In her heart of hearts, every woman loves a rake, a bad boy, a pirate.[1] These are men who play by their own rules, living untamed lives. Over the years, dozens of titles have celebrated these heroes. Fabio himself glorified this type of hero in his books Pirate, Rogue, and Comanche. We’ve read about reluctant rakes, notorious rakes, and even perfect rakes. But no matter how wicked (and such heroes are rarely anything less than wicked), a rake is not a boor. His appeal does not lie solely in his blatant sensuality, it is rooted in a deeper integrity.

The heroine recognizes this underlying honor, which the romance hero himself either cannot admit or actively works to deny, and she sets out to reveal it to the world. Without the decency at the root of his character, the rake would be merely another roué. He would be irredeemable.

And, as any woman knows, the whole point of seducing a rake is to reform him.

So if you want to become a romance hero, you have to walk a fine line. You need to show off your masculinity and give in to your wild side while remaining true to a core set of values. For Fabio, as for his heroes, those values are very clear: honesty, integrity, and family. Although Fabio has moved away from his native Italy, he retains the principles he acquired living there as a child. His heart is as strong a muscle as any of the more visible ones in his body, which is what makes him a true romance hero.

Having a heart doesn’t mean becoming an emo boy, but once you recognize your heroine, you must make her the center of your world. You don’t have to give up beer with your buddies, but for goodness’ sake, learn to fold your own clothes! The historical hero usually has a valet to dress him (except the Scottish lairds–it doesn’t taken them long to dress given their lack of undergarments), but he is still an independent, forward-thinking fellow, more than capable of taking care of himself. In other words, he doesn’t live in his mother’s basement or let her do his laundry.

Although the concept of a rake conjures up the classic English aristocrat leading a life of leisure, the same type of man can be seen in plenty of contemporary romance novels. From the fatally sexy vampire who loves ’em and slays ’em until he meets his match in a demon-hunting temptress to the Greek tycoon who heats the sheets with numerous mistresses before falling for his virgin housekeeper, the bad boy is a standard of every sub-genre of romance.

But how can you, the Average Joe, the Man On The Street, tell whether you have the capacity to get out there and attract women? You don’t have fangs or a mansion in Crete, you’re not independently wealthy and you still have twenty-eight years left on your thirty year mortgage. Does that mean you lose out?

Not at all! In fact, in the modern world, there are many things more important than either the ability to fly at night (especially when accompanied by the corresponding need for blood) or a huge home in a crumbling economy. Here’s a checklist to get you on your way:

 
Of course, some jobs and experiences are worth more than others on the bad-boy attraction scale. Are you in law enforcement or military service? Are you a major league sports professional? Do you run your own successful business? Are you…a spy? Bingo! You get double points! You hardly have to do a thing; the hyper-masculine aura of the rake pulses off you in waves and women likely flock to your side.

On the other hand, if you work in middle management, slave away in a cubicle, or spend most of your time hunched over a computer, you’re going to have to actively nurture your inner rake. A few ideas on improving those roguish qualities:

 
The historical hero is an incomparable horseman and a first class fighter. His clothes always show off his (near-perfect) physique, even when his valet has to pick them out for him. He works hard, even when it appears he is resting on his laurels (a rake lets people believe him lazy), takes his politics seriously, and is constantly improving himself. Not only is he–by very definition–the consummate flirt, but he is comfortable flirting with any woman, no matter her age or station in life.

Indeed, probably the most outstanding characteristic of the bad boy hero of any era, ancient, modern or futuristic, is that he is comfortable in any situation, primarily because he’s already encountered most of them a time or three. The only thing that can knock him for a loop is the heroine.  It may take him a little while to come around, but once he recognizes his soul mate, his raffish ways cease.

Given that so many heroes cloak themselves in the garb of rakes before finding true love, how’s a girl to know whether the dashing young fellow she meets is heroic material or not? Here’s a quick quiz to help you determine whether your bad-boy boyfriend can be redeemed:

Now you know what to look out for, how can you identify those who will treat you right once you get their attention? That is, of course, the most difficult question. There’s an old adage we can start with, however: “never wed the man whose marriage you broke up; he cheats on his wife.” Look at how the man who interests you treats the women around him. Don’t worry if he’s a serial monogamist, that’s a prerequisite for a rake, but if he’s cheating on his current girlfriend, stay away!

If he’s single, and we all hope he is, check out whether he has female friends. Does he respect the rights and opinions of the women around him? Does he have a sister he cares about? Women often congregate around a true romance hero because they sense that he appreciates them and will treat them well even if they don’t perceive him as a potential mate.

Also, examine how his male friends treat their significant others. There’s a reason so many romance novels come in trilogies: romantic heroes surround themselves with others of the same quality. If his friends trash talk about their girlfriends and wives, chances are he will, too. On the other hand, if many of them are paired off in stable, strong relationships, you’ve probably found yourself a winner.

Heroes are looking for heroines who can stand up to them, who have their own strength and self-confidence. Creating a satisfying life for yourself will make you stand out in a crowd and will keep him coming back.