Episode Details

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What if the boy secretly writing your story isn't just trying to help you grieve — he's trying to get into college with it?

Debut author Gabriela Gonzales joins the show to talk about her YA rom-com How to Love You When You're Gone, a fake-friends-to-lovers story about grief, first love, and the messy business of growing up. We dig into writing Latine representation in genre fiction beyond trauma narratives, why romance's happy ending is actually the hardest thing to earn, and Gabriela's favorite grief-and-joy reads.

📚 Books Mentioned

How to Love You When You're Gone by Gabriela Gonzales — Buy on Amazon | YA Romance/Rom-Com | Audio ✅ (narrated by Elena Rey & Jeff Ebner)

Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno — Buy on Amazon | YA Rom-Com | Audio ✅

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce — Buy on Amazon | YA Rom-Com | Audio ✅

Book Lovers by Emily Henry — Buy on Amazon | Adult Romance/Rom-Com | Audio ✅

⏱️ Timestamps

• [00:00] Welcome + Gabriela's arts school & circus class background
• [00:03] Deciding to become a writer at age five
• [00:05] Signing with her agent in 2020 on a dystopian circus novel
• [00:06] Her sister's passing and discovering rom-coms
• [00:09] Why a happy ending is the hardest thing to write
• [00:11] The many subgenres of romance — there's a book for everyone
• [00:12] Writing Latine characters beyond trauma narratives
• [00:14] Latina identity isn't monolithic
• [00:17] Elevator pitch: How to Love You When You're Gone
• [00:19] The "grief backpack" metaphor
• [00:21] DBT, glimmers of hope, and managing big emotions
• [00:25] Book recommendations begin
• [00:26] Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno
• [00:31] Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce
• [00:35] Book Lovers by Emily Henry
• [00:39] Where to find Gabriela online

Join the Conversation

Subscribe to our Substack for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com)

Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog | YouTube: What to Read Next

Subscribe & leave a review!