by Maggie Kelley –
I am a proud owner of a first-generation iPod, the original, clunky white one with the scroll wheel. Yeah, that’s me. My husband surprised me with it one afternoon years ago and I still consider it one of the sweetest, most romantic gifts I’ve ever received. The music of my life is in there. My parents’ anniversary party playlist, one for my newborn baby, there’s even a list for a cross-country road trip.
Every story, every life, has a soundtrack…and while I couldn’t begin to share every song housed in my first-gen player, I can share some of the songs that inspired me as I was writing my debut romantic comedy, Breaking the Bachelor. Yeah, got a playlist for that, too. Here’s a peek.
- Need You Now by Lady Antebellum is all late-night longing, a midnight battle between logic and need.
- Come Running because no list is complete without Van Morrison. Truth.
- The Story of My Life by One Direction (I know, I’m sorry…but it totally works). The lyric “the way that I’ve been holding on too tight” breaks my heart. That I just can’t let go feeling…story of my hero’s life.
- Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran just has a cool vibe about how mysterious committed love is and I don’t know about you but I want to be kissed under the light of a thousand stars.
- Silver by Echo and the Bunnymen makes love feel so bold, like an adventure where anything is possible. This song is just plain hot.
- To Turn You On from the Roxy Music album, Avalon. Sexiest. Album. Ever. Play it, you’ll thank me.
- Mr. Cab Driver by Lenny Kravitz (because Lenny Kravitz is always an inspiration—and it’s a nod to the story’s taxi scene).
- A Great Big World’s Say Something because that giving up on love moment is so deeply sad, you’ll say anything to stop it.
- Lake Street Dive’s My Heart’s in the Right Place This song’s title is actually in the book. I love the tune, all bluesy-cool, but it’s the lyrics about broken chivalry and missteps that catch me. Sometimes all that matters is that the heart ends up in the right place.
- And tied for the last spot, three of my all-time, personal faves…Come Again, Faults and All and Tenderness, all by General Public. For me, these three songs capture the playful, sexy, combative and tender nature of the relationship between my heroine and hero, Jane and Charlie…General Public totally knows how to rock out and have some fun. And isn’t love supposed to be fun?
What do you think? Have a favorite love song? Is it a classic? A current hit? Is it Air Supply??? C’mon, everyone loves a little Air Supply now and then. If you’ve read the book, what song do you think really works? If you’re a writer, are for music or no music? Let me know in the comments section. I’ll be gifting a $5 iTunes card that I hope you’ll use to get a few of your favorites or try one of mine.
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Breaking the Bachelor
This time, Cupid’s playing dirty…
Goaded by her competition, matchmaker Jane Wright makes a very public bet that she can find the “perfect” match for Manhattan’s hottest confirmed bachelor—sexy-as-sin bartender Charlie Goodman. Unfortunately, Charlie is also Jane’s ex-lover, a man she broke up with on a cocktail napkin. With her company on the line, Jane has no choice but to convince the man of her most impractical dreams to dive back into the dating pool.
Charlie doesn’t want to see Jane’s business fail. He just wants a little revenge. Determined to prove to Jane that chemistry always beats compatibility algorithms, he plans to drive her crazy with desire…then walk away. And his plan is working. A little too well, actually. Because even as Jane scrambles to calculate Charlie’s best match, the heat building between combusts. But Charlie’s been so busy outsmarting Cupid that he hasn’t noticed he’s the naughty cherub’s next target…