Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group discussion

I admit that I've always liked heroes who were a bit obsessed. Lately, I've been thinking about how in real life, that is wrong and scary. I can definitely separate real life from books, but sometimes a hero can get to me and make me feel he's crossed the line.

Do you have a line? Where is that line? What behavior is a red flag for you in a hero?

There are no judgments here.

When I've read dark romances where the women were kidnaped and mistreated, I felt very uncomfortable.

Chrisolu wrote: "When I've read dark romances where the women were kidnaped and mistreated, I felt very uncomfortable."

I don't mind kidnap, but not if the heroine is abused or treated bad by the hero.

I don't seem to have much of a "line" for the H to cross, as long as there is an HEA at the end (I have an amazing ability to suspend belief when it comes to my romances and my "heroes" .....it's my super power.
That said, I started reading one not too long ago, it was a mobster H themed book. The H and his group broke into her house and killed her entire family (mother, father, brother..)and then kidnapped her. I pretty much stopped there. I couldn't see how even I could buy into how she would come around to having feelings for the man who murdered the family she loved. It wasn't like they abused her and by killing them, he freed her. She was sheltered, and loved by her family.

I don't have a line with stalking/kidnapping and being obsessive, but for me, it comes down to how he treats the h. And that extends to respecting her and her opinions/decisions. Abuse, trying to control her every thought/action and hurting people she cares about would demonstrate a lack of respect for her so that's a line for me.

Also, if the heroine has to become conditioned to even like the hero, what she's feeling for him isn't real. So that doesn't satisfy me. If I'm not looking for a romance, then fine, but if I want to read romance, then those things need to approached right, for me to believe it. I quite like stories where the H is a bit is a bit of an ass (or a lot of an ass!) and changes his behavior because of how he feels about the h.

Good question. I've been thinking about this regarding some of the dark romances I've been reading.

Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) wrote: "That said, I started reading one not too long ago, it was a mobster H themed book. The H and his group broke into her house and killed her entire family (mother, father, brother..)and then kidnapped her. I pretty much stopped there. I couldn't see how even I could buy into how she would come around to having feelings for the man who murdered the family she loved. ..."

Absolutely agree with you. That's crazy to think real love would develop from that starting point!

Unfortunately, my perspective on this is a bit skewed. I had a stalker in real life and it was terrifying. There was literally nothing romantic about it so I can't read "romances" where the H seems stalkerish. It's not exactly a trigger for me, but maybe more of a hard limit?

If he's a stalker, he's a creep. If he's a spy or a detective, it's his job. Otherwise, a creep.