No matter how low or dark life gets, there's a happy ending out there for everyone; that's the message that local independent author Valentina Burns wants her readers to take away from her romance novel series, Rose City.
"I like the idea of taking the hard things people face in life and giving them all happy endings," she said to Saanich News via email. "I want people who read my books to be reminded that no matter how low or dark it gets, there's a happy ending out there for you."
This September, Burns released Finding Forever, the third book in the Rose City Series. Set in Portland, Ore., it follows Luciana Barone, the oldest daughter of a traditional Italian family whose heart is set on taking over her father's business. When a threat to this dream arises, she turns to Joel Morgan – a childhood friend with family connections – for help in the form of a fake engagement.
"But they share a complicated past, and not everything is as it seems. This story is about second chances," Burns said. "Plus, Joel is a billionaire, so...there's that."
Burns' fan base, who call themselves the "Burners", have praised Burns not only for her character development and writing but also for her sensitivity towards and integration of more difficult subject matters. For example, her second book in the series, Finding Freedom, is about a woman trying to find herself and fall in love again after being sexually assaulted.
"All the books in The Rose City Series touch on harder topics. This is what I love about the romance genre. It offers readers (and writers) a safe space to explore darker themes and topics because there is always the guarantee of a happy ending," she said.
"My books aren't too dark, I make sure of that ... But for me, the romance genre is empowering. It's healing. It's a genre written primarily by women for women, which creates a relatable space."
"In a lot of ways, my books are like my diary, a place I go to work through all the emotions, drama and fantasy inside me."
As an independent author publishing her first series, Burns has built readership through reader platforms such as Goodreads and StoryGraph, plus social media. As of Sept. 27, Finding Forever has 52 ratings on GoodReads with a 4.46 average rating, though Burns said it is a lot of work to get there.
"It is hard because sometimes you feel like you're playing to the whims of the algorithm. Many indie authors have found success just by having their books go viral on TikTok. For me, I like to build meaningful and authentic relationships with readers, and I believe that will pay off in the long run."
Her latest novel can be purchased on Amazon and her first novel, Finding Home, is available at Bolen Books through the local author program.
Burns already has ideas for her next series, and she offered a tantalizing tidbit that might pique the interest of local fans.
"I think my fourth and final book in The Rose City series will drop some Easter eggs to the next series' location, which may or may not take place a little closer to home. In fact, if you read Finding Forever, you might even pick up on the subtle hint. But you have to read to find out," she said with a wink.
