Joshua Hortinela Talks Representation, That 'Rom Com Feeling' and His Top Queer Romance Recommendations

Sydney-based author Joshua Hortinella, after becoming beloved in the book industry for over a decade, has just penned Hate You to Love You, one of the most vibrant romance debuts of the year.

Josh spills wild behind-the-scenes secrets of bookselling—including the joys of stocking, heartwarming customer interactions, and mysterious boxes.

He opens up about how queer representation helped him overcoming feeling like a "side character" in his own life, shares the emotional highs and lows of writing enemies-to-lovers dynamics, how his book was an accidental love letter, and why holding it for the first time was an experience so powerful he almost had a panic attack.

But most of all, Josh shares his deep love for love itself, including rom-com nostalgia and why queer literature is for everyone, along with his top three recommendations for jus that topic... along with the book he is drawn to read every single winter.

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