I’m out of town for a few days and on a borrowed computer, so this week’s post is short and image-heavy! Enjoy…
After I finished the last deadline, and before I started the next one, I had the great luxury of reading not 1 but 2 romances from my TBR pile! One was Carolyn’s Indiscreet, which was wonderful–exotic locale, deep, dark emotion, complex characters. The other (which shall remain nameless, but was not by a Risky!) featured a hero who was such a man-slut (and probably an alcoholic, too; on top of which he was not very bright) I feared the heroine (who seemed like a nice girl) would catch some terrible disease from him. When they married at the end, I thought he would be faithful–until the next woman crossed his path.
To cleanse the palette, I went to my ultimate go-to “cheer up” writer–Jane Austen, of course! I do love nearly all her heroes (except Edmund Bertram, who let’s face it is something of a priss. But he does seem perfect for Fanny, and will probably never cheat on her or have his nose fall off from syphilis! And Knightley seems kinda bossy). Darcy, Wentworth, Tilney, etc–reliable, attractive guys all. It’s the Willoughbys and Wickhams who are trouble (and not the fun kind, either), and who get kicked to the curb in the end. Here are a few reasons to love an Austen man:
(I know he’s not an Austen man, but I couldn’t resist including him!)
Ditto this one…
Who is your favorite???
*waves to Ammanda* Hope you’re having a productive trip.
Sorry about your reading experiences. A Kinsale is just what you need to reaffirm that good romance writing exists in published form.
I’ll take Door MacFadyen-KK and Door RA, please.
*grumble* eHarl lost my package with Ammanda and Diane’s books. I haz sad.
I’m a slut too – Mr Darcy used to be my pin-up but I switched after watching ‘North and South’. Talk about swoonworthy!
Hi Ammanda! Wow–you and Diane know how to brighten up a blog! Sigh. I’ll have one of each.
Well my favorite Austen hero did not get a picture. Although even if he did I doubt it would have been my favorite actor who played the role of Wentworth. I loved Bryan Marshall in this role, but also loved Rupert Penry-Jones in the role. Ciran Hinds didn’t really impress me. Persuasion has always been my favorite Austen and I completely agree that Edmund just sucks. No, he probably won’t cheat on Fanny, but still he didn’t realize what he had in front of him. I think that’s why I love Wentworth so much. He still loves Anne when he thinks there’s no hope. Persuading Annie by Melissa Nathan is one of my favorite updates of the Persuasion tale.
As a side note: a Captain Wentworth recently friended me on Facebook. He sends me “letters” as if I am his Anne Elliot. I think it’s romantic, but also a little scary since I don’t know who he is…..
Keira–they lost your package??? Oh noes!
Duh, can’t believe I forgot a Wentworth pic! I was in a hurry, people standing over my shoulder wanting their computer back, LOL. But eh is my fave, too.
Yes, that lovely picture of Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds) leaning down to kiss Ann. Sigh. Still my favorite Austen movie. Book, too, maybe.
Can you believe that I STILL have not watched North and South in spite of owning the DVD for the last year?
Diane,
I’ve owned North and South for a year as well and have not watched it yet. I’m too stuck on Anthony Howell as Rodger to care about anyone else….
Sigh! I love Ciaran Hinds as Wentworth and Persuasion is my favorite Austen as well. I may have to watch the movie again this weekend with a nice cup of tea. I also love Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon, and I adore Richard Armitage as John Thornton. I agree about Edmund, he’s too easily taken in by Mary Crawford. I almost wish that Fanny had accepted Henry. At least she’d know going in what a man-slut he is.
James McAvoy! I LOVED how he swept AnneHathaway out of the carriage and played cricket with her! Also, how he was tortured by his young and amusical admirer.
Thank you Amanda for the pictures, even if a couple were not from Austen novels. I thoroughly enjoyed “Becoming Jane” and found the last scene, where she meets him again after many years and hides her ringless finger, poignant in the extreme. James MacAvoy is totally adorable but also possesses an edge, which only increases his attractiveness. And one can never have too many pictures of Richard Armitage. Diane and Jane, pop in those “North & South” DVDs right now!
I liked Ciaran Hinds in “Persuasion” but I adored him and thought he was sex-on-a-stick in “Ivanhoe” as the villain, Brian de Bois Guilbert.
Thank you for the eye candy, Amanda, that was a lovely treat. I’ll vote for Colonel Brandon, provided it’s Alan Rickman in the role. But I also love Captain Wentworth and Henry Tilney… er, is this promiscuous? And each time I start ‘Mansfield Park’ I pray that Henry Crawford will turn out to be a good guy and get Fanny. heaves a big sigh.
Of course I vote for Thornton, John Thornton. But I love Ciaran in Persuasion, which is also my favorite adaptation and book, Diane.
Have a fun rest of the vacation, Amanda!
Aw, look at Colonel Brandon smiling!
But I also love Ciaran Hinds/Wentworth glowering while at the concert in Persuasion. 🙂
I’m a Henry Tilney fan all the way tho I have yet to see a movie adaptation I like. You have to love a guy who knows about washing muslin.
I can’t choose, love variety in my fantasy men.
Love that word “man-slut”, Amanda. “Rake” has been romanticized and doesn’t make people think of the sort of men who left pregnant girls to die in poorhouses, even though that’s what it used to mean. Wish “man-slut” were period!