Thursday, January 6, 2011

Need a little help with romance...

Perhaps I shouldn't really be making such a public confession, but the truth is I've never really had much romance in my life. I guess I've never really wanted it. I have a wonderful boyfriend who does so many lovely things for me, but it's not really romance-novel-worthy. While I'm very happy and wouldn't change a thing, it kinda makes writing a romantic love interest into my new story a little challenging.

The question is: What do women want. Not what they want in real life, but what they want to daydream about when it comes to romantic heroes. Not being overly fond of romance novels myself, I am really struggling to create a believable love interest that my female audience would want the heroine to fall in love with, but who also won't make the male audience vomit. I've always loved Gilbert Blythe and Mr Darcy, but I'm not sure they are modern enough.

This is where I need your help. Do any of you have any good romance novels that you can recommend I read for research? I honestly don't know where to start, so would love to hear your suggestions.


  1. I've always liked the bumbling Hugh Grant leading man roles. Think Four Weddings and A Funeral, Two Weeks Notice, and Did You Hear About The Morgans? Likeable, goofy, unafraid to be fool and make a fool of himself. Bridget Jone's Diary love interests were absolute fall-in-love-with-not-perfect leading men. The guys would probably all just vote for Batman. Good luck!

  2. Err the Pink Dragon Barbara Cartland or perhaps that a lesson in how not to go overly romantic, so says my better half. If you want a good example of modern romantic interest in historical fantasy then Guy gavrial Kay-Lions of Al Rassan has some excellent female characters. Alternately Lindsay Davis in Historical fiction with her Helena Justina character in the Falco novels. Or if you want complex there is always Dunnetts House of niccolo series. Anyway lots of food for thought.
    Regards Greg