A wounded hero, a romantic-conflict-ridden relationship and mixed martial arts is the perfect recipe for a knockout novel, according to Victoria Curran, Harlequin super-romance editor.

Toronto writer Vicki So (pen name Vicki Essex) recently published her first novel, Her Son’s Hero, and says she has Georges St-Pierre (GSP) to thank for its success.

An avid UFC fan, So drew inspiration for her novel’s hero from the Canadian mixed martial artist and current UFC welterweight champion. So said it took her only six months to write her first published book, which caught the attention of Harlequin.

“If I have anyone to thank, I have to thank GSP, which I do in my book,” she said.

The novel tells the story of a divorced mother who despises violence and a mixed martial arts fighter learning to cope with his own demons. The pair fall in love as the hero gives the heroine’s bullied son lessons to fend for himself.

It took So three tries before she perfected the equation to a successful romance novel.  

“Romance writing has a very particular ‘ I hate to use this word ‘ formula,” said So, explaining that her two previous unpublished novels simply didn’t have that formula.

“I have to keep moving forward.

“You just have to keep writing, you can’t get stuck in that one story sometimes.”

Set to hit shelves July 12, So has already received a rave review from RT Book Reviews.

“It was a really good review, it was four stars out of their four and a half plus gold (rating),” said So.

“It was really good to know that a debut book and a debut author could actually do some good.”