I Heart Characters! is a weekly meme hosted by Dani @ Perspective of a Writer to showcase our book blogger lover for characters! Each week she’ll supply a topic and you’ll supply the character. Post on whatever day suits you, about characters from whatever media you love (books, movies, K-dramas, television, manga, anime, webtoons, whatever!) and link up on Thursday so YOU and others can blog hop and share the character love.

Today’s topic is ….High School First Love (Pick a character you’d want for your first love! Would it last forever or be a passing relationship?!)

There are plenty of fantastic potential boyfriends for a high school girl: Mason from Fallen Crest by Tijan; Ryder in The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L Armentrout; Jonah from When We Collided by Emery Lord; etc.

BUT

Today I’d like to speak about a huuuuuuuuge crush on a book character.

One that touched me deeply and made me weep when he realized he was all alone *I have tears in my eyes thinking about this specific moment*.

Granted he never attended high school but I’d choose him over anyone else any day of the week!

Meet Ehd from Transcendence by Shay Savage.

And now you are thinking that I’ve lost my marbles!

For God’s sake Sophie he is a Neanderthal! Literally! Don’t you think he would shock in High School? What do you think other students would do when he would show up clothed in furs and leathers and not the BDSM kind of leather? Hu?

Well yes, granted a relooking would be in order if he had to blend into the student body.

But I still think he would be the perfect first love for a high school girl, preferably ME and my last love too!

Why?

First because Ehd is really a sweet and kind guy.

There isn’t a single mean bone in his body. He is caring and attentive. Always ready to help you to cook a meal or lift big things to relieve you. He is the kind of guy to help you with your homework and open the door for you. Galanterie is never outfashioned!

Second because he is protective of the ones he loves. 

He would battle with a wolf or a bear to defend me! That has to count for something right? Offering his life to protect me. I knew more high school guys who would have rather fled at the sight of a big barking dog than defend me! True story here.

Third because he is fit and easy on the eye.

All the hunting, running after animals, building shelters, lifting rocks have carved a muscled body. Not a body builder body all outer muscle but without real strenght! No a real strong and enduring body. With stamina. Lots of stamina. Lots lots lots of stamina!

Do you get the hint? No? Too bad you must be a pure and innocent soul lost on this blog 😉 

Fourth because he would survive anything and help me survive too!

Ehd is handy. It could be his middle name. Ehd Handy. I don’t think he had a middle name so let’s just baptize here.

He can build a fire with woods and rocks. He can build a shack with earth, woods, rocks. He can build jars with ferns. He can hunt and prepare the animal to be eaten. He can recognize poisonous plants. He can….

Basically in the event of an apocalypse, he would be my savior, my hero!

Fifth because when he loves he put his beloved above him.

His job is to care, cherish and protect. Have is mate happy. Even if it’s at the cost of his own happiness (see my thoughts below).

Now dare telling me Ehd would not be the perfect first love!

To give you some more thoughts to ponder on, here is what I wrote about him when I finished the book:

“I loved Ehd! He is a “savage” but he is so sweet and considerate with Elizabeth. He is like a kid at times, cowering and cringing after he did something to upset her, he didn’t dare to look at her, pretending not to exist…
And he really, really broke my heart when he thought she didn’t want to be his mate. He would be alone and lonely again. But even so, he wanted to give her fresh fish to feed her and help her leave him to find her “tribe”. Gosh, I had to grip my tissue and retain my sobs!
And all along without knowing what Elizabeth thinks or says(she is “making noises”), except at the end. We see all through Ehd’s eyes and experience all his thoughts.
At the beginning, he feels so lonely and desperate, he nearly does not want to live any more. And then, he finds Beth! She is his hope and brings him a surge of happiness. He’s found his mate! From that moment on all he really wants is to take care of her, protect his mate and “put a baby in her belly” (it made me smile with his refreshing way of speaking of his desire and his need). But it’s not an easy journey, he’ll have to earn her trust. She is so frightened and he is at loss. Ehd doesn’t know how to stop her tears who break his heart. He’s been cut from other humans for so long he has no one to guide him. Ehd will have to overcome the “non” language barrier and will make mistakes but he is always driven by the need to protect, cherish and help his mate.
Let me say, this “Neanderthal” is much better than many of our contemporary males!
And the end was so tender I had to fight my tears but it was a lost battle(again)!“

My dreamcast for Ehd would be the model Marlon Texeira!

And two of my favorite quotes just because I can!

Sophie