Vents MagaZine Music and Entertainment Magazine
Related Articles
Maria Rivera returns with her fourth novel, The Thing About Lily, a deeply emotional story set in the vibrant community of Washington Heights. Exploring themes of second chances and resilience, the book follows Lily Cruz, a determined mother rebuilding her life, and Raymond Sanchez, a widowed pastor healing from his own loss.
We sat down with Maria to discuss the inspiration behind this faith-centered romance, the importance of cultural setting, and why she believes that love often arrives when we least expect it.
Q: The Thing About Lily is your fourth novel, described as a story about “rebuilding life” and “believing in love again.” What inspired you to write Lily Cruz’s journey specifically, and why was it important for you to center this story on a protagonist who has spent years “running from her past”?
Maria Rivera:
Lily was a minor character in Chasing Shadows, the second book I wrote. She was a human trafficking survivor, returned to her abusers and was forced to make a decision that put Anthony and Araceli (the two protagonists in Chasing Shadows) in danger.
I always felt that it was possible that readers may have been hard on Lily because of what she did to Araceli and Anthony, and that is when I realized it was important for her story to be told. Through a series of conversations, the reader learns a lot about Lily’s past, and the circumstances under which she left Cuba to come to the States.
Q: The relationship between Lily and Raymond Sanchez forms the heart of this book. You have two characters—one guarding herself against pain and another healing from the loss of his wife—who find an unexpected connection. How did you approach writing their dynamic to ensure their bond felt earned and rooted in “shared resilience”?
Maria Rivera:
There is also a third dynamic. Although their departure from Cuba was under different circumstances — her father was about to be arrested as a political prisoner, so he entrusted his best friend to bring her to the States. Raymond left with his parents and brother—they both shared the loss of leaving their country. For Cuban people, leaving that island was very hard. I was born in this country, but my parents were born and raised in Cuba. They came to the States in the sixties, and I have heard numerous stories from my family about how hard it was to come to a new country.
Raymond is also a youth pastor and coaches basketball at the local high school, and her son is on the team. They all attend the same church, and what puts them constantly in each other’s orbit is when she agrees to make painting a mural in the youth hall her final project to earn a degree in graphic design.
Pacing is also very important. So, as I wrote their scenes, it was a slow progression that led to the creation of their bond.
Q: The setting of Washington Heights plays a significant role in the narrative, providing a backdrop of warmth and community. How does the cultural intersection of this neighborhood influence the characters’ lives, particularly as Lily prepares to reunite with her family arriving from Cuba?
Maria Rivera:
When my parents first arrived in America, they went straight to California. Approximately two years after I was born, we moved to Washington Heights, New York, where we lived for eleven years. As our family members left Cuba, they joined us. In fact, at one point I had two aunts and many cousins living in the same neighborhood, and some on the same floor of the building where we lived. We clung to each other, and I wanted that to be a foundation in the story. Actually, all of my books have a connection to Washington Heights (not the one I’m working on now! :))
The characters in the book represent warmth and community because they genuinely love and look out for each other. They support each other, and that is why they stay.
My husband and I go to Washington Heights as often as we can to have dinner, walk around and shop.
Q: Faith is a central pillar in your storytelling, and Raymond’s role as a pastor at Iglesia de Esperanza Y Victoria is pivotal. In a genre often focused on romance, how do you balance the spiritual journeys of your characters with their emotional and romantic development?
Maria Rivera:
A relationship with Jesus is such a personal thing. And it doesn’t mean we’re perfect, always have the right solution or make the right decisions. It also doesn’t mean that we can’t flirt, date or fall in love. Or, that having a relationship with God guarantees you a perfect life. I tried to provide a platform where the reader can see that the characters are very much human, but they consider God’s word when they’re suffering, happy, about to make an important decision, etc. As I said earlier, pacing is important, which is why Raymond and Lily’s romance is a progression, side by side with their individual faith journey.
Q: Early reviews have praised the book for its “nuanced, faith-centered look at love.” For readers who are currently facing their own season of hardship or doubt, what is the main message you hope they take away from Lily and Raymond’s story?
Maria Rivera:
Regardless of what you’re facing, God is with you. He will always remain with you and will never abandon you. Even when things are at their toughest and you’re standing in that valley, God is there walking with you. John 16:33 says that “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And he has! 🙂
The Thing About Lily is available now. To secure your copy, visit https://a.co/d/deTzxsh.
