WHO IS YOUR HERO?

 

By Caroline Clemmons

When you pick up a romance, what do you expect from the hero? Let’s talk about the main components of a hero, shall we?

 First, let’s get his appearance out of the way. Do you require a thick head of hair and perfect physique before a man can be a hero in your eyes?  Does he have to be a certain height, have a particular color of eyes, and wear his hair a certain way? If he’s bald are all bets off? What if he’s a geek who wears glasses and isn’t that fit? What each of us means by “perfect” hero physically probably differs from one reader to the next. Not that I’m turned off by a handsome man, mind you, but I don’t care as much about his physical aspects as about his character.

 Here are some qualities that are necessary for a hero, at least IMO. These qualities might not exist at the first of the book, but they’d better be there by the end or I want my money back.

 [1] He has to be trustworthy. In our part of the country, you hear “His word is his bond” and “a deal with a handshake.” That means if he says it, he’ll do it and you don’t need a contract to hold him to his word. No man with that reputation would risk losing it.

[2]  Loyalty. If he’s you’re friend, you don’t have to worry about him stabbing you in the back, figuratively or literally. He will defend you to others and, as the saying goes, “have your back.” Another saying from the Southwest along this line is “ride for the brand,” and it doesn’t just mean cowboys who work on a ranch.  If he takes a man’s money for a job, he won’t cheat his employer.

 [3] Not afraid of commitment. Not just in romance, but I’m reminded of a man I once worked with—who had his doctorate and was good at his job—but who rented his apartment—the same one he’d lived in when he was a student, rented his spartan office, leased a car, had the same girlfriend for five years, and dressed an in general lived as if he were still a student. Yet, he wondered why colleagues and prospective clients often failed to treat him as a serious professional. His lifestyle was still as a grad student.

 [4] Takes a stand. This may be a part of commitment, but I list it separately. It means he won’t be a “yes” man to anyone. He is not afraid to state his opinion about a course of action, and not afraid to follow up on that opinion.

 Each of the heroes of The McClintock’s Series of historical western romances has these qualities. (At least, they do by the end of the book. Josh McClintock in McCLINTOCK’S RELUCTANT BRIDE has a struggle acquiring all of them.)

 Now most of my books are available at Audible from Amazon as well as in e-book or print. Each is also enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. The few books that are not yet in audio will be soon.

I hope you’ll read or listen to them. I truly believe you’ll enjoy the experience.

 Here’s a look at the McClintock series: Dallas McClintock and his brother-in-law Finn O’Neill are two of my favorite heroes.

THE TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE, book one -- Texas rancher Dallas McClintock has no plans to wed for several years. Right now, he’s trying to establish himself as a successful horse breeder. Severely wounded rescuing Cenora from kidnappers, Dallas is taken to her family’s wagon for care.  He is trapped into marrying Cenora, but he is not a man who goes back on his word. His wife has a silly superstition for everything, but passion-filled nights with her make up for everything—even when her wild, eccentric family drives him crazy.

Cenora Rose O’Neill knows her father somehow arranged the trap for Dallas, but she agrees to wed the handsome stranger. She’d do anything to protect her family, and she wants to save herself from the Irish Traveler bully, Tom Williams. A fine settled man like Dallas will rid himself of her soon enough, but at least she and her family will be safely away from Tom.   

 https://www.amazon.com/Texans-Irish-Bride-McClintocks-Book-ebook/dp/B008V1UG54/

 O’NEILL’S TEXAS BRIDE, book two – Finn O’Neill longs for his own horse ranch and family but thought the lofty dream beyond him. Now the opportunity has arisen to buy the fine ranch adjoining his brother-in-law’s and become a full partner in raising horses. To achieve his dream, he bargains with Grandpa McClintock and his nephew to pose as a coal miner and discover the person or persons causing disasters at the Farland Coal Mine in Lignite, Texas.

Stella Clayton has witnessed the heartbreak and tragedy of a coal miner’s life. Her family came from England to the promise of a better life only to find the same hardships. She vows she will never marry a miner. She fights to resist attraction to the handsome Finn O’Neill.

 https://www.amazon.com/ONeills-Texas-Bride-McClintocks-Book-ebook/dp/B00XM684LQ/

McCLINTOCK’S RELUCTANT BRIDE, book three – Nettie Clayton loses everything by one careless mistake—and it’s not even her own error. Her upcoming perfect job as a schoolteacher is snatched away when, after a drunken birthday party, Josh McClintock mistakenly crawls through her bedroom window. Both sets of parents refuse to listen to reason and Nettie and Josh are pressured into a marriage neither wants. Unwilling to compromise, they struggle daily with repercussions from Josh’s foolishness.

While Nettie and Josh deal with an unwanted marriage, a crazed rancher plans revenge against the McClintock family and targets Josh and Nettie. What happens when the man attacks?

 https://www.amazon.com/McClintocks-Reluctant-Bride-Book-ebook/dp/B011LGDP8U/

 DANIEL McCLINTOCK, book four – Two years ago Daniel McClintock was paralyzed from the waist down. He is deeply discouraged and wonders if he is bound to live his life an invalid. He not idle, but keeps books for the ranch and paints landscapes with the sales donated to the church. The local doctor learns of a new type of treatment developed in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Daniel can’t go there, so his family writes for a therapist trained in the new treatment to come to them.

Clara Van Hoosan entered training when she finished school at sixteen. Now, at twenty-two, she is one of the best heilgymnast in the new field of mechanotherapy. When her supervisor receives a request for someone to travel to Texas in America and help a paralytic patient, Clara is pleased to accept.

Everyone is expecting a man when Clara Van Hoosan arrives. As she and Daniel work together, they become attracted. She believes his is the normal attachment a patient feels toward a therapist and will fade once he’s healed. She tries to hide her feelings for him. Daniel knows she’s The One if only he can convince her to remain in McClintock Falls.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Daniel-McClintock-McClintocks-Book-4-ebook/dp/B079DH2YKH/

Thanks for stopping by.