Interview: Lindsay Hameroff talks Till There Was You, Harry Styles and more

There are some romance books you start and immediately know you're going to love. One of those was easy Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff.

Despite Hameroff being a debut author, you can tell that she's a huge romance reader and fan of the genre. Plus that cover was just too adorable to resist so once I got the chance to interview her, I jumped at it.

Before getting into the interview, the reason why I wanted to talk to her so badly was that she was a local author to me. As someone who is from Pennsylvania and also currently lives in Maryland, I felt a pull towards her and knew I wanted to talk about her about certain topics.

In addition, I ended up reading and loving her book so it honestly ended up being a great moment for me as a reader.

Don't miss our fun interview with Lindsay Hameroff.

Of course, I'd like to thank both Lindsay Hameroff and St. Martin's Griffin for setting this up and taking the time to answer my questions. Till There Was You was such a wonderful read for me and I am most definitely looking forward to the next release from her.

Culturess: First, congrats on being a debut author. With that being said, what inspired you to write Till There Was You?

Lindsay Hameroff: Thanks! During the early days of the pandemic, I was folding laundry and hiding from my family while listening to “Carolina” by Harry Styles. I found myself wondering if the song was based on a true story, so I looked it up and it was! Harry really did meet a woman on a blind date and was inspired to write a song about her. But nothing came of it; they never saw each other again. And I thought, what a missed opportunity! That would have been a great love story. So, I rewrote it. 

Culturess: Food plays a large role in the romance and the story as a whole. Would you say that food is Lexi's love language? 

Lindsay Hameroff: I would absolutely say food is her love language. Food is a comfort to both Lexi and those around her. She started cooking to care for her ailing mother and has carried that value with her ever since. When she sees that Jake is hurting, the first thing she thinks is that he’s in need of a good meal. Food is healing and her way of showing love.

Culturess: Jake is such a dreamy hero so I have to ask: Is there a certain musical artist who inspired him? 

Lindsay Hameroff: Jake is a combination of two musicians. While hiding/folding laundry, I was also listening to an old song, a cover of “Falling Slowly” that Kris Allen performed American Idol in 2009 (I know! So obscure! But I’ve always loved that song). Kris became Jake in my mind, in both physical appearance and voice. At first conception, Jake was performing “Falling Slowly” at the bar, until I decided “Till There Was You” would make for a better title and swapped it out. I made Jake a sweet, kind-hearted Southern boy like Kris, and then filled him in with Harry Styles’s charm and goofy personality.

Culturess: Since you're a local author to me, would you consider setting a book in either Pennsylvania or Maryland in the future? 

Lindsay Hameroff: Yes! I grew up in Baltimore, MD and that’s where I set my second book, Never Planned on You.

Culturess: Lexi's blueberry pancakes are famous and they sound divine. Would you consider sharing a recipe for those or include any recipes in your future releases?

Lindsay Hameroff: Here’s the recipe! 

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup pancake mix (I like Pearl Milling brand) 
• ¾ cup of milk 
• 1 egg 
• 2 tsp sugar 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice  
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries 

Directions:  

1. Preheat a griddle to 350F. 
2. Combine pancake mix, milk, egg, sugar, baking powder, and lemon juice until just blended. Be careful not to overmix. Then stir in blueberries.  
3. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle. Use a measuring cup for bonus Lexi energy. (It makes for evenly cooked pancakes!) 
4. Cook until edges are golden and tiny bubbles have formed on the surface (two to three minutes), then flip over. 
5. Serve with warmed maple syrup and a dreamy musician. 

 Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff is out now where books are sold.

I don't know about you, but this makes me not only want more from Lindsay Hameroff but I'm also craving blueberry pancakes. If you've read Till There Was You, you'll know why and honestly, I'm TOO excited she shared a recipe with us.