It’s no secret that the world of literature, fiction or nonfiction, is jam-packed with powerful male characters, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Little boys need male role models, whom they can see themselves in and who can teach them important lessons, while a lot of girls love to swoon over powerful men whom they can see as keeping them safe and warm at times when they don’t feel like doing it themselves. However, overly masculine characters can be suffocating not only for their love interests but also for those who’ve read maybe a little too many books featuring men like them. So, for a breath of fresh air—and head-turning cologne—here are three “soft” but powerful male characters to read and daydream about:
- Prince Griffin in Queen of the Beasts
Queen of the Beasts is a page-turning work of werewolf fiction depicting conflict between a pack of rogue wolves and a royal family that’s been too pampered for too long that its members are losing their werewolf abilities and now seen as unfit to keep their crown.
Prince Griffin is their heir, whom our protagonist, Violet, will meet early on in the story. Though she’s spent most of her life trying to take down his family, the well-dressed, mild-mannered prince presents her with a dilemma when he turns out to be the opposite of what she’s built him up in her mind to be.
Aside from being charming and kindhearted, she also learns that he’s far from weak when he demonstrates his strength by dominating his warriors on the training field. He’s the man every man wants to be and every straight woman wants to be with. Let him win your heart over, too, by turning the pages of K.M. Carnoky’s Queen of the Beasts.
- Grayson King in Scary Love
Scary Love tells a bittersweet story about bullying, broken families, and drug addiction in a way that sheds a light on just how important each of these issues is without romanticizing it, which many authors, even professional ones, can find tricky.
Grayson is the central tortured artist of the story, which will keep you on your toes with its murder-mystery twists and turns. He’s the boy in class who barely says a word but catches your eye; and despite how hard they try, he doesn’t let any bully—or problem—keep him down. He’s a survivor and a fighter, not only regarding his addiction but also generally in his 18-year-old life.
Whether you’re looking for a hero who’ll help you fight your battles or a dreamboat who’ll write songs about you, Grayson is your King, but before you can be his queen, you must first learn about his reign in Karu Lu’s rollercoaster of a book, Scary Love.
- Albericus Wilt in Lupus Deus
Albericus Wilt—or, as our quirky female protagonist, Vivian Grey, calls him, Algebra—is the beta of the titular character in Lupus Deus, which revolves around the unlikely relationship between our heroine and the feared 600-year-old god of werewolves.
Long before the meme phrase sigma male entered pop culture’s lexicon, being “beta” has been considered a bad thing. However, that isn’t always true, as Algebra shows us in the nearly 1000-page epic. As the wolf god’s second-in-command, he is trustworthy and responsible; and outside his job, he is a caring, patient mate and a funny, gentle friend.
Don’t mistake his kindness for weakness, though, because he will only prove you and his enemies wrong—and his alpha right—in the brutal, climactic battle of the gods and goddesses in Sophia Moore’s Lupus Deus.
If you want to read more about them, or about other guys like them, and support our talented, passionate authors, check out our library of underrated books, or follow Typewriter Pub for updates on our new launches every month!
