SquawkRadio Comments

My favorite tortured heroes are the guys from JR Ward’s books AND the guys from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s books.  There was another one, I think his name was Cam in Candace Camp’s “Impulse.” Then Zack in Colleen Corbet’s book “Dark Eyes” (no longer in print).  Then Sam Starett in Suzanne Brockmann’s books.  Mmm mmm MMMMM...I love me some tortured heroes!

I loved THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO and Phantom of the Opera!

Just once, I wish the Phantom would win Christine’s love, as I think it would have changed his world. And I agree with Debbie, bring him here!!

Honestly right now I can’t think of any others (aside from the ones you listed) but I must admit, that I love a hero that needs a little bit of TLC.

Ohh I got one, both characters in Teresa’s YOURS UNTIL DAWN and ONE NIGHT OF SCANDAL. I love the hero’s in these books. Drool!

And I’m so looking forward to reading about Sorcha, but also sad that it’s the end of the series!

A very incomplete list, off the top of my head:

-Malcolm Reynolds (and the actual torture scene with Wash in “War Stories” is great: funny and disturbing at the same time)
-House (who has Wilson to comfort him)
-Logans Echols (having just gotten into Veronica Mars recently) and Wolverine (although I think Scott/Cyclops á la James Marsden or Joss Whedon (Astonishing X-Men) might be gaining on him)
-Wesley (first with the Angel crush and then almost crushed by Angel)
-Jerveaux (Flowers from the Storm; what you posted)
-Jamie Fraser (ditto)
-Kate Shugak (girl crush #1 - she pretty much crawled her way back from the dead)
(more here, so as to not take over the comments section)

... And my literary harem just grows and grows.  And I have a feeling - or I’m hoping, rather - that Jacob Black (Twilight and New Moon) is on his way to becoming a tortured hero, pining away with unrequited love, and unabashed and not entirely unwarranted hatred for her lover.

They may be reluctant or antiheroes, some of them, but they also have their own sense of what’s right and wrong, and usually stick to it, even if they quite permanently reside in the grey area.  They’re also capable of being redeemed, even if they keep making mistakes.  Lots of damage makes for great stories, and me a happy reader, if it’s done right .  Most of them also have a good, if somewhat warped, sense of humour, especially directed at themselves.

Nick Gentry! Mckenna! Kleypas writes tortured heroes so beautifully! OH, and I would be remiss if I left out Rafe from Eloisa’s Taming of the Duke!

Here’s an oldie but a goodie:  Long, Hot Summer.  Wow, Ben was the hottest, most tortured hero around.  And all that heat!

Oh Christina, I love all the movies and books you mentioned..can’t wait to pick up yours and Eloisa’s latest!
How about Derek Craven..he has a big scar on his face!
Daegus MacKeltar in Karen Moning’s “The Dark Highlander” has 12 evil souls trapped inside him..!
I have a feeling I better get out my pencil and book list for this post..

Whoohoo!  Looks like a trip to the bookstore is in order if I can ever get out of these meetings. (Do you think the concierge at the Marriott would mind being sent to the local B&N to get me a copy of PKAB and PFP?  Can you see him on the checkout line?  Preferably in uniform?) Looks like my white fluffy hotel room reading is set for the evening. 

As for tortured hero types--I have an absolute superlative--Daniel St. John from Madeline Hunter’s The Seducer.

Poor Daniel is driven by a lifelong plan to avenge the deaths of his parents and the paralasys (caused while trying to escape) of his sister by a fall from a horse.  He’s been driven by this single goal for so long, he’s a hard and callous man.

What Hunter manages to do that I think is soooo brilliant is that she keeps the character intact even after the heroine saves him from himself.  By that I mean, he has no uncharacteristic softening of his innate character.  He falls deeply in love the way a tortured man, unable to express his emotions, falls in love.  Even being in love is difficult for him because he just can’t fathom it.  So his transformation by novel’s end is clear to the heroine and to the reader, but it’s not in any way an abberation to the ‘difficult’ character that he still is.  Gosh I love that book......

7:30 am...what time do bookstores open around here?

Jamie Fraser...by far!
Agreed on House but I also like Chase (the whole papa treated me bad thing).
I liked Mark and Matt...the brothers from “Passion”.  Matt’s story is next and that dude is SERIOUSLY tortured.  He thought he was an earl’s son only to find out his mother had an affair with the gardener! Yikes!  When his girl finds out she dumps him.

Oooooh, tortured heroes - I adore them.

Jamie Fraser I think is probably my all-time favorite.

I love Robert “Bit” Carroway from Suzanne Enoch’s England’s Perfect Hero.  And Houston Leigh from Lorraine Heath’s Texas Destiny.

Oh, and so, so many others.

Why are they so loveable?  For me, I think it’s the desire to heal and nurture them.

Let me add Blake Ravenscroft in Julia Quinn’s To Catch an Heiress and Devlin in Brenda Joyce’s The Stolen Bride (quite Rainger like in some ways).

And I have to say, if I had to pick one tortured hero, it would be Jamie Fraser. 

I LOVE TPKAB!!!  I can’t wait until we are discussing it

Lynn

OH Yes Jamie Fraser. I love the way you get to see him through different eyes when the children enter stage right. He really seems different and tortured then.

Also, Alexander Barrington in Tatiana and Alexander and the Summer Garden. Whoah nelly, was he tortured and troubled in the Summer Garden.

I think I love tortured heroes because they have got huge emotional burdens, have to struggle with being able to love and eventually learn to live with the scarred past - something that’s hard!!

X-tina, if you’re never asked to teach the workshop, “Be your book’s best PR,” then the world is blind, blind, blind. 

Man, can you sell a book! 

That said.....IAN!  I thought Ian was terrifically tortured what with those f’er Fairchilds, and his struggles with his “heritage.” Plus, you know, he was so painfully delish.

No one writes a tortured hero like Lisa Kleypas, I loved them all.  However, the one that sticks out in my mind the most - maybe it is because he is from the first romance novel I ever read is Gideon Westbrook from Amanda Quick’s Ravished.  What a man!  The scene where he carries Harriet over his shoulder onto the dance floor after she has attacked the man who tried to ruin him is classic.  If there was ever a man worth saving . . .

I love the Count of Monte Cristo - bought it a while back and put it on every now and then when I need a pick-me-up. 

The best tortured hero from the movies for me has to be Rick Blaine from Casablanca.  “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world . . . “ Oh for the opportunity to help him get over Elsa.

Helllooooo!

The most fabulous, delicious tortured hero in literature:

MR. ROCHESTER from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre! (Especially when he is played by William Hurt—swoon!)

and I’d say Austyn from Teresa’s Fairest of Them All is a good runner-up

I just (this morning!) finished Anne Stuart’s COLD AS ICE so my vote is for Peter Jensen.  Although, Natasha, I’m with you.  Mr. Rochester is pretty hard to beat.  I just saw the last half of that movie recently.

I think we love these guys because we want them fixed by the love of a good woman.  No matter how tortured a guy is, we always feel that somehow, somewhere he can be fixed.  I guess that’s why women sometimes strike up relationships with men in prison.  I’ll stick to my nice, untortured husband, though, and just read about it!

We can’t forget Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights or Laurie from Little Women who was emotionally tortured when Jo said no to his proposal. 

Ditto on Jamie Frasier. 

And Rhage from the Ward series who literally turns into a dragon when he’s pissed off and falls in love with a dying woman.  Torture!

For TV - Angel and Spike.

Love, love, love Mary Jo Putney’s “The Rake”. Especially because despondent, alchoholic, aging rake Reggie finally realizes that enough is enough. His struggle to wrestle a meaningful life out of the sodden wasteland of his past is heartbreaking- it had me cheering for every success, and cringing over the inevitable relapses. And- my favorite part- it was not just the fact that he was loved by a good woman that led to this change! I hate reading about a true reprobate who suddenly develops a COMPLETE personality swap due to “Romanticus ex machinus” alone.

Got to go- I have the day off, and PFP and TPKAB are singing their siren songs!

Hear Hear love them poor souls *lol*
Hi Christina, nice to meet ya and your post just nails it for the reason why I love reading. Thank you.  I’m a one of you fans situated in South Africa and I just adore your princess series and can’t wait to read your latest release. That’s why I enjoy reading as You all understand my need of reading about a tortured hero’s who needs to saved.  Other favourites that I’ve read about are hero’s like Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters, Christine Feehan’s Carparthians, JR Ward Brothers ... to mention a few.

Yes, wounded souls....

Tried that…

blew up in my face!

I think the thing to remember about wounded men is that you can only heal them if they wished to be healed…

hot damn I should write a book! Haha!

anyway, Count of Monte Cristo....mmmmmmm love that movie

Tortured heroes are a topic to bring me out of lurkerdom.  Sherrilyn Kenyon is my favorite writer of tortured heroes.  I remember I actually cried for Zarek. 

Sawyer on Lost is my favorite tortured hero of the small screen.

Right on, Vetgurl! Of course Nick Gentry.

But also Nigel Weatherby in Mary Balogh’s THIEF OF DREAMS. Not only has he endured whippings, false imprisonment, loss of nobility, and exile—the Usual Ordeals of a Romance Hero. But the plot ingeniously twists so that he can only regain his heritage by manipulating, seducing, and humiliating an innocent wealthy heiress—the very woman he falls in love with. Only Mary Balogh could create such an excruciating dilemma for both the hero and heroine—then resolve it with a love so fiery and burning it scorches the pages!

Christina, you don’t actually Expect me to be able to Write a comment do you? I AM Feeling TOO TORTURED for that. Tortured I say! Tortured by the fact that I have to WAIT. For a Book to be releases. AGAIN! I Can’t Stand It.  Who would have known that You Writers could be so Cruel? Mercy Christina, mercy…No more tempting glimpses of plot lines or fascinating characters. It’s Torturing me. I feel like have spent Eight years in the deepest darkest dungeon and emerged furious. Wounded. Strong. Wily. Willing to do anything — steal, cheat, kill, to get my hands on your new Book. But still…alI I can do is WAIT.
Now That is real TORTURE.

Signed The Countess of Monte Cristo,
AKA Julie

I like all of what Haven Rich said.  I do love “POTO” (I totally agree with Debbie) and “COMC.” I guess I’ll be watching these two movies this weekend.  Men always seem to come out stronger.  “Yours Until Dawn” is one of my favorites because the character is so hurt.  It is like “Beauty and the Beast.” Wolverine is another good example.  I love those types of stories and I plan to go out today to get “Prince Kidnaps a Bride.” I can’t wait to read it!

Dain, from Loretta Chase’s LORD OF SCOUNDRELS.  Huge, goregeous, tough - and convinced that he’s still the same unattractive little boy whose parents abandoned (Mom) or hated (Dad) him.  Loretta Chase rules.

But I’m going to stick my neck out against popular opinion and say that I thought the Count of Monte Christo movie wasn’t a patch on the book.  The Count’s soul is saved, yes, but not by Mercedes!  Every film version I’ve seen cuts out the bit where the Count rescues a slave girl from the block in Egypt, and she turns out to be a princess, and he ends up with her!  I mean, seriously:  what could be better than that?

House! Of course, he’s a great tortured hero.

Sherry, thanks for the recommend on Madeline Hunter’s THE SEDUCER. I’ve got the book but havent’ had time to read it yet. You just made me move it up the stack.

Yes on the other Squawkers’ books having tortured heroes, but I figured once I got started on that, we wouldn’t have time to talk about me ... wait. Did I say that out loud?

Oo, yes! Suzanne Enoch and Lorraine Heath both do faboo tortured heroes! And Karen Marie Moning! And Amanda Quick (did I hear she had a blog with some other people ... with Quills? ... I can’t remember.) And ... you guys are wonderful. I feel a reading jag coming on!

"Signed The Countess of Monte Cristo,
AKA Julie”

That was a very impressive rant, Julie ... but KIDNAPS really is in the bookstores now.

Go forth and buy!

I agree with Chris S., I actually loved the book The Count of Monte Christo.  (by Alexandre Dumas, btw) Like his other famous work The Three Musketeers, I have yet to see a movie that I think lives up to the book.

Now, I did enjoy the recent version of TCMC, but I had to forget about the book completely to do so.  But hey, I had to forget about what I know of the Iliad and the Odessey to enjoy the movie Troy, too (one look at Brad Pitt and Homer’s version left my brain).  I don’t have a problem with the way movies change books, it just reminds me how great it is to read and enjoy both versions of the story.

Can’t wait to read the new book, Christina!

Firefly.!!!!!

GREAT LIST. grea great great list!!!

Also… I am thinking of poor Pierce Brosnan in 007.... and HOLY MOLy… I am sure someone has already said the guy from Casino Royale!!! I won’t say any spoilers.. but the new 007 is amazing.

I’ve heard rumors that the man Xtina most likes to torture is her adoring husband

I think I have fallen in love with all the heroes, tortured or not, in all the books I’ve read.

I like the strong, dark, quiet types, who absolutely will not go against their personal code of honor. I also like how they relentlessly pursue their women until they have broken them down and won their hearts. (Although sometimes the women don’t deserve the guy, because they have been just down right mean to them).  But it always works out in the end.

Book hunting tip:  I don’t how large your libraries are, but I have found a lot of the squawker’s books in the Large Print section of the library.  I found Christina’s Governess Bride series in the Large Print section, and got to read them 1,2,3 without waiting. (Those were great!) Just another option.

Prudence

Rats! I knew it was Alexandre Dumas. Really, I did. And I was going to change it, but I didn’t remember because I was too pooped from walking up the hill in the snow (see blog below this one.) How embarrassing.

The only way they could make a movie that lived up to the book THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO would be to make it a six-parter, like A&E’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I think that’s true of most really great novels, tho. Can you imagine JANE EYRE in six parts? That much tortured Rochester would make me faint from joy.

Teresa Medeiros said…
“I’ve heard rumors that the man Xtina most likes to torture is her adoring husband”

Yeah, I even bought rubber shackles at DisneyWorld!

No, really!

I agree with Beth W. about Bit Carroway, reading his story just made me want to bundle him up.

Oh my goodness, who could forget John McKenna from Again the Magic.

Yes!  House is definitely a tortured, troubled soul.

g

My fave tortured heroes - Any of J.R. Wards and Sherrilyn/Kinleys - Zarek and Sin (from Born in Sin).
Born in Sin is one of my ALL time favourite books
(Kinley MacGregor) along with all of Ms. Wards books.

Susan Kearny has some absolutely wonderful totured heros… if you like space travel romance… that is so amazingly hot.
I am going to def agree with JR Ward.. I am dying to read the newest one~!

Rubber shackles?  Aren’t furry ones better???

I’m wondering why Teresa knows that furry shackles are better?  Personal Experience?  Did that fall into the realm of ‘research’ for a book?  Inquiring minds want to know. 

--dorothy

I have to say, my fav tortured souls are also the men from Shrrilyn Kenyon’s books and from JR Ward. There’s just something about them that screams at me to cry along with them when I read about their torturous woes (does that make sense to anyone else?).

Another fav of mine was Nick Gentry from Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas. He was just an amazing strong man when he told Lottie (i think it was Lottie) about his torture on the ship he was on.

Just a side note, Lisa your books are amazing. You make me cry in just about every book I read from you!

WOW! Where to start! I completely agree with emmiebee about Reggie from MaryJo Putney’s The Rake! I love that book. I also agree with whoever nominated Nick Gentry and JR Ward’s Brothers...all of them are in some way tortured. I can’t wait for the WARDen’s books about Rehvenge....ohhhh he is intriguing

orannia *who needs to go and cool down in the freezer*

The last book that made me cry was Yours Until Dawn by Teresa…

Now Gabriel was kind of a tortureed hero.. losing his sight… a war hero…

ah… a fine curse for any heroine to take on…

I think it says a lot about how cool the heroines are too, with a tortured hero… it adds a bit of edge to their charater..falling in love with such a man, and of course winning his love.. against all odds…

so when there is a tortured hero… there is most certainly a heroine who is going to win my heart as well.  (Just like Samantha… )

I also love Christine Feehan’s tortured Carpathian’s… talk about text book torment and tension.... the black deep dark heroes… that can have anything they want, but nothing of what they need to survive..

that is unless… they find l-o-v-e.... and of course more kick butt neroines come into the picture..

*heroines

aw, tortured heros....who doesn’t love that? wounded, suffering, strong, willful men who are sexy and dangerous. nuff said.

You mentioned my favorite first!

Lois

Most definitely Christine Feehan’s Carpathians--tortured and dark and very sexy.  And Karen Marie Moning has great tortured heroes and all you lovely Squawkers, too!

House--my fave tortured character on TV

Mr. Rochester, Heathcliff, and even Mr. Darcy, in his own way *sigh*

Jamie Fraser is my absolute fave, though.

Tortured heroes are outlandish and outrageous, and watching them use the heroine abominably while trampling on her ego and heart is extroardinarily entertaining—like a big ole, gruesome train wreck.  Ah, but then when he’s immobilized with tender emotions for her?  SaWEET!  Plus, if you’re lucky, there’ll have been a little forced seduction along the way…

I think Christina enjoys the extra chafing from the rubber for a little extra effect....

Don’t be silly, Dorothy!  I just watch a lot of Cinemax

You perverts! I haven’t used the rubber shackles! I’m giving them away as a contest prize ... for the paranormals next summer, I think. But continue to talk among yourselves about the advantages of rubber vs furry. I’m taking notes.

Michelle Buonfiglio said…
“if you’re lucky, there’ll have been a little forced seduction along the way…”

You’re a woman after my own heart, Michelle!

LOL Teresa, I’ll have to remember that one and use it next time!! 

Y’all crack me up and make my day go so much faster!! 

--dorothy

Christina, is it true that you have not one but two paranormals coming out next summer?! Touch of Darkness / Scent of Darkness? Are they also from avon? What kind of paranormal beings are in it? Are they tortured as well?

No one’s mentioned the old Kathleen Woodiweiss beauty and the beast story-- ASHES IN THE WIND?

I agree, there’s something about a feral man that just makes my heart go pitter-patter.

Michelle Buonfiglio said…

“if you’re lucky, there’ll have been a little forced seduction along the way…”

Hm, is that the shackles are for?

Laura T said…

Firefly.!!!!!

GREAT LIST. grea great great list!!!

Also… I am thinking of poor Pierce Brosnan in 007.... and HOLY MOLy… I am sure someone has already said the guy from Casino Royale!!! I won’t say any spoilers.. but the new 007 is amazing.

Thanks! I’ve heard that the new 007 is good.  I haven’t seen it yet though.  Maybe over winter break, if it’s still out. 

The last movie I saw in theatres was Inside Man - I’d add Denzel Washington’s and Clive Owen’s characters to the list.

Oh, wait.  Maybe it was Pirates II (which one came out first?).  In any case Jack Sparrow, I think, could also be included.  And maybe the scruffy one whose name I can’t remember - was it Norrington?

Oh oh oh--- one of my favorite tortured heroes was Michael Biehn’s charactor in THE TERMINATOR

or any of Edith Laytons heros from her “Love in...” trilogy

or Wolverine from X-Men

Janelle said…
Christina, is it true that you have not one but two paranormals coming out next summer?! Touch of Darkness / Scent of Darkness? Are they also from avon? What kind of paranormal beings are in it? Are they tortured as well?

What? What? What???? Christina is writing novels in my fav genre??? what?? when? where? how? I need to know more !! :O)... vampires? space travel? demons? witches? gohsts??? oh and those titles just scream deep dark lovely hero.. do they not??

How do you know this awesome info, Janelle? You’ve made my day :O)... I just love it when authors branch out to new genres!
Yaaaaaaaaaaay!

How do you know this awesome info, Janelle? You’ve made my day :O)... I just love it when authors branch out to new genres!

I have my ways…

And YES, the titles do scream tortured hero (I think the “darkness” does it) and I’m thrilled that two of them are coming out around the same time (if that’s true)! *blissful sigh*

Janelle, yes! SCENT OF DARKNESS/TOUCH OF DARKNESS come out in July and August. It’s a four-part contemporary paranormal series with a huge overarcing story that carries us from one story to the other. From the back copy:

A thousand years ago, a brutal warrior roamed the Russian steppes. Driven by his craving for power, Konstantine struck a terrible bargain. In return for the ability to change at will into a cold-hearted predator, he promised his soul - and the souls of his descedents - to the devil. Then one day a dangerous prophecy reveals the truth: one family has been chosen to battle the darkness - or face destruction.

LauraT, they’re listed on Amazon already! And I’m so glad you’re excited. I love this so much—I love the big idea of it, the battle of good and evil, and the really sexy, dominant men (brothers) I’m able to write. And yes, they are tormented by the fact they can turn into these cool predators, but every time they do, they move closer to their own damnation. BTW, I have the covers, and they’re gorgeous!

Oo, Connie, how could we forget Kathleen Woodiwiss? Her early stuff was so sexual. Whew!

firefly, I don’t know that I can include Jack Sparrow in my own list. He is tortured, but he takes it so lightly and is so charming ... wait, I have to wipe the drool off my keyboard ... that I never suspect there’s an inner shackled soul, if you know what I mean.

But Norrington for sure!

Oh, God. My verification word is hair69. GET OUT THE RUBBER SHACKLES!

Janelle, you rock…

Christina… OMG!!!! You have no idea how wicked excited I am.. this is a wonderful tangent… wow. I never knew you would branch into paranormal, and that is so so so utterly exciting.. That back cover copy...........................

drooooooooooooooooo-ling......
I think you must have written those books just for me.
~!!!!!!! (seriously. us squawkees and the drool tonight lol Thanks firefly! lol)...

How do I love them? Shall I count the names?

Zachary Benedict , Thomas Blackwood,Gabe Bonner, Jack Carstairs, Justin Connor, Derek Craven, Dain, Damorel, Reggie Davenport, Nicholas Davies, Henry DeTamble, Ian Fairchild, Lucien Harrow, Rafe Jourdain, James Killoran, Arden Lyons, Roland Mathieson, Dylan Moore, Benedict Nesbitt, Rock O’Connor, Ethan Quinn, Blue Reynard, Rothgar, Jackson Rule, Kenzie Scott , Jack Seward, Roan Sullivan, Piers Verderan Trevor Whitlatch, Tom Winchester, Dominic Wyndom, Clay Yeager--and I am sure that I have forgotten someone.

I’m pouting....can’t find Christina’s or Eloisa’s books yet and went to 3 stores. This is absurd!!

I’ve got a shotgun, where’s the complaint department?

Janga! I can’t remember my own heroes names! What are the books????

Cara, I hate to hear that. Hate it! I’m pouting, too.

Christina Dodd said:  That was a very impressive rant, Julie ... but KIDNAPS really is in the bookstores now.

Julie says:
Well then, as far as my rant goes, the Great comedain Gilda Radner said it best: Never Mind!
Just for the record I got my copy of your “The Prince Kidnaps A Bride” along with Eloisa’s “Pleasure For Pleasure” today. Now all I have too do is pick which one to read first. All I can say is…It’s Torture…having to choose which one too read First is Simply Torture…Its like having to spend Eight years in the deepest darkest dungeon without a book… and…and…speaking of dungeons and Torcured Heros Christina, sign me up for those rubber shackles that you are thinking about giving away as a contest prize next summer. I’m sure that I could put them to good use
By the way, Chritina and Eloisa
and Connie, Lisa, Liz, and Theresa too
Thank you for giving me some great reading to look forward too. Even if its Torture waiting for it to be published…

I gave just the names to keep my post shorter. I embarrass myself when I am confronted with my verbosity. But you asked for then, Christina.

Zachary Benedict , Perfect, Judith McNaught;; Thomas Blackwood, Winter Garden, Adele Ashworth; Gabe Bonner , Dream a Little Dream, Susan Elizabeth Phillips; Jack Carstairs, Gallant Waif, Anne Gracie; Justin Connor , Once an Angel, Teresa Medeiros; Derek Craven, Dreaming of You, Lisa Kleypas; Dain, Lord of Scoundrels, Loretta Chase; Damorel, Venetia, Georgette Heyer; Reggie Davenport, The Rake, Mary Jo Putney; Nicholas Davies, Thunder and Roses, Mary Jo Putney; Henry DeTamble, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger; Ian Fairchild, A Well Favored Gentleman, Christina Dodd; Lucien Harrow, Lord Esher, Lucien’s Fall, Barbara Samuel; Rafe Jourdain, Taming of the Duke, Eloisa James; James Killoran, To Love a Dark Lord, Anne Stuart; Arden Lyons, The Game of Love, Edith Layton; Roland Mathieson, The Dedicated Villain, Patricia Veryan; Dylan Moore, His Every Kiss, Laura Lee Guhrke; Benedict Nesbitt, Carla Kelly, One Good Turn; Rock O’Connor, Simple Gifts, Kathleen Korbel; Ethan Quinn, Rising Tides, Nora Roberts; Blue Reynard, In the Midnight Rain, Ruth Wind; Jackson Rule, Jackson Rule, Dinah McCall; Kenzie Scott, The Spiral Path, Mary Jo Putney; Jack Seward, All Through the Night, Connie Brockway; Roan Sullivan, A Place to Call Home, Deborah Smith; Piers Verderan, Emily and the Dark Angel, Jo Beverley; Trevor Whitlatch, Fair Game, Diane Farr; Tom Winchester, After All These Years, Kathleen Gilles Seidel; Dominic Wyndom, Flowers Under Ice, Jean Ross Ewing; Clay Yeager, Clay Yeager’s Redemption, Justine Davis

Well, in a word, I’m bummed.  I’m back in my hotel room after visiting 1 B&N, 2 CVSs and 1 Eckerts.  I don’t know what the heck was wrong with the B&N, but they had neither PFP nor TPKAB. 

In the good news department, there’s a holiday novella from Jennifer Crusie called Hot Toy in the Santa Baby anthology.  So that will keep me until I find the other two.  I’ve never gone wrong with a Crusie story yet.

Ah well.  Whatever you all do, do NOT tell my husband what I’ve ordered from room service......

I love tortured heroes. I haven’t read any of the posts so I apologize for repeating. I love Wentworth Miller and Dominique Purcell in Prison Break *drool* Both tortured in their own way. As for books...Adrian and Julian Kane, Sterling Harlow (and mostly any hero Teresa has written fits the bill nicely.) Jack Devlin from Suddenly You. Gareth St. Claire from It’s In His Kiss. Robert Carroway from England’s Perfect Hero. All of J R Wards

And I agree whole-heartedly with you Christina, Tortured heroes are sexy as hell. I loved Count of Monte Cristo, Jim Caviezal was such a great actor in it.

Thank you, Janga.

And, um, I guess I should have recognized Ian Fairchild, huh?

I completely loved Zachary Benedict in Perfect too, Janga! And Derek Craven, and etc. I think I recognize...er, 95% of those names—makes me realize just how many books I’ve read :p

Oh Christina, what a great topic.  I am writing titles and authors down as fast as I can! 

One of my favorites was Samuel Gerard from the book “The Shadow and The Star” by Laura Kinsale.  He was beautiful on the outside and so tormented on the inside. 

Thanks to everyone for all these great recommendations!

Janga, you are a marvel!  Love this post because tortured heroes are my all time favorite ones to read about!  LOVE THEM!  LOVE THEM! LOVE THEM!

The Count of Monte Cristo is my all time favorite book EVER!!  I’ve only seen bits of the James Cavisel version but will always remember Richard Chamberlin’s Count!!!

You’ve all hit on many of my all time favorites, including Lord Dain from Loretta Chase’s “Lord of Scoundrels”.  YUM!

I’ll just add Nicholas from ‘An Arranged Marriage’ by Jo Beverley and, most recently in the last of her Company of Rogues series, Dare from “To Rescue a Rogue.”

And add to the list, Prince Rainger!!!  Sigh…

So many men, so little time!  I won’t repeat all of the names listed previously, there is not enough time, but Jamie Frasier does get a special mention because he is my all-time favorite. 

One I have not seen mentioned is Rafe Kendrick from Catherine Anderson’s “Baby Love.” I resisted reading that book for a long time because I hated the title, but I had read all of the other books in that series and felt like I should probably read the first one.  Rafe is definately my favorite hero in that series.  The only person who tortured Rafe was Rafe, but he did a very thorough job of it.

Hi Christina,

What is it about those tortured heroes? When well written they seem to just grab my heart and never let go. I still can’t get Zsadist out of my head and it’s been months since I read Lover Awakened. Same thing with a particular scene in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dance with the Devil (if anyone’s read it, I’m talking about his memory of when he tried to buy a piece of bread so he could have one taste of bread that hadn’t been thrown out or spit on by others....crud I’m getting teary).

I think it’s because we know that beneath that hardened, scarred exterior there’s that inner part that just wants to be loved. And that gets me every time.

So my favorite tortured heroes? Well you already listed Zsadist who’s probably my favorite tortured hero. I can’t wait for Vishous and Phury’s books Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter books all feature really good tortured heroes (SK isn’t doing overkill of the tortured heroes, it actually has to do with how they become a DH). Of all these, Acheron is my absolute favorite (and probably tying Zsadist for fave tortured hero period) and Urian, Vane, Valerius, Zarek, and Kyrian aren’t far behind him. Sin from Kinley MacGregor’s Born in Sin is another favorite of mine (anyone remember his brother’s memory of their childhood where Sin is trying to get rid of his “bad” blood? *tear*) .

I also love The Count of Monte Cristo movie. And I love the plot twist with him and Mercedes. I agree - you could see it a mile away. But I’m a sucker for those kinds of twists. And speaking of movies, James Dean did the tortured teenager so well I still get all gooey whenever I watch East of Eden or Rebel Without a Cause

Kat

One of my memorable tortured heroes is Ian Lennard from The Dangerous Lord because his secret actually shocked me (despite the hundreds of romance novels I’ve read) and even though it’s not his fault it’s not something he’s ever going to get over, either.

Also, pretty much all of the brothers of Gaelen Foley’s Knight Miscellany but especially Lucius.

And Alistair Carsington, just to name a Loretta Chase hero other than Dain.  I love the part when Mirabel confesses that she found Alistair’s limp sexy from the first time she saw him.

Another tortured hero that you have to love is Liz Carlyle’s Bentley Rutledge.  He’s a recurring character throughout her books so you see him for the first time at sixteen as the brother of the hero and you know something seriously wrong has happened to him.  It’s so cathartic when he finally, finally, in The Devil You Know tells his family what happened.  It also gives a really dark reason, psychologically, for someone to be a pathological “rake.”

And Jervaulx, Jervaulx, Jervaulx!  I just finished Flowers from the Storm during the Thanksgiving weekend.  I love Christian.

I just love tortured heroes!  I’ve finally read through this thread and taken many notes.  The librarian is going to hate me when I start ordering these up!

And for all you Phantom fans, read a book years ago called “Phantom” by Suzanne Kay.  It was the story of the Phantom’s life from birth, and and....OMG it was so good.  Talk about your tortured heros, and an interesting perspective on the ending.  If anyone can find it, it’s worth the read.

You are just so wrong! _The Count of Monte Cristo_ is a fabulous romantic book!