Although I’ve been aware of this for quite some time, it crystallized last night as I read the book Wild Cat by Christine Feehan. So many of my friends enjoy Ms. Feehan’s work. I can see why. She has created a very believable world with mostly likable characters. They are very distinct characters. So, why am I struggling with reading the book? Well, it simply comes down to reading tastes and maturity. (Maturity for me, anyway. Maturity may have nothing to do with anyone else’s reading tastes. It happens to be the case for me.)
I say maturity because, in high school and college, I loved the Alpha males–the over the top Alpha males in particular. I delighted in reading about them. Not so much anymore. 🙂 As a person and a woman, the hero who makes me catch my breath is his own person, he’s intelligent and caring, he’s hot, but he also wants to be my partner. It’s not some dude who believes he knows better than me about everything–what I’m feeling, what I need, and only kind of listens to me. Even if he “loves” me and wants to “protect” me, this overbearing crap won’t fly with me… not even in my fantasies. LOL
Part of me understands why women love these types of heroes, but another part of me doesn’t. (I’m sure the readers who love these types of heroes feel the same about my reading tastes. LOL)
If I’m honest with myself, I never liked Alpha males in real life. I think because I might have a little bit of an Alpha female in me (You think?), but, also, because most of the Alpha males I see are not that nice and are bad boys. Neither bad boys nor arrogance light my fire. They never did.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with liking Alpha males. Diversity makes the world go ’round after all. But I’m really curious. How many of you romance readers have found their reading tastes have changed with age? How many of you like to read about a hero/heroine type that isn’t something you’d ever want to date in real life? Do you think those preferences change with age? Or is it that only some of us get old and cranky? (grin)
I hate when the Alpha male comes off as a dick. While yes, there are many out there like that, not all Alpha males are jerks, they can be leader types with strong motivations, ethics, and expectations. My reading habits have changed as I’ve gotten older, too. I still love a good tortured soul, but it has to be realistic what they’ve gone through and how they got/get to the other side. 🙂
I can deal with tortured souls if it’s realistic, too, but I want them to get over it. I have no patience for someone who wallows in their own self-pity, not even for myself. LOL
I don’t like alpha-holes at all! I write alpha females, mating with beta males, because that’s what I like to read. I find their dance of love so much more interesting, when both are equal partners, rather than one being the “student” or the “poor one,” while the other holds all of the advantages. That’s why I don’t like billionaire romances, or military men romances. I also dislike cowboys, but that’s just me. And due to my dad being from Glasgow, I can’t even read, let alone write, a Highlander romance! The accent doesn’t say “sexy man in a kilt” to me. It says, “Hello, Dad.” Definitely not interesting!
And yes, my tastes changed, as I’ve aged. While I didn’t really like alphas in my younger reading days, I didn’t despise them like I do now. Maybe, like you, I’ve met too many real-life alpha-holes, and they’re never interested in anyone besides themselves.
Hahaha! The accent says, “Hell, Dad.” That’s awesome, but I can totally see why it would turn you off. I do find the Scottish accent sexy, although I can’t understand Glaswegian.
I do kind of despise them now. I probably won’t finish this book. Again, I know a lot of women like alpha males. They just don’t do it for me. 🙂