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Sometimes it’s useful for the heroine to have a best friend if only for a purely practical reason i.e. she can voice her thoughts and feelings in dialogue which is infinitely preferable to a long narrative of thoughts and soul-searching.
Jess, my heroine in ‘His Leading Lady’ met up with an old school friend who became her confidante and Abbey in ‘Fragrance of Violets’ confided in her sister.
Thinking back to my early novels, my heroines in those didn’t have best friends. Maybe in those days I didn’t have my heroines doing as much soul-searching as I do now. Or maybe because I’ve realised dialogue works better than narrative.
What’s interesting is why the hero doesn’t usually need a best friend. Is that because men don’t talk to each other about their feelings?
That's an interesting thought, Paula. Male characters in many romance novels don't have friends. That could mean we like men who are self-reliant, independent, self-made, strong, focused. Do we want them to unveil their softer side with one special woman? Historical male characters sometimes have second-in-commands, from whom they tolerate unwanted advice about love and strategy.
ReplyDeleteYes, as Ana says you don;t come across men with good friends. They make their own decisions and go their own way, only melting in the arms of the woman who captures their heart. Perhaps that is the essence of romance, the strong man brought to his knees by a woman! Ha ha, if only, eh gals?
ReplyDeleteSounds just like Mr Darcy, Margaret!
ReplyDeleteAnd isn't that why romance stories are so popular? They provide the 'if only' scenario for us to sigh over!
Interesting thought about the men.
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