When I first started writing, I was told to be wary of humour (I’d overdone it a bit, I think) – because as you rightly say – it can defuse the tension too much. That said, to echo Sandra and Trish – humour can be very, very sexy. Especially if it’s subtle, wry, mocking….oh, there are so many variations on it!

Hearing pet peeves is actually very useful – so come on – any more out there?

And playful banter/teasing can be very sexy!

However (at the risk of receiving lots of hate e-mail) sometimes, just sometimes, I wish the alpha hero would acquire a sense of humour along with his considerable fortune and private jets. Especially when a sense of humour is supposed to be one of the three main personality traits that women find attractive in a partner.

Sorry, but someone mentioned pet peeves in a previous post and this happens to be one of mine. And yes, I do know it’s all about the intense emotion of falling in love. But maybe a little playful banter/teasing now and again wouldn’t hurt??

For me, to have the time to read and indulge in one of your fabulous books is such a joy – especially if I’m on my own for a day and can hit it one sitting, then I can truly escape and sink blissfully into the world that your pen leads us to!

Your ability to live in your characters brings the story truly alive to us, if you didn’t become them the ability to immerse yourself in their story safely would be lost to us and the read would become disappointing.

Mundane, everyday life is our reality, it keeps us even tempered (hopefully!) and pottering along doing whatever life demands of us with occassional highs and lows. This does not mean we’re not enjoying our life or having fun – it matters not what you do, if you’re doing it everyday it will eventually become pedestrian!

Escaping with your heroes and heroines into exotic, expensive places is like a mini holiday, allowing us to run with your characters and immerse ourselves in the non-pedestrian for a few hours – please never take me to Waitrose, I’d be devastated! (well, unless he was VERY, VERY sexy!).

Keep writing – then I can keep escaping!

Sarah-Jane

Oh, go on – do! Where would good debate be without a little controversy?

Really enjoyed your comments and glad you love reading Presents so much.

Like Lynn, I can’t think of anything to add that hasn’t already been said very beautifully by others. Except that I love your books and can see why all your writing courses in Italy sell out. You really see into the heart of a Presents story – and a Presents hero!

(Oh, and I agree with Lauren that Shirley Valentine is a fab heroine!)

Jennie

That is truly what makes an HP hero stand out. The fact that he becomes vulnerable against “his” woman.

I don’t mind when heroes have flaws, after all nobody is perfect. What I do mind is when the H on purpose says or does things that he knows will hurt the heroine. I can accept the same actions if they are not done with the purpose of hurting the heroine. Somehow those things go beyond his being denial that this is “his” woman, the only one for him.

There are a few pet peeves that I have and I won’t mention them here because they are controversial.

However, one thing that I don’t understand is how the H can call another woman the same “pet” name as the heroine and in some cases right in front of her. For example — agape mou. Are we supposed to realize that with the heroine he truly means it and yet with the other woman he doesn’t? I guess because we are reading and hearing we can’t tell the differences in the nuances of his voice.

Anyway, HPs are may favorite series and I still love reading them!