Yes indeed, I have crushes on some fictional characters. I’m not talking about characters in tv shows or movies, but about characters in books. Characters described by the author, but whose final form exists only in my imagination.
Come on, admit it – if you read, then you do, too.
One of my particular favorites is “Roarke” from the Eve Dallas mysteries by Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb. Roarke’s a way sexy bazillionaire who lives in NYC, circa 2059. Here’s a description from Origin in Death:
His face – the strength, power, and yes, the beauty of a fallen angel with no regrets – was framed by the thick black of his hair. His mouth – full, carved, irresistible – smiled as he came toward her. And those eyes – impossibly, brilliantly blue…
Ok, that reads a little trashier out of context than in… wait, who am I kidding? Sheesh, it leads to several pages of steaminess. *fans self* Trash all the way, baby.
My other particular favorite is “Ranger” from the Stephanie Plum mysteries by Janet Evanovich. (Are you noticing a naming trend here?!) Ranger’s a bounty hunter/man of mystery in Trenton, NJ, described in High Five as follows:
Ranger’s…features are Anglo, his eyes are Latino, his skin is the color of a mocha latte, and his body is as good as a body can get. He had his black hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing a black T-shirt that fit him like a tattoo and black SWAT pants tucked into black high-top boots.
Why, yes, I would be a sucker for the tall, dark, lean, and handsome bad boy type. How’d you guess?
Any fictional favorites you’d care to share? Hmm?
I’ve previously blogged about a trip to PEI spring break (yeah, we’re that cool) of my senior year of college – lots of snow, yarn, and, of course, Green Gables (closed for the season). We were walking down lover’s lane and saw that someone had carved this into a tree: Gilbert, I love you. Where are you? Which pretty much sums up why I reread the good Anne books (1, 2, 3, 5, 8) at least once a year. Who doesn’t love Gilbert. “There might not be sunbursts and marble halls . . .”
The first two that came to my mind were Maxim de Winter from Daphne Du Maurier’s “Rebecca” and Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I know there are more, but I’m drawing a blank. I’ll come back if I remember them.
Oh! Theresa reminded me! I love, love, LOVE the Anne Shirley books. I always had a real soft spot for Matthew Cuthbert.
Can I just insert Viggo for any character? Please!!! Mostly I go for the dark and brooding type in stories. But I would take David Bourne from Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum).
Going to check out the Nashua links, while I am broke and have no hope of being able to order anything right now. Birthday shopping done me in. But I just had to use my Steinmart birthday 20% off!
Eric the vampire from the “Dead until Dark” series – can’t remember the author’s name! And, to prove that I don’t JUST read trash, Philip Carey from W. Somerset Maugham’s “Of Human Bondage”.
Oh, Gilbert! I forgot about what a crush I had on him!
Another of my favorites is Aragorn. He embodies everything a King should be.
Oh, forgot all about Jean-Claude from the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series and Doyle from the Merry Gentry series.
Y’know, I used to read more than just trash. Really! I think grad school permanently damaged that part of my brain…
I’m with Chris – but I’ll just insert Johnny Depp…
I need a cold shower now!
No Jean Claude for me–I’m a Richard or Asher fan myself 🙂 Also, Acheron, Zarek, and Valerius from the Dark Hunter series by Sherilyn Kenyon–it’s pretty smutty although not as smutty as Anita Blake has become.
I’ve got a big thing for Ranger as well. She should just ditch Joe and play in the batcave for a while.
I tend to fall for the deep-thinker-that-says-Eureka type ;o) Give me a Sherlocke Holmes any day (a little less moody though, maybe).
Dark handsome bad boy type? So with Chaos it was love at first sight? *grin*
I think I get the whole “tall dark handsome” thing as well. My biggest fictional character crush has to be Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. I’ve been swooning over him since highschool.
Of course there is also Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Need I say more?
I will third (or fourth) the Gilbert nomination! *Double swoon*
Kelley n. I love Philip Carey as well! That is one of my favorite books of all time!!
Hmmm, I honestly can’t think of a book I’ve read where I developed a crush on a character…….
Now characters on tv shows, oh YEAH! The biggest and hottest I have right now is for Dr. McDreamy on Grey’s Anatomy (played by Patrick Dempsey)……..:::swoom:::………..
Hey Chris,
Again, I don’t know another way to reach you…who is MC? Thanks!
ArtsyMama:)
Mr. Darcy (P&P)
Edward Rochester (Jane Eyre)
any of Dick Francis’s heroes
Quentin Compson, yo. All Faulkner, all the time…
I’ve got tons, but not based on how they *look* (even in my head). I go for the personality, and sometimes my idea of a great/sexy personality is a little… odd. C’est la vie.
Ms Austen’s Darcy, of course, or any number of heroes from Austen, Heyer, or Smith. Good Regencies (especially good ones) are full of heroes who are either brooding or snotty or (preferably) both, and that’s how I like ’em.
Monk from Anne Perry’s series
St-Germaine from Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s series
Gilbert, of course
etc. etc., too many to count or remember…
I was named after a “sex” novel, um I mean romance novel…titled Shanna; I don’t know the author. My Mom has the book still, orange cover with a gorgeous long-haired bare chested man, Rjork, holding “Shanna”, with her peasant shirt with bare shoulders and heaving bosom. I attempted to read it back when I was in high school and fell in love with Rjork…mmm, Rjork.
I’m taking notes for my reading list! Seriously. Since giving up dating, I need a rich fantasy life. 🙂
Ranger… though I never pictured him as very lean.. more like the body of Vin Diesel or LL Cool J – no fat, but superbly muscled.
He’s not in a book, but Warrick from CSI? (Gary Dourdan)… mmm.
I like heroes who are slightly less than perfect so would have to agree with Mr Rochester in “Jane Eyre”. I have been known to have a little crush on Mr Darcy but that may have something to do with Colin Firth.
When I was in HS I had a crush on Asher from My Name is Asher Lev, and Elric. Later it was Con from Sunshine, more recently Edward from Twilight. I love the tormented noble “beasts” what can I say?;)If movies count then Max from the Road Warrior. Who could not love a young Mel Gibson in leathers?***CV
P.D. James’ detective Adam Dalgleish. He broods, he writes poetry. What’s not to like? Also Junk in Michael Zadoorian’s novel Second Hand, because he sees treasure where others see crap.
When I read your post, I thought to myself, “but she forgot about Jean-Claude!!!” I’m glad you remembered him. And thanks for inserting Ranger into my mind while I am at work. I need to take a break.
You aren’t alone on the Ranger bit. I prefer Joe personally (I tend to like the thinner dude with a great bum) but Rangers got a good thing going too.
Whew…Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series. Just the thought of him in his kilt doing wonderful Scottish “things” to me is enough to drive me crazy…
See, I don’t like Ranger, if only because he’s into girls who keep getting their cars burned and their asses kicked because they don’t have their guns handy (or can’t reach them, or forgot them or LAND’S SAKES STEPHANIE HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE YOU START BEING MORE CAREFUL!!!!?????!!!!)
Uh, anyway. Have you tried the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. I’ll be terribly common and admit that I love Captain Carrot. Who doesn’t love him? That’s the point of Carrot really…maybe I just want to be Angua.
I am in complete agreement about Roarke from the JD Robb series! I love those books and could read them over and over again because of him!! Which reminds me…there is a new one coming out this month! Yippee!
Have to admit I go back and forth between Ranger and Joe depending. There’s just something about the mysterious bad boy of Ranger rather than the in your face bad boy Joe. Mmmm.
Mark Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. There’s just something about all that pride.
Grrl…I’m lesbian and EVEN I have a crush on Ranger…. 🙂 Fun post…Great Cat!
Lisa in Oregon
Oh my god a fellow sufferer! Roarke and Ranger and any of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters, Katagaria etc ( especially Acheron). If you haven’t met them yet have a look at Darkhunter.com it is a really fun site that comliments the books 🙂
Drat, Blogger ate my comment…
Number one? Francis Crawford of Lymond, courtesty of Dorothy Dunnett. (swoon)
I’ll also vote for Gilbert–who wouldn’t love him?
And, yes, of course Mr. Darcy. Ditto.
Gabriel from Sharon Shinn’s Archangel–decidedly swoon-worthy. (One of my absolute favorite books, too, I wonder why?)
For a sci-fi edge, how about Val Con or Shan from Sharon Lee and Steve Miller’s Liaden series. (Heck, Er’Thom and Daav, too. The series has a lot of reallllly admirable characters.)
I agree about the Dick Francis characters, too. I think Kit Fielding has always been my favorite.
after reading just one dark hunter book you have to read them all over and over again simi is precious and the other charaters are breath taking in there stories of loss and love keep them coming please
I’ve just discovered the darkhunters :D:D:D, managed to get through 3 books in 4 days lol
Why has no one mentioned Talon? He’s definitely got it going on.
Me? I have a crush on Ravio from A Link Between Worlds, from the Zelda game series. ;3;