The Men of Historical Romance…Betcha’ Can’t Have Just One!

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the fearless, handsome, strong, muscular, battle-ready, and rugged men of historical romance. Their swords are sharpened, their arrows are poised, their ships are ready to sail you off into a new land. Let them grab you around the waist and toss you effortlessly back onto the bed of your imagination. Let them pull you up behind them on horseback and gallop into your dreams. Let them…okay so you get the point.

Don’t pretend like you don’t know who these striking gentlemen are, how utterly majestic and fabulous they can be. I will provide you with an example, for the sake of clarity.

Silently, he moved. Pressing himself against the stone wall behind him, his knife clutched firmly in his hand, ready for anything. His kilt blew slightly in the breeze, raising the hem enough to see an expanse of muscular thigh, dusted with brown hair. He could feel his chest rising with each breath, his opened shirt cool in the night air.

I have just introduced you to the highlander. A popular, and indisputable, fantasy choice for people everywhere. However, let us also pay our dues to the Viking, the Knight, the Soldier, the Cowboy, the Aboriginal, the Pirate, the Sexy Drifter… (okay that last one was just a Rambo fantasy…). In all seriousness, these men make excellent and tantalizing male leads in our novels, I would never attempt to argue against a good pillaging scene with a blood-thirsty Viking.

BUT…..I have a very serious question.

WHERE ARE ALL THE AVERAGE JOES OF HISTORICAL ROMANCE?!

Where are all the books about the handsome, yet unassuming medieval baker? I am sure there were plenty of good-looking, eligible and delicious smelling bakers in the 15th century. Okay, well maybe not so delicious smelling because of lack of proper hygiene and super hot working conditions BUT, I bet a baker still smelled a hell of a lot better than a stinky post-battle knight, under all that heavy armour.

If a medieval baker doesn’t quite float your boat, well then may I suggest a British sheep herder? I wouldn’t laugh yet… let’s think about this for a moment. Delightful accent aside, this sheep herder has a steady job, spends lots of time in the great outdoors, gets a decent amount of exercise chasing the sheep, and let’s not forget; he is prepared to fight off a wolf with just his sheep cane…I mean what more can you want. (I think this paragraph really showed how little I know about the history or logistics of being a sheep herder.)

I am not saying that we should do away with the powerful traditional archetype of male historical romance. I am only proposing that we make a little room for the Renaissance dad bod. There is something to be said about a man who can whip you up a loaf of fresh bread the morning after.

So, the next time you fantasize about the Sir Lachlan atop his pitch-black warhorse it might be nice to allow Oscar the sensitive butchers apprentice a moment of your time.

#historicalhotties #historicalromancemen #medievalbaker #emmastackauthorblog