This “Behind the Scenes” blog is part of a series examining my romance novels. In each blog, I’ll talk about why I wrote the book, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. Warning: Blogs may contain spoilers.
I specifically wrote A Most Unusual Princess for the Amber
Quill Press “Amber Heat” romance contest. My premise was simple: a headstrong,
spoiled princess has to find a husband. Her father has arranged for her to meet
a lot of eligible bachelors while being watched over by her new bodyguard,
Dalton. (Basically, it’s a medieval style of speed dating.)
Elara is an independent young woman and insists she doesn’t
need a husband. But what she’s really saying is that she doesn’t want to be
controlled by a man. She wants to make her own decisions in life and refuses to
allow anyone to tell her what to do. She is an unusual woman for her
time—smart, quick-thinking, and knows what she wants. Or at least she thinks
she does... then Dalton enters her life.
Dalton and Elara’s first meet is anything but typical. On
his way to the palace, Dalton comes across a young lady bathing herself in a
pond... except she’s not exactly bathing. Dalton knows he shouldn’t watch, but
he is captivated by the beautiful woman. When Elara discovers she is being
spied on, she gives Dalton hell and tries to slap him—but he’s not bothered by
her actions. In fact, he finds her amusing... and enchanting.
Later, things really heat up when Dalton learns he has been
assigned to watch over Elara while she courts suitors. He is not allowed to
leave her side and decides to make a pest of himself. At first, Elara resents
Dalton for being around her all the time, but over the course of the story,
they realize how compatible they are. Along the way they also discover how easy
it is to share a few forbidden passionate encounters.
When I wrote the novella, I wasn’t exactly sure what defined
erotica, so I decided to spice things up right on the first page. (Believe it
or not, erotica and erotic romances were a new subgenre at the time.) I made
sure to keep the romantic/sexual tension between Dalton and Elara building
throughout the story.
One of the things I liked best about writing the book was
coming up with the different situations for Dalton and Elara to bond over. Each
encounter between them (whether they are arguing or teasing each other) helps
build their relationship and show how well-matched they really are.
Dalton is unmoved by Elara’s tantrums and moodiness and has
the ability to settle her down when she gets riled up. (Her calls her “little
princess” to annoy her. She insults him by saying he’s “just a bodyguard” to
her.)
Dalton isn’t intimated by Elara when she tries to pull rank
on him; instead, he finds it entertaining. The more Elara insists she doesn’t
want a husband, the more she finds herself falling for Dalton. The longer
Dalton stays with Elara, the more he realizes he doesn’t want to lose her to
anyone else. He goes out of his way to protect her and even fights for her
honor—with mixed results.
When I wrote this novella, I had no idea it would be the
first book in a trilogy (collectively the three books are known as the Royal
Desires series). Readers fell in love with the characters and wanted more.
Elara and Dalton were fun characters to write for, and I wanted to explore more
of their relationship and give them new erotic adventures. So I wrote a sequel,
A Most Intriguing Temptation. (I’ll talk more about that book in another blog.)
Although the story is part of a series, it stands alone as an individual read.
A Most Unusual Princess is still one of my favorite romances
for many reasons. I love the connection and banter between Dalton and Elara.
It’s a lighthearted, humorous, and sexy story. And it’s anything but boring.
I hope you will read the book and fall in love with Elara
and Dalton as much as I did. Here is the summary and links:
A Most Unusual Princess
Princess Elara needs to find a royal husband, but claims
that no man can satisfy her. Her father hires Dalton, a special guard, to watch
over her while she’s courting suitors. Dalton finds her unusual behaviors
charming—and enthralling.
Dalton’s aloof manner intrigues Elara, and despite their
differences, they share tender moments and intimate nighttime encounters. Elara
is heartbroken when her father chooses a “proper” husband for her—until she
meets the mystery man.
The Royal Desires Series is available on Amazon & other platforms. Catch this hot historical/fantasy trilogy from the start:
Book 1: A Most Unusual Princess:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CBX43D8
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/me00L9
Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unusual-princess
Book 2: A Most Intriguing Temptation:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D8P8604
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/47kkvj
Read reviews here:
https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-intriguing-temptation
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Most-Unfortunate-Prince-Historical-Fantasy-ebook/dp/B01DMBYJ6E
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3yPPM6
Read reviews here:
https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-most-unfortunate-prince
I hope you enjoyed this “Behind the Scenes” look at the
making of this romance. I welcome questions and comments from readers and other
authors. Contact me via the form on my site or on social media.
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
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