Finally Fitz is out in the world next week, and author Marisa Kanter is here to talk about all things related to her latest rom-com! Marisa stopped by a couple years ago to talk about her debut novel, and I’m so excited to have her back on the blog today as we celebrate her third novel.
Interview with Marisa Kanter
Tell us about Finally Fitz! What inspired your latest rom-com?
For those who may not know, Fitz is a secondary character in As If on Cue! In that book, she’s the best friend who exists for comic relief and seemingly has it all together . . . but in Finally Fitz, you’ll learn that she very much does not. As a reader, I’ve always been drawn to these characters, always wondered what was going on in their world. As If on Cue ends with Fitz getting into a summer fashion program in New York and I was so thrilled when I got the go-ahead from my publisher to write her story. It’s honestly the queer fake dating book of my dreams. It’s a romcom, but it’s also about sisters learning how to communicate with each other, something that was inspired by my relationship with my sister. And New York itself provided so much inspiration, I lived there for six super formative years and my heart is still very much there.
Since this book is set it New York City, what are some of your favorite places in the city? Were you able to incorporate any of them into the story?
Oh my goodness, yes! Finally Fitz is a love letter to the city that I fell in head-over-heels for at eighteen-years-old when I moved there for college. Fitz and Levi fake dating made for an excellent device to take readers around New York, to show readers my New York through these characters. The High Line, The Met, Pier 25 Minigolf, and the Brooklyn Flea are just a few of the places that they go and activities that they do!
Fitz has a passion for sustainable fashion. What’s her favorite item in her wardrobe?
What a fun question! Fitz’s favorite item in her closet is an oversized denim jacket with botanical embroidery details that may or may not have been inspired by certain plant boy.
What song would be the theme song for Finally Fitz?
Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” for all the obvious reasons!
Is there a scene you are most excited for readers to react to?
There’s a scene that takes place on Levi’s rooftop garden at sunset that was just magic to write. I love it so much I commissioned a sketch of that scene by the incredible Emma Munger.
Lastly, for readers who love your books, what would you recommend that they read next?
A few of my favorite authors in the contemporary YA space right now are Ellen O’Clover, Ann Zhao, Racquel Marie, Meredith Adamo, Camryn Garrett, and Kelsey Rodkey. And, of course, anything by Rachel Lynn Solomon!
About
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Find it: Goodreads, S&S, Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Amazon
A bisexual teen girl tries to make her ex jealous by faking an Instagram romance that leads to surprisingly real feelings in this hijinks-filled rom-com perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and She Gets the Girl.
Ava “Fitz” Fitzgerald has worked hard to create the picture-perfect life she’s always wanted. She spent her junior year transforming her passion for sustainable fashion and upcycling into a viral online platform, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and spending every free second with her soon-to-graduate girlfriend, Danica. And this summer she plans to take it all to the next level by attending a prestigious summer fashion program in New York City and convincing Dani that they can survive a year of long distance.
But when Dani dumps her before classes even start, accusing Fitz of being more invested in growing her online persona than deepening their relationship, she’s left not only heartbroken, but also creatively blocked.
Fitz will do anything to win Dani back, even if that means taking a break from the platform that she’s worked so hard to build. But just as she decides to go all-in on a hiatus, a chance encounter reunites her with Levi Berkowitz, her childhood best friend that she hasn’t seen since elementary school. Levi is struggling with heartbreak of his own, and this cosmic coincidence sparks a new use for her social media savvy. Fitz offers to help Levi craft a fake relationship online to make his person jealous…if in return he can pretend to be her boyfriend in front of Dani to make her jealous. If all goes according to plan, by the end of the summer they’ll both be reunited with their perfect partners and get to rekindle their friendship in the process.
Sometimes even the most carefully designed plans can come apart at the seams, though. And when real history leads to not-so-fake feelings, Fitz will have to decide if she’s finally willing to let go of what she thought was picture-perfect and choose what might actually be right for her.
About Marisa Kanter
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Marisa Kanter is a young adult author, amateur baker, and reality television enthusiast. She is the author of What I Like About You, As If on Cue, and Finally Fitz. Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, her obsession with books led her to New York City, where she worked in the publishing industry to help books find their perfect readers. She currently lives in Los Angeles, writing love stories by day and crocheting her wardrobe by night. Follow her at MarisaKanter.com.
This is such a fun interview! And Fitz sounds like such a fun character! I’ll definitely be checking out this book.