(Dear dude above, I don’t know who you are, but thanks for being hairy)
Now that it is 2010, it is time for Smexy to get serious. Hit the deep topics, the ones that make you stop and think. What, you don’t believe me? Fine – we are talking hairy men today, because in my opinion, there can never be enough hairy men posts and it has been awhile since we have chatted about it.
Although the hairy man is always swirling around in my brain on some level, it got kicked to the forefront recently when Katiebabs mentioned a book she just read and really enjoyed, Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner, which features a hero with a mustache.
“Thankfully he covered himself. Yet he still watched her, an odd twitch at one corner of his unruly mustache. Her gave slide to the trough. Despite the scum coating the inside walls- the only greenery she’d see in days- the water looks so… wet. And she was so very hot.”
RAWR. The mustached hero is seriously lacking in today’s romance books and I am so excited to read this one! Check out Katie’s review of Pieces of Sky – it really looks like a great read.
I decided to bring in another hairy lover, author and fellow blogger, Penny Watson. Penny herself writes a very sexy series about Santa Claus’ strapping sons, and her first hero Nicholas has some verra smexy facial hair. She often talks about the love of hairy men on her blog and I can’t think of anyone better to answer the question – why does Smexy love hairy men?
Smexy: So Penny, why is a man with facial hair, chest hair, or even an abundance of leg hair (RAWR!) so attractive? Does it just make them uber-masculine? Do I have some deep-rooted jealousy because I can not produce body hair? More importantly, if I stop shaving my legs, am I going to want to make out with myself?
Penny: Hi Mandi! I never really thought about hairiness until I read a time travelin’ Scottish warlord sort of super sexy romance novel. After that, all I wanted was a big 250 pound, sweaty, sexy, gigantic, hairy Scotsman in a kilt. And nothing else. All that hair is the ultimate masculine trait. I’m seriously hoping you’re not jealous and going to attempt the no-shaving thing. Anyway, I know for a fact that your hubby has a rockin’ beard. You don’t need to make out with yourself.
Smexy: Darn, I was really hoping to have an excuse to make out with myself. I hope my husband realized ten years ago when I married that smooth baby face of his that I would be taking over all grooming decisions. His scruffiness has taken years to perfect!
I too enjoy a sweaty, sexy Scotsman, and my favorites are sweaty, dirty cowboys. Maybe that will become my new obsession in 2011, sweaty men. Before we start lusting over that topic, as I mentioned earlier, there is a new book out that features a hero with a mustache, something you rarely read about. More common is a goatee, but I find even that is not mentioned as much. For me, there is always that moment at the beginning of the book where the hero is described, where I picture him in my head. Sometimes I reread his descriptions several times just so I am confident I know what he looks like before I continue reading. When facial hair is included in the description, I become extra excited. Two characters come to mind when I think about facial hair. First, Nate from J.L. Langley’s My Fair Captain. His beard is mentioned several times in that book. Second is Vishous, from J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger 
Brotherhood series. He has a goatee that I would love to rough up. Unfortunately, her vampires loose all other body hair when they turn vamp (gasp!). I also like Vishous because he likes to whip people in the bedroom, but that is an entirely different discussion ;) While we are on the topic of facial scruff, I must include my favorite picture of Hugh Jackman. Penny, who are your favorite bearded heroes?
Penny: Ooooooh……my favorite bearded heroes. Well, I guess Moses comes to mind. Robert Redford as Jeremiah Johnson. Oh, wait a minute…you’re talking romance heroes. Okay. My all time favorite series is the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters…archaeology, mystery, and romance all rolled up into one. Radcliffe Emerson, hero and patriarch of the family, is introduced in the first book Crocodile on the Sandbank…he is huge, built, larger than life, super cerebral, and yep….he is one hairy guy, including a heavy beard (to disguise his dimple!). The first time he kisses Amelia, she is coming out of a faint, and she is vaguely aware of his soft lips and the tickle of his beard. Sigh. Heavenly good times.
I also love V—sexy goatee, super brainiac, and Mr. Bad Ass. The perfect combo. I’d like to kick Jane’s ghostly ass right out of Caldwell.
One more! Honor’s Splendour, by Julie Garwood (which is arguably the greatest romance novel ever written) has a most excellent scene where Duncan tells Madelyne he’s not shaving until after they make love. She wants to know why. She discovers “…his whiskers were excitingly abrasive…” Yep, Duncan rubs his delicious scruff all over Madelyne’s sensitive parts and really gets her going. Bring it on!
Smexy: Gasp – I need to read these books!
I am swooning at the “excitingly abrasive” whiskers…HA. (No, I really am.)
Have we come to any conclusions? A hairy man is sexy – check. Why – I think it just exudes masculinity. Not that you can’t be masculine without it (hello Indiana Jones!) but it just yells,”I am man – come feel my stubble.”
Any parting words, Penny?
Penny: Funny you should bring up Indiana Jones, because I happen to think that Harrison Ford is the epitome of masculinity right now. Not only is he sporting a luscious beard, but he also has the whole salt-n-peppa thing going on (sooooooo hot!). Indy is the perfect example of brainy, rugged, alpha, rough and tumble me, baby. Stubble, goatees, lumberjack-style…I love it all!
How could you not fall in love with this guy????? (Also, I totally think I could take Calista Flockhart. Seriously, I could break her like a twig. No contest.)
Smexy: Let’s take her Penny. Indy is ours!
Thank you for chatting today Penny!
Who is with us? Hairy Men in 2010!
Haha great post :)
never really got why the BDB vamps had to loose all that hair when they turned vamp.
Anyway I do love a sexy goatee, not a moustache fan yet though, but perhaps one day
I love my dose of hairy men, and Mandi, any excuse you can find to post that pic of Hugh Jackman is fine by me :) I'm not a mustache fan for some reason but absolutely love the chest hair, goattee and the beard, I can drool all over Eric Dane aka McSteamy.
OMG, that pic of Harrison Ford is so over-the-top gorgeous! He looks so…so…beddable. Uh, I mean GREAT. *swoon*
Ooooo….his mustache "twitched"–I can think of something else that twitches, too! ;) I'm going to check out Katiebabs' review for Pieces of Sky right now.
Mandi…tell me about JL Langley's My Fair Captain. Is it good? Is it a romance? I'm looking for some new, hairy reading material.
Bloeuedd – One day you will! ;)
Leontine – Eric Dane is verra nice ;)
Amy – No, definitely beddable..LOL
Penny – it is a m/m romance…very good (and available on the Kindle..LOL)
I posted my beard of the day at Penelope's. I used a smokin' photo of Tim Daly as a cowboy (just for you). So, Mandi, I would imagine your all-time favorite romance would involve gay, hairy cowboys. Did I get that right?
By the way, one of my critique partners (Sam Wayland) is about to publish her first book with Ellora's Cave, called With Grace. It has a ton of hot menage sex (M/M/F)…I think you would love it. After I finished her book, I told her it made me wish I was a gay man!
Happy Hairy Friday,
Penny
I appreciate your views on the topic of hairy men, ladies, but for me, I have to have the smooth-ish body. Facial hair doesn't really bother me ::too:: much, but a hairy body is gross. And I'm only saying that because we have a great friend who, while losing all his hair on his head, his body is COVERED in hair, and it's become a running gag between our group of friends. (Sounds mean, but we're a close knit group) I can't think of hair being sexy on a guy's body without thinking of him, and that's just not gonna happen. Blech.
:oP
Honor's Splendour is SUCH a great book!!! Oh and my hubby is hairy so I share your affection for hairy men! Mmmm…lol Cute post girl! lol You always seem to make me laugh! "(Dear dude above, I don’t know who you are, but thanks for being hairy" LMAO!
Happy Friday sweetie!
*Rowl*
One of my favorite bearded or hairy heroes, and I'm not that big on them in general, is Captain Nate from My Fair Captain.
I adored that scene in Honor's Splendour with Duncan and his whiskers ;)
I have to admit, I read the Harper Conelly series by Charlaine Harris and the brother/lover has a mustache and all I could picture him as is the dude from the Killers. What's his name again? Whatever. The point is, I found it kinda hot and kinky ;)
Hmm I wonder Mandi since you are an east coast gal if the love of your hairy chests stems from that. Us West coast gals love the mens that manscape. I admit I adore whiskers but I prefer my men smooth from the neck down…and down if you know what I mean.
I must read this Julie Garwood book I've read every historical romance she has written.
I'm with smokin'… I love my men smooth from the neck down, but love a hint of the five o'clock shadow. Or in my hubby's case, the shadow that comes after not shaving for 3 or 4 days. ;-)
I'm putting all of these book recommendations on my tbr list. Maybe I need some more hairy men in my life.
Two Words: SAM ELLIOTT
Have you ever seen "Lifeguard"?
Most gorgeous man on a beach…ever! Lordy, Lordy, Lordy!
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
More importantly, if I stop shaving my legs, am I going to want to make out with myself?
LMAO!!!! You totally made me bust out laughing. *g*
For me, facial and body hair has to match the hero. If he's a pretty thing, he's gotta be smooth – no facial or chest hair. But the more alpha guys can handle a bit of sexy scruff and chest hair. Though I find it tricky as an author to give a character chest hair – I don't want a reader to picture a guy with a full-on pelt :-O A Robin Williams level of body hair isn't my cup of tea (though I bet he never gets cold in the winter).
Oh, and Nate from MFC? YUM, YUM, YUM!! He had the best beard :)
Hmmm, interesting topic :). I'll take them both ways, I'm not really picky ;) I love a little bit of scruffiness on a man's face – I get all hot and bothered when my hubby hasn't shaved for a few days *sigh* And that's why I'm a big fan of Eric Dane too (Leontine, we are so like-minded!!) and now he's shaved his facial hair off I'm eagerly waiting for it to grow back ;)
But on the other hand I really can be drooling all over a smooth as a baby kind of guy like Jensen Ackles. He's so delish!
btw Lorelei James' Cord McKay from Cowgirl Up and Ride had a goatee…
Oh man flashback time for me thank you to Virginia C for reminding me of Lifeguard and yes oh my over excited heart Sam Elliot!!!! Loved him in the beach scenes and in later movies he is and always will be my favorite leading man!!!! He had the hairy body and the scruffy face and mustache and I need a cold shower, LOL!!!!
Keep tuning back to the days of Magnum PI and thinking about my other favorite Tom Selleck with his cookie duster and hairy legs in his short shorts…
Mandi this is as usual my highlight of my day, thanks for the fun post and all the fun comments it generated!!!
jackie b central texas
Karra – Yes, that would not be attractive..LOL
Monroe and KB – LOL..I really need to read Honor's Splendour!
Queen B – HAR HAR..hmmm..what is that guy's name from the Killers..right on the tip of my tongue.
Smokin – Yes, us over here on the east coast are very hairy. We are all hairy beasts.
Caitlin – sigh…I am going to start sending you hairy chests pictures in email every day..I hope you are ready.
Virginia – I have not seen that one…hmmmmmmmmmm
Ava – I snorted when I wrote that :) Yeah – I get the chest hair description…sigh. ;)
ERR – oh..I keep meaning to read Lorelei James
Jaci – I featured a Tom Selleck bday cake on my last hairy man post. yum ;)
It depends on the guy, if hairy works for me. But for the most part, a little scruffy I don't mind but I've never really been one to care much for facial hair.
Funny, a couple of days ago my hubby was talking about growing a stache. I told him: Nope. No. NO WAY! LOL!
I vote for hair….nothing better to keep you warm in the winter!!! Hehehe.
Mandi – if that's what works for you… *grin* Sorry, but I'm with Smokin' and Caitlin :)
I also love V—sexy goatee, super brainiac, and Mr. Bad Ass. The perfect combo. I'd like to kick Jane's ghostly ass right out of Caldwell. HELL YEAH! And also what Mandi said.
And Blu said too. Why?? Ah well, the mysteries of world building.
Well, first off, thank you ladies for including my boyfriend V in this conversation. You know how I love me some V all smart assey and brainy and BDSMy and yummy and stuff. :) Thanks to you two ladies I'm going to reconsider my stance on chest hair. I vow to allow my book boyfriends a bit of fur…a tiny bit to start, we'll take it slow. Facial hair is fine too as long as it's all ZZ top. I'll check back and let you know how I'm handling it ok? hehe
Smexy~I love you, and I love the hairy mens. Hot to the damn.
Have you ever applied to work in a park? Because park rangers love the facial hair, let me tell you. It might be the only industry where a moustache is still a fashion statement. ;)
Hugh Jackman with facial hair is SMEXY! YUMMY!
Great post! I found out about it from your profile at All Romance. It caught my eye because I'm a fan of hairy heroes too.
My favorite is Rhis from Linnea Sinclair's FINDERS KEEPERS. I blogged about how a small press version of the cover featured Rhis with his mustache, but when Bantam later released the book, the mustache went bye-bye. Huge loss as far as I'm concerned.
What a great post, Heather! I have that book in my tbr..will definitely have to read soon ;)
How dare they take away that mustache!
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