Opposites Attract and Build Something Stronger Together

Sep 24, 2025 2:16 pm

Dear Readers,

I love a good opposites attract story. The opportunity for banter and tension and flying sparks is just RIGHT THERE, and I find it so delicious.

What's even more delicious is what's hidden underneath all that oppositional tension: what they have in common. I love peeling back that outer layer and watching as they learn, with some surprise, just how alike they actually are.

And for me, that's what makes the trope, the character dynamic. The opposite personalities provide the fun and the spice and the deep inner connection provides the stable foundation for the HEA.

That's why I began writing Naughty for Sir Nicholas by asking what these two opposites--Jane and Sir Nico--have in common. On the outside, he's an outrageous flirt who likes to take risks. And she's a prim governess who plays by the rules. But underneath all that, we see a man and woman who care deeply for the children in their care and who are willing to fight for them and for love. We also see a woman who needs a safe place to be a little naughty. And a man who needs a woman to tell him firmly that he's good enough.

So it's not only what they have in common, but how their opposite personalities provide something essential to each other.

Sigh. I love Nico and Jane, and I hope that you will too! Naughty for Sir Nicholas and How the Belle Stole Christmas will be available on October 7 at Amazon, and you can pre-order it now at Kobo and Barnes and Noble.