History AllGirlsWantBadBoys / Literature

** Christie returns to this trope in ''Nemesis'', in which she has Literature/MissMarple state:

* Austen's ''Literature/MansfieldPark'' may be tied with ''Literature/TheTenantOfWildfellHall'' as the ultimate TakeThat at this trope. [[ShipperOnDeck Everyone]] expects the heroine to be flattered by the HandsomeLech Henry Crawford's [[StalkerWithACrush attention]]. Isn't she excited to become his conscience and redeemer, to be the one who fixes him, and turns TheHedonist into a LadykillerInLove? No. Her cousin, however, ''did'' fall for the bad boy, and RealityEnsues.

** Daenerys swoons over the dashing badboy Daario even though she realizes that he's a murderous, opportunistic sellsword. On the other hand, she repeatedly fends off the advances of her devoted and loyal bodyguard Jorah because he's middle-aged, plain and not particularly exciting. (Then again, he's also a [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil slaver]] who creepily feels Dany up without her permission, as well as [[TheMole spying on her]], so it's more a case of NiceGuysFinishLast.) It's played straight with Quentyn Martell, though, with Barristan even narrating how young girls will always pick the exciting and dangerous fire over the BoringButPractical mud.
*** There's a bit of a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] here, as during the time in question Daenerys is stuck between trying to be a nurturer or a conqueror. She is attracted to people who can be her destructive Id for her, and ultimately rejects Quentyn when he proves unwilling/unable to master her dragons and be the destructive force she wants. Ultimately, by the end of the book she has decided to give in to her dark side and become a conquerer herself without using surrogate men instead: "Dragons plant no trees". The final books will show whether she can be brought back from this and/or have a relationship with someone who is not destructive.

* Zig-zagged in ''The Expert on Women's Hearts'' by Arkady Averchenko – in the sense that there are different sorts of "bad". Evdokia Sergeevna says she told her daughter Lidia that the latter’s boyfriend Mastakov is a spendthrift, a womanizer and a gambler. Max tells her that it is the worst way to break up a couple, as the only result is that Lidia falls even more in love. Max himself takes a completely different route: he tells Lidia that Mastakov is awfully mean about money and that no woman wants to look at him because he never washes himself – and at the same time Max claims that Mastakov is his best and dearest friend and has a crystal-clear soul. After that, Lidia instantly breaks up with Mastakov.

* In Erika Griffin's novel, ''The One Who Waited'', the main characters, Alice and the Boogeyman.

** Another Christie character who fits into this trope is Patricia Fortescue from ''[[Literature/MissMarple A Pocket Full of Rye]]'' who has married not just one but three different bad boys. Her first husband, Don, was a "arrogant, insubordinate" pilot who died in the Battle of Britain and whom she doesn't think could have handled peacetime. Her second husband was an aristocrat with an unsavoury reputation who committed suicide before the law could catch up with him. Her third husband was the BlackSheep of the wealthy Fortescue family at the heart of the book's plot. In fairness to Pat all three seem to have treated ''her'' beautifully.

** According to ''Discworld/{{Pyramids}}'', women in Ankh-Morpork really like Assassins. While the Assassins [[EvenEvilHasStandards have standards]], they're still assassins. Additionally, most of them who've been given characterization and lines are [[SmugSnake smug snakes]], with the exceptions of Vetinari, who's [[AntiVillain still not a nice person]] and Pteppic, who [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything doesn't kill people]]. But they just look so damn good in black silk.

* Ultimately averted in the ''Literature/ProvostsDog'' books. Beka Cooper, a cop, is friends with Rosto the Piper, the head of [[ThievesGuild organized crime]] in Corus. They are attracted to each other and Rosto flirts with Beka, and he's the honorable kind of thief, but "he is a rusher, a criminal, the kind of man she has sworn never to involve herself with." WordOfGod [[http://tpwords.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/why-bekarosto-wouldnt-last-and-development-of-humanity/ holds]] that the DatingCatwoman thing just wouldn't have worked in this case. [[spoiler:The man she does eventually marry is a Kennel mage.]]

* Zig-zagged in ''The Expert on Women' Hearts'' by Arkady Averchenko – in the sense that there are different sorts of "bad". Evdokia Sergeevna says she told her daughter Lidia that the latter’s boyfriend Mastakov is a spendthrift, a womanizer and a gambler. Max tells her that it is the worst way to break up a couple, as the only result is that Lidia falls even more in love. Max himself takes a completely different route: he tells Lidia that Mastakov is awfully mean about money and that no woman wants to look at him because he never washes himself – and at the same time Max claims that Mastakov is his best and dearest friend and has a crystal-clear soul. After that, Lidia instantly breaks up with Mastakov.

* Played with in the book ''Losers in Space'' by John Barnes. Both Susan and [[spoiler: Emerald]] have relationships with Derlock, who's described as a sociopath. Susan doesn't love him and knows he's unfixable--she just thinks he's hot, partially because he scares her a little. [[spoiler: Emerald]], on the other hand, is a more straightforward example, despite her original protests that she's only in it for the sex. It...doesn't turn out well for her.

* In ''Literature/The Outsiders'', Cherry Valence is afraid of Dally, the worst delinquent in the Greasers' gang, because she knows that he's the type of guy she might fall in love with.

* In ''The Outsiders'', Cherry Valence is afraid of Dally, the worst delinquent in the Greasers' gang, because she knows that he's the type of guy she might fall in love with.

** Keep in mind that is all from Harry's perspective. We see clearly that Karrin's feelings for Harry run a lot deeper than she shows, in the short story told from her point of view after ''Changes''. And they clearly aren't just "close friend" feelings, although they are close friends. And, the events at the end of ''Skin Game'', well... So Jim Butcher zig-zagged this trope.

** Keep in mind that is all from Harry's perspective. We see clearly that Karrin's feelings for Harry run a lot deeper than she shows, in the short story told from her point of view after "Changes" And they clearly aren't just "close friend" feelings, although they are close friends. And, the events at the end of "Skin Trade," well... So Jim Butcher zig-zagged this trope.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': In a rare homosexual example, Albus Dumbledore, as a teenager, fell for future Dark Lord Gellert Grindelwald. While charming, Grindelwald was not like Tom Riddle and didn't even try to pretend to be a saint -- by the time he and Dumbledore met, he had already been expelled from Durmstrang for experimenting with the Dark Arts in a ways that even they found to be "twisted".

* Lampooned in Creator/RickRiordan's ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'' with Narcissus's nymphs. Team Leo!

%% * James Stark from ''Literature/TheHouseOfNight'', what with his name sake being the main character of ''RebelWithoutACause''. He is idealized by his fans.

%% ** Tessa towards Will.

** Daenerys swoons over the dashing badboy Daario even though she realizes that he's a murderous, opportunistic sellsword. On the other hand, she repeatedly fends off the advances of her devoted and loyal bodyguard Jorah because he's middle-aged, plain and not particularly exciting. (Then again, he's also a [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil slaver]] who creepily feels Dany up without her permission, as well as [[TheMole spying on her]], so it's more a case of NiceGuysFinishLast.) It's played straight with Quentyn Martell, though. (Although even then, Daenerys was already married and calling it off would have been a political disaster.)