Abbie Fisher is a plus-size star soprano and a woman of experience—most of it bad—which is why she fights so hard when Sean Grant friendzones her and yet keeps coming on to her in a confusing manner. Does he want a friend, as he claims, or a lover? Whatever it is, feisty Abbie is not afraid to take a very bold step to make Sean face up to what they could have if they go beyond the friendzone.
This is probably the steamiest closed-door romance I’ve ever written, but never fear, it’s all euphemisms. Emotion is what I serve up in my stories. Added bonus: another opera!
The question of how to spell friendzoned came up a couple of times in writing this story. Some people see it as two words. Others think it should be hyphenated. And still others think it has reached the status of a compound. I’ll let the language martinets decide which is correct this decade.
Probably no one is surprised that a soprano might be more than buxom. To do justice to the complex demands of an opera role and be heard all the way to the rafters in a huge auditorium is a tough job that carrying extra weight actually helps. It’s illogical, but many singers have found they can sing better when they gain weight, most famously, Anna Netrebko. She’s moved very successfully into more demanding repertory because of the added power of the weight she gained after becoming a mother.
But this romance is not about a soprano who gains weight and becomes a bigger star. My heroine has lost weight and has to deal with the difficulties of being true to all her needs now that what seemed her most urgent problem has been addressed. She’s in the danger zone emotionally, which is what makes her relationship with happy-go-lucky Sean so challenging. Is she going to do what she has always done, and love too much without receiving love in return?
