Three Ways Our Real-Life Men Are
Like Romance Heroes
Why do we all enjoy reading romance novels? To watch a loving relationship between two people unfold? To lose ourselves in an exciting or enchanting story? To escape into a world where we’re assured of a happy ending?
Yes!
For me, all of these apply. AND…I especially read romance novels for the heroes—those larger-than-life men who consistently put themselves between the lion’s jaws for their heroines. From fighting a bad guy with phenomenal skill and strength to deciphering impossible code to crack an unsolvable mystery with incredible intelligence—and, of course, at the end of all conquests, with energy to spare to offer up good lovin’—our hero does heroic things.
How can a real-life man compete?
Well, he does! He just does it in subtler, more realistic ways. Understated makes him no less heroic, though—sometimes we just need to learn how to see the heroism in “everyday” activities.
Romance heroes act.
They get things done. Our imaginary hero uses strength and intelligence that may be above the norm to save the day, but still…herein lies where real-life men aren’t too different from their fictional brothers.
Men do.
Of course, men feel too. But often a man shows he cares through more non-emotion-centric ways. If your man does extra, more “feeling” things, great! But if he doesn’t, he can still be heroic in other ways—that are more his way.
So…what are 3 ways our real-life men are like romance heroes?
He’s a great provider.
- This may seem like a given, especially if your family is structured more traditionally, and he’s the primary breadwinner. And if you are a two-income family, it doesn’t mean he puts less value on what he brings to the table. He gets a great deal of pride from taking care of his family, and doing it well. Putting such a high premium on looking out for the people who are important to him is…well…it’s pretty danged heroic.
He fixes things.
- When he sees something that is broken, he fixes it. Does he jump on the job even without being asked? All the better! He cares about your comfort and about you being as happy in your day-to-day life as he can help you to be. Sounds like a hero to me!
He protects you.
- He loves you. He cares deeply for you. He doesn’t want you to be hurt either emotionally or physically, and he will take concrete steps to defends you from harm. Millions of years of biological evolution might be urging him to protect you, but that makes him no less heroic!
Bonus points for him being a real-life hero…
- He is all smiles after he kisses you.
So rest easy in your bed tonight…you have a great man in the house! He still may need a little nudge here and there to show his care in more emotion-centric ways, but when he acts to attend to the little and big things in your life, this is no small gesture for him.
He IS being your real-life hero.
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~ Tracy Tappan ~
Tracy Tappan is a bestselling and award-winning author of gritty romance, her novels spanning genres across paranormal (The Community Series) and military romantic suspense (The Wings of Gold Series). Tracy brings with her a unique and real perspective about what makes a hero. From her former life working as a counselor to her current occupation writing romances to her thirty-year marriage to a knight-in-shining-armor, she has a great deal of thoughts on the subject—and she brings them all to the page! You can read more about Tracy and her heroes on her website at www.tracytappan.com or click one of the links below!
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