Regency and particularly Victorian romance shows us strong-willed heroines who defy societal norms. These women navigate a world that expects them to conform, and their resilience is both empowering and inspiring.
My favorite recent ‘girl power’ heroine is the main character in the Miss Scarlet and the Duke masterpiece series. She’s running her own business and coming up against people who believe she should conform to society’s views of what a gently raised woman should be, and ladies certainly do not view corpses and fight villains. Witnessing these characters’ trials and journeys of self-discovery resonates with modern sensibilities.
I have always loved a strong heroine. The fearless women who buck the trends and stomp through life, taking no prisoners, are the best female main characters written. They are fun and exciting.
These are the characters I try to write because these are the ones I love to read. But sometimes, I do stray from this trope. I love a shy character who becomes the person she is meant to be. I love proud accomplishments by the underdog.
My work in progress, ‘An Unexpected Lady’, is about a shy woman who experienced an early childhood trauma that is barely remembered but instrumental in forming her personality. Love makes her bold, strong and determined to pursue her passions-one of which being a certain gentleman. The male main character will draw her out of her shell while having reason to be suspicious of her. Oh, what a tangled web I’m weaving.
Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’, where the women are strong and fight for what they want. https://amzn.to/3RVBJLD
Image generated using AI – Midjourney.
DEE HARPER LEWIS 