Cougars Roaming Romance
When you say the word, cougar, no one these days thinks of the furry animal that roams the mountainside. I think the majority of people see an older woman skulking through the bars in search of a young, virile man half her age.
It wasn’t meant as a term of endearment either.
For some reason men have been courting women half their age for decades. It seems no one ever blinked an eye when these nuptials took place. Even in these relationships it’s not the men who are frowned at, but the “gold-digging” wives. And now that women are following this trend, they’re considered predators preying on the young.
Huh?
Why is there such a discrepancy between these situations? Well, the answer is as old as the differences between sexually active men and women in the 50’s and 60’s. One was considered to be a right-of-passage, the other slutty and undesirably. But I’d like to think the stigma is changing.
It seems it’s the young men of these May/December romances who are seeking out an older woman. Older women are beyond the game playing and manipulation that is found in their younger counterparts. But the young man must bring more than a hot body and a great libido to the table. Older women are still looking for a mature relationship with intellectual and recreational interests in common (of course a strong sex drive never hurt any relationship 
).
With the growing popularity of cougars in our culture, more readers are seeking stories about them. My Ellora’s Cave release, “Invitation to Ecstasy”, is a younger man/older woman story.
BLURB:
A woman unwilling to trust …
Sara Lancaster isn’t sure accepting her invitation to a BDSM weekend at XTC Resort is a good idea—though she does have something to prove. Months of abuse at the hand of her former Master have taken their toll. Now, two years later, Sara believes she’s ready to embrace her submissive side once again and enjoy the carnal pleasures of a younger Dom.
A man testing his limits …
Derek Thomas has lost belief in his abilities as a Master. Accepting an invitation for Dom training could be exactly what he needs to regain his self-confidence. Challenged with an experienced older woman, he soon realizes wielding a flogger isn’t always enough to break down the emotional walls and heal a damaged submissive.
Two people with something to prove …
Sara and Derek sizzle with sexual heat the moment they step into the dungeon. The mind blowing sex and physical pain may satisfy their bodies, but wounded hearts and broken spirits just may require something even more intimate—their hearts.
EXCERPT:
Without a word, she knelt next to Ethan. She wasn’t as young as many who had silently propositioned Derek earlier. It wasn’t so much her physical appearance, though he could see the determined line of her full lips and the proud set of her jaw, but the serenity of her submissive posture that communicated a mature confidence.
Derek envied her peace and self-acceptance. Something he had definitely lost in the heat of stupidity and rash arrogance.
With her eyes cast down to the floor, her long lashes made soft half-moons on her cheeks and he couldn’t help but wonder at the color of her eyes. Blonde hair flowed over her shoulders to skim the middle of her back and caress the soft swell of her breasts. Even in the muted light, he could see the tight buds of her nipples pressing against the black leather of her dress. He followed the line of the material, admiring the way it hugged her shapely curves. It flared enticingly around her ass, making Derek question whether there was anything beneath it, caressing her sensitive flesh.
Ethan cleared his throat, drawing Derek’s attention back to him. A knowing smile lit the manager’s face, but he made no comment about Derek’s frank interest in his sub. “I was pleased you accepted my invitation this weekend.”
“I thought it was time to test the waters, so to speak. In a community as small as ours, I wasn’t sure how welcomed I’d be after…” Derek didn’t really want to rehash his humiliation in earshot of the gorgeous blonde. “Anyway, this is a make or break weekend for me. I’m sure you understand.”
“I understand enough to know you wouldn’t have done this on your own,” Ethan said. “I hoped a little push from a good friend would be all you needed to find your way back to the scene. And here you are.”
“And here I am. But I’m becoming more convinced this was a bad idea.” His gaze flicked to the submissive who hadn’t moved, her breathing slow and steady, measuring her patience. Damn, he’d never been with someone so well trained. His cock jumped again at the thought of watching someone push her to the limits of her training.
“Seems to me, if we’re going to throw around clichés, that it’s time to climb back on the horse that threw you.”
Derek’s gaze flew back to Ethan, panic hammering in his chest. “I figured I had until tomorrow to work myself into the idea of walking into a dungeon again.”
“No need to wait until then.” Ethan reached down and toyed with the pendant hanging from the gold collar at the woman’s throat. “Sara, would you be interested in joining Master Derek downstairs in my private playroom?”
“I would like that very much.”
Derek didn’t know how to respond. “Ethan, this isn’t—”
Ethan leaned in, stopping him with a hard stare. “Actually, I think this is a perfect time.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do romance books with significant age gaps between hero and heroine appeal to you?
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I like to read about these types of romance.
Hi. I am also a writer of both books with older characters and "cougar" stories. My original UK reviewers for my first book commented on how great it was that my book didn't make my heroine predatory. I was baffled by those comments at first, but it didn't take much research to see what they were trying to tell me.
There has been a stigma, but I do think it's changing. I've also gotten a lot of feedback from fellow "cougar" readers that tell me it's more common than people realize.
Hope your cougar book does well!
What I admire about cougars in general (well, the non-animal kind) is their attitude on relationships. It's great to see people finding love at any age and not letting something like age stop them. I think when both parties are mature and open to love then to try means giving love a chance. Stories about them can be a lot of fun as well. When different perspectives are given it can make for an interesting read.
Mary – I hope you enjoyed the excerpt!
Donna – I think there are more relationships of people of both sexes finding the person that they love regardless of age or race. I do hope it's becoming less of a stigma all the way around. I hope your writing is going well for you!
Na – Very well said!