We chat with author Ivy Fairbanks about Heart Strings, which is a sizzling exes-to-lovers second- chance romance.
Hi, Ivy! In your own words, tell us what Heart Strings is about.
It’s a story about forgiveness and vulnerability. Cielo is an American medical student studying abroad in Ireland who must spend a wedding weekend playing maid of honor opposite her singer-songwriter ex, who is the best man. The kicker is that since their breakup two years earlier, he’s climbed the Billboard charts with love songs about their relationship. This time together is a second chance.
What inspired your decision to make Aidan a musician? Did any of your favorite artists influence the creation of his character?
Ireland has a rich musical culture, and I wanted to incorporate that creative passion into his character. I like to create playlists as I write, and the one for this book included modern Irish musicians like Ye Vagabonds, Glen Hansard, and Hozier. Songwriters who can rip your heart out and sound like an angel doing it. I imagine Aidan sounding like some kind of amalgamation of them with a little swagger and some mandolin, but I wanted him to stand as his own without borrowing too much of any single performer.
Cielo “Lo” Valdez is a strong, resilient Mexican American woman working in the medical field. Why did you choose to highlight Lo’s Latinx cultural background, particularly in relation to her career?
Lo’s motivation to become a pediatric oncologist is not only deeply personal but also in service to her community. My husband is Mexican American, and the Latina women in our family are some of the most selfless, dedicated, and empathetic people I know. As I was researching for this book, I learned that Latina women are the most underrepresented group among physicians in the US, only 2 percent of doctors despite being nearly 18 percent of the population. This is especially relevant when Diversity, Equity and Inclusion measures are being cancelled in education and in workplaces like hospitals. Hispanic and Latine children are also at a higher risk of leukemia compared to other backgrounds, but their survival rate is lower than other kids’. This probably sounds like such a bummer to include in a romance novel, but I always strive to be both honest and hopeful in my storytelling. Cielo is someone I’d admire in real life and it’s satisfying to give good people like her happy endings.
How does Lo’s strong sense of independence, forged through her experience as a cancer survivor, influence her relationship with Aidan differently than it does with other key characters, such as Lark or her mother?
There’s a point in the story where Aidan tells Lo, “I know you can stand on your own feet, but I won’t let you fall if you lean on me.” Hyper-independence is kind of a double-edged sword for Lo, and he can see that. Lo’s cousin Lark was there for her through the worst challenges of her illness, so there is a different kind of trust between them. Lark’s unconditional love has already been proven, whereas Aidan failed to do that the first time around in their relationship. His arc is about having the courage to step up and prove his commitment to Lo, while hers is about accepting and trusting in Adian’s support.
A recurring theme in the novel is the overlap of disability and care, especially how individuals battling chronic illness navigate their ability to care for themselves. Why was it important for you to highlight this aspect of disability in Heart Strings?
Complications from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome affect my daily life. When I was about thirty, they worsened to the point of being disabling. It’s hard to allow yourself to lean on others if you’re not used to it. Caretaking has changed the dynamic between my husband and me, but it’s been both a challenge for us and a source of deep bonding. Statistics show that women with chronic illness and cancer diagnoses are left by their male spouses at a staggering rate. It’s heartbreaking, especially considering the “in sickness” part of wedding vows and that women don’t leave their husbands when they become ill. I wanted to write a hero willing and unhesitatingly supporting his partner, and my husband was an inspiration for that.
There are many intimate moments between Lo and Aiden in Heart Strings. How do you approach writing these steamy scenes between love interests in your novels to ensure they are both authentic and engaging for your readers?
Keeping the physicality grounded in the emotions of the characters is important. The exploration of light restraint and power dynamics are ways for Cielo to pleasurably reclaim her body after going into remission. Long-term illness complicates your relationship to yourself and can rob you of a sense of control. Embracing some of her control-freak tendencies in the bedroom is empowering. Lo likes being in charge and Aidan loves when she is—but he’s also tuned in to her emotionally. Maintaining that parallel helps those scenes feel genuine and not there only for the sake of being sexy.
A significant portion of Heart Strings unfolds during Lark and Callum’s weekend-long wedding festivities. How did you manage to weave in Easter eggs from Morbidly Yours into Lo and Aidan’s story so seamlessly, and do you plan to do the same for the next Love in Galway novel?
Yes, it’s always been my goal to have the series be interconnected and for the characters to feel more like found family as the series continues. Sprinkling in those details felt a bit like winking to readers of the first book, although Heart Strings definitely reads as a standalone. At times I had to make myself pull back from focusing too much on Lark and Callum and the side characters, because they were such fun to revisit.
You delve deeply into Aidan’s and Lo’s musical and medical careers. What was your research process like for accurately portraying these characters’ careers in the novel?
An American friend of my editor went to medical school in Ireland and graciously offered to help with specific questions. Quora and Reddit were helpful when figuring out Aidan’s record label troubles, and medical student vlogs helped me get a sense of Lo’s routine.
If you could choose one song to represent Heart Strings, what would it be and why?
“The Roads” by Jonah Kagen encapsulates it pretty well. For me, it’s about not only knowingly choosing to trust again after you’ve caused each other pain, but proving yourself worthy of their trust now. Aidan and Lo go into their second chance with open eyes, knowing that neither is perfect but remaining dedicated to being better partners to each other.
What are you working on next?
Book Three of Love in Galway will be Saoirse’s book. In real life, the city has an impressive Halloween parade that provides the backdrop for her rivals-to-lovers story. She’s always been sort of the invisible middle child and is finally being fully seen by someone for the first time. Readers get a little peek at her love interest, Gabe, in Heart Strings.
