Forever35, Episode 387: Romance On The Brain with Maurene Goo

Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Guest: Maurene Goo
Date: February 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Doree and Elise welcome acclaimed author Maurene Goo to celebrate the launch of her adult debut novel, One and Only. The conversation dives into the nuances of aging, self-care rituals (including face massages and closet cleanouts), the empowering role of fashion, and what it means to write romance for and about women in their forties. With Goo’s signature warmth and humor, topics such as romantic tropes, LA love letters, and the chaos of family life unfold alongside practical insights and a relatable, uplifting tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Self-Care Practices in 2026

• Face Massages as Ritual:
  • Maurene shares her new self-care obsession: daily, algorithm-fueled face massages, inspired by the “lymphatic drainage” trend.
  • She admits to a mix of skepticism and hope regarding the science:

    “I kind of believe the science and I kind of don’t, but… I don’t care. I’m gonna pretend this works and it gives me some semblance of control over my life.” — Maurene Goo (12:18)

  • Touch, both tactile and emotional, emerges as crucial for her well-being:

    “I have learned that I need a lot of touch, actually.” — Maurene Goo (14:55)

  • She has even enrolled in an online course to deepen her practice.
• Embracing Rituals During Turbulent Times:
  • The practice helps her feel grounded when “the world is falling apart.”
  • Elise echoes the value of simple, tactile rituals as centering mechanisms.

2. Maurene’s Adult Novel & Representation in Romance

• About “One and Only”:
  • The protagonist, Cassia Park, is a 40-year-old Korean American matchmaker with a secret supernatural family gift—seeing soulmates through past lives (15:25).
  • Cassia embarks on an unexpected fling with a 28-year-old, leading to a witty, heartfelt, and realistic age-gap romance (40:35).
• Why Adult Fiction Now?
  • Maurene discusses outgrowing the YA audience and jumping into the 40-something romance arena:

    “I had done five YA novels… I was reading so much romance, so much upmarket women's fiction, and I felt very inspired… but also, I can see, for me, what was missing as a reader.” — Maurene Goo (16:48)

• Filling Literary Gaps for Single Women in Their 40s:
  • Goo’s protagonist isn’t a “hot mess” or “harried divorced mom”—she’s thriving, and romance is a bonus, not a fix (18:50).
  • She highlights the surge in fiction embracing midlife reinvention and perimenopausal journeys (19:40).
  • Cassia’s confidence isn’t derived from external validation; her struggles feel modern and real.

3. Fashion as Self-Care & Hiring a Stylist

• Rebuilding a Wardrobe After Life Changes:
  • Post-pandemic and post-motherhood, Maurene invested in her wardrobe as a form of self-discovery and control.
  • She joined fashion substacks, found community, and started including fashion in her own newsletter (21:19).
• The Closet Cleanout Experience:
  • Maurene hired LA-based stylist Laurel Patton for a home visit and massive closet overhaul:

    “She touched and took out every single item of clothing in my closet. My drawers, including my pajamas, minus my, like, underwear, obviously. And socks.” — Maurene Goo (25:34)

  • A full-day process produced nearly 10 bags of donations, personalized outfit planning, and a mental reset (25:48–29:15).
  • Key principle: Keep only what makes you not feel sad, and repair or alter favorites instead of discarding (27:08–28:32).
  • Practical tip: Skip fancy sweater brushes, go for an electric de-piller for best results (28:42).
• Stylist Perks:
  • Maurene’s stylist even lends out her own clothes for big events—an unexpected bonus (31:52).

4. The Glamour and Reality of Awards Season

• Maurene shares anecdotes about attending Golden Globes afterparties and high-profile LA events, buoyed by her husband’s success as the director of K Pop Demon Hunters (32:29).
• She discusses the whirlwind impact of fame on family logistics and the emotional richness of seeing the film’s representation touched so many, especially Asian and Asian American kids (35:15–36:23).

5. Themes from “One and Only” — Romance, Magic, and LA

• A Love Letter to Los Angeles:
  • Doree and Maurene bond over shared favorite local haunts authentically woven into the novel (39:33).
• Rethinking the Age-Gap Trope:
  • The book features two hunks—a 28-year-old and his 40-something boss.
  • Maurene purposefully wrote Cassia as confident, with relationship doubts based on real issues (stage of life), not insecurity about looks (42:44).
  • Quote:

    “The thing that isn’t like a conflict is: Am I hot enough? Am I going to stay hot enough for this young guy? It’s like, she’s like, ‘Dude, I’m hot, it’s fine.’” — Maurene Goo (42:44)

6. Book & Reading Recommendations

• Maurene’s current and recent favorites:
  • August Lane (“black country singer’s daughter rekindles high school romance”), recommended by romance author Christina Forrest (44:33).
  • Tessa Bailey’s sports romance series, notably Catch Her If You Can, plus Bailey’s heated rivalry and hockey romances (45:37–45:52).

Notable Quotes

• On Self-Care and Reality:

  “I want to embrace aging, but the reality, reality is I am not embracing aging right now.” — Maurene Goo (13:20)

• On Single Women (and 40s representation):

  “There are so many single women and they are very happy with their lives and the romance factor is like a bonus… I don’t think that’s wish fulfillment. I think that’s very realistic actually.” — Maurene Goo (18:50 & 20:24)

• On Closet Editing:

  “She would say, ‘Okay, try it on...’ Her face would be like, ‘Yes. No.’ …She’s like, ‘You feel sad.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah.’” — Maurene Goo (27:08)

• On Age Gap Romance:

  “I wanted this woman to be confident, and the thing that isn’t like a conflict is am I hot enough? ...She’s like, ‘Dude, I’m hot, it's fine.’” — Maurene Goo (42:44)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Introduction, Announcements, and Opening Chat: 00:00–07:29 (skip ads)
• Interview Part 1: Maurene’s Self-Care & Face Massages: 12:02–15:11
• About the New Book & Why Write for Adults: 15:11–18:42
• Representation, Fashion & Closet Clean-Out: 21:19–32:04
• Awards Season Life & Family: 32:29–36:34
• Book as LA Love Letter & Romance Tropes: 39:33–44:16
• Reading Recommendations: 44:33–46:01

Memorable Moments

• Maurene’s vivid recounting of her stylist’s “no mercy” approach to decluttering:
  “She just knew. She was decisive… If I paused, she would say, ‘Okay, try it on.’” (26:20)
• The joy of electrified sweater shavers:
  “It is the best. It’s the best. Okay. I do it for all my sweaters.” (28:42)
• Shared delight in the authenticity of LA references throughout One and Only (39:33).
• Strong, confident representation for 40-something women:
  “He’s lucky to be with me.” (42:48)

Final Notes

• For listeners eager for more, Maurene appears in a special Patreon Q&A episode following this main interview.
• The episode closes with relaxed updates on the hosts’ intentions and weekly routines, highlighting the show’s trademark blend of practical self-care and playful storytelling.

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