Robin’s Top 5 – Part 1

Robin’s Five Favorite Heroines of All-Time

This post will be my first in a two-part series about my favorite characters. Ladies first, of course, so this week I’ll be sharing my five favorite heroines of all-time. Join me again in two weeks as I recount the delicious heroes who top my list.

And now, with no futher ado, are my favorite characters whom are missing the “Y” chromosome.

5. Keely Walsh – Monette Michael’s kick-butt, brainiac heroine is the epitome all female characters should aspire to. I fell in love with smart, sassy Keely from the very first page. Keely can do it all…drive a helicopter, snipe out all the bad guys, and build a highly complex, futuristic-type security system. Did I mention she’s only twenty-one? This gal has it going on in one uber-talented pint-sized package. See her in action in Love, Lust, and Laptop’s very own Monette’s Eye of the Storm.

4. Mary Rose Clayborne – Julie Garwood’s orphaned heroine who is found and raised by four street urchins can’t help but tug at your heartstrings. Mary Rose’s shining personality is the sum of the best parts of her brothers. I read For The Roses during spring break my senior year. Did I mention I was at Panama City Beach? Yep, while my friends were tanning and flirting with boys, I sat on my lounge chair with my nose pressed to a book. The future Mrs. Ben Affleck (aka Jennifer Garner) was cast as Mary Rose in the made-for-TV movie, but even as much as I love Jennifer, none can hold a candle to Mary Rose!

3. Penelope Trask – I’m not ashamed to admit that my own My Footman, My Prince was inspired by my favorite Jennifer Ashley novel, Penelope & Prince Charming. Until I read it, I didn’t know that I was “allowed” to write a historical type romance with fairy tale elements, such as curses and paranormal creatures. The Princes series was created with this tale in mind as well…as I developed my own kingdoms so I could have free reign with the “history” of my characters. Penelope & Prince Charming is a delightful read about what happens when a normal gal meets the prince she is destined to marry.

2. Whitney Stone – Judith McNaught is a wizard when it comes to creating unforgettable characters. The favorite book from my pre-teen and teen years, Whitney, My Love, features an irresistible hoyden who grows into a ravishing woman. See, she’s that awesome she even got a book named after her! An outcast as a child, unloved by her father, and packed away to Paris, Whitney’s tale begins when she’s a young child. She returns home to England all grown-up and ready to break hearts. She is loyal to the unworthy Paul and the crush she’s had on him for years, but all of that changes when she is practically given to Clayton Westmoreland. I got mad on Whitney’s behalf. I laughed with her. I sighed at her hot, intense romance. Never have I been so wrapped up in a character. Whitney easily slides into the #2 spot.

1. Penelope Featherington – If you’ve ever read my interviews, then you would know I’m just a tad bit crazy about Julia Quinn. Not saying that I’ve named a child after her (although I did), but she’s easily my favorite Regency romance writer to date. So it comes as a no surprise that one of her heroines would feature as my ultimate heroine. Penelope Featherington won hearts of readers everywhere when she appeared in Julia’s Bridgerton series. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is the fourth book in the series and is my favorite, of course. Poor Penelope was the ugly duckling, overweight and overlooked, who came into her own through the course of the tale. Self-deprecating, with a delicious secret, Penelope is a heroine readers root for as her unrequited love is suddenly…requited.

So those are my five favorites. I have oodles of honorable mentions, but I’m sure you guys will mention them soon enough as I pose this question…Who are your favorite heroines?

Until next time!

Robin