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What happens when a swoony rom-com set in Venezuela meets fake dating, music, and telenovela-level drama? I’m joined by debut author Maria José Morillo to talk about romance, bilingual reading, and writing against the odds.

In this episode, I’m chatting with Maria José Morillo, a Venezuelan author making her Big Five debut with The Ex-Perimento. We talk about growing up bilingual, discovering romance through Harry Potter and Twilight, and what it means to write English-language romance from Venezuela.

We also dive into celebrity rom-com tropes, Latin American pop culture (yes, Miss Universe matters), and how Maria José went from fanfiction to landing a traditional publishing deal. If you love high-concept rom-coms, global romance, or behind-the-scenes publishing journeys, this episode is for you.

📚 Books Mentioned

The Ex-Perimento by Maria José Morillo — Contemporary Romance | Celebrity Romance

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle — Rom-Com | Enemies-to-Lovers

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry — Friends-to-Lovers | Travel Romance

Happy Place by Emily Henry — Second-Chance Romance | Emotional Romance

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero-Lacruz — Fantasy | Venezuelan Folklore

Bochica by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro — Gothic Horror | Latin American Folklore

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome & why Venezuela pop culture feels familiar

[02:00] Becoming a reader through Harry Potter

[05:00] Switching from Spanish to English reading

[07:00] E-reading vs physical books outside the U.S.

[09:00] From fanfiction to writing original romance

[12:00] Why writing in English opened publishing doors

[15:00] The book that didn’t sell — and why that matters

[17:00] The origin story of The Ex-Perimento

[20:00] Miss Universe, telenovelas & Latin American fame

[24:00] Romance recommendations & reading for joy

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