Sonja Foust, Romance Author

Alright, I admit it: I love alpha heroes. I write alpha heroes, so how could I not love them? Yes, they can be overbearing, yes they can be harsh, but they have so many good qualities that I just can’t help wanting to read about them.

In order to defend alpha heroes, though, I’m going to have to define them. When you think of alpha heroes, think of the most powerful member (pun intended, hurhur) in a pack: fiercely protective, seemingly aloof, and unquestionably in charge. Take any of those qualities and apply them to a hero and you’ve got one I’ll probably want to read.

Protective to a Fault

When it comes to those they love, alpha heroes are unquestionably loyal. This can lead to a lot of trouble and heartache if someone (that bitch) has hurt him in the past, and it’s probably one of the reasons he’ll hold our heroine at a distance at first. If he’s been hurt by someone he loved, it’s going to be hard for him to love that way again. Once he does though, he’ll protect you with his life.

Cool as a Cucumber

Alpha heroes are also often aloof, never revealing their turmoil, never displaying their deepest feelings– at least until the heroine’s magical lovin’ makes him do it. You can talk all you want about how you want a sensitive guy, but there is always something to be said for the strong and silent type… as long as you can tame him with your magical lovin’.

Power and Control

In this era, powerful and in-control men get a bad rap. We feminists call them pigs, accuse them of keeping women from climbing the corporate ladder, and generally ascribe all kinds of negative attributes to them. And, ok, fair enough, there are some powerful and in-control men I’d never want to read about in a romance novel. In general, though, power and control are very sexy.

My theory is that one fantasy that the modern woman harbors is someone to take control. Think about it. We’re in control all the time. We go to work where we have a lot of day-to-day responsibility for tasks and for people, and then we go home where we are often the ones who balance the checkbook, do the shopping, feed the family, and discipline the kids. That’s a lot for one woman (or man) to handle. When a hero will step up and take responsibility for something, it can be very attractive, and freeing too.

So what do you think? Are you a fan of alpha heroes or does alpha equal a-hole? Let me know in the comments!

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