Tall, Dark, and Handsome - #MFRWauthor

Welcome back and happy Friday. It's week 19 for the #MFRWauthor blog hop. This week topic is all about the ideal romance hero.

This topic is very important to romance writers. The male lead has a lot of requirements he has to fill.

Photo source: https://www.thehunt.com

The saying tall, dark, and handsome was often a way to describe the 'ideal' man in old school movies and books. But what exactly does that term mean? The all-knowing Google couldn't even give me a concrete answer.

One source says it's about attitude. Them being a little mysterious and rugged. Another says it has to do with them having dark hair and eyes. While yet another will say it is about skin tone and having more a tan, Mediterranean complexion. So while it's a simple statement, tall, dark, and handsome is very open to interpretation.

But this post is supposed to be about what makes my ideal hero. The requirements are just as varied as the meaning behind that phrase. In my opinion there are three standard requirements usually found in most romance novels. First being looks. Another phrase that gets used a lot, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What one person may find as attractive, others won't. For me I like my males to have full lips, a nice smile, and a great ass. Calida is learning she is an 'ass' woman because she really appreciates the ample one I gave Malcolm. I don't really care about a strong jawline or chiseled nose. My males are usually in shape. Not Mr. Universe, bodybuilder type, but firm and fit. Nice arms that are strong so they provide comfort and security to the heroine when he holds her.

Next up is personality. Alpha males are all the rage. The strong, domineering, take charge type of man. However, there's a fine line between alpha male and asshole male. It's a line that gets blurred in some novels and the asshole male isn't one that I find sexy. I like more the nice guy alpha. If the situation calls for it, they can take charge, give direction, and exert their manliness. What they don't do is becoming so controlling they border on abusive. They don't make the heroine feel like she's less than and must follow his lead because he knows best. Even nice guys have flaws, and I like that. They aren't perfect and that's how it should be. Malcolm has his moments where Calida sees him as that too controlling asshole, but given her history it takes very little for her to see any sort of  alpha tendencies as extreme. I like my guys to be funny, and flirty. To not take themselves too seriously.

Lastly would be finances. Those alpha males are most often always ridiculously wealthy. The females are most likely not their financial equal and for the asshole alpha they use their wealth as another control device. In my first book, Seth was an asshole alpha, but worse. Much, much worse, but he was designed that way. Against the romance norm, my 'hero' (and I use that term super loosely) was not meant to be loved, or hell even liked. He used his wealth to control aspects of Calida's life. The finances are okay for my guys, it's easier to not have to worry about writing in work and all that stuff. In Not Broken the money isn't a major factor. Calida actually is the one with more in this dynamic, but it's all in the background.

So to sum everything up. My ideal romance hero is a nice looking guy, with a great ass, full lips, and strong, supportive arms. He has to be a nice guy that loves and respects the heroine but has no problem being that take charge guy if it calls for. Having financial stability is a plus, but they don't have to be a billionaire.

So what do you look for in your romance hero? Be sure to stop by and check out the other blogs to see what makes up that 'perfect' hero for them.

Thanks for stopping by
~Meka