Bad Boys, Beasts, & Some Angels
Thanks so much for having me here at Under the Covers. Today, I thought I’d talk about one of my favorite topics: Bad Boys. Come on, surely there are some bad boys fans around?
I love reading about the heroes who slip over that fine line between good and bad. These are the guys that make you shiver. They make you tense. They make you wonder…how can being bad be so very good?
I like to write about less-than-perfect heroes in my books. Men who are flawed and men who’ve even done some very wicked deeds (my demon and werewolf heroes know all about wicked deeds), so when I decided to write a new series for Kensington Brava, I knew I would want to write about more wicked men. My problem? This series was gonna be about angels.
But who says an angel can’t be a bit wicked? And when angels are wicked, guess what happens? In my world, they become Fallen. Dark, dangerous, tortured, they aren’t “good” any more (maybe they never were), and these guys can deliver death with a simple touch.
It seems that I like to make my good boys into bad men. That’s a flaw I have. I’ll work on it. Maybe. While I work on that flaw, I thought I’d share 5 characteristics of a (good) bad boy:
1. Kicks butt, doesn’t take names. (He doesn’t care about names.)
2. Black is his favorite color, and the man can wear it so very well.
3. The guy’s body is a lethal weapon. Chuck Norris has nothing on him. Really. Nothing.
4. Sexy is his middle name.
And characteristic number 5?
5. No matter what else happens, a true bad boy hero will make dang sure that no one ever hurts his heroine. After all, underneath that badness, he’s still the hero. He may be bad to the rest of the world, but to the heroine…he can be a white knight. 
What do you think about bad boys? Got some characteristics you’d like to share? One commenter will be randomly selected to win an ARC of my December release, ANGEL OF DARKNESS.
Thanks!
Cynthia Eden
http://www.cynthiaeden.com/
NEVER CRY WOLF—Available now from Kensington Brava
You heard it! Eden is giving away an ARC of ANGEL OF DARKNESS to one lucky commenter! I know I’d love to get my hands on this, and all YOU have to do to enter is:
1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Answer Cynthia Eden’s question in the comments section and make sure you leave your email address as well so we can contact you!
Good luck maidens!!!
Awesome bad boys = Bones & Spike
I love bad boys! The only thing is…SEXY is his first name LOL!
rootml1 AT hotmail DOT com
Hello : )
While dark and wounded heroes bring out the nurturer in a woman’s soul, I also think that they ignite the naughty spark in a woman’s spirit! There is something about them, even though you may try to remain proper, that makes you want to show your own naughty self : ) They certainly won’t reproach you for letting down your hair and giving in to temptation! Bad boys are just as delicious and delectable as that last piece of chocolate fudge cake that you devour in the dark on a midnight kitchen raid! Fallen Angels are also delicious bad boys, especially when they have a few surprises tucked beneath their wings : ) Even on the road to redemption, they manage to be nice and naughty! Whether earthly, unearthly, or somewhere in-between, Fallen Angels take romance reads to new heights : )
Follower & Subscriber
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
Bad boys are hot as hell! Especially if they have big arms, not ginormous, and wicked sexy tats:)
Good reading ~ Escape by Fiction 🙂
Bad boys are hot. And I agree Bones makes the top of my list. I love a bad boy who is sexy, dangerous and cocky.
areeths @ new DOT rr DOT com
My favorite bad boys have a sarcastic sense of humor.
Sara M
sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com
I agree with what you said! However, for me to consider a protagonist a bad boy he must be a bit tortured and throughout the book LEARN how to treat the heroine right. He should mess up once or twice, but be able to redeem himself. If he wouldn’t…I’d feel cheated out of my REAL bad boy fix. Also, there shouldn’t be any insta-love involved. The bad boy wouldn’t be one if he were to instantly fall in love with the heroine. DENIAL please! At least for a little while.
Thanks for the giveaway!
sk_86(at)gmx(dot)de
What yay said. Except that bad boy CAN fall in love instantly but he never, ever would let on that he has to anyone. Denial at its finest.
Ms. Eden, I’m a new reader of your books but I’m hooked. Good luck with your BBFA (bad boy fallen angels)!
I might never know what it is about bad boys….gives me goosebumps though. Unapolegetic, but yes they defend their woman no matter the cost (Barrons).
Your book sounds GREAT! Thanks for a chance to get my hands on it!
eyesofblueice (at) gmail (dot) com
Ah yes, I love the bad boys, my number one favorite babd boy is Barrons from the Fever series, he just doesn’t give a F$#k about what anyone thinks of him. I also love Bones…
Love the guest post, thanks for the contest 🙂
boosavvybabe at gmail dot com
Book Savvy Babe
Mmmm….bad boys, what is it about them? For me, it is their confidence and sense of self that turns me on.
Good question.
Laurielu
bonafidereflections(at)gmail(dot)com
I love the tough on the outside, kick ass hero who is all soft on the inside. He needs to have to soft side for the heroine.
I love your characteristics of a bad boy and
I’d have to add just a few more to your list
5. His body radiates sexuality to the point of wanting to touch him is uncontrolable.
6. The sound of his voice makes you instantly aroused (wet)
7. They still hold some of their heavenly powers even though they have fallen.
8. Their love making is so powerfully passionate and magical that it will leave you in bliss for days – LOL
I absolutely loved this post – great stuff.
Please do not enter me into the contest. I am a lucky winner already of an ARC of your Angel of Darkness. I am a huge fan!! You are talking about me favorite subject..BAD BOYS! I love all 5 of your characteristics- that’s probably why I love your books so much. The characteristic that draws me in the most for a bad boy hero is the flaw aspect. I love when the hero is a loner or everyone is afraid of him so they stay away from him. But a tiny or ultra feminine female is the only one who can bring him to his knees. Whether the hero is a demon/wolf shifter/a special agent who works for SSD~ you are great at writing a “good” bad boy!
Twitter: @TiDubb
kamwh1207(at)att(dot)net
I love bad boys!! Why???? I just do! LOL!
Great post! It’s hard to say exactly why bad boys are more appealing, maybe cuz in the long run they are actually more reliable, they’ll jump in to help w/out stopping to think of consequences…
I follow by e-mail only cuz I don’t have facebook – still happily in the stone age!
[email protected]
I love bad boys, especially in Romance novels!!! Bad boys with tats, maybe some piercings & muscles are so SEXY!!!!!! Their protectiveness & sex appeal makes them totally HOT!!! Thanks for the chance to win!!!!
GFC follower-jfort357
jfort357(at)bellsouth(dot)net
Oh, Megan, I am so wild for Spike! Definitely one of my all time faves.
Hi, Virginia! They do make a girl want to show a naughty, wild side, don’t they? Those tricky bad boys!
Anne, I think you’ve just described the perfect bad boy combination!
I love a sense of humor like that, too, Sara! Do you watch Supernatural? Cause Dean Winchester (he’s one of the sexy hunters) has a wicked good sense of sarcastic humor.
Yay, you make a very good point. The bad boys do need to learn over the course of the book. If they’ve spent so much time being bad, how will they know how to be good?
Hi, Cindi! Oh, that denial can be a painful thing. And thank you very much for the good luck wishes!
Lexi, I think those bad boy heroes are experts on giving goosebumps.
Book Savvy Babe, I love heroes like that. Don’t care, they’re just awesome as they are.
Hey, Laurielu! I’m so glad you listed confidence–bad boys seem to have plenty of that going on!
LOL, Patricia, I want him to be weak when it comes to the heroine. He can be super tough with everyone else, but like you said, with her, he needs to be a bit soft.
It does depend on just how bad the boy is, doesn’t it? I love the ones that don’t follow the rules, but make their own. They need to be sexy as sin too. Good sense of humor is a must. As is their own sense of honor. And as long as they take care of their girl right, it’s all good.
Love your books Cynthia!
goaliemom00 (at) cox (dot) net
Hi, Ronda! Thank you for adding to the list! 🙂
Hi, Tina!! Thank you! I am so glad to hear that you enjoy my bad boys–I’ll warn you, I’ve got some dark ones coming up (particularly in the 2nd & 3rd angel books). But the right heroine will certainly bring those guys to their knees. 🙂
LOL, helpmerhonda, why do we need a reason to love them? We don’t! We can just enjoy those guys!
Thanks for checking out the post, Erin! They do tend to jump in really fast, don’t they?
I am a huge fan of the muscles, jfort357! Just don’t see enough of those big, tough muscled guys in real life!
And I’ve just got to say…that guy over there under the Follow Me button is goregous–he keeps distracting me. I pretty much think I’d follow him any place. 🙂
Thanks for having me over today! I’ll be sure to check in throughout the evening. Hope everyone is enjoying this Saturday.
The bad boy needs to brood, but in a sexy way that just adds to his sex appeal; it makes women want to make him happy, anyway they can. Great blog!!!
He has the need to protect, even though he doesn’t think he is very effective in doing so. He loves animals, but does it quietly, not because he’s ashamed, but because he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself. He must have at least three, if not more, tattoos and several piercings. It’s also helpful if he rides a motorcycle…just saying! LOL
Bad boy angels! That sounds fabulous. I like tortured bad boys.
beckerjo at verizon dot net
Ok, for me, bad boys cannot be cleanshaven! There has to be some scruffiness involved. Plus, black leather is a must, although I can do without leather pants. Does this make sound shallow? Yes, yes it does. Lol As for personality, I think Bones is pretty darn great. Buff said.
I love bad boys.
In my opinion they go against the rules, don’t really care what people think. They are powerful, dominant, unpredictable and sexy as hell.
But with all bad boys, there is always one women who can make them weak and he will do everything in his power to protect her.
Thank you for the giveaway Cynthia, love your books.
englishbabe78(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk
I love bad boys, they’re sexy and fun, awesome in books and really spice things up! 😉 But they don’t make good long term relationship type guys in real life sadly.
Thanks for this contest opportunity!!!!! =)
Valerie Long ( [email protected] )
Gotta love bad boys. I like them sexy, kind of a smarty pants, and would do anything for the heroine.
Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bad boys make for great reading. Angels being among my favorites. That slip into the dark side is exciting.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I married a very good boy, so I really enjoy escaping with a very bad boy now and again. I like them oversized: over 6′, over 6″ (if ya know what I mean…) and ready to take on a demon in a fist fight. Maybe he’s a little scruffy, maybe he wears yesterdays shirt today and maybe his boots are a little scuffed – it all works for me!
rinaldi dot anne at gmail.com
What do I think of bad boys? What’s not to think… I love that they are spontanous, they always have snarky, sarcastic wise crack on their lips, and sometimes arrogance can really make a woman purr.
What comes to mind is Vegita from DBZ.
Raonaid at gmail dot com
Oh man, bad boys just melt my heart and body. What woman doesn’t love a hot bad boy with eyes that say ” I am dangerous and know how to make my woman scream from the pleasure I will give her at my leisure.” *fanning myself*
I so love a bad boy hero that has a soft center when he finds that one woman he feels safe enough with to let himself e just a little vulnerable.
koonie2888 at yahoo dot com
I love bad boys in romance novels because they are so bad but with their women… bad is good! and they are so protective, they would go to such lengths to protect their females!
[email protected]
Let’s see – bad boys – It’s got to be the attitude. Then the outfit – black leather, black pants – maybe a white t shirt to highlight those rippling muscles. Protective, alpha, but not a stalker.
aharel4 (at) gmail (dot) com
Oh, the bad boys are so sexy! They are true alphas (one might say dominate), have a wicked sense of humor, are super sexy, treat others with respect and never allow anyone to hurt women or children. He will also do whatever it takes to satisfy his woman, no matter how long, or how hard he has to work at it.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Oh, Kim, I do enjoy a brooder. 🙂
Thanks, JoAnna!! Glad you like the sound of my angels!
LOL, RebeLovesBooks, I think some stubble looks good on them.
Oh, Debs, I love your description: “powerful, dominant, unpredictable and sexy as hell.” Yes, please.
Scorpio, I believe you are speaking the truth. I love my bad boys in books, but in real life, I prefer a nice, quiet guy who watches horror movies with me on the weekend.
Katsrus, I like it when they do anything for the heroine, too–always putting her happiness first is a must!
Marybelle, why is that dark side so tempting? Tempting…
Oh, Anne, I understand! That scruff is sexy!
Raonaid, I think a wee bit of arrogance can be good for a man.
Hi, Michelle!! Thanks for checking out the post! I sure do enjoy a man with danger in his eyes–the good kind of danger, that is!
You are so right, shiderly–bad can be good! 🙂
Ahz1, a bad boy in black always catches my attention, too. Looks like he can handle anything or anyone!
June, I always fall for the bad boys with the wicked sense of humor. I think that’s why I liked Spike so much!
I find bad boys appealing especially those who are really tender hearts inside. My ideal bad boy is fiercely protective, loyal almost to a fault and has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to keep his loved ones safe. That means lying to protect and killing to save because at the end of the day he is being bad for the sake of good.
GFC follower: Na
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
You have taken most of the bad boy adjectives LOL already. I love a bad boy who will lean back and observed and when he says something just his presence makes everyone take notice. He of course will be handsome that goes without saying, but whether this is a conventional beauty or just his sense of presence is the true mystery. When he takes your hand and walks out into the night you feel like the most cherished person in the world and even it you are very tall and not at all fragile, he will make you feel petite and lovely. At the same time he will be ruthless with those he is against. I would really love to read this book and get a look into the Angel of Darkness’ world.
I am a follower – dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
Awesome post! I’d take a Bad boy any day of the week – especially if they’re hard as rock on the outside (no not like that LOL) but so soft and sweet on the inside towards the heroine. Turns me to mush every time.
tyrasbookaddiction at gmail dot com
A bad boy is hard on the outside and he rarely lets anyone inside but he does have a soft side that he only shares with the right woman.
books4me67 at ymail.com
I love bad boys. I think they would probably have to be my favourite hero’s. The ones that are hard as stone but melt like butter when it comes to their heroine’s.
Gotta love a bad boy! I love a bad boy who has a playful side and those that are a bit tortured.
mmafsmith at gmail dot com
I love how they get what they want, not matter what!
sheriemd12 at yahoo dot com
the part where he does not let anyone hurt his woman is the most in portent part two me to.and sexy is got to be a given!
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com
I’m a GFC Follower
I love a bad boy hero, But I’m the type to wanna wear the pants in the relationship… That’s just me =D
[email protected]
I love your top 5 list, esp. #5…I like my hero to have a bit of vulnerability, even if it just comes his love for the heroine. There’s just something about a big, sexy alpha who has a bit of vulnerability…YUM! I would love to win this ARC..it sounds awesome!
smiles! Christi ([email protected])
I loved your comment about kicking butt and not caring about the names 😉
I’m becoming such a Cynthia Eden fangirl it’s ridiculous
I love having a hero who is protective. possessive, yet wants to make (and keep) his woman happy. (you don’t have to enter me)
—Laurie
highlandhussy[at]gmail[dot]com
Oh Cynthia Eden – this is such a HOT topic! I love all your bad boy characteristics, and I totally agree with them. To me the ultimate bad boy can get you with just one look. His swagger is so fierce that he doesn’t even have to touch you, to get you going. It’s just the anticipation of what’s to come that makes you want to surrender. I cannot wait to read Angel of Darkness. There is nothing sexier than a bad boy angel. It the whole taboo thing. Angels are supposed to be this supreme being – all goodness and light. To have a angel become fallen, be wicked and sensual, just goes against everything we’re taught about angels. Love, love, love your writing!
lrjv329(at)yahoo(dot)com
I LOVE a good bad boy – be it an angel with white wings with a tinge of black on the edges or black wings with a tinge of white. Bad boys know what to do with all of those feathers!
Jacki
shelby15(at)clearwire(dot)net
I think bad boys are great as long as they have a core of goodness and justice on the inside.
GFC follower
lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com
Love bad boys. Walking sin and looking good. I think one of the characteristics is mystery. Gotta be a bit mysterious. Make the heroine work for it. Great interview and giveaway-thanks!
mljfoland AT hotmail DOT com
Bad boys? My favorite. I like bad boys who are Alphas. They don’t take crap from anyone. He looks good in tight jeans or leather pants. No care hair but it still looks sexy.
I would love to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway.
[email protected]
Yes to #5! That’s my favourite.
Not only is his body a lethal weapon but he has to have the brains to match it. I also like a guy with a sense of humor.
[email protected]
Bad boys are great. Really its no fun if they are all good. There needs to be that element of naughtiness. They are strong, caring, definitely an Alpha and will do anything for those they love.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
It’s the confidence that bad boys exude, the not caring what others think of them or will say…
ironss [at] gmail [dot] com
Gotta love those (good) bad boys. A couple things for me:
1) they MUST be taller than the heroine,
2) they must NOT care about fashion,
and 3) they MUST have a soft spot for an animal of some sort…it doesn’t have to be a dog or cat, something wild maybe, but that compassion has to be there.
[email protected]
To me, a bad boy has to have a touch of mystery.
spav05(at)gmail(dot)com
For me an awesome bad boy has lots of snark but a secret fluffy side. I love a bad boy who melts for animals like kittens and puppies. Awwww. Thanks for the giveaway!
[email protected]
I’ve always said, they’re not worth having if there’s not a bit of bad boy in em!
Thanks for the giveaway. And a really great interview.
[email protected]
Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? I love ’em! They’re sexy, self confident, dominant, loyal, protective, cocky, has that swagger in his walk and a michievous glint in his eye, a crooked little smile, kinda long shaggy hair that you can’t help but want to run your hands through, can fill out a faded pair of low rideing jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket like no one should have a right too. He’s good with his hands…I mean he knows how to fix things (ladies, pull your minds out of the gutter!). He doesn’t easily trust, but once you’ve gained/earned it…you have it for life. Unless you betray him…then I wouldn’t want to be you! He gives his woman his complete and undieing loving devotion. He’s not afraid to show her affection and behind closed doors (or outside when no one’s around) he knows how to love her right and does so unselfishly and often (now take it to the gutter, ladies!). Oh, yeah…
[email protected]
Hi
Thanks for the interview and giveaway
Bad boys? We know that they are not good for us, but can’t keep away from them!
Daniela.
dany7578 at hotmail dot com
I love the bad boys.They have all the fun.But he has to have a sense of humor.
Thanks for the giveaway
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
I love bad boys. Especially the ones that secretly care a lot even though they give off that “Kill you where you stand with just my glare” vibe.
LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com
Oh, you laid it out there with #5! That is a must. I love the bad (good) boys. Whatever is left, I think Barbara said best!
For the bad (good) boys, it’s like the heroine brings out the good. It’s just so wonderfully addicting! Can’t wait to read this smokin’ hot book!
kylaholt AT gmail DOT com
Hello Cynthia! I LOVE bad boys and I think that every girl does! I would say he would have to be good with come backs!