So here I am, back from a half-year-long hibernation, blinking into the sunlight, stretching my fingers, and diving into my writing cave again. It’s been wonderful getting new work out into the world—thank you for the love you’ve shown Squeeze Me Harder! The positive reviews have genuinely made re-entry into Writing Land so much sweeter.

But in returning from my creative sabbatical, I made a discovery that made me laugh out loud (and maybe hide under my pillow for a minute): In a career spanning a hardly-dizzying four books, I have now written not one but two characters named Nico.

And—plot twist—they could not be more different. And yet, somehow, kind of similar in their opposites.

In Kissing Valentino, Nico is… a jerk. He’s the asshole who dumped Saskia and deserved to have his father pick up the pieces in the most delicious way. Lucky Saskia.

And then along comes the new Nico from Squeeze Me Harder—broody, intense, and stealing his father’s wife before he’s even quite cold in his grave. Lara never loved Henri, that’s clear, and his son Nico is willing and ready for the breath play extravaganza in this short book. Lucky Lara.

So yes, I accidentally duplicated a name. That’s what happens when you take a break long enough that your brain has to reboot like a vintage laptop. Somewhere deep in my subconscious, apparently, “Nico” was tagged as “available,” and the name wandered back in like it owned the place.

Thankfully, fictional universes are forgiving. These two men will never cross paths, never fight over name rights, and never compare abs—I’m not even sure who would win.

I promise I’m reorganizing the Name File in my head. (Although honestly, if yet another Nico shows up one day, I’m just going to call it a tradition.)

Thank you for sticking with me through the break, the burnout, and the doubled-up hero names. I’m so happy to be writing again.

— Roan Laveau, currently labeling her characters like pantry jars so this doesn’t happen again.