posted on March 25, 2016 by Coleen Kwan

The Appeal of the Younger Hero

by Coleen Kwan

Unexpectedly Yours When I was growing up, most of the romance books I read featured heroines much younger than the hero. A gap of ten years or more seemed the norm, and heroines were often as young as eighteen or twenty-one. Nowadays, our reading tastes have evolved, and it’s not that uncommon for romances to feature a younger man/older woman combination. For me, writing UNEXPECTEDLY YOURS was my first such romance, and in reality the five year gap between Derek Carmichael and Hannah Willmett isn’t that huge, but it threw up some interesting conflicts for me to explore.

At twenty-four, Derek is at the age when a lot of young men are still sowing their wild oats and not in the least interested in settling down. Except Derek isn’t your average twenty-four-year old. After his mom dumped him with his ornery grandfather and took off, Derek’s had to grow up fast and he’s learned to fend for himself. He knows what he wants, and he’s not afraid to go after it. He’s harbored a secret crush on Hannah for years, and now she’s gotten rid of her jerk of an ex-husband, he’s ready to lay his cards on the table.

As her younger brother’s best friend, Hannah has always viewed Derek as a boy, so it’s a shock to see him all grown up and gorgeously hot. She thinks it’s wrong of her to ogle him, but when he makes it clear that he wants her just as badly, she can’t resist playing cougar to his boy toy.

In Hannah’s opinion, Derek might be too young for a serious relationship, but he still has a lot to offer like stamina (yes!), playfulness (she never knew video games could be so much fun until he showed her), and energy (good for helping her paint her house).

Derek might be five years younger, but he’s always known who rules his heart, and he’s willing to put everything on the line to prove himself to Hannah.

I hope readers will enjoy reading Derek and Hannah’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Happy reading!

Coleen Kwan

UNEXPECTEDLY YOURS

He wasn’t what she was expecting…

Derek Carmichael has harbored a secret crush on his best friend’s older sister for years, but she’s always been out of his reach. Now that Hannah is back in their hometown and newly single, suddenly the five-year age gap doesn’t seem so huge. But convincing her to see him as more than just the kid she used to know is another story.

Hannah Willmett can’t believe how grown-up Derek Carmichael has become. The troubled kid from her youth has turned into a sexy, successful TV celebrity, but Hannah’s wary of his player past and the rampant rumors connecting him to beautiful socialites. Still, she can’t help but give in when their attraction reaches a boiling point.

Trying to keep their fling a secret from her overprotective brother is one thing, but when Hannah finds herself unexpectedly expecting, her life is thrown upside down. She and Derek may be becoming parents together, but that’s no basis for a happily-ever-after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coleen Kwan

Coleen Kwan has been a bookworm all her life. At school English was her favorite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life — and discovered writing. She loves writing contemporary romance and steampunk romance. Coleen lives in Sydney, Australia with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching TV shows like Criminal Minds and Masterchef.

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