History SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan / Literature

* ''Literature/TheNo1LadiesDetectiveAgency'' has detective Precious Ramotswe, still getting over her disastrous marriage to the abusive BadBoy Note Mokoti, fall in love with and eventually marry Mr. J. L. B. Maketoni, a steady, gentle, kindhearted mechanic.

* In ''Literature/RangersApprentice,'' a stand-out example is Horace and Cassandra. While she's exasperated by Will treating her differently once he learns she's a princess, he is always kind, gentle, and supportive. Alyss and Will may be an example of this, though it's never explicitly stated that she likes him for his heart.

* In ''Literature/WarlockOfGramarye'' this was Christopher Stasheff's in-story explanation for why gorgeous [[HeroesWantRedheads redheaded]] [[HotWitch witch]] Gwen chose to marry "lean, well-muscled, ugly" Rod Gallowglass:

* ''Literature/EarthsChildren'': In ''The Mammoth Hunters'', Fralie tells Ayla the reason she chose to mate Frebec is that he adores her, treating like something to be treasured, and offered up everything he had (even though this wasn't much) to become her husband. She believes he's [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold not a bad person deep down]] and is simply desperate to prove he's worth something, and says he still dotes on her in private. Fralie notes to Ayla that compared to her first mate, who had little interest in her beyond her status and then only mated her out of obligation, it was wonderful to have a man who would do anything just to be with ''her'' even though her status had fallen greatly.

* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' has Polgara definitely fulfill this trope: She has some ShipTease with Kamion, a true NiceGuy; she falls in love with Count Ontrose, the very definition of KnightInShiningArmor, and her eventual husband is Durnik, who's quite possibly the most decent, kind-hearted man in the ''entire series.'' It's PlayedForLaughs a little when she practically swoons after he insists that they can't kill a couple of guards just doing their jobs, but mostly it's straight.

* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', the trope likely applies to Yui. [[spoiler: According to Website/TheOtherWiki, Hachiman saved Yui's dog from a car accident that had him in hospital for 3 weeks]].

** GenderInvertedTrope with Elya Yelnats. At 15, Elya falls in love with the spoilt, idiotic Myra whose "head is as empty as a flowerpot." He later ends up HappilyMarried to the sensible and capable Sarah.
--->'''He fell in love with a woman named Sarah Miller. She could push a plow, milk a goat, and, most important, think for herself. She and Elya often stayed up half the night talking and laughing together.''

** Sarah, who married the sweet Eliya Yelnats despite the fact that he was apparently cursed. Eliya himself could be considered a {{Gender Inverted|Trope}} version since he initially pursued the spoilt, idiotic Myra and ended up HappilyMarried to the sensible and capable Sarah.

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'': [[ScarsAreForever Scarred]] PyroManiac [[SugarAndIcePersonality Nice Holystone]] is in a relationship with her [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend longtime friend]] Jacuzzi Splot, who has got to be the [[ChasteHero most]] [[ApologizesALot nonthreatening]] [[SorryIFellOnYourFist man]] [[AllLovingHero in]] [[MartyrWithoutACause America]] -- at least [[BewareTheNiceOnes most]] [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass of]] [[LetsGetDangerous the]] [[CowardlyLion time]], anyway... Whether or not the affection existed beforehand, it was definitely solidified the moment she saw that he had gotten a scar-like tattoo on his face so she didn't have to feel alone after her explosives accident left her scarred and without a left eye. They're quite close and a bit chaste as it took them ''ten years'' to actually kiss and [[spoiler: by the 2000s, (the two and their gang exist in the late 1920s and early 1930s), they have at least one great grandchild.]]

* Touma Kamijou of ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' is a [[HumbleHero genuinely down-to-earth]] NiceGuy who does '''not''' hesitate to AlwaysSaveTheGirl, which almost always causes women to fall in love with him.

* From the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse: it is explicitly stated several times in profic (and a lot more in fanfic, but that's us mushy shippers for you) that this is exactly why [[SugarAndIcePersonality Mara Jade]] fell in love with Luke Skywalker; she admires his idealism, honor, and willingness to give almost everyone a second chance. In [[Literature/OutboundFlight Survivor's Quest]] she affectionately calls him "FarmBoy" and says in the narration that she's both exasperated by and loves the fact that he's always four or five rungs higher up on the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism than she or almost anyone else is.

** In fact, this is a trend throughout the series. Fleur Delacour falls in love with Bill Weasley, Cho Chang falls in love with Cedric and later pursues Harry, Ginny goes to the Yule Ball with Neville (before he fully TookALevelInBadass). Arthur and Molly Weasley must count -- [[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex they're into each other enough to have seven children!]]

* Happens in all of Alex Flinn's fairy tale novels.
** ''Literature/{{Beastly}}'', being a retelling of ''Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast'', has Lindy only develop feelings for the cursed Kyle after he shows genuine affection for her.
** ''A Kiss in Time'' has Talia end up undergoing some CharacterDevelopment and loving the modern-day guy who kissed her awake because he helped her out while she was in a strange place and treated her like a capable person (instead of being treated like a baby, as everyone else did).
** In ''Cloaked'', the dorky shoemaker Johnny has a number of girls fall for him, one of which is a beautiful princess ([[spoiler:though she later admits that while she cares for him, she doesn't actually want to ''marry'' him.]])

** In fact, this is a trend throughout the series. Fleur Delacour falls in love with Bill Weasley, Cho Chang falls in love with Cedric and later pursues Harry, Ginny goes to the Yule Ball with Neville (before he fully TookALevelInBadass). Arthur and Molly Weasley must count - [[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex they're into each other enough to have seven children!]]

%%* ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' - Katniss Everdeen falling in love with Peeta Mellark.

* Literature/InDeath series: Even though Eve and Roarke's relationship may have started out as AllGirlsWantBadBoys, it seems to have turned into this. Coltraine and Alex Ricker had an AllGirlsWantBadBoys relationship, but she broke that off and got together with Li Morris, the relationship of which clearly has this trope written all over it.

* All of Creator/JaneAusten's heroines fall for good men and usually after being temporarily interested in and/or pursued by thorough cads.
** ''Literature/PrideAndPrejudice'', while Darcy's apparent arrogance puts Elizabeth off, she is won over by the revelation of his actual dealings with Wickham, [[NiceToTheWaiter the testimony of his servants]], and his generosity to her family when Lydia elopes.

* In the ''Mage Storms'' trilogy of the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, this more or less sums up NiceGuy Karal and GenkiGirl Natoli's relationship, although neither realizes it at first -- Karal because he's too self-conscious, and Natoli because she's [[GadgeteerGenius more obsessed with technology]] than with boys. At least at first. They work it out in the end.
* In Creator/JohnHemry's Literature/PaulSinclair novel ''A Just Determination'', Paul Sinclair testifies on behalf of a captain whom he neither liked nor respected, did not think a good officer, and never wanted to serve under again, because while the man had done wrong, he was being hammered. Jen Shen's original view of this is that it's crazy, but on reflection, finds it an attraction.

* In Creator/PiersAnthony's ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'', the Gorgon fell in love with the Good Magician Humphrey after he prevented her from turning everyone she saw to stone. So she went to his castle, where he would answer any question in return for a year's service, to ask, "Will you marry me?" He made her work the year. He explains to Dor that while he knew from the beginning that he would say "Yes," she was just infatuated with the man who had rescued her from her curse; after a year working for him, she would know him well and thus know whether ''she'' wanted to marry ''him''. A bit later, the Gorgon tells Dor she realized this and asks Dor what sort of man would do such a thing. Dor realizes that only a good man, a man worth marrying, would do such a thing. So they do.

* In Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/CaptainVorpatrilsAlliance'', Tej tells Ivan that his attractive points are that he's nice and he makes her laugh -- even when [[spoiler:they are trapped underground and awaiting the end of their air.]]
* In ''Literature/MemoirsOfAGeisha'', Sayuri falls in love with the Chairman because he's the only person who ever showed her kindness without strings attached. [[spoiler:Even Mameha, her mentor, was motivated by the (correct) belief that Sayuri's career would be a good investment.]] In contrast, her other LoveInterest is a grumpy, aloof man who refuses to recognize the very real ways that being enslaved constrained Sayuri's life.
* In ''Literature/TheGirlFromTheMiraclesDistrict'', Nikita notes that the women working at the Music Box burlesque and brothel positively adore Robin because he always treats them like a gentleman.
* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', Katniss initially does not want to fall in love or have children. But then she meets genuinely NiceGuy Peeta Mellark (who also saved her from dying of hunger years before the beginning of the books) and slowly falls in love with him. This is also [[spoiler: one of the deciding factors when she's in a LoveTriangle with Peeta and Gale. Peeta is a genuinely good man, while Gale turned into a ruthless AntiHero who bombed children.]]
* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' has OfficialCouple Eilonwy and Taran, but the {{UST}} only really starts bubbling once he grows up a little. This trope pops up a lot in all of Creator/LloydAlexander's works, where it's always the NiceGuy protagonists who get the girl, often after they TookALevelInKindness or three.
* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' has Polgara definitely fulfill this trope: She has some ShipTease with Kamion, a true NiceGuy; she falls in love with Count Ontrose, the very definition of KnightInShiningArmor, and her eventual husband is Durnik, who's quite possibly the most decent, kind-hearted man in the ''entire series.'' It's PlayedForLaughs a little when she practically swoons after he insists that they can't kill a couple of guards just doing their jobs, but mostly it's straight.
** Part of why Ce'Nedra loves Garion is that in the midst of her bewilderment during the first series, he is compassionate, understanding, and (mostly) friendly to her.
* In ''Literature/RangersApprentice,'' a stand-out example is Horace and Cassandra. While she's exasperated by Will treating her differently once he learns she's a princess, he is always kind, gentle, and supportive. Alyss and Will may be an example of this, though it's never explicitly stated that she likes him for his heart.
* Deconstructed in ''Literature/LoveAffairsOfNathanielP.'' The eponymous Nate is a nice, nerdy guy ([[NiceJewishBoy who happens to be Jewish]]) and he attracts a number of lovely women. It should be noted though (1) the women are also attracted to his success as a writer, and (2) Nate has a jerkass side.

* Deconstructed in ''Literature/LoveAffairsOfNathanielP.'' The eponymous Nate is a nice, nerdy guy ([[NiceJewishBoy who happens to be Jewish]]) and he attracts a number of lovely women. It should be noted though (1) the women are also attracted to his success as a writer, and (2) Nate has a [[Jerkass jerkass]] side.

* Deconstructed in ''Literature/LoveAffairsOfNathanielP.'' The eponymous Nate is a nice, nerdy guy ([[NiceJewishBoy who happens to be Jewish]]) and he attracts a number of lovely women. It should be noted though (1) the women are also attracted to his success as a writer, and (2) Nate has a [[Jerkass]] side.

* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' has OfficialCouple Eilonwy and Taran, but the {{UST}} only really starts bubbling once he grows up a little.
* ''Literature/TheBelgariad'' has Polgara definitely fulfill this trope: She has some ShipTease with Kamion, a true NiceGuy; she falls in love with Count Ontrose, the very definition of KnightInShiningArmor, and her eventual husband is Durnik, who's quite possibly the most decent, kind-hearted man in the ''entire series.''

** In ''Cloaked'', the {{adorkable}} shoemaker Johnny has a number of girls fall for him, one of which is a beautiful princess ([[spoiler:though she later admits that while she cares for him, she doesn't actually want to ''marry'' him.]])