Stephanie Vaughan is no stranger to writing about homosexual relationships, and her work has been well received. However, as evidenced in her first full-length romance, Saving Will, she is more than right at home writing about heterosexual love and sex as well. In fact, some readers may be interested to know that Vaughan sold three m/f romances before selling her first gay romance.
Inspired by Suzanne Brockmann's Navy SEAL romances and being a reader of traditional love stories, Vaughan says that writing her story with a Navy-SEAL-meets-girl situation "seemed like a natural." Saving Will – a story initially inspired by a shorter story she had written on a dare, which readers can find for free at http://www.phaze.com/ShoreLeave.pdf – is everything that a woman needs in a story that is both sweet but never sappy, and edgy and erotic without losing the romance.
Navy SEAL Will Bruschetti is attracted to the long-legged new neighbor/entertainment attorney Lee Ann Hunt from the moment her heels click-clack up his driveway. As for Lee Ann, "she’d never before experienced that helpless feeling of instantaneous, total physical reaction."
However, instead of jumping right into bed or a romantic and loving relationship, Vaughan makes us wait, crave, beg for it. She has to, considering that Will’s been burned by love in the past, and the last thing on Lee Ann’s mind is getting involved with anyone, least of all her neighbor. Needless to say, the road to their future is rife with doubt concerning "post-modern relationships redefined," animalistic need, and the distance that settles between them after Will is called to the desert to fight in the war in Iraq.
But don’t worry – the wait is worth it in this quick read. The delicious tease is enough to satiate until they finally get together. And when they do get together, we’re right there, burning with need along with them. Why? Because we actually care about the characters. While this modern love story is told in a conversational, informal way that’s refreshing and sure to pull readers right in, Will and Lee Ann are the ones who really keep us turning the pages.
For more information about Vaughan and her work, check out www.stephanievaughan.com.
Author: Stephanie Vaughan, Saving Will. Phaze Books, www.Phaze.com.
Originally published May, 2008