Elise’s answer to “In Bad Breakup, is the heroine celibate and hero not? I strongly dislike romance plots where hero s…” > Likes and Comments

So you meant to say that yes, the heroine stayed celibate while the hero didn't? I'm not a fan of double standards either...very frustrating!

Hi Layne, sorry for the delay in replying. I'm not on here much. I'm definitely not saying that double standards are okay, especially when it comes to female pleasure and sexuality. However, just like in real life, characters have different journeys and struggles to overcome. CeCe, the heroine in this book has a softer personality. She's not overt, doesn't tend to outspoken or confident, and isn't as kick-ass as some of my other female leads. And that's OKAY. We're not all the same and so my characters cannot all be the same. We also don't all react to trauma in the same ways. If you read the book, you know she had some family issues and a big injury and really needed to get her head on straight before she could move forward in other parts of her life—I'm talking being emotionally ready to trust anyone, to have friendships, and also eventually to develop meaningful relationships with men. That being said, I've written characters on the flip side (one that's coming out later this month) where the hero is celibate and also have books with heroines are definitely not, where they enjoy sex and go out and have it and find their pleasure without shame (as it should be, because too many of our issues that women face, especially in this industry is that people have hang-ups with female sexuality). But, I can't make all of the voices and characters in my head do something that doesn't fit with their personality, regardless of gender. My characters all have different journeys and hurdles to overcome, sometimes they're sexual, sometimes they're not, but their struggles are definitely unique to them, their circumstances, and their past, present, and future. Even though I sometimes want to smack them on the proverbial head and tell them to get their shit together, their journey is something we work through together, and if different in every book, and just because CeCe may not be as tough as Trix or Heather doesn't mean her softer personality doesn't have value.

Sorry, I know that's rambling, but maybe that helps clarify my thoughts, characters, and process. Feel free to reach out with other questions.

First of all, feel free to ramble away - I like rambling :) And thanks so much for getting back to me. You're right though - everyone is different and like in real life, have different personalities and ways of dealing with certain situations. I did actually read a part of this book, but I struggle when a hero has slept around while still proclaiming to have always loved the heroine. That never makes sense to me and I think that's the main reason I struggle with second chance romances (because my brain doesn't work that way).
Having said that, I also realised maybe I was being too hasty and am currently reading Desire at Roosevelt Ranch (I forget to read book series in order) which is going well so far. I think a big reason for that is because I only tend to struggle if it's a second chance between the hero and heroine. When it's not, I find myself able to get lost in the story and appreciate it for what it is.
Thanks again for responding - I really do appreciate it :)

Of course! Thanks for your comments. You bring up good points and something I definitely will ponder when writing similar characters to CeCe in the future (and second chance romances too!) Enjoy Kel and Justin, I do love their story! If you read on in the series, though, maybe skip Heartbreak. Especially if you're not into second chances, because it is 2nd chance to the nth degree :) You'd be safe to jump straight to book three, Collision at Roosevelt Ranch as they all stand alone ;) Take care! <3