 40 years, but apart for the last ten… reconciliation is great fun!
My forthcoming debut novel “Not Too Old for Love” features a hero of 71 and a heroine of 68. They both live in a posh retirement village in the UK and all the residents are aged 60+.
I’ve been banging on about this for years. Why is it older dudes get all the romance fiction fun? What about foxy silver heroines? We need more, way more, silver foxy women represented, which is why I write romance novels featuring foxy silver women AND men as the leads characters. Silver foxy men are cool, but these foxy, sexy silver women exist. Romance fiction is so well placed to step beyond the Hollywoodisation of pairing hot older men with younger women and place hot older women front and centre.
A HUGE Thank YOU to Entangled for noticing that hot older women belong in romance fiction, and there is an audience who has been waiting and waiting and waiting for the AUGUST imprint. Finally! I’ll keep writing them.
If you want to read my books with silver foxy couples in over 40, they’re published by Harlequin Escape and available on Amazon , iBooks, etc. sandraantonelli.com