What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas—or does it?
According to many romance novels, NOPE. It all comes back to bite the characters in the behind, but it’s not always the terrible thing that the slogan might suggest. And that’s precisely what keeps us turning the pages to every Vegas romance we come across.
Here’s the thing—Vegas creates a certain fantasy, much like the kind we find and love in any romance. Both transport us to an exciting and often scandalous place. And when we combine the setting and the love story for a Vegas romance, well then, the product is simply magic.
Vegas is always the place to go when the characters want—and often need—to let loose. It’s where their inhibitions are lowered, lost in the hype and sensual energy of the city. It’s like an out-of-body experience, the desert heat fogging their brains before they have to deal with the aftermath of their decisions.
It’s called Sin City for a reason, after all. Characters in many popular romances tend to make mistakes that they probably wouldn’t have in their “real” lives. But in Vegas? All bets are off.
Why not play footsy under the Roulette table with the handsome stranger? Why not buy a drink for the woman in the red dress and strike up a risqué conversation? Why not live on the wild side for once, or let your wild side take you to the next level?
Characters get caught up in the fantasy of the city with a refreshing and daring atmosphere that makes for bad life choices—or really good ones—and take us readers along for the crazy ride.
The thing about Vegas romances is that they make readers squirm. How are they going to deal with the aftermath of that one-night stand? How will the main characters end up together? No matter how they get there, their mishaps work out in the end, but the roller coaster to that happy ever after is what keeps us intrigued.
That’s what the characters themselves are looking for too. They want a happy ending from the very beginning, even if they don’t think they do. They find love in the one-night stand with the stranger, on the Strip outside the Eiffel Tower, or on a stroll through The Venetian. They find love in the least likeliest of places.
Even if the whole story is not set in Vegas, many romances involve the city in some capacity, whether it’s to elope, a business trip, or an escape. Vegas is the place to go because of all it has to offer.
For one, there’s something for everyone—casinos, live shows, clubs, and more. I’ve experienced Vegas several times myself—with my husband, with girlfriends, and with my family. Each time, I’ve enjoyed it in different ways, and so did they. In books, characters have gone to crash weddings, attend a bachelorette party, for gambling, and more. Much like reading, Vegas will never be the same experience more than once, and of course, no matter how icky it might get, there’s always a happy ending on the other side. Otherwise, it’s not a romance!
On top of that, you find so many different kinds of people from all over the world in Vegas—for business, pleasure, and sometimes both. Can you imagine the plot lines and twists? The character possibilities? So much can happen with that kind of diversity in one setting. Which is why Vegas romances are never boring.
And let’s face it—all that makes for great comedy! And who doesn’t love a good romcom?
Bottom line is that Vegas is sexy and so is love. In many beloved romances, it’s where love is born, even if the couple wakes up the morning after with smeared mascara, rogue lipstick stains, and regret the size of the Grand Canyon. By the end, they’re thanking their dark side for their new love.
It’s because of that “bad decision” that they can ride off into the sunset by the time we reach “The End.”
Along the way, we see their love is as grand as Caesar’s Palace, as scary as the roller coaster at the top of the Stratosphere, and as stunning as the fountain at the Bellagio.
It’s as bright and mesmerizing as the lights of the Strip.
And in every love story, risks are involved. Like rolling the dice at craps or hitting at Blackjack, the possibilities are plenty and the excitement incomparable.
The allure of it all is what keeps us turning to Vegas romances. It’s why I had to write one for my debut novel, Strip for Me. I had such a fun time writing the scenes on the Strip. The sparkling details are embedded in the background as the main characters Sebastian and Kendall walk down the Strip, their own sparks flying as they get to know each other during their brief encounter. As the night progresses, they each come to terms with the fact that a one-night stand is all they can be—or can they be more?
Strip for Me releases October 15 on all retailers.
Here’s a list of Vegas romances to get you acquainted with the thrilling yet touching side of Sin City:
Making Up by Helena Hunting
Cosy Felton is great at her job—she knows just how to handle the awkwardness that comes with working at an adult toy store. So when the hottest guy she’s ever seen walks into the shop looking completely overwhelmed, she’s more than happy to turn on the charm and help him purchase all of the items on his list.
Griffin Mills is using his business trip in Las Vegas as a chance to escape the broken pieces of his life in New York City. The last thing he wants is to be put in charge of buying gag gifts for his friend’s bachelor party. Despite being totally out of his element, and mortified by the whole experience, Griffin is pleasantly surprised when he finds himself attracted to the sales girl that helped him.
As skeptical as Cosy may be of Griffin’s motivations, there’s something about him that intrigues her. But sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and when real life gets in the way, all bets are off. Filled with hilariously awkward situations and enough sexual chemistry to power Sin City, Making Up is the next standalone in the Shacking Up world.
Exquisitely Broken by M. Jay Granberry
What happens in Vegas…?
Sinclair James wasn’t from my world.
She didn’t have my pedigree or family money.
She was everything I never wanted,
Everything I now realize I needed.
I loved her for six years, her soul, her body, her music.
Until I threw it all away.
One decision changed everything.
One decision destroyed what we had.
She slipped from my life as quietly as she had stolen my heart
But now she’s back.
Sinclair is still mine, she just doesn’t know it yet.
This time I’m not letting her go.
So, what happens in Vegas…?
A second chance to repair what was broken.
Well Hung by Lauren Blakely
Here’s what you need to know about me—I’m well-off, well-hung and quick with a joke. Women like a guy who makes them laugh—and I don’t mean at the size of his d*ck. No, they want their funny with a side of huge… not to mention loyal. I’ve got all that plus a big bank account, thanks to my booming construction business. Yup. I know how to use all my tools.
Enter Natalie. Hot, sexy, smart, and my new assistant. Which makes her totally off limits… Hey, I’m a good guy. Really. I do my best to stay far away from the kind of temptation she brings to work.
Until one night in Vegas… Yeah, you’ve heard this one before. Bad news on the business front, drowning our sorrows in a few too many Harvey Wallbangers, and then I’m banging her. In my hotel room. In her hotel room. Behind the Titanic slot machine at the Flamingo (don’t ask). And before I can make her say “Oh God right there YES!” one more time, we’re both saying yes—the big yes—at a roadside chapel in front of a guy in press-on sideburns and a shiny gold leisure suit.
But it turns out what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas. And now, my dick doesn’t stay in my pants when she’s around. I try to resist. Honest. But the more we try to keep our hands to ourselves, the more we end up naked again, and the more time I want to spend with her fully clothed, too.
The question now is…do I take this woman to be my ex-wife?
Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren
One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.
But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation—and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out—Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume—her sweet, filthy fling—to France for the summer and just…play.
When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away.
Good Girl by Jana Aston
I’ve always been a good girl.
I work hard, I follow the rules, and I always achieve my goals.
But sometimes good girls want things that aren’t good for them.
Or someone who isn’t good for them.
Like their new boss.
And sometimes they do very bad things to get his attention.
Like sell their virginity in an auction.
Who knew he’d be so very, very mad?
Maybe this was not my best laid plan…
Only With You by Lauren Layne
Love is the Biggest Gamble of All . . .
Cocktail waitress Sophie Dalton doesn’t exactly have a life plan. She’s perfectly happy being everyone’s favorite party girl. But when a Las Vegas bachelorette party goes awry and an uptight businessman mistakes Sophie for a prostitute . . . well, Sophie wonders if it’s time to reevaluate her priorities. Swearing off her thigh-high boots for good, Sophie slinks back home with damaged pride-and a jackpot of a hangover.
Yet what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay there. On a trip to Seattle to open a new office, Grayson Wyatt meets his latest employee-who turns out to be the same woman he recently called a hooker. Wealthy and gorgeous, Gray is a man used to getting what he wants. And it doesn’t take long to figure out that smart, sassy, sexy Sophie is everything he’s been looking for. As their late nights at the office turn into hot morning-afters, they realize their Vegas misunderstanding may lead to the real thing . . .
About the Author:
Georgia Coffman is a debut romance author with a Master’s in Professional Writing and loves all the warm and fuzzy feels she gets after reading a love story. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s shopping for rompers, mouthing the words to episodes of Friends, or hanging out with her husband and their two pups.
Connect with Georiga:
Website: www.georgiacoffman.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ghcoffman/?ref=bookmarks
Instagram: @ghcoffman
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/georgia-coffman
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/georgiacoffman
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19274717.Georgia_Coffman
Strip for Me by Georgia Coffman, out October 15th!
A story that starts with “Once upon a time in Vegas…” isn’t supposed to end with “happily ever after.”
Sebastian
I know this better than anyone, and I can’t let history repeat itself. This is why I have rules, and at the top of that list is no fraternizing with audience members after shows. But my rules mean nothing after my instant connection with Kendall. Her southern accent suggests a certain charm, but her sharp tongue says otherwise. Which is why I can’t help myself—she’s a mystery I need to solve. The more I get to know her, the more I start to believe she could be the one.
Until my past comes barreling in and makes me wonder if my one night with Kendall was real or all a cruel game.
Kendall
Although I live in LA, my conventional family loves to remind me of my small-town upbringing. They’ve never approved of my life choices—dropping out of college, moving across the country, and dating around, to name a few. Getting involved with Sebastian will be yet another decision they disapprove of—how much more of their disappointment can I take?
After all, he’s a stripper for Vegas’s hottest male revue show. He can’t be my forever.
The odds are against us, but then again, anything can happen in a story that starts with “Once upon a time in Vegas…”
*Strip for Me is Book 1 in the Naked Heat series. Each book is a standalone contemporary romance.
