Cheating men in real life and why it doesn't really work in romance. . .

The other morning I woke up to a story about General David Petraeus.
Remember the former head of the CIA, who got busted cheating on his wife?
Well, now he's on his "I'm sorry" tour.

General David Petraeus is the latest high profile man doing the “I’m sorry” tour.  Tiger Woods did it. John Edwards did it. President Bill Clinton did it. Jesse Jackson did it. And the list could go on and on.  Hi, Mark Sanford.

All of these high profile cheaters and June Bug around the corner have one thing in common – They’re sorry that they got caught.

Cheating is a choice. Cheating is not an accident. It is planned and deliberate. No one accidentally shows up at a hotel room to have sex, to get oral pleasures or to make stains on blue dresses. You don’t accidentally play stick the cigar in the intern, you choose to do that. Saying I’m sorry after getting caught is like getting a garden hose after starting the house fire. It’s a little too late.

In real life, we forgive these high profile cheaters. I was kind of surprised to see a lot of women cheering when Tiger Woods regained his number one ranking. While we forgive these men in the real world, you have to be one hell of an author to get readers to support a cheating character.
Ann Christopher did an outstanding job of this in Redemption's Kiss. 
 

  After Jillian Warner's much-publicized divorce from her ex-governor husband, Beau Taylor, all she wants is a quiet life--out of the political spotlight. And quiet it is: the heiress and single mom runs a quaint B and B in Atlanta.

But Beau is back, vowing to win her heart. With desire reigniting, Jillian's more confused than ever. Her seductive ex betrayed her once. How can she ever trust him again?

A near-fatal accident has changed Beau in ways he never imagined. Now his number-one priority is becoming the devoted husband and father he knows he always should have been. He's determined to atone for the sins of the past and build a new future with the woman he's never stopped loving. Beau wants Jillian--and this time he's doing it right.

But reading about a cheater in contemporary romances leads to some harsh comments from readers. In my novel, Let's Get It On, I received many emails about why Kenya would take Maurice back. One of my good friends tells me often that she hates Maurice.

  Some times, I wish life imitated art more often. The men in fiction have to beg, plead and prove that they've changed. In real life, cheaters hold a press conference, claim a sex addiction or go on an "I'm Sorry Tour" and all is forgiven.

May is right around the corner! Are you ready for Forces of Nature.

Publisher's Weekly says: 

Hot sex, some delightful humor, a dollop of mystery, and engaging characters make this a book readers will love.