You know how sometimes you sit around your house and wonder how you’d go about pulling off a multimillion dollar jewel heist? Well, the other day I was lounging around trying to decide which fictional heroines I’d choose for my kickass, all-girl, jewel-heisting posse if my life took a sudden turn in an Ocean’s 8 direction.
When it comes to ass-kicking women, it’s tempting to go straight for paranormal, dark fantasy heroines. It makes sense, because necromancers, shapeshifters, vampire mercenaries? They’re badass. We’d be fools not to want author Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels or author Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson on our squad, right? The book covers alone are enough to convince us these heroines are the stuff of the fantasy female posse, a league of extraordinary ass-kickers.
OK, then. Jewel heist problem solved. Time for a nap.
If I was anything other than a historical romance writer I might have left it there, but instead of drifting into the blissful sleep of one who knows they have their all-girl jewel heist posse sorted, I began to think of all the badass historical heroines out there in romance world I’d just dissed. They are, after all, my people.
Most of us don’t immediately think of the tea-sipping set as ballsy rebel types, but corsets, side-saddles and virginity aside, historical romance has its fair share of fierce ladies. Don’t forget, one of the first heroines to take down an arrogant alpha hero was a Regency-era ass kicker.
I speak, of course, of Elizabeth Bennett, heroine of author Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and one of the most famous female renegades of historical fiction. Not every heroine has the nerve to toss away a handsome suitor with 10K a year and a really cool house, especially when she’s likely to end a penniless spinster if she does. Even better? Lizzie ditches Darcy because he’s mean to her sister. That’s loyalty, and loyalty is what you want in your badass posse.
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Have you read Courtney Milan? Some real kick ass ladies there, especially the lesbians in her latest!
Yes! I love Courtney's books! Her heroines are fierce. Her latest book is on my Kindle, and I can't wait to read it!