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\n Related: <\/span>Spooky Thrillers to Read Just Before Halloween 2025 \u2014 And Beyond<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tOctober might be the perfect month to pick up a cozy \u2014 or terrifying \u2014 mystery, but authors have spooky-themed books lined up for the rest of the year (and in early 2026). Reese Witherspoon, for one, partnered with twisty thriller author Harlan Coben for Gone Before Goodbye, which made her a New York Times [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Us Weekly:<\/em> <\/strong>How did you land on forced proximity and enemies-to-lovers for Vincent and Brooklyn\u2019s story?<\/p>\nAna Huang:<\/strong> It\u2019s one of my favorite tropes, so I am always drawn to it when writing. I feel like there\u2019s always so much tension and banter that you can get from that sort of dynamic, especially with that forced proximity thrown in. \u2026 This makes sense for the two of them. They\u2019re just really fun, but they have a little bit of that sarcasm, playful edge. I thought that would be just a fun dynamic \u2014 and I love a good roommates romance. I haven\u2019t done one in a while. And I was like, \u201cI think it\u2019s time to go back to my roots.\u201d<\/p>\nUs:<\/em><\/strong> One thing that is very relatable with these two characters is the family dynamics that are also at play. Both Vincent and Brooklyn have rough relationships with their parents. What made you want to explore that aspect?<\/p>\nHuang:<\/strong> Sometimes I look at what I do to my characters and I\u2019m like, \u201cI do traumatize them quite a bit.\u201d A lot of family trauma. For them, I wanted to develop a different relationship that I haven\u2019t quite done in the past. \u2026 It\u2019s like they have this thing that they can bond over and that they can commiserate with, but at the same time, they\u2019re also different, and they can help each other in different ways. I was just really interested in sort of exploring that different dynamic that I haven\u2019t really done before in terms of their families.<\/p>\n\n![\"Ana](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/THE-DEFENDER-Gods-of-the-Game-2-Cover-Ana-Huang.jpg?w=1000&quality=55&strip=all\")
<\/div>Sourcebooks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nUs:<\/em><\/strong> The dedication for this book refers to finding your \u201ccomfort person.\u201d Can you explain how Vincent and Brooklyn are that for each other?<\/p>\nHuang:<\/strong> When I think of a comfort person, I think of someone that I can turn to no matter what. If something bad happens to me, if something good happens to me, that is the person that I want to pick up the phone and call first. Obviously, they didn\u2019t start out that way, but for them, they really see in each other someone that kind of sees past the surface level of who they are. Someone that they feel comfortable being vulnerable with. \u2026 They see each other for the full spectrum of who they are, and they\u2019re still comfortable being so raw, vulnerable with each other. That is what makes them each other\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
Ana Huang:<\/strong> It\u2019s one of my favorite tropes, so I am always drawn to it when writing. I feel like there\u2019s always so much tension and banter that you can get from that sort of dynamic, especially with that forced proximity thrown in. \u2026 This makes sense for the two of them. They\u2019re just really fun, but they have a little bit of that sarcasm, playful edge. I thought that would be just a fun dynamic \u2014 and I love a good roommates romance. I haven\u2019t done one in a while. And I was like, \u201cI think it\u2019s time to go back to my roots.\u201d<\/p>\n Us:<\/em><\/strong> One thing that is very relatable with these two characters is the family dynamics that are also at play. Both Vincent and Brooklyn have rough relationships with their parents. What made you want to explore that aspect?<\/p>\n Huang:<\/strong> Sometimes I look at what I do to my characters and I\u2019m like, \u201cI do traumatize them quite a bit.\u201d A lot of family trauma. For them, I wanted to develop a different relationship that I haven\u2019t quite done in the past. \u2026 It\u2019s like they have this thing that they can bond over and that they can commiserate with, but at the same time, they\u2019re also different, and they can help each other in different ways. I was just really interested in sort of exploring that different dynamic that I haven\u2019t really done before in terms of their families.<\/p>\n Us:<\/em><\/strong> The dedication for this book refers to finding your \u201ccomfort person.\u201d Can you explain how Vincent and Brooklyn are that for each other?<\/p>\n Huang:<\/strong> When I think of a comfort person, I think of someone that I can turn to no matter what. If something bad happens to me, if something good happens to me, that is the person that I want to pick up the phone and call first. Obviously, they didn\u2019t start out that way, but for them, they really see in each other someone that kind of sees past the surface level of who they are. Someone that they feel comfortable being vulnerable with. \u2026 They see each other for the full spectrum of who they are, and they\u2019re still comfortable being so raw, vulnerable with each other. That is what makes them each other\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>
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