'Bachelorette' Star Michael Allio Says Writing His New Children's Book 'Strengthened His Bond' With Son James: 'Our Family Is Thriving'

While writing his new children's book, Where the Wild Heart Grows, a beautifully illustrated, emotionally rich story that explores courage, loss and the journey of growing through life’s hardest moments, focusing on embracing the different seasons of life on the path of becoming, Michael Allio was able to grow closer to his son, James, who was born in 2016.

"Anytime you go deeper emotionally, it strengthens the bond. I actually wrote about 30 stories, and my son helped choose which ones made it into the book. He’d say things like, 'Don’t include that one — it’s boring,' which was pretty funny. But he played a real role in shaping it," he exclusively tells OK! while promoting his children's book.

"He’s doing great. The other day I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up, and he said a news reporter. I told him he could absolutely do that. I said, 'Look at me — I’ve run businesses, been on reality TV, and now I’m a writer.' When he found out the book was being published, he started making his own little books. It’s been amazing to watch him illustrate and tell stories. At bedtime, we even go through storytelling structure together. That’s one of the key ideas of the book — it’s not a lecture or a 'seven steps to improve your life' type of thing. It’s meant to spark conversation between parent and child. The stories are layered: a child might see a spider trying to catch a sunset, while a parent sees the deeper message — that beautiful things aren’t meant to be owned, but shared," the reality star, who first rose to fame on Katie Thurston's season of The Bachelorette, continues.

During his stint on TV, the dad-of-one opened up about losing his wife, Laura, in 2019 after battling b----- cancer.

"Most people just want to be heard. You can’t talk someone out of sadness — and you shouldn’t try to fix them. The goal is to let them know they’re not alone, that their feelings are valid, and that with time, they’ll find their way forward," he says of navigating grief. "It’s both simple and complicated. My son was very young when his mom passed, so it’s about balancing how we talk about her — honoring her memory without creating pressure for him to remember things he can’t. It really comes down to knowing your child — reading their cues and responding to what they need."

The idea first came about in 2019 when the star was a newly widowed father with a 4-year-old son.

"I realized I didn’t have all the tools I needed to really check in with him. He’d get in the car after school, and I’d ask, 'How was your day?' He’d say, 'Good.' Then I’d ask, 'What did you do?' and he’d say, 'Nothing.' It was the same kind of response I gave my parents as a kid. But now, without a second set of eyes, I worried — what am I missing? So I started writing little bedtime stories for him. Bedtime became a sacred space for us. He loves to read, and I’d tell stories with themes tied to what might be going on in his life. Something interesting happens when kids aren’t the center of the story — they start giving you clues about what’s really going on with them," he shares.

"I modeled the stories after nature. Many of them are about letting go, embracing seasons of life and growing. It’s not just a book about grief. If you’re grieving, you’ll find helpful lessons — but at its core, it’s about growing up and giving yourself the space to learn lessons we often overlook," he continues.

For Allio, it was "incredibly vulnerable" for him to take stories meant for his child and "share them with the world."

"I’m excited to see how people respond. It’s also a slower, more intentional type of storytelling — something I think we’ve moved away from in children’s literature. I partnered with Luke Stretar, an incredible oil painter, who created 35 hand-painted illustrations on canvas. We prioritized quality over speed. We self-published, so we had full creative control. It was really just two dads trying to create something meaningful for their kids," he says. "Each illustration in the book was hand-painted on canvas. For a limited time, anyone who orders the book will be entered to win an original piece of that artwork. It’s a way for people to take home a piece of the forest with them."

He adds: "Each of the seven stories has its own themes, but a central one is letting go. Nature was a big inspiration — because it understands the seasons of life. Trees don’t grieve their leaves; they trust that new growth is coming. If we can adopt that mindset—understanding that when things don’t work out, it creates space for growth — we can move forward more peacefully."

While on reality TV, Allio was able to open up about his experience with grief and losing his wife, which he thinks helped him when writing this new tome.

"I think vulnerability is essential. Especially today, when so many people try to present a perfect version of themselves online —even though we all know perfection doesn’t exist," he says. "Being authentic helps you find your people. And while reality TV was vulnerable, this book is even more so — it comes from private, intimate moments that helped my son and me navigate difficult conversations."

For now, Allio is in a season of "gratitude" with his son and girlfriend Jade Marie.

"We spend a lot of time outdoors — hiking, exploring. Our family is thriving, and I never would have imagined feeling this way again. It’s shown me that even after deep loss, life can still be full and beautiful," he states.

Where the Wild Heart Grows is available online now.