For today’s Friday Five I’m talking about heroines. I like a heroine who is flawed, funny and overcoming a major obstacle that either happened in her past or she’s dealing with at the opening of the book. She also has to be strong enough to put her hero in place, but I don’t want her stronger than the hero.
So here they are, in no certain order:
1. Stephanie Plum – Janet Evanovich’s Plum series – contemporary. Stephanie’s humor is legendary and while she readily admits she doesn’t know what she’s doing, she still tries.
2. Laura Townsend – Catherine Anderson’s My Sunshine – contemporary. Laura is my favorite heroine of all time. After suffering a brain injury and losing her career, Laura must learn to cope with a new life.
3. Diana, Countess of Arradale – Jo Beverly’s Devilish – historical. Ms. Beverly picked a perfect heroine for her famous Rothgar. Diana is rich and strong willed enough to face down the formidable hero and the king himself.
4. Claire – Diana Gabaldan’s Outlander – historical. Outlander is one of my top five favorite books of all time so it makes sense that Claire makes this list. Although Gabaldan doesn’t consider Outlander a romance. Claire is a spunky 20th century woman who finds herself in the 18th century with a sexy Highlander.
5. Samantha Jellicoe – Suzanne Enoch’s Suzanne Jellicoe series – contemporary. Samantha is a thief who is caught by a sexy billionaire while she’s trying to steal from him. This is a five book series that I wish would never have ended.
So who are your favorite heroines?
sharonwritesromance.wordpress.com 
I feel the *same* way about Samanthan and Richard, Sharon – such fun chemistry!! Stephanie Plum and Samantha Jellicoe are definitely on my list. I’m also a fan of Willa in Nora Roberts’ Montana Sky (very sassy and spunky)
I have the Outlander series on my list of to be read….courtesy of my daughter who is a huge fan. I have a feeling Claire will top my list when I’m finished! Fun post Sharon!
Melanthe from For my Lady’s Heart. I’ve never forgotten her. She’s tough, determined. Traits I admire in real life as well as fictional heroines.
I love reading theh comments here. My TBR list is certainly growing 🙂
My favorite heroine isn’t really from a romance book. Amanda Kent of the Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes. She’s the toughest woman I ever read— Kidnapped by French Trappers and brutally raped by the age of 12, she escapes and ends up at the Alemo during the battle, where she’s taken by the Mexicans. She survives and eventually opens a brothal. But as her half Mexican son grows older, she head back to Boston and fights her family for the right to own the newspaper her great-grandfather started.
My favorite romance heroine is Georgeanne Howard from Rachel Gibson’s Simply Irresistable. She’s dyslexic (which I relate to very well) who finds her fortune as a chef.
I’m loving all these comments. Now my TBR pile is growing too!