Congratulations to the winners of Christy's giveaways:
Terry - RUN TO ME
Aly - RUN TO ME
Mary G. - NO CHANCE
Emily Stier - NO CHANCE
Please email Christy at christy@christyreece.com with your mailing address. Thanks to all of you for joining us and thanks to Christy for a great guest blog stint! Join us on March 19th for another visit with Christy!
A Certain Something
Do you fall in love with the heroes of your favorite romances? Maybe just a little? I know I do. They don’t have to be handsome or wealthy. Though many are. And they don’t have to save the heroine’s life. Though in my books, many do. But they do have to have a certain something. The something that tips me over the edge and makes me fall in love.
I’ve read thousands of romances, and with the exception of a few, I always fall for the hero. He might start off as an unsympathetic jerk, but somewhere down the road, something happens…he does something and that’s when I fall in love. That spark of goodness…perhaps his heart…is exposed and I see beneath the veneer to the good guy beneath. And that one thing isn’t necessarily a huge part of the story either nor does it touch each reader in the same way. But for me, when it happens, my heart is engaged and I fall in love.
Gabe Maddox, the hero in my upcoming release, NO CHANCE, did that. Gabe’s as gruff and tough as they come. He’s been a secondary character in three of my previous books. And honestly, I didn’t love him in any of them. He ticked me off more than once and I kept wondering just what his problem was. And then, when I had the opportunity to write his story, I realized why he acts the way he does. And now, what can I say? I love him. I fell for him early in his book. When
he and the heroine, Skylar, first meet, they’re both young and innocent. Though Gabe’s been hurt, both physically and emotionally, he’s still an idealist. Of course, he denies this, but you can see that he is. Gabe has no reason to trust anyone, much less become vulnerable enough to fall in love. But when he falls in love, I adore how he treats Skylar. He’s respectful and adoring and like any young man in love, wants intimacy. But he recognizes Skye’s innocence and wants to wait until she’s ready. Though circumstances tear them apart and Gabe becomes even tougher and gruffer, I still loved him because I knew what was in his heart. That same tenderness is still inside of him when he sees Skye again, years later.
So, what about you? When you fall in love with the heroes of your favorite romances, is it in an instant? Love at first word? Or is there usually that one certain thing that tips you over the edge? Can you name a romance where it took a while for you to love the hero, but when you did, you fell hard?
** Make sure you chime in, RomCon Readers! Christy is giving away two copies of RUN TO ME and two copies of NO CHANCE! U.S. and Canada winners only, please. That doesn't mean you international readers can't join in the conversation, though!