Alpha Heroes & Spitfire Heroines discussion
All about Alphas/Gammas/Ubers
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Fave alpha heroes--list 'em!
All of Lora Leigh's HeroesForbidden by Susan Johnson Etienne
Jude's Law by Lori Foster Jude
Barely Mistaken by Jennifer La Brecque
Daring in the Dark by Jennifer La Brecque
Tiger's Eye by Karen Robards
Rent-a-stud by Lynn La Fleur
Fetish and Bitten by Sherri L King
Waiting for it By Rhyannon Byrd
Just Desserts by Lyn Cash
The Portrait by Megan Chance
While Passion Sleeps by Shirlee Busbee
Decieve not my heart by Shirlee Busbee
Most of Anne Stuarts Heroes
Loving Julia By Karen Robards
Angel by Johanna Lindsay
To trust a wolf by Kate Steele
Light and Shadow by Candace Camp
Ms. May by Madison Hayes
A tall dark cowboy by MacKenzie McCade
Mouth to mouth by Erin McCarthy
Tempt me, touch me, taste me by Bella Andre
and THOUSANDS more I am sure...lol
I love Lisa Marie Rice's alpha heroes--so dominant yet so protective:Midnight Man
Midnight Run
Midnight Angel
Woman on the Run
Dangerous Lover
also Shannon McKenna's McCloud brothers:
Connor, in Standing in the Shadows
Davey, in Out of Control
Sean, in Edge of Midnight, and their friend
Seth, in Behind Closed Doors
Mod
I read Leigh's DANGEROUS GAMES and I hated Clint! He's the kind of neanderthal alpha that bugs me :(
Auntee I'll have to check out Lisa Marie Rice--I've never read her. I did read BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and I didn't like that one either. Seth was psycho and the heroine was TSTL. Don't know if I'll try the others in the series, though a lot of people do recommend it.
Hmmm, lot of titles here I need to put on my to-read list. My favorite alphas have to be the ones coming out of Karen Moning's imagination. I have a full-blown yen for Dageus from "The Dark Highlander." And his twin brother Drustan is pretty cool too. Not to mention the leading man from the Fever series. What the heck is he, anyway?:)Julie Garwood's also produced some fine alphas -- Brodick from "Ransom" comes to mind. I also like reading Christine Feehan's Dark series because her heroes are so over the top all the time. The plots can be a stretch sometimes, but she is writing paranormals so I don't mind.
I've also read Linda Howard's "Son of the Morning" to tatters because I love the interplay between Black Niall and Grace so much. Now he's an alpha.
It looks as if the best ones have already been covered. =)Under Sandra Hill, I'd like to add Raoul - CAJUN COWBOY. And, of course, I agree with Daisiemae on Lora Leigh's characters.
Sorry Auntee, but I sort of liked Clint in DANGEROUS GAMES. He was a jerk, but alpha to the core. I think there were good reasons behind his "jerkiness" and he redeemed himself in the end after he worked through his past issues. =)
Oh! One of my favorite alphas in historical romance would have to be Sebastian in DEVIL IN WINTER (Lisa Kleypas). He was a bad boy to the core, but protective and sweet with the heroine.
Many of my favorites have been listed. I'd like to add: Elizabeth Vaughan's, main male character was Kier, in her Chronicles of the Warlands series.
p.s. Wolf and the Dove was one of my favorites, too. LOL
No No Tammy, that wasn't me who didn't like Clint in "Dangerous Games" (I think it was Eastofoz who didn't like him). A bit overbearing at times, but I don't mind that in my alphas, as long as they redeem themselves later! :D
Oops! Sorry. I should have gone back to re-read the thread. It is really a pain in the you-know-what to read updates on this website while I'm at work. Everyone always needs something, the phone is ringing, the clients are stopping by. Apparently they just don't understand how important my personal life is! = )~
:-) Tammy! That can be a real nuisance, huh. LOL LOL LOL
No problem, Tammy. I hate it too when work gets in the way... :)
OK,So far I'm in agreement with all y'all. But I just need to add:
Darius, Traed, Rejar, and all the Familiars and Charl Knights from Dara Joy's series. I hated the whole author/publisher crap that kept any new books in this series from release, but hopefully now that it's over with, I'll get my fix within the year!!
And I must also add Stephanie Laurens early Cynster guys:
Devil, Scandal, Demon, etc, etc
OMG...I need a cigarette.......
Julie
It's not strictly romance but I've always liked Stephanie Plum and Morelli/Ranger in Janet Evanovich's series. I haven't read any of her more recent books, but how come Stephanie gets TWO sexy guys in her life? Lucky girl. =)
REJAR!!! How could I have forgotten him...dang he was soooo sexy...whew! I hated the heroine though...I thought he deserved so much better.
I cannot believe you guys haven't mentioned Roarke. He is THE ONE for me.
I totally spaced Roarke — I must have subconsciously shelved him with mysteries. He's certainly well worth the mention, along with Morelli and Ranger. New releases for In Death and Plum are books I look forward to every year.And I forgot to mention Suzanne Brockmann's SEALS, especially from her early novels. Frisco is one of my favorites.
Oh yeah, totally love the SEALS--Frisco is definitely one of the good ones!! ;)
Mod
Is Roarke the guy from the In Death series? I can just imagine the looks of shock--she doesn't know Roarke OMG! LOL! He always comes up when good heroes are mentioned but I haven't given him a try --yet ;)
Kathrynn I didn't like Kier--the guy never spoke! Too "internal". I only read WARPRIZE and I just hated the story because there was hardly any romance in it. Maybe the other ones are better. They're at the bottom of the TBR pile.
Roarke from Shannon by Kathleen Woodiwiss?
Kathrynn, I think you mean Ruark(e)? from "Shanna" by Kathleen Woodiwiss. That is one of my all time favorites--I think that book got me hooked!They're talking about Roarke, the hero of J.D. Robb's 'In Death' series (which I hope to get to one of these days!) There's just so many books in this series, I'm afraid that if I start now, I'll want to read them all (I get like that) and I don't have enough of them in my posession yet! Apparently this Roarke is one of the all-time-favorite romantic heroes! A lot has been written about him--especially on the Amazon boards! They've got me intrigued--I've got to see what all the fuss is about!
Mod
Awe, thank you Auntee! I haven't read any of J.D. Robb's books. Isn't that Nora Roberts under another pen name?
"If you Deceive" by Kresley Cole: Ethan MacCarrickThat one had me grabbing the kleenex box.
J.D. Robb is Nora Roberts doing a mystery series set in future New York. And boy was she on to something when she dreamed up Roarke -- Black hair, blue eyes and as Irish as the mother country. He also happens to be the richest man on the planet, a distinction he earned the hard and slightly shady way. So of course he hooks up with a cop, Eve Dallas. They're both damaged people coming together in an irresistible and inevitable way. The supporting cast of characters is fabulous. For those what want to give Roarke a chance, Naked in Death is the first in the series. But you have to read Glory in Death, the second book, because that's when things really heat up. I haven't read a lot of Nora Roberts, but I never miss any of these books.
Mod
Kathrynn I read Cole's IF YOU DARE and I didn't like it. Too much sex for no reason with a harpy of a heroine I thought. I have the other 2 books on my TBR pile and I loved her IAD series so I'm intrigued now that you say that IF YOU DECEIVE is worthy of the kleenex box! Hmmmm.... :)
The In Death books are mysteries built on the unfolding relationship between Roarke and Eve, so I suppose Roberts has combined genres. There is minimal fantasy outside the futuristic setting and trappings that go with that. The stories are gritty and have sharp edges that romances normally don't -- Eve and Roarke both experienced terrible abuse as children and the plots can be gruesome.In Death is definitely character-driven and it's fascinating to see Eve and Roarke struggle with trust, change and trying to find a way to fit into each other's lives. The books take you deeper into who they are. We get to see Roarke's journey from a child of the Dublin streets to international mogul. We learn why Eve could have never been anything but a cop. And we get to know the supporting cast better and better. Peabody, Eve's partner, is my favorite. Summerset, Roarke's butler/guardian, is great as well. And to borrow from Mavis, Eve's best friend, well, Mavis is the ult!
Hope that helps, Eastofoz. Be careful though. These books can be addictive. I once read seven in one week (sheepish grin).
And as a postscript, how could I have forgotten my favorite among the "big, strong red-headed men" category -- Jamie from Outlander.
Inky, thank you for the info. I read a few Nora Roberts books and I found them okay, but not great. I see J.D. Robb everywhere I go, now.
Eastofoz,Book #3 was the best in that trilogy, I thought.
Don't want to spoil 'em for ya, since you have them already...
Okay Inky, you convinced ME now! I'm going to the used book store today and I'm going to be on a serious hunt for all the 'In Death' books I can find! I do have the first one and a few of the later ones, but I wanted to read them in order--I imagine that's best, huh? I'm just afraid once I start, I won't want to stop!! :D
Inky Ditto on Brodick from RansomKathrynn and Auntee Do read at least the first two of the In Death series and let us know. Roarke is my all time favourite male character but he's way too sensitive to Eve's feelings to be a true alpha but he's not a beta either.He's just unique!!!
If I may add to the list:
Dominic from Elizabeth Lowell's Untamed
Wrath from J.R.Ward's BDB series
Rule from Eileen Wilks' Tempting Danger
(I have a thing for the paranormals *blush*)
East of Oz,Dara Joy does write sci-fi/fantasy romance edging towards romantica, but if you enjoy hot romance with a new/interesting world/s, I think you would probably really enjoy her stuff. She was one of my first ever "must buy" authors! The cool series and way hunky heroes goes thus:
1 - Lorgin from "Knight of a Trillion Stars" (dude from another planet hears his mate call and pops up on Earth to get her (the heroine and hero go to a sci/fi convention and it's a scream!) before carting her back to his home planet
2 - Rejar from "Rejar" (he's from the future, but falls into Victorian times and finds his gal before toting her back to the future; at one point he muses about how horrible it would be if he ended up on a planet that required chastity, and remember we're talking Victorian England!)
3 - Gian Ren from "Mine to Take" HOT HOT HOT (she needs to escape from her evil uncle who plans to force her to marry him and become king/emperor. She decides to evade the issue by losing her virginity and decides to use the prisoner. Gian realizes she is his mate and grabs her and they both trek across a coupla worlds to get back to his home planet)
****This is where the series was delayed by a battle between her and her publisher. I recently read that the lawsuit has been settled and she will be releasing new books in this series soon. I, for one, can't wait!!
She also has a couple of other books that I truly enjoyed like "High Energy" and "High Intensity" about an uber-hot physicist (now who woulda thought about that for a hero?) and his lady. \
Julie
Mod
Inky: I'm sold! I've ordered the first IN DEATH book--we'll see what happens :) I read the ICE books and Ward's BDB books back to back too--well I was waiting for some to arrive and as soon as they did I devoured them. I should probably ask: is there some sex in the series? I hate books without :( I like nitty gritty too so it sounds good :)
Julie: I'm going to give Dara Joy a shot. Books sounds good. Thanks for the info :)
Hmmm, a bit nervous now. I really hope you all enjoy In Death and Roarke as much as I do. I'd hate to be banned from the group!Kathrynn, I agree with you on Nora Roberts. I'm not sure I would have picked up In Death if I'd known she was the author. But the first In Deaths were released strictly as J.D. Robb, with no author photo to give her away. I was well and truly hooked by the time Roberts stepped forward.
I hope you enjoy the books Auntee:) And if you can't stop reading them, don't feel bad. You're in good company.
Stamatia, don't you love the part of Ransom where Brodick helps the heroine conquer her fear of heights on horseback? And good God, what a wedding...
I have to disagree about Roarke not being an alpha. There's a scene in one of the books where he totally dominates Eve because she can't do something that she has to do. I was reaching for tissue and I don't do that too incredibly often.
(By the way, I have a thing for paranormals too.)
Eastofoz, you can count on In Death to deliver some intense sex because that seems to be what Roarke and Eve enjoy the most, especially in the early books. Not sure how it compares to the ICE books (which I'm now going to look for). And I also love BDB - Rhage's story is the one I keep rereading.
I'm also not familiar with Dara Joy, but now I'm curious. Three cheers for google!
Okay, now you're making it worse, Inky, with those comments about Eve and Roarke! I want to read them NOW! I've got the fist two lined up, and about 5 or 6 from later on in the series. I have a feeling I'm going to be running to the book store after I finish the first two!I love Rhage's story too! That's the one that touched me the most--I just think he may have had the worst curse...
Auntee,If you're like me, I read the first "..In Death" cause I picked it up from a used book store. Devoured it in one sitting. Went back the next day and picked up books 2&3. Swallowed them, went back and got all the used ones they had, then hit the new bookstore to get the missing ones. Sat down and had a readfest!! Now I'm waiting at the bookstore when the open on the day the new ones release!
Julie
That is why I'm almost afraid to start the series--I only have the first 2 lined up and I am missing a bunch in the middle! Now that I'm almost ready to start reading them, they've suddenly become scarce at Half Price books! I actually bought the second book new at Barnes & Noble. I'm figuring this might be like the BDB series, and I'm going to need them all right there in front of me, waiting! LOL!
Mod
I like Tegan in "Midnight Awakening" by Lara Adrian. It's book #3 in series. 
Sam Starrett from Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series. I can just hear his sexy Texan twang in my head. :-)Valerius, Vane, and of course Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter series.
Sam Donovan (Mr. Perfect), Mark Chastain (Kill and Tell), and DEFINATELY John Medina (All the Queen's Men) from the Linda Howard books.
Roger MacKenzie from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.
You picked some good ones, Sam, especially Sam Starrett--one of SB's best heroes!
For me so far I have 2, Acheron for the Dark Hunter's and Rhevenge from Black Dagger Brotherhood
Mod
Mod
My favorite alpha male of all time is Sean Culhane from Christine Monson's STORMFIRE.
East: I second your nomination of Jack in OPEN SEASON. He is overly-protective, domineering and has a great sense of humor. I still giggle when I think about the condom scene!The only hero I really, really liked in Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower Series was in DEVIL IN WINTER. The others didn't make a big impression on me - I can barely remember their characters now - but Sebastian St. Vincent is definitely one of my all-time favorite alphas.
No one writes a Hero like Anne Stuart:5. James McKinley (Moonrise)
4. Peter "Jensen" (Cold as Ice)
3. Alastair MacAlpin (Prince of Swords)
2. Simon of Navarre (Lord of Danger)
****1***** Bastien Toussaint (Black Ice)****1****
(with an honorable mention to Karen Marie Moning's Adam Black and Jerrico Barrons)
Mod
Tammy I'm still snickering at that condom scene! That was so funny! I loved Jack!! I really liked Sebastien but I liked Marcus more. He got so thrown for a loop with Lillian!
Those are all Anne Stuart books. I am compelled to read anything she has touched. Prince of Swords is sooooo good!
Mod
I love all of KMM's hero's but my favorites have to be Circenn and Adam...ahhh Adam...and now JerichoThen there is the DH series...Acheron first, then Zarek, The Valerius, Vane, Wren, Zarek....ok forget it all of them! LOL
Alpha Heroes & Spitfire Heroines
Books mentioned in this topic
A Hunger Like No Other (other topics)Where There's Smoke (other topics)
Led Astray (other topics)
Cold As Ice (other topics)
Ritual Sins (other topics)
More...
COLD AS ICE, Anne Stuart: Peter
LOVER AWAKENED, JR Ward: Zsadist (this guy will rip out your soul!)
LOVER ETERNAL, JR Ward: Rhage (beautiful inside and out--makes ya sigh)
GOLDEN SURRENDER, Heather Graham: Olaf
THE VIKING'S WOMAN, Heather Graham: Eric
THE HIGHLANDER'S TOUCH, Karen Marie Moning: Circenn Brodie (turn the air conditioner on high for this one!!)
WICKED DEEDS ON A WINTER'S NIGHT, Kresley Cole: Bowen MacRieve (whoaaaa!!!)
LIGHT MY FIRE & YOU SLAY ME, Katie MacAlister: Drake Vireo (the page will melt before your eyes!)
A TALE OF TWO VIKINGS, Sandra Hill: Toste and Vagn
THE TEMPTATION, Claudia Dain: Hugh (NOTHING gets in this guy's way--and I mean zero!)
TO BURN, Claudia Dain: Wulfred
ENCHANTED, Elizabeth Lowell: Simon
A KINGDOM OF DREAMS, Judith McNaught: Royce (this guy is the alpha archetype!)
WUTHERING HEIGHTS, Emily Brontë: Heathcliff (the brooding alpha par excellence!)