A Hero Like No Other…

I love romance.

I love the thrill of it, the indulgence. I love the “oooo will they get together? (I know they do, obviously… they’re kissing each other on the front cover but aaaaa)” tension.

I love happily ever afters.

And I especially love the rise in body positivity and diversity of romance characters. The message is simple: everyone deserves love.

BUT there aren’t enough! I’m insatiable.

I was desperate for a romance set in a fantasy world, where the hero isn’t your average Adonis with chiseled, washboard abs. I wanted to write a story with swords, castles and knights in armor, and about falling in love with a big, handsome man.

That’s how I came up with Brandon; big, hairy, lovely, squishy Brandon.

Brandon the Bear is the most titled champion in all of Aldland. Back in his glory days, Brandon won the Grand Tourney six years in a row. Handsome, burly, towering above all others, and unwilling to ever leave his lover unsatisfied, he was the darling of the Guild, and a consummate ladies’ man.

As his list of victories grew, he became known for his prowess in the arena and with women. But in his own words, “they tend to come and go with the rankings.”

When his performance in the Tourney began to dwindle, so did his self-esteem. He found comfort in food and drink, and lost his toned physique.

That’s where our heroine, Natalie, finds him; staring into a pint, lamenting his defeats. His once dark hair is silver at the temples, and his body, though still strong, is softer and rounder.

He’s a gentleman, a badass, a sweetheart, a show off, and an outrageous flirt after a bottle of honeyed wine, and he needs to be loved. He needs to feel handsome and wanted, and he is.

I can’t wait to share Natalie and Brandon’s story.

I’m so beyond excited to share the cover of The Lady’s Champion with you. Najla and Najla Qamber Designs did an incredible job bringing Brandon to life for the cover, and I’ve been swooning over it for about the past six months. So, here it is…