Hey friends,

Let’s talk about when real life starts to feel a little too much like a plot twist you didn’t outline…

Lately, life has been absolute chaos at the Helms house. Between building a brand-new program within our local softball organization (yes, with Mr. Helms—my real-life HEA), dealing with home repairs, and navigating all the drama that comes with raising teenage girls… let’s just say I’m holding it together with iced coffee and vibes.

Oh, and did I mention someone tried to spend $3,000 at Lowe’s on our credit card? Now I’m hosting two birthday parties this weekend… without a functioning credit card. It’s giving “romcom heroine spiraling before her third-act breakthrough,” right?

If you’ve ever felt like the universe was testing you, just know—you are not alone.

Romance Author Life: Trying to Pivot Back

Despite the chaos, I’ve been craving time to dive into book plotting again. I was actually doing great with my 2025 romance author goals—until real life body-checked me. But I’m slowly pivoting back, because writing contemporary romance is my therapy and my joy.

If you’re a fan of my Unexpected Love series, you might be excited to hear that I’m considering a series-wide sale soon. Yes, book deals are coming! 🎉

Stay tuned for details and grab your TBR list, because you won’t want to miss it.

Bookish Things I’m Loving Right Now

Let’s get into the fun stuff—because even when life is messy, there’s always time for a good story (or a cute plant accessory).

💛 Currently Listening To:

The Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent. If you love morally gray fae and fantasy romance drama, I can’t recommend it enough.

💛 What I Just Read:

A Happy Marriage by A.R. Torre – It’s raw, twisty, and gave me all the feels. Highly recommend.

💛 What I Bought:

The Cozyla digital calendar for our family command center. With multiple sports schedules, birthdays, and appointments—it’s a total game changer.

💛 Current Obsession:

Making friendship bracelets for my plants. Yes, you read that right. It started as a silly little project, and now I’m fully invested in my pothos’s social life.

Thanks for Sticking Around

Life is hard, writing is healing, and I’m grateful for every single reader who’s still here, cheering me on. 💛

A more in-depth update is coming soon (hopefully with less chaos and more writing progress). Until then, keep reading romance, hug your houseplants, and maybe double-check your credit card statement. 😂

xo,

Lauren Helms