My New Obsession

by Kristin Daniels


Okay, so I admit it. I’m not a fan of Historical tales. I know, I know. How awful, you say. I’ve tried to enjoy them, really I have. I’ve read a few (mostly erotics, LOL) and I find that often I have a hard time getting into them. That’s not to say the ones I read were bad. Honestly, they weren’t. It’s just me. Really.

So why on earth am I so enthralled with Starz’s new series Spartacus: Blood and Sand? And why do I find myself glued to Netflix on my computer watching the first two seasons of Showtime’s The Tudors back to back? These could be considered Historical tales, right?

Ancient Rome, Gladiators, and the possibility of death by the hand of a comrade while a raucous, drunken crowd goes wild in the stands.

Anne Boleyn seducing Henry the VIII, as an insatiable Henry seduces everyone else. And how could we forget the King’s love for beheadings?

Yes, I realize the actual historical facts in The Tudors are seriously skewed. And that Gladiators probably weren’t cut, buff hotties, but more likely scarred and angry men. But I like these shows. I can’t help it.

Maybe it’s the erotic romance author in me. Yep, these shows are hot. Sizzling, really. I’m head over heels for the actor who portrays Spartacus. Andy Whitfield, an Australian actor, is perfect for the role. With his brooding demeanor and his incredible good looks, I find I can’t look away when he’s on screen. And boy oh boy, is he the epitome of an alpha romance hero. Everything he does is for the love of his woman, and I find that sexier than anything else.

And the actor who gets to me in The Tudors? I bet you’re thinking Jonathan Rhys Meyers, right? Yeah, he’s handsome and all. But just a little...oddly intense, maybe? No, I find the man I’m most drawn to is Henry Cavill. This guy’s smile could melt me in a second. He’s just as insatiable as the King, but more discreet. And sexy as hell.

I know what you’re thinking. There’s no comparison between true historical novels and these types of campy television shows. I get that. But the fact that I’m drawn to these programs (for anyone who really knows me) is pretty amazing. Could this be the tip of the iceberg, the one thing that sends me over to the ‘historical’ side of the force? Maybe. Who knows?

But in all honesty, I think it’s the visual side of me that loves them. I can sit for an hour (or in the case of me watching The Tudors, several hours, LOL), and lose myself in something that’s not my norm. I need that right now in my life. A little change, something to shake me up. Heck, I think at some point everyone needs that. And the fact that there’s gorgeous men involved? Well, that never hurt anyone, has it?