I’ve been writing kinky stories for a few years now. I love writing the male dominant hero and can’t resist that uber alpha character. However, for a while now, I’ve been itching to flip the dynamic and write a story with a female domme and a male submissive. And when my character Gibson showed up on the page in an earlier book, I knew I had to write his story.
It’s always a risk to write this reverse dynamic because many readers think—a submissive hero? Nah, not my thing. But I’m here to tell you that there’s a whole lot to love about a submissive hero. And I promise, Gibson Andrews is no less alpha than any of his dominant friends. In the boardroom, he rules. But when the doors close, he has a different craving.
So what’s so hot about a submissive hero?
- He wants to please. – The man wants to give his partner pleasure. He actually gets off knowing he’s driving her wild and is willing to do almost anything to get her to that lovely, sexy place. What’s not to love about that?
- He’s strong. – Like I said, Gibson is alpha in the rest of his life. But beyond being physically strong, it takes a hell of a lot of guts to turn the control over to someone and leave yourself vulnerable. This is actually part of his journey in BREAK ME DOWN. He doesn’t want to be submissive even though he craves that dynamic, so he’s going to have to find the inner strength to embrace that part of himself. (And Samantha is looking forward to helping, lol.) And as a side note, we often point out in BDSM books how strong the woman has to be to submit. But for some reason, when it’s a guy submitting, we have that knee jerk reaction that this somehow makes him weaker. Submission takes strength no matter what the gender.
- He’s confident enough to flout gender expectations. – Gibson does not start in this place. But in general, any guy who is willing to embrace a submissive side has to be really confident and brave to give the middle finger to society’s gender expectations. That takes a lot of spine.
- He’s protective. – No one is going to be more protective of a woman than her sub. Just see what happens when someone tries to mess with Samantha when Gibson is around.
- The lady gets to call the shots. – Okay, so yes, the fantasy of not having to make decisions and handing over control to a sexy dom is a fantastic one. However, I was surprised when I started writing how fun it was to get into Sam’s head and wield all that power over the sexy Gibson. We all have a little evil side that would have some fun coming out to play, right? 😉
So after writing BREAK ME DOWN, I know I’ll have to revisit this type of story again. It was way too much fun to write not to do it again.
So have you ever read a story with a submissive hero? Any favorite books to recommend? What are your thoughts on that dynamic?
About Roni:
Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her cooking, watching reality television, or picking up another hobby she doesn’t need–in other words, procrastinating like a boss. She is a former RITA award nominee and is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
About BREAK ME DOWN:
Samantha Dunbar needs to forget Gibson Andrews. When he trained her to be a domme, she experienced just how hot things could get with the sexy executive. She was ready to hand him everything–including her heart. But Gibson backed away, declaring them incompatible. He’s a dominant, and Sam’s no submissive.
But after an attack shakes Sam to her core, Gibson tracks her down at her family’s rundown farmhouse and makes her an offer. He’ll stay the week and be hers in every way–a helping hand for the renovation and a willing lover in her bed. He swore he’d never give up control to anyone again, but he hasn’t been able to touch another woman since Sam. Maybe a week alone with her will cure him of his relentless craving.
But one taste only makes them want more, and Sam and Gibson are drawn in deeper than ever. The man who won’t give in has just met the girl who won’t give up…
Excerpt:
He banged on it again before she could reach it, so when she swung the door open, his fist was still hovering in the air. He blinked as if surprised she’d actually appeared, and then blatant relief descended over his features. “Thank Christ.”
Her jaw clenched, and she had to force it to relax to speak. “What the hell are you doing here?” Read the rest of this entry »
