Dear reader,
It’s cute to meet you! Welcome to Love, Underlined, your new online community for romance readers. Each month we invite one of our romance authors to answer a romance-themed Q&A. This month, Elle Gonzalez Rose, author of Marisol Acts the Part, shares her favorite romance tropes, her book crushes, and more! Read on for the full Elle Gonzalez Rose Q&A.
Love,
Underlined
What was the first romance novel you read?
When I was in middle school, I spent most of my summer afternoons at the library picking up whatever was recommended, which led me to Sarah Dessen. After Just Listen, I was hooked and devoured everything my library had by her!
What romance are you currently reading?
I’m reading Zakiya N. Jamal’s If We Were a Movie! And I’m on a veeeeeery long waiting list at my library for Kennedy Ryan’s latest, Can’t Get Enough.
What are your favorite tropes?
Enemies to lovers always hits! I especially love when an enemies/rivals romance involves forced proximity or fake dating—anything that sets the characters up for more banter and antics.
Who’s your book crush?
Probably Iwan from The Seven Year Slip because, in my opinion, there’s nothing swoonier than someone who knows how to cook.
What inspires your writing?
I find inspiration everywhere! For romance in particular, I lean into escapism. I love telling stories that feel self-indulgent to write—because the characters are eating a ton of food I love or are exploring a city I’ve always wanted to visit. I pour myself wholly into the headspace of my characters while writing, so it’s important to me that I’m having fun when writing a rom-com. If I’m having fun, then hopefully that means the reader is too!
What’s your favorite part of writing romance?
Before writing any romance, I have to map out the moment when the MC realizes they’ve fallen for the love interest. Sometimes it’s a grand gesture, sometimes it’s the heat of a moment, and sometimes it’s just an intimate conversation, but discovering what that is for each couple is always the highlight of crafting a romance for me! Plus, it lets me get to know who the characters are and what their dynamic is from the jump, helping me develop their personalities and banter style.
Share with us an out-of-context quote from Marisol Acts the Part!
The sun has finally started to rise on the edge of the horizon, painting the sky above the East River the dreamiest shade of orange, with a hint of pink. The skyscrapers in Manhattan are bathed in soft golden light, the water so serene it’s easy to forget how green it actually is in regular daylight. I consider pulling out my phone to take a photo for my socials, but I know I’ll never be able to capture the beauty of this moment on a screen.
“Now you can cross watching the sunrise off your bucket list,” Jamila explains as she gestures to the water, reminding me of our conversation on the subway during our first week on set.
All thoughts of Rune and the way he always tears me down are gone as I smile at Jamila, torn between lingering on her or the sunset. She was right: It was worth the crack-of-dawn call time. And that she’s the best tour guide in the city—because I know this view wouldn’t be half as stunning if she hadn’t been the one to show it to me.
