The two obvious romance tropes in your new book MILLION-DOLLAR CONSEQUENCES are “surprise pregnancy” and “fake romance turned real”. I LOVE the “fake romance turned real” trope. Do you have a favorite? And what made you use them in this story?
My favorite trope would have to be “forced proximity”, which I also include in the book. Once they convince everyone they’re in a relationship, she opts to stay with him in his temporary apartment in town during the ruse.
Because Isaac is an actor in MILLION-DOLLAR CONSEQUENCES, how would you describe him to readers? With that kind of career, authors usually go one of two ways – make the character uber charming and gregarious (although sometimes this can come to readers like me like he’s trying too hard) or have him be the exact opposite of everything you’d immediately assume about a celebrity.
Isaac doesn’t necessarily fit into either of those molds, actually! I wrote him as a character who used to have it all—the fame, an incredible career with his brother—and then he lost it when the show ended, and his twin brother stepped away from acting. Now Isaac is trying to regain what he’s lost, repair the relationship with his brother, and achieve even bigger goals professionally than he did the first time around.
You’ve written so many different types of heroes – actor, blue collar, rich guy, rock star – which is your favorite?
Gah, I love them all! Truthfully, it doesn’t matter what “box” I put them into, the part about writing a hero I like the most is what’s going on with him internally. What does he need to heal from in order to have love and the life he ultimately desires? Once I know that, I can tailor him to any profession, and play with the nuances of it. My rock star had to contend with a surprise kid, my blue-collar billionaire had to address his white knight syndrome, and Isaac must step up and accept that his temporary affair has come with permanent consequences.
How would you describe the dynamic between Isaac and Meghan? Is there a tension throughout the book? Or do they always have a fun and flirty relationship throughout?
Meghan is not a planner. If it sounds fun, she does it. She’s a podcaster, and her favorite childhood show was the one Isaac starred in, so meeting him and then having this no-strings-attached, fake-girlfriend gig sounds perfect. It’s when she worries she might be pregnant that things take a turn from light and fun to Uh-oh, what have I done?
Do family and friends play a big part in this story?
Definitely. Fans of MILLION-DOLLAR MIX-UP will recognize Max, Isaac’s brother, and Kendall, Meghan’s sister, right away. Newcomers will enjoy Max and Kendall’s protective nature (and their never-ending affection for each other) and will be amused by Isaac and Meghan ignoring their older siblings’ warnings.
A few other authors I’ve interviewed have told me that the kind of things they enjoy reading are not the same kinds of things they enjoy writing. What do you like to read? Favorite authors? Favorite books?
I love to read nonfiction books. Lately I’ve read Effortless by Greg McKeown and I just started reading The High Five Habit by Mel Robbins. I enjoy reading contemporary romance as well! I’m reading and loving Made in Manhattan by my good friend, Lauren Layne.
What are you currently working on?
Nothing! You caught me in between projects, which is super rare. At the time I’m writing this, I just finished AN EX TO REMEMBER, an amnesia/reunion story releasing in October of 2022. I’ll likely revisit the Blue Collar Billionaires series soon. In BILLIONAIRE EVER AFTER, I left a bit of an unresolved future romance between two chefs. Julio and Calista need their own happily ever after…
MILLION-DOLLAR CONSEQUENCES by Jessica Lemmon
A surprise pregnancy romance
Scoring an interview with actor Isaac Dunn is a dream come true for podcaster Meghan Squire. But when he asks her to be his pretend girlfriend, she has to pinch herself to see if she’s dreaming! The arrangement is just for a while. Just to keep the press at bay. Easy enough. At least until their attraction proves anything but fake and results in a pregnancy. Suddenly the million-dollar question is if they’re ready to make a real commitment…
Romance Billionaire | Romance Contemporary [Harlequin Desire, On Sale: May 24, 2022, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781335735683 / eISBN: 9780369708854]
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About Jessica Lemmon
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), or eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create a life you love.
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