Hi everyone!

I’m so excited to be here talking to you about my latest release, Return of the Bad Boy. Or as readers of the series like to call the book “Asher!!!” We’re excited. We’ve been waiting for this one a long while!

When I was asked to contribute to a parenting article, I have to admit, I got a little nervous! The only little one running around my house is Daisy, and she’s a rescued mutt. Then it was explained to me that the topic was how becoming a parent changed my characters, and I took a huge sigh of relief. That, I know back and forth. Becoming a parent irrevocably changed Asher Knight, self-proclaimed rock god and Evergreen Cove’s very own Penis Bandit. (Er…if you haven’t read the books yet, that’s a thing.)

Anyway. Moving on.

When Asher Knight was first introduced in Bringing Home the Bad Boy, it was because my hero, Evan needed a buddy to hang out with. And, since this Asher didn’t have a book of his own (his contract came later), I was free to make him as bad as I wanted.

Boy did I.

Asher is a rock star, aka a philandering, drinking, smoking manwhore with a snarky, childlike sense of humor and a penchant for whiskey and his literary agent, Gloria Shields. Their secondary romance in Evan’s book absolutely scorched the pages!

Cut to book two and book three in the series, and Asher and Gloria were still circling each other. Still avoiding each other. Still hooking up without telling their friends… With her living in Chicago and him in Los Angeles, how would these two ever get together?

The most unlikely of scenarios is what ultimately twists their fates yet again. (SPOILER ALERT!)

That groupie Asher slept with at the beginning of Evan’s book? Yeah. She sort of had his baby and didn’t tell him for a while.

(END SPOILER ALERT!)

After Asher learns he’s going to be a dad, he has a bigger problem than getting to know his kid… He is on a mission to win back Gloria, who is the toughest heroine I’ve ever written.

Without a child in his life, I’m not sure Asher would have grown up for years (or ever?), so the introduction of a little one forced him to prioritize. I knew that under those leather pants and tattoos he was hiding a huge heart, I just had to give him a reason to use it. Once he has Hawk in his life, he’s determined to be there for his boy. And since he’s building a family, wants to include Gloria in that growth.

The beauty of this book is he didn’t sacrifice all of who he was. Asher loves to perform, loves to cut albums, loves to party. Loves sex—specifically sex with Gloria. His goal in this book is to be himself, but a better version of himself. Can he “dad” during the day and rock Gloria’s world at night (and in the morning?) I was pleased to learn the answer to the that question was a raucous, “Hell, yes!”

This book was a blast to write. It’s naughty meets nice, heat meets sweet, and seeing Gloria reveal her vulnerability while watching Asher and their friends stand up for her was a rare treat.

Gloria had never dreamed of being a mother after having a horrible one of his own, and Asher couldn’t have fathomed settling down with a son so soon. Yet somehow, they make it work. Turned out a toddler was a recipe for romantic success for these two formerly broken-hearted characters.

Who’d have thunk?

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A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

Jessica is a social media junkie who loves to hear from readers. She can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and JessicaLemmon.com.