. . . whose new book, Passion and Pleasure in London, is out today!

The Dark and Dangerous Bad Boy Hero. Why We Love Them.

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When I first began writing Passion and Pleasure in London, (AVON August 26, 2008) I began with a hero that had been a minor character in the previous two books in my Charmed and Dangerous series. Every time Rory Jameson appeared in a scene in those first two books, I could feel the power of this character. In addition to being hot, he cried out for his own book—demanded his own story—in that arrogant way of his that told me he needed a heroine who could teach him a thing or two about compassion and love. (Yes, my characters do talk to me. Yes, people like me were once committed to Bedlam or burned at the stake for hearing voices in their heads). But all of that aside, there is just something too irresistible about a tall, dark, and handsome bad boy hero.

Rory Jameson is a character formed by his past. The son of a disinherited future marquess, and granddaughter of a Gypsy and a Scottish duke, he has few regrets in life. As a surviving member of an elite group of men who work for the crown in various functions, he has performed the duties required of him. He follows orders well and, in this way, he has separated himself from the distasteful business of his world. His actions have been both heroic and non-heroic. I have always believed that a hero can be as bad as you can make him and still be loved if he possesses the basic quality of nobility. This one ingredient creates the endearing, memorable essence of a bad boy character, and is always the reason why the heroine will fall in love with him. Though the heroine may not at first recognize her reasons, as is the case with Winter Ashburn, in Passion and Pleasure in London, they always succumb. In Passion and Pleasure, Rory no longer just plays a hero; he becomes one to a town in need of a hero and to a heroine who would dare to love him. Transforming him from a man who thinks he needs no one to someone very much in need.

What makes a bad boy a great hero then? To further explore this, I ran a poll of sorts over on the AVON board and received back some interesting comments. For DanaAnn, one of her all time favorite “Bad Boys” is Sebastian St. Vincent from The Devil in Winter (Lisa Kleypas). “He is beautiful, charming and no matter what an a** he is, you can’t help but want to like him,” she says.

Historical Goddess replied, “Bad boys are like rare fine foods and they call to you to indulge to your hearts delight and content. They also hold all their secrets close so they make themselves a mystery to women. My all time favourite hero is Sebastian Duke of St. Ives in A Promise in a Kiss by Stephanie Laurens.”

Tal believes we like those historical bad boys and all the brooding, tall, dark, bad boys because “we all want to be taken care of, and you know those guys will do it.”

For LimaGal: Michael Edward Halboro, better known as “Saint” as in Marquis of St. Aubyn, in Suzie E’s London’s Perfect Scoundrel is her perfect bad boy hero. “I can’t think of any bad boy who even comes close to him and his wicked suggestions to Evie. He was honest, at least!”

Manuelita agrees! “St. Aubyn is the first character I always think of whenever bad boys are mentioned. I think most times bad boys are hurting because of events from their past, so they are “bad” to hide their pain. We know that all he needs is just the right woman to help ease those pains.”

For Kieta2006, she finds them “dark and sexy.”

For me, I find the dark and dangerous type the only hero I truly love to write. The hero that comes to my mind when I think of the ultimate bad boy—well two actually—comes from the heart and mind of one of my favorite authors, Penelope Williamson. Her hero, Johnny Cain, in Outsider, was the ultimate bad boy, a killer tamed by love and the faith of the heroine. Then there is McCady Trelawny in Once in a Blue Moon. McCady is the ultimate scoundrel who believes in nothing until the heroine enters his life. His true character is defined exclusively by the motivations behind his actions toward the heroine in that book, so no matter what he does, or how badly he behaves, we still love him because inside he is vulnerable and in need of love to save him.

As a historical romance reader and writer this makes the ultimate emotionally satisfying story for me to both read and write. And because I am always interested in hearing what makes the ultimate hero for a reader, I would love to read your opinion on this topic. Who are your favorite bad boy heroes and the authors who create those memorable keeper books for your shelves? Then check out mywebsite and enter my contest to win books from my Charmed and Dangerous series. Happy reading!!!