A few years back, there was a certain novel people couldn’t stop talking about (I won’t name the book, but it was secular, not Christian and not romance). The reviews were fantastic and everyone seemed to love it—so I decided to give it a read.
I have never been so disappointed in a book in my life. Don’t get me wrong. It was well-written. There were plot twists (oh, the plot twists!). The setting was intriguing.
BUT, I didn’t like the characters. Well, that’s an understatement. The truth is, I couldn’t stand the characters—or understand them. Not at the beginning of the book, not in the middle, and not at the end. I couldn’t see a single redeeming quality in any of them. And they didn’t grow or change or become more likable as the book went on (if anything, I liked them less the more I got to know them). Ultimately, I found myself wishing I hadn’t wasted so many hours of my life with them.
Fast forward a few years, and I received this review from Britt Reads Fiction for my book Not Until Now: “This book had my emotions all over the place! When the story started out, Cam was really a piece of work. It is hard for me to think of a main character that I have liked less than him at the beginning of a book.”
Believe it or not, I cheered when I read that! Because I realized she really got Cam. My goal was to write a character who was unlikable “at the beginning of the book.”
I think that phrase is key. Because I didn’t want to write a character who I still wouldn’t like at the end of the book. And I didn’t want readers to walk away feeling like they had wasted their time with him. I wanted them to see why he was the way he was at the beginning of the book, but also that he could change and grow and become the man God had created him to be. As the review continues: “A man began to emerge who … had a whole different set of priorities for his life than the shallow ones he started out with.”
Yes! I love to see that change in a character, especially when it’s so dramatic. Maybe that’s why even though Cam starts out unlikable, he’s one of my favorite characters!
It turns out that Cam isn’t the only unlikable character in Christian romance! Here are some other unlikable heroes and heroines from Inspy Romance books—and why you might just find yourself loving them!
Forever Family by Deb Kastner
Unlikable character: Slade McKenna
What makes him unlikable: Slade was a true alpha cowboy who decided FOR the pregnant heroine Laney that he needed to protect her and her baby.
Why you should give him a chance: He really cared. He just didn’t know how to show it and usually appeared overbearing.
Nicole by Sarah Monzon
Unlikable character: Nicole
What makes her unlikable: She’s…a bit much. Everything is a cause for her (save the planet, feed the hungry, etc.), and she doesn’t know how to relax, have fun, or let anyone around her do that without making them feel guilty about the burger they’re eating or the gas-guzzling truck they’re driving.
Why you should give her a chance: Her heart is genuine and she truly loves people and wants to help. It just doesn’t always come across that way.
Hometown Cowboy by Merrillee Whren
Unlikable character: Wyatt
What makes him unlikable: He’s surly and unkind to the nurses and aides in the nursing home.
Why you should give him a chance: He realizes he has made too many mistakes. There’s a lot to like about him by the end of the book.
An Informal Christmas by Heather Gray
Unlikable character: Rylie Durham
What makes her unlikable: Rylie is rude to the hero, Zach, who’s come to the hospital to donate toys to the Child Life department so kids in the hospital can get them. She comes across as cold, selfish, and…just generally not nice.
Why you should give her a chance: Rylie is a Child Life Specialist who works in the pediatric hematology and oncology ward. She’s had a few too many losses recently, and she’s also been dealing with families where mom and dad are falling apart and turning on each other in their worry over their ill child. Her job is hard, and it’s draining, and she’s been carrying it all on her own, forgetting to rely on God’s strength to get her through. She’ll see the error of her ways, don’t worry.
Kiss Me Like You Mean It, Cowboy by Valerie Comer
Unlikable character: Blake Cavanagh
What makes him unlikable: He’s been dating three women at once, and sees no need to settle down or grow up.
Why you should give him a chance: Blake was a lost little boy upon his parents’ divorce, his mom’s rejection, and his dad’s remarriage. Once we begin to see how his attitude is a shield to keep people from getting too close, we begin to cheer for any steps of healing.
Your turn! Do you enjoy reading about characters who start out unlikable but grow and change during the book? Or do you prefer a character who is likable from the first page? Any books you would add to this list?
Valerie M. Bodden has three great loves: Jesus, her family, and books. And chocolate (okay, four great loves). She writes emotion-filled Christian fiction that weaves real-life problems, real-life people, and real-life faith. Her characters may (okay, will) experience some heartache along the way, but true to her tendencies as a hopeless romantic, she will always give them a happy ending. Valerie is living out her happily ever after in Wisconsin with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their four children. Visit her at www.valeriembodden.com to get a free story.
Being unlikable gives the character a chance to grow and shine.
I think we are all unlikeable until Jesus redeems us and so a book that starts that way is great if the redemption of the character is some of the outcome of the story
I enjoy watching characters stretch and grow. Thank you for sharing.
Some of these books are my favorite. I love seeing an “unlikeable” character change. They’re arc is often entertaining but also deeper and more realistic imo. We’ve all been unlikeable at one point or another.
Good morning, thank you for joining us today. I like both characters. But I really enjoy watching an unlikable character become who God meant them to be.
I enjoy both kind of characters.
One of my faves is Not Falling For My Boss by Patty H Scott. It’s part of a series and he’s been shown to be a shallow player. He loves that his office manager is an excellent office manager but he sees her as a uptight pain and he likes to push her buttons, and she sees him as a Neanderthal. It’s so fun to have them see beneath their rigid conceptions of each other.
I love when we can see beneath our initial impressions and have them change.
Yes! I totally agree! That’s my favorite part of working with an unlikable character. :)
For sure! And since we all still struggle with sin in this world, I think we can all be unlikable at times even after we know our Savior (at least I know I can be, lol). I agree that the redemption of the character makes for the ultimate satisfying outcome.
Yes, that growth is such a joy to watch!
Yes! I think we all of those moments of being unlikable (probably more often than we want to admit, lol!). I think that’s why we can connect so deeply with unlikable characters.
I do like characters that start out being unlikeable and become likeable. I’ll admit, there’s a couple of characters that I don’t want to see redeemed, too!! Everyone in real life doesn’t accept Christ, and some of the ones in books (to me) don’t need to, either, to make it more “real” in books, as long as it’s NOT the hero or heroine!!
Oh, I agree! Characters we can like and root for from the first page are great too. But there’s just something so compelling about watching an unlikable character transform as they grow in faith and learn to be the person God created them to be.
That’s the great thing about fiction! There are so many kinds of characters, and they all have their place. :)
That sounds like a great setup for conflict! And I love that both the characters and the readers have to change their initial impressions. Seeing that change is so fun.
That’s a good point, Trudy. There are plenty of people who reject Christ in real life, so a story that makes it seem like everyone is Christian by the end of the book may not seem as realistic (I suppose depending on the scope of the book/how many characters there are). But I agree that it would have to be side characters, not the hero or heroine!
It’s definitely about the journey, and I love when they have such a big, restorative arc throughout the book! I can’t think of any others to add off the top of my head, but I have a couple of the ones you’ve mentioned on my TBR list, so now I’m (low-key) looking forward to reading them.
I like both
I’ve actually told one author that I dislike a character in her series, and she asked if I wanted him redeemed, and I told her no, I don’t, I just want him killed off still in his bad state, and that part of the reason is because everyone in real life isn’t redeemed, and as bad as he is, I want him to be the one in the book that doesn’t. His not the hero, and I don’t want him to have a book where he is the hero, he’s that bad!
Hi, yes, I like book characters that aren’t so very nice and they change for the better. I get to know them in a book and I get to find out the reason they are how they are, but I always love it when they change and become a better person. Have a great rest of the week and stay safe.
Oh yay! I’m always happy to add to someone’s TBR. ;) I agree–unlikable characters can have such a big arc, and it’s so rewarding to root for them as they go through that change and come out the other side.
That’s great to hear! :)
Getting to know the characters is the best part of a book, in my opinion! I agree with you that it’s fun both to learn why they are the way they are and also to watch them change.
I can understand that–it’s probably more true to life that way. But the author in me says but, but, but…maybe he has a good story too, lol. :)
I enjoy reading both types of characters.
Same here. :) Thanks for sharing!
depends how it’s written
I do enjoy reading about characters who start out unlikable especially when I know the author is going to redeem them at the end. I don’t like when characters don’t change, grow or have any redeemable qualities. That’s just unrealistic to me & is irritating to me as a reader. I’ve never found that in Christian fiction thankfully! To me, it makes the characters more realistic when they are flawed but know they need to change & then do as the story progresses. There’s always reasons why they are the way they are at first, peeling away those layers surely makes them more human :-)
I have read (very) few books where I still really didn’t like the character, but rarely does it happen. Maybe because they have a personality that just grates on me or something. That’s certainly not because of the writer, that’s just me :-)
I can’t really come up with any books to add to this list & I’ve read some of the ones you listed here. Thanks for a great post today, Valerie! I love talking about characters.
I like books that the character starts off unlikeable & then becomes likeable.
I enjoy both types of books for sure
I read a series once it was Historical but I really disliked one of the secondary characters in fact if he had perished I would have cheered but by the end of the first book there were glimpses of hope and you could see why he was like he was. Book two he continued to do bad things but was changing and by book three you really wanted him to succeed. It may have been different if we didn’t have his story and him admitting all he had done and becoming a Christian and even then still struggling. When it happens and you see the change its good.
I recently read a book and I disliked the heroine to start. She was spoilt, entitled and a real jerk but then a couple things happen and we saw a different side of her (helped her father cut her off) and we found out why she was like this. By the end I was happy for her.
Good point!
That peeling back the layers of a character is the best part, to me, both as a writer and as a reader. But I agree, if there are no layers to peel back–or if the character just refuses to grow or change–it’s irritating and frustrating. I haven’t seen this problem in Christian fiction either, probably because so much of the focus of the story is a character’s change and growth, not only in their life but also in their faith. Which is just such an amazing journey to watch!
Yay! Another point for the unlikable character who changes and grows. :)
They can both make for such rewarding stories!
I love when an author can bring us on that journey from wishing something bad would happen to a character to starting to understand them and then rooting for them and cheering for their happy ending. I think a big part of it is seeing their backstory and what makes them the way they are, as well as getting an inside view of the change they go through. And that all makes it more realistic too. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Val! I like characters who are nice from the beginning but I love to watch a writer show how God can take even the most unlikely & unlikable person and change them into someone we can all love! I think things like that are one of the best ways for the unsaved to see how God can love and change anyone, no matter what they are like before. I also agree with the fact that when a person is acting in any undesirable way there is often an underlying reason for it. We need to be careful not to judge anyone too quickly but maybe instead try to be kind and friendly and maybe God will use you to be a witness or help to them. I love seeing an author remind us of these things!
Hi Deb! Yes! I love your point about not judging too quickly but taking the chance of being kind to even those who are unlikable, knowing that there may be a reason behind the way they are, both in real life and in fiction. :) And I agree that the redemption arc really shows how God’s love is for everyone and there is no one whose heart God can’t change!
Actually, I like both 😁
Me too! It might get old if all characters were unlikable (or likable, for that matter)! :)