Why Can’t The Women Be Billionaires Too?
Thursday, August 23, 2007Posted in: jobs for girls, random musings
You know, we constantly harp on about romance being all about fantasies etc, but somehow, when it comes to giving the heroines we read about, brilliant, exciting jobs/careers, a lot of romance authors seem to take a backward step.
If I read about one more heroine who works in a flower shop or is a struggling P.A, I’ll gnaw my own arm off.
Every other HP (that would be Harlequin Presents, not Harry Potter) that I look at has the word ‘billionaire’ in the title somewhere, and they’re usually referring to the bloke.
Why can’t the billionaire in the title be the heroine? Now wouldn’t that be a novel idea?
I sometimes get irritated by the way some authors use particular jobs to stereo-type the heroine. Case in point, how many librarians have you come across in romance books that have fun exciting lives, go out with their friends, and party like it’s 1999? Not very effing many.
Most of the librarians that I’ve come across in books, have either, never had sex, or perhaps had bad sex in the back of a car with some bloke named Bobby Joe, ten million years ago, so decided that sex wasn’t for them. Or else they go home to their cats, and the highlight of their night is when they have to water their Chrysanthemums.
Every now and then, you get the heroine who’s an accountant, or a lawyer, but more often than not, as with librarians, this just seems to be a way for the author to demonstrate how dull, boring, and over-worked she is.
Case in point, the heroine in Cindy Kirk’s When She Was Bad.
The heroine, Jenny Carman, hasn’t had sex in six years because she was too busy working her way up the ladder as an accountant in a big firm. (Does this mean that accountants don’t have sex?). When she doesn’t get the job that she’s coveted for ages, she decides to ditch her goody-two-shoes image, and act like the bad girl, slut-ho she secretly wants to be.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying the book, but I do find myself getting irritated by the implication that you can’t be an accountant and lead an exciting life.
Why can’t heroines have great jobs too? If we’re going all out on the fantasy angle, would it be asking too much to give the heroine a half interesting career, without turning her into an uptight mare, who thinks that sex was invented just to stop her from achieving her goals?
Just once, I’d love to read about a heroine who was the billionairess, without the money being inherited from her wealthy daddy. I know that in real life, it’s not that common an occurrence, but it does happen every now and then.
I’d also like to read about a heroine who’s the president of a company, rather than the personal assistant.
I’d like to see more books with the heroine as a soldier. I’ve mostly given up reading s.e.a.l/military based romantic suspense books, but I’d probably give them another go, if it was the heroine who was the soldier, not the guy.
Do you ever wish that women in romance books, were on more of an equal footing to the guys, with regards tro their financial status? Also, what jobs would you like to see heroines in romance books given?
shiloh walker
August 23
7:57 pm
Mental note.
no librarians.
I just want the heroine to not be a doormat. I don’t care what her job is so long as she isn’t boring.
but i do love a book with a good kick butt heroine.
Cara
August 23
8:35 pm
Maybe thats why I enjoyed Lara Croft. She has money and kicks butt…in bed and out!
Ann Aguirre
August 23
9:06 pm
I have a weakness for SEP heroines, which are usually struggling and slightly scatter-brained.
Matchmaking agencies, dogwalkers, caterers… I see a lot of those.
Hmm, as for what I’d like to see, I don’t know. I think I’d like to see more doctor heroines, who aren’t stashed away in the largely unseen Harlequin Medical romance line.
Or a real scientist of some kind. Not the stereotypical one who’s like the aforementioned librarian, though. And surely not one who takes the pencil off her hair, shakes it out, and pulls her glasses. Then OMG, she’s Denise Richards!
Wendy
August 23
9:26 pm
I can’t read a single “good girl who wants to be bad” plot anymore because they all turn out to be repressed librarians and I wanted to ram my head through a wall.
Seriously y’all – librarians know how to party. I know you wouldn’t think it to look at us – but trust me on this, OK?
Eve Vaughn
August 23
9:52 pm
I guess its because a lot of people are still old fashioned and cast the guy in the role as the provider. Personally as long an entertaining read, I don’t mind the down on her luck heroine.
Lynn Emery
August 23
10:30 pm
Hey Wendy- I signed at a librarian convention once in New Orleans (a few years before Katrina hit). When my time was over I went across the street to a convenience store. This tough looking guy behind the counter struck up a conversation with me and said, “I’ve never seen so many wild, drunk librarians in my life!” He just kept shaking his head in wonder. Now this was not far from the French Quarter. This guy, covered with tatoos and a been there/done that vibe is just in awe at how those gals and guys could party. Takes a lot to impress folks in NO, let alone in the dang French Quarter. We got a kick out of that as he told me a few stories 🙂
Mrs. Giggles did compliment AA romance saying the women tended not to be helpless, struggling PAs who met the “billionaire”. I thought that was nice of her to notice.
Ann Aguirre
August 23
11:17 pm
“I’d like to see more books with the heroine as a soldier. I’ve mostly given up reading s.e.a.l/military based romantic suspense books, but I’d probably give them another go, if it was the heroine who was the soldier, not the guy.”
Ditto that. I’d love to see that twist.
Kaz Augustin
August 23
11:30 pm
Why not try science-fiction romance? No accountants or lawyers here! Rulers, soldiers, cyborgs, engineers, martial artists. All capable, all female. Everybody raves about Linnea Sinclair so that might be a good place to start.
Angela
August 23
11:34 pm
Mrs. Giggles did compliment AA romance saying the women tended not to be helpless, struggling PAs who met the “billionaire”. I thought that was nice of her to notice.
I’ve noticed this too Lynn, and I’ve only been reading AA romances for a couple of months. It’s a bit refreshing and causes me to think a bit over the fact that AA contemporary romances are more or less rooted in reality in comparison non-AA contemporaries. Not to say that I wouldn’t appreciate a kooky contemporary romp or a black billionaire or archaeologist or two in AA romance, but when I just want a romance with two fairly normal protagonists I know AA romances are handy.
bettye griffin
August 23
11:51 pm
I’ve seen my fair share of cliches in romance, including 5’2″ heroines who wear high heels everywhere because they want to be taller and always end up twisting their ankle so the hero can catch them.
As an author of those reality-based romances Lynn was talking about, I’ve never been able to figure out the fantasy angle in romance. How much is acceptable (i.e., a character like Sonny Crockett from Miami Vice who drove an expensive sports car, lived on an expensive boat, and had a designer wardrobe – on an honest cop’s salary), and how much is too much?
Bettye Griffin
http://www.bettyegriffin.com
Laura Vivanco
August 23
11:56 pm
I’d also like to read about a heroine who’s the president of a company, rather than the personal assistant.
Anne McAllister has written a Harlequin Presents where the heroine is the president of the company and the hero is her CEO. It’s called The Antonides Marriage Deal.
As for librarians in romance, there’s a 1996 Master’s dissertation on the topic, by Margaret Elliott, which you can download from here.
Anonymous
August 23
11:57 pm
This tough looking guy behind the counter struck up a conversation with me and said, “I’ve never seen so many wild, drunk librarians in my life!” He just kept shaking his head in wonder.
Librarians are party animals. AND they do enjoy their kinks. Have a good friend with a MLS who introduced me to the fun social life of librarians. And this is not in a big city– population is about 60,000. I admit I cringe to think what they get up to at conventions.
Ann Bruce
August 24
12:09 am
Frankly, I don’t think HP would accept manuscripts where the heroine is on par with the hero financially and sexually…which is why I’m taking a hiatus from them until Susan Napier has another release.
As for SEP, no matter how much I want to slap sense into her heroines, I can’t stop reading them because in the end, they somehow make the heros figuratively crawl back them with hat in hand. I LOVE reading that.
And she’s funny as hell.
Ann Bruce
August 24
12:32 am
I’ve seen my fair share of cliches in romance, including 5’2″ heroines who wear high heels everywhere because they want to be taller and always end up twisting their ankle so the hero can catch them.
Um, haven’t come across this yet, but I’d be throwing this one against the wall because the author obviously doesn’t know what she’s writing about. I’m five-nothing and after years and years of high heels, I can play basketball in heels.
And I’ve given up the high heels for everyday wear because I don’t mind being small. It’s easier to be carried–or piggybacked–home.
raine
August 24
2:39 am
I recently finished a story where the heroine is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and the hero is her kept man.
So far nobody’s chomping at the bit, but we’ll see.
Angelia Sparrow
August 24
2:54 am
I have five stories where female characters are major characters. One is an assassin in an interracial marriage, living in a country that forbids such things.
One is a billionaire heiress who has turned cyber-criminal for kicks. One is a junior partner in a law firm. And one is a trucker in love with a waitress. Oh, and Once Upon a Time, Rapunzel (a witch) and Medusa (a priestess) fell in love.
I have High Chiefs of Tribal councils, lesbian Episcopalian priests and virginal senator’s daughters in the backgrounds.
And nothing makes me turn off quicker than Little Miss Helpless who has a lousy job and needs her big strong man to rescue her.
Barbara B.
August 24
2:59 am
Raine, I so want to read that story with a female CEO and her kept man. I hope it gets published
soon. I’m desperate for anything that’s different.
I love romance but I’m very tired of the regressive sex roles. I used to think it was just that the writers were so old-fashioned, but I’ve since realized that’s not the whole picture. There’s also tremendous resistance from quite a few romance readers and publishers as well against many of the kinds of romances I want to read.
Ann Aguirre
August 24
3:03 am
I’m with Barbara B.
I want to read that book like damn. I thought you meant, no readers were complaining about it, so I went to see where I could buy it. Now I figure you mean you haven’t sold it yet.
Dang. 🙁
Kat O+
August 24
5:45 am
Does this mean that accountants don’t have sex?
Some of the most sexually active people I know are accountants. You would not believe some of the stories that have come out of Christmas parties, junkets and Friday night drinks.
I’d like to see more scientists and geeks. Fun ones. (Though I reckon they’re probably out there, I just haven’t read them.)
Heather (errantdreams)
August 24
9:31 am
More computer geeks. Plenty of computer geeks made a lot of money in the dot com era, and yes, some of them were women. Besides, you’ll never believe how wild some geeks get in college if they’re at a college where there are a lot of geeks (ahh my MIT days…).
Why do we never see contractors, anyway? Women who are plumbers, carpenters, etc.?
Casee
August 24
3:24 pm
I agree and disagree. Most Harlequin’s I read that have the billionaire hero and the PA heroine (see Roxanne St. Claire’s The CEO’s Scandalous Affair), the hero may be materially rich, but they are emotionally stunted. It’s usually the heroine’s selfless actions throughout the book that make the hero a hero.
Of course this book may be the exception, but I immediately thought of it because I just read it.
I do like strong heroines, though. One that immediately comes to mind is the heroine in the new Suzanne Brockmann book. She kicked ass. Unlike other Brockmann heroines, she didn’t cross the line into ball-busting bitch that I wanted to bitch slap.
Barbara B.
August 24
5:14 pm
I’ve read most of Brockmann’s books and I’ve never noticed any ball-busting bitches. I actually LIKE heroines that are ball busters and I particularly like heroines that are bitches, but I rarely find any in romance. Now I’m curious about which heroines Casee found to be ball busters.
I guess it’s all a matter of taste.
I like a heroine that’s just as strong and alpha as the hero, if not more so.
Kay Webb Harrison
August 24
5:23 pm
Jayne Anne Krentz has many heroines who work in business as accountants and executives or who own and operate their own businesses very professionally. The heroine of Silver Linings owns and operates a very successful art gallery. The heroine of Soft Focus is the administrator of a charitable foundation. Some of Krentz’s heroines write novels; the heroine of Gentle Pirate is a company librarian. However, most of the ones I remember (without looking things up) work successfully in the business world, not as secretaries, but many as the bos; see Lettie in Perfect Partners.
Kay
Delia Carnell
August 24
9:05 pm
My heroine in TOUGHER THAN DIAMONDS at Cerridwen owns her own company. She has a lot more money than the hero. Check it out.
Monica
August 25
3:25 pm
A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford, one of my all time favs.
I like the idea that black romance writers, separated from the genre as a whole, are creating an entirely different (maybe better?) genre canon.
Maybe they’ll finally discover and read us in fifty years or so? Who knows?
Jamie Craig
August 25
11:56 pm
I agree that heroines need to have more interesting jobs. We try to shake things up a little bit, beyond the standard secretary/teacher/librarian mode. We have a heroine who is a damned good auto mechanic, and is pretty passionate about her job. We have a heroine who is a gang leader (and ultimately joins the hero as a bounty hunter). We have another one who manages a large beach resort. We have a cold case detective, who is the best in her department. In fact, all our heroines are perfectly self-sufficient and successful in their own rights.
we’ve never done a billionaire story….but now I kind of want to.
roslynholcomb
August 26
1:33 am
Two of my stories have women who are business owners. The heroine in my current work in progress is a stripper who eventually become as virologist. A couple I have planned involve a television producer and the other is a mystery writer.
I prefer characters who are more or less on equal footing. No rescue fantasies for me. I just can’t see all these downtrodden women hooking up with billionaires. Somehow I don’t think they’ll maintain their interest for very long.
BTW, if you think librarians are some party reptiles, you ought to hang out at a quilter’s convention. Downright scandalous!
Desiree Erotique
August 26
2:55 pm
Hey, Karen, just popping in with a question to you and your other visitors: How about a M/F romance where the hero is a librarian? Is there one out there? If anybody knows of one please tell.
Thanks!
Barbara B.
August 26
9:41 pm
Desiree, I know of 2 M/F romances with librarian heroes. Both can be purchased at Fictionwise. I’ve read neither but here’s the list:
Made For Each Other-Morgan Ashbury
Worth The Risk-Jamie Hill
Good luck with the search.
Desiree Erotique
August 26
11:44 pm
Hey thanks Barbara B.!
Donna
August 27
1:41 pm
This is kind of, sort of, off the topic… Has anyone watched the new cable series (I forget which cable network) Mad Men or MadMen. I caught some of it this weekend. I won’t be watching it again, I can get so angry at how women were treated in the early 60’s. This series takes place in that area. I just missed that, I started working in the 1970 when women were finally breaking free.
Susan
August 28
12:57 am
I must be reading the wrong books because in all my years of reading romance I’ve only ever come across one librarian and she turned out to be a sex kitten.
As for why no heroines are CEO’s well you do have some but if authors don’t write them HQ won’t be able to print them will they? Speaking to someone who writes for the Presents arm the London Office has more freedom than the US. So if a book is well written enough and fits in with the lines criteria there is no reason why it shouldn’t be published.
For all the complaints the HQ heroines are very popular with the target audience. HQ is a business if the business model no longer worked then they would change. They are making money hand over fist so they have no reason to change radically.