When we put out the call for the worst romance heroes, the name “Wade Taggert” came up. And having read Jayne Ann Krentz’s early novel, Dangerous Magic, I can see why: creepy, domineering, autocratic, he’s the world’s worst boss:
Krentz, who also writes as Stephanie James, Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, is nowadays popular for her historicals, futuristics and thrillers. However, in 1982, as she explains in an introductory note, she was writing “classic, battle-of-the-sexes-style” romance. Well, that’s one word for this exercise in inappropriate power dynamics. Usually, when a hero’s this autocratic, at least he has the excuse of being some kind of fake 19th Century aristocrat. Here, we know it’s the 80’s purely due to the plethora of long skirts and matching “soft blouses,” the heroine’s weirdly angular haircut, and the fact that their company deals with computers.
The Hero: Wade Taggert, 35, rugged, ruthless. “Six feet of coordinated strength.” Self-made and – lest you forget – wolfish. If you remember one thing about him it should be this, not that you’re given a chance to forget.
The Heroine: Elissa Sheldon, 27, a woman whom everyone likes because she’s a good friend, a terrific hostess and a warm and charming person. Everyone except her new boss Wade Taggert!
The Plot: We jump right into this one: when we meet Wade and Elissa it’s in his CompuSystem office, where he’s in the process of denying her a well-earned promotion. The reason? He’s convinced – based on some very scant circumstantial evidence – that Elissa’s been trying to gain the promotion by sleeping with a married superior – and he’s onto her!
“I merely pointed out that you picked the wrong man to sleep with in your efforts to secure the promotion. You should have tried your wiles on me. Not Martin Randolph.”
Even though she’s innocent, he throws many such insults at her including, “There’s a term for women who use their bodies to get what they want on the job. Several terms in fact, none of them particularly flattering!”
So, he suggests, she should become his mistress: he despises her, of course, but he “wants to teach her a lesson.” She does suggest that this is sexual harassment (it IS 1982, after all!) but this is quickly dismissed. After all, what’s a little matter of workplace intimidation when you’re being wooed with words like, “I want you. I don’t know how long I’ll want you, but while I do, you might be able to benefit considerably.”
For some reason, she decides to go along with this, because she figures the best lesson will be to lure him in, make him fall in love with her, and then throw the offer in his face. So they begin an “affair” that consists of him ordering her around, telling her to be places in certain outfits, forbidding her from seeing male friends, and dictating menus. To say nothing of periodic maulings that, of course, she’s powerless to resist. All their exchanges go something like this: