Quirky/Oddball/Different Characters

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I'm reading Water Bound right now, and both Rikki and Lev are 'different'. I am drawn to characters who are outcasts, who don't quite fit in, probably because I've always felt like that. I tend to love romance novels with outcasts more than normals.

What are some romance novels that you have read where the main characters are 'different' in some way? Other fiction is also sought, such as fantasy, action/adventure.

Do you like quirky characters?

[Danielle]

In the book Highland Guardian Sarah is different so she has always been treated like an outcast.

[Arch]

Dave Malkoff is different. He's a nerd. He's a workaholic. He goes to work early and stays late. He's not a former Navy Seal. He is looked upon as being the odd ball, well by two people. Nash and Gillman. Gillman hated Dave, because of Sophia. He liked Sophia and Dave is her best friend and he stands tall, when it comes to Sophia.

Nash didn't like him, because he always looked at Dave as the odd ball. But that changed one day, when Dave helped him in a major way and from that day, Dave because his best friend.

[Jessa ♥ EvilDarkSide]

I think Ian Mackenzie (The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie) would qualify as odd and quirky. He is thought by many to be 'mad' but he is far from crazy. Just has a lot of unique traits, imo.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Dave is really the big thing that encourages me to keep reading the Troubleshooter books. He sounds like a great guy.

Jessa, I will eventually get around to reading Ian's book.

Danielle, I'm glad I have Highland Guardian at home. It sounds good.

Carter McKoy from The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas is delightfully different. He doesn't talk (although he can).

[Jessa ♥ EvilDarkSide]

Danielle, I read Carter's book and enjoyed it. Loved the part where he shaved for the heroine (when she mentioned not being able to see all his features) and he cut his poor face all up because he had never shaved before. So sweet.

[Arch]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Dave is really the big thing that encourages me to keep reading the Troubleshooter books. He sounds like a great guy."

I love Dave. He's a great guy. You might see him in another light.

I would love to read more about Dave. To some of Suzanne's fans, he's weak. But to me, he's strong.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

Jessa ♥§♥metalgirl80♥§♥ wrote: "Danielle, I read Carter's book and enjoyed it. Loved the part where he shaved for the heroine (when she mentioned not being able to see all his features) and he cut his poor face all up because he..."

I remember him. Sweet Carter! I fell in love with him too. I wanted to bring him home and hug him for hours.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Same here, Pamela. I just adore Carter!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Jessa, I liked how Carter can stand to be away from Bailee for very long. He loves her so much. (Sigh)!

[Jessa ♥ EvilDarkSide]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Jessa, I liked how Carter can stand to be away from Bailee for very long. He loves her so much. (Sigh)!"


Yep, it is a very sweet romance. Such a cute couple. Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney is like that. The "hero" can't stand to be parted from the "heroine". He tries to leave but just cant.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Wild at Heart was very good, too. Loved Michael. :)

[Mollie *scoutrmom*]

I agree about Lev and Rikki. I seem to remember there was a very good historical romance written in the seventies or early eighties where the hero had a mental illness... was it one of Mary Jo Putney's?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Not sure, Mollie. I have read quite a few of hers, but not all of them.

[Mollie *scoutrmom*]

Perhaps it was Laura Kinsale. I have been peeking at descriptions of Putney's work and none of them are ringing a bell.

[Mollie *scoutrmom*]

Found it! A nobleman has suffered a stroke and cannot talk, so his family put him in the madhouse. Very well written: Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale.

[Mollie *scoutrmom*]

Some of my favorite quirky characters are historical woman-poses-as-man stories. Two that are well written come to mind: The Masqueraders and Lord Harry. There are also some as secondary characters in Amanda Quick's current Arcane series, in the last two, I believe, perhaps more.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Laura Kinsale does have quite a few quirky characters. I think that's why she's a fave of mine. I authors who write outside of the usual box.

[Katya]

Story of a widow who hires Jesse, a simple minded man from her town to work her farm and get it ready for the winter. Jesse is the town boogie-man but is adored by his immediate family. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck at his birth causing some brain damage. He may not be smart but he is industrious, dependable and kind. Jess befriends the widow and her small son and soon both start having feelings for each other. I really enjoyed this story.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I've had this book on my tbr pile for a long time. I really need to read Simple Jess, Katya!

[Laura]

Katya wrote: "
Story of a widow who hires Jesse, a simple minded man from her town to work her farm and get it ready for the winter. Jesse is the town boogie-man but is adored by his imme..."

Katya, that book seems really good but amazon uk only have it in kindle form. I must see if I can get it some place else, I think i might really enjoy that.

[Adis]

I agree about Rikki/Lev and Ian MacKenzie. And I loved both.

[Nomad]

I read a book wherein the plot focused on a group of operatives, both male and female. Anyway their "tech monkey" was a dyed in the wool dork. Like not a cool dork, but an honest to G-d dork. He was awkward, rambled, got nervous and dropped things around his lady love. The works.

His lady love was your typical cool under pressure undercover operative. She could drive the hell out of a car in a high speed chase, was a dead on shooter and could keep a cover identity like nobodies business. Oh and she as hot as hell too.

They fall in love and at one point one of the alpha guys wants to know what she sees in him. Her response? That he sees her for who she is, has no expectations of who she is or who she should be, and he trusts her and she can trust him. That she feels safer with him that she does anywhere else in the world.

Cue melting.

I liked that she equated her emotional safety with being more important than being safe in a combat situation. In some ways their relationship is like a romantic Auggie/Annie (Covert Affairs tv show in the USA network) but imagine that Annie is FAR more experienced and Auggie is not blind and was never special forces and is a total dork.

I'd give the title, but I'm at Starbucks right now and the title escapes me at the moment. I'll have to look at my bookshelves for it. My real ones at home that is.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

That sounds like a good book, Nomad. I love dorks and nerds!

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

Hope you remember, Nomad. I want to check it out. ☺

[Nomad]

Alright, so this is not a book that I have on hand and is instead in my storage unit. However my family is now FINALLY moving soon and once we do I get to get all my lovely boxes out of storage. Once I unpack the book I'll post the title and author. It was a great book and should be shared.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

We appreciate it, Nomad!

[namericanwordcat]

I really love Loc in He has PTSD and isn't afraid to be silly. The toes scene is the best. I love Bo who has OCD from the same series and his lady who is HYPER.

[namericanwordcat]

Nomad wrote: "Alright, so this is not a book that I have on hand and is instead in my storage unit. However my family is now FINALLY moving soon and once we do I get to get all my lovely boxes out of storage. On..."

I so need the name of this book. lol