It's the end of summer break, but with ends come new beginnings. A new school, new students, and a new you, or at least that's what Ella Jacobs is hoping for…
This is Haley Klinge, author of the saucy-summer romance A Highly Improbable Meet Cute.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we spoke with Haley about her favourite romance tropes, her favourite fictional meet-cutes and how Ella’s personality lines up with her own.
We understand that you are a lifelong writer and lover of fiction, starting (but never finishing) dozens of stories across the years. Our question then: what led to you finishing A Highly Improbable Meet Cute?
In the past I didn't finish a lot of the stories I would start. It wasn't that I was unmotivated by the stories I was telling, but I would get so in my head about why I would bother trying when I didn't think I could ever make it as a published author.
When I turned thirty my mindset shifted. I realized I was thirty years old, and I had this passion I kept telling myself I couldn't do, but never really tried. So, I just stayed dedicated, making myself write as often as I could, and I told myself not finishing wasn't an option.
Romance is an ever-growing genre, thanks to the rise of TikTok and a new generation of talented authors. Which features of the romance genre attract you as a reader and which tropes were you most excited to include in your writing?
I love the romance genre because I love the "happily ever after" and I simply love Love! Life is hard and painful, and if I can bring a bit of joy in the darkness, that's what I'm passionate about.
How did you work towards crafting the character of Ella Jacobs? She’s bubbly and charismatic and endlessly relatable – like all good leads are. Does any of Ella’s personality line up with your own?
I did base Ella's personality off my own. For my first book, it was a lot easier for me to "write what I know”, so Ella's bubbly word-vomit and panic attacks are straight from the source - aka me.
The ‘meet cute’ is arguably the most iconic trope in all of romantic fiction. What we want to know from the author of A Highly Improbable Meet Cute is their favourite ‘meet cute’ across books, films or TV shows. Do you have a favourite?
It's so hard because I have so many favorite "meet cutes", but a few that I love are Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation (because who doesn't love an enemies to friends to lovers trope?), Jonathan and Sara in Serendipity (because I love the 'fate brings us back together" trope), and Fallon and Cinnamon from the book That Time I got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (she throws cinnamon in his face and it cracks me up every time).
Good news readers! For fans of Haley’s writing, you can already read her newest title: A Highly Improbable Fake Dating Trope! For lovers of Ella’s story, what you can tease about Josie Jones and her relationship with Max?
Josie's and Max's relationship is HOT. I absolutely love them together. She's sassy and funny and he's a tattooed motorcycle riding bad boy with a heart of gold. My first novel will always be special to me because it was my first, but book two is even better than the first.
To know more you'll just have to read it I suppose!
A Highly Improbable Meet Cute is available now in paperback and on the Kindle Store.
