Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group discussion

Okay, so let's talk about the common trope: the hero who's been around and then some.

How do you like it handled?
What don't you like?

Given a choice would you take or leave the slamhound hero?

I posted this thread because I'm currently reading Shadow Rider. The hero in his own words has f*cked a lot of women but he didn't care about any of them. He couldn't care. I admit that this is a turnoff for me. What I did like was that he was sorry that it caused the heroine pain to be reminded of his promiscuous past.

I like that, because the hero is nearly constantly reminded of this because of the circles he travels in. She encounters a lot of his ex sex partners.

I read a lot of historical romances, and this is rather bothersome to me when the hero is Lord Rake of Rakenstock and he's slept with many of the women in the ton. I think that would be mega awkward to be around my man's ex-lovers all the time. In theory, the past is the past, but when you are constantly reminded, it makes it hard to be blase' about it.

As long as he doesn't keep doing it after falling for the heroine, I'm ok. Everybody has a past, but I don't like cheats. If he's hurt those other women, he should at least be remorseful or even make some reparations if appropriate. Given a choice... hmmm, not sure. In real life, there are certain risks in promiscuous behavior, so......

I feel you, Peridot_Lyoness. I'm not a big fan of double standards. I hate when the hero has been majorly promiscuous and then tries to judge the heroine's past.

Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) wrote: "I posted this thread because I'm currently reading Shadow Rider. The hero in his own words has f*cked a lot of women but he didn't care about any of them. He couldn't care. I admit ..."

I read Shadow Rider. That sounds more like the hero's brother. I remember reading that he was careful NOT to be majorly promiscuous for the person he would end up being with.

I hope no one gets offended, by what I am about to say, but a lot of authors write heroes that has been with a lot of women, because it supposed to show how good he is in bed. I'm not a fan of Historical Books, although I have read some that I do like and sometimes, if I see a Historical book that's free at the library and if it catches my attention, I may get it. I don't like a rake in Historical books or even the sex man in contemporary books. A woman would have to be really strong to be with a man that has been with a man that has been with so many women. A man that claims to not have cared for anyone of those women. It's kind of hard for me to believe that he cares for the heroine. What is it about the heroine that would make him care about the woman and not the sex? I'm not afraid to stand corrected, but books that have this theme forces the heroine and hero to be together. There's truly no chemistry. I hate forced romance.

What makes a real man is the brain he has in his head and not what's between his legs. Run heroine, run!

Arch wrote: "I hope no one gets offended, by what I am about to say, but a lot of authors write heroes that has been with a lot of women, because it supposed to show how good he is in bed. I'm not a fan of Hist..."

My, how the tables have turned! I guess fiction is fiction and authors use that trope often but I agree that a guy whose love life has been one long line of disposable women may not magically change overnight because he fell in love with the heroine. So heroine, run the other way as fast as your little fat legs can take you!

This does bother me on occasion, but it depends on the book as to how badly. It's one of those things that would definitely bother me more in real life. A man who's been around a bit and is supposedly the best thing ever in the sack, is okay with me (think Kristen Ashley). However, when the man is described as a straight-up man whore, it bothers me. I know these books aren't real, but reality starts to intrude on the fantasy at that point and all I can think about are diseases and what-not. Naturally the men claim to have always used protection, but if you're that indiscriminate about who you sleep with, how can I trust that you were careful? I end up thinking, "Run girl...don't touch that with a ten-foot pole!" And then there's the whole double standard, which seems to happen more in the historical realm. I just tell myself that it was the way things really were back then. Again, it depends on how slutty the guy was. I can handle some, but too much does bother me. It doesn't stop me from reading the books mind you...but it bugs.

Hmm....I guess it depends for me. In some books I don't mind it but in others I do. In historicals it never really bothers me. Although I never really thought about the fact that his past lovers would pretty much be in your same circle. But if you've been with so many women that you don't even remember their names it becomes a bit of a problem for me. I remember reading one book where the hero had almost bedded the heroine but didn't even remember her years later-turn off. And also Rhage from BDB, I don't care what the excuse was he was a no for me.

I don't have a problem with a normal healthy sex life, in both the men and the women, but I absolutely hate it if she's a simpering shy virgin and he's a man-whore, firstly I don't like the thinking behind it, it smacks too much of women must be pure and men must be men, it makes the feminist in me hiss and growl.
I grew up enough decades ago to know when that was the must, and I have felt the not take seriously fury of watching those double standards being played out around me. It's eased a little as the world finally starts to tilt towards some form of equality, but we are a long way from there.
And secondly I hate it when our fiction works give the younger generations, that are reading those, the idea that going back to that is something to be longed for... it's not.

Promiscuous heroines or heroes don't bother me in principle, but sometimes execution goes totally wrong. Someone above mentioned them not remembering all the people they slept with. That's just icky to me. I will give them names, but faces, or other physical part should trigger sense memory. I also don't like the ones that make a big deal about not kissing the people they sleep with. Unless you're an actual hooker, this doesn't compute for me. I'm also grossed out if they don't use protection. I'm also always disappointed with heroines who recognize the hero as a manwhore but still goes without protection, before having the testing talk.

@Kryptonite. I just finished Shadow Rider. What I said is accurate. He has strong sex drive and slept with a lot of women he didn't care about. He is sorry it hurts the heroine. He actually has the nerve to be jealous of the one one boy the heroine was with.

I really don't like a promiscuous hero. It bugs me.

Especially hate the double standard attached to it.

I like my heroes sexually circumspect.

From my point of view there is a "sheeeesh here we go again" element to the manwhore, actually I don't think multiple partners is actually going to make you automatically good in bed, think about it, if there's no connection with the other person, and don't expect to ever see them again there would be little motivation to make it good for them too.

Sandra wrote: "From my point of view there is a "sheeeesh here we go again" element to the manwhore, actually I don't think multiple partners is actually going to make you automatically good in bed, think about i..."

Good point.