Meet the Storyteller: Amy Ewing — The Beautiful Courage of Being Yourself
A Romanceaholic Interview | The Story Behind the Story
On unexpected love, senior rescue dogs, the courage to be vulnerable, and a romance that makes room for every imperfect part of us.
Sometimes Love Arrives With a Plus-One Invitation
Romance readers, I have a question.
What would you do if your best friend announced she was getting married, insisted that every guest bring a date, and you would honestly rather spend the evening at home with your dogs?
Because for Eloise, the heroine of The Plus-One List, that sounds less like a romantic opportunity and more like an emotional obstacle course.
And frankly, I can understand the appeal of staying home with the dogs.
At least they don’t expect you to make small talk.
But Amy Ewing takes this wonderfully awkward situation and turns it into something much more meaningful.
Eloise is a woman who struggles with anxiety and has built a carefully protected life around the things that make her feel safe.
Agustín is a charming, optimistic journalist whose outgoing personality couldn’t be more different from hers.
And thanks to a rather unusual arrangement, these two people find themselves sharing experiences neither expected.
There’s a wedding in Mexico City.
There’s a secret professional agenda.
There’s delicious food, family history, and an unexpected connection.
And somewhere along the way, a woman who has spent so much time protecting herself begins discovering that opening her heart doesn’t mean abandoning who she is.
That’s what made this story special to me.
Eloise and Agustín made me smile. I enjoyed watching their feelings develop, but what stayed with me was the reminder that vulnerability can be freeing.
And that being imperfect doesn’t make us any less deserving of love.
Today, we’re welcoming Amy Ewing to Romanceaholic to discuss the real-life inspiration behind The Plus-One List, the characters who surprised her, the relationships that shaped the story, and why she believes Eloise and Agustín’s love will last long beyond the final page.
And romance readers?
Apparently, the plus-one list is real.
Yes. Really.
Let’s meet the storyteller.
01. The Plus-One List Is Real. Romance Authors, Please Behave.
Every romance begins with an idea.
But sometimes reality hands an author a premise so perfect that it practically demands to become a novel.
Romanceaholic Asks
Every romance begins with an idea. What first inspired this story?
Amy Ewing:
Funny enough, the plus-one list itself is a real thing! Even though it sounds like something created for a romance novel. I met a woman at a party several years ago who told me how she and her friends have a list of men they recommend to each other as plus-ones in case anyone needs a date to a wedding. Of course, as a romance author, I pounced—that belongs in a book, I said! And she very graciously allowed me to use it.
So, I tucked it in a drawer in the back of my mind while I worked on a different project. When I finished that book, I had already begun to create the characters of Eloise and Agustín. But since Eloise was an introvert who struggles with anxiety and Agustín was the polar opposite, a friendly and social extrovert, I needed a really strong force in order to make them meet. And then it hit me—the plus-one list!
The Romanceaholic Take: Fiction Has Competition
Wait.
An actual list of recommended wedding dates?
Romance readers, somewhere out there, a group of women has apparently organized its own emergency dating department.
And I have questions.
Are there references?
Performance reviews?
A section for men who can dance without embarrassing everyone?
Because this sounds like a system that deserves further investigation.
But what I particularly love about Amy’s answer is how the idea found its purpose.
She already had Eloise and Agustín.
Two people with very different personalities.
Two people who might never naturally cross paths.
And she needed a believable reason to bring them together.
The plus-one list became that reason.
That’s one of the pleasures of a good romantic premise: it creates the opportunity for two characters to meet, but their personalities and choices determine what happens afterward.
The arrangement gets Eloise and Agustín into the same story.
What they do with that opportunity is where the romance begins.
02. The Characters Who Started Close to Home
Sometimes the most memorable fictional characters begin with something deeply personal.
A familiar experience.
Someone we love.
Or a small piece of ourselves that finds its way onto the page.
Romanceaholic Asks
Before readers fell in love with these characters, what made you fall in love with them?
Amy Ewing:
Both of these characters have roots that are very personal to me. Like Eloise, I also struggle with anxiety, I live in New York City, and I am passionate about senior dog adoption. And like Agustín, my partner is an immigrant from Mexico City who worked incredibly hard to achieve his dream of living and working in the US.
And yet, Eloise and Agustín are not at all like my partner and myself. I love how characters can grow from an initial idea or sketch into fully realized people of their own, people who feel as real to me as my friends in real life. I love Eloise’s sense of humor, and her endless patience with her pack of senior dogs. And I love Agustín’s boundless optimism and his ability to always see the bright side of things. But I think most of all I love how he loves Eloise exactly for who she is—her anxiety never goes away, nor is it something that needs to be “fixed.” But he helps open up her world in a way that she never thought was possible for herself. And I think that’s something that’s so beautiful about writing romance.
The Romanceaholic Take: She Was Never His Project
This answer right here.
This is what I wanted to hear.
Because there’s an important difference between loving someone and treating them like a problem you’re supposed to solve.
Eloise struggles with anxiety.
That is part of her experience.
But it isn’t a character flaw that must disappear before she can have a meaningful relationship.
And Agustín doesn’t need to transform her into a fearless, outgoing woman to make their romance work.
He loves her as she is.
Her humor.
Her kindness.
Her devotion to her senior dogs.
Her fears.
Her boundaries.
All of it.
And that’s what I appreciated about their relationship while reading the book.
Eloise discovers new possibilities, but she doesn’t have to abandon herself to experience them.
Agustín helps open her world without demanding that she become someone else.
The right person doesn’t need to erase your struggles to recognize everything wonderful about you.
And I also love Amy’s observation about fictional characters growing beyond their original inspiration.
Eloise and Agustín may have begun with pieces of real experiences, but they developed into people with their own personalities and emotional journeys.
That’s the beauty of storytelling.
An idea becomes a person.
And sometimes that person stays with readers long after the book ends.
03. The Character Who Surprised His Own Author
Now, here’s something I always find fascinating.
Authors create characters, give them histories, and place them in carefully imagined situations.
And then, occasionally, those characters seem to have plans of their own.
Romanceaholic Asks
Which relationship in this novel surprised you the most while writing?
Romantic, family, friendship, mentor—every meaningful relationship counts.
Amy Ewing:
I would have to say the relationship between Agustín and Ricardo, the secret son of Agustín’s grandfather. Agustín is a journalist and needs to interview Ricardo for the article of his career, the one that he’s writing to expose his (now deceased) grandfather’s secret life in New York. And to get the interview, he needs the invite to this lavish wedding that he knows Ricardo will be at (which is where the plus-one list comes in). Ricardo was a kind of shadowy figure to me as I was writing the story—he was a crucial reason for Agustín coming into contact with Eloise (it’s her best friend’s wedding) but I remember as I was writing the draft that I didn’t feel like I really knew him or understood who he was. I didn’t quite know what was going to happen when he and Agustín met. And then, when that meeting finally happened, he was nothing like I was expecting! He really surprised me as a character, which then made his and Agustín’s relationship really surprising as well.
The Romanceaholic Take: When the Plot Becomes Personal
What makes this answer interesting is that Ricardo begins as someone Agustín needs to find.
He’s connected to a professional goal.
An important interview.
A family secret.
And the reason Agustín needs access to the wedding in the first place.
But Amy’s experience writing him suggests that he became more than a convenient reason for the plot to happen.
He developed into someone who challenged her own expectations.
And that matters because Agustín’s professional ambitions are tied to a deeply personal family history.
The interview he wants isn’t simply about obtaining information.
It involves people whose lives were shaped by decisions made long before the novel begins.
I appreciate stories that allow supporting characters to become more than obstacles or plot devices.
Sometimes the person who surprises us most isn’t one of the romantic leads.
Sometimes it’s the person who forces us to reconsider what we thought we understood about the past.
04. Loving Her Means Learning Her Speed
At Romanceaholic, we believe the greatest love stories are earned.
Not through grand gestures alone.
Not through chemistry alone.
And certainly not because one person decides they know what’s best for the other.
Sometimes love asks for something much quieter.
Patience.
Attention.
Respect.
Romanceaholic Asks
Romanceaholic believes the greatest love stories are earned. What challenges did your couple have to overcome before they truly deserved their happily ever after?
Amy Ewing:
Oh man, well pretty much everything was a challenge for Eloise! She is not one to let her walls down easily, and she was quite literally strongarmed into getting a date to the wedding in the first place (because the groom’s family is very superstitious). But she would do absolutely anything for her best friend, Rachel, the bride. Eloise kept her world very small to try and keep herself safe. It was so hard for her to do anything that would risk losing that sense of safety and security—but at the same time, she wasn’t really living. The plus-one list was the giant push that she needed to take that first, important step. And for Agustín, he saw right away that she had this real depth and vibrancy inside her, this potential to live a fuller life. And he worked very hard to earn her trust, knowing how precious and valuable it was, and not something Eloise would give lightly. He had to really learn her speed, to listen to her and respect both her potential and also her limitations. And I think that’s what true love is all about!
The Romanceaholic Take: He Didn’t Set the Pace for Her
There are three words in Amy’s answer that I absolutely love.
Learn her speed.
Not push her faster.
Not decide when she should be ready.
Not treat every hesitation as something she needs to overcome immediately.
Learn her speed.
Because loving someone means understanding that their comfort, boundaries, and emotional needs matter.
Agustín may see possibilities Eloise struggles to imagine for herself, but that doesn’t give him permission to make her choices.
He has to listen.
He has to be patient.
And he has to recognize that the trust she offers is precious precisely because it isn’t easy for her to give.
That is a meaningful foundation for romance.
I don’t want a hero who announces that he knows what’s best for the heroine and expects her to be grateful.
I want a hero who recognizes her potential while respecting her right to decide what she’s ready for.
He can encourage her to experience more of life without making her feel inadequate for the life she’s been living.
That’s a distinction worth celebrating.
05. Opposites Attract. But Can They Be Themselves?
Eloise and Agustín couldn’t be more different in the way they approach the world.
She’s cautious.
He’s outgoing.
She finds comfort in familiar routines.
He approaches life with optimism and enthusiasm.
But differences alone don’t make a relationship meaningful.
What matters is whether those differences create understanding or constant pressure.
Romanceaholic Asks
What quality do you think makes this couple work so well together?
Amy Ewing:
They are able to be one hundred percent themselves with each other, and I think that’s so important in a relationship. There is so much comfort in seeing and being seen, and in the safety that comes from that. I don’t think Eloise would ever have been able to allow anyone else into her life—Agustín was the perfect match for her. And she for him! She is a real inspiration to him, and I think they balance each other perfectly.
The Romanceaholic Take: Different Doesn’t Mean Incompatible
Here’s what makes their opposites-attract dynamic work for me.
Neither person has to become a copy of the other.
Agustín doesn’t need to stop being optimistic and sociable.
Eloise doesn’t need to become an extrovert.
Their differences allow them to bring something meaningful into each other’s lives.
And I especially appreciate Amy’s observation that Eloise inspires Agustín too.
Because this relationship shouldn’t be about one person doing all the growing while the other acts as their guide.
A strong romance allows both characters to matter.
Both have something to offer.
Both have something to learn.
And both deserve to be loved as complete individuals.
06. The Rooftop, the Champagne, and the Moment Everything Changed
Oh, romance readers.
Now we’re getting to one of my favorite kinds of romantic moments.
Not a dramatic declaration.
Not an elaborate surprise.
Just two people finding a little space away from the noise.
Romanceaholic Asks
Was there one moment while writing when you realized, “They’re going to make it”?
Amy Ewing:
Well, I felt it right from the first moment they met! And not just because I’m the author J Even before they knew it themselves, I could feel how right these two people were for each other. And so even when they struggled and had to overcome challenges at the end of the story, it all just felt like another step on their journey to loving each other fearlessly.
Romanceaholic Asks
Every relationship has a turning point. What scene changed everything for your couple?
Amy Ewing:
There’s a scene where they have to go to Rachel’s engagement party (Eloise is obviously not a fan of parties) and it’s at a rooftop bar in Tribeca. They’ve been friends for about a month at this point, but of course, there’s nothing like seeing the person you’re starting to fall for all dressed up and looking their best! And it was the first time they had to actually go out somewhere together, so there was that new level of excitement (for Agustín) and stress (for Eloise).
And there’s a part of the scene where the socializing gets to be too much for her, and Agustín knows exactly what to do. He finds a spot away from the party, at the back of the rooftop, and they hang out next to an industrial fan, drinking pilfered champagne straight from the bottle and talking about their families. I always felt that scene was the turning point for them—especially Eloise, who had quite a tragic childhood and never talks about it. So, for her to open up to him that way felt like a huge step.
The Romanceaholic Take: Sometimes Romance Happens Beside an Industrial Fan
Can we appreciate this scene for a moment?
A rooftop party.
Two people dressed up.
The excitement of seeing someone you’re beginning to fall for.
And then, instead of a grand romantic performance, we get an industrial fan and stolen champagne.
I love it.
But what makes the moment special isn’t the champagne.
It’s Agustín paying attention.
He recognizes that Eloise is overwhelmed.
He doesn’t make a spectacle of it.
He doesn’t insist that she stay and socialize because everyone else is having fun.
He finds somewhere quieter.
Somewhere they can simply be together.
And in that space, Eloise feels comfortable enough to share something deeply personal about her childhood.
That’s intimacy.
Not because the setting is glamorous.
But because someone notices what another person needs and responds with care.
Sometimes the most romantic thing a person can do is make you feel safe enough to tell the truth.
And an industrial fan apparently makes an excellent supporting character.
Who knew?
07. The Heart We’d Trust
Some fictional heroes win us over with charm.
Others with devotion.
And some earn our affection because of the way they treat people when nobody is expecting a grand gesture.
Romanceaholic Asks
Which character would you trust with your own heart? Why?
Amy Ewing:
Agustín for sure! But probably because his roots grew from the actual love of my life. So, I was already in love with him before I really started writing him! And even though he’s not the same person as my partner, they both have a similar generosity of spirit, which is a big part of what made me fall in love, and Eloise as well.
The Romanceaholic Take: Generosity of Spirit
I appreciate that Amy doesn’t point to Agustín’s charm or attractiveness as the reason she’d trust him.
She points to his generosity of spirit.
And that tells us something important about the qualities she wanted to give him.
A generous heart isn’t simply about giving presents or doing favors.
It’s about approaching people with kindness.
Making room for their needs.
And recognizing that another person’s happiness matters.
Of course, Agustín’s hidden professional motives still create a genuine complication in the story. His generosity doesn’t mean he is incapable of making mistakes.
But it gives us insight into the kind of man Amy imagined beneath those mistakes.
A hero can be flawed and still possess qualities that make us believe he is capable of meaningful love.
The question is what he does with those qualities when his choices become difficult.
08. The Woman Who Carried a Family Secret
Not every complicated relationship belongs to the romantic leads.
Sometimes the most emotionally challenging character is someone whose choices were made years before the main love story began.
Romanceaholic Asks
Which character challenged you the most to write?
Amy Ewing:
Probably Agustín’s abuelita. It was a challenge to strike the right balance with her and to understand how this woman could have made all the choices she did in the face of so many challenges and heartbreaks. And how she could have forgiven Agustín’s abuelo, who betrayed her in the worst way, and kept his secret to protect her family. She was a wonderfully complex character.
The Romanceaholic Take: Forgiveness Is Never a Simple Question
This is an answer that deserves its own conversation.
Because forgiveness can be one of the most complicated decisions a character makes.
Especially when betrayal, family loyalty, and years of emotional history are involved.
Amy describes a woman who endured heartbreak and made difficult choices to protect her family.
That doesn’t automatically make every choice right.
And forgiveness doesn’t necessarily erase the damage caused by betrayal.
But it does make her a character worth understanding.
I appreciate that Amy wanted to explore how this woman reached those decisions rather than reducing her to someone who simply forgave and moved on.
Because sometimes a character’s choices are difficult precisely because there isn’t an easy answer.
And a story becomes richer when it allows us to recognize that complexity.
09. A Love Letter to Mexico — In Language, Family, and Food
A setting becomes memorable when it feels like more than a backdrop.
When we can imagine the conversations.
The family gatherings.
The expressions people use.
And, of course, the food.
Because romance readers, a good love story that also makes us hungry is a dangerous combination.
Romanceaholic Asks
What’s one thing about your characters that readers may not immediately notice, but you secretly hope they do?
Amy Ewing:
I certainly hope that any Spanish speaking readers enjoy the Mexican slang! I worked really hard to get the language right for Agustín—it did help having several eyes on the draft from native speakers. And I really hope everyone enjoys the descriptions of the food! I love writing about food and Mexico has some of the best food in the world. I hope readers leave feeling hungry.
The Romanceaholic Take: Details Make a World Feel Lived In
I love hearing about the care that goes into details readers might not consciously notice.
Amy worked with native speakers to help make Agustín’s language feel authentic.
And she wanted Mexico’s food to be part of the reading experience.
Those choices matter.
Because Agustín’s background isn’t simply an interesting fact about him.
His connection to Mexico City, his family, and his culture are part of his life.
And allowing those details to exist naturally within the story helps give his world a sense of identity.
Also, Amy, mission accomplished on making readers think about food.
A romance that gives us emotional development and delicious descriptions?
We appreciate the dedication.
Although now we may require snacks.
10. The Romanceaholic Confessional — Quick Fire!
We’ve talked about love, family secrets, emotional growth, and the importance of understanding each other.
Now it’s time for a little romance-reader fun.
Coffee or Tea?
Amy: Coffee!
Morning writer or Night owl?
Amy: Morning person, for sure.
First draft or Final edits?
Amy: Oof, probably whichever one I’m not currently doing! When I’m first drafting, I want to be at the end, and when I’m in final revisions, I long for the messiness of a first draft. It’s a never-ending cycle.
Favorite romance trope?
Amy: Enemies to lovers.
Trope you’ll never get tired of writing?
Amy: Opposites attract!
One fictional couple you absolutely adore?
Amy: Leon and Tiffy from The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary!
A romance novel every reader should experience at least once?
Amy: Have to say The Flatshare again here. It’s just the most unique romance novel I’ve ever read.
The Romanceaholic Take: An Author Who Wants Both Drafts
First of all, Amy’s answer about drafting and editing made me laugh.
Apparently, the best stage of writing is whichever stage isn’t currently happening.
That sounds suspiciously familiar to anyone who has ever worked on a creative project.
And I love that she chose opposites attract as the trope she’ll never tire of writing.
Considering Eloise and Agustín, that makes perfect sense.
But I also appreciate her love for enemies to lovers and her enthusiasm for Leon and Tiffy from The Flatshare.
Different romantic dynamics, but plenty of opportunities for characters to surprise us.
And isn’t that one of the reasons we keep reading?
We want to discover what happens when two people who seem unlikely to fit together find something meaningful in each other.
11. One More Chapter — The Feeling She Hopes Readers Keep
There’s one question I particularly love asking authors.
What do you hope readers carry with them when the story ends?
Because sometimes a book leaves us with more than a favorite couple.
Sometimes it leaves us with a feeling we didn’t realize we needed.
Romanceaholic Asks
If readers remember just one thing after finishing this book, what do you hope it is?
Amy Ewing:
I hope they feel the same sense of comfort and peace that I felt when I finished writing it! This book was very healing to me, and very joyful. And so I hope readers carry that with them.
The Romanceaholic Take: Sometimes Joy Is Enough
Oh, Amy.
This answer made me smile.
Because comfort is something I believe romance can give us in a very special way.
Not every meaningful story has to leave us emotionally devastated.
Not every character needs to suffer endlessly before happiness becomes worthwhile.
Sometimes we need a story that reminds us that love can be gentle.
That growth can be hopeful.
That two people can make each other’s lives better without requiring either person to become perfect.
And knowing that Amy experienced comfort and healing while writing The Plus-One List makes the warmth I felt while reading it even more meaningful.
Because that’s what I want readers to find when they visit Romanceaholic.
Stories that offer an escape.
Characters who make us smile.
And love stories that remind us why we keep turning the pages.
12. Love Is…
Romanceaholic Asks
Finally… Complete the sentence: Love is…
Amy Ewing:
being truly yourself with someone else.
The Romanceaholic Take: No Performance Required
Sometimes the simplest answers say the most.
Being truly yourself with someone else.
Not the version of yourself you think they’ll prefer.
Not the person you pretend to be because you’re afraid of disappointing them.
Just you.
With all your wonderful qualities.
Your uncertainties.
Your fears.
Your imperfections.
And the freedom to know that you don’t have to hide those things to be worthy of affection.
That is a beautiful definition of love.
And it captures exactly what made Eloise and Agustín’s relationship meaningful to me.
13. Why They Lasted — Beyond the Happily Ever After
At Romanceaholic, we love a beautiful ending.
But we also love asking what happens after the final page.
Because a happily ever after shouldn’t depend entirely on the excitement of falling in love.
We want to believe the relationship has something strong enough to carry it into ordinary life.
The difficult conversations.
The unexpected challenges.
The days when romance looks less like champagne on a rooftop and more like showing up for each other.
Romanceaholic Asks
Why do you believe this couple lasts beyond the final page?
Amy Ewing:
Eloise and Agustín are simply perfect for each other! And I can’t imagine they would ever be able to love anyone else the way they love each other. They change each other over the course of the story in deeply permanent ways.
The Romanceaholic Take: Why I Believe in Their Future
What makes me hopeful about Eloise and Agustín isn’t simply that they love each other deeply.
It’s the kind of connection Amy describes throughout this interview.
Agustín learns to respect Eloise’s pace.
Eloise discovers that opening herself to new experiences doesn’t require abandoning her identity.
They recognize qualities in each other that encourage growth.
And their differences don’t have to become obstacles to understanding.
Of course, every lasting relationship requires continued honesty and care. The challenges they face during the novel don’t guarantee that life will always be easy afterward.
But the qualities Amy has given them offer a foundation worth believing in.
A lasting love isn’t one where two people never struggle. It’s one where they continue choosing to understand and care for each other when life becomes complicated.
And that’s the kind of happily ever after I want to believe in.
About the Storyteller — Amy Ewing
Amy Ewing is a New York Times and international bestselling author of young adult novels and adult contemporary romance.
She lives in New York City with her senior rescue dog and far too many books than she has shelf space for.
And honestly, romance readers, we understand the bookshelf situation.
Some problems simply refuse to be solved.
The Last Word — She Was Worth Loving All Along
There’s something especially meaningful about hearing an author explain the emotional intentions behind a story you’ve enjoyed.
And after reading Amy Ewing’s answers, I appreciate Eloise and Agustín’s relationship even more.
Not because their romance is perfect.
But because Amy understands that love doesn’t require perfection.
Eloise doesn’t have to become fearless.
She doesn’t have to stop experiencing anxiety.
She doesn’t have to transform into a completely different woman to deserve a meaningful relationship.
And Agustín doesn’t have to be without flaws to have a generous heart.
What matters is how they learn to understand each other.
How they recognize the value of the trust they’re building.
And how their connection gives both of them opportunities to grow.
I particularly appreciated Amy’s description of Agustín learning Eloise’s speed.
Because love should never be about forcing someone to become the person we want them to be.
It should allow them the freedom to become more fully themselves.
And that brings me back to the passage from Eloise that stayed with me after reading The Plus-One List:
“Maybe I need to start moving forward in this imperfect, messy world as an imperfect, messy person – and be okay with that. I am no less deserving of love for being imperfect.”
That’s the heart of this story for me.
Not the wedding.
Not the arrangement.
Not even the unexpected romance.
It’s the realization that we can be imperfect, anxious, uncertain, and still deserving of love.
And that sometimes opening our hearts doesn’t make us weaker.
It reminds us how much life we still have the courage to experience.
The right love doesn’t demand that we become someone else. It gives us room to be ourselves.
And romance readers?
That’s a love story worth celebrating.
Thank You, Amy Ewing!
A heartfelt thank-you to Amy Ewing for joining Romanceaholic and sharing the inspiration, personal connections, and emotional journey behind The Plus-One List.
We especially appreciate her thoughtful reflections on Eloise’s anxiety, Agustín’s generosity, the importance of respecting each other’s needs, and the joy she hopes readers carry away from the story.
And we certainly appreciate learning that the plus-one list is real.
Romance readers, apparently inspiration is everywhere.
Now It’s Your Turn!
What makes you believe a fictional couple will last beyond the final page?
Is it the way they communicate?
The way they respect each other’s differences?
Or those quiet moments when one person recognizes exactly what the other needs?
Come tell us.
Because the love stories that stay with us deserve conversations that last a little longer.
Until our next story,
Carmen A
Soft heart. Sharp tongue. Zero apologies.
Romanceaholic — Love Stories Taken Seriously.
