Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 3

Written in the Stars (and Probably Growling): Why I Adore Fated Mates

Considering the books I write and the authors I frequently recommend, it will come as no surprise that I am a total sucker for the fated mates trope. Soul-deep, hopelessly devoted, can’t-imagine-a-world-without-you kind of sucker.

There’s just something about the idea that two people are meant to be together—that no matter what life (or their own stubborn personalities) throws at them, they’re destined to find each other. And fall. Hard.

Even in my billionaire, suspense, and mafia romance, there’s an element of the fated mate. No, it’s not defined as destiny. The couples that come together don’t have some overwhelming biological urge (unless you count irresistible attraction), but from the moment they meet something connects them and it’s something neither of them can ultimately ignore.

This is the part of the fated mate trope that I love the most.

Maybe it’s because I know what it’s like to find my real-life soulmate. To have that unignorable bond with another human, for your mind, heart and body to be tuned to theirs in a way that is almost supernatural. My husband is the reason I believe in forever love, in happily-ever-after that takes work and heart and a little bit of magic. So, when I write or read about characters who are fated for one another, it hits in the best possible way.

But what is it about this trope that makes it so irresistible? Let’s break it down. Because you all know that for me analyzing story is almost as fun as telling it.

Cosmic Chemistry 101: Why We Can’t Quit This Trope

At its heart, this trope is all about inevitability. The universe—or magic, or some deep biological force—decides these two belong together. There’s no swiping right. No dating apps. No second guessing.

It’s impossible to cheat.

Especially in shifter or paranormal romance, the connection is so powerful and exclusive that sex with anyone else is either impossible or physically painful. I know that might sound a little intense, but honestly? It’s part of the fantasy—this deep, soul-level monogamy that’s non-negotiable.

It’s a lifetime of devotion.

These characters can’t walk away from each other—not for long. Even when they try. And that emotional payoff of watching them struggle and then surrender to that bond? Endorphin city.

It makes them stronger.

In my Children of the Moon series, the mating bond not only seals their connection—it enriches their lives. It makes them more powerful, more in tune with themselves and each other. The bond is sacred, physical, emotional, and when they let it, the bond changes them for the better.

Plot Twists, but Make It Destiny

(aka the many ways fate plays matchmaker)

There’s more than one flavor of fated mates, and I devour them all:

The “You can’t be serious!” rejected mate: one of them is like “hard pass,” even though the universe is screaming YES. Cue the angst, yearning, and eventual surrender. The reasons for rejecting a mate are many. Fear. Pain. The wellbeing of others. Feeling inferior. Feeling superior. Oooh, and magic.

I’ve mentioned before how much I love The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells. In the beginning, the reader believes the alpha rejects his mate because he sees her as weak and inferior. Only there's a magical geas at play and Killian has a fight much harder than any he will face in the ring to reclaim the wolf meant for him.

Which leads into the deliciously angsty world of the “Who, me?” slow-burn awakening in a delayed recognition between fated mates. Maybe they’re enemies, strangers, or just too distracted to notice fate knocking. But destiny will not be denied. And what I think so many of us absolutely adore about this particular set up is the knowledge that no matter how bad things get, in the end, these two are fated for each other and they will come together.

Then there's the “You’re Not Even My Species!” drama-fest. A bond that defies all odds—family, species, kingdoms. And they have to fight for their place in each other’s lives. I will happily admit that this is a playground I love to play in. Whether it’s the human destined for the supernatural being conundrum, or the werewolf mated to the enemy vampire, or a member of the fae matched with a demon, I am here for every one of these stories.

But that's all about the inherent conflict built into the fated mate story. What about something that drives them together? In the “Prophecy said so!” power pairing, not only is their love written in the stars, but it's probably tied to saving the world. No pressure.

Like in Dragon’s Moon, Book 4 in my Children of the Moon series. Eirik and Ciara aren’t just fated to be together, but ancient prophecy declares their mating will save the Chrecte from extinction. The fact that he killed her brother with his dragon fire? Incidental. (To destiny maybe, but not to Ciara.)

I will happily admit that one of the things that draws me to mafia romance, is the element of fated mates, even though that’s never mentioned because these aren’t paranormal romances. But from the moment that the Brutal Capo meets the stripper turned cocktail waitress, he’s obsessed. She’s it for him and he’s determined to be it for her. The opening scene in Demanding Mob Boss gives us a glimpse into this near-other-worldly connection too. Honestly? It’s one of my favorite scenes in any of my books yet.

My Fated Favorites: Soulmates Who Slay

(or purr, growl, bite… you know, shifter stuff)

You all know I’m not going to talk about a trope I love without recommending a bunch of books. Because this trope lends itself so well to series, here are just a few of my favorites, each one a swoony, spicy, magical journey to forever:

The Dark (Carpathians) by Christine Feehan

Start with Dark Prince and fall into a world where ancient vampire warriors find their salvation—and their souls—in their destined mates. 🧛🦇 These stories are intense, emotional, and dripping with old-world devotion. The number of times I've reread them is embarrassing.

Five Packs by Cate C. Wells

The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate had me hooked. ❤️‍🔥🐺 I've loved every single one of these gritty shifter romances with deep pack politics and characters who bleed, heal, and mate hard. These aren’t sweet cinnamon rolls; they’re raw, real, and unforgettable.

Bennet Pack by K.C. Mills

The pack dynamic is everything here—family, loyalty, fated love. And the way these characters fall? Total swoon. (Still thinking about Hexed Wolf. It has all the feels! 💔😭)

With or Without series by J.L. Langley

This series blends humor, heart, and heat. Plus, it features LGBTQ+ fated mates, which I love. With Love is one of my favorites—alpha werewolves, southern charm, and a bond you can’t ignore. ❤️‍🩹🚹 When I finished this book, I turned right around and read it again. In the same night!

Inferno Rising by Abigail Owen

Dragons, elemental magic, and the kind of slow-burn, high-stakes romance that just sizzles. I adored The Rogue King. 🐲💘 It’s enemies to fated mates with a twist of prophecy and fire. Can you say yummy?

If you give any of these series a try, or have already read and loved them, I want to hear about your favorite couples.

You're not the only one adding to your TBR. So many readers have recommended Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole, that I have no choice but to read the books. Which is your favorite?

Final Thoughts From a Hopeless Romantic

(a.k.a. I just really love love)

For me, fated mates is more than a trope. It’s a fantasy rooted in something real. It’s the dream of being seen, chosen, known. Not just once, but forever. It’s messy and intense and magical. And it reminds me every time that love—when it’s right—changes everything. Unshakable, it's a devotion that lasts a lifetime.

What are your favorite fated mates stories? I’d love to add some (more) to my TBR!

USA Today bestselling author Lucy Monroe has published 90+ romance novels with over 12.5 million copies in print. Now indie, she writes the bold, emotional, and steamy stories she's most passionate about—including her latest mafia romance series, Syndicate Rules.

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromance
Pinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
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For more book recs and writing chit chat from an obsessed reader and author…

Protect Your Dream, Protect Your Wallet: Hard-Won Lessons from a Career Author

Many years ago, I made a decision that felt radical at the time: I stopped going to the RT Booklover’s Convention.

Not because I didn’t love the energy. Not because I didn’t adore the readers (I did, and still do). But because—while mystery and suspense authors were getting paid to attend conferences and lead workshops—romance authors were expected to foot the bill. For everything.

Somehow, we’d been devalued by the very people shouting the loudest about how much they “supported” us. Worse? We were devaluing ourselves. And I realized I was the only one who could change that… for me. So I stopped showing up where my time, energy, and presence weren’t being valued.

Did I stop doing free workshops and events for libraries and small writers' groups? Of course not. That’s part of how I give back—and always will. But I stopped funding someone else's dream while draining my own resources. And now, as an indie author, I’m seeing this same dynamic play out all over again.

Let’s talk about it.

1. Paying for Reviews? Nope. 🚫

Every week, I get emails or DMs telling me I should pay people to review my books. Let's be clear: No. Not going to happen. Not only is it against Amazon and Goodreads' Terms of Service (and could literally cost me the career I’ve worked my a$$ off to build), but it’s also ethically wrong.

Want to make money working with authors? Great. Do it ethically. Charge for promotion. Charge for creative assets. But reviews? Those are supposed to be free and unbiased. That’s the whole point.

2. "Helping" Indie Authors... for a Fee 🙄

There's a sneaky trend I’ve noticed. Platforms, apps, services, even events are leveraging authors to build their own reach and brand under the guise of “helping us.” The kicker? A lot of the time, they want us to pay for the privilege of building their platform.

Y’all. This is RT all over again. Only now, it’s targeting indie authors across the board.
Sure, there are legit new ventures out there run by people with genuine hearts. But please, don’t give away your time, energy, or money to build someone else’s reputation and dream unless that dream truly supports yours too. And listen to your gut if you’re in doubt. 🤔 Dismal reader events where so many authors lose money and time do not happen in a vacuum.

3. The “Bestseller Blueprint” Scam 🎭

You’ve seen them: the marketing gurus charging hundreds or thousands for courses that supposedly unlock the secret to indie success. Spoiler alert: if it were that easy, there would be a lot more six-figure authors popping up every year.

Want to know who the legit coaches are? They’re busy doing the work. They’re coaching, mentoring, editing, or running real campaigns. And you know what else?
They usually have free, high-value content out there—on YouTube, in blogs, on podcasts. Enough for you to know if their methods vibe with your needs before you pay a cent or sign up for a “free” trial.

4. Spot the Red Flags 🚩

Scammers know how to prey on our fears and dreams. Watch for these tells:

Their pitch appeals to your emotions, especially fear of missing out or falling behind. 🚩

They promise “more money with less work”? 🚩 (They’ve figured this out alright. They’re making more $$ by doing less work by taking your money.)

They’re proud of how “exclusive” they are, and you should be grateful for access to them? 🚩

If they’re selling ego and urgency instead of skill and transparency, run.

5. About Those Amazon Ads 📊

Let’s shut down this myth once and for all: “Amazon doesn’t make money if you don’t make money.” FALSE. 🚩🚩🚩

Amazon makes plenty of money off authors who lose money on ads every single day. They don’t care if your ROI is negative—they already got your money.

Yes, I use Amazon ads. But they have to earn their keep. I track this via the ad module, but some people believe the module doesn’t reflect the true impact of the ad on book sales. Here’s a tip: If you’re calculating ROI and not using the ad manager report, subtract your average organic sales from your total earnings before comparing to your ad spend. That’s the only way to get a number that even remotely reflects ad effectiveness.

The fact that you make more money in sales than you spend in ads is NOT a positive ROI. That’s a very 90’s corporate mentality, but we’re not corporations with bloated budgets that can afford to measure success by such dodgy metrics.

Final Thoughts

Whew. That turned into a novella. 😂 But you know what? If this post helps just one author feel more confident in their path, or sidestep a bad investment? Totally worth it.

Being an indie author means we wear all the hats—and that makes our time and trust incredibly valuable. Protect your wallet. Protect your dream. And remember:

You deserve to be treated like a professional. Because you are one. 💪💖

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lucy Monroe has over 90 published novels and more than 12.5 million copies in print worldwide. Her stories—rich with emotion, heat, and high stakes—span contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance.

Now publishing independently, Lucy writes the bold, deeply romantic stories she’s most passionate about. Her latest series, Syndicate Rules, explores the dark and decadent world of mafia romance with morally gray heroes, fierce heroines, and all the spice fans crave.

A voracious reader and longtime romance fangirl, Lucy loves connecting with fellow book lovers online.

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
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Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
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Vintage-Inspired Glam: Romance, Elegance, and a Little Bit of Drama

If you’ve ever swooned over an heirloom ring, gasped at the beauty of a lace-trimmed veil, or secretly bookmarked a pearl-covered pair of bridal gloves...this post is for you. 🥰

One of the biggest wedding trends this year is Vintage-Inspired Glam—and honestly? It’s pure romance. We’re talking:

Soft-focus lighting.

Gowns with beading or lace detail that looks like it came from a 1920s Parisian bridal salon.

Veils that whisper of old love stories.

And accessories that feel like they’ve been passed down through generations.

As a romance author, I live for the drama and elegance of this kind of detail. A vintage touch tells a story. Every element—be it a hand-stitched garter, a mother’s pearls, or a satin clutch—adds depth, emotion, and meaning.

In Brutal Capo , Love Is Laced with Legacy

After the way the past has marked her emotions, Bianca never expected marriage, or even romance. She certainly never expected the hardened mafia capo, Salvatore, to offer her his great-grandmother’s engagement ring—a piece of his family’s legacy steeped in Sicilian tradition. For Bianca, estranged from her own family, that ring is more than jewelry. It’s a symbol of connection, tradition, and trust.

Their wedding? An intimate rooftop ceremony in New York City. (Ordered by the don on the threat of death, but that’s beside the point.)

Picture this: an Italian renaissance garden with statuary amidst the shrubbery, elegant wrought iron chairs for the guests, a conservatory filled with African violets because they have special meaning to her, and a soft breeze carrying the scent of garden roses blooming in planters and climbing trellises. It’s romantic, emotional, and perfectly timeless.

This is the heart of vintage glam—it’s not just about fashion. It’s about grounding your future in something beautifully meaningful.

If you haven’t met Salvatore and Bianca yet, now’s the time to fall for their fierce, emotional, and surprisingly tender story.

👉 Read Brutal Capo now.

And tell me—what vintage detail would you love to include in a dream wedding? 👗✨

USA Today bestselling author Lucy Monroe has published 90+ romance novels with over 12.5 million copies in print. Now indie, she writes the bold, emotional, and steamy stories she's most passionate about—including her latest mafia romance series, Syndicate Rules.

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromance
Pinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
Threads: lucymonroeromance

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Silent Strength: Deaf & Mute Characters in Mafia Romance

I’m taking a break from book recs based on tropes and digging into something that hits closer to home. This week, I want to shine a light on something deeply important to me: disability representation in romance. Specifically stories with main characters who are either deaf, mute, or both.

And not just any romance… I’m talking about the dark, gritty world of mafia romance, where power and passion collide, and love often grows in the shadows.

In these stories, communication is everything—whether it's a whispered threat or a silent vow. So when characters who are deaf or mute take center stage, the emotional stakes skyrocket. These books don’t just show love—they prove it can flourish even in the most dangerous corners of the world.

Romance is about connection. It's about being seen, heard, and loved for exactly who you are. But for so long, characters who are deaf or mute have been underrepresented or misrepresented in fiction. When I come across a story that gets it right—where communication goes beyond spoken words and love blooms through touch, trust, and understanding—it hits me in the heart.

These stories remind us that love isn't limited by sound. It can be signed, written, felt in a glance or a gesture. And when authors take the time to portray deaf or mute characters with care, respect, and depth, it creates space for readers who rarely get to see themselves on the page.

Here are some of my favorite mafia romances that include deaf or mute characters and the emotional journeys that come with them:

🔥 Recklessly Mine by Arianna Fraser – A gripping story with a heroine who’s going deaf and is unapologetically fierce. Her strength and the romance that unfolds are both unforgettable. How the MacTavish family works to make her feel comfortable among them and valued for who she is kept me up all night reading. Arabella will forever live rent free in my head.

🗣️ Broken Whispers by Neva Altaj – A dark romance with a ballerina heroine who’s lost her voice but not her fire. It ticks all my boxes: emotional, intense, and beautifully written. Mikhail & Bianca fit so perfectly together.

💔 Silenced by Serena Akeroyd – One of the few books I’ve read where the hero is mute—and unapologetically so. He doesn’t bend to fit the world around him. He makes the bratva bend to fit him. It's intense, romantic, and deeply satisfying.

💍 Silent Vows by Jill Ramsower – A captivating arranged marriage story with a mute heroine and a broody protector hero. It's got heart, heat, and a slow-burn connection that’ll have you swooning.

👻 Ghost by A. Zavarelli – The hero is deaf and keeps it hidden from the brutal world of the bratva. He lipreads and adapts in silence, but his heart is anything but quiet in this gritty, emotional mafia romance.

And here are a few that aren’t mafia romance, but ARE currently on my TBR:

📚 Mute by M.L. Nystrom
🛠️ Riggs by Sandy Alvarez & Crystal Daniels
🕯️ In the Light of Sin by Juniper Nyx

Finally, let me tell you a little about my own book, Moon Craving. While it’s not a mafia romance either—it’s a steamy shifter fantasy—the heroine is deaf, and her story is what made this book happen for me. Her silence isn’t a weakness—it’s part of her strength, her magic, and her identity. And I did my best to write her journey with deep love and intention.

If you’ve read any great romances (and maybe especially mafia romances) featuring deaf or mute characters, I’d love to hear about them. Representation matters—not just in who gets a love story, but in how that love is told, even when the world around them is full of danger, darkness, and noise.

Let’s celebrate stories where silence doesn’t mean absence—it means presence in a different, powerful form.

💬 Drop your recs in the comments or reply to this post. Let’s celebrate stories where silence doesn’t mean absence—it means presence in a different, beautiful form.

USA Today bestselling author Lucy Monroe has published 90+ romance novels with over 12.5 million copies in print. Now indie, she writes the bold, emotional, and steamy stories she's most passionate about—including her latest mafia romance series, Syndicate Rules.

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromance
Pinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
Threads: lucymonroeromance

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5 Things to Look for During Your Final Edit

When it comes to editing, especially that final pass before you hit "send" or "publish," it can feel like you're squinting at your manuscript through a thousand different lenses. But editing isn't about perfection — it's about clarity, consistency, and strengthening your story.

But here’s your gentle reminder: writing advice is not a set of instructions you have to follow. 💖 I’m a big believer in taking what works for you and ignoring the rest.

That said, if you're in the thick of edits, here are five things I personally look for in that final polish before sending the book off to my editor.

(Just please don’t let these stop you from writing in the first place. Get the words down. It’s always easier to cut or revise than it is to fix what isn’t on the page yet.)

1. ✂️ Excessive Repetition

There’s two parts to this. First, you’re looking for repeating the same information for the reader over and over again. (This is a pet peeve of mine and the number one reason I DNF a book.) But, honestly, no matter how compelling the emotional epiphany, if your character has the same one three times in a book? That’s not going to endear the story to readers.

Second, you’re looking for the repeated actions and phrases we love to sprinkle through our manuscripts like glitter. During edits, keep an eye out for things like your heroine sighing on every other page—oops, or everyone shrugging, or your characters stomping everywhere. You get the idea.

2. 💤 Slipping into Passive Voice

Sometimes we do this without even realizing. Instead of saying “The heroine opened the door,” we write, “The door was opened by the heroine.” The second version feels clunkier and creates distance with the reader. Passive voice can muddy your prose and dilute your character’s agency.

That said, it does have its place—just make sure you're using it intentionally.

3. 🔁 Overused Words

Every author has a handful of comfort words that sneak into every manuscript. Mine? “Just,” “really,” and “looked.” 🙈 Make a list of your usual suspects and do a final sweep before you call your manuscript done. This is where the “Find” function comes in handy. I have a list of words I run searches on and merely keeping it helps me to be less likely to use the same word over and over. Cutting or replacing even half of them can make your writing feel cleaner and more dynamic.

4. 🧩 Episodic vs. Characterization and Plot-Driven Structure

This one’s a little trickier — but so important. If your story feels more like a string of loosely connected events rather than one cohesive narrative arc, ask yourself: is each scene actively driving the story forward? Or is it more of a “slice of life” moment that could be tightened, trimmed, or combined with something else? (And again, no shame. I write some episodes before I figure out how they’re part of the plot and character development too!)

5. 👥 Too Many Characters

In the first draft, let the characters pour in. You can always sort them out later.
But in edits? It’s time to ask if every named character really needs to be there. Could a minor role be absorbed by someone already in the story? Are you introducing too many people too quickly?

Streamlining your cast can create more space for the characters who do matter and keep your reader from needing a spreadsheet to follow along. 😉

Final editing can feel overwhelming but it’s also where the magic of clarity happens. Your story is already alive. Editing just helps it shine.

Until next time!

Lucy

With more than 12.5 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Lucy’s an award winning and USA Today bestselling author with 95+ published books. Her stories have been translated for sale all over the world and after a long career in traditional publishing, she’s gone indie. She loves the freedom to write the stories both her and her loyal readers enjoy the most. Her steamy mafia romance series, Syndicate Rules features the morally gray alpha heroes and spice she love to write. She also writes contemporary, historical and paranormal romance. Some of her books have action adventure and intrigue. All of them are steamy and deeply emotional. She’s a voracious reader and loves to talk about both her books and those she’s read (or should read…good recs are always welcome). Welcome to her world where love conquers all, but not easily!

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromancePinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
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Enemies to Lovers: Fighting, Flirting, and Falling Hard

By Lucy Monroe

From my very first published book, The Greek Tycoon's Ultimatum all the way to my mafia romance Forced Vows, I’ve had a soft spot for enemies to lovers stories. There’s just something deliciously intense about that slow burn, the sizzling chemistry, and the emotional payoff when two characters who shouldn't be together just can’t stay away. 😍

Honestly? I didn’t even realize how many of my own books fall into this category until I started going back through my titles and going, “Oh! That one too.” 😂 It’s a trope I keep coming back to because it never gets old—and every couple makes it their own.

So, if you’re craving that push-pull tension, the emotional angst, the banter (oh, the banter!), here are some incredible reads to dive into—plus a few of my own stories that bring the fire and the feels. 💋

Books by authors I adore:

💣 Burn This City by Aleksandr Voinov
The absolute definition of enemies to lovers, this is one of my all-time favorite mafia romances. It's gritty, raw, and unforgettable—written by an author I deeply admire.

🖤 Relentless by Arianna Fraser
It’s dark, twisty, and somehow still made me laugh. That takes serious talent. Total keeper! I love, love, love this book!

🪐 Desire in His Blood by Zoey Draven
He wants nothing to do with her. She doesn’t trust him. But fate—and one intense sci-fi fantasy world—have other plans. Love this series like whoa.

💥 43º North by Alanna Grace
A hidden gem from a rising talent whose heart is right there on the page. Emotional, compelling, and oh-so satisfying.

💔 The Price of a Bride by Michelle Reid
Angst lovers, take note. This one hurts so good—an emotional rollercoaster that’ll stick with you. (If it’s already on your reread shelf, let me know in the comments.)

My Own Enemies to Lovers Romances:

💍 Forced Vows – Mafia Romance
He needs to marry her to secure his empire. She has every reason to run. But some fires burn too hot to extinguish.

👠 Cinderella’s Jilted Billionaire – Steamy Contemporary
They were never supposed to see each other again… until family forces them back into each other’s lives and then hatred morphs into sizzling passion.

💻 Win the Game – Steamy Contemporary
In this high-stakes game of love and deception, can they overcome the past to secure a future together? ​She left him and she’s got a secret.

🔥 Wild Heat – Steamy Contemporary
Their passion is explosive—and so is their past. She broke his heart, now hers is the one in danger in this quirky Alaska town.

🐺 Moon Awakening – Paranormal Romance
She was meant for someone else. He kidnapped his enemy’s bride. And now? Fate has other plans.

🌕 Viking’s Moon – Paranormal Romance
A warrior laird and the true mate who despises the very family he comes from. Enemies in name, destined in soul.

👑 Harlequin Presents Classics

The Greek Tycoon’s Ultimatum – Where it all began. Sparks fly from page one.

Blackmailed into Marriage – She thought she could say no… until she couldn’t.

Wedding Vow of Revenge – A vow made in anger. A love that won’t be denied.

Pregnancy of Passion – Past betrayal. Present passion.

Prince of Secrets – A royal with a score to settle.

An Heiress for His Empire – Business meets revenge… until hearts get involved.

The Maharajah’s Billionaire Heir – A royal heir and a woman he should never love.

His Majesty’s Hidden Heir – Secrets, scandal, and second chances.

Enemies to lovers gives us that perfect blend of conflict, longing, and ultimate emotional payoff—and I’ll never get tired of it. If you’re the same, I hope these recs bring you all the swoons, gasps, and gleeful grins you’re looking for. 💘

Until next time,
Lucy xoxo

For info on all of my books, visit my website.

Find me on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromancePinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
Threads: lucymonroeromance

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Reader Swag on a Budget

Before I get into the links for my favorite personalized swag vendors, let’s address the elephant in the room: space and money for bulk orders.

We don’t all have it — and that’s okay.

This is where your author community can become your best asset. 💖 When you design swag that fits your genre (rather than specific books), you can split larger orders with your author friends to keep costs manageable.

Here’s how I suggest making that work smoothly:

🤝 Tips for Group Swag Orders:

Collect money up front — including shipping for both the group order and their portion once it’s delivered to you.

Take delivery of the swag yourself.

Ship out everyone’s items promptly — especially if you want them to say yes the next time you suggest a group buy.

And remember: no matter how close the friendship, money stuff can get awkward, so protect your friendships by keeping it clean and clear from the start.

That said, I rarely order more than 100 items at a time — often much less. So everything I’m sharing here works great for small-batch swag.

🚨 PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING:

I have no affiliation with, nor am I endorsing, any specific company, product, or site.
This is simply my personal experience — yours may vary. Please use your own judgment and take full responsibility for any orders you place.

🧷 STICKERS

🎯 Slapco

Great deals if you wait for sales (sign up for their emails — they come with frequent discounts).

Offers sample runs — smaller quantities that are ideal for trying out a new design.

🎯 StickyBrand

Solid pricing, consistent quality.

There's almost always a discount running on the site.

🍻 KOOZIES & WRISTBANDS

🎯 Custom Lanyard

I’ve ordered both can coolers (aka koozies) and personalized wristbands.

Just a heads up: items made from rubber or synthetic material may need to air out a bit (off-gassing is real).

💄 LIP BALM

🎯 Lip Balm Express

Tons of customization: flavors, cap colors, label wraps.

Bonus: They arrive individually sealed in little plastic bags. 💋
(Which makes them more hygienic and giftable at events.)

🖊️ PENS

🎯 National Pen

I’ve been ordering from them for nearly 20 years!

I prefer retractable pens, but they offer every kind imaginable.

Their pricing can vary wildly, so always check for deals — especially on their non-pen merchandise.

💻 DESIGNING YOUR SWAG

I mentioned this in my affordable bookmarks post, but it’s worth repeating:
Canva is by far my favorite platform for designing promo graphics — for bookmarks, lip balm wraps, koozies, and more.

That said, any design tool works, as long as you can export a high-res image in the file format the site requires.

So don’t get stuck on the software — focus on creating something beautiful and on-brand. ✨

Final Thoughts

Reader swag doesn’t have to cost a fortune or take over your spare room. With a little strategy (and a few trusted vendors), you can create personalized, high-impact swag that your readers will love — and you’ll feel good about handing out.

Got a favorite swag vendor I didn’t mention? Let me know! I’m always happy to update and expand these resources for other indie authors. 💖

Until next time!

Lucy

With more than 12.5 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Lucy’s an award winning and USA Today bestselling author with 95+ published books. Her stories have been translated for sale all over the world and after a long career in traditional publishing, she’s gone indie. She loves the freedom to write the stories both her and her loyal readers enjoy the most. Her steamy mafia romance series, Syndicate Rules features the morally gray alpha heroes and spice she love to write. She also writes contemporary, historical and paranormal romance. Some of her books have action adventure and intrigue. All of them are steamy and deeply emotional. She’s a voracious reader and loves to talk about both her books and those she’s read (or should read…good recs are always welcome). Welcome to her world where love conquers all, but not easily!

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
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She’s Never… Until Him: Inexperienced Heroines Who Stole My Heart

Okay, confession time… I didn’t realize how many virgin heroines I’d written until readers started pointing it out. 😂

It’s a little surprising how many contemporary romances feature a female main character who is sexually innocent, isn’t it? I remember a reader group back in the day that was entirely dedicated to tracking down and gushing over these kinds of stories. For all I know, they're still going strong. 😉

And I get it—there’s something deeply compelling about the contrast between innocence and intensity, especially when you're diving into a high-stakes, emotionally loaded world like mafia romance. Which is also a world in which it’s easier to explain a lack of sexual experience for the women born into than the opposite.

For me, it’s always about the characters though. I never sit down and say, “This FMC shall be a virgin!” It’s more like… I meet her on the page, get to know her past and what shaped her, and lo and behold—there it is. Her sensual innocence just fits the story she's telling me.

And let’s be real—an FMC who still has her V-card (as Catalina from Urgent Vows put it) is very popular in mafia romance. That combination of ruthless alpha and untouched heroine? Readers (myself included!) eat it up. So today, I thought I’d share a few mafia romances that do this trope justice, along with some of my own books that lean into it—plus a few Harlequin and other contemporary titles you might’ve forgotten have virgin heroines too. 😉

Mafia Romances with Virgin Heroines I Love:

🖤 Twisted Pride by Cora Reilly
Remo is absolutely feral in the best way, and when he takes Serena, he doesn’t expect to fall for her. She’s untouched, but never weak—her quiet strength makes this one unforgettable.

🖤 Paved in Hate by Sonja Grey
This one hits all the dark and delicious notes. The heroine’s innocence contrasts beautifully with the brutal world she’s thrust into, and her connection with the antihero crackles with tension.

🖤 Taking Meghan by Izzy Sweet & Sean Moriarty
Meghan’s world is torn apart and rebuilt when she’s claimed by a man who doesn't take no for an answer. Her sensual awakening is raw, tender, and absolutely sizzling.

🖤 Nero by S.J. Tilly
Nero is all grit and dominance, and his heroine? The perfect storm of innocence and resilience. A total page-turner from start to finish. I seriously love this couple!

🖤 Gorgeous Prince by Charity Ferrell
This arranged marriage between a mafia prince and heir to his father’s criminal throne is 100% delicious! The heroine’s lack of experience is handled authentically and in a way that makes sense.

Mine:

💋 Urgent Vows
She’s a virgin bride forced into marriage to save her sister—except the man she’s marrying might just be more dangerous than the threat they're running from.

💋 Demanding Mob Boss
An innocent woman. A ruthless mobster. When their worlds collide, he wants more than to watch her from afar—he wants her heart and her untouched body.

💋 Brutal Capo
She's a mafia princess in hiding. He's a capo who learned early that women, especially outsiders, can't be trusted.

💋 Forced Vows
She's never been kissed… and now she’s married to a stranger with blood on his hands. It’s enemies-to-lovers with all the heat and heart you could want.

💋 Assassin’s Obsession
A killer obsessed, and the inexperienced woman who becomes his whole world. Her sensual awakening is intense, emotional, and was so much fun to write.

💋 A DeLuca Christmas Carol
Big Sal De Luca gets a Christmas wake up call through run ins with the past, the present and a glimpse into what the future could be. (Formerly published in the limited edition Sin & Snowflakes anthology; rereleasing as a standalone novella July 17 for Christmas in July.)

And Then There’s My Harlequin Presents Shelf…

Seriously, throw a stick at a shelf of my Harlequins and you’re likely to hit one with an inexperienced FMC. 😆 These were written for readers who love that intense emotional journey from innocence to deep, passionate love.

But even in my indie billionaire and steamy contemporary titles, you’ll find heroines who—because of circumstance or choice—are still holding onto that V-card too.

Don’t Miss These:

💕 Carter and Rand from Three Brides for Three Bad Boys
Both books feature heroines who are new to intimacy and navigating their emotional growth alongside sizzling chemistry.

💕 Watch Over Me (The Goddard Project)
Her innocence is a surprise to the hero—and a complication he didn’t see coming. It’s romantic suspense with a soft center and a whole lot of feels.

💕 The Maharajah's Billionaire Heir
An exotic setting, a modern-day royal, and a heroine whose untouched heart and body are both on the line. It’s sensual, lush, and oh-so-romantic.

There’s something magical about watching a character step into her own sensual power—especially when it's unexpected. Whether she's in the crosshairs of a mafia prince or facing a powerful billionaire heir, the virgin heroine trope gives us some unforgettable romance moments.

Have a favorite I missed? Drop it in the comments—I’m always looking for my next bookish obsession. 💘

For info on all of my books, visit my website.

Find me on social media:
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Tropes: Using Them Without Franken-Troping Your Story

Like it or hate it... tropes sell books. 📚 Every popular fiction genre has them — and so do plenty of nonfiction ones. Even literary fiction plays with tropes, though they rarely get called out by name. 😉

But inserting a trope purely for marketing value? That can ruin an otherwise compelling story. Done well, though? Tropes can absolutely enhance a story and deepen a reader’s emotional connection.

We've all read books where certain tropes are jammed into the story — and it shows. Instead of adding a layer of enjoyment for readers who love that trope, it makes the story feel stitched together, awkward, and less compelling for everyone.

I call this Franken-troping: splicing a trope into the story where it doesn’t naturally belong. Just like the stitches on Frankenstein’s monster, the seams are visible — and jarring.

Tropes Gone Wrong: An Example

The trope I’ve noticed used this way most often in my personal reading? Impact play in dark romance.

It probably stands out to me because it’s not my personal favorite trope. But let’s be real: having this popular element in a dark romance has helped a lot of authors sell books. When it’s done poorly, though, it can knock an author right off an auto-buy list.

But impact play is just one of dozens of tropes that get inserted into stories for marketing value while adding nothing in the way of plot or emotional resonance to the story. This happens in traditionally published and indie published books alike.

When the scene feels like it’s from another book, then it probably should be in another book.

So How Do We Include Tropes Well ?

If you're looking to weave a popular trope into your story, the goal isn't just to insert it.
The goal is to motivate it — deeply and believably.

A trope should:

Fit your characters naturally.

Grow organically from their pasts, their personalities, and their choices.

Enhance the overall story instead of feeling like an awkward add-on.

A throwaway line or thin subplot isn’t enough to make a trope feel earned. It needs to be rooted in believable backstory and current motivations.

Example: The Pregnancy Trope

Let’s look at another trope readers tend to either love or hate: pregnancy.

In RUTHLESS ENFORCER, Atlas knows two things pretty much from the beginning:

He wants to keep Lucia in his life.

He's lying to her — and it might be too late to fix it by simply telling the truth.

In typical alpha male fashion, his solution isn't to sit down and talk things out. 😂
Instead, when he learns Lucia wants a child badly enough to consider a sperm donor, he jumps on the opportunity — hard. No parachute, no bungee cord — just straight into the deep end.

And yes, they have a lot of fun along the way.

The important part? Both Atlas’s and Lucia’s actions around the pregnancy are motivated by who they are as people. Their hopes, their fears, and their emotional baggage drive this storyline.

This wasn’t something I added to beef up marketability. From the very beginning, this thread was woven into the core of their story.

When Tropes Feel Natural

For me, tropes aren’t checklist items. I don't build a story thinking, "How can I jam in a popular trope?" I build a story I want to read and spend weeks (or months) living inside — and popular tropes often emerge naturally, because they're the kind of stories I love too.

That’s just my method.

It doesn’t mean you can't purposefully include tropes. You can — and do it well! It just takes care, thoughtfulness, and motivation that feels true to the characters.

Back to Impact Play...

There are authors who use the impact play trope beautifully. Some have stayed firmly on my auto-buy list. Some... have fallen off. And a few have even moved onto my do-not-ever-buy-again list.

Why?

Because in their effort to meet reader expectations, they created scenes that:

Weren’t well-motivated.

Didn’t feel true to the characters.

Made the story feel disjointed or forced.

Will All Readers Agree with Me? Nope. 😊

Plenty of readers enjoy those books — the reviews say so! And that’s a beautiful thing about reading: taste is subjective.

But here's the long-term concern: When you force a trope into a story where it doesn’t belong, readers may not know why the story feels off... but they’ll feel it. And slowly, quietly, they’ll drift away — finding new authors whose stories resonate more deeply.

Final Thoughts: Tropes Change. Readers Stay (or Don’t).

I've been around publishing for a long time, friends. I’ve seen entire subgenres nearly vanish from bookstore shelves when their popularity faded. I've watched dozens of authors lose publishers — and readers — when trends shifted.

Tropes go in and out of fashion too.

If you’re going to write to market, it’s crucial to stay aware of what’s popular — and what’s fading. But if you build your stories on well-developed characters and real emotional arcs, many of your readers will follow you even when the tropes (or even the genres!) you write change.

Because ultimately it’s the story telling not the story elements that create loyal readers. Write the stories only you can write — thoughtfully, deeply, and with heart.

Happy writing and until next time! 💖

Lucy

With more than 12.5 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Lucy’s an award winning and USA Today bestselling author with 95+ published books. Her stories have been translated for sale all over the world and after a long career in traditional publishing, she’s gone indie. She loves the freedom to write the stories both her and her loyal readers enjoy the most. Her steamy mafia romance series, Syndicate Rules features the morally gray alpha heroes and spice she love to write. She also writes contemporary, historical and paranormal romance. Some of her books have action adventure and intrigue. All of them are steamy and deeply emotional. She’s a voracious reader and loves to talk about both her books and those she’s read (or should read…good recs are always welcome). Welcome to her world where love conquers all, but not easily!

For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.

Find her on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromancePinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
Threads: lucymonroeromance

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Breaking Up with Traditional Publishing (and Finding My True Voice Again)

A Little Backstory for the Many New Readers On My Newsletter List and Anyone Else Interested in My Journey to Here

I published my first book with Harlequin in 2003, The Greek Tycoon’s Ultimatum and I loved that book. So much. Over the next two decades, I published dozens of books with four traditional New York publishers and one small press. I learned a ton about writing and myself. I got to works with some incredible editors, and connected with readers who became part of the fabric of my life.

In 2017, I got the rights back to a few out-of-print books from Kensington and Berkley. I rereleased them under Lucy Monroe LLC to keep them available to readers with no real plan to publish any of my new books independently. Things change and in 2019, I indie-published my first new releases: two books from series my publishers had lost interest in — Hot Alaska Nights (Northern Fire) and Viking’s Moon (Children of the Moon).

In 2020, I took back a book from Harlequin after they asked me to strip it down to the basic idea and rewrite it with new characters. Instead, I wrote a new book for them and indie released the book I still loved (The Maharajah’s Billionaire Heir). After 4 more books with Harlequin and more than one book gutting revision request, I made the difficult decision to go indie with the remaining books I was still writing for them.

Over the years, traditional publishing has changed. A lot. Since being purchased by big media parent companies and the merging of others, marketing now drives editorial decisions for many big New York publishing houses. Word count guidelines have tightened to the point of a stranglehold in some cases.

The midlist has all but vanished, with publishers dropping authors who would in the past have continued to write for them. Their books were still making a profit…just not big enough of one to satisfy the new stockholders. Amidst all this, incomes have plummeted for too many authors, requiring them to write more books per year to make ends meet or to give up on writing altogether.

Real life doesn’t happen in a vacuum and this is the environment in which I made my decision.

The Breakup

A lot of people assume my “breakup book” was Cinderella’s Jilted Billionaire — the one I bought back from Harlequin. But at that point, I still planned to stay hybrid: indie-publishing my paranormal and shorter contemporaries while continuing to work with a New York publisher for single title books.

In fact, I wrote what I believed would be my breakout book: Masquerade in Egypt.

Set in 1920s Egypt and blending action, suspense, steamy romance, and women's fiction, Masquerade in Egypt was the culmination of years of research and passion. I poured my heart into it. I was sure this book could launch the next phase of my career.

My agent and former publishers didn’t agree.

I was told it didn’t resonate. That it was too hard a sell. That it didn’t niche neatly into a single category. That I needed to “pick a lane.” But I had picked a lane — mine. And I didn’t want to backtrack.

Traditional publishing is risk-averse. And as much as I loved this book, it wasn’t the kind of risk anyone wanted to take.

So I had a choice: Try again with a more marketable book? Or write the stories burning inside me — even if they didn’t fit in a traditional box?

I didn’t have another 1920s book whispering to me… but I did have a suspense story clamoring to be written. I wrote it — and I loved every moment. (It’s still sitting on my hard drive.) But I wasn’t quite ready to leap. Not yet.

The Aftermath

A year passed. I took time off from writing to refill my creative well — and I read a lot.

On January 3rd, I picked up my first mafia romance by an author I didn’t know: Run, Posy, Run by Cate C. Wells. (Cate has since become a dear friend — thank you, Amanda Cinelli, for the rec!) That book was everything I had wanted to write but had never dared to.

I thought my love for mafia romance was a fluke, that I adored Aleksandr Voinov’s Burn This City because I love his writing. I was wrong. Not about loving Aleksandr’s writing, but about mafia romance.

Suddenly, I had found my genre.

I devoured hundreds of mafia romance books and fell in love with authors like Neva Altaj, Cora Reilly, A. Zavarelli, J.T. Geissinger, and Michelle Heard.

And something inside me broke wide open. The floodgates burst. Ideas poured in so fast I had to carry a journal with me at all times just to keep up. By the end of February, I had eight solid mafia romance ideas. (I have more than two dozen now!)
I started writing. And I haven’t stopped. I love my job!

Two years later, I’ve published:

7 novels in my Syndicate Rules series

1 novella

1 free bonus novella for newsletter subscribers
...and I’m now working on the first book in my new Irish Mob series: Syndicate Sins.

The reader response has been incredible. So wonderfully affirming. And it’s made one thing very clear: following my muse was the right choice.

Breaking Up With More Than Just Trad Publishing

Looking back now, I guess Masquerade in Egypt was my breakout book — just not in the way I expected. It gave me the courage to take a leap. To follow my creative instincts. To stop shying away from stories outside my “lane.”

I broke up with the me afraid to tell the stories out loud that I told myself in my head every night before going to sleep.

Will I write another 1920s story someday? Maybe. Will I eventually write those cozy mystery that came to me in a dream? Probably. Will I rewrite that thriller as a dark romance where the serial killer is the antihero? There’s a good chance! 😉

But what I know for sure is this: I’ll keep writing the stories I want to read. And I’ll be grateful every single day for the readers who want to read them too.

Until next time!

Lucy

P.S. If you’re missing your weekly dose of book recs from me, I posted Arranged to Love: Historical Romance yesterday on the blog. There are some delicious stories on my list of recommendations, so be sure and check it out.

For info on all of my books, visit my website.

Find me on social media:
BookBub: Lucy Monroe
goodreads: Lucy Monroe
Facebook: LucyMonroe.Romance
Instagram: lucymonroeromance
Pinterest: lucymonroebooks
YouTube: @LucyMonroeBooks
Threads: lucymonroeromance

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