Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Romance novels heroes are normally perfect. The cliche of tall, handsome and rich is nowhere as common as in the pages of our favorite genre.

However, many authors have written the exact opposite of such an image, and still manage to create romantic, heart-stopping heroes.

Today's challenge is to list books that have heroes that are physically imperfect, either by scars, deformities or handicapped.

Have fun, ladies.

I'll start with my most favorite scarred hero.

Lover Awakened by JR Ward (Zsadist)

He has a scar running down his face from forehead to mouth that distorts the upper lip, has extensive scarring on his back and has slave bands tattoed in black around neck and wrists.

Not only is he physically scarred, he is also emotionally battered. Still, he is one of the most popular brother among the fans in Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Can I say "he is the one?" *sigh*

There's always Asher from the Anita Blake books, although I'm a bit up in the air as to whether he's a "hero" or not. I find him a bit off-putting sometimes because he's damaged to the point of whiny.

Asher - Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. (not necessarily PNR but more like UF)

As Sarah says, she is not sure if he is "hero" material or not, but I think he is striking enough to belong to this theme.

Half of his face and half of his body scarred, destroyed due to being splashed by holy water. The other undamaged half is supposed to be "angel" perfect beauty. Most striking feature is the gorgeous hair which he uses to cover up his "ugly" side.

I totally adore Asher and indeed find him to be a hero.

Oh, great topic, Yz! Unforunately, i haven't seen that many scarred heroes in PNR, for whatever reason (immortality leaves no scars, you know, LOL).

Aside from Zsadist, there's also a scarred character in Gena Showalter's Lords series, and I believe the hero in Flesh and Stone, which I just read, was scarred somewhat. I liked him, he was a very strong character, even when he was conflicted.

Rio

Midnight Rising - Lara Adrian's 4th book in the Midnight Breed series

Rio's face is badly scarred after a bomb explosion that was set by his then mate, Eva, in a trapped meant for Lucan, leader of the Breeds.

New_User....we are not limited to PNR here..but all types of romance subgenre.

The fun part is trying to remember and share if we do know one...LOL..

I love me some tortured heroes, so here goes! ;)

The hero in Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz has an old gunshot wound in the leg that forces him to walk with a cane.

The hero in Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros was blinded in battle and has a scar across his eye. Consequently, the poor boy believes he must be ugly and unloveable.

Well, for historical romance, there is Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros. Hero returns home blinded after a war. Excellent book, and his relationship with the heroine becomes more interesting as you read.

Flowers from the Storm, everyone knows. The hero has a stroke and can no longer speak, so he's secluded from society with a Quaker woman, LOL. This is on my TBR.

In Candle in the Window by Christina Dodd, the hero is blind. I love Dodd so this is of course on my TBR, and it's a fan favorite.

In Midnight Angel by Lisa Kleypas the hero loses his hand in a fire. This is not my favorite by this author, but it's a good read.

Love the input, guys. I'm trying to get back to reading other romance genre, aside from PNR, and I'm starting to take notes of recommendations.

Ethan MacCarrick
If You Deceive by Kresley Cole
(Historical Romance)

Ethan has a strip of skin peeled off his face, scarring his supposedly handsome visage. Hero in the third book of Cole's MacCarrick Brothers series. My fave book among the three.

If anybody's interested in this kind of tragic hero, I have a list somewhere that I got off the 'net that lists tragic romance heroes from different time periods. I could look up the URL again and mail it off list. After some time, though, since it wouldn't be fair to this challenge to have it posted too soon.

And Yz, I promise I'm not using it to cheat! I just really like tragic heroes.

LOL...no cheating Sarah...LOL...I would prefer posts of books that a person have actually read...or at least familiar with personally. Because aside from the answer, I'm curious about their opinion, review or recommendation, and I'm sure the others will also.

I'm sure there are many type of listings floating around...but, we are going to create our own..LOL..

I'll play it honest, Yz! I just like knowing I have that fallback list of tragedy if my TBR pile ever gets...gasp...low.

Like new_user said, one of the Lords of the Underworld in Gena Showalter's series, Lucien, had one blue eye and one brown. Yz, I know you really liked that one, but it has been my least favorite so far. I didn't really like Anya. I think I liked poor, scarred, Reyes better. I also can't wait for Paris' story. Wonder why she's dragging that one out?

Also, in either Electric Blue or Ultraviolet by Nancy Bush, the main lead guy breaks his leg and is forced to spend the novel in a beach chair by the lake. It's not strictly romance, more like romantic mystery, but he is a cutie.

LOL..How can you not like Anya?..LOL..too teenybopper for you?...I know she does talk like a silly girl?..but she was fun..

I was trying to recall if Lucien has some form of facial scarring but I wasn't so sure. I know he thinks he was not attractive. I haven't read Reyes' book yet. It's in my Feb. Challenge list.

Ken Norton

Deadly Game by Christine Feehan
Ghostwalkers series Book 5

Ken was tortured by an African military dictator by slicing him all over with cuts...his face, his body, even his privates.

He is the other part of the fabulous Norton twins, my favorite ghostwalkers twins.

I love Feehan's Ghostwalkers.

I dunno, somehow I just didn't buy into the romance between Anya and Lucien. Maybe it was her "teenybopper" attitude... I just kept thinking "when does it get to the good part" which is never a good sign. I think Lucien did have a scar, but I can't remember either.

Spoiler alert for Darkyn series....


Mr. Imperfect? Valentin from the Darkyn series had his arm chopped off by Thierry in the second book. I haven't read his love story yet, but I'm really looking forward to getting there.

*playfully attacked Sarah* How can you not like them? Although, God, it took them forever to get to the "fun" part. *giggles*

Wrath

Dark Lover by JR Ward

He is almost blind. His eyesight is weak, he can barely see, and his pupils so sensitive he has to wear dark wraparound sunglasses all the time.

He is not called "The Blind King" for nothing.

Another great book I recommend.

Nicholas Brisbane from Deanna Raybourn's Silent series. I guess you'd call it Victorian romantic suspense... anyway, Brisbane suffers from debilitating migraines caused by his ability to see the future. Not really an outward flaw, but it sure knocks him for a loop when they hit... he nearly goes mad.

I looooove this series! I have the next one on pre-order already.

Sarah,

Is this a series with a recurring heroine and hero? Just curious.

Rhys in Laurell Hamilton's Merry Gentry series lost and eye and is badly scarred from having sex with the goblins. He failed to negotiate the bodily damage he was willing to endure. Silly boy.

Jamie in Outlander has a badly scarred back from being flogged several times and a mangled hand from having all the bones broken with a wooden mallet.

Yz,

If you mean the Deanna Raybourn Silent series, then yes, the characters are recurring.

The first book is Silent in the Grave, where you meet Lady Julia just after her husband is murdered. She meet Nicholas in a mysterious way just afterward. It has a nice Victorian feel, with great characters and a great mystery. I've read it two or three times already.

The second book is Silent in the Sanctuary, taking up with Lady Julia after she solves the mystery of who murdered her husband. Nicholas is even more mysterious in this one.

The next book is Silent on the Moor, following Lady Julia as she chases after Nicholas on a new adventure. It's due to be published this spring.

I love the series so much that I own book AND audio for each book. Deanna Raybourn is a very clever and funny author, too. Her blog is a riot.

Thanks, Sarah.

They are going into my TBR list.

I just remembered another historical, The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt. The hero's face is pockmarked. I really liked that book, and the romance is spicy, although you would never guess from the otherwise circumspect tone, LOL. It came as a (pleasant) surprise. ;) The beginning of the book reminds me vaguely of Jane Eyre.

Sarah, I loved Valentin's story. Can't believe I forgot him.

Lucien is scarred I believe it was self inflicted.

One of my favorites would be The Prize by Julie Garwood. The male lead has a scar that covers his entire cheek. I've read this book 2 or 3 times over the years as I liked it so much.

As part of our Feb reading challenge, a book I picked was Her Millionaire, His Miracle, where the male lead is losing his eyesight and starting to go blind and he has to now ask for help. Havn't read this one yet. My father didn't think it was that good.

BriansGirl,

Your father reads romance novels? That is so cool.

Yz wrote: "BriansGirl,

Your father reads romance novels? That is so cool."

Yes, he does. My mother doesn't though. Dad started sometime after he retired. If they're any good, he passes them on to me when he's done with them. He only reads the serial harlequin romances that he can get at Walmart, and he sticks with the more traditional ones like Harlequin Presents, skipping the steamy desire ones. (I get Desire novels from a lady on freecycle who gives away a bag or two every year.)

Gabe Renault in Marliss Melton's "Forget Me Not" he spent a year in a North Korean prison camp. Not only can he not remember his wife and step-daughter, but he is all scared from the treatment while imprisoned.

Jess Calhoun

Predatory Game by Christine Feehan
Ghostwalkers Series #6

In a previous book, he was tortured and his legs shot. He is wheelchair-bound.

I think its my favorite Ghostwalker book. I just love Jesse and Sabre's love story.

BriansGirl wrote: "One of my favorites would be The Prize by Julie Garwood. The male lead has a scar that covers his ..."

GREAT book, GREAT author!

Phury

Lover Enshrined - JR Ward
Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 6

Shot off one of his leg while saving his twin. Currenly wears a prosthetic limb.