Please welcome Laralyn Doran to the blog today. She’s here celebrating her new release, Boss Lady, by sharing her thoughts on the unconventional heroine.
From the Author:
The unconventional heroine in a M/F love story—that’s my jam.
There is a wonderful surge of badass women and intriguing female characters being written in romance these days—billionaire CEOs, vampire hunters, paranormal PIs, professional athletes, Hollywood headliner, mafia bosses…We’re writing woman with traditionally “male roles” and sometimes with a twist on an old trope.
Maybe she’s the boss, he’s the employee or she’s the seasoned detective and he’s a murder suspect? Or she’s the Hollywood heartthrob and he’s the good ol’ boy who doesn’t think he stands a chance? Maybe he’s a mortal spy and she’s a goddess-superhero sent to save the world from a rogue god of war?
How do our dear heroes respond? Sometimes, at first, they’re rattled, intrigued, perplexed, frustrated, maybe even, condescendingly amused. Then the fun begins, because they fall for her and let’s face it…these ladies don’t make it easy.
Gone are the days of the proverbial knight sweeping in on the white horse to save the day and make the heroine swoon. I want to see my heroines take on the dragon herself! Have her hero hand her the sword, step back and let her do her thing. I want him to find it hot as hell, have confidence in her to take care of business, have her back and kiss her senseless when she’s done.
Behind every woman out to break glass ceilings, kick ass or break records should be a strong man who appreciates who she is and what she wants out of her life. Maybe he’ll have a sexy smirk on his face, heat in his eyes and maybe a touch of sympathy for anyone trying to get in his woman’s way.
He can be an alpha, beta, or a “cinnamon roll”. Does he have her back—absolutely. Will he cut down anyone coming at her blind side—most definitely. But will he get in her way of doing things on her own—nope.
I love stories where the hero is powerful, confident, and completely capable, but takes pride and appreciates a woman’s drive. He sees her as his equal, his partner and she has something he needs—something he finds intriguing and captivating more than her beauty or outward appearance.
Maybe the heroine struggles in allowing someone to see her vulnerable or believes being strong and independent means she has to be alone. I want her to gain faith in the hero and believe she can be accomplished, driven, and committed to what she wants, but still have love, support, and someone in her corner.
And the moment they both have that epiphany—BOOM! Magic.
In my first book, A FAST WOMAN, CJ is an unconventional, Chucks-wearing, liberally-swearing, female stock car driver who doesn’t mince words, and won’t let anyone distract her rise to the top of racing’s elite. Grady’s a charismatic, disgraced, Indy champion who needs to wreck her dreams to salvage his career. But their hot chemistry sends them into a tailspin and neither of them knows how to handle the other—and that’s the fun part. It’s a hell of a ride.
In my new release, BOSS LADY, Harper is a Southern belle stepping out from Daddy’s shadow as the owner of a Cup Series racing team. She’s taking on the patriarchy of the racing world and is out to prove that she’s more than a pretty face in a pair of stilettos. She needs Cal’s investment to make the deal go through, but he becomes invested in her and has his work cut out for him. When the new company is targeted and sacrifices are made, will they break their deal or form a partnership to no one could wreck?
Do you have a favorite book (or movie/TV) with a kick-ass heroine and an awesome hero who has her back? I have too many, but I’m looking for more… (and if there is snark and witty banter involved—gimme!)
Give me a shout out here or on social media and let me know. Here are a few favorite books that come to mind. For some reason, I’m in the mood to go watch a movie now…
About the Book:
Shattering glass ceilings…
Harper Merrick spent years dedicated to her father’s company, only to realize she’s just a daddy’s girl with a job title. Striking out on her own and taking on the patriarchy of the racing world, isn’t going to just take moxie and a sharp tongue—it’s going to take financial backing. Now, her biggest obstacle is keeping the sinfully-tempting investor out of her business and away from her bed.
Funding her new venture was a no-brainer—falling for the clever blonde was a surprising dividend.
Raised to follow in his father’s footsteps, Cal McBane is dragging his feet down a pre-determined path. An attempt to reconcile with his estranged brother leads to meeting the captivating Harper who makes him question his future and what he really desires.
They’re both invested–and it’s not just the money at stake.
Giving into the temptation wasn’t part of Harper’s business plan, but Cal’s irresistible–his body is pure sin—and now she struggles to maintain boundaries.
When the team is in jeopardy, and questions are raised that could destroy Harper, will they walk away from love to save the business?
Or by fighting together, will they profit from a partnership no one can wreck?
Author: Laralyn Doran
Publisher: A Three Dogs Day
Release Date: June 29, 2021
Series: Driven Women Series #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance – Sports
BOSS LADY, (Book 2 in the Driven Women series) is available now! https://books2read.com/u/4DRqED
A FAST WOMAN (Book 1 in the Driven Women series) was recently named as a double finalist in Romance Writers of America’s inaugural Vivian Award for Best First Published and Contemporary Romance – Long. https://books2read.com/A-Fast-Woman
Add BOSS LADY to your TBR list:
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/3lPVWRF
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/35IX83K