Do You Like or Dislike, When The Hero Is Mean To The Heroine?

[Arch]

How do you feel, when the hero is mean to the heroine? Do you like or dislike him being mean to the heroine?

I like to see the hero be mean to the heroine, because tension be in the air and that's his way of letting her know that she's grabbing or grabbed his heart.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

Depends on the circumstances and intensity for me. If he's mean at the beginning before he falls "in love" then I can handle it if he's not too harsh. If he's mean in order to manipulate heroine into doing what he wants to keep her away from harm then ok. But if he constantly mean and demeaning to her then no, I don't care for it. A lot depends on the writer too. Some writers can make me like things I wouldn't normally.

[Love love]

I agree Arch. Also for me, if the H is mean to the h then there is more of an emotional range for me to experience.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

It depends. If the hero is 1)a ruthless, dangerous man on a mission, 2) is tortured and trying to push the heroine away so he/she doesn't get hurt, then I am okay with a mean hero. I don't like jerky, cruel, mean for no reason characters of either sex.

I think Anne Stuart can get away with a mean hero because they are usually like that for a real reason. Diana Palmer's heroes are usually trying to protect their hearts, so that's why they are mean. A hero who is just an a-hole without a cause will usually get on my nerves. I like to see the hero show his feelings for the heroine in some way, even if he words/overt actions aren't that nice. For instance, he will go out of his way to protect her, or do nice things for her like brush her hair, see to her comfort.


Like two of you have said, I do like an intense read with a lot of tension between the characters. I like the hate to love/enemies to lovers scenarios.

Also, if the H/h start out enemies, it makes sense for the hero to be mean to the heroine (but not abusive in a personal way).

[Arch]

I agree about the emotional range Noelle.

I tend to let my heroes be mean to the heroine, but in a good way.

I don't like heartless heroes. That kind of mean is not called for.

[Aleksandra]

Ok, so I'm from the dark side... :-P
The meaner, the better. Of course I like it when in the end the hero can muster some bed manners for the sake of heroine only, but all in all... I'm the ultimate bastard lover. *^_^*

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I like it when the hero is pretty mean and surly, but the heroine is his soft spot.

[Aleksandra]

Exactly, just not right away. :-)

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I think it has to be a gradual thing for me to buy into it. I don't mind if he feels a connection, spark with her right away, but ignores it for a while.

[Aleksandra]

The best thing is when one suddenly realizes that the things that are usually annoying suddenly become endearing, and when he starts noticing things. It's the whole anviet concept of I hate you but I love you, I guess.

[Arch]

Yes Danielle, I love it when the hero has a soft spot for the heroine. I also like when he spoils her.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

That's true, Aleksandra. That happens a lot in Anne Stuart books.

I love when the hero takes care of the heroine, even though that's not his typical nature.

[[deleted user]]

I agree.... hey give some example books...... hehehehe
I loved KC A Hunger Like No Other....

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I thought in Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart, the hero who was watching out for the heroine, even though he didn't have to. Also Dragos from Dragon Bound was pretty tender with Pia, always wanting to brush her hair.

I love A Hunger Like No Other.

[[deleted user]]

Yes those are the kind of romance books that I am always trying to find. I guess I will have to start Cold as Ice.

[Lauren]

I enjoy a good battle of wills with the heroine giving as good as she gets. I'm not sure if this qualifies as mean.
One thing I don't like is when the hero tells the heroine to shut up as if what she has to say has no significance. This happened in The Search by Nora Roberts and it put me right off the hero.

[Roshio]

Lauren wrote: "I enjoy a good battle of wills with the heroine giving as good as she gets. I'm not sure if this qualifies as mean.
One thing I don't like is when the hero tells the heroine to shut up as if what ..."

I agree Lauren, I hate that. The only time I am okay with the Hero being mean is in one of those cases where he believes the heroine has hurt/wronged him, so tries to hurt her back even though it breaks his heart to do so. So he's hating her as he's loving her which makes him hate her more thereby making him mean!

Oh or where he has just realised he's falling for her and tries to run away from it by being mean to her.

[Arch]

My baby Sam Starrett was Alyssa's Locke nemesis for a long time. They rocked tension. They both were mean to each other and at the same time, they were in love with one another. They didn't know how to come out and tell each other they loved the other person. Well, Sam did tell Alyssa, but because he was her nemesis, she thought he was just playing.

[Debbie]

The meaner the better! Because he has it bad for the heroine and he doesn't want to admit it to anyone, especially himself. The meaner he is, the worse you know he has it.

[Lauren]

Roshio wrote: The only time I am okay with the Hero being mean is in one of those cases where he believes the heroine has hurt/wronged him, so tries to hurt her back even though it breaks his heart to do so. So..."

I like those scenarios too.

[Jessa ♥ EvilDarkSide]

Arch wrote: "Yes Danielle, I love it when the hero has a soft spot for the heroine. I also like when he spoils her."

I love this type of hero. I also like the type of storyline where the hero is cold and ruthless to "outsiders" but shows his warm and loving side to his woman. Hm. Ace Keegan comes to mind...probably because I just read his book, LOL! Ace definitely knows how to treat a lady ;)

[Arch]

Jessa ♥Dhanger♥ wrote: "I love this type of hero. I also like the type of storyline where the hero is cold and ruthless to "outsiders" but shows his warm and loving side to his woman. Hm. Ace Keegan comes to mind...probably because I just read his book, LOL! Ace definitely knows how to treat a lady ;)"

Jessa, I like when the hero is cold and ruthless to someone in the front of the heroine and she gets on him about it.

[Nanna -DD-]

yeah, I agree with most of ya'll. It depends of his reasons. But I wouldn't use the word mean, to me that almost refers to being evil. But if hes a bit rough/ruthless or too forward/outspoken/honest towards her, because it's his character it's quite alright. Wait, I don't think that made any sense???

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

It makes sense, Nanna. I like grumpy, brooding heroes.

[Love love]

Arch wrote: "My baby Sam Starrett was Alyssa's Locke nemesis for a long time. They rocked tension. They both were mean to each other and at the same time, they were in love with one another. They didn't know ho..."

My favorite out of that whole series was Sam and Alyssa's story. Your right, they had sooo much tension between them. =)

[Arch]

Noelle wrote: "My favorite out of that whole series was Sam and Alyssa's story. Your right, they had sooo much tension between them. =)"

And I loved every tension moment.

[Jessa ♥ EvilDarkSide]

Arch wrote: "Jessa, I like when the hero is cold and ruthless to someone in the front of the heroine and she gets on him about it."

Yes, that's a good premise also. It makes for such a sweet and endearing scene. Sometimes it can even be funny. The hero would only take such a scolding from his lady love...no one else would dare ;)

[Arch]

A lot of dangerous bad boys have been mean to the heroines.

[Zee]

For me it depends on whether or not the heroine deserves it. Like, is she's a bitch or a brat, then yes, I like him to be mean so he rattles her cage and makes her wake up, so to speak.
But other circumstances, not so much.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*]

I'm not really into the mean guys. I like domineering and pushy, I find the surly angry guy quite sexy...but the mean guy rubs me the wrong way.

As Lady D mentioned, I LOVED Dragos in Dragon Bound. He was mean to OTHER people and he was pushy but he was never mean to Pia.

*Gosh, I just want to say again that I LOVED Dragos. Loved him. LOVED it!*

[Arch]

What I see as being mean. Say the heroine is the hero's captive. If he makes her do something that she doesn't want to do - that's being mean in my eyes.

[Angie]

Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "Depends on the circumstances and intensity for me. If he's mean at the beginning before he falls "in love" then I can handle it if he's not too harsh. If he's mean in order to manipulate heroine in..."

I have to agree with this as well, and there has to be a balance between the hero's meaness and his redeeming qualities:)

[Shannonreads like crazy]

I agree with many of the comments. I like a grumpy, surly hero whose soft spot is the heroine. I also like the resisting hero - the guy who's mean because he's afraid he's falling for the heroine. Guys who fall in love and show it too quickly just don't do it for me. LOL

[Katya]

How about Zsadist in He was pretty nasty to Bella in the beginning. And alot of Karen Marie Moning's Heroes start off mean to their counterparts until things get going.

These types of heroes who treat their women like that in the beginning don't really bother me too much....they are usually damaged in some way and turn into interesting characters.