[Note from Frolic: We welcome author Jennifer Snow to the site today! She’s talking all things workaholic heroines.]
Long gone is the stereotypical heroine in films and literature who is shy, quiet, without flaws and only there to showcase her male counterpart. Now, our favorite heroines are stealing center stage, portrayed as strong, confident, successful women who struggle with real life issues. One emerging trend in female characters is the ‘Workaholic’. I love this type of character because of the complexity her drive to succeed adds to her personality and the conflict it often creates in other aspects of her life. In An Alaskan Christmas, the first book in my Wild River Series, Erika Sheraton is the definition of a workaholic. A brilliant surgeon, her entire life revolves around her career. She has no friends, no boyfriend, no pets or hobbies, so when she’s forced to take a vacation, she starts to realize the cost of her ambition…but finding a work/life balance is not always easy.
My top five workaholic heroines are:
Margaret is a top book editor for a major publication. She’s smart, driven and successful in her career…but no one likes her. She’s definitely ‘prickly’ in the beginning of the movie and her workaholic ways start to impact her assistant, Andrew’s life as well. I loved her character because as she starts to let her guard down and open herself up to Andrew, we get to see a different side of her, but she remains true to who she is. We get to understand her struggle as a professional woman and are rooting for her to also find love in the end.
Amanda is a movie executive who creates movie trailers for a living. She’s successful, rich and confident, but closed off and unable to express strong emotions, negatively impacting her relationships. She decides to take a break over the Christmas season and participates in a ‘Home Exchange’ ending up a long way from home in L.A. Within hours, she decides it’s a mistake because she’s unable to relax…until the brother of the woman who owns the cottage she’s staying in knocks on the door. I admired her character so much in this movie because she’s willing to acknowledge her flaws and try to change a little, open herself up more. She grows throughout the movie into a woman who really can have it all.
Haley is an ad executive in competition for a client with a male co-worker. She’s confident and driven and certain that she is the best woman for the job. Unfortunately, she might understand ad campaigns, but she doesn’t understand Christmas, never taking the time to celebrate it. Therefore, her boss sends her to Christmas Camp, where she finds love as well as the holiday spirit. I really enjoyed Haley’s character because it really takes her a while to get ‘out of office’ and start to embrace the experience and the opportunity she’s been given to have a more fulfilling life.
Kate is a PR executive who loves her career, but struggles with the guilt that a lot of working moms feel every day. She doesn’t want to stay at home with her kids, wanting a career for herself, but faces a lot of tough choices along the way. I like her character in the show because I think she’s very real. She makes mistakes, she’s often feeling desperate and worn out as she balances running her own company and being a mom and a lot of women can relate to that.
Heather is a small-town girl trying to make it in Manhattan and when she gets promoted from Assistant to Wedding Planner, she’s desperate to prove herself. She loves her job and is dedicated and committed to her career until she’s forced to see another side of life and the joy in slowing down and living in the moment. I identified with Heather in her drive to want to work hard and be the best at something she loves, while understanding the sacrifices that often means.
All five of these workaholic heroines prove that it’s possible to have it all-even if it’s not always easy and I find these characters very inspiring for women. If you love these workaholic heroines as much as I do, please check out An Alaskan Christmas releasing this holiday season!
Jennifer Snow lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband and four year old son. She is a member of the RWA, the Alberta Writers Guild, Canadian Authors Association and SheWrites.org. Her first Brookhollow book was a finalist in the Heart of Denver Aspen Gold contest and the Golden Quill Award. More information can be found at www.jennifersnowauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifersnowbooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferSnow18
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/896589.Jennifer_Snow
If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.
Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…
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