This is a closeup of the Humiliating Revenge cover. All we see in the black background is the black and white photo of the brooding male cover model. He has an unzipped hoodie that is exposing his chiseled chest. The hood is covering his head. He is looking at something we can't see. His has dark, defined eyebrows, a goatee, and dark stubble that form an almost beard. In the foreground, in the upper right corner, Humiliating is in all white caps. Revenge is below in all orange capital letters. Further below the title, Humiliating Revenge, are the words behind the scenes, that is highlighted in orange.
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Humiliating Revenge: Behind the Scenes

February is the month of love, which makes it the perfect time to celebrate romance novels and unforgettable love stories. This month, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my favorite contemporary romance novel I’ve written, Humiliating Revenge by T. Christensen. If you love emotional, character-driven romance with plenty of tension, read on and enter the world of Humiliating Revenge.

In my January author blog, I shared a glimpse into my romance writing process. Here’s a quick recap for readers who enjoy learning how their favorite romance books come to life:

  • I’m a pantser writer, meaning I write my romance stories as I go, allowing the characters, chemistry, and emotions to guide the plot instead of following a strict outline.
  • Most of my romance novels begin with a single vivid scene that takes shape in my head. One I can’t stop thinking about.
    • There’s no guarantee where that scene will land. Sometimes it becomes the opening chapter, sometimes a pivotal middle moment, and sometimes it’s what I imagine to be a swoon-worthy happily-ever-after.
    • From that spark, the story unfolds organically, shaping itself into the emotional, character-driven romance I hope readers will fall in love with.
The background is a faint picture of a chain link fence with lights behind it. The foreground has a black rectangle with an offset orange retangle behind it. The black rectangle has a quote from the book in it: All she wanted to do was leave, but Calum was doing everything to keep her there. What he had endured was more humiliating, so she swallowed the uncomfortable emotions swirling in her stomach trying to crawl their way up her throat..." Next to the rectangles is a 3D picture of the book. The cover has a black background. In the foreground is a picture of a man with an unzipped hoody. He has a chiseled chest. The hood of the hoody is up over his head. He is staring to the side with a brooding look. He has prominent black eyebrows, a black goatee, and stubble that forms a beard. The title word Humiliating is white and revenge is orange that is 3/4 of the way down the cover. At the bottom of the cover is the author's name in white, T. Christensen.

Writing an Emotional MMA Sports Romance

Here we go… Humiliating Revenge, my sports (MMA) romance novel.

This MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) sports romance was my second book, and writing it was an emotional journey from start to finish. I’m drawn to angsty, emotional romance novels and that’s exactly what I aim to deliver in my own contemporary romance books.

I’m usually fully immersed when I write, but this story hit differently. The emotional scenes gave me teary eyes and even a few breath hitches. This book holds a special place in my heart.

If you love intense chemistry, emotional slow burn romance, and characters who fight just as hard for love as they do in the ring, this book is for you!

Let’s start with the elevator pitch for this MMA sports romance novel (full synopsis here):

She shattered his pride in high school.
Now he’s a famous MMA fighter with a score to settle.
But revenge gets complicated when old sparks refuse to die.

The Scene That Sparked the Story

The scene that inspired this MMA romance novel was actually the opening chapter. I couldn’t shake the image of Olivia quietly slipping into a crowded, raucous stadium to watch Calum fight. Surrounded by roaring, intense fans, she feels completely out of place. It doesn’t stop her from watching the man she once loved from a distance. He has no idea she’s there, and they haven’t spoken in years. But, she’s secretly followed his path to fame.

For some reason, that pivotal scene always played out at an MMA event. Ironically, I didn’t know much about mixed martial arts at the time, I’d never even watched a bout. But for the sake of authentic sports romance writing, I watched YouTube matches, researched, and learned about the different martial arts styles fighters train in.

Despite feeling out of place in the arena, Olivia is fully invested in the fight. She’s nervous, excited, and tense for Calum. As I imagined the moment, I could feel her emotions so strongly that my own stomach churned right along with hers. That emotional connection became the heartbeat of this character-driven romance.

Meet the Characters

The Heroine: Olivia

Olivia is known as the “town princess” in this small-town contemporary romance. From the outside, she seems like the spoiled, wealthy, and untouchable rich girl—driving the nicest car, living in the biggest house, and keeping her distance from classmates. That distance gives her a stuck-up reputation, one that follows her everywhere.

Olivia’s real life is far more complicated than it appears. Her home life is nothing like the picture people imagine, and protecting that secret feels like walking a tightrope. If not for her loyal best friend, she might not have any friends at all. It’s this friend who encourages her to take a chance on Calum, setting the stage for this angsty second-chance romance.

What I love most about Olivia is her quiet courage. She’s endured more than people realize, yet she’s determined to live life on her own terms. Years later, she’s still balancing on that tightrope, but she can finally see the possibility of freedom, love, and a future she chooses for herself.

The Hero: Callum

Calum begins this sports romance as the carefree, charming high school golden boy. Confident, athletic, and popular, he’s used to attention. But when he sees Olivia at one of his wrestling matches, she’s the only one who captures his interest.

Unlike everyone else, Callum ignores the rumors about her. He sees past the reputation and pulls her out of her shell, discovering a connection that feels deeper than a typical high school romance. For the first time, he finds someone he’d do anything for. Until heartbreak and humiliation change everything.

From Calum’s perspective, Olivia becomes exactly what everyone warned him about. That betrayal fuels his anger and drives him toward the world of mixed martial arts, transforming him into an unstoppable MMA fighter. His journey from carefree athlete to hardened fighter adds emotional depth and tension to this sports romance novel.

Yet beneath the anger, readers still catch glimpses of the protective, loyal hero he once was. That contrast between the man he was and the man he’s becoming is what makes this enemies-to-lovers style romance so compelling.

Want to know Olivia and Calum’s full story? Get it here.

Close up of the black and white cover of Humiliating Revenge. The background is a brooding man whose head is covered with an unzipped hoodie. He appears to be concentrating on something out the window. He has dark eyebrows, a dark goatee, and stubble that would eventually become a beard. The words Humiliating Revenge Tropes are in the upper right corner and highlighted with a splash of orange. In the lower left corner the tropes listed are enemies to lovers, poor boy vs rich girl, alpha hero, sports romance, and revenge.

Your Turn: Favorite MMA Romance Reads

I’m almost certain there was an MMA romance novel I once read that helped inspire Callum’s journey into the world of mixed martial arts. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title! (And it’s been driving me crazy!) I’ve searched and searched, but nothing looks familiar.

So now I’m turning to you, my fellow romance readers, for help.

If you’ve read any great MMA or fighter romances, drop your recommendations in the comments! Even if they aren’t the book I’m thinking of, I’d love to discover more MMA romance novels and add them to my reading list. Who knows…you might help another reader find their next favorite sports romance too.

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