I've read Romances where the hero hasn't stepped onto the page until page 100. I've read Romances where he was on page 1.
It depends on what the story needs.
Now, the later you introduce the hero, the more you've got to be aware of how you introduce other men into the story. You've got to make sure you don't give another guy any "hero points" to make the reader think he's the hero when he's not, 'cause once a reader's decided on who the hero is, it's pretty impossible to get them to accept another guy.
Classic Romance examples of this: Shadow Heart by Laura Kinsale and Whitney, My Love by Judith MacNaught.
It seems to have alway been the rule to introduce him ASAP, as the storyline allows. I could be and have known to be wrong As a reader I like to meet him early on.
It seems to have alway been the rule to introduce him ASAP, as the storyline allows. I could be and have known to be wrong As a reader I like to meet him early on.
I've never heard that rule. I think it depends on what exactly you are writing. If you're writing category romance then you've only got 50,000 words to play with. You haven't got time for a big set up, you have to show us the hero and heroine soon - by the end of the first chapter, beginning of the second. If it's single title then you have a lot more leeway. If it's something is not primarily romance then I don't think it matters.
FWIW, I have a single title contemp with suspense elements that has been invited to the agent party (a.k.a. full request) a cool half-dozen times, but never been asked to dance (as in, agent representation.)
The reason, according to 4/6 agents? The h/H do not share page time soon enough. Although it is written in a 'she pov chap' followed by a 'he pov chap' and the male romantic interest is an on page character by page 12, they do not actually interact until about page 40. From what I've heard, this can be an 'issue' so I am rethinking the beginning to put them on the page together sooner.