WHAT ARE YOUR HERO'S QUALITIES?

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.

I’m reminded about once when my daughter and I were headed into a store. This handsome young man in a Stetson held the door open for us. When we thanked him, he smiled politely (as opposed to leering), gave a slight bow, and said in the most adorable Southern drawl, “It was my pleasure.” What a great hero he would have made for a romance novel—if the rest of his actions matched his first impression.

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.” 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 with whom I once worked. He was in his thirties but still lived in the rented apartment he moved into for grad school, rented his office, leased a car, had the same girlfriend for five years—yet wondered why no one took him seriously as an adult. His lifestyle was still grad student. Talk about arrested development. 

[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.

Gentry McRae in the GENTRY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRID, fulfills each of the qualities listed above. You can get his story at is https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6YN6QHK in ebook, print and in KU. 

Here's the blurb:

Nothing much riles Gentry McRae. He works hard on the ranch he co-owns with his best friend, and is content with his life. He’s proud of all they’ve accomplished in the ten years since the war. That is, until his partner dies and leaves a fourth of the ranch to his mail-order bride—and wills the bride to Gentry. 

"Now just a doggone minute! I don't plan to marry for a couple of years."

Although Gentry protests, he admits a single woman can’t reside on a ranch where four men live without ruining her reputation. What’s a good man to do, except marry the woman when she arrives?

Heidi Roth has been spurned for being too plainspoken and too tall. In addition, her sister constantly makes fun of her for those reasons. That’s why—with many doubts—she’s willing to travel for months from Germany to Texas to marry a man who once lived in her town. When she arrives, she learns her prospective groom is dead, but left her a fourth of his share of a ranch. She has serious doubts, but agrees to wed Gentry to protect her reputation. Sure enough, from the next day, one event after the other happens to complicate life.

I’m sure you can think of more qualities you look for in your heroes. Tell me what they are, and which you think are most important.