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Discover the author’s favorite real world setting from her book.
She could hear the smile in his voice. “What are you up to, mister?” His lips brushed her ear, sending shock waves through her body. “Open your eyes and find out.” Chrissy did as he said, and her hand flew to her chest. They stood at the edge of the pond in the park, the city lights twinkling on the water’s surface like a thousand fireflies. To her left, the picnic table they claimed on every visit held a candlelight dinner for two. Adam took her hand and led her to the table. A white tablecloth and fine China transformed their favorite picnic spot into a space worthy of a five-star restaurant. Garden party lights twinkled in the tree overhead as their song drifted from a speaker on the table. “Oh, Adam. It’s beautiful.” “Not as beautiful as you,” Adam said and tucked his hand behind her head as he brought his mouth to hers.
From: Step by Step
Award winning romance author Twila Mason takes readers to Chicago in Step by Step, the second book in her Desperate Hearts contemporary romance series. The workplace romance follows artist Chrissy Hardin, who lands the opportunity of a lifetime painting a mural for the city of Chicago, and Adam Rochester, the man tasked with getting the already delayed project back on track. Their working relationship soon becomes more complicated when an attraction neither of them can afford begins to grow.
When we asked Twila to choose a favorite real world location from Step by Step, she took us to Humboldt Park in Chicago, a place that becomes particularly meaningful to Adam and Chrissy.
“The park is a special place for a lot of characters in the Desperate Hearts series, but it is extra special to Adam and Chrissy. They spend a lot of time in this natural oasis tucked in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city.”
For Twila, that contrast is part of what makes Humboldt Park such a memorable book setting. Adam and Chrissy are navigating their growing feelings for each other while dealing with the pressures of the Chicago mural project, their careers, and the consequences they could face if their relationship crosses the line. The park gives them somewhere to escape the pressures surrounding them, slow down, and simply spend time together.
“It’s a large park with a variety of settings, many of them romantic.”
In Step by Step, Humboldt Park becomes more than a Chicago backdrop. In a contemporary romance about two people trying to overcome their pasts and decide what they want from their futures, the park gives Adam and Chrissy a little breathing room in the middle of the city.
Discover Humboldt Park and other settings from Step by Step on Squirl 📍📚
