There’s been a lot of talk on Inspy Romance about swoon-worthy heroes. A good romance novel depends on a hero that the reader can fall for. Sure, she knows he’s fictional! But she can imagine falling in love with a guy like that, and she can definitely see why the heroine will do so. Being as she (the reader) can’t get the guy, she’s thrilled to see him on one knee, popping the magic question to her new BFF at the end of the book.
But what about the heroine? As a reader, how much do we identify with her? There’s little worse than having a to-die-for hero and finding him fall for a woman we can’t stand. If we are going to share our (new) favorite guy with someone else, she better be worthy!
Anyone with me here? Ever tossed a romance novel aside, unfinished, because you didn’t think the girl deserved to get the guy? Yeah, me, too.
Our heroine should be a loyal friend. She should be nice, but not a pansy. She should be pretty, but not so gorgeous or perfect we’d hate her on principle. She should be tough enough to face down the hero at his worst, yet gentle enough to cradle a sick infant. She should have opinions, but not be a jerk about forcing them on others.
Josephine Shaw is the heroine of my first Farm Fresh Romance novel, Raspberries and Vinegar. She’s a passionate environmentalist and new farmer, absolutely convinced that her way is the best way, and everyone else should simply agree. Do you know anyone with that personality?
Jo might not have been the best choice for a debut novel. One reviewer (my only 3-star) said, “We would not have been friends, despite our shared ideals.”
Ouch! Others “got” her a bit more:
“This book is about Jo. She is one frustrating young woman. She is the type that knows everything and is determined to make sure that you do it her way. So many times I wanted to just tell her to get real and listen to what people are telling her.”
“Jo is so passionate about treading lightly on the planet that she tends to do just the opposite with people, coming across as overbearing and pushy in her zeal to convince others to live as healthily and thoughtfully as she does.”
I could easily give you a dozen similar quotes from 4 and 5-star reviews. To me, that means that while readers found Jo frustrating at first, they understood why she was the way she was and found something in her to identify with, at least enough that they kept reading. Maybe in hopes she’d improve!
One reviewer said it this way:
“Valerie manages to take a fanatical character and teach Jo there’s more to life than her goals, while also giving her reason to consider whether brow-beating is the best approach to teach better caretaking.”
Here’s a short snippet from the second chapter. What do you think?
Jo straightened her back, pasted on a smile, and consulted her clipboard. Ellie, at the desk, had informed her the resident of Room 224 lived in the present, at least some days. She tapped the door lightly and nudged it open. “Hello, Mrs. Humbert?”
An old woman, white hair floating around her face like a halo, sat in her wheelchair by a small table. A man swiveled at the intrusion from his seat facing the window.
Jo caught her breath. Zach?
“Please come in, my dear.” The old lady peered at her through rheumy eyes. “Do I know you?”
Jo closed the space. She could block Zach from her thoughts. This was her job. She took the soft white hand in hers. “I’m Josephine Shaw, the facility’s new nutritionist, and I’m here to talk to you about food.”
Zach chuckled. “Be careful, Grandma. She’ll toss your stash of candies in the garbage.”
Thanks a lot, buster. Jo shot a glare at Zach. Just her luck he felt the need to interfere on his grandmother’s behalf.
Jo turned her back on him and tried for a light tone. “Unless you have any fair-trade organic dark chocolate in there. That stuff is hard for me to resist.”
Mrs. Humbert’s poufy hair shimmered as she shook her head. “Now that’s something I don’t have, but John can pick some up for us if you like.” She patted Jo’s hand. “Then I can bribe you to be nice to me.”
John? Jo shot a questioning look at Zach, but he just lifted a shoulder and shook his head. She squeezed the old lady’s hand. “I don’t need bribing.” Not with anyone who needed help, and the fact that this was Zach’s grandmother clinched the deal. “It’s my job to make sure you’re getting the best possible nutrition, though, so let’s keep those empty calorie snacks at a minimum, shall we?”
Zach laughed.
If it hadn’t been directed at her, Jo might have enjoyed the deep, full sound. But no. It was at her expense. She gritted her teeth and swiveled to face him. “May I ask what’s so funny?”
He waved a hand. “Really, does it matter? Why make big changes? Let these folks enjoy the remainder of their days and eat what they like. It’s not like a diet change is going to make that much of a difference.”
She narrowed her eyes. “It’s my job. I’ve been hired to improve the menu.”
Zach leaned back in the chair and ran his gaze down and up her. Not, sadly, in a romantic way. More like an intimidation attempt.
Sweet like Raspberries. Tart like Vinegar.
Josephine Shaw: complex, yet singleminded. A tiny woman with big ideas and, some would say, a mouth to match. But what does she really know about sustainable living as it relates to the real world? After all, she and her two friends are new to farming.
Zachary Nemesek is back only until his dad recovers enough to work his own land again. When Zach discovers three helpless females have taken up residence at the old farm next door, he expects trouble. But a mouse invasion proves Jo has everything under control. Is there anything she can’t handle? And surely there’s something sweet beneath all that tart.
Would you like the chance to encounter Jo and Zach for yourself? Tell me about a favorite romance heroine and why you like her—or one you disliked, and why! I’ll draw one name to win a digital copy of Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance, your choice of Kindle or ePub file.
Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
My favorite type of heroine is tough on the outside and sweet on the inside, longing for love, but believing there’s no hope for her.
Is that the kind of woman you enjoy hanging around with in real life, as well?
Well, Val, one thing is sure – if you were trying to create ’emotion’ in your books, it seems you did it very well :-) And you’re so right about pairing the hero & heroine well. It’s a tough balance. I like heroines who go above their perceived weaknesses.
Oh my…and I think you just inspired by next blog post ;-)
You made some GREAT points, Valerie. With a recent book I finished writing, I really struggled to show my heroine being less passive — she’s not the spunky, sassy type — and it was hard to show her gentleness and nurturing side without her appearing “weak.” I tried to show her pitching in and helping people, no matter what came her way. I hope I succeeded — we’ll see what the readers think. Because for me, her helpful, nurturing spirit was my favorite thing about her. *I* wish I could be more like that. :)
Yay for inspiring emotion. Isn’t that what a good book is all about? ;) And yay for inspiring a blog post. Can’t wait to see what comes from the spark.
Each heroine is so different, or at least they should be! Sometimes it’s hard to get (believably) into the skin of someone very different from ourselves.
She sounds like she is passionate about her job, what she believes, but still has to learn that sometimes the best way to convince people is by using grace! I discovered this as a doula. I am passionate about natural birth, but also have had to accept that not everyone is. Also, not everyone likes to be beaten over the head with whenever they turn around!
But by using some listening skills and tossing in some education when they want it or ask for it, goes over much better!
Listening skills — definitely something Jo needed to learn!
Hi Valerie,
I really liked Jo. We all have our buttons to push, and hers were just easy to find. It’s good to see somebody so passionate about an excellent cause.
As for other heroines, another Jo annoyed me, and it was Jo Bhaer. She started off great in ‘Little Women’ and ‘Good Wives’ but once she and her husband started their boys’ school, she turned into this know-it-all who never did a thing wrong, always knew where others were falling short, and let them know in pages of lectures filled with scripture references and other preachy ways of nagging. Yet the boys all adored her. Sometimes, I think L.M. Alcott should have stopped with the first two books in that series.
Since I already own a digital copy of ‘Raspberries and Vinegar’ there’s no need to include me in the draw.
You’ve got us thinking about what type of heroines should match the ‘swoon-worthy’ heroes we love so much.
Thank you for living Jo! And yes, back in the “old days” they got away with much preachier books. I’m glad that’s changed.
That would be LOVING Jo…
Valerie, I haven’t yet had a chance to read Raspberries and Vinegar since I won it at your celebration e-party, but I’ll have to push it up on my TBR list after reading that little excerpt. Jo sounds fiesty, and I like that in the heroines of stories.
If my name is chose, please choose again. I already have R&V on Kindle. Thanks!
Blessings,
Andrea
Proofreader/Writer
writingtoinspire.blogspot.com
Glad to help Jo and Zach bump up in the TBR :)