Heartthrobs and Heartbreakers

When I saw a chance to join a blog hop about heartbreakers I just couldn't resist. I mean, if you read romances you already have a favorite (or two, or three) heartthrobs or heartbreakers.  And even if we don't wish to, we fall a little bit in love with the man on the big screen or the one within the pages of a good book.  

My favorite heartthrob on the screen would be Cary Grant *sigh*.  I discovered him only after his death. AMC was running a marathon of his movies shortly after he died and I sat down to watch in the morning. I don't think I left the couch again that Sunday.  I was in love.  There isn't a Cary Grant movie I haven't loved but some I can watch over and over.  An Affair to Remember is certainly at the top of my list.  The scene of him waiting at the top of the Empire State Building, the scene where they are at the theatre, and the scene where he discovers what happened.  But, I also love Father Goose just a much.  Poor Cary, all those little girls, a prim and proper teacher and his alcohol hid in different locations.  How can you not root for this guy?  Then there is Charade or North by Northwest or I Was a Mail War Bride, or Operation Petticoat or His Girl Friday or My Favorite Wife.  Talk about a heartthrob!

Okay, I will stop now. Enough about Cary Grant.

There are a few other movie stars that make my little heart beat just a little faster but we are not here to discuss big screen heroes, but romance novel heroes.

I wanted to do this blog hop but after I signed up I didn't know which hero I wanted to portray.  I wasn't even sure I had written a heartbreaker. None of my heroes are perfect (and who wants a perfect man anyway) but had I written a heartbreaker?  

To me a heartbreaker is a handsome devil that could charm even the coldest of ladies.  He warms them with his wicked eyes, seductive tone of his voice and sensual smile.  He makes her feel like she is the most special lady on earth and then, just when he could have her, he breaks her heart.  Is he afraid of commitment or is it all a game?  If he is afraid of commitment, I love him all the more. There is just something so endearing about a hero who has been hurt and hides his pain beneath a charming exterior. If it is a game, there is a very good chance he will never redeem himself to me. 

Or, he is the perfect gentleman, handsome and looks better in knee breeches than anyone else.  He treats a lady as she deserves, charming and seductive, and women cannot help fall in love.  Yet, he is oblivious to the affect he has on women and the lady is simply crushed when he doesn't realize or acknowledge the affection she has for him.

I think most, if not all, romance heroes are heartbreakers.  Whether it is intentional or not, they are until they meet the right lady that changes everything.  And that is the beauty of a romance.

My good friend, Deb, pointed out that I had written a heartbreaker, Or at least she had seen him as one.  It is Dillon Chambers who broke Miss Emily Frasier's heart when he realized he would have to give up too much to have her.  He was the perfect gentleman for her and and Emily thought she had found her happily ever after.  Then she realized there was something far more important to Dillon and it wasn't love and he wasn't willing to give it up.  I would tell you what it was but that would ruin the story. But trust me, it is something very special.

Emily Frasier has lived as the ward of Duke Ellings since her father died when she was fifteen. She also knows that soon it will be time to leave his household and make her way on her own.  When she discovers a cottage while visiting her aunt and uncle she knows this is where she wants to live and become a teacher as her father once was.

Dillon Chambers must find a wife this Season in order to please his mother.  If she didn’t have control over something more precious than his freedom and life, he would not have made the promise to marry a lady with high connections at the end of the Season.  When he comes across Emily at his cottage and learns she is the ward of a duke, he feels his luck has finally changed. He could please his mother and settle with a lady he would actually want to have as his wife.

When the truth comes out that Emily is only a professor’s daughter, Dillon knows his parents will never approve. Will he risk everything to have her?  Will Emily do the sensible thing or risk her reputation and heart so that Dillon doesn’t destroy all he holds dear?

His Not So Sensible Miss is the third in A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time series.  Currently, the first three e-books, His Impetuous Debutante, His Contrary Bride, and Sensible are each on sale at Amazon and BN for only .99.

Another heartbreaker would be my current hero. Unfortunately his book will not be published until March, but I can't just ignore him.  Jordan Trent is a heartthorb and heartbreaker.  He has a certain reputation and if gossip is to believed, has had a number of lovers when not frequenting his favorite brothel.

Last Season Jordan was determined to become respectable and began courting Miss Audrey Montgomery.  It was a promising match and he may have even begun to fall in love.  But, when he returned to London after being gone little over a week, she is no longer speaking to him.  A year later Jordan finally learns what had made Audrey turn against him last Season and he is determined to make her his before the end of this one.

Mr. Jordan Trent, the spare, was raised to be a rake.  Not only did his father encourage his roguish ways, but insisted that Jordan do nothing except enjoy the life of women, gambling and fine brandy – the life his father had wanted.  It is a life Jordan enjoyed until he realized something, or someone, very important was missing.

Miss Audrey Montgomery had been warned to avoid rakes like Jordan Trent but fell under his spell like so many ladies before her.  She should have known better and vows to protect her heart whenever he is near. If only his kisses weren’t so delicious it would be so much easier.

A Reluctant Rake is the fifth story in my Tenacious Trents series.  One winner will be chosen from the comments on this blog to win the four previous Tenacious Trents e-books shown below: (Note: The first Trent story is a novella and included in the Scots, Spies and Salacious Lies novella compilation)

To be entered in the drawing to win these e-books, you must answer these questions:

1)  Who is your favorite big screen heartthrob or heartbreaker and why? Was it a certain role he played or is there just something about him that makes him a heartthrob?

2)  Who is your favorite heartthrob or heartbreaker in a novel?  Why is he your favorite?

If you become a follower of this blog as well as answer the questions, you will be entered to win the Tenacious Trents e-books twice.

Please leave your name and e-mail address with your answers.  The Winner will be announced on February 12th and contacted via e-mail.

Don't forget to visit all of the blogs that are part of Heartbreaker Blog Hop and have a chance to win more great prizes:

There are THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

All prizes are international except the Swag Pack

To return to the blog hop, simply click http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading!


Jane