Ten-hut!

Yesterday on a friend's blog, she asked for recommendations for romances with military type heroes. I wonder what our fascination is with the military man? Soldiers and their civilian corollaries (policemen and firemen) have been staples in romance for a long time. What makes them such perennial favorites?

I suppose that part of it is the innate alphaness of the military male. Control, self assurance, clean cut appearance and a well kept body are all attractive attributes. There is that certain feeling that no matter what emergency crops up, he can handle it... handle it well.

But I also think that there's an edge to the military hero. They're just a tad different from the rest of the world out there. They have a camaraderie that is closed to the rest of civilization. They have experiences that can not be shared in general especially with the female population. Oh, I know that in recent years, many female soldiers are on the front lines in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, but that's a recent development. For the most part, the military is still a masculine domain.

So there's a bit of mystery about the soldier. And a bit of... love 'em and leave 'em mystique. They're always moving on. If a woman actually captures the attention of a military hero so that he's not willing to move on, then that's twice as attractive. Wow! That makes her an extra special heroine, too.

You know, it pains me to say it, but they know about guns and weapons. They have an entire arsenal that they're familiar with and can use if necessary. They know stuff about unarmed combat. They're kind of the modern equivalent of the western cowboy. If anything comes along to threaten the woman, the military hero is capable of protecting her.

When you analyze it, small wonder that the SEAL and Ranger heroes are so popular. Hmmm. Now where did I put that book?

anny