The Wilde Side

I love a good “I love you.”
I’m a romance writer. Of course I do.

But there are two words that might get me even more: “I’ll stay.”

Being there, being present, is often the most important thing in life. Attraction is great. Love matters. But consistency, presence, and choosing the other person when things aren’t easy are what sustains a relationship.

• He’s there when she’s frightened.
• He listens when he can’t fix it.
• He sits beside her when there isn’t anything useful to say.
• He keeps showing up: tomorrow, and the day after…

Sometimes, the most romantic thing isn’t the declaration at all. It’s the coffee already waiting, fixed the way she likes it. The hand reaching for hers. The chair pulled closer when everyone else leaves.

This is where Zach belongs.

Of the three men in the Storm Series, I think Zach understands this best. He isn’t a man of speeches. He’s a man of action.

He watches. He anticipates. He protects.
And when he gives someone his loyalty, he doesn’t give it halfway.

For a man like Zach, I’ll stay might actually be a bigger declaration than I love you.

Emma is the feminine side of that. She doesn’t demand flowery speeches (or flowers, for that matter!). She understands him, that his presence says it all, because she’s the same way.

Sometimes he’s the strong one. Sometimes she is. Sometimes neither one is particularly strong, but they stay anyway, and hold each other up.

“I love you” tells someone how you feel.
“I’ll stay” tells them what you intend to do about it.

Maybe that’s why I keep writing found families. Romantic or otherwise, I’m fascinated by people who stay. My Phoenix men and women all fall into this category as well.

One more thing before I go…

Some of you may already know this, but I’ve been keeping another writing life tucked away under a different name.

Meet Edyn Frost.

Yep. She’s me. 😊

I created Edyn because the stories I write under that name are very different from the romantic suspense you know me for as Jena Wilde. Edyn’s world is filled with magic, supernatural creatures, dangerous immortals, and romance with a decidedly darker edge.

But beneath all that, I find myself writing about many of the same things: capable heroines, powerful men who have to learn that protecting someone isn’t the same as controlling them, trust, loyalty, found family, and two people choosing each other when walking away would probably be easier.

There just happens to be a little more Hell involved. 🔥

On August 20, Edyns first Princes of Sin novel, Lust, releases.

She wanted vengeance. Hell answered with the Prince of Lust.

When a witch summons a demon to help her get revenge, she gets considerably more than she bargained for: Asmodeus, immortal Prince of Lust, a bargain that binds them together, and a connection neither of them was ever supposed to have.

If paranormal and fantasy romance isn’t your thing, no worries at all. Jena isn’t going anywhere, and Phoenix Shield is very much underway. Viper is getting antsy to make his debut.

But if your reading tastes sometimes wander toward magic, morally gray immortals, dangerous bargains, and impossible love…

I’d love to introduce you to Edyn.

​Learn more →​

More soon,
Jena

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Author Jena Wilde ​ ​​​

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The Wilde Side

One of my favorite kinds of heroines isn’t fearless. She’s determined. She knows she’s in over her head…
…and she keeps going anyway.

Because courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s deciding something else matters more.

Readers (and non-readers!) often equate strength with:

• winning every fight
• never asking for help
• never making mistakes
• even: acting like a b1+ch.

But that’s not strength.

Real strength is:

• asking difficult questions
• refusing to look away
• trusting the right people
• accepting help without surrendering agency
• Knowing when to ask for help

I don’t write women who need someone to save them.
I write women who refuse to stop fighting.
Sometimes, they simply need someone willing to fight beside them.

That’s exactly where I found Sloane, the heroine of Viper Strike.

She’s an investigative journalist who uncovers a story that’s far bigger—and far more dangerous—than she ever imagined.

She doesn’t go looking for Phoenix Shield because she wants someone else to solve the problem.

She goes because she still intends to expose the truth. She just wants to live long enough to publish it. She has the courage, just not the expertise.

Today’s survey: What’s your favorite quality in a fictional heroine?

More soon,
~ Jena

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Author Jena Wilde ​ ​​​

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A quick observation.

I’ve never been particularly interested in writing damsels in distress.

Not because there’s anything wrong with rescue scenes. (I love a good rescue scene.) But because the moments that stay with me happen afterward.

When the danger has passed.
When the adrenaline fades.
When the hero realizes the woman beside him doesn’t need someone to take over…

She needs someone willing to stand beside her.

That’s a very different kind of strength.

The heroes I fall in love with don’t admire a woman because she’s helpless.They admire her because she’s capable.

She has ideas.
She makes difficult decisions.

Sometimes she gets it spectacularly wrong. Sometimes she saves the day. Most of the time, she does a little of both.

And that’s what makes her interesting.

I think that’s one reason I enjoy writing protector heroes. Protection isn’t about taking someone’s choices away. It’s about making sure they still have the chance to make them.

Nick never wanted Kate to become someone else.
David never expected Lena to stop challenging him.
Zach eventually realized Emma wasn’t a liability to protect from danger—she was a partner with strengths he didn’t have.

That’s the kind of romance I come back to over and over again.

Not “I’ll do everything for you.”

But…

“I’m here.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

“You don’t have to face it alone.”

Speaking of people who stand beside each other…

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the world of Phoenix Shield lately, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite places to write.

While the Storm Series is built around three found brothers, Phoenix Shield asks a slightly different question:

What happens when complete strangers earn each other’s trust until they become family?

I’m currently drafting an exclusive origin story for newsletter readers that shows how the company came to be before the novels begin.

It’s been a lot of fun exploring how this team forms—not because they’re alike, but because each person brings something the others need.

And the first member of that team to step into the spotlight?

Viper.

He’s quietly becoming one of those heroes who says more through his actions than his words.

(Which, admittedly, is another weakness of mine.)

I’m looking forward to sharing more of him—and Phoenix Shield—with you very soon.

Until then, I’d love to hear from you.

What’s one quality that instantly makes a fictional hero unforgettable?

Reply and let me know. Your answers always make my day, and they’re one of my favorite parts of writing this newsletter.

More soon,

Jena Wilde

Where passion meets peril… by the sea.

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Author Jena Wilde ​ ​​​

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A quick observation.

People often assume billionaire romance is about the money. The private jets. The sprawling estates. The luxury resorts overlooking impossibly blue water.

Those things are fun to imagine, of course. (I certainly enjoy writing them.)

But when I think about the stories that stay with me, none of those are what I remember.

I remember the hero who noticed she was overwhelmed before anyone else did. The one who quietly stepped between her and danger. The one who kept his promises. Who showed up. Who made her feel seen. Who made her feel safe.

That’s the fantasy.

Not the bank account.

It’s knowing that, in a world where everything feels uncertain, there’s one person who chooses you. Every single time.

Looking back, I realize that’s true of nearly every hero I’ve written.
Nick, David, Zach… Yes, they own luxury resorts. But the moments I love most aren’t about wealth.

They’re the quiet ones. The reassuring hand at the small of her back. The late-night conversation when the walls finally come down. The promise kept. The decision to stay.

That’s the kind of hero I hope never goes out of style.

Speaking of heroes who show up…

I’ve been spending a lot of time inside the world of Phoenix Shield, and it’s becoming one of my favorite projects.

I’m currently drafting a special prologue just for newsletter readers that tells the story of how Phoenix Shield came to exist—how a handful of extraordinary people came together to build something much bigger than themselves.

It’s a little origin story for the company before the novels begin.

And the first character stepping onto center stage?

Viper.

He’s calm under pressure, relentlessly competent, and exactly the kind of man who would rather solve your problem than talk about his feelings.

(If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I have a type.)

I’ll be sharing more as the world continues to take shape, and I can’t wait for you to meet him.

Until then, I’d love to know…

What’s one trait that instantly makes you fall for a fictional hero?

Reply and tell me. I read every response, and I genuinely love seeing what resonates with different readers.

More soon,
Jena Wilde

Where passion meets peril… by the sea.

Are you a ​Kindle Unlimited subscriber? If so, then you can read my books at no extra charge with your membership.

Author Jena Wilde ​ ​​​

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I love a good romance.
Obviously.

But if I’m being honest, one of my favorite story elements has nothing to do with kissing.

It’s found family.
The people who show up when they don’t have to.
The ones who choose each other, over and over again.

• The friend who answers the phone at 2 a.m.
• The teammate who steps between you and danger without hesitation.
• The person who knows exactly how broken uyou are and stays anyway.

Maybe that’s why found family stories hit so hard. They remind us that belonging isn’t always about blood. Sometimes it’s about loyalty. Trust. Shared history. Showing up.

When I look back at the books I’ve written, that theme appears everywhere.

Nick, David, and Zach weren’t born brothers.
They became brothers. By choice.
Their loyalty to each other is the backbone of the entire Storm Series.

And apparently, I wasn’t finished writing about that idea.

Lately, I’ve been deep in the planning stages of a brand-new romantic suspense series called Phoenix Shield.

At its heart is an elite private security team.

Former military. Former law enforcement. Specialists from very different backgrounds.

People who have fought beside each other, trusted each other with their lives, and become something closer than friends:

A family they built for themselves.

There will be danger. There will be impossible missions. There will definitely be emotionally stubborn men making questionable decisions.

But underneath all that?

It’s a series about loyalty. About finding your people. About the ones that stand beside you when everything falls apart.

I’m having an incredible time building this world, and I can’t wait to share more with you soon.

There’s still a lot of planning, worldbuilding, and writing ahead of me, but this is one series I’m genuinely excited to spend time with.

Until then, tell me:
What’s your favorite found family story?
Books, movies, television—I want recommendations!

More soon,
Jena

Are you a ​Kindle Unlimited subscriber? If so, then you can read my books at no extra charge with your membership.

Author Jena Wilde ​ ​​​

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