It's no secret at this point that I love a good alpha male. They are, hands down, my favorite type of character to read (and write). So this week, I'm sharing my top five books featuring alpha males and why they made the list.
As you'll see, my list ranges from YA to erotic romance, and from paranormal to epic fantasy to suspense. Despite Amazon's adamance that alpha males are strictly an erotica thing, that's simply not the case! These characters are featured in a wide range of genres, subgenres, and heat levels.
An elusive killer . . . a deadly obsession . . . and a woman who must destroy him—or become his next victim.
Some would kill to know what Caitlin Vasaro knows. For the secrets she’s kept hidden all her life are the kind that the rich and the powerful will do anything to possess. But not even Caitlin knows how much danger she is in—or how far someone will go to hunt her down. But she is about to find out when she enters a business deal with the mysterious and charismatic Alex Karazov and joins the hunt for one of the world’s most coveted treasures, the Wind Dancer, an ancient statue of legendary beauty and power. But Kazarov is a dangerous man who has an even more dangerous enemy and suddenly Caitlin is thrust into a shadow world of intrigue and deception, unable to trust anyone, not even the one man who can help.
Now she must outsmart the cleverest of killers, a psychopath obsessed with the Wind Dancer whose ruthless plan spans continents and whose lethal rampage won’t stop at one death . . . or two . . . or even three—not until he finally gets what he wants: the secret Caitlin will die to keep.
WHY
Alex Karazov won my love way back in the early 2000s. He's mysterious, hot, and intelligent as hell. He's also fiercely protective of the people he loves, used to being in charge, and willing to make hard decision. You guys know how much I love a smart man.
Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.
I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I'm thinking before I even do.
It's alarming and alluring. It's dark and deadly. It's everything I've ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.
It doesn't take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it's too late. He has secrets, secrets I can't fathom, secrets that make it so I can't walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that's both terrifying and thrilling. He's a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.
I want to hate him.
Sometimes, I do.
But it doesn't stop me from loving him, too.
WHY
Naz is one of my favorite characters of all time. This man is so broken and so twisted. But he's also smart, caring, and willing to make hard decisions. When he meets his one, he changes his entire life to be the kind of man she deserves.
“The best book I’ve read in years.”
—Christine Feehan
The incomparable C.L. Wilson brings her phenomenal Tairen Soul novels to Avon Books! Lord of the Fading Lands is the first book in the epic romantic adventure that combines sweeping fantasy with breathtaking paranormal romance. USA Today and New York Times bestseller C. L. Wilson dazzles with a magnificent, heart-soaring tale of passion and great destiny—of the tormented Fey King Rain, the woodcutter’s daughter Ellysetta, who would be queen, and their eternal quest for true love in the mystical Fading Lands.
WHY
Rain, like a lot of my favorite characters, has not had an easy life. His past is full of tragedy and pain. The weight of the world rests on his shoulders, but he carries it well. This man leads an entire nation, and makes so many sacrifices for the greater good. Plus, his devotion to Ellie is so powerful and genuine.
A warrior with inner demons falls for a woman who could save his soul in this seductive novel from the #1New York Timesbestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
Within the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Rhage is the warrior vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the deadliest fighter, the most voracious lover, the quickest to act on his impulses. He’s also been cursed with two hundred years of hell. Possessed by a beast, he lives in fear of the times when his inner dragon comes out and he’s a danger to everyone around him.
Mary Luce has unwittingly found herself in the vampire world, and under Rhage’s protection. With her own life-threatening curse to bear, she’s not looking for love. Besides, she’s stopped believing in saving grace and miracles long ago. But when Rhage’s intense sexual attraction turns into emotional bonding, he knows he must have her for his mate. As their enemies close in, Mary finds herself praying for something she fears she’ll never have: life eternal with the one she loves.
WHY
I love Rhage. This alpha turns into a literal ferocious beast. He's also a devoted mate, a powerful warrior, and an incredibly protective man. He also manages to make me laugh no matter how many times I revisit his world. His love for Mary is legendary!
Nora finds forbidden love with her fallen angel, in the first in theNew York Timesbestselling Hush, Hush saga.
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.
With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.
WHY
Patch is incorrigible, especially for an angel. He's also mysterious, charming, and can be incredibly funny. One of the things I love most about him is how quickly he not only falls for Nora, but examines his choices and motivations as a result of his feelings for her. When she needs him, he's there, protecting her even when it means sacrificing what he wants.
I would be remiss if I didn't add this one to the list because he's one that started my love of alpha males.
What do you do when you realize nothing in your life is what you’ve believed it to be?
Arionna Jacobs' world is turned upside down when she loses her mother in a tragic accident. She’s forced to leave her old life behind and move in with her father.
Dace Matthews, a teaching assistant at Arionna's new college, is torn in two, unable to communicate with the feral wolf caged inside him.
When they meet, everything they thought they knew about life unravels. Dace has intimate access to Arionna’s mind, and something deep within her fights to rise to the surface. They don’t understand what’s happening to them or why, and they’re running out of time to sort out the strange occurrences around them.
Their meeting sets an ancient Norse prophesy of destruction in motion, and what destiny has in store for them is bigger than either could have ever imagined. Unless they learn to trust themselves and one another, they may never resolve the mystery surrounding who they are to one another, and what that means for the world.
WHY
Dace is the quintessential alpha. He's bossy, used to being in charge, and overprotective. He's a man apart, has a really tragic history, and can be mischievous and sexy. He fights to do what is right, even when it means sacrificing something important to him. He also loves Ari in a way that melts me like a Popsicle. When he meets her, he doesn't question the way she makes him feel. He accepts it, accepts her importance in her life, and fights for her above all else.