It may surprise you.

I don’t mind the cheesiness of Hallmark movies. I can handle the comfortable, predictable plots. As a writer, I understand genre conventions and their place in gaining viewers’ or readers’ trust. So I’m fine with that. As a viewer, I appreciate that these are nice, sweet movies to watch with wine and big bowl of popocorn and not have to pay attention every second for fear of missing a crucial plot point.

What bugs me more times than not are the male love interests. What a bunch of vanilla cookie cutters! Give me some defining characteristic to latch onto. Some supposed “flaw,” which is actually just cute and unique. Something in place of or in addition to squinty eyes and a perfectly chiseled jawline.

On the other hand, these plots and actors are designed to appeal to the widest possible audience, so maybe that’s the reason for the generic parade of men. They give viewers basically an attractive blank slate to overlay whatever ideals viewers have for the perfect man.

I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. I guess I’ve always preferred guys who were a little weird, a little “imperfect.” I’m still going to watch those Hallmark movies, groaning as I go. I even have one I’m looking forward to – Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen, which premiered on Saturday, November 30.

I guess this guy’s OK. I guess. You know what? I’m starting to come around on the idea. See? I can be reasonable. But I’m still not going to like it.

What’s my idea of a deserving leading man, you ask? Here’s who I was envisioning as I wrote the three Rockin’ Austen books.

From top to bottom:
Set Bolt from the band NEEDTOBREATHE as Weston & Anna Kendrick as Jenna
Adam Driver as Mike & Yaya DaCosta as Sharnita
Armie Hammer as Cord & Bella Thorne as Brit