Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Interview ~ THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED by Rebecca Yarros

The Things We Leave Unfinished
by: Rebecca Yarros
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 23, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Publishing ~ Amara
Amazon | Paperback | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Goodreads

Told in alternating timelines, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED examines the risks we take for love, the scars too deep to heal, and the endings we can’t bring ourselves to see coming.

Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel…even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy” of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.


Hi Rebecca. Welcome to Read Your Writes Book Reviews. How are you?
Hi! I’m great! Thank you so very much for having me!

You’re welcome. Congratulations on the release of The Things We Leave Unfinished. What can you tell me about it?
Thank you! It’s a romance told between two timelines—contemporary Colorado and WWII England. In the present, we have Georgia, who has just gone through a painful divorce, and Noah, the bestselling author who has been hired to finish Georgia’s late great-grandmother’s last, unfinished novel. Sparks FLY between the two!

This story has the makings of being a real tear-jerker. Is it and if so, how did you handle writing the emotional moments?
It has its moments! Honestly, I take a lot of the emotions from my personal life and just funnel all the angst into my books. Raising teenagers isn’t for the faint of heart!

No, it is not! Tell me about Georgia Stanton and Noah Harrison.
Georgia is stubborn, cynical, and a little damaged. Noah is adventurous, stubborn, and a romantic at heart.

Oh wow, two stubborn people. What do you love about them individually and together?
I love just how headstrong they both are, and their chemistry when they bicker…and when they uh…don’t.

Can you share with me the opening lines of their first meeting?
“They look exactly the same, that’s the problem. What was wrong with the old— Yes, I’m pissed off! I’ve been traveling for eighteen hours and in case you forgot, I cut my research trip short to be here. I’m telling you they look exactly the same. Hold on, I’ll prove it. Miss?”

“Yes?” I twisted slightly and glanced up to find two book covers in my face. Space much?

“Do these look the same to you?”

“Yep. They’re pretty interchangeable.” I slid one of Gran’s books back onto the shelf and mentally whispered a little goodbye, just like I did every time I visited one of her books in a store. Was missing her ever going to get easier?

“See? Because they’re not supposed to look the same!” the guy snapped, hopefully at the poor soul on the other end of the phone, because it wasn’t going to go well if he was using that tone with me.

“Well, in his defense, all his books read the same, too, ” I muttered. Shit. It slipped out before I could censor myself. Guess my filter was just as numbed out as my emotions. “Sorry—” I turned to face him, lifting my gaze until I found two dark brows raised in astonishment over equally dark eyes. Whoa.

My ruined heart jolted—just like every heroine in one of Gran’s books. He was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen, and as the now-ex-wife of a movie director, I’d seen my fair share.

Oh no, no, no. You’re immune to good-looking men, the logical side of my brain warned, but I was too busy staring to listen.

“They do not read the—” He blinked. “I am going to have to call you back.” He moved both books to one hand and hung up, pocketing his phone.

He looked about my age—late twenties, maybe early thirties—stood at least six feet tall, and his black, just-out-of-bed hair fell carelessly over tanned, olive skin before reaching those lifted, black brows and impossibly deep brown eyes. His nose was straight, his lips carved in lush lines that only served to remind me exactly how long I’d gone without being kissed, and his chin was shaded in a light shadow beard. He was all angular, sculpted lines, and, given the flex of muscle in his forearms, I’d have bet the store that he was pretty well acquainted with the inside of a gym…and probably a bedroom.

“Did you just say they all read the same?” he questioned slowly.
Okay, I have to admit, that scene has me smiling. Georgia and Noah aren’t the only main characters of this story. There’s Georgia’s great-grandmother, Scarlett, and her World War II pilot love interest, Jameson. What can you tell me about them and their relationship?
Scarlett and Jameson are a classic, wartime romance! She’s serving in the W.A.A.F. and he’s an American fighter pilot serving in the Royal Air Force. I absolutely adore how determined Jameson is to win her over.

What was your favorite part of this book to write?
The twist. And no, I won’t tell you what it is.

Fair enough. Tell me about one of your favorite scenes from the book, and why is it a favorite?
I love how Georgia and Noah meet in the bookstore. I think romance often gets the short end of the stick, and I love how fiercely Georgia defends the genre.

Can you tell me a fun fact or two about The Things We Leave Unfinished?
It’s the first book I’ve ever written out of order. Once I was a handful of chapters in, I wrote all of the World War Two portion, then went back and wrote the contemporary so I stayed consistent in the timelines!

What do you hope readers take away from this story?
I hope they get a moment to escape, and they get the experience of falling in love twice.

I love that. Rebecca, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me.

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Rebecca Yarros is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over ten novels, including The Last Letter and Great and Precious Things. She is the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series and can survive on coffee and peppermint bark when necessary.

Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to her now-retired apache pilot for nineteen years. She’s the mother of six children, ranging from first grade to law school, and is somehow surviving the teenage years with three of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her catching her sons’ games at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time. She lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldogs, and a Maine coon kitten who rules them all. Having fostered, then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.

Places to find Rebecca Yarros:

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