Behind the Pages
Romance, tropes, reading obsessions, and the occasional confession from J.S. Bates.
Latest Post
The Save Is Here and It Completely Ruined My Emotional Stability
May 2026 • 6 minute read
I thought I was writing a fake dating hockey romance.
Instead I accidentally wrote two emotionally stubborn people destroying each other one inch at a time while pretending they absolutely had things under control.
Cole Mercer was supposed to be charming. Manageable. Fictional.
Unfortunately, he became the kind of man who says one quiet sentence and suddenly the entire book catches fire.
Coming Up Next
Why Fake Dating Will Never Die
A love letter to the trope that refuses to leave us alone and honestly should never apologize for it.
The Slow Burn Problem
Why emotional restraint is infinitely hotter than characters removing their clothes on page twelve.
Ranking Forced Proximity Scenarios
One bed. Snowstorm. Broken elevator. Road trip. Someone will be judged harshly.
Want the scenes too chaotic for the books?
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