From the Author:
As a storyteller, the idea of reforming former villains from previous stories in a series really excites me. In fact, I’m downright obsessed with doing it. It all began with one book and it morphed into the basis for my entire author brand. The initial reason may surprise you. Reading books, watching TV and movies, I often found myself falling for the villain.
Yes, you heard that right. There’s something seriously sexy about characters who are ruthless and dangerous and would do things that the rest of us would probably never do. There’s something even sexier about going to bed with these characters, perhaps because of the terrible risk it poses, which is why I initially began reforming these bad boys – we get to see parts of them we wouldn’t otherwise get to see, and see what moves they’d make if given the opportunity to be a romantic lead. I love reforming a former villain for this reason, but the more obvious one bares true as well. It’s very satisfying seeing a character who’s done wrong get a second chance. Perhaps it is more satisfying than anything.
As human beings, we make mistakes. We waste opportunities, hurt the people we love and sometimes we cross the moral line. It’s easier to accept this when we’re reading a piece of fiction perhaps but oftentimes, we are not all that different from characters in stories. We do bad things and we regret doing them. This is another great reason why redemption stories are so important. They remind us that in life, we may get that second chance. Even after the worst of mistakes have been made, all is not always lost. We can come to see the error of our ways and be forgiven. Perhaps we can gain a whole new lease on life.
Have you ever read a story in which you were eagerly counting the pages until you were back in the villain’s point of view, or just wanted to know more about him? I often did this, and still do! It’s exciting knowing what’s going on inside the mind of the villain, especially since this character is generally responsible for driving the external conflict of the story. The villain keeps us on edge as we wait with our toes curled to see what he’s going to do next. As a writer I find it really interesting getting inside the mind of a villain which is another reason why I love reforming him—when the villain becomes the protagonist, he gets a lot more face time. A hell of a lot more—the story becomes his entirely and we get to know his entire backstory, see how it’s made him into the person he is today and watch with admiration as he conquers his demons, inspiring us to believe that we too can overcome our mistakes.
So, what about the female villain? I haven’t forgotten her and while I’ve only reformed male villains to date, the concept works exactly the same way for a female. I’m sure I’ll find myself reforming a former female villain one of these days, because that’s just the way my imagination rolls!
Whatever the reason for doing it, reforming the former villain is incredibly satisfying because we get to see a character really come full circle. While your typical hero and heroine will grow and change in some positive way as they fall in love and overcome various challenges throughout the course of a story, the former villain has a lot higher to climb, therefore, it is really an amazing thing to see him reach the top. Seeing a character come back from the bottom of nothing, I think, if he can come back from that, just imagine what the rest of us could do!
About the Book:
Will the monster who almost ruined Dani’s life make all her dreams come true?
Former exotic dancer Dani Talbert is determined to leave Briarcliff Manor and raise her son in a place where he won’t be branded by her mistakes. She’s dreamed of being a star on Rabourn Theater’s stage all her life and it’s time she put the dreams that have cost her everything behind her. But when Ryder Nathanson, the conniving man who once blackmailed her, comes back to town and arranges for Dani to have the lead role in her favorite play, her plans of starting a new life are brought to a halt. Ryder may be a monster, but he intrigues her a lot more than she realized.
Ryder Nathanson wants revenge on everyone who has wronged him, and the woman responsible for sending him to prison is at the top of his list. He’s hatched the perfect plan only, being married to Dani Talbert, the woman he’s wanted since the day he first set foot in Rabourn Theater, isn’t as simple as he wanted to believe. Dani is a temptress, warm and sensual and capable of turning his world on its head. As a series of dangerous accidents befall the people of Rabourn Theater, Ryder prays the end won’t come sooner than he’s prepared for.
Book Title: An Intoxicating Interlude
Author: Jessica Lauryn
Series: The Rabourn Theater Series, Book 4
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Date of Publication: June 27, 2020
Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CJH42ZW
B & N – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-intoxicating-interlude-jessica-lauryn/1137314079?ean=2940162696704
About the Author:
#1 Bestselling Author Jessica Lauryn has been writing since before she could hold a pen. Her days of storytelling through the art of playing with dolls inspired her to write romantic suspense novels The Romance Reviews describe as having “Just the right amount of passion and romance!” Villains often reform in Jessica’s stories, and just may become heroes themselves! When she’s not writing, Jessica enjoys collecting antiques and finding beautiful, wooded areas to explore with her husband, Bill.
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