Lauren Blakely | Just Give Me Another Shot

Give me another chance.
Let’s try that again.
How about a do-over?

The notion of a second chance is a powerful one in life, and in storytelling.

A second chance gives us a shot at redemption, at fixing mistakes, and moving beyond the past. That’s why I am drawn to second chance romances, both as a reader and as a writer.

My two newest books are second chance romances — SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS and CONSUMED BY YOU. Each story tackles the notion of a second chance in different ways, but the goal is the same — another shot at love, and I believe this promise of getting it right the second time around is one of the most alluring in romance.

In SWEET SINFUL NIGHTS, the hero and heroine said foolish things in the past and the relationship ended years ago in a fiery blaze.

Then, they meet again. Cue sparks, passion and chemistry that never died!

In CONSUMED BY YOU, the hero and heroine dated that magical summer after high school and were then pulled apart by circumstance when they went to college on opposite sides of the state. Likewise, when they reconnect in the present day, the chemistry crackles because it never faded.

In both stories, bringing the two lovers together again in the present day presents a welcome opportunity as a writer. For starters, a second-chance romance is a fantastic shortcut that enables me to move past the need for a “meet-cute” set-up!

But a second chance romance isn’t merely a clever way to avoid having characters meet for the very first moment and have those first date conversations of “what’s your favorite movie?” and “what’s your favorite book?”

Rather, one of the things I love about this trope is that it demands the writer prove to the reader why this couple that failed at being together before should absolutely, positively, without a shadow of a doubt be together again.

Why does the passion burn through the years?

Why have the sparks never faded?

And most of all, why should the reader root for them in the present day?

The last question is the key to a successful second chance romance. I want readers to truly feel why the hero and heroine are falling in love anew. That means character growth and change is imperative — because the two lovers can’t just fall for who they were before. They need to fall in love in a whole new way, with the changed man or woman before them today.

In CONSUMED BY YOU, Travis and Cara had a lovely, sexy and fun summer romance before they both left for college ten years ago. When they reconnect in the present, the passion burns brightly, but they face challenges rooted in what each wants in life as adults, and how the hero guards his heart. What made the story so fun to write is that the characters have a deep friendship and connection from the earlier days, but they also fall for the twenty-nine-year-old man or woman in front of them today.

That’s, of course, the mission with a second chance romance — to show the great transformations that the characters have made over the years, to illustrate how Travis has grown and matured, to show how Cara is willing to bend and change, for instance.

Ultimately, a second chance romance is a vehicle to showcase one of the most potent motifs in storytelling — redemption. So often in life, we want and need second chances, and that’s why this type of romance tugs at my heartstrings, because it is an opportunity to give the hero and heroine another chance at not losing out on the love of his or her life.

About Lauren Blakely

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists.

Like the heroine in her novel, FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers!

Her bestselling series include Caught Up in Love, Seductive Nights, and Fighting Fire. She recently released NIGHTS WITH HIM, a standalone novel in her New York Times Bestselling Seductive Nights series that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. Her next book in that series is FORBIDDEN NIGHTS, releasing in early 2015.

She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.

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About CONSUMED BY YOU

She's playing with fire...

Dog trainer Cara Bailey wants to find "the one," but fantasizing about her sexy-as- hell client, firefighter Travis Jansen, is getting in the way. Her only option? Get the confirmed bachelor out of her system-in every position possible-so she can settle down with Mr. Right. Starting right now.

Travis doesn't do relationships, so no matter how badly he wants the pretty little brunette, he keeps his distance. Until Cara goes and changes the game. She'll fulfill all of his fantasies if he agrees to walk away when it's over. But when the wildfire between them blazes out of control, it will consume everything-and everyone-in its path...