Bad boys (in books) are my favorite. I bet y’all didn’t know… huh? 😉 LOL! And sure… we’ve all been on a bad-boy kick for a few years now, and have a plethora of book-bad-boys to choose from. In fact, it was book bad-boys that took me out of my paranormal reading funk. They weren’t your typical “hero” and even at times, could totally be an anti-hero. And they had me swooning like mad, again!
But I still get that age-old question… what is it about bad boys that has us swooning so hard?
Bad boys are the guys our mothers warned us about. The whole… “look but DON’T touch” temptation being dangled before our eyes. It’s that “bad boy” danger (in life and to our hearts) and a forbidden love angle of that sort just can’t help but be titillating!
Could it simply be the “you can’t have him” appeal? Our moms forbade us and told us no, and let’s admit it… the bad boy has his own way of saying no, too. Telling me I can’t have it (at least not forever), intensifies the desire, and there is nothing more irresistible than a sexy rebel with an unattainable heart. They may give a little, but they keep their hearts out of it. That is… until she comes along. And we all know, there’s nothing better than being “the one” to the one that everybody wants but nobody can have.
The “best of the best” of these bad-boy books have us pining for them. They don’t just give us the romance right off the bat. It has to be worked for and we love the thrill of the chase. Their “don’t-mess-with-me” attitudes have us swooning. They are gritty, strong and intense with a rough around the edges lifestyle. They have real-guy flaws and insecurities, but they make no apologies, and always seem to come out on top. These alphas rule the roost.
Their brooding, unfussy, no-nonsense demeanors promise us the real thing. They express themselves only when they feel like it and the rest might be deduced from their body language and what’s on their skin, but there’s so much more to them than that.
And only those close to them get the privilege of ever finding out. *swooooooon*
But it’s that rare peek into their soft side, that glimpse into an otherwise hardened heart that have us swooning. And of course, their alpha protective side. He may insist he’s not your “knight in shining armor” (and he’s right, at least in regards to the “typical” version), but he often proves to be one, nonetheless.
Why do we love these books so much? Aside from the obvious, they allow us “play with them”, bond with them, even fall in love with them, without that risk of getting burned. Oh sure, we feel it all, but it’s only temporary. It’s safe. But it’s easy to forget the “safe” part when we’re in the midst of all that drama. These books are not just about fierce looks and steamy scenes but actual, real feelings, game-playing and heartache, romantic moments and angsty moments, prolonged… in detail.
We just want that feeling over and over again. That on the edge of your seat, heart racing, adrenaline pumping, sob inducing elation. Bad boy books promise us romance… with a kick!
Of course we miss them when we’re done, but all we need is another intense bad-boy book to sway our attention and we’re good to go! They are so hard to resist, and now, we don’t need to! 😀
And here are a few fun lists to choose from if you’re looking for book bad-boys:
- What to Read After Kristen Ashley <— Mega alphas. Not all of them “bad-boys”, but plenty are.
- My Top 13 Most Illicit Bad Boys <— It says illicit. That’s all we need to know. 😉
- The Ultimate Cara McKenna list <— Mega alphas here too.
- What to Read After Thoughtless <— because rock stars and angst!!
- Recommended Risqué, Taboo & Forbidden Love Stories <— It says forbidden. That’s all that we need to know. 😛
- Unrequited Love Recommendations <— usually it’s unrequited ’cause they’re bad boys, right?
- What to Read After Beautiful Disaster <— LOL!! Because… come on, right? What better bad boy than Travis. 😉
The signal bend series is amazing. I read the entire series based in your list Maryse. Absolutely raw, real and amazing writing. The story and characters absolutely draw you in. Cat Porter is also quite good. Enjoyable characters and storylines in both. Enjoy!
Our bad boy love summed up perfectly. Is it any wonder why we all feel so at home here?? 😉
And Georgia, I keep hearing about how good the Signal Bend series is and even have one or two of them already…guess that will be my first pick next time I’m in the mood for some gritty MC love!!
Aww I love this post! I’ve been taking a break from bad boys in my books lately but this just reminds me why I started reading them in the first place 😉
Amy, you will absolutely love it.bdo read them in order. All the books are connected. It just sucks you in. It’s good their very long because you will be craving them. Susan Fannetti has some short stories that you can read on her website as well.
AHHH… I think Zeth from the Blood and Roses should be include. In addition, Twitch from Raw.
I love that you guys read this one!! Thank you. It is near and dear to my heart (as well as the book bad boys are). 😉