1. Why does the Late Regency/Victorian era appeal to you (and why do you think it appeals to so many others)?

I think popular pieces of media, be that novels by Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte or historical dramas, have made the Regency and Victorian eras recognizable and familiar, and yet an escape at the same time. In so many ways, the social commentary is similar to our own, and yet the Regency/Victorian eras are draped in a gentility many modern day readers perhaps aspire to, even while ignoring all the horrors that same gentility masked. That juxtaposition is why I enjoy writing stories during these times so much. 

2. Since you wrote your first book on a dare from your husband, how did you dive into it, going from reader of romance to writer of romance?

I first researched the websites of authors I admired. I distinctly remember reading Elizabeth Hoyt’s and Lisa Kleypas’s websites, and each recommended aspiring writers to join RWA (Romance Writers of America), which I did! It was such a useful resource when I was getting started and wasn’t quite sure what to do next, aside from write the book.

3. The Captain’s Midwinter Bride does such an interesting twist with having a married couple (albeit a marriage of convenience) fall in love 25 years after their “I do’s.” What inspired you to write this twist on an old trope?

This story was originally written to be a part of an anthology, centering around a Christmas wedding. However, from the beginning I knew the wedding couple would not be the main protagonists. I’m not sure there was a specific reason I decided the story would focus on the parents of the bride, but the more I thought about it, and the more I considered the characters of Annalise and Phillip, the more their story took shape. I was intrigued by the idea of writing about two older people, who are confident in their own skin and having lived mostly separate lives, deciding what their future would be. Would their futures even be with each other? It was a challenge to write that dynamic, but The Captain’s Midwinter Bride remains one of my most popular works. 

4. I find it interesting that in your Once Upon a Scandal series that several of the heroines hold similarly high positions as their male counterparts (Countess Lindsey and Marquess Niall for example) thus eliminating some of the class imbalance and offer more exploration of personality clash or fitting like a glove to be more accurate. What draws you to write these more independent heroines that are surging up in regency romance?

I’m a rule follower by nature. I don’t know if it’s because I’m the eldest in my family, and specifically the eldest daughter, but I’ve always strived to meet expectations, however unconsciously. And in so many ways, my heroines have expectations they’re tasked to meet, roles they’re expected to play, because their independence only goes so far. So I think my heroines go where I’ve never gone and push back. They seek change with the small bits of personal power they possess. In To Tame a Scandalous Lady, Flora had a good deal of privilege because she’s a wealthy duke’s daughter, who could count a duchess as a sister and as a BFF, and she leveraged that power to get what she wanted. Alicia in To Tempt A Scandalous Lord had earned power through her written platform, and she leveraged that to not only to change public opinion, but to influence her new husband to use his political power to enact change. In comparison, the heroine of To Resist A Scandalous Rogue, comes from a different class (and different religions!) from the hero, and is very much driven by fear and strong desire for security. She possesses much less power and influence, so when she sees a way in which she can grasp that security she seeks, she takes it, even if it hurts the MMC. 

5. I’m sure readers will be able to figure it out after they read your books, but what do you think makes a good couple? Or what a good romance should be founded on?

I like to think that readers of a Liana De la Rosa book will grasp the importance of communication in a relationship. All my characters communicate with each other, and if there is a misunderstanding, it does not last for long. I like to think they grasp the importance of apologizing and striving to do better, because while perfection is an impractical and impossible goal, recognizing when one is at fault, apologizing for it, and striving to do better goes a long, long way to build the trust necessary to fortify a relationship.

6. Your latest series, the Luna series brings some Latinx representation to the regency era for I think the first time ever. Very exciting! Did you feel constrained by the idea of historical accuracy (since it’s regency era I can only imagine exoticism, fetishization and Eurocentric superiority would be all the rage toward a Mexican heiress and that’s not even getting to how Gideon would be treated) or does good representation and wish fulfillment take precedence?

I didn’t feel constrained by it at all – in fact, it energized me! The task of weaving Mexican history into British history, with a dash of American history, was a fun challenge, and discussing the intricate and sometimes painful nuances of that was a responsibility I took seriously. Ana María and Gideon’s story touches on racism, sexism, classism, colorism, as well as colonialism and imperialism, and the biggest task I faced was acknowledging each without letting them become the focus of the story. Because romance is, of course, the focus. And, from the beginning of my career, I’ve been mindful that while the readers of my stories are seeking to escape into the past, their sensibilities are born of the now. If some readers have felt my characters have been anachronistic or too modern, it’s a criticism I welcome because forward-thinking women are not solely creatures of modern times, but of all parts of history.

7. Can you describe the other Luna sisters we will be meeting and their sisterly dynamics?

In Ana María and The Fox, the first book in the Luna Sisters series, readers discover early on that the three sisters, Ana María, Isabel, and Gabriela (Gabby) are not close. They were raised by a domineering father who viewed everything, even his family life, through the lense of his political career. So the sisters have competed with each other for scraps of his attention and affection…but now they’ve been forced to flee their home in Mexico City. So without their father’s influence constantly hovering over them, they have a chance to finally become friends. An early reviewer remarked that the love story within Ana María and The Fox is the heart of the book, but the deepening relationship between the sisters is its soul, and I completely agree!

8. With the inclusion of more diversity in all genres of literature, how do you feel about contributing to its representation and what are your hopes for the industries’ future?

It’s very exciting to see authors of color and books with characters of colors bought by publishers and enjoyed by readers…but publishing is still overwhelmingly white. One look at the NY Times bestseller lists or even the popular books on BookTok shows you how white publishing still is. Diverse books, in so many ways, are held to a different standard than their counterparts, and I hope that as more diverse books are published, that they are given the same opportunities, be that from readers or marketing pushes from publishers, so they have a chance to hit major lists, etc.

9. On a lighter note, what are your favorite romances?

I have so many! The ones that have stuck with me over the years include The Winter Bride by Anne Gracie, Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt, Only A Kiss by Mary Balogh, the entire Pennyroyal Green series by Julie Anne Long to name just a few.

10. Favorite romance trope in your work? Or one you would like to explore?

I’ve written several marriages of conveniences lately, which I find amusing since I would never claim it to be a favorite trope of mine. At this point, I’d say my favorite trope is enemies to lovers, and the third Luna Sisters book will feature it, along with a grumpy/grumpy dynamic. I can’t wait to start writing it!

You can contact Liana and learn more about her and her books at her website: https://www.lianainbloom.com/ and on all social medias.