alpha heroes in romance novels

Please join me in welcoming, Sophie H. Morgan, author of the extremely well-written paranormal romance, ASHES.

A book I thoroughly enjoyed. You can read my review here.

Sophie is here to talk about the appeal of those sexy, shifter alpha heroes.

Shifter Appeal: Why we love an Alpha

by Sophie H. Morgan

There are two words on the blurb of a romance cover that will guarantee to hook my attention: Shifter Male.

*shiver*

And it seems I’m not the only one to fall prey (ha) to this exciting hero. If you do a browse through current romance books, probably two out of five feature a gorgeous, ripped shifter hero. So why do we love the shifter male so much? Here are my picks for why.

First and foremost, it’s got to be the alpha in him. We live in a society where a dominant man is considered a bad thing – but in a world of supernatural sexy times, a man who crowds your space, and holds your stare while he growls your name is hawt. He is masculinity personified, six feet of unshaven, wild gorgeousness. Nobody is going to stand in his way from claiming what he considers his: you.

A shifter’s loyalty cannot be matched. There’s an animal within, sharing its need to protect and possess, and if he decides you’re worth protecting, you’re more likely to find calorie-free chocolate than shake him off your tail. This animal drives him, leaving him partly wild, unabashedly sexy, and – sometimes – obsessively protective. It takes a strong heroine to stand up to him. And that is often where the best romances begin.

My last pick would have to be the hidden – or not so hidden – dark side every shifter hero carries. That animal roughness might make him irresistible, but it can also carry a heavy price. The wildness can often tip over to ruthlessness, sometimes leaving scars our hero has to battle until the right woman can tame both beast and man to help him heal them.

In ASHES, Cade, a jackal shifter, still carries a torch for his old forbidden love, Ana. When he runs into her on the scent of a rebellion leader, the flames of passion explode. Luckily my dark shifter can take a lot of heat. =)

What qualities do you like best in a shifter hero?

***

Getting to know Sophie a bit more, here’s a quick interview I did with her:

Selena: Name 3 actors that provided visual aid for your hero, Cade in ASHES.

Sophie: Oh, so many choices. I had a cross between Chris Hemsworth with dark hair, Joe Manganiello, and Jensen Ackles (LOVE HIM). Rugged, witty in the face of danger and dangerously handsome. The perfect man!

Selena: Nice visual there! What do you consider to the most valuable thing you own: when you were a child/teenager/now?

Sophie: When I was a child, the most valuable thing I owned was a china statuette of two white cats. My mum had given it to me, and I considered it a really grown up thing to own. When I was a teenager, the most valuable thing I owned was my first pet which was a rabbit I called ‘Fudge’. She hated me, but I’m stubborn. We grew a tolerance of each other. And now the most valuable thing I own is a toss-up between my old laptop which I’ve written up to 8 books on and doesn’t work anymore OR a large photograph frame with multiple photos of different Christmases with my family.

Selena: Rabbit named Fudge, love it! If you could have had one starring role in one film already made, which movie would you pick?

Sophie: I would have LOVED to have been Baby in Dirty Dancing. Learning to dance with Patrick Swayze. Oh yeah.

Selena:He was an alpha who took ballet, and had some awesome moves. Tell me something about you that is not available if we Google you?

Sophie: I have a strange craving for ice. I love to chew it even though I know it’s bad for my teeth – I’m not allowed to keep any in the freezer in case I fall off the wagon 😉

Selena: What an interesting addiction, and not having it in the freezer. Great character quirk for a book. 😉 What article of clothing most closely describes your personality?

Sophie: Is it sad if I say slippers? LOL Comfortable and cosy, warm and nice to snuggle up with and always reliable.

Selena: Not sad at all, it describes you to a T. 🙂 Based on something you’ve already done, how might you make it into the Guinness Book of World Records?

Sophie: I once ate an entire can of whipped cream on one cup of hot chocolate. And wasn’t sick. That’s worthy of a record. 🙂

Selena: You are my shero for many reasons, but that one nails it. 🙂

ASHES
Secrets can burn.
The Divided Kingdom, Book 1

BONUS – It’s on sale right now for 99 cents.

Reared from birth to rule the Phoenix territory, Ana fled her future and her past when her parents were murdered. Now she secretly leads a rebellion to stop the human ruler, Edward, from experimenting on supernaturals.

When she finds herself cornered by an assassin, she knows just what to do: Roast him and toast him. Then recognition sends blue-tipped flames licking through her veins. It’s Cade, the royal bodyguard who once rejected her youthful confession of love.

When Cade regains consciousness from the force of Ana’s punch, he’s still reeling from shock—and fury. He’d loved the princess, and for ten years he thought her dead. Though his inner jackal growls with desire for her, she is the key to completing his mission for Edward—hunt down the rebel known as Liberty.

Ana can’t believe Cade doesn’t know the truth about Edward. If she can convince him of it, his blade could turn the tide of the rebellion. But first they must get beyond their past, or the whole kingdom could go up in smoke.

Warning: Contains incendiary sex between a phoenix princess with a secret identity, and a jackal shifter who can take a lot of heat. Boys from the “hood”, a king jacked up on enhanced DNA, and killer heels. Anybody got a match?

WHISPERS
He’s no pushover. And she ain’t no fairy princess.
The Divided Kingdom, Book 2

No one would guess that Sapphy, awesome whirlwind of Maze badassness, grew up sheltered in the Fae realm. Witnessing a murder drove her into the humans’ broken cities to hide, but now she’s back, going undercover to keep history from repeating as the tournament to choose a new Fae queen dawns.

The only pebble in her shit-kicking boot is the jaw-gritting interference of Nathe Amergin, a Fae Enforcer whose solemn violet eyes set her skin to sizzle.

After the loss of his beloved sister, Nathe saved his last shred of sanity by clamping a lid on his emotions and forging a path to justice. When this frustrating, blue-eyed, my-go-or-I’ll-blow female informs him of a possible threat to the realm, his offer of support is genuine, if reluctant.

While he’s willing to work with her to protect his people, this sinful smart-ass skates perilously close to unleashing an avalanche of passion that, as the final choosing looms and whispers turn to screams, could bury them both.

Warning: Contains ear-blushing sex between a flighty Fae with a mean air jab and a grounded Elemental who makes her earth move. Add a murderous queen clinging to power, and sabotage that strikes out of thin air. Anyone got ear plugs?

About Sophie H. Morgan

Sophie H. Morgan is a paranormal romance author with a love for hot guys, sassy
heroines, and HEAs that seem impossible.

When not at the keyboard working out ways to drive her characters into each other’s arms, you can find her rambling about the English countryside with her two crazy spaniels, shopping for one more pair of shoes, or devouring yet ANOTHER romance novel with ANOTHER bag of raisin cookies.

Connect with Sophie:

Website
Facebook
Twitter

Tell us what qualities you love best about a shifter hero?

Please welcome, multi-published DENISE AGNEW author of an eclectic array of steamy romance authors as she chats about alpha male hero’s in romance novels and gives us a peek into the upcoming boxed set: Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes

Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes & A Recipe For An Alpha Hero

by Denise A. Agnew

Alpha.

Oxford Dictionary definition informal: Denoting a person who has a dominant role or position within a particular sphere.

Alpha Male.

Oxford Dictionary definition: A man tending to assume a dominant or domineering role in social or professional situations. (This particular dictionary gave an example of a use of the word as, “Most alpha males need to control the women in their lives.”)

As an author who often writes heroes in careers that tend to lean toward “alpha” that definition of alpha male made me think. After all, the last kind of hero I’m going to create is a man who feels he needs to “control” a woman. That’s a nope, nope, nope for me unless I’m talking about the bad guy.

I started thinking about the hero in my story Saved By The Marine, which is a part of Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes. Retired U.S. Marine Mike Compton isn’t a spring chicken at thirty-nine but he’s still a physically fit and capable man with aspirations to become a sheriff’s deputy in his community and continue protecting others. As I wrote the story I noticed that his beta tendencies were as heavy-duty as his alpha traits, and when I analyzed that reality it made me recognize that my heroes are always a combination of the two balancing attributes.

When I asked nine other authors to join with me in putting together a box set featuring ten military heroes, I never thought of defining a military hero as alpha…or not. In the romance novel world, however, alpha seems to have a particular connotation that can be taken either as good or bad. I’m keeping it positive and listing what I believe is a great recipe for an amazing alpha hero like the ones you’ll find in Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes which features stories from New York Times, USA Today and National Best Selling authors Sharon Hamilton, Caridad Pineiro, Toni Anderson, Karen Fenech, Kathy Kulig, Jan Springer, Lisa Hughey, Adrienne Bell, Monique Dubois and myself.

Ready? Aim. Here we go.

Recipe For A Delicious Military Alpha Hero

Ingredients:

*One male age 25 to 50 (more or less to taste).

*Physical and mental strength.

*An animal magnetism that goes beyond good looks.

*Copious amounts of an excellent sense of humor and/or a brooding and slightly less effusive way of dealing with the world.

*One or more intriguing or heady situations, preferably with danger, action, adventure and opportunities for said alpha male to show his skills.

*One occupation that involves hero in possible mayhem.

*One consuming desire to protect the heroine and others against any danger.

*A solid belief in doing the right thing, but an understanding that most of life comes in shades rather than black and white.

*A healthy chunk of can do attitude. This guy never gives up, unless it’s eventually giving in to falling in love.

*He’d never harm a woman or child and won’t tolerate anyone who does.

*He’s never verbally abusive to a woman or child and won’t tolerate anyone who is.

Directions:

Mix all these ingredients in varying amounts and combinations along with liberal doses of originality and you have the makings for a balanced military alpha male. Enjoy!

Romancing The Military Man: Ten Hot Military Heroes is on preorder now at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

You can also check Denise’s website for additional book outlets as they become available.

Official release date is September 29, but you can get your pre-order copy for 99 cents.

If you’d like an opportunity to win a Kindle Fire be sure to sign up for our release day Facebook party.

About Denise Agnew:

Denise A. Agnew is the author of over 60 novels. Denise has written paranormal, romantic comedy, contemporary, fantasy, historical, erotic romance, and romantic suspense. Archaeology and archery have crept into her work, and travels through England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales have added to a lifetime of story ideas. She lives with her husband and a Mini Schnauzer. Denise is also a paranormal investigator, Reiki Master and Certified Creativity Coach.

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