Thursday, September 20, 2007

Hunkster professions in romance novels: FBI agents yes, accountants no

In Julie Garwood's dreamy romantic suspense novel Shadow Dancer the hero is, natch, an FBI agent. In fact, Garwood has created a series of linked novels featuring the hunky Buchanan brothers (and a few gorgeous sisters too) and their equally hunky FBI agent friends. Why is a tall, handsome, dashing FBI agent so much more romantic than a tall, dashing, handsome accountant? Or bond trader? Or high school math teacher? It's not the money; a venture capitalist hunkster is somehow much less romantic than, say, a rodeo star. A Nascar driver is probably more romantic, fictionally speaking, than an Olympic curling champion. Why is this?

I have devised a completely subjective list of acceptable careers for romance-novel heroes: cop/detective/FBI agent; carpenter, writer, architect, musician, horse whisperer, doctor (small-town family doctor preferred), vet, chef .... And now for the no-way professions: banker, insurance salesman, book editor, CEO, corporate lawyer, electrical engineer, plumber, public relations specialist....the list could go on and on. But these are just my opinions. What are yours?

—Amy

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