Ivy Fairbanks talks tropes on our Romance episode.

On this special episode of Fully Booked, Ivy Fairbanks joins us to discuss Heart Strings (Putnam, August 12), in celebration of the Romance Issue of Kirkus Reviews. The second book in Fairbanks’ popular Love in Galway series sees exes Cielo “Lo” Valdez and Aiden O’Toole reunited—as members of the same wedding party. Kirkus calls it “a charming and spicy Irish romance.”

Fairbanks writestender and steamy stories where realistic characters find love, acceptance, and their happily-ever-afters. She is the author of Morbidly Yours (2024), the first Love in Galway book, featuring an opposites-attract romance between an animator and a mortician. She lives in the Tampa Bay Area with her husband and son, and she’sa proud member of the Florida chapter of Authors Against Book Bans. 

Here’s a bit more from our review of Heart Strings: “It’s been a whirlwind two years since Aidan O’Toole scored a record deal and landed a single on the radio. But after nonstop touring and pressure from the label to write a catchier, less ‘sad bastard’ album, Aidan feels little inspiration to write another love song, especially when the muse behind his breakout tune wants nothing to do with him. Aidan and his ex-girlfriend, Cielo ‘Lo’ Valdez, ended on rocky terms when he became famous, but no one can deny that all his lyrics are about her. At the time, Lo had just arrived in Ireland from Texas to attend medical school, and going on a cross-country tour with Aidan would have derailed her degree.…[S]he’s now content to avoid listening to the radio and leave Aidan in the past—except for the fact that they’re both in the same wedding party.…As Aidan and Lo spend more time together, Aidan realizes that his new album might be just the way to win her back. Can Lo reconcile her fears and let Aidan in, or did their song end forever?”

In a delightful discussion, Fairbanks and I discuss her characters’ complexities, second-chance romance, her personal connection to Galway, the process of developing storylines, balancing humor and seriousness, and much more.

Then editors Laura Simeon, Mahnaz Dar, John McMurtrie, and Laurie Muchnick share their top picks in books for the week.

EDITORS’ PICKS:

Love Craves Cardamom by Aashna Avachat (Joy Revolution)

What If You Fall for Me First? by G.F. Miller (Aladdin)

Ready for My Closeup: The Making of Sunset Boulevard and the Dark Side of the Hollywood Dream by David M. Lubin (Grand Central Publishing)

Unlikely Story by Ali Rosen (Montlake Romance)

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

The Threads Remain by Glenn Shapiro

The Unlocking by Porscia Lam

Where You Come From Is Gone by Christopher Johnston

Fully Booked is produced by Cabel Adkins Audio and Megan Labrise.