Hello, everyone! I’m so excited to return to Inspy Romance, and I’m looking forward to blogging monthly again. I’ve missed being able to chat with you all!
To those of you who don’t know me, my name is Melanie D. Snitker. My husband and I live in the beautiful Texas Hill Country with our two kids (our son is almost 15 and our daughter is 9). One of my favorite hobbies is building bioactive terrariums that currently house tree frogs, lizards, and a toad. I primarily write contemporary inspirational romance and, of course, I love to read romance novels.
It’s hard for me to choose just one favorite romance trope. I’m a big fan of books about enemies to friends, marriages of convenience, and second chances. More specifically, though, I enjoy reading about a second chance romance involving either a married couple, or a couple that used to be married. There’s just something about seeing a couple that used to be in love finding their way back to that again.
As a writer, I find stories like these to be both fun and challenging to write. How do I keep the tension between the hero and heroine when they’ve technically had their first kiss months or even years ago? Weaving together a second chance romance that shows the couples working through real problems makes it all worth it, especially when you can’t help but cheer them on. And those new first kisses? I think they may be even better because the couple fight so hard to get to that point.
I just released a novella called Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye about a couple on the edge of divorce. It doesn’t help that Abby grew up with horrible examples of what marriage and commitment mean, while Tom’s parents and grandparents’ marriages seem almost too perfect. Here’s a little more about the novella:
Everyone said eloping was a bad idea…
Tom and Abby Sinclair are ready to divorce. First, they have to survive a cruise with the extended family. Acting like they are happily married isn’t easy, especially when pretending to be in love makes them face their true feelings for each other.
A family cruise to celebrate his grandparents’ anniversary means Tom and Abby will be trapped together for five days. There’s nowhere to run, especially from the truth or each other.
If you’re interested in second chance romances involving married couples, or if I’m a new writer to you and you’d like to sample some of my work, you can get a free copy of Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye when you sign up for my newsletter.
Sign up for your FREE novella!
If you already receive my newsletter and would like to read my new novella, please e-mail me at melanie@melaniedsnitker.com, and I’ll be happy to get a copy of it to you as well!
I’d love to hear from you! Do you enjoy books about couples that are already married, or have been married? I hope you’ll comment below. Take care, and have a blessed day!
~*~
If you like reading books about married couples finding their way back together, I have two others you might be interested in:
Finding Courage – With their marriage failing, it takes courage to ask for a second chance…and even more to extend one.
I Still Do – What’s worse than running into your ex-husband? Becoming snowbound with him and an avalanche of memories you can’t escape.
Married couples are fun to read in books. I like how they re-discover why they married in the first place.
I think it’s fun to see them re-discover it as well!
I enjoy reading about married couples! Glad to see you back!
Thank you Paula Marie – it’s great to be back <3
I like to read about married couples! I think it helps us to see that you can get through troubles and that every marriage isn’t always as “perfect” as it might seem. We all go through ups and downs, and I like books to reflect real life.
So very true, Trudy. I think it’s good for us to see that not everything is perfect, and that couples have to work together to keep a marriage going.
Welcome back, Melanie! This sounds like a fun story. I Still Do might be my favorite of yours (so far).
Thank you, Valerie <3 For the welcome and comment on my book. I Still Do was one of my favorite to write as well!
I’ve read other of your books and enjoyed them. These all sound good!
I appreciate that, Margaret. Thanks for reading!
Like all romance books, but I’m intrigued by this series. You always get the happily Ever After, but you don’t get too many stories where the bloom has faded a bit and life kicks in to reality. Looking forward to this series.
Thanks, Gail! Each of the books mentioned are either standalones, or in a separate series. But they can be read alone.
I love your books and your blogs. I’ve read these books and really enjoyed them. The second chance and married books are some I like. I’m so glad you’re back, and I hope you and your family are staying well.
Thank you, Mary. It’s good to be back. We are managing. This year has been a challenge for everyone I think. I hope you and your family are doing well, too!
I love reading about already married couples and also about ‘more senior’ second chances for widows and widowers. Blessings to you and stay safe.
Thanks, Sandra. I hope you are doing well!
So glad you are back Melanie I Love reading books about Married Couples Blessings to You !
Thank you, Sarah. It’s so good to be back <3
Welcome back! I enjoy reading books where the couple is already married and has to find their way back to one another. I think it can really be an encouragement for those that are having difficult times in their own marriages.
Thank you, Megan! <3 I agree, they can be very encouraging to read if going through a tough time for sure.
Hi, yes I enjoy reading books about married couples, your book sounds like a great read. I love the book cover and the Title. Thank you for sharing about your book and thank you for writing a book about a married couple. Have a Great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
Thanks, Alicia! You are very welcome – I hope you enjoy it! Have a lovely rest of your week and weekend.
Hi, Melanie! Although you are not a new-to-me author, it’s good to get to connect with you here on IR. I went to check my library and found that I already have three of your books (Finding Peace, Finding Joy and Calming the Storm). I loved every one of them (even though I wound up reading Chelsea and Parker’s story before Laurie and Tuck’s :). Reading stories about married couples going through hard or even impossible times seems so right to me. That is the reality of life and marriage in this fallen world. God’s very nature of love and grace is the perfect context and theme for that kind of story. The stakes are already so high and the power of God is even higher. Thank you for the pictures that you give us of God’s redemption at work.
And welcome back!
Hi, Lincoln! Thanks so much for reading several of my books. I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for your encouragement and kind words as well. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week!
I like when a couple is trying to find the sparkle in their marriage again.
<3 <3
I really enjoy books about married couples & couples getting married.
Welcome back!
I love reading married couple books. Hoping to incorporate some in my new series.
I have been out of internet for two days because of Hurricane Zeta! So I just got around to replying to this. I enjoy hearing about the love of a married couple. So many books end at the engagement or the wedding ceremony and don’t show how much work happily ever after takes! That’s why I’m writing my “Love is” series, following one couple beyond the wedding ceremony. I just finished the rough draft of #4, which is the newlywed phase! It was difficult to write, especially to keep it clean when the sexual life is such a big part of marriage, but it was very enlightening. When I’m reading, I don’t want to see or even hear a mention of any bedroom scenes, even if they are married.
I think there needs to be more books with married couples, because it’s not always roses & rainbows! It does take work & life has a tendency to throw some pretty steep curveballs. I would enjoy seeing how the couple navigate those. I’ve not read too many with a divorced couple who get back together, but I think it would be an interesting read.
Reunion love is also one of my favorite troupes, there’s always a reason why they broke up. Watching the couple work through the past to forge a new future together is something I like reading.
I like married couples. I remember one where they had become empty nesters and were struggling to connect but through some events fell in love all over again.
Ex husbands can be tricky depends why they are no longer married. I have a few friends who came out of very toxic marriages and to reconnect would be dangerous. I also have a friend who’s husband was having an affair for many years but wanted to stay married and continue with the affair. But then I do know a few friends who are divorced and now get on better with the ex than when married so it would really depend the circumstances and there would need to be a change.
Hi Melanie, Welcome back to Inspy Romance! 😊
Melanie, I love your stories!
Nice to see you ❤️
I enjoy reading both. To me, it is all about the story. I fall in love with the characters as I learn about them.