Family and friends: The cornerstones of romance
Maria K. Alexander, author of Forever in My Heart, book two in her Tangled Hearts series, writes romances that have family and friends at the center of the story.
Maria: I love a romance with a well-tortured hero. And while we're at it, throw in a heroine who has her own laundry list of problems to overcome. But what are a hero and heroine without supporting characters?
I write contemporary romances that unite family, friends and love. Sure, my heroes and heroines have their tortured pasts, but it's through their friends and family that we can see their true character. They can let themselves go a little with their F&F. Who better to call them on their nonsense than a BFF or a sibling?
I'm from a large extended Italian family. Growing up, we gathered weekly for Sunday afternoon dinner at my grandparents' house. We ate macaroni with homemade gravy — yes, gravy, not sauce — in the early afternoon and lunchmeat sandwiches on homemade crusty Italian rolls in the evening. It was like a large party every weekend. Family and friends stopped by unexpectedly and were welcomed with open arms. The kids played games. The women cooked, and the men watched sports on television. It was loud, crazy and unforgettable.
The kitchen and the dining room table were the center of dialogue in a time where people actually spoke — and looked — at each other. There was no texting or talking on a cellphone. Sure, there may have been three or more conversations occurring at once, but you could be talking to your Great-Aunt Carmella and comment on something your cousin said at the far end of the table. I'm fortunate to have experienced this because family life and traditions have changed a lot since then. Now, families are on the go seven days a week. Finding time to be together has to be coordinated and planned between work and extracurricular activities.
In my new book, Forever in My Heart, Tangled Hearts No. 2, I weave the importance of family, friends and Sunday afternoon dinners into the story. My heroine owns the hot new café in town and has tweaked her great-grandmother's recipes to put a unique spin on Italian delicacies such as cannoli, biscotti, napoleons and more. The café serves as a hub for catching up with friends or taking a much-needed break from work. A cup of coffee and a mouthwatering sticky bun may not make problems vanish, but it can certainly brighten up the day.
Of course, a story can't only be about eating, despite garlic- and tomato-filled Sunday afternoon dinners. The café was the scene of a crime involving the heroine and the hero's late brother (see Untangle My Heart, Tangled Hearts book one), the second such infraction involving their two families. Having recently returned home after being discharged from the Army, the hero must redeem himself to the girl he never stopped loving and uncover his brother's secrets now come back to haunt him. In the course of untangling themselves from the past, there will be some close encounters with broken cannolis, cupcakes and Italian cream cake.
This second-chance romance is chock full of family traditions, modern-day lifestyles, decadent sweets and a pinch of suspense. Sides will be chosen and desires pushed aside for the sake of family. You'll see how two people who appear so wrong for each other can overcome obstacles and find their happily ever after.
About Forever in My Heart:
Vicky DiFrancesco is ready to put the past behind her. After a humiliating divorce, she's determined to make her new café a success. The last thing she needs is her first love around, reminding her of what they'd lost. But when her life is threatened, could he be the very man she needs? Jamie DiSilva's homecoming after retiring from the army isn't the one he'd been hoping for. Now, he's trying to start a home improvement business in a town settled on holding him accountable for the sins of his late brothers. Redeeming himself to the girl he never stopped loving and her family is difficult when his brothers' secrets come back to haunt him. Untangling themselves from the past means righting several wrongs and deciding if their love is meant to last forever.
Find out more about Maria and her books at mariakalexander.com.