My favorite virgin hero is Sin from Born In Sin (2003) by Kinley MacGregor a/k/a Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Sin is the product of an affair between a married Scottish man and an English lady. The minute Sin was brought into this world, he was unwanted. Immediately after giving birth, his mother sent him to Scotland to live with his father. His father did not receive him with open arms. Sin was a constant reminder of his father’s betrayal to his wife. While his father and stepmother lavished love and material items on their children, Sin was literally left standing in the corner with nothing. So when the King of England requested one son from every Scottish home in order to maintain peace, Sin was naturally the son chosen.
At the age of 12, Sin was serving as a squire for an English knight in Outremer. His English caretaker sold Sin to the Saracens to fund his return trip to England. The Saracen master was cruel to say the least. Sin was beaten, tortured, starved, and cursed by the Saracens for four and a half years. They took his language, his identity, his youth, his everything. Sin had no past and no hope. His Saracen master heard that King Henry was in the deserts of Outremer so he sent Sin to kill the King. Even at the age of 18, Sin was able to move through camps without being heard or seen. Thus, he made his way into the King’s tent without detection. Holding a razor sharp knife to the throat of the King of England, Sin finally believes he may have an option. He makes a deal with King Henry – King Henry’s life for returning Sin to England. King Henry does better than that. He makes Sin a trusted friend and ally.
At the age of 30, Sin is flabbergasted to hear that King Henry wants him to marry a Scotswoman. King Henry plays the friend card and the King card, and reluctantly Sin agrees to the marriage on one condition – only if a priest will sanction the marriage. Sin thought he was being pretty devious as the Pope referred to him as Satan’s Most Favored Spawn, and Sin had been excommunicated from the church five times. But nothing stands in the way of a determined King Henry.
Sin meets his future bride on the back stairs of the King’s palace. Callie and her little brother Jamie are trying to escape the King and head back home to Scotland. Sin and Callie literally bump into each other on the stairs. Sin, a man who normally feels nothing, immediately feels a powerful and unexpected lust across his entire body. From the beginning of their relationship, Callie makes Sin feel things he doesn’t. Wanted. Loved. Desired.
Sin is a tortured hero. Physically and mentally. Probably the most tortured hero I have ever read. He makes the conscience decision to not lay with a woman because his deepest fear is to have a child that will not be wanted or loved. He does not want anyone else, let alone a child, to experience the pain and the deadness he has felt in his life. Sin is constantly asking himself what woman in her right mind would want a man to touch her with hands that have murdered. But when Callie comes into the picture, Sin starts to feel things he no longer thought himself capable of feeling. Callie offers Sin the one thing he never, ever expected. Hope. Hope for a future. A future filled with love, happiness, and family.
I think what makes Sin a wonderful hero is that he experiences many firsts with the only love of his life. The gentleness of his touch, the sensual passion he feels, and the depth of his love (once he realizes it) are so powerfully felt by the reader that you can do nothing but truly yearn for his happiness.
At one point in the story, Callie is so happy to learn that Sin will be taking her back to Scotland that she is overcome by emotion and hugs him. This is Sin’s first hug. Ever. Here is his reaction to this new experience:
“Sin sat in shock as she wrapped herself around him. No one had ever hugged him before. Not once. He swallowed at the sensation of her bosom flattened against his chest, of her breath on his neck and the tenderness of her arms around his neck. She felt wonderful.”
Here are a few of my favorite passages between Callie and Sin in this novel
~ She rose to her feet. “Very well, I shall leave you in peace. But know this: One day I am going to find the heart you have buried away from the world.” “And what would you do with it if you found it?” “I would hold it safe and keep it from the hurt that has shriveled it.” Said heart pounded at her words.
~ “I would love you, husband, if you would let me.” Those words . . . They tore him apart and left him so vulnerable to her. He didn’t dare trust in them. He knew better.
~ Heaven help her, but she wanted this man. It didn’t matter to her what crimes he had committed. What he had done to survive the horrors of his past. All that mattered was the way he touched her heart. He made her laugh, made her feel needed and desirable. Most of all, he made her feel like a woman. He awoke something deep inside her. A part of her she’d never known existed. When she looked into his eyes, she could see the future. See the children she wanted to birth and the home she wanted to make for all of them. Sin couldn’t fathom why he didn’t shove her away from him. He should. It would be the noble thing to do. But then, he and nobility were strangers. He was a beast who knew nothing save basic survival skills. He only knew how to protect himself from harm. And yet, when he looked at her, he could only think of being the man she needed. Of holding her close for the rest of eternity.
If you have never read this book, or if it has been a while since you have, I deeply implore you to find a copy and dive into this beautiful love story about a man who feels he is unworthy of any love and the woman who shows him he is more than worthy.
As you can tell, I love a tortured hero (especially Sin *sigh*). But what about you? Do you love a tortured hero? Is there such a thing as a hero who is too tortured?
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orannia
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 2:18 pm:
(((((Buffie)))))
I LOVE this book. It is definitely my favourite book of Kinley MacGregor’s…..and now you’ve made me want to read it again (which is both good and bad – bad because I have a huge TBR list and Born in Sin is going to leapfrog to the top!).
And yes, I do love a tortured hero (which is why I have Broken Wing on my TBR list too
But I need them to find happiness – I don’t think I could bare to have had them go through so much and not find joy (which is why I am still mad with JK Rowling over what happened to Sirius Black!).
*making mental note to source Born in Sin from its box tonight*
Kati
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 2:29 pm:
Great blog, Buffie! Oh you know me, I loves a tortured hero. The more tortured, the better. As long as he gets his HEA. I’ve not read Born in Sin since it came out. I’ll have to dig around and see if I can find it. Thanks for the reminder!
Marisa
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 2:35 pm:
Great Blog Buffie and Sin is one terrific virgin hero and for all the reasons we’ve been discussing this week.
As for tortured heroes – well I have such mixed emotions about that. For the tortured heroes I have read, and Sin counts among them, I invariably root for them to find their well deserved happiness. However, while reading the book I usually want to toss it across the room at least one or two times. I find it incredibly difficult to read these books – although they are among some of my favorites.
When I was reading Acheron I called Maria at least 5 times and said, I don’t know how much more of this I can take. His agony is too hard to endure. And yet, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
When reading Lover Awakened I thought I couldn’t bear one more heart wrenching scene of Z’s captivity.
When reading Flowers From the Storm, I thought I’d never stop weeping for Christian.
Sydnam from Simply love fairly broke my heart.
Reginald’s story in The Rake is one that haunts me.
Zarek in Dance with the Devil made me pause with grief.
Matthew from Untouched had me pacing and weeping simultaneously.
All these tortured heroes were almost impossible to read. And yet read them I did. Why, because when they do find love and happiness it is all the sweeter and richer. Going through hell and back again and coming out on the other side – well is one of the reasons I read romance. The journey with these particular heroes was harder than with others but I’ll never forget reading them – and yes they are all keepers on my shelf.
katiebabs
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 2:37 pm:
I love tortured heroes and the women that make them whole again! Jack from Connie Brockway’s All Through the Night is so beyond tortrued. And don’t forget Dain from Lord of Scoundrels!
Stacy ~
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 3:45 pm:
I’ve never read this book, but wow, adding this to my already expanded virgin hero list. Beautiful post, and you got me right in the heart, Buffie. Sin sounds remniscent of several of Kenyon’s heroes (go figure) and reminds me a bit of Zarek, who is probably tied with Zsadist for my all-time favorite hero. Thank you for writing such a moving post. It definitely sounds like it has the emotional edge I crave in my romances.
Buffie
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 3:46 pm:
Orannia — This is my favorite Kinley book too! She just does a fantastic job with him and Callie! Yes, you really need to dig that book out and put it on the VERY top of your TBR.
Kati — I wish you much success in digging around those books to find this one. Sin is definitely worth a second, third, fifteenth read
Marisa — Yes, I understand what you mean about not being able to take one more thing by a tortured hero. But Kinley (Sherrilyn) does such a wonderful job of showcasing Sin’s torturous background without stepping over that very thin line of making him “too” tortured. You know, where you just dwell on the hero’s tortured past and not look forward to his HEA.
Katiebabs — Count me in for the tortured heroes too!
Kati
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 4:34 pm:
KB – I love, love, love Jack Seward. He’s one of my desert island heroes. He’s just so delicious. All Through The Night features one of my all time favorite scenes. Which of course, features Jack…tied to a chair. SMOKIN’ HAWT!
Andrea
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 4:51 pm:
All right, Buffie … I may have to FINALLY give in and get this book! Since we love the same types of books, I’ll probably love it. Great blog!!
Oh, I love me some tortured heroes. It gives them so much to overcome with the heroine’s love.
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 5:36 pm:
Great blog, Buffie! It’s been years since I last read Sin’s story. I’m thinking it’s time to re-visit him again. MacGregor/Kenyon does a terrific job with tortured heroes, especially those who were held captive in Outremer.
Marisa, my heart just broke for Christian in Flowers from the Storm.
Howard “Six-Pack” Paxton from Jo Davis’s Trial by Fire is a contemporary tortured hero who captured my heart…and every other body part too.
Buffie
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 6:38 pm:
Andrea — you really need to break down and get this book. I think you would really enjoy Sin & Callie’s story. It is fantastic!
PJ — yes, Sherrilyn does write some fantabulous tortured heroes, but I still think Sin is her best.
Mariana
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:43 pm:
Hi. This is my first time writing in here, I usually just read what the others say, hihi. But about the “too tortured hero”: I don’t think there is such thing, I think that some authors use these heroes past to justify their bad choices in the book way too much. But some of them, the heores, can have an awful life and still embrace love, like Archeron. *I luuuve him*
Want to read “Born in Sin” now… Will buy it. Thanx.
Gannon
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:24 pm:
Great blog, Buffie! Of course, I love a tortured hero. Seeing him healed by the love of the heroine and get his HEA….*sigh* Love, love, love it!
I’ve never read Born In Sin, but I will definitely add it to my list.
Buffie
on Dec 12th, 2008
@ 7:38 am:
Mariana — thanks for stopping by and commenting. I think the majority of romance readers love tortured heroes. I hope that you will pick up BORN IN SIN and enjoy it as much I have.
Gannon — you really need to get this book!!
Karin
on Dec 12th, 2008
@ 1:43 pm:
Buffie, I have to second everything Stacey said about your post. I haven’t read this book yet, but I really, really want to now.
Buffie
on Dec 12th, 2008
@ 1:49 pm:
Oh Karin, you really REALLY need to get this book. It will leave you quite satisfied