Favorite Heroines for 2007

Of the six categories I decided to highlight this year end, this one caught me most by surprise. Not because of what I eventually chose, but because of the dearth of choices compared to the other categories. It made me stop and wonder about why that might be. Am I extra critical of heroines in stories because I’m a woman? Do I read more for the escapism of the hero? Does the fact that most of them came from non-erotic stories mean anything? I actually think all three questions are valid, with the first two being true, as embarrassed as I am to admit it. There were few heroines that I reviewed this year that engaged me as much as the men did – which, by the way, was the single hardest category for me to narrow down to 4. But in the end, I picked the women I remember even months after reading the story.

3^rd Runner Up
Addie Alger in Your Alibi by Annie Dean

When it comes to contemporary heroines, I prefer them spunky. That’s how I think of Addie. In spite of rather bizarre situations in her life, she reads eerily normal, talks like any number of women I know, and is refreshing in a world of angst-ridden heroines.

2^nd Runner Up
Antonia in Twist of Honor by Karen Welss

This is my sole choice this year where I’m picking a heroine I actually liked less than the hero, though I still found her characterization rich and believable. There was a lot about Antonia that could have rubbed me the wrong way, but in the end, the author made her down-to-earth, devout without ramming it down my throat, intelligent and empathetic.

1^st Runner Up
Friday Maxwell in Shadow Vision by Samantha Storm

Spunky heroine #2. Six months after reading this, I still remember how funny she was, how sharp her commentary. This was a heroine who knew how to kick ass and take no prisoners, without losing her personality or femininity. I still regret that the rest of the story didn’t match the potential Friday had. I keep hoping that another story will come out that gives it to her.

And my favorite heroine of the books I reviewed this year is:

Elinor Montoya in
Snowdance by Sarita Leone

Elinor has a slight advantage over other heroines I read this year. I was treated to reading about her entire life, and thus, got to know her far better than I did any other female character I read. I’m okay with the fact that maybe the dialogue wasn’t the most natural-sounding. I was in her head enough, and I got to see so many pivotal moments of her life, that she’s an old friend regardless. Thinking of her simply makes me smile.

Now it’s your turn to tell me your favorite heroines of the year! Who made you laugh? Cry? Hold your breath? I’m looking for recs, so lay ‘em on me!