Gallant Rogues

Chaikin's heroes are larger than life - skillful, mysterious, powerful, courteous, and arrogant. These attributes both attract and repel women, so it's no wonder love/hate relationships exist throughout her novels.

The most attractive thing about her male characters is their sense of adventure. They embody perfectly the ideology expressed in Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. They grab life by the horns and don't let go. While living life to the fullest they do step on a few toes, namely those of the independent young women they come across.

These women are the typical counterpart to the heroes - stubborn enough to clash with the arrogant rogues, sweet enough to bring out their gallantry. Evy in the East of the Sun series is an exception - she has a quiet steadfastness, but she's less headstrong than Chaikin's previous heroines.