I’ve written all kinds of romances over the years, with tropes ranging from friends-to-more (The Breakup Project), to best friends-to-more (Tangled up in Love), opposites attract (too many to name), arranged marriage (The Captivating Lady Charlotte, Midnight’s Budding Morrow), to various others.
One thing I haven’t done too much of the ‘bad’ girl. I feel like from the get-go I should say I prefer to describe her as the misunderstood girl, as most people aren’t evil, it’s just that we may see them in a light that doesn’t reflect well on them or with our personal values (at the time). I’ve written a couple of these books. The first one, The Dishonourable Miss DeLancey sees the spurned heroine of The Elusive Miss Ellison get a book from her perspective, complete with a redemption arc. Then in Refining Josie, my last book in the Independence Islands series, we see why Josie, the ne’er-do-well sister of the heroine of my first book, who both appear in various other books, is so snarky and absent from home as she embarks on her own journey back to God.
I’ve loved having readers say they enjoyed seeing these alternate perspectives, which is so true for all of us, isn’t it? What one person sees positively can be seen negatively by another, and vice versa. Only God truly sees the heart and knows a person’s true motivations.
So when it came time to writing my new hockey book I didn’t want to do the same ol’ tropes, and figured it was time to have a supposed ‘bad girl’ get her own book. So in The Love Penalty we see a character first introduced in The Breakup Project finally get her own story. It was tempting to keep my heroines sweet and good, to not offend readers, but I felt like Sylvie needed to have her own journey to finding God. So in The Love Penalty we have a Goth-like girl who is struggling to find acceptance, who encounters a good Christian guy, who has been part of the online Bible study group for years. In imagining this scenario, and thinking through real relationships of people I’ve known, this story reads pretty realistic to me. How many times do we as Christians hear of someone who has ‘fallen’ or been ‘led astray’ through a relationship? Is it a matter of simply dismissing people as weak or ungodly, or do we consider what the reasons might be for why someone acts the way they do? And how do we as Christians respond to our friends who might get swept up in such things?
I really enjoyed delving into some of these questions, and exploring the reasons for why Sylvie, my ‘bad girl’ might act as she does, and I hope readers will come along for the journey and discover that people who might’ve been quickly judged are people that God loves too. In fact, the redemption arc in this book is one of my favourites, and the power of caring Christian friendships, those who persist when others give up, is something I loved to acknowledge too. An elderly friend of mine is in a nursing home, and his daughter mentioned that her dad feels a little sad, like his time being an evangelist is over and done with, so I loved writing several scenes where this proves to not be the case, and that God can use anyone to touch another person for His sake.
The Love Penalty might not be the ‘hot hunky hockey’ book that so many ‘in the world’ love reading these days, but I’m hopeful it will encourage a deeper understanding of people, and show we all need to extend grace to those in our world, for we don’t know what they’re facing. Who knows who God has got lined up for you to touch with His grace today?
Sometimes there’s a hefty price to pay when two opposites attract…
With her fondness for tattoos and spider jewelry Sylvie Miles is used to being pre-judged and misunderstood. She has friends and connections but she still feels alone, and works several jobs while daydreaming about finding a guy who sees further than skin deep and won’t shy away from her battered heart. So when a hot pro hockey player with a smile as vast as his skills takes a shine to her what’s a poor girl to do but fall in love?
Ryan Guillemette sure wasn’t looking for romance in a bookstore in his hometown but quickly becomes intrigued by the sassy Goth-like assistant with a snarky way with words. When an accidental kiss proves dangerously addictive she soon becomes embedded in his heart. But even as the romance heats up he’s torn as she’s not following God. Can these two opposites make a match or should he call a permanent time out?
These two are about to learn that those who play with fire get burned, and there’s a hefty price to pay for forbidden attraction. The Love Penalty is the second book in the Northwest Ice Christian hockey romance series, and can be read as a standalone, and is perfect for fans of Becky Wade, Courtney Walsh, and Susan May Warren.
