Monday, February 21, 2011

Jane Porter: Life With The Presents Hero

I just finished writing the first of two connected royalty books for Presents.   I loved the premise and settings, loved creating this wonderful world of powerful kings and intriguing women, but while writing the story I realized yet again that a great Presents hero is more than money and power and success.  He requires something extra…something extraordinary…and its not an easy thing to define.

            Presents heroes are always masculine, primal males.  Inevitably they have the financial means to provide for their women.  They also are strong—mentally and physically. 

But these men are not perfect.  They make mistakes.  They may have had painful pasts.  They may be a tad too confident at times.

But when they love, oh how they love.  Once a Presents hero finds his match…his mate…he will never be content with another woman. 

            I always write alpha heroes, gorgeous sexy males, whether they are the heroes in Presents or my women’s fiction stories.  But the Presents hero is always a little trickier.  He’s a little more complex.   He demands a little more from his woman.  And he’s maybe even more demanding in bed.  

And that’s where fantasy also comes into play.  In a Harlequin Presents, my heroes are all about pleasuring the woman in bed….giving her what she wants, making sure she’s having the most sensual, erotic experience of her life.

He’s a man that’s gifted in foreplay, has tremendous staying power, and wouldn’t dream of climaxing before she has…often repeatedly. 

And I know there are men out there who are like this with their mates, but in real life, a lot of people have truly hectic lives.  They’re rushed and tired and have bills and problems, and don’t have the energy or time to make sex unbelievably hot.  So thank goodness for the fantasy man who has endless time and energy for pleasuring his woman. 

And thank goodness this same hero never leaves his socks all over the floor or asks her where his clean shirt is.  Thank goodness in a Presents there is no endless laundry or dishes or grocery shopping trips with screaming toddlers or moody teenagers.  Nope.  In Presents we get luxury, sophistication,  seduction and a virile, unforgettable male without the domestic chores.

Love that.

Love that in Presents I get a man who wants and needs his woman, but doesn’t want her in the laundry room, or need her in the kitchen.

Heaven.

Do you have a favorite hero?  Could be from a Presents or a classic novel or even a movie?  I’d love to hear what kind of man makes you swoon!  I'll be drawing two names from those that comment for a signed Presents from my backlist. 

28 comments:

  1. My favorite "romance" heroes (I have multiple, I'm afraid):
    Mr. Darcy
    Mr. Knightly from Emma
    Wulf from The Wolf and the Dove
    Dermot Mulroney from The Wedding Date
    Edward Cullen (sick and sad but true)
    Ramon from Judith McNaught's Tender Triumph

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  2. These days - a man who would give me a backrub would make me swoon. Heh, but I'm 8 months pregnant with twins and my hubby's been away for 4 months.

    Seriously though, I love your heroes for all their alpha tendencies. I also love the romantic (not angsty OR evil-b/c-he-drinks-blood) vampire (immortality, dontcha know?). Someone who can take care of me but acknowledges that I don't NEED them to do so (i.e. I'm my own person, etc.). And if he comes with an ability to cook (my hubby counts here) and brings home an occasional bouquet of flowers and/or lindor chocolate...and I'm a puddle on the floor.

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  3. i have a thing for cowboys and guys who are either in the marines or have been. They both are loyal and will get the job done. They both are very honest and gentleman, who would givetheir shirt to you. I just fine them very sexy and I know a few that would never turn there back on me, and would help me out whnever I needed help.

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  4. I have a few heroes I think from various mediums :0) Have have two favorites from your books: Michael (Easy on the Eyes), and Kristian (At the Greek Boss's Bidding). I also like the hero to be rugged, and a take-charge decisive guy who knows what he wants and knows how to take care of and protect his woman; they're altruistic. They have to have a little bit of a sense of humor too. I also like Mr. Darcy, like Susan mentioned. Some of my other favorite characters include: "Derrick Morgan" on Criminal Minds, the new "Steve McGarrett" on Hawaii 5-0, Keanu Reeves in "The Lake House", Ralph Fiennes in "The English Patient" (lol, before he got burned of course). Oh, and one last fave is the character of "Nick Burnham" in Danielle Steel's "Crossings" (the ABC movie version f/ 1986 though played by Lee Horsley).

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  5. My favorite hero of all time would have to be Rhett Buttler for Gone with the Wind. I don't want the perfect hero and I guess I kind of like bad boy because Rhett was a bad boy in his on way.

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  6. My favorite hero is Duncan MacLeod from the Highlander TV series. Fiercely protective & loves with a passion.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  7. My favorite would be
    Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Strider. I was breathless watching him with Princess Arwen. Who doesn't want THAT?
    BUT in real life I am more drawn to a character like John Cusack as Lloyd Dobler. While I love to read about the men in Harlequins, the truth is that it is the smile, the lopsided grin and spark in the eye that gets me. The guy who makes me laugh has me every time.

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  8. My heros are Han Solo, He's dangerous, selfish and always right. He's a man hard to conquer but the right woman can do it! And sad, but true, Edward Cullen. Rich, beautiful, and always has his woman in mind.

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  9. my hero guys are the ones who are passionate about who they want and don't stop til they get the one that truly fulfills them. men like the character john cusack plays in the movie "serendipity". he finds his passion in a woman named sarah. after they leave finding each other again to fate, time goes by, and he gets engaged to another woman. but he can't forget the woman named sarah. he cancels the wedding the night before to the woman he became engaged to, knowing that his passion lies with another woman; and knowing he doesn't love the person properly and completely. fate finally intervenes and brings him back to his soulmate, sarah.

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  10. Leonardo DiCaprio's character in the movie The Departed. He went undercover and became someone he could have been had he not become a 'statie' and to help put the bad guys away.
    Also Casey Affleck in Gone,Baby,Gone - another guy who wants to do the right thing.

    In book form - both Ranger and Morelli from Janet Evanovich's series.

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  11. Gosh I hope this works this is a second try.

    I loved Rhett Butler from Gone with The Wind. I have carried a torch for him for decades.
    I also loved Tom Bailey's character (Patric Dempsey) in Made of Honor. He was very rich and very full of himself.
    As for some of your heroes I loved Sheikh Kahil as-Assad in THE SHEIKH'S WIFE and Niccolo Dominici in the Italian Groom.

    Like you said
    "there is no endless laundry or dishes or grocery shopping trips with screaming toddlers or moody teenagers"
    Thank You so much for providing such great wealthy and totally male heroes.

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  12. Hi Jane. I like heroes who are strong alpha males who would do anything for the one he loves. My favorite heroes are Lisa Kleypas' Derek Craven and Elizabeth Hoyt's Edward de Raaf.

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  13. I like a strong man who works hard to get his love to enjoy life relax and have fun. In P.S I Love you Jared Butler plays that man.
    So worried about her future happiness that before he dies he sets up a plan to draw her back into the happiness of life.In this plan he recounts many of the moments they shared together.Romantic, fun and sexy. The kind of man who can, on cue ,recite what makes you laugh, cry and blush.

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  14. A few of my favorite heroes are from Loretta Chase's books like Dain from "Lord of Scoundrels," Vere from "The Last Hellion" and Benedict from "Lord Perfect."

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  15. I love reading Harlequin presents books and I just love the Heroes.

    Some of my fav Heroes are (and since I love the heroes so much this are some of my fav books):
    Sam Kelly from No place To un by Maya Banks. I just love how alpha he is and I just love the cover.
    Salvatore di Vitale from Pregnancy of Passion by Lucy Monroe- one of my all time fav Presents book.
    Dimitri Petronides The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress by Lucy Monroe- another fav Presents.
    Daniel from Willing by Lucy Monroe
    Ty McCordle from Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy

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  16. what kind of man makes me swoon ?
    He has to be smart, has good taste of humor, kind, loving, can make me feel that i'm important to him, can accept me no matter how I am. And He has to love me as i love him that much :D

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  17. I love Alpha men but i'm not sure i could live with one as alpha as you read in books. lol First hero that comes to mind is Johnny Duane Reed from Whisper No lies from Cindy Gerard's Black ops series. All those guys are hot alpha males in that series lol I love the guys from Roxanne St Claire's Bullet catcher series too. Big fan of military guys since my husband ai were both Army vets. Love those guys. Ok i love the cowboys and the Rake's too! lol

    Lisa B

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  18. My hero has principles, integrity and compassion. He is Atticus Finch whom I admire greatly.

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  19. I love a military hero. They seem to be the hunks that capture my heart in all of the movies. I like strong, yet sensitive guys.

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  20. I love Richard Gere in many movies: he makes me swoon. He is very attentive to his girl.
    I love David James Elliott in JAG in uniform: he makes me swoon.

    So glad your hero doesn't leave socks lying around, etc. as these are big deals.

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  21. I love the Presents novels. I have read Presents, Passions, & Proposals. It was a very enjoyable book. I love a happy ending.

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  22. My favorite hero takes care of everything-- as you were saying pleasures his woman in bed, no socks on the floor, plenty of money, deep sense of responsibility. Great fantasy guy!

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  23. Hi Jane! My favorite heroes are those who are really alpha but will do anything for heroine. So I love Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Bones from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series, Sharif from The Sheikh's CHosen Queen, Nick from Rachel Gibson's Truly Madly Yours, and Mr Thornton from Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South (especially in the BBC miniseries version with Richard Armitage...yum!).

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  24. Hi Jane, I think my favorite hero is Jamie Fraser whom I met in Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander"...there have been seven books since and the reader gets to see how this scottish hero develops and grows. He's over 6' tall and is truly magnificent - I think maybe the "kilt" has something to do with it!

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  25. Hi Jane! OMG! I love this post. That's my kind of hero. I have a few favorite movie heroes. Denzel Washington in Déjà vu and Man On Fire also Johnny Depp makes a wonderful pirate. I adore him. In books, tough guy Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, the infamous Mr Darcy, Bones from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series, from Nora Roberts' Mackade brothers and cousins and of course Linda Lael Miller's McKettricks...Yum! How I do love my cowboys! Thx! Hugs, Lisa G.

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  26. There are a bunch of great alpha heroes out there... one that comes to mind is Capt. Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly... Mr. Darcy, of course, and you wrote two that were amazing: Michael and Luke from Easy on the Eyes and Odd Mom Out. Tough, tender, a sense of humour... that's the way to go!

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  27. There are so many wonderful alpha male heroes to choose from - Mr. Darcy tops my list. My most favorite alpha hero would have to be my husband. He isn't perfect but he is perfect for me!

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  28. Message from Jane Porter... She had problems logging in so I'm doing a cut & paste for her. :)


    Hi all!

    I've loved your comments and think its fantastic that so many of us like the same kind of hero!
    Seems like Mr. Darcy was a favorite with lots of you! :)

    I've drawn 3 winners....3 because 2 names stuck together when I drew them out of the hat. Hope that's cool with you all.

    Will the 3 winners below each send me a private email to jane at janeporter (dot) com and shoot me your mail address so I can get your books and goodies out in the post?

    3 winners:

    susancolebank

    modokker/Lisa B

    Laura Russell

    Thank you again for joining me here and a wonderful new blog will appear tomorrow from another talented Presents author. Do come back to check it out and I hope you'll visit me at my blog on my website as well!

    Jane
    www.janeporter.com

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