Let's face it ... most of us read books to escape our real lives, or to live in a fantasy land, even for just a little while. For a book hero to be one of the men we think about long after the story is over, he has to possess a few traits we can't forget. 

1. A good hero must be unapologetically alpha. We've all read the books. We know their inner pains and demons, and these guys have had some pretty messed up pasts. All that doesn't change that our toes curl just a little when they get possessive over their one true love.

2. He must be rocking a  perfectly defined "V"....'nough said.

3. Every hero must have a soft spot for his lady.

4. Man bun .... 

5. The way he looks at her. We all want a man to look at us the way a hero looks at his girl.

6. He can't be afraid to put his life on the line to save his woman.

7. But no matter how much they love her, they don't put up with her shit. They just handle it a little...differently.

8. He must rock it in the bedroom every single time.

9. Even if he doesn't show it often, every hero needs to have a sense of humor.

10. And most importantly, no matter what happens, they will never stop loving their woman.

​And there you have it. 10 incredible traits from our favorite book heroes. What are some of traits you love to see in your book loves?

The holiday season is finally here, and the race is on for finding that perfect gift for the book lover in your life in less than a month. No pressure, right? What do you get the person who seems to have an ever-growing bookshelf? Have no fear! We’re here to help. This handy list will give you some great personal and non-gift card ideas to light up the eyes and elicit squeals of delight on Christmas morning. Ready your one-click fingers!

​Of course, we’d start with KU since it’s why KU Addicts Express is here! It’s perfect for those book lovers on a budget. No guessing about what kind of book’s they might like or haven’t already read. For just $9.99 a month, users can download up to 10 books at a time from those available in KU. Your book lover will find new authors, and books all the while not lightening up your wallet each month. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

​So your booklover already has KU. We’ve still got you covered. A new reading device will always be sure to please especially for any seasoned reader.  With newly added features like backlights, waterproof exteriors, and tablet functionality, you can’t go wrong.  You can choice an e-reader for their specific platform or maybe try an iPad, which is great because you can download the apps for the retailers oe device.

Here are a few of our personal favorites that might just do the trick.

 ​If the first two items don’t trip your trigger, a more personal gift just might. Signed books are one of the greatest gifts you can get for your book lover. Most authors sell signed books via their websites where not only can you get a signed book, but a personalized one to boot. Perfect? I think YES!

Can’t find the signed book, but still want to give your book lover something more personal? Try a custom book sleeve. Not only will be you protecting one of the most precious think your booklover owns, but a personalized sleeve will make this gift even more special.  Bend Me Not Book Sleeves or one of the many sewing masters on Etsy can help you make your gift extra special. Need an idea? Check out this custom listing to get started. 

​Maybe you need a smaller gift for your book club gift exchange or stocking stuffer? We can do that, too! One of the newest trends is scented candles based off the description of your favorite heroine or hero.  What else could be better than lighting that Jamie Fraser scented candle and diving into your next Outlander read? Absolutely Nothing. Not an Outlander fan? No problem! Etsy is chalked full of unique book inspired candle scents. One quick search and click and you too can be basking in the alpha male musk. 

​What’s better than throwing on some cozy socks on a cold winter’s night while you snuggle up with a good book? Literary socks! From library cards, to pleas for anyone disturbing the reader to bring more wine, these are sure to please.  Here’s a few of our favorites!

​What goes better with books than a nice glass of wine? And what could be better than that? A book wine glass. This is one perfect pairing for the wine and book lover in your life.  Etsy.com, because this site it the best thing since sliced bread for custom gifts, has some great options to choose from. We’ve included a few of our favorites below.

Not a wine drinker? We’ve got your covered there! Check out these amazing coffee mugs.

Any binge reader will tell you that finding a comfortable position for hours of reading is like finding a needle in a haystack. Whether you’re reading a paperback or e-reader, you can’t help, but fidget and fight to find that Sheldon Cooper perfect spot on the bed or couch.  Let us introduce to you to your book lover’s newest friend. An adjustable pillow. Not just for pregnant ladies, this pillow can fix those reading position struggles and provides versatility every reader.

​Just like the body pillow above, e-readers and books need some cushy love. These lap stands are great for readers who have that perfect little reading spot, but want to be hands free. We’ve even included a lap table for our bathtub readers that will protect your book babies from water-stained pages or water damaged from that accidentally drop from slippery hands. Bonus, they’ll even hold your wine glass or book-scented candles. Can we say multi-purpose gift?

​If your budget is tight, we may have just the thing. Many authors, especially indies, have promotional swag packs they send to fans and readers. Check their websites, shoot them an e-mail, or message them on social media.  For the cost of a stamp, you could give your book lover something truly special without having to break the bank.  

​We hope this list helped you in your Christmas gift search. Do you see something that we may have missed? Comment below and let us know what your favorite bookworm gift is or was? Maybe it will make it in next year’s list!

Even though some won't admit it, most women are "guilty" of loving a good romance novel. Somehow, along the way, romance novels have gotten a bad rep. They're seen as silly or smutty or just plain ridiculous, but there is a reason the romance genre rules the NYT best-seller lists and monopolizes the largest section at the book store. 10 of them actually....

1. Hello? They're romantic!

Romance novels are almost always over the top dramatic, and filled with angst, tons of feels and romance. What woman doesn't dream of meeting a man that will sweep her off her feet, make her toes curl in the bedroom and be desperate to prove he's her one true love? Every woman loves the idea of a man that loves her more than his own life. Even Jack wouldn't climb onto that giant door to keep his beloved Rose from drowning in a sea of ice ...

2. Women are fierce.

Who wants to read a book about a woman that serves no more purpose than a simple prop? Just like all of us, the women in romance novels come in all shapes and sizes. They are smart, outspoken and sometimes more hardheaded than their male counterparts. The time of women only being in the kitchen is long since past. Heroines today put their men through hell ... as it should be.

3. Men don't talk that way ...

Let's face it, if you have yourself a man that gets all warm and fuzzy when you want to talk about your feelings, he's a rare find and you better hold onto that boy tight. For most women, men are as much of a mystery to us as we are to them. They don't sit around with their buddies, drinking beer and talking about all their relationships. They don't stand outside our windows in the pouring down rain with a boombox over their heads, begging for us to love them. They don't say all the right things at the right time and they certainly don't often make big speeches about how much their women mean to them. And if you're an exception to this rule, and your man does these things ... know that we are all jealous.

4. We love love!

Let's face it, the main theme to every romance novel in the history of the world is love. We watch from under our favorite fuzzy blanket, or in the tub, or hidden in the bathroom stall at work when we should be actually working, as the characters we are so invested in go up against villains and other women, car accidents, stalkers etc, and they always come out on top in the end...usually. Romance almost always gives us a happy ending, and it soothes our tattered souls, just a little bit every time we read one.

5. The break our hearts

You know it's true. How many times have you been reading a romance novel and one of the characters says or does something so stupid, you wish you could just chuck that Kindle across the room, or reach into it and shake them? One of the main reasons women love romances is for the feels! We love the fact that in a few short hours, our hearts can be filled up, shattered and then put back together again. Romance novels break our hearts, but they always put them back together in the end.

 6. They're exciting!

Most of us are completely happy in our day to day lives, but there isn't a whole lot excitement going on there. Reading romance gives us the perfect opportunity to read about other people's passion and suffering ... and totally running an inner commentary on their relationship. Because after all, we know what's best for them ... right?

7.  The men ... 'nuff said.
​
Let's face it, the men in the real world rarely look that way, and when they do, are they ever as perfect as they are in a romance novel? Heroes in our favorite love stories are usually gorgeous, ripped, and even though he's tortured, he loves his lady in spite of her imperfections, if not because of them. Um ... yes please!

8. SEX!

Have you actually read the love scenes in some of these books? Holy hell! Spreader bar, anyone?

9. They're just plain good writing.

Like the books they create, romance authors are often looked down on by the literary community. Like the entire genre is frivolous and less important than the others. But truth be told, romance authors write some pretty fierce books. They are often overflowing with emotion, wrapped up in humour, in-depth back stories and off the charts steam. That takes talent. Why wouldn't you want to read books with hot men, beautifully written bedroom scenes, and true love?

10. And last, but not least ... 'cause we damn well want to!

We need to be proud to read these epic books! How else are they going to lose the stigma of being less important than all the others if we ourselves are ashamed to show the cover of the book we're reading on the subway? Romance books are awesome.

So what about you? Why do you love romance novels?