Today is my stop on
Sarah Gilman's OUT IN BLUE Blog Tour
being hosted by Entangled Select!
A big thank you to Sarah for taking the time to be a guest on my blog today!
GUEST POST
The Father and Son Relationship in Romance Books
by Sarah Gilman
First, I must say how much I love this blog; it reminds me
of spring! Spring is not far off, but here in Vermont, it’s still as frigid as
ever. Thank you so much for hosting!
In romance, both adult and young adult, the story focuses on
the developing relationship of the hero and heroine. One of my favorite themes
is “love overcoming all obstacles,” which is why you won’t find characters at
odds with each other until the very end in my books. As a reader and a writer,
I enjoy witnessing two characters who want to be together fight not with each
other, but fight everything else to secure a future together. Even so, a lot of
factors come together to form a relationship worth fighting for.
One of the things that can bring two people together is a
shared experience that few people can relate to. In Out in Blue, the hero, Wren, experienced the murder of his parents
when he was ten years old. The heroine, Ginger, carries a similar burden. That
shared pain and the basic understanding of each other it creates, by itself
carries more weight than a thousand casual conversations.
A person’s relationship with their parents always makes up a
vital part of their personality. It goes without saying that Wren and Ginger
wouldn’t have connected over, say, broken toys; the loss of parents,
particularly the violent loss, alters a child forever. When writing any character,
I consider how their relationship with their parents will affect the story.
In all three of the Return to Sanctuary books I’ve written
so far, the hero’s father plays a vital role in the plot. The heroines and
their fathers are also crucial, of course, and so are the mothers of the
characters, but I find myself often putting emphasis on the father and son
relationship.
The father figure is fundamental in who a given hero is as a
person and a character. Basic biology comes into play, of course: Wren has
wings because his father is a fallen archangel. But as in real life, it’s much
more than biology. Wren’s father, Raphael, is a character who relentlessly protects
his family. As a ten year old, Wren witnessed his father fight for all their
lives despite having no chance against the antagonist. As a character, this
sets the stage for Wren to become a fighter, someone who won’t give up in the
face of dire odds especially when it comes to someone he cares about—a crucial
factor in how he deals with his relationship with Ginger. If his father had
left him to fend for himself, saving his own neck, Wren would have grown into a
considerably different character.
Not all romances give mention to the hero’s father, but many
do. I think it’s an important way to develop the hero. How a man views and
treats women is often a product of his relationship with his father, as fathers
teach by example in their own relationships. Good fathers, evil fathers, geek
fathers, military fathers—all play a role in the hero’s life and ultimately,
the hero’s relationship with the heroine.
When I first started writing Out in Blue, curiosity drove me: What would it be like to have an
archangel as a parent? The question helped spawn a whole series.
Readers, what
romances have you read in which the hero’s father played a significant role?
________________________________________________________
Out in Blue
A Return to Sanctuary Novel
by Sarah Gilman
Release date: January 29th, 2013
Published by: Entangled Select
Genre: Adult - Paranormal Romance
Format read: eARC
SUMMARY
In a violent world where fallen archangels are hunted for their valuable plumage, Wren knows one thing for certain: the human woman who saved him from a poacher attack will die if she stays with him. The demon responsible for his parents’ gruesome deaths two decades ago pines for the chance to rip apart any woman who stands under Wren’s wing.
Wren doesn’t expect Ginger to stay by his side once she discovers his ability to drain life with a mere touch, yet she lingers. When an unusual talent of her own reveals the location of Wren’s father, Wren’s isolated world implodes. With the help of the demon protectors he’s sworn never to trust again, Wren risks everything to rescue his father, confront the demon who stalks his and Ginger’s every step, and claim his eternity with the most courageous woman he’s ever known.
MY REVIEW
Sarah Gilman's take on fallen angels and demons is like no other that I have ever read before - this story captured my attention within the first few pages...
The author immediately throws us into Ginger's world where archangels exist - fallen angels, humans think that they are disgusting, evil and don't deserve to live. There aren't many left, but they do exist. Poachers hunt them down for their feathers - feathers softer than silk - and a box full can bring in millions of dollars.
Ginger is minding her own business and having a cup of coffee when she overhears a conversation - a group of poachers have found where an archangel has been hiding and they are planning on waiting for his return to capture him, take his feathers and then kill him.
But Ginger is not your ordinary human, she grew up with the Guardians - Demons whose job is to protect the archangels. And she would be dishonoring her father if she didn't do something to stop these poachers. Her plan gets askew a bit, but in the end, she does end up saving the archangel, known as Wren.
There is an instant connection and attraction between these two, but it was written so well and convincingly, I barely noticed it, and actually liked what was going on between them.
Ginger never showed any weakness, yes there are moments when she worries and was frightened, but she never backed down and always became better and stronger when she stood her ground.
Wren, there are no words to best describe him. His pride was strong and heartening, but even so, he never took shame in his weakest moments and never held back when it came to showing his love.
What I really loved about both Ginger and Wren was their strong bond of family and loyalty. It is rare to find a story where the bonds of family and friends, no matter how they came about, are so strong and heartfelt.
Out In Blue is brilliantly told from two different point-of-views. Both main characters, Ginger and Wren, have such refreshing voices where they spoke their mind and were honest with everyone, especially with each other. Nothing was ever a game to them.
Sarah Gilman's writing is fluent and capturing - she gives us just enough to picture the story in our minds, but not too much, which is something that I love when an author can accomplish this. It gives the reader the freedom to add in the extra small details that they would like to and make it their own.
Even if you're not a fan of angel-type stories, I would still highly recommend this book to you! It is so unique and believable, it will definitely have you looking up to the sky, searching for a fallen star... an archangel.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Sarah Gilman
Sarah Gilman started her first novel in third grade. She never finished that story, but never gave up the dream.
Her fascination with wings also began at that age, when images of the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis captured her imagination and never let go.
Now a paranormal romance writer, she employs her love of writing to bring the allure of winged creatures to the pages of her novels.
Sarah lives in Vermont with her supportive husband and two spoiled cats.
Follow the OUT IN BLUE Blog Tour!!!
There are a ton of excerpts, guest posts, reviews, prizes, etc..!
Be sure to stop by all the blogs listed below for more!!!
(2) GIVEAWAYS
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There is also a blog tour scavenger-hunt giveaway for 4 paperback copies of OUT IN BLUE!
Enter below!!!