KT Grant is a novelist whose most recent release can be found in the Christmas anthology Yule Be Mine. She also writes the very popular romance blog Babbling About Books, And More. I know KT loves her some virgin hero goodness, so I asked her to kick off December with a post about them, one of the most rarefied of all Romancelandia characters. Willkommen, KB!
Nothing says romance like an awesome hero that makes a reader swoon. My favorite type of hero is a virgin one. There are far too many virgin heroines written and nearly not enough sexually inexperienced men. I really dislike a hero who is proud to admit he’s slept with too many women to count. To me, that’s the opposite of what romantic and sexy is. There’s something endearing to read about a man who stays pure, much like a woman would, where they wait for that right person to come along and be with in the elemental sense. And it’s pretty sexy when a woman can take the man by the hand and show him what he’s been missing.
Here are some recommendations for my favorite virgin or sexually inexperienced heroes in romance that I’ll never forget:
Hands down, the best romance virgin hero in all of romance is Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander. I’ve never been big on time-traveling romance, but Outlander destroyed my bias. When twenty-four year old Claire Randall travels from 1945 back to 1743 and meets the handsome, young redheaded Scotsman, Jamie, sparks don’t fly right off the bat. As Claire gets to know Jamie and visa-versa, they find a respect for one another. And then when Jamie has to marry Claire to save her life, that’s where things get hot. Claire is a married woman from the future who not only makes Jamie first time with a woman a memorable experience, but he shows her a thing or two. He takes to Claire and their love making like a duck to water and it’s smoldering, intense and fun.
The Outlaw and the Lady by Lorraine Heath is perfect for those who love Western romance. The heroine, Angela is blind and ends up kidnapped by the notorious outlaw, Lee Raven. Lee wants revenge for the people that have hurt his family and Angela is caught in the crossfire. When he realizes she’s blind, he makes sure she’s comfortable and treated with respect. Angela then learns who Lee is and one thing leads to another and when they time comes for them to act on their passion, Lee tells Angela he’s as innocent as she is. These two learn how to steam up the sheets together and it’s beautiful. Also the way Lee feeds Angela fruit in bed is beyond sexy. The Outlaw and the Lady is one of my favorite Western romances.
Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor aka Sherrilyn Kenyon hits the spot for medieval romance. The heroine, Callie is forced into marriage with Lord Sin, the black sheep of the MacAllister family. Sin has been abused and treated horribly. He has emotional and psychological scars from the abuse he’s suffered as a child. Because of this he can’t stand to be touched and has never been with a woman. It takes Callie to break down those walls he has constructed and bestow her love on him. Sin falls for Callie and allows her to not only touch his body, but his heart. Watching a tormented hero like Sin find happiness is very moving.
Colonel Jack Seward from Connie Brockway’s All Through the Night may not be a virgin, but this is a man emotional tortured and afraid of love and everything it entails. When Jack meets Anne Wilders, a widow who also happens to be the mysterious thief he hunts, their attraction for one another grows to an all-consuming obsession. Jack courts Anne gently, unaware she is his thief who makes him think naughty thoughts. And then when he catches Anne and puts two and two together, it leads to a smoldering, erotic interlude in a library where Jack gets down on his knees and uses his mouth on Anne in ways that should be illegal. A gut-wrenching, angst filled, swoontastic romance that begs for a sequel.
Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh features a deadly hero who can kill someone with a simple thought. Judd Lauren comes from a deadly race of people who have cut off all their emotions. Judd has defected, and when he meets Brenna, a woman tortured at the hands of a serial killer, the ice around his heart melts. Judd becomes interested in sex and desire all because of Brenna and only she can become his partner. And when Judd is excited or ahem, horny, he ends up breaking furniture by throwing it around the room due to his telekinesis.
These are only a few of my favorite virgin/sexually inexperience heroes. Are you a fan of these types of heroes? If so, what are some of your favorites?
Thanks, KT! All Through the Night is one of my favorite historical romances, too.
You can find out more about KT and her books online here:
Author website (http://ktgrant.com)
Book blog: Babbling about Books, and More (http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com)
Twitter: @katiebabs (https://twitter.com/#!/katiebabs)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kate.garrabrant
