Romantic Reads: The Trouble with Love, a book by Toni Shiloh

Welcome Toni Shiloh to the blog! 

Today, she's here to talk about her new novel, The Trouble With Love. 

Enjoy!

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Interview with Toni Shiloh about her book 

The Trouble with Love: 

Alexis: Why did you write this book and call it “The Trouble with Love”?

Toni: The Trouble With Love perfectly sums up how Holiday views love: trouble. I wanted the book to have some fun moments but real moments as well and I think the title and the story hints at both.

Alexis: What is the leading lady of your story, Holiday Brown, like? Describe her looks, personality, mindset, dreams and character flaws.

Toni: Holiday is an African American woman in her twenties. She’s a bit stubborn, a bit sassy, but fiercely loyal to those she calls friends. She dreams of a life with happiness, but it always seems so out of reach, despite the fact that she’s an award-winning singer. When I wrote her, I used Mickey Guyton as an inspiration image of what I thought Holiday looked like.

Alexis: What is the leading man of your story, W. Emmett Bell, like? Describe his looks, personality, hopes, fears and worst habits.

Toni: Emmett likes to flirt with the leading lady, yet she doesn’t always get the little nicknames he gives her as flirting. He’s a little serious but that’s because his faith grounds him and keeps him from gaining a big ego. Afterall, being a Pulitzer prize-winning photographer could make a person think more of themselves than they should. I pictured him as Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy.

Alexis: What inspired you to make Holiday an award-winning singer living in luxury?

Toni: I really wanted to write about rich heroines and I brainstormed and talked to the characters forming in my mind and I settled on a pop singer.

Alexis: Who in real life, would you compare Holiday’s singing voice to and why?

Toni: Hmm, I was thinking of Mickey Guyton throughout the time I wrote Holiday’s story. However, Mickey is a country singer and I was picturing a more pop vibe in Holiday’s voice.

Alexis: Why has W. Emmett Bell always been the “bane” of Holiday’s existence?

Toni: I’ll tell you a secret. Holiday had a crush on Emmett until he ruined it with judgment. From then on, every joke felt like a slight, every comment a judgment. Each hardened her heart.

Alexis: Why does Holiday believe that it would be too much “trouble” to fall in love?

Toni: Holiday’s father is an R&B legend and also a man who’s been married ten times. She doesn’t believe in love. Thinks it’s as elusive as a unicorn. I mean, how can she believe it’s something that last when her father is the example she has to go by. Not to mention all the other Hollywood romances that end in divorce.

Alexis: What was Emmett’s first impression of Holiday? Describe his relationship with her.

Toni: Emmett has known Holiday since their boarding school days so his impressions of her have gone through many changes. He would like to get to know her more, but all she sees is a judgmental Christian.

Alexis: How many ex-girlfriends are in Emmett’s dating history? Why didn’t it work out?

Toni: There’s only one I discuss in the story and to find out why it didn’t work out, you’ll have to read The Trouble With Love. 😊

Alexis: What is it about Holiday that makes Emmett want to know her better?

Toni: Actually, Holiday’s best friend (and Emmett’s sister) Tori suggests that Holiday give Emmett a chance. Otherwise, she would have been stubborn enough to keep on disliking him.

Alexis: What challenges do Holiday and Emmett have that interfere with their romance?

Toni: First, they don’t like each other. At least, Holiday has strong feelings of dislike. Emmett was a little zealous when he became a believer and said somethings to Holiday that soured her opinion of him. Not only that but she has to weed through her beliefs on love and God before they can have a happily ever after.

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in this storyline?

Toni: Holiday starts out as a nonbeliever, but by the end, she comes to believe that God is real and her need for Him, the realist thing in her world.

Alexis: What was the most challenging aspect of writing this story?

Toni: Never having stepped foot in NYC, I found writing about it a little challenging. Usually I make up a location, but this time I took a chance and set it in a known—well known—location. It was fun as it was challenging.

Alexis: How did you research this story? Did you visit Nashville (home of the music industry)?

Toni: I didn’t. I’ve never been to Nashville although I would love to. I actually watched many episodes of Songland, read books about New York City, and spent time on Google maps looking at various places Holiday visits.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about The Trouble with Love?

Toni: That God has an everlasting love and is the example we should remember, not the broken relationships in this world.

Alexis: Tell us about your Faith & Fortune book series, of which The Trouble with Love is the first. What inspired you to create this series? How many books are in this series?

Toni: There are three books in the series. Holiday and her two roommates each have their moment as the lead.

Alexis: What can readers expect next from you as an author?

Toni: The Truth About Fame releases July 7, 2020. It’s book two in the Faith & Fortune series and I think you’ll love it as much as Holiday’s story.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Toni! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Toni: Thanks for a great interview, Alexis. Readers, drop me any questions you may have in the comments.

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Author Bio:

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. 

She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. 

Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist.

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. 

She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. 

You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com.

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Back Cover Blurb for The Trouble With Love:

I, Holiday Brown, have it all. A platinum record. Multi-million dollar home in Manhattan that I share with my two best friends. Life is looking fantastic until my roommate’s brother decides to bunk in our guestroom while his house gets renovated. 

W. Emmett Bell has always been the bane of my existence. He’s annoying, stubborn, a know it all, and just might be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. 

But I refuse to fall for him. 

Then his sister’s threatened by a stalker and dynamics change. His unwavering faith isn’t quite as self-righteous as I’d always thought, and maybe he has a good side I’ve overlooked all these years.

Or maybe it’s all too much trouble.

The Trouble With Love is the first book in the Christian Chick Lit series: Faith & Fortune.

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Buy The Trouble with Love on Amazon

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Connect with Toni:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortonishiloh
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tonishilohwrite
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tonishiloh
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tonishiloh
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonishiloh
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/toni-shiloh
My BookCave: https://mybookcave.com/profile/toni-shiloh/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gcMfqT
Blogs Toni contributes to: www.inspyromance.com and http://diversitybetweenthepages.wordpress.com