The most scandalous heroine trait of all?

I was utterly shocked and quite delighted to discover that the heroine of Miranda Neville’s latest romance novel, Confessions from an Arranged Marriage ,  is politically-minded.

It seems there is an unwritten rule that mixing politics with romance is scandalous. Apparently, Ladies do not discuss such fraught and conflicting subjects. This is not at all to promote a particular political agenda. At heart, it’s really about making sure women fully participate in creating a world we want to live in.

After all, you’re going to be the author of your own life story, don’t you want a hand in creating the setting in which that story unfolds?

Now more than ever women the world over need heroines like Minerva. We need heroines that read the newspaper—and not just the gossip columns (No judgement—I read a ton of gossip mags  myself). We need heroines that understand parliamentary issues and implications (I’ll be honest–I don’t always). Most of all, the world needs women that will advocate for themselves and for those less fortunate. Above all, we need heroines that are interested  in the forces that shape our lives.

Also,  the world needs heroes that find that sexy.

In America, we can be tempted to rest on our laurels and say “oh, but look how far we’ve come.” But this amazing blog post (written by a man!) shows otherwise.

This infuriating and heartbreaking article shows how far we have yet to come.

 In Miranda’s book, the heroine is able to find an outlet for her interest and passions through an open-minded hero who will use his position to be a platform for her ideas and passions. Since the novel is set in the 19th century, that was the best option available. Since we live in the 21st century, we can do better.

For more about Miranda Neville and Minerva, check out: Miranda Answers The Heroine Questionnaire

Discuss: How much of a news junkie are you? Headline scanner? Colbert-watcher? Do you love nothing more than curling up with The Economist?