I've heard this rumour that behind every great man there is a great woman. In romance this isn't a rumour it's a fact. So let's have a look at what makes a great heroine.
Definition: a heroine is admired for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
A sense of humour: How else is she going to put up with the games that the hero will put her through?
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| curtesy of Giphy.com |
A sense of her own fallibility: She will mistakes. sometimes they will be little faux pas and other times they could almost be catastrophic. However, if she is the kind of heroine we can get behind she has to be able to admit she was wrong.
A sense of caring and or nuturing: Of course she needs to be someone who cares about others, often before herself. Someone who can care for the hero even when he is being a bit of a goose. She will inately know he is worth the effort.
A sense of passion: Passion for life, causes, family and, well, the hero - that's a given.
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| Curtesy of Giphy.com |
A sense of cleverness: I mean who wants a heroine that is TSTL (Too silly to live). She has to be able to go head to head with the hero, even trump him now and then. She will often have her own dreams, plans and plots and that is what will keep the hero and the reader interested in her.
What do you look for in a great romance heroine?
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Hi Cassandra. Absolutely, heroines are important in romance novels. Just as the hero has to be worthy of the heroine, so the heroine has to be worthy of the hero and if she has the qualities you mention, well, wow, I'm there with her hoping she gets the guy! I also love heroines who are willing to sacrifice their hearts/lives/freedom (i.e. be willing to do what they can)if that's what they must do for the hero to know just how much the heroine loves him.
ReplyDeleteYes there is a big difference between saying I love you and showing by actions that you love someone. You really need to do both.
DeleteHi Cassandra, I love all these qualities in a heroine. I also want her to be *nice*, which is a very underrated heroic quality for some these days. I want her to be genuinely nice to the people around her, including the ones that people often don't notice, like waiters, doormen, shop assistants, the little old lady next door, etc. Everyone matters.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem like a big ask does it? A simple thank you to the waiter isn't hard. It should happen in real life too.
DeleteSo true Miranda.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cassandra for a great reminder of the qualities a heroine needs to have if we want our readers to fall in love with her (and who doesn't want that??).
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Marilyn.
DeleteHi Cassandra, thanks for a fabulous article. I think a true heroine doesn’t need a hero to complete her life, but life is better for both hero and heroine when they are together.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great point Sharon.
DeleteI completely agree with you, Sharon. We need to be strong as women in our own right but it's definitely nice to have a hero we can lean on for support and who will enrich our lives!!
DeleteWonderful article, I really appreciate your article.
ReplyDeleteAlways love your articles, Cassandra. Thank you!
ReplyDelete