Look, I love my leading ladies. Fiercely. Possessively. Like they’re my slightly dysfunctional magical daughters and I’ll fight anyone who tries to hurt them. But let me tell you something: they mess up. A lot. And I love them even more for it. Because real growth doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from magical mistakes, unwise decisions, and emotionally loaded ‘what the hell was I thinking?’ moments.
Here are five of my fave heroine screw-ups — and why they matter.
Thinking logic will save the day
My girls love a good plan. A strategy. A magical flowchart. (Gee, wonder where they get that from.)
But the truth? Magic doesn’t always play fair. And no amount of perfectly structured spellcasting will protect you from messy feelings, unexpected betrayals, or that hot brooding vampire with an agenda.
Why I love it: Because they try. They use their brains. And when it doesn’t work? They adapt. That’s power.
Falling for the wrong dude
Ah yes. The ‘bad decision in a leather jacket’ problem. Whether it’s a cursed assassin, a morally grey fae lord, or a haunted librarian with a vendetta, they always think they can handle it. Spoiler: They can’t. At first.
Why I love it: Because it shows hope. Curiosity. The kind of heart that believes even dudes with tough exteriors deserve love. That kind of bravery breaks me every time.
Breaking the magical rules (with flair)
There’s always that one moment where they know the rule, and they break it anyway. To save someone. To get revenge. To prove a point. And of course, it backfires gloriously.
Why I love it: Because rules are for the unmagical. My heroines are chaos goblins in cute boots. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Waiting too long to ask for help
It’s not pride, exactly. It’s trauma. It’s stubbornness. It’s fear of being let down again. So they carry too much, too long — until it cracks them.
Why I love it: Because when they do finally reach out, the healing is so damn satisfying. Watching them learn they don’t have to do it alone? Chef’s kiss.
Letting rage lead the spell
Sometimes my girls go full wrath-mode. They burn too hot. They lash out. They destroy things they wish they hadn’t. And they feel it.
Why I love it: Because women are allowed to be angry. Loud. Vengeful. And powerful. Watching my heroines learn to own that instead of suppress it? That’s the real transformation.
What all of this really means is…
Mistakes don’t make my heroines weak. They make them real. Complex. Worth rooting for. They teach readers—and me—that redemption, growth, and love are all the sweeter when they’re earned. So yeah, my heroines mess up. But they learn. They rise. They save themselves.
And that’s exactly how I like my magic.
Got a favourite heroine mistake? One you relate to a little too much? Tell me in the comments!