The Hardest Hit Release!
by Bethany Maines
The Hardest Hit, book 3 of the Deveraux Legacy Series will be released next Monday! I’m over the moon excited about this. I’ve been working on this series for three years, and with one book left, I’m ecstatic with the reception the series has received (award-winning audio book, 5 star reviews).
SIDE NOTE: Preorder and get the preorder sales price of .99 cents – price goes up 24 hours after the release! https://books2read.com/hardest-hit/
However, I’m often hesitant to talk about the ideas that generated the Deveraux Legacy Series because they are distinctly un-romantic and NOT what sells a book. A little over three years ago I started with a simple question – how could romance writers stick with the traditional “alpha male” hero in an era of #metoo? What people get up to between the covers of romance novels isn’t intended to be real life, but at some point I can’t divorce the reality of what a billionaire can do on a private island to young women (Jeffery Epstein) and then engage with that as a romantic fantasy about a woman forced to work as a prostitute and kept as prisoner on an island (a book series that kept popping up in my social media feed). And the idea that an abusive, emotionally distant man was the hero of anything was very problematic to me. But as someone who reads and enjoys romance novels, I’m supposed to be able to reconcile this. As a feminist, I honestly wasn’t sure I could.
Which is about when I thought, “Maybe I should stick to straight mysteries.” The bad guys are bad and the good guys solve crime. Sure, there’s plenty of room for moral ambiguity and gray areas and complete characters, but end of the day… The bad guys get caught and the good guys triumph. Morally speaking, I don’t have to feel conflicted about reading or writing those kind of books.
But I like romance! And I like those tough guys that take charge, make wise-cracks and would go through hell and high-water for their fair-maiden. So how do you take a guy that’s maybe done some questionable things and make him a hero? It was that question that lead me to write the Deveraux Legacy Series. Which, rest assured, is not to say that my heroes are sleazebags. They’re funny, brave, damaged, and well-meaning individuals who are trying the best they can. And maybe they don’t quite fit into the “dark romance” section of the romance world, but they do fit into the “I can read this and not feel weird” section of the library. So I hope that my readers will also enjoy some “alpha” heroes and their feminist as hell heroines as they battle bad guys and find love and hopefully more than a few laughs.
About the Book:
Evan Deveraux has faced down his demons, but can he face his own family?
The one thing that kept troubled Wall Street wizard Evan Deveraux from giving into his own depression was the love of his family. But as Evan digs deeper into his family’s past he discovers a secret that shakes his faith in the Deveraux family. Now the only person Evan trusts is the brilliant and adorable Dr. Olivia West. But Evan’s abusive past and dark family history are on a collision course with the present and even as Evan fights to keep Olivia safe from the mercenaries targeting his family, Evan and Olivia find their relationship in cross-hairs of both their families. Evan is going to need the help of all of his cousins to make his happily ever after come true.
Release Date: 10/18/21
Pre-Order Link: https://books2read.com/hardest-hit/
Chapter 1 sneak peek: https://bethanymaines.com/deveraux-chapter-1/
Buy the Series (all vendors):
https://books2read.com/Lost-Heir (prequel novella)
https://books2read.com/The-Second-Shot (Book 1)
· https://books2read.com/Cinderella-Secret (Book 2)
Win a paperback copy:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/332708-the-hardest-hit
Giveaway closes October 25th!
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Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she’s not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.
Would you call your series, romantic suspense or traditional mystery?
Congratulations on your newest release. I can't speak for everyone, but when I read, I don't bring the daily news with me. In fact, I like to escape the daily news and immerse myself in a fictional story that introduces me to new settings, characters, and plots. I appreciate your sensitivity to what's going on in the world, but I hope it doesn't ever stifle your storytelling.
What Saralyn said. I don't want to read about a bully Alpha male, but a man who can hold his own and women who are equal or more than a match, I'm there! Sounds divine, Bethany!
Congratulations!
Woot woot!! Congratulations!!