Guest Post & Giveaway: What makes the perfect hero by Kira Morgan, author of Captured by Desire

Today I'm lucky enough to host Kira Morgan, a prolific romance author that has written several novels under the names Sarah McKerrigan and Glynnis Campbell. Her latest release, Captured by Desire, is the first under her new pseudonym and was released on August 1st. Take it away, Kira!

What makes the perfect hero?

Broad shoulders, big muscles, white teeth, right?

Well...maybe. A certain amount of what we consider physical attractiveness stems from primal instincts rooted in caveman days when health and fitness ruled. Cavewomen needed mates who could hunt and who weren’t going to die before the last kid left the cave.

Now that our well-being doesn’t rely on our partner’s mammoth-hunting skills--though we still have a bit of a vestigial attraction to hunky men--our qualifiers for attractiveness have shifted. We’re now capable of finding beauty in every kind of beast: skinny boys with tattoos, red-haired beanpoles with freckles, roly-poly biker dudes, pale nerds in glasses.

It’s truly a blessing. Imagine if everyone hungered for the same man.

Thankfully, we seem to prefer different flavors. Some of us go for Gerard, some for George. Some like Legolas, some like Aragorn. Some of us are Edward ladies, some of us prefer Jacob.

But enough about looks.

We may yearn for those handsome hunks looming large on the movie screen, but when it comes to making a life with someone (which is, after all, the goal in a romance novel), heroes have much more depth.

So what does a woman want most in a hero?

Understanding.

Surprised? That’s what heroines are usually looking for in romance novels. Sometimes it takes the whole book to get to that point. The path may be fraught with miscommunication, mistakes, missteps. But eventually the hero gets the heroine. He GETS the heroine.

Maybe this is what makes readers fall in love with different heroes and different novels. All of us want to be understood, and the hero who touches the heroine (and us) in just the right place in the heart is the one who resonates with us long after we close the book.

The heroes I write, of course, always resonate with me. My hero may not be the biggest man in the room, but he has the most self-confidence. He may even be a bit cocky, which requires the heroine to knock him down a peg or two. He definitely has a sense of loyalty, a sense of honor, and a sense of humor. He’s kind, brave, and intelligent. He also has a lot of patience. I tend to write kick-arse heroines who need heroes strong enough to tame their wild ways and worthy enough to win their wayward hearts.

What about you? What kind of hero plays your heartstrings to perfection?

I hope my heroes resonate with you, too. Pick up a copy of CAPTURED BY DESIRE, then visit my website at www.glynnis.net/kiramorgan or friend me at www.facebook.com/kiramorganauthor and tell me if Rane MacAllister kept you up all night!

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About Captured by Desire:

In 16th century Scotland, young Miss Florie Gilder runs away from her drunken foster father to find her real father and her noble heritage. Along the way, she is accused of theft, becomes a fugitive hiding in a forest, and is accidentally wounded by a handsome local huntsman. The huntsman--a Robin-Hood figure who poaches wild game from the landowner's estate to feed the starving poor--carries the beautiful maiden to a church where she is guaranteed 40 days of sanctuary from the law. During that time, he learns her true story, falls in love with her, and helps her in her quest, at the risk of his own life. Smitten with him, she worries more for his survival. But enemies of the state are seeking to overturn the Catholic royals, while a vicious noblewoman is out to destroy Florie.

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Thanks for the great post, Kira!

Did Kira's post get you intrigued? Want to see what Capture by Desire has in store? Well, you should be sure to check out Kira's site for more info about her and her novels, but you can also try to win one of 5 copies graciously donated by Hachette. Just note the rules below and enter!

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