Nelle L’Amour Weaves Passion, Humour, and Depth Into Unforgettable Romance and Suspense

A Bestselling Author on Crafting Engaging Stories and Complex Characters

Nelle L’Amour, a bestselling author of romance and suspense, discusses her writing journey, character development, and how she keeps readers captivated with emotionally charged stories that balance heat, humour, and heart.

Nelle L’Amour has captivated readers worldwide with her unforgettable stories that blend passion, humour, and deeply emotional journeys. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with over thirty books to her name, she has established herself as a force in contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense. Under the pen name Nelle Lamarr, she ventures into psychological thrillers, showcasing her versatility as a storyteller.

With a background in the entertainment industry, including her pivotal role in developing and producing the first season of Power Rangers, she brings a sharp understanding of character development and narrative depth to her novels. Her alpha heroes, from the charismatic W. in That Man to the complex figures in Unforgettable, are more than just commanding figures—they possess vulnerability, humour, and a depth that makes them irresistible.

In this exclusive interview, she shares insights into her writing process, her evolution as an author, and how she keeps her devoted readers engaged. From balancing steam and substance to navigating the ever-changing landscape of romance fiction, Nelle L’Amour continues to shape the genre with stories that stay in the hearts of her readers long after the final page.

With over 350,000 books sold worldwide, Nelle L’Amour continues to enchant readers with compelling narratives, unforgettable characters, and a signature style that blends passion with deeply resonant storytelling.

From Power Rangers to Romance – Your journey from a successful career in television, including being the supervising producer of the first season of the children’s television phenomenon, Power Rangers, to becoming a bestselling romance author is fascinating. How did your background in storytelling and marketing influence your approach to writing steamy, emotionally charged love stories?

This is a great question. What I learned from co-developing, producing, and writing several episodes of Power Rangers is that a great story starts from character and should include heart and humor, in addition to action. It’s heart and humor that make a story, be it children’s action series or a steamy romance book emotionally charged love stories. And it’s key to have multi-dimensional characters that the viewer—or reader—can get emotionally involved with and root for. Importantly, steamy scenes should be emotional as well and stem from character. Writing a novel, however, is a lot different than writing a script. Scripts are 99% dialogue. Novels have to paint the picture for the reader—show not tell. It’s a lot harder.

Creating Unforgettable Alpha Heroes – Your male protagonists, from the unforgettable W. in That Man to the ruthless yet passionate characters in Unforgettable, have captivated readers. What key elements do you believe make the perfect alpha male in romance fiction?

Another great question! I believe that while Alpha heroes are commanding and in-control and often think with the thing between their legs, I think they also need to be vulnerable as well. For me, the ultimate and most endearing Alpha hero also has weaknesses, a good heart, and a sense of humor. They make mistakes and learn from them Those are the traits I’ve instilled in Blake Burns in my THAT MAN series and Brandon Taylor in my UNFORGETTABLE trilogy as well as in other romance novels I’ve written.

Balancing Steam and Substance – Your novels are known for their sizzling chemistry, but they also explore deep emotions and intense relationships. How do you strike the right balance between heat and heart in your storytelling?

For me heat is secondary to heart. My goal is to create engaging stories and characters. Heat should be character-driven and organic to the story rather than gratuitous. Over the years, I’ve written fewer and fewer sex scenes. My early THAT MAN series had numerous sex scenes whereas a more recent romance, JANE DEYRE, a contemporary retelling of Jane Eyre, only had two steamy scenes, which were significantly less explicit than those in THAT MAN and UNFORGETTABLE. When I first started writing steamy romances about 12 years ago, there was a demand for a lot steamy, graphic sex scenes. IMHO, new readers of romance want more angst and humor than explicit sex scenes. 

The Power of Fan Engagement – Your books have built a dedicated readership, with fans eagerly awaiting your next release. What role do your readers play in shaping your stories, and how do you keep them engaged throughout your writing journey?

My readers are very important to me. I maintain an active Facebook Reader page, Nelle’s Belles. Often on that page I offer sneak previews of upcoming books. I also ask my readers for book cover advice and sometimes to help me name a character. (They love doing that!) I encourage my readers to reach out to me with by messaging or emailing me. I always personally respond. As I tell my readers at the end of every newsletter: “Always remember, you are the reason I write.”

“My readers are very important to me—I always personally respond to their messages and value their input in my writing process.” – Nelle L’Amour

The Ever-Evolving Romance Genre – Romance continues to evolve with changing trends and reader preferences. How do you stay ahead of the curve while maintaining your signature style, and what do you think the future holds for steamy contemporary romance?

This a thought-provoking question. I tend not to write books to market. I write the story I want to write and the best book I possibly can. My next romance, THE BELL RINGER, coming in Spring 2025, is a contemporary retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame I don’t have a crystal ball but I see an uptick in small-town romances and romantasy. And angst-driven stories with younger characters (though I’d love to see more books featuring older men and women). At the end of the day, in this very glutted world of romance books, the cream will rise.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME! I really enjoyed answering your questions and look forward to what the future will bring!