Interview: Amy Lea talks her latest book, romance tropes and more

Amy Lea took the romance world by storm with her 2022 release. Set on You was a book I heard talked about non-stop before, during, and after its release.

With such praise for her debut novel, it was awesome to see her coming out with book 2 in the series which is Exes and O’s. This time though, things are a little bit different as the story is following Tara who is Crystal’s sister, and the romance she has with Trevor.

As someone who was lucky enough to both talk with the author and get an ARC, I am happy to say this is one of my new favorite romance reads. I know I’ll be recommending it for the entirety of 2023.

However, as I mentioned, I was lucky enough to get to ask Amy Lea a few questions about the book, her favorite tropes, and much more.

Amy Lea shares her thoughts on her new release, romance tropes, and more.

Since the book isn’t out yet, there will be no spoilers for Exes and O’s during this interview. In addition, I want to thank the publisher for both sending me an ARC and setting this up. I’d also like to thank Amy Lea for her time and for just being an incredible romance author so let’s get into our interview.

Culturess: The premise for Exes and O’s is incredibly unique. How did that idea of Tara revisiting her exes come to you? 

Amy Lea: Second chance romance has always been one of my favorite romance tropes. I think there’s something really special about second chances and two people who may not have worked out in the past coming back together and overcoming old obstacles. I’ve always been interested in writing a second chance romance myself and I thought it would be a really interesting idea to portray a character like Tara who wants to have her very own trope-worthy love story. We all have those terrible exes and I thought it would be a great opportunity for humor!

Culturess:  Romance tropes are a huge aspect of the story. Do you have a favorite romance trope?

Amy Lea: Enemies to lovers! I adore the banter and the sizzling tension that ends up erupting into fiery passion.

Culturess: Speaking of tropes, do you have a romance trope you love to read but hate to write or vice versa? 

Amy Lea: Writing a friends-to-lovers romance like Tara and Trevor’s was incredibly difficult to write, despite loving the trope. When characters begin as friends, it’s super challenging to show the natural evolution of that platonic relationship toward romance in a way that doesn’t feel too rushed or out of left field for either character. Friends to lovers is often quieter than a trope like enemies to lovers, so the pacing has to be perfect.

Culturess: Trevor is a bit of a reluctant hero for the majority of the story. How was it writing him versus how you wrote Scott in Set on You? 

Amy Lea: Writing Trevor was completely different from writing Scott because Scott’s character is very upfront about his feelings. He’s a golden retriever, happy-go-lucky character who knows what he wants (Crystal) and isn’t afraid to go for it. Trevor is very reserved, broody, and unwilling to admit his feelings for the majority of the book, which is difficult because I still needed to show that he was evolving in subtle ways. At the same time, Trevor and Scott are both huge softies – it just takes us longer to see that in someone like Trevor!

Culturess: A lot of us pictured Scott as Chris Evans. Who did you picture or do you think is a good comparison to Trevor?

Amy Lea: This is such a difficult question because when writing Scott, Chris Evans was who I pictured the entire time. His voice, laugh, and mannerisms are all things I took into account while writing him. For Trevor, it was a very different experience because I didn’t have anyone in mind. He was essentially a blur in my mind throughout the entire writing process (which posed a huge challenge for me as a writer). All that to say, there isn’t one particular actor that is Trevor for me. However, I’m always open to suggestions for tall, muscly, tattooed men!

Exes and O’s by Amy Lea is releasing on January 10th, 2023. 

If you want to find out more about Amy Lea, you can visit her website or check out her bookstagram account. If you’re a romance lover though, you won’t want to miss her books or her content.