Thursday, September 24, 2020

Chloe's Choice

 I'm so happy to present my 31st novel, Chloe's Choice. 



April Hanover returns to her small hometown in Delaware to recover from a bad break-up and to try to convince her father to retire and sell the family business. Mike Grainger moved back to Parkville after his wife died and left him a single parent to their young daughter, Chloe. His work as a contractor puts him at odds with the townspeople of Parkville, including April’s father and his own mother. April is not looking for a relationship. Mike can’t see another marriage in his immediate future. Chloe has other ideas. April and Mike soon learn you can’t underestimate the determination of five-year-old.


Chloe's Choice features not one but two seasoned romances. While April and Mike are looking for love in all the wrong places until Chloe shows them where they need to be, April's father, Hank, and Mike's mother, Eleanor share a friendship that grows into something more.

Chloe proves you should never underestimate the determination of a five year old.

We're living in challenging times right now, and it can be difficult to find something to smile about. It was a delight to write this story. I hope it will delight my readers as well.

Available now at: Amazon.com and at Smashwords.com


















Friday, September 18, 2020

What We Really Want from a Romance Novel ~ Cassidy Wells

I love hearing other authors talk about their perspectives on writing or on their own writing journey. I'll be featuring at least one author or artist here on One Woman's Write each month. I've invited author Cassidy Wells to get us started. Welcome, Cassidy.


I haven’t always loved romance novels. Frankly, the ones I read in my early 30s were historical romance, and the female characters were controlled by men. As I think back on them, it amazes me that I could believe that a woman would fall for man when the relationship was so unequal and nonconsensual. Well, I was young, and it was a much different time.

Just as society has changed over the years, and women have demanded relationship equality, romance novels have changed, too. These days the romance heroine isn’t saved by the hero; she very often saves herself and others.

Romance novels are increasingly popular. In fact, they may be one of the most popular genres of fiction. Romance readers span all age ranges, and the types of romance novels are diverse and varied. Some take place in exotic locales, others in small towns. Some characters are young adults and the romance is a coming of age story. Others are in their late twenties and early thirties. Still other stories are known as “seasoned” romance with main characters in their forties and beyond. The search for love isn’t confined to only certain ages anymore.

Sometimes the romance is sweet, and sexuality is alluded to in “fade out” scenes, much like old Hollywood romantic comedies. Others are explicit and paint the picture of how sexuality is expressed naturally within the context of the growing relationship.

At the center of a romance novel is always a relationship. Whatever emotional baggage the main and supporting characters bring into the story, they must make the changes necessary to grow beyond their history, their experiences, and their relationship foibles. The love story is always central.

There may be danger and war, or threats and villains that jeopardize the characters and the relationship. Sometimes the theme is a second chance romance after an earlier relationship has crashed and burned. Some are stories of friends who turn into lovers. Some stories explore love at first sight. Others tell of relationships that mature like fine wine over years or even decades.

Usually the main characters in romance novels, just like people in real life, struggle to overcome trust issues; insecurities; fear; commitment issues; unrealistic expectations; histories of abuse, rejection, loneliness and trauma; misunderstandings and communication problems; and different beliefs about what the future could bring, if, in fact, love really could conquer all.

The most important promise of a romance novel is of a happy ending—a “happily ever after,” or at least a “happily for now.” The appeal is that the internal or external issues that threaten the relationship are resolved and leave the lovers to appreciate each other in new ways. Those of us who become invested in their story are left feeling emotionally satisfied and optimistic.

These days, the power of romance novels and this happy ending is even more compelling as people throughout the world are faced with the uncertainty of a global pandemic. Our lives have changed, and our relationships have changed. Many of us feel disconnected by the circumstances health concerns impose upon us.

The good news is that there may be more time to read and lose ourselves in challenging, but ultimately hopeful relationships found in the different types of romance novels. Despite the fact that they are fictional, they provide an outlet for our own hopes and dreams for love and optimism.

After all, isn’t that what we all want? Love, romance, and most of all, hope for a happy ending.

 


Cassidy Wells is a snarky, sassy, outspoken storyteller, and the author of an increasing pile of romance novels. She is 32 today, tomorrow, and perpetually. Cassidy is the invention of a former psychologist who decided to abandon the couch for the pen (well, really for keyboard and word-processing software). After years of doing psychotherapy, Cassidy decided to ensure that her characters made the changes she always wanted her clients to make. Get a FREE copy of That Night in CancĂșn at https://BookHip.com/FGRAHA. That Night in CancĂșn is the story of what can happen when you’re far from home under a tropical moon, with something to prove… Also check out her Ridgeview, Tennessee Series, which takes place in a small town in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.


You can also read my review of Cassidy's book: Saved by a Warrior Dog: A Military Romance on Amazon.com