Lots of bloggers complain about the trite overuse of tattoos in Paranormal Romance. Yes, like the tramp stamp of the 1990's, it can be overdone. 

So, who are the great heroines with equally fabulous body art? 

Here is my list!

1. Preying for Mercy by Patricia Briggs 

2. Darkness Calls  by Marjorie Liu

3. Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

4. Inked by Eileen Wilks

5. The Calling (Immortals) by Jennifer Ashley

6. The Highwayman by Michele Hauf

7. Storm Born by  Richelle Mead

8. Twilight Fall: A Novel of the Darkyn by Lynn Viehl

9. The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes by Jennifer Crusie

10. Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb

Do you have a favorite Paranormal Heroine with Ink? Let me know!

To vote for the best of the best, go to the Goodread list: Needle: Paranormal Romance Heroines with Tattoos. 

To see some women with great tattoos and more recommendations, check out the Pinterest Board: Tattooed Lady: Great Heroines of Romance with Body Arts. 

Kickass Women Warriors Reign in Paranormal and Romance Suspense. I enjoy reading about a women who can protect herself.

I like weapons too. I fenced for years so I have a particular love of edged weapons through archery also appeals.

Great woman archers can be found in The Battle Lord's Lady, The Scottish Selkie, and The Bride.

Here is a fencer! The Courtesan by Julia Justiss.

Some swords women: The Sword Dancer, 

Guardian of Honor,  Magic Bites, and Dagger-Star.

Ah, knives: The Lion's Lady, Blade Dancer and Big Bad Beast.

Fine ladies of the gun: Creed, Gunmetal Magic, Never a Gentleman  and  Sexy/Dangerous. 

Female brawlers, boxers, and martial artists enjoy the advantage of surprise: martial arts in The China Bride and .Captive Star Fisticuffs: Kinked, Bear Meets Girl and Battered Not Broken.

Then, there are the magic as a weapon divas: Kiss of a Demon King and Soul Kissed (Shadow Kissed).

My very favorite though is the Dagmar "The Beast" in What a Dragon Should Know, she uses her brain and sometimes her war dog. 

Here is a great list of well known Deadly Women of Romance that if you haven't read you should.

1. Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress) Jeaniene Frost:  Cat, Vampire Hunter

2. Moon Called (Mercy Thompson, Book 1) by Patricia Brigg: The ever scrappy Mercy

3. Magic Burns (Kate Daniels) by Iiona Andrews. Kate takes a licking and keeps on ticking

4. Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter) by Nalini  Singh. Elena takes on an Arch Angel.

5. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta  Chase. Ms Jessica Trent and her gun.

6. Dragon Bound (A Novel of the Elder Races) by Thea Harrison. Pia--Spry. You can't catch her.

7. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. The one and only Eve Dallas

8. Harvard's Education by Suzanee Brockmann. P.J!

10. I could go all day listing every Shelly Laurenston/GA Aiken's heroine. 

Here is a great list of lesser known Deadly Women of Romance that if you haven't read you should.

1. The Challenge (Rystani Warrior 1): Volume 1 by Susan Kearney Secret Service agent Tessa Camen 

2. Heart of a Traitor (Heart and Soul) by  Angela Verdenius. I highly recommend the entire Science Fiction Romance series. Disgraced ex-sniper Oriel 

3. The Warrior Prince (Dragon Lords) by Michelle Pillow. Another great Pia.

4. Moon's Fury (Tales of the Sazi) by Adams, C. T. and Clamp, Cathy. Cara Salinas, Alpha Wolf.

5. Heart Journey by Robin Owens. Helena, a renowned cartographer and explorer

6. Skinwalker (Jane Yellowrock, Book 1) by Faith Hunter. Vampire hunter

7. To Catch a Bride (Berkley Sensation) by Anne Gracie.  Ayisha, so full of secrets. 

8. Sam's Creed (Hell's Eight) by Sarah McCarty. Isabella, the gunslinger.

9.The Protector by Madeline Hunter Anna de Leon, Commander

10. A Brother's Price by Wen Spencer. The princess has a brace of pistols. 

Do you have recommendations? Please let me know! I would love more contemporary deadly women especially. 

If you would like to vote for the best of the best, go to the Goodreads List: Deadly Women: Best Romance Heroines Who Can Defend Themselves.

If you would love to see some amazing images of deadly women from history today, and film check out my Pinterest Board: Kickass Heroines of Romance. 

An onna-bugeisha, one of the female warriors of the upper social classes in feudal Japan. Would she make a great heroine in a Romance Novel? 

While we only make up only 1 to 2 percent of the world populations, were recently threatened with extinction, and South Park made us a very funny slur, we thrive in the pages of Romanceland. 

Jamie of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon fame being the most famous red headed gentleman and maybe Grace, The Unidentified Redhead  by Alice Clayton being the most notable leading lady. 

Redheads have plenty of stereotypes to contend with like all hair colors but I think what I like about Gingers in Romance (besides the self representation is the way, when done right, being redheaded builds the the character physically. We are easier to blush, tend to have freckles, for better or worse think a great deal about our hair as do other people, come in so many shades, and well then there is the more intimate of ginger touches.  

We will only show you if we really like you. 

I love the scene in Outlander where Claire gazes on Jamie while he is nude in the sun getting to see all those private bits of redheadedness.  This is my plea for please, please more ginger heroes in Romance. :) 

There is also a stunning scene in Eileen Dryer's Never a Gentleman (The Drake's Rakes series)  of discovery between the hero and the heroine. Wowza. 

I recently waxed poetic about Mary Ann River's Live (The Burnside Series): The Burnside Series and all the details of the heroine's gingerness through the hero's loving, lustblown (I stole this word from Charlotte Stein and I am keeping it) eyes. 

If you would like to see a great video on the Redheads, check this one out! 

All The Science Reasons Redheads Do That Redhead Thing They Do

And now for the lists! In particular order of favorites but my top ten none the less, skipping those already mentioned, 

 Ginger Woman: Redheaded Heroine in Romance

1. The Devil in Winter (The Wallflowers, Book 3) by  Lisa Kleypas

2. Timeless Moon (Tales of the Sazi, Book 6) by Adams and Clamp 

3. Frisco's Kid by Suzanne Brockmann

4. Wild Oats and Runabout by Pamela Morsi

5. Heart Choice (Celta) by Robin Owens 

6. The Chocolate Touch (Amour et Chocolat) by Laura Florand

7. Troll-y Yours, a fantasy romance (The Centaurs) by Sheri Fredricks

8. Entwined by Emma Jensen

10. Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Have a favorite? Vote for yours at the  Goodreads list: Ginger Women: Redheaded Heroine in Romance and please rec in reply. 

Now the fellows!

Redheaded Romance Heroes

1. BEAST by Pepper Pace

2. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

3. A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

4. Angels' Flight (Guild Hunter) by Nalini Singh 

6. The Taming by Jude Deveraux 

7. To Seduce A Sinner  by Elizabeth Hoyt 

8. Lover At Last: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward

9. Melting Iron (Cyborg Seduction, Book Three) by Laurann Dohner 

10. Laugh (The Burnside Series): A Loveswept Contemporary Romance by Mary Ann Rivers 

Have a favorite? Vote for yours at the  Goodreads list: Redheaded Romance Heroes and please rec in reply. 

And some eye candy!

You can't walk for tripping over kick ass heroines in Fantasy Romance, Science Fiction Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. It seems a woman has to have super powers to really take care of herself. 

We do find a nice collection of these physically tougher or self defense trained ladies in Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance. 

However, these kinds of heroines are less available in the historical storyline. This may be accurate historically and I agree that overly kick ass heroines in all the genres can be annoying but I love variety in my characters and the backstory of a woman who has these skills in a time period that is less than encouraging of such things makes for a layered leading lady. 

So, here are my Historical Romance Heroines who can throw a punch, shoot a gun, wield a sword, throw a knife or are otherwise very clever and kick ass that I would recommend you read.  I can never pick favorites so these are in no particular order. 

1. Miss Grace Fairchild from Never a Gentleman 

2. Christina Bennett from The Lion's Lady

3. Jenny Jones from The Promise of Jenny Jones

4. Jessica Trent from Lord of Scoundrels 

5. Silver Delaney from Wild Silver

6. Anna de Leon from The Protector 

7. Desi from Caine's Reckoning 

8. Nell Whitby from A Lady's Lesson in Scandal

9. Freyja Bedwyn from Slightly Scandalous 

10. Ayisha from To Catch a Bride

Who are some of your favorite kick ass historical heroines?  Vote for the best of the best by going to this Goodreads list: Kick Ass Historical Romance Heroines