Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of SS Readers Corner.
I haven’t had much time to blog these days due to work commitments. Nevertheless I always makes some time for #TopTenTuesday particularly when the topics are something I am familiar with. The topic for today is ‘Top Ten Favorite Heroines From Books’. Since the books that I read tend to be romantic in nature, it’s hard to shortlist my list of favourite heroines. After giving it much thought, I decided to write my ten favourite heroines as well as some snippets from their books or fans’ reviews that describe their characteristics/personality:
Louise Downe in ‘Silver Lining’ by Maggie Osbourne
‘Silver Lining’ by Maggie Osborne
I love this scene (refer below) where Mother McCord told her son Max about Louise’s character. It perfectly describes one of Louise’s characteristics.
“I’ve always known what you were thinking. You’re squeezing that marble in your pocket and you’re thinking your cattle wouldn’t be at risk if it weren’t for Louise. And maybe you’re right. But take a hard look, son. When you see that woman working up a sweat pitching hay like a hired hand … you’re looking at character.”
“And if we ever have another family dinner that goes like the last one did, you pay attention. I have an idea that your Louise doesn’t sit still for too many insults, and I imagine she could cut someone down to size in about three sentences if she wanted to. But she sat silent while Philadelphia ridiculed and belittled her. Louise did this out of respect for you and this family. That is also character.”
Katherine James in ‘Naked Edge’ by Pamela Clare
Katherine James is proud of her Native American heritage and wants to be a voice for the Navajo community. She is a modern woman who lives in a big city but she still practices the traditional values. She isn’t easily offended when people questioned about her old-fashioned beliefs. She educates those who are unaware of Navajo customs.
If you’d like to read about the inspiration for Naked Edge, click here.
‘Naked Edge’ by Pamela Clare
Alyssa Locke in Suzanne Brockmann‘s Troubleshooters series
‘Gone Too Far’ by Suzanne Brockmann
Alyssa Locke is a kickass FBI agent. Her story is told in several books in the Troubleshooter series. This blog post perfectly summarises the characteristics of Alyssa Locke.
Marguerite Perruquet in Joey W. Hill‘s ‘Nature of Desire’ series
Marguerite was prominently featured in ‘Ice Queen’ & Mirror of My Soul’
Forget Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. If you want to read emotionally-gripping BDSM romance book(s), read Joey W. Hill’s Nature of Desire series. Marguerite is my favourite character because of her vulnerability. Plus she owns a tea shop and teaches tea drinking ceremony!
Laurel Wilkins in ‘Mouth to Mouth’ by Erin McCarthy
‘Mouth to Mouth’ by Erin McCarthy
This book is refreshing because it features a heroine who has hearing impairment. Laurel is caught between the deaf and hearing worlds. Laurel is able to live a pretty normal life because she doesn’t allow her disability to define her.
Risa Clay in ‘Sweet Southern Betrayal’ by Robin Covington
‘Sweet Southern Betrayal’ by Robin Covington
I ❤ Risa because of her sassiness and confidence. She also one of the toughest, kindest and most affectionate heroines I have encountered. Another reason I like Risa: her vulnerability. She wasn’t afraid to tell about her misfortunes.
“You deserve to have someone take care of you once in a while.”
Risa stiffened at his words, her back rigid and tight. “That kind of thinking is for princesses who grew up in castles, not for girls who’d gone from one crappy foster home to another.”
“You don’t think you deserve that?
“You learn not to want stuff like that when…” She cleared her throat, unable to explain her life to someone with his background. “You just don’t.”
Liberty Jones in ‘Sugar Daddy’ by Lisa Kleypas
‘Sugar Daddy’ by Lisa Kleypas
What I love about Liberty Jones is that she takes her responsibilities very seriously. She could have placed her younger sister in foster care when their mother died but she took the guardianship of her sister. She forgives Carrington even when she throws tantrum (as seen in this scene):
I went to the far end of the kitchen where my sister was standing. Her small face was tense and anxious, her hair comically wild like a troll doll’s. She looked as if she were going to cry. “Liberty…”
When you love a child, you forgive her before she can even ask. Basically you’ve already forgiven her for things she hasn’t even done yet. “It’s okay,” I murmured, reaching for her. “It’s okay, baby.”
Carrington rushed forward, her skinny arms closing tight around me. “I’m sorry,” she said tearfully. “I didn’t mean the stuff I said, any of it.”
“I know.”
Clare Abshire in ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger
Although this story has a science fiction element (time-travelling) in its plot, in essence it is a love story that is relatable. I love Clare’s strength in dealing with Henry’s curse – she’s so patient and loyal. She believes in fate and doesn’t want to change its course even though she could (by choosing another man).
Penelope Featherington in ‘Romancing Mister Bridgerton’ by Julia Quinn
‘Romancing Mister Bridgerton’ by Julia Quinn
Penelope is intelligent and independent unlike other women in that era. She is unfazed by what society thinks of her and does not mind poking fun at herself. I love it when Colin realised that Penelope is a truly wonderful woman:
She was amazing. He didn’t know how he hadn’t realized it before, when he’d already known that she was smart and lovely and witty and resourceful. But all those adjectives, and a whole host more he hadn’t yet thought of, did not add up to the true measure of her.
She was amazing.
Rionna McDonald in ‘Never Love a Highlander’ by Maya Banks
‘Never Love a Highlander’ by Maya Banks
Rionna is not a dainty lass; she knows how to wield a sword. She is willing to sacrifice her life to ensure the safety of her beloved. One of my favourite lines from the book indicates her humbleness:
“I wish I could say I thought of all that just before I thrust my sword through Cameron’s back, but ’tis the truth, my only aim was to prevent him from killing my husband,” she said ruefully.
Forgive me for not including Jane Eyre (‘Jane Eyre’), Emma Woodhoouse (‘Emma’), Daisy Devreaux (‘Kiss an Angel’), Evangeline “Evie” Jenner (‘A Devil in Winter’), Meredith Bancroft (‘Paradise’) and Danika (‘Bad Things’, ‘Rock Bottom’ & ‘Lovely Trigger’). They were already heavily featured in my previous Top Ten Tuesday posts.
What have you selected for today’s topic? Share your list of favourite heroines in the comment box below.
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