Romance Author Lauren Blakely Shares Exclusive 'It Seemed Like a Good Idea' Excerpt

Blakely discusses power dynamics, breaking tropes, and the appeal of dual POV in her upcoming Cosmo Reads release.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Bestselling romance author Lauren Blakely has provided Cosmopolitan.com with an exclusive excerpt from her upcoming book "It Seemed Like a Good Idea," set to be published on March 3, 2026 under the Cosmo Reads imprint. In the annotated excerpt, Blakely discusses the inspiration behind the bodyguard romance, the appeal of small-town settings, and her preference for dual point-of-view narratives. Blakely will also be going on a multi-city book tour to promote the new release.

Why it matters

Blakely is one of the biggest names in the romance genre, with a #1 New York Times bestseller to her name. Her upcoming release "It Seemed Like a Good Idea" marks her first book under the Cosmo Reads imprint, highlighting the growing influence of the iconic women's magazine in the world of romance publishing. The exclusive excerpt and author insights provide a unique behind-the-scenes look at Blakely's creative process and the development of the new novel.

The details

In the annotated excerpt, Blakely shares how she came up with the idea for "It Seemed Like a Good Idea," which follows a bodyguard named Banks who is assigned to protect Ripley, a woman he had a steamy hotel hookup with in the past. Blakely explains her desire to subvert typical bodyguard romance tropes by setting the story in a small town rather than a glamorous, high-stakes environment. She also discusses her preference for dual point-of-view narratives, which allow readers to get inside the heads of both the hero and heroine. Additionally, Blakely touches on the power dynamics between her characters and how she aims to explore a playful, approachable kink in the bedroom scenes.

  • The book "It Seemed Like a Good Idea" by Lauren Blakely will be released on March 3, 2026.
  • Blakely will be going on a multi-city book tour starting on March 3, 2026, with stops in Gilbert, AZ; Parker, CO; Knoxville, TN; and Chicago, IL.

The players

Lauren Blakely

A bestselling romance author who is releasing her upcoming book "It Seemed Like a Good Idea" under the Cosmo Reads imprint.

Banks

The male protagonist of "It Seemed Like a Good Idea," a bodyguard who is assigned to protect a woman he previously had a steamy encounter with.

Ripley

The female protagonist of "It Seemed Like a Good Idea," a farmer who finds herself being protected by a bodyguard she has a complicated history with.

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What they’re saying

“I do love a good single POV romance like Ali Hazelwood's Problematic Summer Romance, or Emily Henry, or Ashley Poston. But I have really grown up primarily doing dual POV and I think there's an audience for both. My readers enjoy getting to see both sides.”

— Lauren Blakely, Author (Cosmopolitan.com)

“Even though that is their dynamic, Ripley is still very much Ripley. She's sarcastic and sassy and she's like, Get moving. Move faster, come on. But I feel that even though she's definitely more submissive there, the way that they're creative in the bedroom with ribbons and flowers and all of that kind of speaks to a shared, approachable kink.”

— Lauren Blakely, Author (Cosmopolitan.com)

What’s next

Blakely's upcoming book tour will include stops at several independent bookstores where fans can purchase signed and personalized copies of "It Seemed Like a Good Idea." Additionally, the author has hinted that supporting characters Chloe and Sawyer will be returning in future books, suggesting more stories set in this world are on the horizon.

The takeaway

Lauren Blakely's ability to subvert romance tropes while exploring complex power dynamics and kink in an approachable way has made her one of the biggest names in the genre. The exclusive excerpt and author insights for "It Seemed Like a Good Idea" showcase Blakely's creative vision and the growing influence of Cosmopolitan magazine in the world of romance publishing.