Juliette Cross | The Leading Men We Love to Love

Because I like to analyze and title just about everything (neurotic reader/writer that I am), I’ve analyzed and labeled each of the various, yummy types of men that make us swoon, giggle, and want to leap through the page, punch out the heroine, and take her place. As an alpha-loving girl, you'll find my favorite leading men tend to lean toward the aggressive type. Sorry, beta girls. Still, I think there’s a book boyfriend out there for everyone. Let’s take a look at a few archetypes, shall we?

MR. SNARK

Devastatingly handsome, smoldering smile, and sarcastic with a bite—all of which makes you want to slap him or kiss him. Probably both, in that order. Why does he intrigue us so much? Well, hell, just look at that smirk! And you never know what’s really going on behind those scintillating looks (but we can pretty much guess). *gasp*

*Examples: Edward Rochester in Charlotte Bronte’s JANE EYRE; Dorian the Fairy King in Richelle Mead’s DARK SWAN series

PRINCE CHARMING

Golden good looks with sparkling eyes and a smile that makes you melt into a pile of goo. This guy is exactly what his title suggests—all charm and sparkling wit. Though he may sometimes have a devious edge, he tends to be a more light-hearted leading man. But don’t let that pretty smile fool you; he’ll defend his lady love till the death then carry her off into the sunset (or nearest castle).

*Examples: Prince Charming, of course; Jamie Fraser from Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER series

THE BAD BOY

Do—Not—Mess—With—Him. Seriously, ladies, this man does not play games. And if he does, he'll always win. And the loser (you) will probably end up blindfolded and bound to a bed awaiting his "punishment." Eeek!

He’s all kinds of hot, and I promise you, you’re bound to get burned. His badass temperament is no joke. That’s just who he is. And don’t ever delude yourself with the idea of changing him. So why does this terrifying man attract us so much? I don’t know. Why is the moth drawn to the flame? We just can’t help it. We want to feel the burn.

*Examples: Ryodan from Karen Marie Moning’s FEVER series and recently published ICED; Christian Grey in James’ 50 SHADES OF GREY

HOPELESSLY DEVOTED

This guy will take a beating and keep on ticking. No matter what idiotic thing our heroine does, he will remain steadfast and true, almost to a fault. Not much more to say about him. Beat him, abuse him, betray him. He’ll keep sniffing around the honey pot. He can’t help himself. *Examples: Edward Cullen in the TWILIGHT series and Jacob in the TWILIGHT series (Funny, but true.)

THE PREDATOR

Animal—pure and simple. Look out, because this one’s got night vision and he’s stalking you with stealth. Sometimes, he likes to play with his prey. He’ll cage you into corners and smile while doing it, making your heart beat right out of your chest or just stop altogether. Just like The Bad Boy, this one is lethal, so BEWARE. While The Bad Boy and the Predator are closely related, one is certainly more beast than the other.

*Examples: Barrons from Karen Marie Moning’s FEVER series; Hawke from Nalini Singh’s KISS OF SNOW.

STRONG, SILENT TYPE

All business, this one. And, man, can he brood. Though sometimes viewed as cold and arrogant the way he keeps his distance, he’s just calculating. Be careful of the quiet ones, because when he finally unleashes his hidden emotions . . . ohhh, baby!

*Examples: Riley from Nalini Singh’s BRANDED BY FIRE and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

A big thank you to Fresh Fiction for having me on today. What fun!

About SOULFIRE

In a world divided by prejudice and hatred, only love can bridge the chasm.

Tensions are rising in the Gladium Province. The boundary between humans and Morgons has begun to blur. While the human aristocracy strives to maintain distance between their daughters and the dragon-hybrid race, fate has other plans.

As the daughter of the corporate king, Jessen Cade is duty-bound to honor her arranged marriage to a man she detests. Feeling trapped by family duty and a loveless future, she longs for more, straying to the Morgon side of the city.

Lucius Nightwing is the eldest son of the powerful Morgon clan, and the greatest enemy of Jessen’s father. When a bar-room brawl thrusts Jessen into his arms, his dragon roars to the surface, craving to sate his carnal hunger in the brown-eyed beauty. The beast in Lucius recognizes her as his own, even if the man refuses to admit the truth.

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About Juliette Cross

Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

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