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The Idea of You was a book that changed the way I read. 

I absolutely loved it. I recommend it all the time. And it was my gateway drug into the romance genre… although, as its author Robinne Lee shares in this episode, she never intended to write a romance novel (nor does she consider it to be one).

The Idea of You really is about much more than meets the eye. As Robinne wrote in this Time article, the book grapples with themes including “ageism, sexism, the double standard, motherhood, female friendship, agency, and the dark side of celebrity.” And now that it’s been turned into a hit movie starring Anne Hathaway, it’s the perfect time to hear from Robinne herself.

If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie yet (BTW, I really recommend reading the book first!), it follows the relationship between a 40-year-old single mom and art gallery owner (Solène) and a boy-band lead singer 16 years her junior (Hayes). In the podcast, we talk about the inspiration for the book (it’s not Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde, y’all); the tension between motherhood, romantic love, and career; what she wishes was different about the movie; and much more.

We also get into:

* Her hustling for 7 years to sell the book, copy by copy

* Why she ended the story the way she did

* Writing sex scenes and why she doesn’t see TIOY as a romance novel

* Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine’s performances in the movie

* A tantalizing tease about her next book

Whether you’re a fan of The Idea of You or not (yet!), I’m so excited for you to get to know Robinne, who is also a talented actor and overall smart and fascinating woman.

PS: I know I said So Into That episodes are going to air every other week now, but the world is currently *loving* The Idea of You, so I didn’t want to sit on this interview!!

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