What Happens After Happily Ever After?

As a romance author, one of the complaints I often get is that my books focus on the first stages of love. The beating heart, sweaty palms, and the gotta have sex all the time stage. But what happens to the romance after that stage is over? Where are the books that tell the story of the married couple who still has the heat and passion? Or the couple who are able to regain that heat and passion years after they have their happily ever after?

I’m very fortunate that my publisher does offer a line of books devoted to that stage of love as well. I haven’t written one—yet. But there are some amazing authors who have. One of which is our own diva Sabrina York! The line is the Branded line at Ellora’s Cave. And I’d like to write one someday soon. The general consensus is that it’s fantastic fall in love. Staying in love, however, is a whole other story. And it should be told. Having been married for seventeen years (this November) I tend to agree.

Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I faced our fair share of conflict when we announced we were getting married after a very short dating period. And how we handled that conflict really defined our relationship and set up a healthy pattern of conflict resolution for the future. But since then we’ve gone through unemployment, fertility issues, pregnancy issues, debt, a massive move, job changes, and my husband even worked two jobs while going through college. And that’s just the periods of stress I can name off the top of my head. If I were to think harder about, I’m sure I could remember more. But through it all, we fought to keep our relationship.

And I know we aren’t alone. Every married couple I know has faced their unique set of challenges. Some have had unexpected health issues, others have faced financial or employment stresses. And some have had to deal with broken trust. That they fight to reclaim their relationship is beautiful and should be celebrated in story as well.

So today I’m going to sit down and read Extreme Couponing because it looks fabulous.

Blurb:

Extreme Couponing

Bella adores her sweet, patient and gentle husband Tae. She would do anything to keep him happy—even pretend to be something she’s not. She acts as if she’s content with their vanilla marriage but she yearns for something more. Something darker.

When Tae discovers Bella’s secret desires, he’s determined to fulfill her every fantasy. He devises a wicked coupon book full of naughty commands and fiendish challenges. From spankings to bondage to erotic play with household implements, he tests her limits.

With each coupon Tae redeems, Bella sinks deeper and deeper into the lifestyle she’s always craved but never had the courage to demand. Now if she can just find a way to be the strong, independent woman Tae fell in love with and the quivering sub she is at her core…

Reader Advisory: Tae and Bella find some very inventive—and erotic—uses for everything from carrots to home-improvement tools. Be forewarned—you’ll never look at candy canes or duct tape the same way again.

A Romantica® erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Doesn’t it look fabulous? And then I’m going to check out the rest of the stories in the line. I hope you do as well.

You can find Extreme Couponing Here

And all the Branded books Here