What Makes Werewolves So Sexy?

If you go to a bookstore or scan Amazon you’ll be sure to notice that the majority of werewolf books are romance novels. This got me thinking – why in the world are werewolves the subject of so many romances? What makes a werewolf sexy or romantic? What is it about them that draw women in? I mean, they have to have something if these love stories are making the bestseller list, right? So, what’s the appeal?

I read a wide assortment of books, and yes, some of them are romance novels, so I have read a few werewolf love stories. But after reading them, I still don’t see why werewolves are sexy. Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series (which started out as a paranormal thriller series and turned into nothing more than pure erotica) features a short-lived romance between Anita, a human, and Richard, a werewolf. Richard, like many classic werewolves, turns into a ferocious and uncontrollable beast every full moon. During the rest of the month he still deals with the beast inside of him, full moon or not. Because of this, he hates himself and what he is – he’s a self-pitying whiny bitch – yet, in spite of his annoying issues, he has a huge female fan base that loves him. Women find Richard’s character sexy and for some reason, alluring. Why? Is it because the beast inside of him adds a touch of danger and adventure? Do women find him attractive because he’s troubled and that makes them want to jump into the books and ease his mind?  I just don’t get it.

Then there’s this romance series that I love, The Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon, and in it there are werewolves too. But unlike other werewolves, these guys aren’t monsters, they have natural wolf instincts, not the craziness of classic werewolves. So I can understand why women find them attractive, they are normal men with great personalities and a touch of wild inside them. Most women love a man that’s a little rough around the edges, and that’s what Kenyon’s wolves are – they’re gorgeous badass predators that have a level of self-control. So I get why these guys are sexy, I understand why women want them and why they are featured in a romance series.

Kenyon’s series is the only one that makes sense to me. Her wolves are the only ones I have considered sexy. But other books, with classic beastly monstrous werewolves, those I don’t get. How the hell is a creature that loses control and rips people to shreds sexy?

What do you guys think? What is it that makes werewolves so sexy? Is it their wild side? Their power? What?

– Moonlight

By moonlight

One of the writers for werewolves.com, as well as vampires.com.

16 comments

  1. Pingback: Wolf Gnards Nerd
  2. Yes, when the topic of sexy werewolves and romance…. I think in modern times. People… (the Authors writing the books and their reading fan base) are trying on one hand to tap into the market for Vampire Romances, the dark, forbidden side, danger and adventure… the whole it’s taboo. Vampires get done, so let’s try a werewolf! A witch! Half Fey! Werecat… and on and on.

    With werewolves, when done right, a good author hits on the points of the Animal Magnetism and appeal to the wild side.

    I’ve had the misfortune of reading the Anita Blake series and to see it go down hill quickly after Blue Moon and to where I stopped at Narcissus in Chains, to see it completely devolve to Erotica. Even before that, when you hit book five, I at least started seeing a clear pattern of Hamilton upping the shock value in her books.

    As to Richard …. “Do women find him attractive because he’s troubled and that makes them want to jump into the books and ease his mind?” Yes there is indeed a group who would. It’s hitting on the nerve or fact that women are by nature, nurturing and care givers. So a character like Richard would have appeal to try and help him, ease his pain and to try fixing him… meaning therapy.

    Of course, now that I’m divorce I’m disallusioned to that image of try to nurture the gu and help him through his problems. There are men who’ll take advantage of the nurturing nature in one way or another…. so if Richard’s just a constant whine fest and won’t help himself….or like… Ed, who’s a stalker… from Twilight… give me a shot gun or stake to remove them from this planet.

  3. Well, I’d think that it has something to do with power. Think about it. Werewolves can rip a guys head off with just a swipe of the paw, and are quite ferocious when angered. With that, and the small glimmer of hope that the inner beast can be controlled, a woman could find comfort in the fact that they have a strong companion to do their bidding. It’s really a sort of evolutionary trait that was ingrained into us by our ancestors, to be aroused by the idea of a being whose strength and cunning surpasses that of all other men. The stronger the being, the better the offspring, and all that stuff.

    1. That does make sense. Men and women like the idea of a strong mate that can look out for them and their children. A strong protector is desired by many.

      1. Yeah. Plus, it would be kind of nice having a mate that is as loyal to you as a normal dog. And if they can transform at will, you have yourself a built in foot warmer too. Haha!

  4. Well from the research I’ve done on werewolves it’s for some reason common in certain legends for them to be found arousing and attractive for no reason there are some legends that suggest that it is a part of the curse that women or men should find themselves strangely attracted to u so that in the end u fall in love and end up ripping there heart out (literally) once u have an arguement I could see how that would catch a writers eye instantly for a story it definitely caught mine it also in no small part has to do with the beast within all predators are seen as facinating by mankind since our dawn that is mainly why these legends come to popularity why there are werelions, weretigers, werepanthers, and especially werewolves but don’t get me wrong after the things I’ve seen I’ll always be a believer

    1. No offense, but I have researched werewolf legends for years and there is no such thing in any of them.

  5. Well it might be the old animal magnetism.
    But could it be more likely the strange appeal many girls/women have for the bad guy?

    Of course in the case of movie and tv wolves I think the reason lies purely with the actors. ;)

  6. i think its ther wild side that makes women want a trip to the wild side since there life if boring they want adventere and wildness they want to take a trip to the wild side aslo there power and how they will never back down thats what ever girl/women wants in a guy.they want a wild man who can take on what he has done they want a guy who wont back down to anyone they want someone who is wild and can have fun thats what maeks them so sexy.

  7. My theory is that the werewolf is the part of the human being that is unacceptable within society. That icludes all its anger, greed and lust. It’s not just violence that the werewolf represents. It is the Id, the repressed desire for power, to rip apart someone you hate or to screw the shit out of someone you lust after. The transformation is the loss of control. It’s scary but there’s a level of sexual desire in there because that, just like the anger has so long been repressed by society and therefore by the individual.

    Especially if you look at female werewolves. Their wolf form is usually as beautiful as their outward form and there’s an element of desire on the part of the beholder. Perhaps not sexual for the wolf, but a desire to possess it. Female desire is even more ‘unacceptable’ than masculine desire, and has often been associated with the uncontrolled, the violent. Violence and sex are often tightly linked.

    Personally, I don’t find it sexy, but nevertheless the werewolf is as sexual as it is violent. It’s an animal, it’s base instinct.

  8. Like what you said, Moonlight, that it’s hard to understand, “What is with the chemistry of a gal with a werewolf”? It’s a little strange. But, like in the Dark Hunters, you would think a controlled werewolf would have a better and easier relationship with a woman than some random guy that you know who, every full moon, supernaturally turns into an uncontrollable furry psychopath that would eat the flesh off a living soul. But, what I think why a uncontrollable werewolf would work with his mate is that, (from a nearby source), “The heart wants, what the heart wants”. Replace a few words, and you get, “A woman wants excitement and danger-action within the dull, boring teen lifestyle of going to high school, texting, and chatting hours and hours on end and racking up a gigantic phone bill”. If you are a teen, pre-adult, or some female who thinks that her life isn’t what she wants it to be, go to eHarmony or Match.com to see what werewolves are in your neighborhood.

    PS. That last sentence, (don’t do it, I just love making fun of online dating sites). :)

  9. “But other books, with classic beastly monstrous werewolves, those I don’t get. How the hell is a creature that loses control and rips people to shreds sexy?”
    You are right, that ones are as sexy as velociraptors xD (and we love raptors *.*)

    Nice website, I can’t believe I like werewolves since I was 13 and I’ve never thought about typing https://www.werewolves.com

    I like proud werewolves that control themselves without losing their wild side. Werewolves that aren’t just stupid beasts or furry humans.

    PS: Excuse my bad english, it isn’t my main language.

  10. the whole thing about werewolves can be viewed from many different angels like the difference of dog soldiers and twiligth. but the thing about controlling the inner instincts are something that strikes everbody , not just werewolves. if someone throws snowballs at you all the time you really want to so ner or later to strike back and that is a very primitive instict , to strike back.so the answar must be that having a part wolf part human mate, can be quiet exsiting which is quiet importent spessialy to young people, exsitment

  11. throw out the lame shapeshifters and references to “mates”. now lets talk about REAL werewolves and what makes them sexy. first off,. their animal magnetism, second, great at sex, rough in the sack,

  12. Erm, excuse me? We’re quite real.. Don’t think we’re not. And unless the women I know are hiding something, the idea of attraction to lycanthropes is bogus. For me it’s the opposite. People nearly piss their pants when they see me and its over 50% moon illumination.
    We seem to be needlessly feared. As long as you don’t make enemies with us, you’re just gouchy.
    If you piss us off, well.. I hope you have a bunker.

  13. if you are a real werewolf then you now the legend from guatamala and to make sure you now it then prove it. also if you are werewolf that is imprinted or born would now because when you turn you get it stuck in your head and you never forget. so I know if you are lying or not. if you ask me anything about werewolves I know everything because I am an imprinted and all werewolves cant hurt an imprinted werewolf. so try me .

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