Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love alpha heroes. Give me a confident, masterful, sexual hero who knows his way around a woman’s body and I’m a happy romance reader. Those same people will also tell you that I’m very territorial. I don’t like to think of my heroes being with any woman other than their heroine and therein lay the problem. I love a virginal alpha hero, a breed that isn’t often found in the world of romance fiction, so you can imagine how excited I was to discover one of these rarities among the December romance releases.
Simeon Jermyn, Duke of Cosway, is the hero of WHEN THE DUKE RETURNS by Eloisa James. Simeon has all the qualities of your typical alpha male. He’s an adventurer, arrogant in his confidence of his masculinity, his superior abilities and intelligence and fully in control of his emotions. He does not believe in a marriage of equals. In Simeon’s world, he is the ruler and he expects his wife to willingly and happily follow his lead in all things. In only one way does Simeon not typify the standard alpha hero. Simeon is a virgin. That’s not to say he hasn’t had opportunities or, as his heroine, Isidore fears, that his equipment doesn’t work. The equipment works just fine, as is proven with increasing frequency the more he’s around Isidore but, for very valid reasons, he has chosen to abstain from sexual activities. He’s returned to England to claim the wife he’s never met but as he’s uncertain if they will stay married, he refuses to bed her, his honor compelling him to draw his control ever more tightly with each successive encounter until he’s ready to go off like a roman candle. What woman wouldn’t love to be the focus of all that pent-up sexual desire? His determined self-denial in the face of his raging sexual urges made Simeon all the more intriguing to me though I have to admit that the thought of him losing that highly prized control when he finally came together with his beautiful, sensual, sexually-primed wife had me salivating and flipping pages as fast as I could. At the same time, the fact that he was a virgin and came to his wife with the vulnerability and, let’s face it, cluelessness of a man who has never before pleasured a woman but who so obviously loved her, desired her and wanted her to “see the stars” touched my heart and endeared him to me even more.
Ms. James recently talked to me about Simeon and her reasons for creating this complex hero. She said; “I was creating a hero with really deep contrasts: in other words, he was a really alpha explorer type, and yet he had studied meditation. He was full of testosterone, and yet he had curbed his own desire…I think that men like that feel 50% more when they fall in love, and I wanted to explore how that would be if Simeon fell in love, and discovered the sensuality of a woman’s body, at the same time. Like a forest fire!” Like a forest fire indeed and one I have no desire to put out any time soon! Simeon is one very delicious alpha virgin who has firmly established himself in my romance-loving heart.
Does the alpha/virgin hero work for you? Have you discovered other heroes who share these same traits? Who are your favorites? If you’ve read WHEN THE DUKE RETURNS, what did you think of Simeon?
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Stacy ~
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:12 am:
Hey PJ, this is a great post. You pointed out some of the elements I liked about Simeon – how he’s so alpha but at the same time he embraces a celibate life. How he believes he’ll be happier with a biddable wife but in truth Isidore’s assertive nature complements his perfectly. I did enjoy watching Isidore prove him wrong about that – she was a wonderful heroine, and though just as inexperienced as Simeon, it didn’t take away from her appeal. And I found Simeon’s struggle with what he faces in England – his family, especially his mother; his responsibilities and those left behind by his father; his confusion with his wife – all made sense compared to the life he’d been living for so long. It wasn’t exactly an easy adjustment, but he handled it admirably well.
And yes, the alpha virgin hero definitely works for me
LauraB
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:20 am:
I like when you said, “What woman wouldn’t love to be the focus of all that pent-up sexual desire?”
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:27 am:
I like when you said, “What woman wouldn’t love to be the focus of all that pent-up sexual desire?”
I know! Doesn’t the thought of it just make you all shivery inside?
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:33 am:
Thanks, Stacy!
And I found Simeon’s struggle with what he faces in England – his family, especially his mother; his responsibilities and those left behind by his father; his confusion with his wife – all made sense compared to the life he’d been living for so long. It wasn’t exactly an easy adjustment, but he handled it admirably well.
Stacy, you’re so right. Here was a man who had spent many years perfecting a life of moderation and inner peace who returns home to be thrown into a maelstrom of confusion and chaos. It’s a situation tailored to separate the men from the boys and Simeon proves through his actions that he is definitely all man.
Marisa
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:37 am:
PJ – this is terrific – you hit upon all the reasons I too loved Simeon. I think with this book, more than any other virgin hero I’ve read, I found myself feeling very ‘politically incorrect’. What I mean to say is that I was a bit ’shocked’ to discover that this bear of a man, this conqueror of the world was still a virgin. How could that be? My expectation of heroes who are alpha, worldly, captivating and in control is that they will be experienced lovers. And truth be told, that is not my expectation of heroines. Yes, I said it out loud. So when reading Simeon, I thought, for the first time, yikes, I really do have a double standard when it comes to heroes and heroines and I never fully admitted it until reading Simeon and Isidore’s story.
So, when you ask “does the alpha/virgin” work for me? Well I never really thought deeply about it until I read When the Duke Returns. And I have to say it made me think about other books we’ve discussed here this week. In J.R. Ward’s Lover Enshrined – Phury’s celibacy is part of how he atones for the guilt and shame he feels. In Outlander, Jamie’s virginity is due to his youth, war, and circumstances ( I feel he’d have gotten to it sooner rather than later), in Texas Princess, Tobin has had little or no opportunity to experience or be around women – and with all these alphas their circumstances dictated their situations. Simeon is making clear cut choices every step of the way and these choices are part of the fabric of his character. I admired him and for staying true to his beliefs. But, it did catch me off guard. Part of me wanted to bash him over the head and say – get on with already. The other part thought, no, he’s doing what he needs to do – staying the course and anchoring his life in the beliefs that define his life.
In short, the alpha/virgin does work for me.
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 8:59 am:
My expectation of heroes who are alpha, worldly, captivating and in control is that they will be experienced lovers. And truth be told, that is not my expectation of heroines. Yes, I said it out loud. So when reading Simeon, I thought, for the first time, yikes, I really do have a double standard when it comes to heroes and heroines and I never fully admitted it until reading Simeon and Isidore’s story.
Me too! Eloisa made me take a step back and consider, for the first time, my pre-conceived assumption of the sexual experience level of alpha heroes and their heroines. I expected Simeon to be an experienced lover and Isidore to be a virgin. (Disclaimer: I wouldn’t have assumed that had this been a contemporary).
Simeon is making clear cut choices every step of the way and these choices are part of the fabric of his character. I admired him and for staying true to his beliefs. But, it did catch me off guard. Part of me wanted to bash him over the head and say – get on with already. The other part thought, no, he’s doing what he needs to do – staying the course and anchoring his life in the beliefs that define his life./i>
I felt the same way!
Andrea
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 9:09 am:
Okay, PJ, even though I’ve not read the others in this series (yet), I may just have to read this one ASAP!! Terrific blog!
Buffie
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 9:14 am:
Wonderful blog PJ!! This is still in my TBR pile and I can’t wait to get to Simeon!!!
Laura
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 9:43 am:
I watched the video of Eloisa James and thought: Hmm. I need to read this book. I put a sticky on my desk to remind me. I have the sticky note in hand and am going Christmas shopping, and guess what? I AM GETTING THIS BOOK! The author seemed so charming, and now that I have your opinions, I know I’m sure to be entertained. Thanks.
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 9:48 am:
Laura, I hope you enjoy WHEN THE DUKE RETURNS. It’s by turns funny, poignant, exciting, heartbreaking, steamy and, ultimately, very satisfying!
Gannon
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:02 am:
Fantastic blog, PJ! I have WTDR in my TBR pile and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on Simeon and all of that pent-up sexual desire! WOW!
Kati
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:25 am:
Great blog, PJ! And great question. And you know my answer, LOL!! Um, ch-YEAH, I love an alpha, any alpha. And if he’s got this one area where he’s vulnerable, and not completely confident in the beginning, well, all the better! Yummy!
Irisheyes
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:28 am:
I think I’m with everyone else who was a little leery of Simeon’s virginal state, but as always, Eloisa made it work for me.
I’m with the majority who likes an experienced man who knows his way around a bedroom, especially in my historicals when the heroine so obviously doesn’t most of the time. I think the key is that we associate virginity in men with weakness and Simeon was anything but weak. In fact, his virginity made him seem that much more powerful and in control. So, maybe it’s not the virgin as opposed to the experienced hero we’re looking for but the strong in control hero as opposed to the weak, bumbling hero.
And you know, PJ, I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with another virginal hero and I can’t! LOL I’ve read several inept one’s (EJ’s Reese from Your Wicked Ways comes to mind), but none that were virgins. I’ll have to keep thinking on that one.
Kim
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:32 am:
PJ-You know I love me some Simeon! He is a forest fire. LOL
Marisa
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:33 am:
Irisheyes – yes, that’s what I was trying to say regarding my ‘political incorrectness’ – I do tend to associate virginity in my romance heroes with weakness – and shame on me, as Eloisa and so many other authors have proven that is certainly not the case.
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:40 am:
So, maybe it’s not the virgin as opposed to the experienced hero we’re looking for but the strong in control hero as opposed to the weak, bumbling hero.
Exactly! You nailed it, Irisheyes!
Gannon
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 10:54 am:
Jamie–from my blog yesterday–although a virgin, would never be classified as weak. Definitely alpha, in all the good ways!
Good point, Irisheyes!
Janga
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 11:17 am:
Another great blog, PJ!
I think Simeon is another of EJ’s extraordinary heroes. She is particularly skilled at creating heroes who twist the conventions. Sebastian, Marquess Bonnington, in her first Duchess series is another virginal hero who is a remarkable character. What persistence that man had! Then there’s the inept Rees and Mayne in Josie’s pink gown.
Jo Beverley’s Francis Middlethorp is another wonderful hero who is a virgin. Forbidden is one of Jo Bev’s most popular novels. Pamela Morsi, back in the days when she was writing American historicals, also created some unforgettable virgin heroes: Jesse Best in Simple Jess, Jedwin Sparrow in Wild Oats, and Armand Sonnier in The Love Charm.
All these characters are very different from one another; not all of them are alphas. But they are all facscinating heroes of great strength and virisimilitude.
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 11:38 am:
Thanks for stopping by, Janga! I knew you’d have some fascinating heroes to add to the mix. You know, I’ve read a lot of Jo Bev’s books but I somehow overlooked Forbidden. Obviously, that’s an omission I need to correct soon.
Irisheyes
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 12:16 pm:
I can’t believe I missed all those virgin heroes, Janga! I’ve read almost every one of those books and loved each one. My brain’s not working at full capacity today. I’m still hungover from Xmas shopping all day yesterday.
PJ, you’ve got to read Forbidden. A very good book and I love Francis Middlethorpe.
Gannon, I think I’m one of the few who haven’t ventured into Gabaldon territory. I actually took Outlander home from the library sometime last summer and it was just too daunting for me. I looked and looked at it and never dove in! LOL I’m not too fond of time travel. I do love the time period the book is set in, but I think the biggest stopper is it’s size! Very overwhelming. Or maybe I’m just getting lazy in my old age and don’t want to invest the time needed. It is on my list, though.
Karin
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 1:41 pm:
I’m definitely looking forward to reading this one and will probably be moving it up my list of books. Simeon sounds fantastic and I love the idea of him being such a strong character that he can resist giving in to his sexual urges – definitely a strength and not a weakness. I’m pretty sure the alpha/virgin hero will work for me.
Kimberly
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 5:17 pm:
I like that he was a virgin and what made it more real and believable is when he tells Isadore (out of context) he is a virgin but still pleasures himself, doesn’t she peasure herself?
PJ
on Dec 11th, 2008
@ 5:48 pm:
I like that he was a virgin and what made it more real and believable is when he tells Isadore (out of context) he is a virgin but still pleasures himself, doesn’t she peasure herself?
Oh, I loved that scene and the one in the carriage where he offers to demonstrate to prove that his “equipment” really does work!
Eloisa James
on Dec 12th, 2008
@ 9:17 am:
Hi everybody!
I know I missed the boat yesterday — I wanted to stop by and say hi. So, late, Hi!
And PJ, thank you for this thoughtful piece on Simeon’s virginity. He seems to have struck such an interesting chord with readers… the interesting thing (ahem) is that I have a male virgin planned for my next series too. But he’s a nerdy scientist.
Mind you, this is years ahead of time. I have to let these people brew in my mind for a couple of years before they hit the page.
best to all,
Eloisa
PJ
on Dec 12th, 2008
@ 4:21 pm:
Hi Eloisa! Thanks for stopping by. Sorry about the sickness in the house yesterday. I hope things are better today.
A nerdy scientist who is also a virgin? I’m looking forward to seeing how that one plays out!
Hilary
on Apr 28th, 2009
@ 7:56 pm:
I have not read this book yet but I have to agree with you in the Alpha/Virgin Hero aspect. I absolutly love any romance novel with a Virgin Hero because, like you, I am territorial about my romance novel heroes and don’t like the thought of them being with another woman apart from their true love. Since you have brought this book to my attention, I will add it to my list of books to read. If you haven’t read it already, another one you might like is ‘The Naked Duke’ by Sally Mackenzie. I’d have to say that the only real complaint I have about this rare breed is that 90% of the time the hero is a virgin but the woman is not. But that’s really a whole other ballgame. I have to say most of the stories I write for my own pleasure have an Alpha/Virgin male. I hope to find more books with this rare breed and again I thank you for bringing this one to my attention.
Hilary