Lorraine Brown

Hey book lovers! I'm Lorraine Brown, and I write steamy, banter-filled romcoms that'll make you laugh, swoon, and possibly miss your subway stop. (I speak from experience on that last one—both as a reader and as someone who's gotten so lost in plotting scenes that I've ended up in Queens when I meant to get off in Manhattan.)

Writing wasn't my first career path, though maybe it should have been. I spent years working in corporate communications, secretly scribbling story ideas in the margins of my meeting notes and dreaming up meet-cutes between imaginary characters while pretending to pay attention during budget presentations. (Sorry, former bosses!) But those years weren't wasted—they taught me exactly how much sexual tension can simmer beneath the surface of everyday workplace interactions. And let's be honest, they gave me plenty of material for writing deliciously awkward office scenes.

My debut novel, "Couples Retreat," is basically what happens when you throw "Beach Read" and "The Proposal" into a blender with a splash of enemies-to-lovers tension and a healthy dose of bookish banter. Scarlett and Theo's story came to me during lockdown when I was desperately missing travel and human interaction (and maybe projecting just a tiny bit onto my characters). There's something magical about forcing two people who can't stand each other to share a tropical paradise—especially when they're both hiding behind their own carefully constructed walls.

I'm a firm believer that the best romance novels are the ones that make you feel seen. You know those moments when you're reading and suddenly think, "Wait, how does this author know my exact thoughts?" That's what I aim for in my writing. My characters aren't perfect—they're messy, they make mistakes, they say the wrong thing at exactly the wrong moment (usually in front of exactly the wrong person). But that's what makes them real.

When I'm not writing, you can find me in my Brooklyn apartment, surrounded by far too many books (is there such a thing?), probably procrastinating on Twitter, or trying to convince my cat that my laptop keyboard is not, in fact, the most comfortable spot in the house. I run on coffee, chocolate, and the kind of plot bunnies that show up at 3 AM when I should be sleeping.

I write the kind of stories I want to read—ones with heart, humor, and heat. My characters tend to be smart-mouthed and stubborn (no idea where they get that from...), and I'm a sucker for the moment when the "I hate you" starts morphing into "I hate how much I want you." There's always going to be banter, there's always going to be chemistry, and there's always going to be that moment when the walls come crashing down and our characters have to face what they've been running from.

To my readers: thank you for joining me on this journey. Your messages about staying up way too late to finish "Couples Retreat" make my day every single time. (Though maybe don't tell your boss I'm the reason you were yawning through that morning meeting?) I'm currently working on my next book, and while I can't share too many details yet, I can promise more verbal sparring, more reluctant attraction, and definitely more scenes that'll make you fan yourself while reading in public.

If you're looking for a romance that'll make you laugh out loud, fan yourself discreetly on public transportation, and maybe tear up a little (in the best way), you're in the right place. Come hang out with me on Instagram or Twitter where I share writing updates, book recommendations, and probably too many pictures of my cat "helping" me write.

Remember: life's too short for boring books, bad coffee, or holding back from telling that annoyingly attractive person exactly what you think of them. (Though maybe check if they're your new boss first. Just saying.)