The Mogul Meets Her Match
by Julia Underwood
Released: Dec 10, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Why this book and why now?
I love writing the stories of women who bring the depth of their life experiences to the page. This story appealed to me because age or status shouldn’t matter in love. I was drawn to a story that included an extremely successful female entrepreneur who was self-made and had a backstory (Claire). I was interested in exploring how that business mogul, who credited her success to rules that included Rule # 1: Business always comes first and Rule #4: Never fall in love, could change when a mature café owner (Abby) with no ulterior motives and a refreshing candor connected with her. I wanted Claire to have to make some hard choices, to grow, and to realize that caring for someone means looking out for their best interests. The woman to whom Claire was attracted needed to be someone who didn’t care about Claire’s social status and wouldn’t sacrifice her own identity and everything she’d worked for, even though she was willing to make other sacrifices, in order to try to make love work because in the long term, I don’t believe it would. I wanted to explore the concept that income level and societal image are not what matters for true love, and that it can be both so much more complex and so much simpler than that.
Do your character names have special significance or meaning?
Abby Pita is named after a great-aunt, Abriella. She goes by Abby because that name fits who she is. Claire initially only knows that it’s A. Pita who won’t sell the Sunshine and Sweets Cafe and is the obstruction to the final property acquisition on the block she’s purchasing for her IT consolidation center. P-I-T-A works perfectly for Claire’s declaration that it stands for “pain in the ass.” Abby certainly doesn’t mind the way Claire says “Abriella” in that low sexy drawl that drags out every syllable for Abby’s benefit. Claire has a story behind her name too, but that’s part of the plot.
What 3 things would your main character want with them if they got stranded away from civilization, and why?
Abby would want her one-eyed rescue dog, Boomer, to be there with her so she didn’t worry about him. She’d want to make sure she had casual clothes so she could wander the setting and enjoy the locals. She’d also like to have access to a kitchen because cooking is part of who she is and sharing that food with whomever is hungry would make her happy. Claire hasn’t always been rich, so she could adapt to most settings as well. She’d be grateful she was wearing her high-end sneakers and not those Jimmy Choo heels so that she could join Abby’s explorations. If she didn’t have her computer, Claire would at least like a pen and notebook so she could note any prospective entrepreneurial opportunities. But mostly, she’d be thrilled that she was sharing this adventure with Abby and Boomer, whether she initially admitted it or not.
One of your main characters is planning a romantic night. Tell us about it.
Claire would fly Abby on a private jet to Honolulu. She’d chose this location so she could leave the demands of her professional life behind for a long weekend. She’d chose a residence that would offer them privacy, as well as a coffee pot and the condiments that would allow her to doctor the perfect cup of coffee for Abby in the morning after they’d just crawled out of bed. She’d make sure there was a well-rated restaurant nearby with an ocean view that offered vegetarian meals and a dance floor where they could do a little slow dancing, and she’d secretly leave a huge tip that would thrill the kid who had served them.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Claire and Abby spent a day at the Ungrateful Goat Vineyard that was holding a fundraising benefit for kittens, the only reason Abby agreed to go. Abby insisted that they label it “not-a-date.” Claire teased Abby that these were grape-crushing goats (the goats happened to have that Sunday off), and Abby could just imagine the wine description: “An aromatic barnyard-flavored wine with a refined hint of earthy ungulate undertones to tease your discerning palette.” She jokingly wondered how much hoof was involved because she’s a vegetarian. They both agreed to a glass of the house chardonnay, and each bought an additional bottle to take home. I’d enjoy toasting their story with a glass of Ungrateful Goat Vineyard wine. Also, Abby’s café received a reviewer’s recommendation that stated “Enchiladas for the ages. Red sauce to kill for. And you’re a fool if you pass up the berry tart,” so I’d want a slice of that berry tart along with the wine to celebrate the book release.
