In an interview with Buzzfeed, Elena Armas, the “queen of slow-burn,” discusses her newest rom com novel, The American Roommate Experiment (TARE). Additionally, she reveals what it’s been like to create Rosie and Lucas’ love story as well as her plans for the next novel on the horizon!
The Makings of a Slow Burn Rom Com
Armas’ first novel, The Spanish Love Deception (TSLD), made popular on TikTok, is an enemies-to-lovers love story, focusing on Catalina and Aaron’s journey together. However, its sequel, TARE, turns the camera towards Catalina’s sidekick Rosie, and her love-interest, Lucas. Hilarious and dreamily romantic, the novel has all the best forced-to-live-together tropes you could ask for!
When asked about keeping the same continuity, Armas explains that a part of her “always knew” that she would go on to write out Rosie’s happy ever after. So, the choice to keep her sequel in the same universe was essentially a no-brainer!
Armas goes on to further highlight Rosie’s perfect role as a Rom Com protagonist:
“I think that her sweetness and selflessness would be [her main character energy], but it was actually the way she acted as the perfect contrast to Catalina’s crazy while being just as vulnerable.”
Crafting the Perfect Male Lead
Despite having a self-professed love of the ‘grumpy’ love interest (as evidenced in TSLD), Armas herself admits that Lucas caught her off-guard with how much she’s grown to adore him. In writing the dual-perspectives of TARE, she’s aimed to challenge herself as an author. Let’s face it, she puts it best in her own words when she says that Lucas is “the exact opposite to Aaron Blackford.”
Yes, Lucas is definitely that! Despite having some small hidden darkness to him, Lucas is all sunshine and smiles throughout most of the novel; a Golden Retriever in a handsome boy’s body! So, while Aaron certainly has a dedicated following of his own (after all, how could he not?), we’re expecting there to be an equal outpouring for Lucas too!
So, What’s Next?
Unfortunately, fans will be bummed to hear that Armas’ next novel will not be set in the same universe as TSLD. That being said, it’ll still be a rom com featuring all the authors’ favorite things in the genre––including two very grouchy leads!
While she can’t disclose too much right now, here at Bookstr we absolutely cannot wait to hear more!
To read more about Armas’ first novel, The Spanish Love Deception, click here!