Guest Author Day with kelli A. Wilkins: Celebrate Summer with A Deceptive Match

 

           Celebrate Summer with A Deceptive Match – A Spicy Contemporary Romance

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Happy Summer everyone!

To celebrate the summer months, I’m posting a “Summer Romance Series” of blogs. Today I’m sharing a look at my spicy summer romance, A Deceptive Match.

A Deceptive Match is a contemporary romance set in the world of professional wrestling. Watching wrestling has been a tradition in my family for generations (all the way back to my great-grandmother), so I wasn’t entirely surprised when I got the idea to write a wrestling romance. Nowadays, wrestling is more popular than ever, and I’m glad it’s getting the attention it deserves.

I took my knowledge of the wrestling world (the good, the bad, and the controversial) and used it as the base for the story. As I considered various plots, I decided the premise would be: a reporter spends a month on the road with wrestlers and writes an in-depth story on the business. The catch? The reporteris a woman named Danni (short for Danielle) and she’s matched up with an uncooperative wrestler named Vinnie Valentine.

Vinnie is forced into this arrangement by his greedy, manipulative boss, Nick August. Vinnie is recovering from a knee injury and is at a crossroads in his career. Nick isn’t subtle about taking away Vin’s championship belt (and his livelihood) if the magazine story doesn’t go well.

And so begins a long and hot summer where Danni and Vin are on the road together, traveling from hotel to hotel and arena to arena. If you’ve ever spent time traveling in a car with someone you don’t get along with in the middle of summer, you can imagine the conflict between these two characters! Things get off to a bad start, and Vin isn’t thrilled to play “babysitter” to a woman reporter because he knows it will ruin his reputation with the other wrestlers.

Danni is out of her element and forced to adapt to a world she knows nothing about. Her own insecurities and worries make the situation even worse and she inadvertently causes lots of trouble for Vin. As the book progresses, Danni gets a first-hand look at how the wrestling industry works, from what goes on backstage to how the wrestlers interact with each other, the fans, and theiregotistical boss.

And this wouldn’t be a romance without some heat, right? Although Danni calls Vin an arrogant caveman, she finds him attractive. Despite his best intentions, Vin finds himself drawn to Danni, but he is hesitant to get involved with her. They’re both carrying lots of baggage from past relationships and fight the desire they feel for each other. In addition to the “heat” between these characters, I added details to the story to enhance the summer romance feel. It’s August and they’re trapped in a warm car, Danni is wearing short skirts, Vin gets all hot and sweaty during his matches… You can imagine the rest!

I don't want to give away too much of the plot or share too many spoilers, but over the course of the summer Vin and Danni open up to each other and realize they have more in common than they once thought. Danni comes to Vin’s rescue on a few occasions and even finds herself in the center of a wrestling storyline. Vin uses his charm and humor to break through Danni’s aloof exterior, and they begin a very heated and passionate affair.

I know wrestling isn’t a “traditional” sport like baseball or football, and when I wrote the book I realized that romance readers might not understand—or even like—wrestling. So I used my knowledge of the wrestling world as way to show Danni (and readers) “the ropes” of the business.

Since Danni’s a reporter, she asks a lot of questions, and Vin gives her easy-to-understand answers. These details help readers who know nothing about wrestling follow along with the terminology and let them visualize the action as it takes place in the ring.

A Deceptive Match also introduces readers to Vin’s best friend, Everett Kinkade. Ev is Vin’s former tag team partner, and he appears as a prominent secondary character. Ev offers advice to Vin and Danni and plays counselor (and matchmaker) when the need arises.

Ev has the reputation of a ladies’ man and he’s the hunky wrestling heartthroball women dream about—but he’s hiding a big secret. I fell in love with Ev while writing the book and decided he needed his own story, so I wrote A Secret Match. (I talked about that book in another blog.) A Secret Match is not a sequel to A Deceptive Match per se, but it features the same wrestling world and has lots of crossover characters, including Vin and Danni.

A Deceptive Match is one of my favorite books. I loved creating the conflict between Vin and Danni and showing how hurt and vulnerable each of them are. And I had fun writing the wrestling scenes! A reader told me you “could see the action taking place on the page and feel the excitement and adrenaline.” Those are great compliments—especially from a non-wrestling fan.

A Deceptive Match received great reviews and I’m happy that readers love the book. It’s got everything a good wrestling storyline needs: heroes, heels, action, drama, humor, betrayal, suspense—and in this case—hot love scenes. I hope you’ll check it out and fall for Danni and Vin as hard as I did.

 

A Deceptive Match

Falling for the wrestler she had been assigned to interview wasn’t part of Danni’s plan, until Vinnie Valentine pinned her heart in a flash.

Disgruntled with her job as the office assistant for a national sports magazine, Danni Stone impersonates a reporter to prove herself to her boss. Her assignment? Spend thirty days on the road with Vinnie Valentine, a sexy professional wrestler.

Life isn’t going well for the Heavyweight Champ. Vinnie is struggling with a manipulative boss, prepping for the most important match of his career, and feuding with his arch-enemy, Thorn. The last thing he needs is a nosy reporter following him around—even if she is hot.

Thrown together in close quarters, Danni can’t help falling for Vinnie, and she unwittingly becomes a key player in his title match. Their mutual attraction grows, and late one night, they give in to the lustful feelings they’ve been fighting.

As their relationship deepens, Danni considers telling Vinnie her secret. But before she can confess the truth, Vinnie discovers she isn't the reporter she claims to be. Her lie threatens to ruin everything between them. Will their relationship be destroyed by her deception or will their love win out?

Read reviews and order A Deceptive Match here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-deceptive-match

Don’t miss the follow-up book, A Secret Match: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/a-secret-match

I hope you enjoyed this “Summer Romance Series” blog. Visit my site www.kelliwilkins.com to learn about all of my books, read more blogs, and get links to my social media.

Happy Summer,

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Look for a new short story coming in August! Kelli’s story “Neighborhood Watch” will be included in the upcoming Witches Save the World: Covens, Cauldrons and Curses Gone Right anthology.

 

Kelli's 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

 

In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media links, and more.

Guest Author Day with Kelli Wilkins: Celebrate Summer with Trust With Hearts

 

Celebrate Summer with… Trust with Hearts – A Spicy Contemporary Romance

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Happy Summer everyone!

To celebrate the summer months, I’m posting a “Summer Romance Series” of blogs. Today I’m sharing a look at my spicy summer romance, Trust with Hearts.

Trust with Hearts is an example of how a story idea can come to an author anytime, anywhere. One night I was waiting for a concert to start and a premise for a romance popped into my head: A woman falls in love with her cousin’s best friend, but doesn’t realize he’s a famous country singer.

I knew I had to write it down, but the only paper I had was the envelope the concert tickets came in. (Yes, this was years ago!) I scribbled a brief outline and a character list before the concert started. And that’s how Trust with Hearts was born—but not right away.

I was in the middle of revising another romance at the time, so I took a few hours and wrote a detailed outline, snippets of dialogue, and character information about Trust with Hearts, then set it aside. About a year later, I pulled out my notes and started writing. The idea was still fresh in my head, and the book practically wrote itself. (I always advise writers to take down ideas as they appear—otherwise they might fade into oblivion.)

Trust with Hearts was an interesting book to write. The heroine, Sherrie, has left a bad relationship, and on the spur of the moment, goes to West Virginia and moves in with her cousin Dave. Unknown to her, Dave already has a houseguest—his friend Curtis. Curtis is a country boy and Sherrie is all city.

I enjoyed playing off their differences and had fun inventing vexing situations for them to get on each other’s nerves. And boy, do they! Right on page 1, Curtis and Sherrie start an on/off love/hate relationship—and soon realize there’s more to their teasing and feuding. Before long, they discover they have a lot in common, and begin a steamy summer romance.

Some of my favorite scenes are when Curtis climbs a tree to rescue a kitten, when Curtis and Sherrie realize they like each other, and the big bombshell scene when Sherrie learns Curtis’s secret. I also liked writing the scenes where Dave plays matchmaker and counselor to each of them. In his own way, he brought this unlikely couple together. 

But you can’t have a good romance without drama, and the book is filled with it. Sherrie confronts her abusive ex-boyfriend, reexamines her life, and finds her purpose. Curtis is healing his wounded heart, dealing with a major family crisis, and going out of his way to keep a huge secret from Sherrie. Throughout the book Cutis and Sherrie face their pasts, work on their personal issues, and learn to love and trust again.

Trust with Hearts is not just a romance, it’s also a summer romance, so when I was writing the book I made sure to include specific details to bring out the “summer romance” theme: hot, sticky, sweaty days and nights, cool iced tea, gardening, and even heat stroke. The details pull the reader into the story and into Curtis and Sherrie’s world. And since Curtis is an expert in country music, I worked those details into the plot and even had Curtis give Sherrie a very erotic guitar lesson!

Trust with Hearts is a summer romance with interesting characters, an unusual storyline, and plenty of sizzling love scenes. It will make you laugh, cry, and root for love. I hope you’ll add it to your summer reading list.

Here’s the book summary and link:

TRUST WITH HEARTS

After a bitter breakup, Sherrie Parker seeks refuge at her cousin Dave’s house in rural West Virginia. Early one morning, she runs into Dave’s other houseguest, a singer named Curtis Taylor. The last thing Sherrie wants is to share living quarters with a country music crooner – even if he is sexy, in a cowboy sort of way.

Thrown together by circumstances, Sherrie and Curtis get off to a rocky start, but soon discover they have more in common than they ever imagined. Unable to fight their growing attraction, they give in to their desires and start a sizzling summer romance.

Everything is perfect between them until Sherrie discovers Curtis is keeping secrets from her – and his biggest secret of all will change everything. Can their newfound love survive, or will destiny keep them apart forever?

Read reviews and order your copy of Trust with Hearts here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/trust-with-hearts

 

I hope you enjoyed this “Summer Romance Series” blog. Visit my site www.kelliwilkins.com to learn about all of my books, read more blogs, and get links to my social media.

Happy Summer,

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Kelli's 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

 

In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media links, and more.

                                                                 

Heating Up Summer Romances with Sizzling Details by Kelli A. Wilkins

 

Heating Up Summer Romances with Sizzling Details

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Happy Summer everyone!

To celebrate the summer months, I’m posting a “Summer Romance Series” of blogs. Today I’m sharing a few thoughts on how authors use details to spice up sultry summer romances.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself at the beach. The ocean waves are rolling into shore… you feel the sun on your skin and the warm, gritty sand beneath your toes… the air smells like salt water mixed with coconut-scented suntan lotion… You open your eyes and see a tanned hunk standing in front of you. A bead of sweat drips down his six-pack abs…

Did it feel like you were on the beach? Could you sense everything happening around you? Good, because conveying sensory details to readers is an excellent way to draw them into the book and make them part of the action.

More than anything, readers want to get inside the story, feel what the characters are feeling, and live vicariously in the world the author has created. When writing a summer romance (or any romance), authors should make the most of the five senses to bring the story alive. Exploring all the details of a scene gives the reader the experience of “being there.”

Here are a few examples of how authors bring everyday surroundings to life and enhance the sensory details in a story:

What’s the weather? How does the weather influence the action in a story? Is it too hot and humid to move? Does a sudden thunderstorm send everyone at the baseball game running for cover? Or is it a perfect breezy summer day? When does the scene take place? At an early morning sunrise? In the blazing afternoon heat? A cool summer night?

Liven it up with color! Summer colors are usually bold and bright. Authors can use details to describe the heroine’s hot pink bathing suit, the hero’s cherry red convertible, or the vibrant turquoise beach towel they make love on…

Add some flavor: The sense of taste is usually hard to work into a romance, but authors can get inventive. When the characters kiss, what do they taste? Zingy lemonade? Beer? Mint chip ice cream? Spicy BBQ? Does the heroine taste like the strawberries she’s just eaten?

The sounds of summer: Summer is a great time of year for main characters to be outside, so what do they hear in the background? Kids yelling and playing games? Music? Splashing in a pool? Carnival-ride sounds from a boardwalk? Sea gulls calling? Lawn mowers blaring?

Look around: What do the characters see as they go through a scene? Fireflies? Bees buzzing around flowers? A tattoo peeking out from under a bathing suit? Her long tan legs? Are people watching them kiss on the beach?

Breathe deep: The sense of smell isn’t always crucial to a romance, but having a hero follow his nose to the scent of burgers cooking on a grill, or relaxing in the comforting smell of smoke from a campfire can enhance a scene. Maybe the heroine is turned on (or off!) when she smells suntan lotion. Don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers. Flowers are blooming all summer, and the heroine can be an avid gardener who loves the scent of roses, while the hero has allergies.

Reach out and touch: One way to pull readers into the action is to describe what the characters physically feel as they go through a scene. Authors can describe sweat trickling down the hero’s back, the brisk coolness of walking into an air-conditioned room, jumping into a cold lake, rough sand under bare feet, or even what it feels like to touch the hero’s hot, sweaty skin…

My summer paranormal romance, Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover, is set at the beach. (Yes, it’s quite an unusual setting for a vampire romance!) In this book, I used a variety of details to describe the hero’s obsession with the sun, sand, and surf (or as he put it: wax, water, and waves).

I contrasted all that with details of his nights spent with the vampire heroine (the moonlight reflecting off the ocean, making love on the deserted beach, and swimming at night). By enhancing the details, I showed how Brian and Anya lived in completely different worlds (literally, night and day) and still found summer love.

I incorporated a lot of “summer” details into my contemporary romance, Trust with Hearts. In this sizzling tale, Curtis and Sherrie fall in love over the course of a summer. I used the hot and sticky weather, cool summer drinks, and sultry summer nights to build heat between the two characters.

Here’s a look at my summer romance, Trust with Hearts:

 

Trust with Hearts

After a bitter breakup, Sherrie Parker seeks refuge at her cousin Dave’s house in rural West Virginia. Early one morning, she runs into Dave’s other houseguest, a singer named Curtis Taylor. The last thing Sherrie wants is to share living quarters with a country music crooner – even if he is sexy, in a cowboy sort of way.

Thrown together by circumstances, Sherrie and Curtis get off to a rocky start, but soon discover they have more in common than they ever imagined. Unable to fight their growing attraction, they give in to their desires and start a sizzling summer romance.

Everything is perfect between them until Sherrie discovers that Curtis is keeping secrets from her – and his biggest secret of all will change everything. Can their newfound love survive, or will destiny keep them apart forever?

Read reviews and order your copy of Trust with Hearts here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/trust-with-hearts

The next time you read a summer romance, pay closer attention to the little details the author has added. Notice how they draw you deeper into the world of the characters and the story. And don’t we all want to get swept away into another world for a while?

I hope you enjoyed this “Summer Romance Series” blog. Visit my site www.kelliwilkins.com to learn about all of my books, read more blogs, and get links to my social media.

Whether you’re writing a summer romance, or losing yourself in one on a lazy afternoon, enjoy the summer!

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Kelli's 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

 

In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media links, and more.

 

Guest Author Day with Kelli A. Wilkins: Celebrating Pride Month Part 2

 

Celebrate Pride Month with A Thousand Summer Secrets – A Tender Summer Romance

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.Kelliwilkins.com

 

Hi everyone,

To celebrate the start of the summer months, I’m starting a “Summer Romance Series” of blogs. And since June is Pride Month, I’m sharing a look at my gay romance, A Thousand Summer Secrets. This tender contemporary romance takes place over a summer weekend, where two friends reconnect while seeking love and acceptance.

Here’s the book description and link:

A Thousand Summer Secrets

You can’t outrun your past…

Ten years after being disowned by his family for being gay, Eric Warren pays a visit to his family’s summer cabin. It’s his last attempt at reconciliation before moving on. But a surprise from the past is waiting for him.

Eric’s intolerant brother, Jamey, has several friends staying at the cabin for the weekend, including Matt, Eric’s boyhood friend and secret crush. The years haven’t faded their mutual attraction, and they quickly reconnect. But Eric is hesitant to get romantically involved. He’s emotionally broken and scarred from his traumatic past.

As Matt tries to help Eric, Jamey goes out of his way to sabotage his brother. And when the weekend events take a disastrous turn, Eric finds himself at a crossroads.

Should he follow his search for love and acceptance with Matt? Or leave the past behind forever?

Order your copy here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/thousand-summer-secrets

***

Before I talk about the characters, let’s talk about the title. Yes, as you may have guessed, this book is filled with secrets (and lies). Are there “a thousand” secrets? I’m not sure, but I do know the characters are keeping secrets from each other and themselves. Everything isn’t exactly what it seems, and there’s plenty of family and relationship drama to fill a weekend.

As for the title itself… Many years ago I was mindlessly fooling around with little magnetic squares of words and strung together “thousand summer secrets”. I thought it would make a good title, so I wrote it down.

I thought I’d use the title for a story about two female best friends reconnecting during a week at the beach. That book never materialized. But when I wrote about two male friends reconnecting over a Fourth of July weekend, I realized the title fit the story perfectly!

When I wrote the book, I deliberately set the story in a rural cabin during a long weekend. Why? To build drama and tension. Basically, I threw several characters who don’t get along in a small space and forced them to deal with each other, for good or bad. You never know what they’ll do or say next. (If anyone has ever been “stuck” with people you can’t stand for a long rainy weekend, you know what I’m talking about.)  

A Thousand Summer Secrets is about a young man (Eric) who is trying to put his life back together. He was disowned by his family for being gay (and other reasons) and wants to find out if he can make peace with his relatives, or if it’s best to cut his ties and move on. He’s had a rough life and several bad relationships, and he isn’t sure if he can trust anyone again. Eric’s rejection by his family wounds him deeply and feeds a lot of his low self-esteem issues.

Everyone in this story has flaws they’re working through (or should be!). Jamey has anger issues (for starters). His friend Dave is a homophobic jerk. Eric is in AA and harboring a lot of guilt. Matt is the stable one in the group and tries to make peace between everyone. But after a while, he realizes it’s an uphill battle, and Eric might be better off without his cruel, dysfunctional family.

I wanted all the characters to realize it’s okay to walk away from people and situations that make your life miserable. Just because you’re related to someone (or dating them), it doesn’t give them the right to bully you or treat you like crap. Life is too short to be around uncaring, intolerant people, and it’s within your right to leave them behind, move on, and close the door to them forever.

As Eric tries to come to grips with his past, he needs all the love, support, and help he can get. He was disowned by his parents (literally thrown out of the house forever) when he was 20 years old, and left to fend for himself. Despite his attempts at reconciliation, his family wants nothing to do with him. Why? Because he’s gay.

Eric’s plight is based on stories I’ve heard from gay friends and coworkers over the years. Some people were kicked out by their parents, others were told to stay in the closet and “not embarrass” the family, and some were subjected to anti-gay physical and verbal abuse at work or in public. Even now, people are still facing bullying, hatred, and worse from their relatives, in their schools, and on social media—all because they don’t “fit in” with the “norm” of society. It’s not surprising that many times the LGBTQ+ person decides the only way to be happy is to leave their biological family and find a new family in the LGBTQ+ community.

I channeled a lot of these types of experiences into this story.

Although Eric is dealing with his past, he’s not alone. Matt comes along at the perfect moment. Matt knew Eric before his life went to hell and even after 10 years, his feelings for Eric haven’t faded. They quickly resume their friendship. Matt is a stabilizing force for Eric and a sounding board for his troubles. Matt acts as the voice of logic and reason in a chaotic, turmoil-filled weekend.

Eric has his share of challenges in this story and one of them is his intolerant brother, Jamey. Jamey goes out of his way to push every one of Eric’s buttons as only family can. Jamey and his friend Dave are determined to undermine Eric’s recovery and make his stay at the cabin a nightmare. And they do a good job of it.

As I wrote the story, I wanted to show how Eric is trying to do the right thing by making amends with his family and trying to heal the past, but at what cost? Eventually he has to face the harsh reality that you can’t go home again. (And sometimes you shouldn’t want to.) Life can never be the same as it was before, but sometimes when you least expect it, life takes a new direction, and things turn out okay.

A Thousand Summer Secrets isn’t all drama, feuds and fighting; there are tender moments, funny scenes, a bit of sadness, introspection, and even danger—plus the happy ending Matt and Eric deserve… because love is all that matters.

I hope you enjoyed this “Summer Romance Series” blog. Visit my site www.kelliwilkins.com to learn about all of my books, read more blogs, and get links to my social media.

June is Pride Month. Let’s all celebrate Love this summer.

Happy Reading,

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Kelli's 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

​

In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media links, and more.

                                                     

Guest Author Day with Kelli A. Wilkins: Redemption from a Dark Past

 

Love Romances? Don’t miss… Redemption from a Dark Past

A Gothic Historical Romance from Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

 

Hi everyone,

 

Today I’m sharing a look at the making of my Gothic historical romance, Redemption from a Dark Past.

When I sit down to write an historical romance, I never know where (or when) my story will take me. I’ve written romances set in the Old West (Lies, Love & Redemption), the Minnesota wilderness (Loving a Wild Stranger), Colonial Pennsylvania (Dangerous Indenture), and Celtic Scotland (The Viking’s Witch). Redemption from a Dark Past takes place in another unique locale, the Kingdom of Hungary.

For me, the setting conjures up images of brooding castles perched on treacherous mountaintops, tiny villages, medieval stone cities, vampires, and Prince Vlad. Although the book does not take place in Transylvania specifically, this atypical location appealed to me. It seemed like the perfect place for a Gothic novel filled with secrets, danger, deception, and superstition.

Right from the start, we meet Lord Sebestyen Adrik and learn that he’s a troubled hero who has hidden himself away in his isolated castle. He’s depressed, guilt-ridden, has an unsavory reputation, and is the subject of nasty rumors spread by superstitious villagers.

The heroine, Katarina, is feisty, clever, and anything but superstitious. She dismisses tales of evil spirits and ghosts, and doesn’t have time for old wives’ tales. She’s ambitious and wants to leave her pathetic job on the goat farm for better things. When she learns that she’s about to be forced into marriage to a much older man, she jumps at the chance to be Lord Adrik’s companion—despite all the terrifying stories she has been told. Katarina’s boldness and intelligence make her the perfect person to free Sebestyen from his dark past.

When I set about creating the mysterious Lord Adrik, I wanted to make him a flawed and sympathetic hero. He has two physical ailments (one most romance heroes never have – sorry, no spoilers!) as well as several psychological scars. And as if they weren’t enough problems, he also has a reputation as a murderer (among other things). At the start of the book, he has just about given up on life and any hope of being happy. By giving Sebestyen all this “baggage” I made him vulnerable and provided him with lofty goals to reach.

As I wrote, I added layers of secrets, built suspense, and created numerous plot twists and turns. Readers follow Katarina’s adventures and are not sure what—or who—to believe. Can Magda the surly, gossiping cook be trusted? How did Lady Adrik die? Is the castle really haunted? What happened to Lord Adrik’s previous companions? Are the rumors about him true? Katarina is left alone with Sebestyen every night, should she fear for her safety? Everyone says she should!

Over the course of the book, Katarina draws Sebestyen out of his shell, and just when she thought she knew him, she uncovers a disturbing secret he’s been hiding from her. Katarina tries to make sense of it all, while following her heart.

Not everyone in this story is exactly what (or who) they seem to be, and this adds another level of mystery and intrigue to the book. Combining all these elements into a sensual, Gothic romance was a lot of fun, and I hope readers will enjoy this trip into “the Dark Lord’s lair.”

Here’s the book summary and buy link:

Redemption from a Dark Past

Lord Sebestyen Adrik has an unsavory reputation as a madman, murderer… and worse. Lonely and searching for love, he seeks the companionship of local young women, hoping one of them will ease his torment and bring him the happiness he longs for. Katarina is his last chance—but will she fear him like all the others? Or is she the one who can lift his curse?

Desperate to avoid a forced marriage, Katarina agrees to become Lord Adrik’s latest companion, despite the rumors she has heard about him. She discovers the “Dark Lord’s” secret past and realizes he’s not the monster everyone thinks he is.

As their love blossoms, she renews his passion for life—yet they cannot escape the ghosts of the past.

When a meeting of the nobility goes horribly wrong, Sebestyen’s world unravels, and his enemies plot to destroy him. As all seems lost, a mysterious stranger arrives at the castle. Sebestyen must decide if he is a friend or a foe…and if he can find redemption in his love for Katarina, or lose her and everything else that he holds dear.

* * *

Order Redemption from a Dark Past and read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/redemption-from-a-dark-past

I hope you enjoyed this inside look at the making of Redemption from a Dark Past. I welcome comments and questions from readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit me on social media!

Happy Reading,                                                   

Kelli A. Wilkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Kelli's 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

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In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media links, and more.

 

 

Guest Author Day: Romance Rewind with Kelli A. Wilkins

 

Romance Rewind: For Love’s Sake (An Epic Historical/Fantasy Romance)

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Hi everyone,

My romance novel, For Love’s Sake, uses the subtitle “An Epic Historical/Fantasy Romantic Adventure”—that says quite a lot, but that’s the best way to describe it. Why?

Because For Love’s Sake is divided into three parts: The Castle, The Ship, and The Palace. Each part is devoted to a specific section of the longer, overall story, and they’re almost novellas unto themselves. But what readers don’t know is… this wasn’t how the book started out.

I originally outlined the story as a trilogy. (Yup, this one book would have been three.) In my outline, each part would have been its own self-contained book with a beginning, a middle, an end, and a central story arc. (Like my “Royal Desires” trilogy of books.)

Looking back on my original idea, I only have one question: What was I thinking??? First, nobody would want to read all that. Second, I didn’t want to write, edit, revise, and proofread all that. Writing one novel is hard enough; why triple my workload?

I’m glad to say common sense kicked in, and my writer’s intuition of what works and what doesn’t work, prevailed.

The book is 86,000 words, which is plenty. I wanted to fully develop each part, but without adding unnecessary scenes or too many details. For example, in part two, I could have described every rope, set of rigging, and mast on the ship for readers as Dray learns about them. But I didn’t want to go overboard. (Ha-ha.) Readers get the feel of being on the ship without seeing the day-to-day events that don’t impact the plot. The writer’s credo is “write tight.” Even in novels.

Some readers have asked me: If this is a romance, where are all the hot and heavy love scenes? Well… as I was editing/revising, I deleted several scenes that, although they were very nice, they didn’t move the story along or add character development. When I came to some of the explicit love scenes between Kevan and Dray, I cut them or had the characters recall the highlights in spicy flashbacks.

But For Love’s Sake is more than a romance, it’s also an adventure. The characters experience lots of action outside of the bedroom: escaping a dungeon, fighting pirates, being lost at sea, getting kidnapped… And there’s plenty of emotional drama for everyone. The book is filled with lies, deception, sadness, secrets, jealousy, revenge, regret, and love in all its forms.

The secondary characters, Mikhael and Derick, play an important role in part three. Mikhael (Kevan’s brother), is married to Derick, and together, they set events in motion that bring the story to its conclusion.

I love Mikhael and Derick, and for a while I considered giving them their own book. I even wrote their entire backstory—their first meet, Derick’s disastrous lunch with Mikhael’s father (the king), how Derick became a Lord, and what happened when Mikhael and Derick moved into the manor house—but I never intend to publish it.

Why? Because it’s not a book in the traditional sense that it’s a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. There’s no plot. It’s merely a series of vignettes about their lives. But because I love them so much, I included Mikhael and Derick’s first meet as a bonus read in the book. That story also explains the origins of the Freedom.

In the book, Mikhael is sassy, self-assured, and bold… but he didn’t start out this way. As readers will see from the bonus read, he was originally very confused and troubled. He’s come a long way (thanks to Derick) in the course of a few years. And because I love Mikhael so much, I gave him a fun bit of dialog: “Stand and deliver. Your money or your life.” (With credit to Adam Ant!) I’ve always wanted to use that phrase in a story, and it fit Mikhael’s personality (and the scene) perfectly.

For Love’s Sake has plenty of action, drama, suspense, humor, love, and emotional growth to earn epic novel status. It was a lot of fun to write, and it’s one of my favorite romances. It’s also my last romance. (Yup, you read that right.)

I enjoy creating characters and settings and inventing troubles for my heroes and heroines to get into (and out of), and I love all my books. But when it comes to romances… I think I’m done.

Over the last twenty-five years I’ve been writing romances faithfully, and had romances lined up in my head and/or outlined on paper just waiting to be written—but For Love’s Sake (my 24^th romance) was the last one in line. I’ll still write, but I’ll be focusing on horror/mystery/suspense short fiction.

For now, I’ll leave you with an epic tale of two people who risked everything… For Love’s Sake. Here’s the summary and links:

For Love’s Sake

An Epic Historical/Fantasy Romantic Adventure

She left everything behind to be with him.
He risked losing everything to stay with her.
They were willing to sacrifice everything… for love’s sake

Through a case of mistaken identity, Prince Kevan of Alborg narrowly avoids an assassination attempt and wakes to find himself trapped in mad King Torok’s rat-infested dungeon. Just when he is about to give up hope, he is rescued by an unlikely ally—Torok’s daughter, Princess Adrianna.

Adrianna is desperate to flee her father’s kingdom and agrees to help the handsome stranger escape, but only if he takes her with him when he leaves. Although Kevan knows bringing Adrianna home will not sit well with his father and lead to other complications, he agrees.

They make their way to a waiting ship captained by Kevan’s brother, Mikhael, and set sail for Alborg. Along the way they are lost at sea during a ferocious storm, battle a murderous mercenary sent by Adrianna’s father, and try to deny their intense romantic feelings for each other.

When they arrive in Alborg, Kevan’s father, King Lenard, disapproves of Adrianna and drops the bombshell that Kevan is already engaged to be married. While Kevan tries to get out of the arranged marriage, Mikhael introduces Adrianna to members of the nobility in an effort to win over the king.

At his engagement ball, Kevan is forced to choose between his duty to his father and his loyalty to Adrianna. Soon after, Adrianna is kidnapped and Kevan and Mikhael band together to hunt down her abductors and rescue her before it’s too late.

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS2H1YMD

Other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4jvDXj

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I welcome comments and questions from readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit my site for a full title list and links to my social media.

Until next time,

Kelli A. Wilkins

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Kelli's 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

​

In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media link