I know this question gets knocked around a lot, but I’m in the midst of reading a book where I just can’t believe the male lead is the hero. Unless there is a lobotomy in his near future, I don’t see how he will ever be likeable. Is it really that fine a line between a strong man and a raging a-hole, which the author just happened to trip over? Or are there women out there who actually like the idea of being blackmailed by a condescending git into an unwanted marriage?
Maybe there are some women who can forgive and forget, and move on to their HEA, but that ain’t me. If the reason for his blackmail winds up being semi-sympathetic (and by that, I mean there’d better be a plot twist where his being married somehow saves his sister’s life), I might be able to forgive. But I’d never forget. Maybe the heroine shouldn’t run him over with her SUV, but she darn sure shouldn’t fall in love with someone who treats her so badly. I can’t even imagine the amount of groveling it would take for me. I think I’m like a cat when it comes to relationships. They don’t forget, and they understand revenge.
I guess when it comes to my book boyfriends, I don’t mind if they’re tough as nails (okay jerks) to other people, but they’d better treat their heroine right, or they don’t get another read from me.
That said, in my third book in my Pineville series (coming out May 2017), I’m trying to redeem a character who was a dill-hole in a previous book. Hopefully I’ll walk that tightrope without falling off. Wouldn’t want a reader to be as unforgiving as I am. :)
(If you want to see a cat’s revenge in action, watch this link. Lesson: never poke a big cat in the face with a stick. They will mess you up.)