Comments on: Romance Readers And The Sexually Assertive Heroine…

By: Michele Lee

Michele Lee — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:55:22 +0000

My only problem is when sexual assertive characters (male or female) have no respect for limits. Yes, this is likely because of past RL experiences with a woman who commonly tried to break my husband and I up through accusations and manipulations. But in that case the sexual assertiveness wasn’t out of confidence, but covering up for a lack of confidence. Not exactly something I want to pay re-experience, even through fiction.

By: Kimber An

Kimber An — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:31:04 +0000

I take each Heroine on an individual basis.

In my observation, Kick-Butt Heroines can be Too Stupid To Live just as much as the Mary Sues. What I really want is originality and the author to make the Heroine believable. She can do that with an assertive heroine or a reserved one, makes no difference to me.

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:57:00 +0000

Damn, I messed up on the block quote work.

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:51:10 +0000

I love assertive heroines, ones who know themselves, accept who they are, and go for it. It’s not often I come across them though.

It doesn’t matter to me either way whether or not the heroine is assertive sexually, just as long as she isn’t dumb and playing too many head games. It’s been years since I attempted to identify with a heroine. I simply either enjoy the story or not. However, I do love reading about stranger sex in books…it’s hawt!

As an aside, everybody loved Samantha in Sex and The City, but would we have felt the same way, if we’d met her in real life?

I have girlfriends like her and I’ve always gotten a vicarious thrill out of their confidence and adventerousness. I love hearing their stories, some of which are outrageous. While I’ve never been that free and easy, a part of me has always wished I was.

By: Karen Scott

Karen Scott — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:14:03 +0000

I don’t send hate mail if an author writes something I don’t like. I just buy something else. I mean, c’mon. It’s a BOOK. It’s not like you have to buy a new car when you don’t like the first one anymore.

Hi Jennie, who’s this comment aimed at, because it seems a little out of left-field, and doesn’t seem to have much bearing on the actual discussion.

By: Jennie Bean

Jennie Bean — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:04:23 +0000

I doubt seriously if any author sits around and thinks “I wonder if Jennie approves of what I’m writing”

I don’t send hate mail if an author writes something I don’t like. I just buy something else. I mean, c’mon. It’s a BOOK. It’s not like you have to buy a new car when you don’t like the first one anymore.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:36:15 +0000

I have no problem at all with an assertive heroine – sexually or in attitude.

I do have a huge problem with the types who roll over so that the “hero” has a clean spot in which to kick her again.

Roslyn – I think your book with the stripper is one that I’ve looked at several times when fantasising about buying new ebooks. The blurb was very interesting and I liked the premise, and I certainly didn’t have a problem with the woman being a stripper.

By: EC Sheedy

EC Sheedy — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:50:18 +0000

I like confident heroines, with a sense of humor about themselves and the men they go to bed with. It’s about emotional courage more than anything, I think.

Assertive heroines are good, too, but too often they veer off into selfishness and downright bitchery. Not my cuppa in real life or in books.

By: Jill Sorenson

Jill Sorenson — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:48:59 +0000

I love sexually aggressive heroines. Nothing wrong with a woman who knows what she wants, asks for it, and gets it. But I don’t mind virgin heroines, either.

I think romance readers want to be able to relate to characters, and connect with them on an emotional level. Most women aren’t like Samantha–rich and gorgeous and wildly promiscuous. Aren’t most women more like Mary Sue? I know I am.

I don’t see bikini girl as an emblem of female empowerment, sorry. She couldn’t sing. It had nothing to do with her appearance. The bikini was a bad gimmick that dazzled the male judges for about a second.

By: willaful

willaful — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:54:51 +0000

I confess, I disliked Samantha tremendously and I dislike most aggressive heroines in romances. I don’t get mad at authors for writing them or anything, they just don’t generally appeal to me. With some exceptions – Tracy in Brockmann’s latest worked for me.