Special Feature: The Designated Date by Drew Taylor

“Last Woman Standing” is a title I’d never thought I’d don, but when my sister moves to another country to marry a crown prince, it’s bestowed upon me without my consent.

To make matters worse? My hot playboy boss won’t stop pestering me to go out on a date with him. When all the stars align and I begrudgingly owe him a favor, he whisks me away to his hometown as his fake girlfriend where I… Have the time of my life.

So when he asks me to continue playing pretend with him for a list of future events, who am I to say no? Will I go down in a heap of burning flames? Probably.

Drew Taylor is a US based writer of contemporary romance, and I was privileged enough to receive an ARC of her fantastic novel, The Designated Date, which is released September 10th.

Welcome Drew—again! If you missed it, my first interview post with Drew is here. So the book we’re focusing on today is the latest in the Designated Series. For those of you who don’t know, Drew writes romantic comedies from a Christian perspective. I’m VERY excited about her latest book as it deals with some much-needed real-world issues. In particular, it focuses on sexual temptation and, importantly, journeys of redemption from sexual sin. Drew, can you tell me a bit about the journey of writing this book? Was it different to your other stories?

Hi, Sophie! It’s so good to be back with you in this capacity. I’m thrilled you invited me back for another interview! Oh man, what can I say about the journey writing TDD? It was brutal. I didn’t set out to write a book that was so heavily influenced by this theme of redemption from sexual immorality. I’ve included characters in past books that mention they have a past with sexual sin, but it was never the focus of the story. In all honesty, Lucy’s book was never meant to be what it has become, but after I went through a trying time falling back into sexual immorality myself, I knew the Lord was calling me to use that ugly, dark sin to shine a big, bright light onto Him and His redemptive nature. You see, I lost my virginity when I was thirteen while I was in a committed relationship. (How does a thirteen year old girl end up in a committed relationship with a fifteen year old? Well, that’s a whole other story that I should tell one day. Don’t worry, it wasn’t forced, abusive, or malicious. I look back on that relationship with fondness regardless of allowing myself to grow up too fast during it.) After that, I was “clean” until I got into another serious relationship at seventeen. I was with him for over three years, and well, that relationship has no room for fondness (another story for another time). Looking back, it was my addiction to sex keeping us together, and after I ended things when he cheated, I went through what I refer to as my “black out summer.” I went to bars, kept getting drunk as much as I could, slept with over ten men in the span of a few months, and was searching for something to keep my addictive personality fueled. Thankfully, God got ahold of me after only a few months of living that way, and He brought my very best friends into my life around that time. They healed me more than anyone will ever know (Kaitlyn, Aubrey, Whitney… I love you). For over five years, I lived “clean” and only struggled occasionally with intense need, desire, or fantasy in regards to sex. Then I moved to Alaska, met another man who I just knew was going to be my husband, and ended up starting a sexually-fueled relationship with him all while he lied and strung me along because he couldn’t have another woman that he truly wanted. And this is where the sad part really hits: I let him. I knew what he was doing, and I was so lonely, so depressed, and so desperate for affection that I slept with him night after night just to feel something. This is what Lucy’s story was born out of. I struggled for two years trying to make sense of how far I’d fallen while pretending that everything was good, speaking out against writing smut, and proclaiming the name of the Lord on Instagram to all my readers. All while living a big, fat lie. It was eating me alive, and the Lord finally brought me to a place of reckoning. TDD is my journey. I was drafting that novel while in the snares of sexual addiction. I went to the battlefield with the Lord within the pages of that book. I was forced to face many demons lurking around me. But the Lord, in all of His grace and mercy that I do not deserve, made something spectacular out of my mess. The journey was brutal, but man… I pray it helps some other girl or woman out there not make the same mistakes I have.

I feel like there’s a growing movement, a rallying call, to make romance, and romance with Christian characters, more real and reflective of the reality of sin and the brokenness of the world we live in. Not to glorify the sin and brokenness, but to amplify the awesome reality of God’s grace. What advice would you give other Christian writers who are trying to tread that line between being real and glorifying God in what they write?

I have noticed this trend, and I am so thankful the Lord has used me to help it along. I don’t feel worthy, and it’s because I’m not, but He is. The best advice I can give other Christian writers is to listen to what the Lord is calling you to write and use your stories. Not every author is going to tackle the issue of sexual immorality. Not every author is going to have salvation arcs in their stories. Not every author is going to be able to write about drug and alcohol abuse. But dear Christian author, if you have walked through sin in your life (as we all have), don’t hide it away. Use it in your stories and show the world how awesome the Lord is for getting you through it. There is a fine line between glorifying sin and showcasing sin, and I know many people may think I toe the line a little too closely, but it’s what the Lord has called me to write. Sin feels real good sometimes, and to me, that needs to be shown before the gripping despair of sin can be shown. We wouldn’t fall into sin if it wasn’t easy and appealing to fall into in the first place.

Here’s one of my favourite quotes from the book: ‘What in the romantic comedy novel is my life right now? I should’ve said no. Stood my ground. But the romance author inside of me was a little too greedy to get her hands on this situation for “book research”, the lonely girl inside me was chomping at the bit to escape for the weekend, and the dark woman inside of me was foaming at the mouth to experience a date with Stone Harper.’
One thing I think you handle really well in this book is the theme of loneliness. It’s such a real struggle. I get a bit annoyed by romance books where basically every single character is neatly paired off because that’s not real life, people! Why do you think it’s so taboo to be lonely? I’m thinking particularly for single ladies out there.

Same, girl. Same. While I totally appreciate the lighter, fluffier reads (I mean, the previous book in this series is such a light fairytale-esque story), I also love rom-coms with substance. As I was wrapping up drafting The Designated Twin, I knew Lucy’s story would deal with loneliness (even before I realized I would weave sexual immorality into it). There was no way that a woman who loved romance, chose to write it as her profession, would get away unscathed by all her friends pairing off and starting families. No, she would deal with the dark monster that is Loneliness. And it was fitting because I was so depressed because of feeling utterly alone in the cold expanse of Alaska without my best friends and family. Her journal entries in TDT show her descent, and when TDD picks up, she’s there in that dark hole. That’s why it’s so easy for her to agree with Stone to fake-date. She just wants someone to want her and take away the pain of loneliness. Like many women, Lucy doesn’t share her loneliness. I think it’s taboo (in Christian culture) because we are supposed to find all we need in God. While it’s true He is the only one who can provide overwhelming peace, unwavering joy, and agape love, I think Christians sometimes forget we were created for community. We were created for marriage. It’s right there in Genesis when God creates man and woman. I think people perceive loneliness as self-inflicting or a result of sin. Which, sometimes, can be true. But a lot of times, loneliness is a part of living in a fallen world with other fallen humans. I don’t think we will ever truly feel whole until we are standing with God in His eternal kingdom. 

As a Christian, I totally related to everything in this book, and I think it’s a book I would have loved to read when I was in my twenties. Now, I’m seeing it through slightly different eyes and thinking: wow. We as a church really need to do better in supporting single people, in being open about sexual struggles. What do you think the role of the church is in helping people through these kinds of situations? For Christian readers who are married and maybe have forgotten the struggle of being single or the quagmire of dating relationships, what do you want them to take away from this book?

Oh wow, Sophie. Thanks for asking this question. I’m still reeling over the fact I turn twenty-eight when this book releases. When I was in my younger twenties, I still had loads of hope for finding a man. There were plenty of church groups for me to attend, and I still kept in touch with a lot of buddies from college. However, in my mid-late twenties, I feel more alone than ever in church. Most people my age are married, having kids, and living their lives. Which is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but as a single, especially one who is away from her family, it’s so hard sometimes. There isn’t a group for me at church because most of the “college and career” classes are younger twenties. So, I go with the married couples, which I love because I think mixing ages for studying the Word of God is highly beneficial, but it’s also disheartening at times. Furthermore, I think it’s important for church members to just be aware of the singles in their congregation: ask them to Sunday lunch, invite them out on an outing sometimes, and most importantly, if you know another Christian single of the opposite sex, SET THEM UP. I would love to be set up by a church-going friend. As far as sexual sin, I think more women need to be open and receptive to talk about it. I get that many women do not have addictive personalities when it comes to sex, which is why it’s so often seen as a “man’s struggle,” but there are women out there, like me, who do. I think it’s important for women in the church to research and understand it so that they can be prepared to help another woman out if they come to them. Don’t shun a woman struggling with sex. Don’t tell her that she needs to pray more or read scripture more. Don’t tell her that it’s her fault. What you should tell a woman who comes to you and confides in you about sexual sin is that she doesn’t have to live in bondage and be willing to hold her accountable or find another woman who can hold her accountable. Have open and honest conversations. Let her tell you as much as she needs to. Pray with her and for her constantly. And if she slips up, remind her that she’s not forsaken. That she is loved, can be forgiven, and is still a Child of God. Please be patient with her. I guarantee she’s trying her best and is fighting a battle you’d never understand unless you’ve faced it, too. 

What are you working on next? I’m so excited for Emma Jane’s Guide to Matchmaking the Mayor and the whole Love on the Ballot series coming out soon.

Ah, yes. I am so excited to get Emma Jane’s book out! It’s going to be a nice reprieve for my readers after TDD! November 12th can’t get here fast enough. Outside of that, I am working on a sweet Christmas romance standalone novel. I have no clue if it will come out this Christmas or not, but I sure am having a lot of fun writing this teacher romance book. And just for those who read this interview, here are a few of the tropes you can expect: best friend’s brother, forced proximity, opposites attract, she can’t stand him, he chases her, and an unexpected snow-in. It’s set in Alaska and is written in third person from a singular point of view. It’s my first time writing a book like that, and I am LOVING it.

You can follow Drew on Instagram @authordrewtaylor.

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