About the Book

Book: Not My Hero

Author: Michelle Bolanger

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Biblical Retelling

Release Date: August 4, 2026

She lost everything… except the chance to begin again.

He has everything… except the freedom to follow his heart.

After losing her husband, Kennedy Bishop is left with nothing but grief, debt, and unanswered questions.

Returning to Dayton with her faithful mother-in-law, Kennedy is determined to rebuild her life without relying on anyone… especially God.

But when she crosses paths with the wealthy Donovan Taylor, a devout man committed to rescuing others while hiding burdens of his own, their lives become unexpectedly intertwined.

As suspicion, sacrifice, and unseen connections threaten to tear them apart, the pair must decide if they’re willing to put their trust in God and take a chance on love.

A powerful Christian romance about redemption, faith, and the courage to believe that even the most broken stories can be restored.

Perfect for readers of Francine Rivers and Nichole Deese, this emotionally rich Christian romance blends heartbreak, redemption, and faith into a modern-day story of Ruth that speaks to anyone learning to trust God again.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Michelle Bolanger a small town, socially awkward and often anxious author and artist who found unshakeable security and hope in 1998 when she surrendered her fears and her heart to Jesus Christ. Her greatest wish as an author is that her stories will be a vehicle to share the hope and courage she found through her faith with others. Michelle lives in small town Ohio with her husband of almost 30 years and a mildly chaotic Akita named Hugo. She and Robert enjoy going on long cruises, taking motorcycle rides along side roads and back roads, and cheering for their favorite professional hockey teams.

More from Michelle

When I get asked why I wrote Not My Hero, I tell people it is because I had been looking for a modern retelling of the book of Ruth that impacted me. I couldn’t find one that I loved, so I wrote it myself.

I’ve always been drawn to Boaz’s history. I wondered about his lineage and how his parents’ past might have been the reason he was well past the age a man of his station should be married with children, and yet he wasn’t. Could it have been because his mother was not only a foreigner, but that she was a former prostitute? Would other families hesitate to offer their daughters in marriage to such a family? How did that past affect Boaz’s view of himself?

And I found it so interesting that Ruth was the faithful one when Naomi felt God had abandoned her. Ruth had every reason to be wary. As a Moabite, she knew she would not be accepted in the Hebrew society, yet she clung to the God of the Hebrews. She was rewarded for her faithfulness to Naomi when God brought her to Boaz’s field, and through her, Naomi saw proof that God had not abandoned her at all.

While I wrote the story simply wanting to retell a beloved story from the Bible, I realized that even in my own darkest times God always had a plan that I couldn’t see. He is always working, even when we can’t see a way through.

It took me 8 years to write and publish this story, and I think it took that long because God needed me to see beyond the characters I had created and into His heart for me. He wanted me to understand that this isn’t just a fictional story, it is a tale that illustrates His steadfast love and faithfulness.

Author Interview

What is your favorite genre of books? Why?

I am a fantasy romance reader at heart. I enjoy they worldbuilding and the way being in a fantasy world allows us to explore topics that allow us to see the world we live in through a different point of view that feels safer than in a contemporary novel. And sometimes it is a good escape from reality. I can be a warrior princess or a wolf shifter when in reality I would be the first one to die in one of those stories.

Are you a one project at a time author or do you have multiple projects going at once?

Because of the way my brain works, I can get bored with a story quickly, so I always have at least two stories I am working on at any given time. Since I self-publish and don’t have deadlines set by a publisher, I can take my time finishing a draft. When I lose interest in one story, I jump to the next until one of them is a completed first draft. Then I focus on the completed one for publication.

But I have such a huge stash of half started scenes, partly written stories, and ideas that I could feed a colony of squirrels for years if they were nuts. I hoard ideas and tuck them away to see if one day the idea grows.

Where do you find your greatest inspiration?

Most of my story ideas are born from a Biblical principle or story from the Bible, but sometimes a scene just comes to me, and I have to write it.

Not My Hero was completely inspired by the Book of Ruth, and I spent months studying the book before I began to write.

The stories I am working on now all started as a random scene that grew into a longer story. But even then, they are based on Biblical principles like, hope, worship, and forgiveness.

Do you have extensive outlines when writing or do you write a book as you go?

Hahahaha…no outlines, please. I am a dyed in the wool discovery writer. I have tried several times to outline a story, making sure I hit all the ‘beats’ and timing, but by the time I did the outline, I knew how the story ended, and I no longer wanted to write it. The joy of writing for me is following the characters as they reveal the story to me. There have been many times was surprised by a plot twist. My husband loves to tease me about it. He asks how that’s possible when the characters clearly live in my head. But it’s true.

What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?

A really good cup of coffee and silence. Because I am very easily distracted, I find I am most productive when the house is completely quiet first thing in the morning, or later in the evening. And I am almost always seen with a mug of coffee in my hand no matter where I am!