Operation Real Life Romantic Men

We write and read about them.  They give us goose bumps, make us giggle, confound us and astound us.  Sometimes they take bullets for us and sometimes they just enjoy watching us sleep.  But these are, after all, fictional heroes I talk about.  And at the end of the day, a girl’s gotta know that there are real life great guys out there who are doing their best to live up to these extremely high standards we lady writers have set.  I am extremely pleased to share a few instances of “friends” who have recently had run-ins with some living and breathing romantic men. 

According to one friend, a sweet guy spied her at the local store and worked up the courage to ask what tanning lotion she used so he could get some too since she had such a lovely tan.  And then went on his way.

Another friend reported earlier this month that while standing on the island of a gas station, a man pulled up in his car, rolled down the window and politely said, “I have to admit, I just drove over here so I could see you up close.”  And then he sped away back onto the toll-way. 

And not too long ago, a friend shared that as her handyman was leaving her home after finishing his repair, he kindly said, “I can see why your husband is so in love with you.” And then respectfully left her home.

Some of these guys’ affections may have been misplaced, but I give them credit for trying.   The point is, there are flesh and blood guys out there who are giving it a shot, trying to impress, to be sweet.  

Has your real life honey done something to rival our fictional heroes?  Here is your chance to gush about them on a weekend when we should be celebrating real men. 

And…are you a real life romantic guy who would like to share something nice you’ve done?  It’s your chance to let the female reading public know that you really do exist!  Trust me; we want to hear about it!!

29 thoughts on “Operation Real Life Romantic Men

  1. I’m not dating anyone right now, but I thought I would share a story from when I was six (yes, six years old!), in first grade.

    We had just read some story about wishes. Our assignment was to draw three things that we wished for. Most of us drew dogs and Disney World. But this little boy named Jeremy drew me. He wanted me to be his girlfriend.

    I think that was my first memory of blushing and feeling embarrassed. But now, I think it’s just the sweetest thing!

    Happy Father’s Day weekend to all!

  2. My Husband is not the romantic type and neither am I. We show each other we love each other everyday through the little things and by sticking it out through the ups and downs of 17 years of marriage.

    But, I have a fond memory of my hubby sitting through a 3-hour Sugarland concert with me (he hates them – the lead singers voice is like nails on a chalkboard to him) and at then end when I thanked him he said, “Honey, it makes me happy to see you happy. That’s all I need.”

    Love him!
    Robin

    1. Robin, that has romantic sung all over it! True love that lasts like yours and your hubby’s is the basis for all of us romantics out there!

  3. My hubby, while amazing in all ways, is um … romantically challenged. But when he finds a way to make it work, it means so much more. Example, he was deployed for a year in Iraq. While he was gone I had to go on a business trip. I walked into my hotel room to find a ginormous gift basket with food, wine, flowers and a gift certificate for the hotel’s spa. I won’t go into detail on the sappy card, but it makes me tear up just thinking of it today.

    1. Avery,
      You are so right, when the romantically challenged, as you say, come through, it’s usually heartbreakingly sweet.

  4. A day hardly goes by without my husband doing or saying something to make me laugh. He knows the way to make my heart melt is through making my grandkids happy, even if it means watching and taping hours and hours of SpongeBob cartoons……:)

    1. Aw, that is very sweet. There’s a reason Jimmy Fallon was on my top five list. Laughing with someone is extremely romantic!

  5. Awww…all your stories have brought tears to my eyes. So Sweet!

    I’m single and have been single for a very long time. I’m holding out for Mr. Right and I refuse to settle. For years I have believed in fairy tales. Look at William and Kate! If that’s not a fairy tale come true, I don’t know what is! Anything’s possible in my world!

    I believe that these fictional romantic men that all of you write about have to come from somewhere. Of course they won’t be “perfect” all of the time . Us women need to step back and recognize when men do show us their love and affection the way they know how and not what we think it should look like. I feel that’s the most important of all.

    Thank you all for sharing your stories. They just confirm what I have believed all along. That there are men out there that will do anything when he loves you or in my case, when “He just into you.”

    I believe in happily ever after and that MY guy is just around the corner.

    1. Kathleen,

      You are by far the best catch I know and I believe your HEA is just around the corner too. Thank you so much for sharing here and leaving such an awesome post! Love you!

  6. Love this! When I was sick for six months two years ago, I wasn’t even able to drive. What I wanted, more than anything, was to keep my job. Hubby drove me both ways to the train station every day. He made dinner every night. He did the laundry. He got the groceries. And, all the while, he kept up his own job, paid the bills, took the cars for oil changes, took care of the cats, the house, the yard.

    That’s my HEA. I say he puts up with a lot from me. He says I put up with a lot from him! Still talking, still laughing for thirty-one years.

    1. All I can say is, move over Mr. Cullen, here comes Mr. Susan Mermaid!! I know I’m not the only lady reading this who is impressed beyond measure.

  7. Last year for Mother’s Day is a prime example of what love is all about for me. I’ve been married over twenty years to the same man. We show little ways of love each day so when the BIG days come, we do or don’t go all out. My husband had us (my two teen girls and I) load in the van and we drove for 45 minutes into PA. He didn’t tell me what he was doing or where we were going until we got to a . . . Sonic!
    Now, most of you are going to cringe and scoff but hubby remembered me talking about growing up in the midwest. My Friday nights consisted of Frito Pies, tater tots and cherry vanilla creme Cokes at Sonic while dragging Main and Third Street in my first car because there was nothing else to do in western Oklahoma at the time. They were some happy times in my life–but since we don’t have a Sonic nearby the closest one was 45 min. away in PA and he drove there to suprise me on Mother’s Day. And yes, I had a Frito Pie, Tater Tots and Cherry Vanilla Creme Coke! (And my girls indulged me in more stories of my teen years at Sonic.)
    That’s love!

    1. Yes Loni Mermaid,
      That is love! And proof that we aren’t just making this stuff up, are we? I think from reading the responses today, it sounds like our real life guys come through when it counts! Thank you for sharing!

      1. What a great blog Carlene! I think everyone really has that special someone who we base our love for romance on. Great stories everyone! Thanks Mermaid-Carlene!

  8. My husband was a true romantic but when I was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and he took over ALL the household chores without me even asking, that became his most romantic moments for me. He was killed in 2007 while riding his motorcyle. I will never forget the first time I did laundry after his death. I couldn’t even remember how to fold bath towels. You guys know that everyone has their own method and I had forgotten mine. He had continued to all the household chores until he went to heaven. All the looks, flowers, smiles, winks, pats, cards, candles and bubble baths were so sweet but didn’t compare to him taking over the household without being ask. Miss you Handsome!

    1. I love you Anna. Thank you very much for sharing that post with us. I love you.

    2. I remember you telling me that…about not remembering how to fold the laundry….he was pretty awesome Anna, and I know that you know how lucky you are to have had some of his best years. We all are…..we had our ups and downs….but the ups made the downs worth it. I love you.

  9. Great post, Carlene! In many ways, fictional heroes do not even compare to our real live men because our men are… real. Just today, my husband took the kids to the zoo, so that a) he can spend quality time with them; and b) I can have time to write. This post is so fitting for Father’s Day because one of the best qualities a man can have is to be a good father. I don’t know if this is “romantic” per se, but it certainly warms my heart.

    1. Thanks Pintip! Absolutely, being a good father is something we want in a “romantic” real life man.

      And to keep in line with that thought, I wanted to add my real life two cents…I’m going to go with KISS…Keep It Simple Sweetie…my hubby is often up before the crack of dawn for work but he never leaves the house without giving me a kiss on the forehead. That is something I love, but the really heartbreakingly beautiful thing he has done is set an example for our son. Like daddy, my baby is often up before me. But the thing he does to get mom up out of bed to get breakfast going is come over to where I’m sleeping and kiss me on the cheek. Works everytime, like a charm!

      I won’t close this out because I want people to feel free to stop by anytime and add to this list of real life romantic moments!

      OPERATION SUCCESS! Thanks everyone!

  10. Thank you for a wonderful post! My husband often teases that reading and writing romance gives women unrealistic expectations for men to live up too. And he would be right. What person could possibly live up to that kind of perfection all the time? My husband is very sweet, and though sometimes romantically challenged, he goes out of his way to be a good husband and father. He occasionally pulls an incredibly romantic gesture out of his hat like he did this past April for my birthday. He threw a huge party for me, but that wasn’t the romantic part. He told me he didn’t think it was fair that I should have to cook and clean and do everything to get ready for my own birthday party, so he hired a service to come in and clean my house and then had the event catered. He took care of everything! It was so incredibly romantic and sweet he had all the ladies in my neighborhood sighing. 🙂

    1. Dana–I’ll add mine to your group of neighborhood ladies…Sigh!
      Very sweet, thank you for sharing!

  11. In 2008, My husband and I had a miscarriage…on my birthday which is the day before valentines day. We sailed right through my birthday and valentines day without mention of them. I spent 2 weeks in bed wallowing in my own self pitty. He decided enough was enough and it was time for me to reconnect with the world. He left for work one day, my mom came and got my kids as she had done every day in these 2 weeks….and an hour later, he was back….with presents galore! He brought me everything I love! Coffee, a huge Gorilla, flowers, candles……he rubbed my back and said he was sorry i had to go thru this and he understood that I needed time…but this is the day that i would get out of bed, get my kids….and we were going out as a family….THAT WAS THE BEST DAY EVER. He was so sweet to let me have my time and then he knew just what to do to wake me up…..he is very romantic all the time but that was the most romantic thing he has ever done and the most romantic thing I have ever heard about…..I love this blog carlene. I was able to share with you something painful and wonderful all at the same time…..I may not have talked about it otherwise….I love you!

    1. I am very proud to have this blog to share with you and even prouder to have you as my little sis. And Tony is definitely a real life romantic man for us to shape our fictional ones after. Thank you for sharing him with us.

  12. A few years ago for Valentine’s Day my husband took me out to lunch and had my best friend sneak into our house to leave flowers all over my desk for when we got home. 🙂

    1. So so sweet! Thanks for stopping by, Mallory. See, I just knew there was real life stuff like this going on!

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