Romance tropes are something we all love to hate, right? On the one hand, if someone tells you the story they just read is a fake relationship romance, you know what to expect. If you love that angst, you’ll probably be intrigued and want to know more. But, if you find fake relationships too weird and awkward, you’ll probably give it a pass.
Tropes are often shorthand for your very favorite type of story… or not.
Some are really common. Second chances, anyone? We could all name a dozen without taking a breath! They’re popular for a reason. There are so many ways to tell a second-chance story. So many variables. So many situations.
Here’s one we don’t hear as often: forbidden love. In this scenario, the potential couple is forced apart by culture, status, geography, or by their families for other reasons. Ooh, lots of potential in this one!
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I decided on two angles. One is their age difference: Carey, at age 28, is four years older than Ryder. I figured that was a big enough spread! Carey is a good friend of one of Ryder’s sisters-in-law, so there’s a hint of “sibling’s best friend” in there, too.
But the bigger problem is that Carey is the cousin of Ryder’s stepbrothers. The two of them aren’t actually related, but it feels like there’s a too-close family relationship. For instance, when Ryder confides in his stepmom, who’s been in his life since he was six, he’s reminded that she is also Carey’s aunt.
Has anyone actually looked at this pair and said, “we forbid your love?” Of course not. Some of it is in their own heads. Some of it is amplified by chance comments made by some of Ryder’s brothers. But it all makes Ryder’s struggle very real! Why would an older woman like Carey give her cousins’ stepbrother the time of day? He’s sure she never would. And she’s just as certain she’ll die of old age before Ryder makes the first move.
But there’s an additional reason Ryder is hesitant to reveal his interest…
Ryder Cavanagh yearns to be seen as more than a tagalong kid brother, so he invites his law-student buddy to assess rumors involving his stepbrothers’ uncle. Ryder doesn’t stand a chance with the suspect’s beautiful daughter, anyway. Ryder is several years younger, and then there’s the family connection.
But Carey Anderson is not immune to the unassuming cowboy. She’s back in Jewel Lake to be near cousins and friends, to escape the continuing fallout of her parents’ spectacular divorce, and to daydream about Ryder. Who cares about three years age difference when they’re both in their twenties? Making the first move feels risky, but it might be worth it.
Fragile trust comes to a crashing halt when Carey discovers the investigation Ryder can’t derail. Is justice more important than love and trust?
If you enjoy stories with hints of family drama and forbidden love, you might enjoy Trust Me With Your Heart, Cowboy! It releases November 16 on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited.
Have YOU read a “forbidden love” CCR? What’s been a favorite?
Valerie Comer is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner who writes where food meets faith and fiction. She injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Her life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily-ever-afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.
This sounds an interesting story – particularly when it’s not people around the couple forbidding their relationship, but more circumstances and their own doubts and hesitations. One for my TBR list!
Thank you! It was a fun twist to explore. :)
Oh, this sounds good!!! I can just imagine Paula Marie’s gushing with happiness review!! She sooo loved your books!!
Sounds interesting! Although the difference of 3 or 4 years is really little, there are couples who are about 7 years apart hahaha a friend of my mom’s is about 8 years older than her partner and neither seems to care. Of course we are talking about people over 40 years old, when you are 20 or 30 it can be more noticeable if not physically at least in maturity.
I agree, I’ve known any number of couples who’ve found new love with someone vastly different in age, but it’s much less common in the younger set, for obvious reasons. There’s only so far you can go “down” in age without it becoming weird or creepy!
She did. This is the first book she never got a chance to read. (Not that she cares anymore…)
*sniffle*
I am sure that I have read a book about forbidden love. At this moment, I cannot remember any book titles. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I do enjoy forbidden love stories. I have read some wonderful western mail order brides with this.
Oh, I can see that combo!
It’s definitely not as common a trope as some of them!
looks interesting
Thank you!
Looks like a great book
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.