We chat with New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young about The Love Plot, which follows a magnetic attraction when a happy-go-lucky gig worker agrees to a fake relationship with a rich, uptight New Yorker.
Hi, Samantha! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I am a coffee-drinking dog mum from Scotland who enjoys walking, the Highlands, searching for the world’s greatest cheeseburger, and good music. Despite what my dry sense of humor suggests, I do have a romantic soul, and I pour all of it into my writing. Writing and reading are Life! Dogs are too, though. Oh and I’m obsessed with interior design shows.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
According to my parents I’ve loved books since I was a toddler and was a quick learner when it came to the written word. When I was seven I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and I remember it being the moment I realized how magical stories could be. I wrote my first story after reading that book.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis; Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.
Your latest novel, The Love Plot, is out August 29th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Tension-filled, bantery, steamy, escapist optimism.
What can readers expect?
A likeable, aspirational heroine, a grumpy, charismatic hero. All the banter, lots of steam, wonderful tension-filled push and pull between the h and H. New York as the background, hilarious friends, complicated family, and the odd furry secondary character or two. Ultimately, a swoony romance and my favorite rom-com that I’ve ever written.
Where did the inspiration for The Love Plot come from?
One weekend I watched a marathon of 60s movie rom-coms and I was inspired by all the meet cutes and tropes those movies covered and the banter, and push and pull between the h and H that was so integral to their vibe. I wanted to write a story that had all of that but with a twenty-first century independent heroine like Star, and a cinnamon roll hero masquerading as a grumpy alpha like Rafe.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved exploring Star’s character because she really truly believes everyone should live their life the way they want to and is brave enough to live that way herself. At the same time she’s complicated, like everyone, and has commitment issues because of her childhood. I really loved writing all the moments where she started to understand that about herself, and how determined Rafe was to be the one she let down her emotional walls for.
What do you love about the romance genre? Are there any elements of the genre that you dislike?
I love the optimism, escapism, and how you can safely traverse through difficult, emotional parts of a romance novel because you know that there will be a happy ending. As a reader and writer, I love the genre. It’s my favorite. As a writer, it can be challenging to keep the genre fresh and exciting after fifty-six books, lol, but I do enjoy trying!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently in the middle of writing a romantic suspense series in the Scottish Highlands, called The Highlands Series, and book two, Among the Heather, releases in December.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Oh I have a lot but my top favorites of the year so far are Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Glimmers of You by Catherine Cowles, Wildcat by Rebecca Jenshak, Something Unexpected by Vi Keeland and I loved the audible original Seatmate by Cara Bastone.
I’m so looking forward reading this book!