Abby Jimenez: Holiday Romance Tropes, Cinnamon Roll Heroes & The Darcy Hand Flex

Summary

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House of Maher: Abby Jimenez – Holiday Romance Tropes, Cinnamon Roll Heroes & The Darcy Hand Flex

Host: Wave
Guests: Ilona Maher, Olivia Maher, Adrianna “Dre Baby” Maher, Abby Jimenez
Release Date: December 9, 2025

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Episode Overview

This heartwarming and hilarious episode of House of Maher centers on holiday romance fiction, "cinnamon roll" heroes, holiday pop culture, and the writing and real-life love of bestselling author Abby Jimenez. Olympic rugby player Ilona, “Girl Dinner” creator Olivia, and human rights advocate Adrianna invite Abby into their cozy LA setup for an exuberant, sisterly discussion about everything from viral family antics and Christmas music to the intricacies of writing romance that sparkles as much as a frosted cupcake.

Abby Jimenez shares behind-the-scenes on her creative process, her extraordinary real-life meet-cute, and the joys and challenges of balancing bakery entrepreneurship with writing chart-topping love stories. The Mahers and Abby also tackle romcom tropes, body positivity in books, and the delicate art of infusing real emotional depth into both fiction and holiday rituals.

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Key Discussion Points & Highlights

Maher Family Holiday Vibes & Pop Culture Chat

• Holiday Song Favorites (02:07–03:00)
  • Each sister shares their top seasonal song, revealing beloved traditions—Clay Aiken’s “Married” cover is a family soundtrack.
  • Quote:
    • “You know, ‘Married’ as you know by Clay Aiken... that song by him you can hear ringing around the halls of our house.” — Olivia (02:50)
• Zootopia 2 Discussion (04:24–06:18)
  • The sisters rave about the animated sequel, observing Disney references and clever callbacks.
  • Quote:
    • “They’ve got good callbacks because it’s also in the Disney universe… I was entertained from the moment it started.” — Adriana (05:02)
• Life Under One Roof (09:00–11:50)
  • The realities and nostalgia of all three sisters cohabiting, navigating adulthood quirks—like missing razors and shared spaces—mirrored through sitcom references.
  • Quote:
    • “It’s such a special and unique time. We don’t know when we’re going to be able to do this again… just cherishing it.” — Adriana (09:18)

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Welcoming Abby Jimenez: Romance, Real Men, & Cupcakes

• Abby’s Holiday Playlist & Retail Roots (19:05–20:18)
  • Abby's family listens to a rotating top 10, but George Michael’s “Last Christmas” is her holiday staple thanks to years of retail.
• Essential Romance Ingredients (20:37–21:03)
  • Abby champions tension, yearning, and her all-time favorite “cinnamon roll hero”—the sweet, emotionally intelligent male lead, especially at Christmas.
  • Quote:
    • “I want a sweet golden retriever hero this time of year.” — Abby Jimenez (20:43)
• Defining the Cinnamon Roll Hero (21:07)
  • “Thoughtful, sweet, emotionally intelligent, non-problematic… If he bakes, that’s a plus. I love a man in a flannel, a bearded man in a flann.” — Abby Jimenez (21:07)
• Grumpy Sunshine & the Female Gaze (21:37–22:46)
  • Discussion about “grumpy” heroes who must soften for love (“They have to get soft at some point”).
  • On why the female gaze is crucial: “That’s sort of my sweet spot… eye contact and pining and that’s what I like.”

Notable Moment:

• Mr. Darcy Hand Flex—A 10/10 (22:46–22:49)
  • “Oh my gosh, 10 out of 10. 10 out of 10.” — Abby, rating the iconic “hand flex” scene.

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The Craft of Audiobooks & Writing Life

• Audiobook Selection Process (22:53–24:29)
  • Abby personally auditions narrators, reviews first chapters, and insists on the perfect dual POV—because a poor narrator can break a book.
  • “I'm very, very active... I love a good narrated book. And I will stop reading if it's not well narrated as well.” — Abby (23:14)
• Reading Aloud for Quality Control (24:00–25:06)
  • Abby reads her manuscripts aloud to her sister-in-law to catch pacing, echoes, or awkward dialogue.
  • Humorous note: “She cannot read my books via audiobook because she prefers me reading it, which is funny because I am a terrible narrator.” — Abby (24:36)
• Writing Amid Real-Life Chaos (25:06–27:11)
  • Despite 1.5 million books sold, Abby has no office—writes in her “international airport” of a living room, but a remodel is finally underway.
  • Dreams of being “kidnapped to a cabin” for uninterrupted productivity.

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Real-Life Romance: Abby’s Epic Meet-Cute

• How Abby Met Her Husband (27:36–31:37)

  • The story unfolds as a post-9/11 security mishap at the airport, a passed-around messenger bag, and a TSA search, leading to a cross-country flight conversation that set their love story in motion.
  • “He stops in our row, like, kind of leans in... You guys will not believe what happened...” — Abby (30:00)
  • Memorable Reveal: She didn’t confess her TSA “involvement” until after the engagement!
  • Quote:
    • “I got him searched by TSA, and I didn't tell him until, like, we were engaged.” — Abby (31:31)

• Real-Life Love in Fiction (31:47–33:08)

  • Abby draws on her “cinnamon roll, emotionally intelligent” husband for her romantic heroes and daily life details.
  • “There's little things, like, my husband will never be the first person to serve himself food… He wants to make sure that everybody else at the party… has eaten and has had enough to eat before he will serve his own food. You know, just, like, little things that I feel like can't really be taught. They're just, like, innately… considerate. That's very much him.” — Abby (32:19)

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Writing Choices: Fade to Black, Emotional Intimacy, and Baking

• Fade to Black vs. Spice (33:08–34:26)
  • Abby prefers writing emotional attachment and yearning over explicit scenes (“That’s where I really shine”).
  • She admires other authors’ spicy skills but leans into her strengths.
• From Baking to Bestseller (34:26–36:48)
  • Baking began out of necessity during a difficult time—Nadia Cakes was born with three babies in diapers and zero startup funds, eventually thriving on community support and leading to TV victories.
  • “We laid those checks out on the bed and we wrote out $125,000… and opened up the first Nadia Cakes location... and we opened to immediate success.” — Abby (37:02)
  • Her husband “was not intimidated, not threatened” and became CFO so she could lead. “We wouldn’t have any of the things that we have today if my husband had not been the support that he is.”
• Bakery/Bestseller Balance (38:41–39:32)
  • Once the bakery chain stabilized, Abby found the space to return to creative writing at 36—“It all happened really, really fast.”

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Upcoming Works & Book Nook Recommendations

• New Novella Collection: “A Married Little Christmas” (39:46–41:38)

  • Inspired by Hallmark tropes: What happens if you’re the sane best friend of a woman about to marry a man she met in three days? Multiple interconnected stories, more love and laughs, “no crying at Christmas.”
  • Quote:
    • “They team up to break up their friends’ marriage. Because you can’t fall in love in three days. Or can you?” — Abby (41:28)

• Current Comfort Reads & Audiobooks (41:58–43:32)

  • Abby recommends “Home Sweet Holidays” collection and her favorite annual re-read, “Tangled in Tinsel” by Tralina Pucci.
  • “I like to just kind of put that in when I’m baking cookies… it’s the background to my holiday things.”
  • Prefers audiobooks 99% of the time, especially for romance and memoirs (“I'm Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy is her recent fave).

• What is a Blurb? (44:01–44:20)

  • Blurb: The endorsements on a book’s cover from other authors or notables.
  • “When you pick up a book and then on the cover it says, like, ‘Mia Sosa is always one of my lifetime reads, you know, whatever’—that’s a blurb.” — Abby (44:08)

• Book Tour News & Fun Facts (45:20–46:27)

  • Fewer, larger book tour stops in 2026, including a reveal of Abby’s restored 1966 Dodge Dart convertible in Minneapolis—matching a car in her upcoming novel.

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Rom-Com Holiday Tropes: Rapid-Fire Rankings (49:12–54:59)

The Maher sisters and Abby debate their rankings of classic seasonal romance tropes in typically chaotic, hilarious family fashion:

1. Workaholic Girl Boss/Insensitive Boy (54:59–56:03)

   • The canon “holiday romance” set-up—leaving the city, rekindling spirit (and love) in a small town.
   • “That’s the holiday trope!” — Olivia (55:28)

2. Interconnected Love Stories

   • Series where every friend/family member gets their own chance at love.
   • “You get to love these characters in one book, and then you’re reading the next and you hear about how they’re doing—hi, my darlings!” — Olivia (51:19)

3. Snowed In Together (49:35–50:41)

4. Airport Love Declaration

5. Christmas Miracle

6. Fake Dating

7. Home for the Holiday/Second Chance

Hilarious side commentary on “groveling exes,” “forcibly fluffy” miracle endings, and saucy “immortals be f-ing” book series abound.

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Body Positivity in Romances (56:09–58:29)

• The Mahers share nuanced takes on “plus size” heroines—applauding representation, but critiquing books that over-emphasize body image to a distracting or self-defeating degree.
  • “If it’s just supposed to be an aside that just keeps getting dropped so casually, I think it’s so just dangerous and harmful for readers… why the f*** are you including that?” — Adriana (57:57)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I want a sweet golden retriever hero this time of year.” — Abby Jimenez (20:43)
• “You have to be thinking of a lot of romantic situations in life; is that from imagination, is that also reality?” — Alona (27:36)
• “People ask me sometimes, why don't you narrate your book? I'm like, I don't think you understand. These people are. They are actors. Like, they went acting school to do this.” — Abby (24:49)
• “I laid those checks out on the bed and we wrote out $125,000… and opened up the first Nadia Cakes location…” — Abby (37:02)
• “Because you can’t fall in love in three days. Or can you?” — Abby (41:28)
• “I'm very, very active… I love a good narrated book. And I will stop reading if it's not well narrated as well because I just can't.” — Abby (23:14)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Maher Family Holiday Song Chat: 02:07–03:00
• Zootopia 2 Reviews: 04:24–06:18
• Sister Cohabitation/Household Shenanigans: 09:00–11:50
• Abby Jimenez Introduction: 18:28–19:35
• Cinnamon Roll Hero Discussion: 20:37–21:22
• Mr. Darcy Hand Flex & Female Gaze: 22:46–22:49
• Audiobook Choices & Process: 22:53–24:29
• Writing Life & No Office Confessions: 25:06–27:11
• Abby’s Real-Life Meet-Cute: 27:36–31:37
• Infusing Real Life into Romance: 31:47–33:08
• Fade to Black & Spiciness Choices: 33:08–34:26
• Bakery Founder Story: 34:26–38:41
• Upcoming Holiday Novellas: 39:46–41:38
• Current Book Recommendations & “Blurbing”: 41:58–44:20
• Holiday Romance Tropes Game: 49:12–54:59
• Discussion on Body Representation in Fiction: 56:09–58:29

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Closing Vibe

By turns laugh-out-loud and deeply heartfelt, this House of Maher episode channels festive chaos, literary love, and real-life joy. It’s a tribute to romance—on the page, in the family, and in everyday gestures. With Abby Jimenez’s candid wisdom on writing and living romance, plus one-of-a-kind Maher sibling banter, listeners leave feeling warm, inspired, and ready to binge on both cupcakes and cozy love stories.

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For more:

• Abby Jimenez’s new "Say You'll Remember Me" is out now; pre-order "The Night We Met" everywhere books are sold.
• Follow @authorabbyjimenez on TikTok/Instagram.

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Stay cozy, water your Christmas tree, and embrace the “cinnamon roll hero” this holiday season!

Transcript

[Abby Jimenez]

Toast the holidays in a new way and raise a glass of Rumchata, a delicious creamy blend of horchata with rum. Enjoy it over ice or in your coffee. Rumchata. Your holiday cocktails just got sweeter.

[Olivia]

Tap or click the banner for more.

[Abby Jimenez]

Drink responsibly. Caribbean rum with real dairy cream. Natural and artificial flavors. Alcohol 13.75% by volume. 27.5 proof. Copyright 2025 Agave Loco Brands, Pojoaquee, Wisconsin. All rights reserved.

[Alona]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm.

[Olivia]

Listening to this podcast.

[Alona]

Smart move.

[Olivia]

Being financially savvy.

[Alona]

Smart move. Another smart move having State Farm help.

[Olivia]

You create a competitive price when you choose to bundle home and auto bundling.

[Alona]

Just another way to save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Olivia]

Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state.

[Alona]

Coverage options are selected by the customer.

[Olivia]

Availability, amount of discounts, and savings and eligibility vary by state.

[Abby Jimenez]

Coca Cola for the big, for the small, the short and the tall. Peacemakers. Risk takers for the optimists, pessimists for long distance love for introverts and extroverts. The thinkers and the doers for old friends and new Coca Cola for everyone. Pick up some Coca Cola at a store near you. I do have a very cinnamon roll, emotionally intelligent husband. I got him searched by TSA and I didn't tell him until, like, we were engaged. I waited. We have both been flown to Ohio for this conference. My now husband boards and he's completely disheveled. Okay, he's holding his shoes, his belt's undone, his shirt's untucked. His, like, his hair is tousled and he's holding this messenger bag. And he stops in our room, like, kind of leans and goes, you guys will not believe what happen.

[Alona]

Welcome back to House of Mar? A Wave original. Help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. The WI FI password is geod. Underscore cake, all caps. My favorite Christmas song is have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Sinatra. I feel like it sets the mood of Christmas.

[Olivia]

It does. You hear those opening lines. You're like, ugh, I'm covered. I'm cozy. And I'm Olivia, the oldest daughter. And my favorite Christmas pop song is gonna be a tie between Santa, Tell Me by Ariana Grande or Mistletoe by Justin Bieber.

[Adriana]

By the Biebs.

[Olivia]

By the Biebs.

[Adriana]

I'm Adrianna, and my favorite Christmas song is I'll Be Home for Christmas. And I prefer Julia Nunes cover. I would like to give an honorable mention I think all of us would agree with Married.

[Olivia]

You know, Married as you know by Clay Aiken.

[Alona]

It's not his, I don't think.

[Olivia]

But he sings it.

[Alona]

We like his cover because there's so many covers that have. We love Clay Aiken's version of that.

[Olivia]

That song by him you can hear ringing around the halls of our house.

[Alona]

Yep.

[Olivia]

Now that we have, like, long, luxurious hallways in our house.

[Alona]

Particularly like those carpeted floors.

[Adriana]

Those carpeted floors.

[Olivia]

It's. That song is absorbed by all the carpet and fabric in curtains in our house.

[Alona]

And in our house, we have a few house rules.

[Olivia]

Reindeer are magic.

[Adriana]

Cider is hot sometimes and so are you.

[Alona]

Make sure to subscribe to us on YouTube and hit that like and subscribe button like you do. Because we've said it. But our set's looking really nice.

[Olivia]

We're looking really nice.

[Alona]

Feel free to drop a comment on.

[Olivia]

What you think we all look the best in.

[Alona]

I look like a sexy hot librarian. You are giving sexy hot librarian these glasses, Noni.

[Adriana]

I keep calling them your Superman glasses. Okay.

[Olivia]

Superwoman.

[Adriana]

I love them. Who is that?

[Olivia]

Who is that? Oh, my gosh. Olympian. Ruby Player.

[Adriana]

Lonamar.

[Alona]

Thank you.

[Olivia]

Adriana's almost showing a scandalous amount of ankle. Yes.

[Adriana]

Stop it. I'm so sorry.

[Olivia]

I am so sorry.

[Alona]

I was wondering when I was going to get those shoes back.

[Adriana]

Dog, you left them in her house.

[Alona]

You know why I left them? Somebody kept wearing them.

[Adriana]

They were right by the front door.

[Olivia]

Okay, fine.

[Alona]

I'll take them back. No.

[Adriana]

Cuz I'm bringing them. No. Yeah.

[Alona]

Watch your tone. I'll take them back.

[Adriana]

Please.

[Abby Jimenez]

Can I.

[Alona]

You can't have them. But you may continue to wash them. I haven't seen them off your feet since she found out they fit.

[Olivia]

Can I pack these? I was like, ask me. Those aren't mine. You got to ask Luna. And she loves them. Sorry.

[Adriana]

We love them.

[Olivia]

Guys, really quick. I think it's important to mention something here. We saw Zootopia 2.

[Alona]

Yeah. A great film.

[Adriana]

Great film.

[Olivia]

And it was a great film. Were you at all nervous?

[Alona]

Of course. As there can be. Cuz there's been some seconds where sequels where it's just the same movie. Different. Like Moana 2 was very much so. The same.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

The first one in a slightly different format. This one I thought had a different sort of story. I mean, still Buddy Cop and whatnot. But I thought it was great. The world building is so fun. I just think it's such a fun animated movie. I can't wait to show my Kids.

[Olivia]

That I was laughing out loud at multiple points.

[Adriana]

Yeah, dude, it was good. They've got good callbacks because it's also in the Disney universe. They can speak about so many other things. It was so well done.

[Olivia]

They also had a lot of references to other films. I think there was two Shining references that we both kind of picked up on. I was entertained from the moment it started.

[Adriana]

Great film. There was a point where I was like, how are they getting out of this?

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Like, I've got so much faith in Judy Hopps, but this feels. This feels tough.

[Olivia]

Adriana tried to caption her Instagram post about. Because we went to a private screening at Disney Animation Studios, which was very.

[Adriana]

Cool because someone put up a stink.

[Olivia]

Cause someone made a story about not seeing it at the premiere, which actually works.

[Alona]

And it works.

[Olivia]

Be patient and loud about what you're. You know, you feel strong, what you love. And Jonna tried to make a post about it last night. She tried to caption it Sly Fox, Dumb Bunny. And Instagram wouldn't let her. They were like.

[Adriana]

It was like, like. Similar captions have been reported, reported for.

[Olivia]

Like, harassment or Internet bullying. Sly Fox, Dumb Bunny. So that's why she did Flash Flash. Hundred Yard Dash.

[Alona]

Interesting. Who's ruining that?

[Olivia]

Who's taking that joy away from people?

[Adriana]

Do you think they should have called it 2Topia for the second movie?

[Alona]

No, that doesn't make any sense. Oh, I wonder if it's gonna be Zootropolis. Because some places it's Zootropolis. And then sometimes on Disney, it shows up for me as Zootropolis.

[Olivia]

It always used to.

[Alona]

We just watched it.

[Adriana]

Zootropolis.

[Alona]

Zootropolis.

[Olivia]

What's going on there?

[Alona]

I don't know.

[Olivia]

Maybe the third one will be called Zoo Tripolis.

[Alona]

Enough.

[Adriana]

That was not even a good job.

Speaking of two Topia, this reminds me of now youw See Me, now you Don't.

Because they actually just saw an interview. Because they now just made the third one. But the second one, everyone was like, why didn't you call it now you See Me, now you Don't. Turns out the marketing was like, you can't put don't in the title.

[Olivia]

Why?

[Adriana]

Just how it's, like, negative. And so they were finally able to do it for the third one. But I'm just like, you could have come up with something even cleverer for the third because you missed that opportunity.

[Olivia]

I'm excited for that one too. Those movies excite me.

[Adriana]

Yeah. Do you ever. Sleight of hand? Have you ever done magic? Like, have you ever practiced that? Feels like something you would have dabbled in.

[Alona]

I've dated a magician.

[Olivia]

You dirty dog. You really did.

[Alona]

He had a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Hey, hey.

[Alona]

No, it was cool.

[Abby Jimenez]

How was that?

[Alona]

Actually, sometimes he would show me something. I was like. That was actually a pretty cool trick. How did it end up in my back pocket? And the card was there. Maybe it was just a reason to touch my butt, but it worked.

[Olivia]

There we go.

[Alona]

It impressed me.

[Olivia]

Was he just, like, card tricks, or were there.

[Alona]

I think he was coming out. Card tricks, and he would, like, you know, use me to, like, show them to. To kids as well, like, as a fun way to do things and some impressive stuff. I'm so confused how it works.

[Olivia]

I do. I am too.

[Adriana]

I can't even shuffle a deck. I'm very bad at that.

[Olivia]

I can. What if I was secretly a magician this whole time?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, my God.

[Olivia]

What would my specialty be? Nope, don't tell me. Let's move on. It's easy to get wrapped up in holiday stress, so this is your reminder to stay off the naughty list. And touch some grass. Or should I say touch mistletoe.

[Adriana]

You just. You've got so many zingers.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

That aren't.

[Alona]

Yeah. Wow.

[Olivia]

Zingers that aren't zinging tonight.

[Adriana]

Zingers that aren't.

[Alona]

Yeah. Oof.

[Olivia]

That's my cross to bear. Thank you to Perplexity for sponsoring this segment. Perplexity. You're on the nice list. Going to the holidays. We've been spending a lot of time together, as most families do for the holidays. You're all back under one roof together. Siblings, cousins, family, you know, for however amounts of time as you celebrate in whatever way you celebrate us. On the other hand, though, we've been under one roof for a couple weeks now, right. Living together. While Alona gets a bit more established in Los Angeles, looking for a place for her. We're here recording this in Los Angeles. So Adriana's been in town from New York City.

How has this been, you guys? Alona is now finally in her own place, but it's been the three of us under one roof. How was this experience for you at my house?

[Adriana]

If I'm gonna be honest, I loved it. Cause it was just a really fun time. Like, yes, there were some annoyances of, like, you know, sleeping on a bed would be nice, actually.

[Olivia]

Oh, yeah. She was on my couch.

[Adriana]

Or just, like, a little bit more alone time. But I think in general, like, I talked to you guys about this. I was like, this is such a special and unique time.

[Olivia]

Like, we don't know when we're going.

[Adriana]

To be able to, like, ever do this again or if we will. And just, like, cherishing it. And also, we're luckily work well together.

[Olivia]

But we had a bit of a new girl Nick and Schmidt situation on our hands because as Alona was essentially moving out because we were moving her into a new place. You know, a bunch of suitcases and stuff. I have, like, a razor, a razor blade, like, handle with an actual razor on it that I shave my legs and my pits and everything with that is on, like, my, like, soap shelf in my shower that I've had for, I think over a year now. Stayed right there. And the day Alona moves out, that is gone.

[Alona]

I bet that started as mine, though.

[Olivia]

No dog.

[Alona]

You think you went to the store and you bought that?

[Olivia]

I got that from your secret Shoot. I got gifted that.

[Alona]

Okay, so it was tied to me, though.

[Olivia]

It was. But yours has been in your drawer at my house. They each have drawers at my house, so yours has been in there this whole time.

[Alona]

I've been using that one.

[Olivia]

So. So I'm literally in the shower the day she moves out. I'm like. And I go to get my, like, what the hell? Like, that was here. She got here, so why is he gone now? So she took that, and I made a wanted poster or a missing poster for it to be a pain in the ass because the two of them were at dinner, and I sent it along blur my phone number.

[Adriana]

She put a real phone number on.

[Olivia]

It because we don't have going to these two. So if they could let me know any information about where this razor blade might have gone, that would be really helpful. And Adriana said Alona believes there's a real Nick and Schmidt situation going on here, which is a reference to in New Girl. Nick has been using Schmidt's towel and Schmidt Nick's towel. Cause they each think it's their own towel. So they've been using the same towel to dry their body. And Nick doesn't famously wash his towels because it washes him, you know, so we believe that that's been happening. We've both been using that razor this whole time, and she took it as her own. But there I am, naked and afraid in the shower, missing my razor, and I'm like this. I know this bitch took my razor thinking it's her. So I, dripping wet, I'm rummaging through her drawer of shit in my house, and I find her handle and pop.

[Alona]

A new one on there?

[Olivia]

Yeah. Popped. What was I supposed to do, dawg?

[Alona]

Where it was the new one from my collection.

[Olivia]

No, it's my collection of actual blades. Please. I buy the really nice, luxurious ones also, mind you, it's because I was going on a date. So there I am, naked, afraid, going on a date, hairy as all hell, no razor in sight. We made it through, Right?

[Adriana]

Right. And then I had to follow up with. Cause you have a second razor. Yeah, and I have the same one. And I was like, please tell me yours is the one on the top shelf and mine's on the bottom shelf.

[Olivia]

This is a really great time to tell you. Mine is the one down there.

[Adriana]

Don't touch it.

[Alona]

So wait, we'd be down. We shave, Raz. We share razors sometimes. One thing I could never get down with is sharing toothbrushes.

[Olivia]

No people are doing this.

[Adriana]

It's never been on my radar.

[Alona]

I've just. Yes, some people share. I remember seeing one reality star who was like, whenever she had her boyfriend's place, she just always uses her boyfriend's toothbrush.

[Olivia]

I can't imagine using a man's toothbrush.

[Alona]

Yikes.

[Adriana]

I don't even like sharing the same bottle of mouthwash.

[Olivia]

Yeah, well, that's a bit drastic, I think.

[Adriana]

Well, if people, like, put their lips right on it.

[Olivia]

Right, right. You've seen it first.

[Adriana]

Mom uses the Listerine.

[Olivia]

No, I haven't.

[Adriana]

She just takes a shot right out of it. They're not measuring out of it.

[Alona]

That's got alcohol in there. Right. What's so funny, though, is, like, considering it's just kissing, the amount of, like, spit swapping you do kissing, like. I guess it's the same with toothbrushing.

[Olivia]

You're doing spit swapping. You're not doing the grime between your teeth after eating.

[Adriana]

Swapping, Picking up all the bacteria in the plaque.

[Olivia]

Also, can we confirm or deny? If you kiss someone that has a cavity, it can give you a cavity. Perplexity. I heard this once, and I'm speaking.

[Alona]

Of kissing and the holidays. Not that I've ever done it. Why is it like mistletoe? Why do we kiss in a mistletoe? I. I gotta start. That's so cute.

[Olivia]

I think it's cute.

[Adriana]

I think it's cute, too. Why has it never happened? Why is it never around me? Hopefully around someone that I would find attractive.

[Alona]

But what is even the origin of it?

[Olivia]

What's the origin of this?

[Alona]

Perplexity. What's the origin of that?

[Adriana]

The tradition of kissing under mistletoe. Originated in 18th century England, connecting older symbols of fertility and love with a playful holiday ritual that quickly spread through British and American culture.

[Olivia]

They fertile under the mistletoe.

[Adriana]

Yeah, I feel like this is just like. We gotta get the population up. Let's put some mistletoe up.

[Olivia]

The first documented reference to kissing under the mistletoe dates to 1784 in an English poem when it was reported that women should wait to be kissed beneath the plant at a holiday gathering. By the Victorian era, the kissing bush. Hold on, hold on. This is good. Or mistletoe beau bo. Became popular in homes with bow with each white berry representing a single latter. A tradition described by Washington Irving Irvine Irving in the early 1800s.

[Adriana]

Kissing bush, eh?

[Alona]

There's a jokes we made there. Olivia go you maybe hit one.

[Olivia]

Let's see if she can hit one.

[Adriana]

It's a dance monkey.

[Olivia]

Kissing bush.

[Adriana]

She.

[Alona]

I got a bush. You're on it.

[Olivia]

I got it.

[Alona]

I got a bush.

[Olivia]

She kissed it on my bush till I missile on his toe. I don't know. Till he toe my missile. What?

[Adriana]

What?

[Olivia]

Till he. Wait here.

[Adriana]

Whistle.

[Olivia]

Till he wets my wet he. We.

Oh, I got a bushy could kiss. Anyway. That's it.

[Adriana]

That's the story.

[Alona]

Bushy could kiss under, you know.

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh. Oh.

[Olivia]

That'S freaky. You got another one.

[Alona]

No, that's it.

[Olivia]

Thank you. Perplexity.

[Alona]

Today is special because our friends over at Death Wish Coffee are sponsoring the episode as well as a little round of a game we like to call Scrum Marry Kill.

[Olivia]

It's December, so let's go. Seasonal activities. Scrum, Marry, Kill. Love, actually. The Grinch and elf. Ilona, who are you going with?

[Alona]

Kill the Grinch with a gun. Grom Love, actually. And I'll marry the elf.

[Adriana]

Kill the Grinch. I would Scrum, Elf, marry Love, actually.

[Olivia]

I'm going to kill love actually. I'm going to marry the Grinch. And we will.

[Alona]

You're going to marry the Grinch?

[Adriana]

The Jim Carrey version.

[Olivia]

The Jim Carrey version.

[Alona]

Anyway, Death Wish Coffee has bold, smooth, delicious taste and it's rooted in strength. Plus, it's made with real milk and real cane sugar. That's why it's our go to latte.

[Adriana]

Perfect for the holiday season.

[Alona]

You can find Death Wish Coffee in all major retailers at Amazon and [e-mail]. just look for the skull and crossbones.

[Adriana]

Tackle your day with 25% off your first order at deathwishcoffee.com with code HOUSEOFMAR. Does anyone else feel like this year absolutely flew by.

[Alona]

I can't believe it's the holidays, but I'm also really glad.

[Adriana]

Yeah, I definitely know and I'm getting you both. Definitely. I figure that out.

[Olivia]

Right? Totally. It's okay. I think I know a way to help you get some Inspo Perplexity is an AI powered answer engine that searches the Internet in real time to give you fast, high quality answers with sources. No chatbots here. Say you're curious about the best Christmas gift ideas for women who love to read. You can ask Perplexity and it will give you a detailed answer in seconds, complete with links to the latest sources so you can easily verify information or dive deeper.

[Alona]

Perplexity says cozy throws or herringbone blankets are ideal for curling up with a book. Bookmarks Book pillows and adjustable book stands also make reading more comfortable. You know what I could use a book pillow.

[Adriana]

Mama's going shopping.

[Olivia]

Perplexity. Ask Perplexity anything@ppLX AI forward/house-ofmar Check out.

[Alona]

Their new AI powered web browser. Comment at www. Perplexity.AI forward slash comment.

[Adriana]

Discover fast and reliable search with Perplexity.

[Olivia]

Today My name is Percy Jackson. Getting in trouble is like breathing.

[Abby Jimenez]

The hit series returns to Disney and Hulu.

[Olivia]

The danger the camp is under is greater than you can possibly imagine.

[Adriana]

For the key to our survival, three.

[Abby Jimenez]

Of you must quest to the Sea of Monsters. Let's go do the impossible.

Percy Percy Jackson and the olympians New.

[Olivia]

Season 2 episode premiere December 10th on Disney and Hulu. Learn more at disneyplus.com Whatsau.

[Abby Jimenez]

Kraft Mac and Cheese is the best thing ever.

[Olivia]

It's even better than pop music.

[Abby Jimenez]

You look just as natural enjoying us.

[Olivia]

At age 13 as you do 55.

[Abby Jimenez]

Kraft Mac and Cheese Best thing ever.

Ford BlueCruise Hands Free highway driving takes the work out of being behind the wheel, allowing you to relax and reconnect while also staying in control. Enjoy the drive in BlueCruise enabled vehicles like the F150 Explorer and Mustang Mach E available feature on equipped vehicles. Terms apply. Does not replace safe driving. See Ford.com BlueCruise for more details.

[Olivia]

Did you guys hear that?

[Adriana]

What was that?

[Olivia]

I think it's the doorbell. We have company.

[Alona]

It would be crazy to do an episode about romance without an actual number one New York Times Best selling romance author. Our fourth MAR sister today is a certified Renaissance woman who is as skilled with a frosting tip as she is with a Friends to Lovers trope. She owns three bakeries and her books have sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. She has a knack for writing stories that make you laugh right before they make you cry. Her latest, say youy'll Remember Me, shot straight to number one. And she's here to talk about writing romance that feels as real and satisfying as the perfect cupcake. Let's give a warm welcome to Abby Jimenez.

[Abby Jimenez]

Hello. Welcome, welcome, welcome. How are you?

[Adriana]

Good.

[Abby Jimenez]

I wish I was where you guys are. Looks so cozy and Christmassy.

[Olivia]

Thank you.

[Abby Jimenez]

I'm in Minnesota. Where are you? Is it warm where you guys are?

[Olivia]

Yeah, we're in la. It's quite nice. But we're. We're faking it here. Cozy and holiday. It's probably more holiday where you are, right? Is it getting colder?

[Abby Jimenez]

I mean, I guess the weather. Yes, but. But my house. No, I've got to get on that.

[Olivia]

Is there a favorite holiday song or album you always put on this time of year? Like, what are you and your girls listening to as you decorate?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, man, we just kind of shuffle like the top 10. That reap that, that always replaying a bunch of different covers by different artists. But I really like George Michaels this time of year. Like, I just, I worked a lot of retail and that was one. You know, last Christmas was one song that I never got tired of.

[Olivia]

You love that song, Jade.

[Adriana]

Were you just talking about that? Yeah, I do. And I also, I worked retail and we would have to start listening to Christmas music in November, but luckily we had control of like the music. It just had to be Christmas themed. That was the only rule. So we would find all of like the, the indie covers and just like we had fun with it. So it wasn't like mind numbing by the end of it.

[Abby Jimenez]

Right, right, right.

[Olivia]

All right, well, it is what we like to call Abby tea time. So we're going to dive right into the part of the show where we get to goss with our guest, which is you. And so today we're going to get ready for holiday break and you're the expert. So what are some absolute must ingredients for a great romance?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, gosh. I mean, you know, tension, yearning.

For me. I really like a cinnamon roll hero. That's. That's my preference, especially for the holidays. I feel like I don't want to be. I don't know. I really do love like Alpha Hill. Alpha whole romances, but not at Christmas time. Like, I want a sweet golden retriever hero at this time of year.

[Adriana]

What are some of the characteristics or like what defines a cinnamon roll hero?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, man. Thoughtful, sweet, emotionally intelligent. Non problematic.

You know, considerate. If he bakes, that's a plus. I love a man in a flannel.

I love a bearded man in a flann.

[Alona]

You do love that. I've read some of your books now.

[Olivia]

I see it now. Not alcohol, but if there's a cinnamon, you know, cinnamon roll character, can we still have a bit of a, like a grumpy for more of a grumpy sunshine grumpy cinnamon roll or what are your thoughts there around the holidays?

[Abby Jimenez]

I do love a grumpy man for some reason. Yeah, I like them when they're grumpy, but. But only when they soften. Because with her, you know what I mean? Like, they have to soften at some point. They can't be grumpy the entire time. They have to get soft at some point, of course.

[Olivia]

And she's there to me.

[Adriana]

Do you have an all time favorite romantic scene from a book or movie or also one of your own books?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, gosh. Well, I do have a favorite scene in one of my books, which is the. I don't like want to give, I don't want to give any spoilers, but the baby raccoons scene in Just for the Summer is one of my all time favorite scenes ever. Mostly because it was narrated so beautifully and it's hilarious. It makes me laugh. Gosh, I don't know. I have so many favorite romance scenes in books. I love anything that gives me the female gaze.

[Alona]

You know what I mean?

[Abby Jimenez]

I think like, for me, that's sort of where my sweet spot is, when an author gives us a really good female gaze scene. You know, where there's yearning and he's, you know, the eye contact and the pining and that's what I like.

[Olivia]

So where does the Mr. Darcy hand flex rank for you then? Is that under the.

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, my gosh, 10 out of 10. 10 out of 10.

[Alona]

Do you choose your narrator? I like listening to books and it's so interesting to me how how much impact a voice can have and it really can, you know, sell the character. I think I've even stopped reading like some books, not, not yours, of course, but other people's books when I just don't like how the it's voiced. Do you have a hand in that and choosing who you want to voice your characters?

[Abby Jimenez]

Yes, I am extremely involved. Not all authors are, but I'm extremely involved in my audiobooks because that is how I listen. That's how I read. Most of my books is audiobook. So I hand pick my narrators. I Audition all my narrators. I get the first chapter because I usually do two. You know, I have a female and I always do dual POVs. I get the first narrated chapter when they start narrating the book just to make sure they've got the tone right, you know, that I'm, I'm liking how they're doing it so that I can get feedback. Yeah, I'm very, very active. I love, I love a good narrated book. And I will stop reading if it's not well narrated as well because I just can't.

[Olivia]

That makes a lot of sense to hear how much care and attention to detail you put into that. Because when you finish a book, you read it out loud yourself to your sister in law.

[Abby Jimenez]

Yes, I do. Because you hear so many things when you read it out loud versus like reading it with your eyeballs. It helps me pick up on pacing. It helps me pick up on echoes. That's a big one. It tells me if there's dialogue that's clunky or awkward and needs to be redone. So, yeah, as part of my final process with my book is I will call my, my sister in law, Bessie, and for eight to 12 hours, I will read my book to her over the phone. And we do this every single book. And it really does help.

[Adriana]

Does she reread the book after it's published and finalized?

[Abby Jimenez]

She does, yeah.

[Adriana]

Does she pick up on, like, what's changed?

[Abby Jimenez]

She says that she cannot read my books via audiobook because she prefers me reading it, which is funny because I am a terrible narrator. I should never do this professionally, ever. People ask me sometimes, why don't you narrate your book? I'm like, I don't think you understand. These people are. They are actors. Like, they went acting school to do this?

Yes. I cannot. I cannot. No, you don't want that. Trust me. People think they want it, they don't want it. But for her, she prefers hearing it narrated by me.

[Alona]

When I think of writers, you know, in the movies, the writers go to their writer's cottage and that's what they're doing for those weeks they're focused on their book. For you. You write many books. You also have another job. So what is writing like for you? Is it almost like, do you sit down? Okay, today I'm writing. Or is it. You have an hour here? It's kind of continuously just adding to the story. How does it work?

[Abby Jimenez]

It used to be a lot more organic for me, like where I would just go on a walk and I would write on my phone while I'm on a walk or I would take an hour here, take an hour there. But these days, with how much I have going on, I really do have to be strategic about when I sit down and write. And I actually have to try and exit myself from my house and go somewhere to different because my house is very loud. I have a very vocal hunting dog and I have a musician daughter who plays the accordion and the piano and the harp and. And we're in a pretty small house right now. It's very loud here. So I, you know, lately I try and, you know, actually carve out time where I will go to the lake house and I'll, you know, write for the day and then come back and it's a little bit more structured and I just. It's better when I do it that way. Things. I don't have to fix things, you know, because my brain is distracted. Yeah. But I. I really do need a space and I've. I've written all of these books, I've written all of these bestsellers and I don't even have. I don't have an office and I don't have a desk.

[Olivia]

Where are you sitting right now? What do you mean?

[Abby Jimenez]

In a corner in my living room. This is not an office. I can see my dining. I could see my. Pretty much my whole house from here.

[Olivia]

Right?

[Abby Jimenez]

Yeah. So I actually told my husband, you know, like, like a year or two ago. I was like, who does, who does this? Like I'm. This is a full time, this career and I don't even have a place to sit and close the door and put my laptop on a desk and write. I'm sitting in my living room in like the international airport. That is my house. And so we're actually doing a remodel on my home so that I can have an in office. That's. That is what we're doing right now.

[Olivia]

So I feel like you deserve that. Years ago, but I'm happy it's happening now.

[Abby Jimenez]

Yeah. I finally put my foot down. I was like, this is ridiculous. Who does this?

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Abby Jimenez]

I wish somebody would kidnap me and put me in a cabin with like no wi fi and just bring drop off food three times a day. I would get so much done.

[Olivia]

You get so much done. We've been talking about that. We're trying to be better about our phones. There's so much we could do creatively if it weren't for our phones. We got to lock those things up. Maybe someone can lock us in a lake house. I'm down. Do you guys want to go? Can we come to your lake house? Actually?

[Abby Jimenez]

Yes.

[Alona]

It's great.

[Abby Jimenez]

A lot of rooms.

[Alona]

Speaking of romance, you're an amazing romance writer. Your husband, how did you meet him and did the. Does he help craft these stories? Does he do those little romance things for you? Cause I feel like you have to be thinking of a lot of romantic situations in life. Is that from imagination? Is that also reality?

[Abby Jimenez]

I do have a very cinnamon roll, emotionally intelligent husband. He comes with me. He is literally like the wind beneath my wings. If anybody has ever come to see me at any book event, my husband is there, you know, taking all the photos of me. Actually, this man has probably taken, like a million photos of me. I'm not even kidding. And I met him back in 20. It was 2022. January of 2022. No, I'm sorry. January 2002. Sorry.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Abby Jimenez]

No, no, no. We've been together for a long time. And I got him searched by TSA at the airport. It was like this. I'm not even kidding. It was like this total rom com. Meet cute. We both worked for a women's clothing store, and it was right after September 11th, and we had been flown. We both lived in California, but I had never met him. And he worked in a different district and everything. And we had both been flown to Ohio for this conference. And I was introduced to him briefly at this conference. I thought he was cute, but just sort of forgot about him. And then when we were flying back home, you know, it was right after September 11, there was this huge security line, and he was ahead of me in the line by, like, 15 people or something. And he dropped a soda, and the soda, like, exploded everywhere. So I noticed him again. And then when he got to the front, they, like, pulled him aside. This is back when they had, like, the clear boxes, you know, they. They didn't have, like, the rule that you can't wear belt and shoes and stuff going through security. Well, they pulled him out and they searched him. So I noticed him again. And then when we were waiting at the gate to board, I was sitting with a mutual friend of ours, and a man came up to my friend, I didn't know this guy, and said, hey, they're boarding my row, and they're being really strict about carry ons, and so. And so gave me his messenger bag to hold. And they won't let me board my ropes. I have an extra bag. Can you just hold it? Because a guy went to the food court to get a burrito and, you know, we. I can't board with this extra bag. So we took this bag, and I just assumed that my friend knew who owned this bag, but I guess he didn't. So then they started boarding our row, and now we had an extra bag. So we went up to security, and we were like, so we have this.

[Olivia]

Bag that's not post 9 11, too. This is right after 9 11.

[Abby Jimenez]

Literally the January after 9 11.

[Olivia]

I'm anxious.

[Abby Jimenez]

I know. And we were like, so we have this bag, and we don't know whose bag this is, and we can't get on because we have an extra. They were like, wait, you didn't pack this bag? And we're like, no. And they're like, you don't know whose bag it belongs to? We're like, no. So they called security, and they confiscated this bag. And, you know, my friend and I got on the plane, and we're sitting in our row, and then 20 minutes later, my now husband boards, and he's got the bag, and he's completely disheveled. Okay? He's holding his shoes, his belt's undone. His shirt's untucked, is like. His hair is tousled, and he's holding this messenger bag. And he stops in our room, like, kind of leans in, you know, on the seat in front of us, and goes, you guys will not believe what happened. I gave my bag to Alex, and Alex gave my bag to some stranger, and they gave it to security. He's like, I got searched. He's like, I got interrogated. And my friend and I were like, oh, my God, don't tell him. Don't tell him. Like, we were, like, elbowing each other in the seat. And then my husband ended up sitting in the row behind us. And the plane was very empty because everybody was still afraid to fly. So it was like this hugely empty plane, me and my friend, and then my husband all by himself in a row behind us. And he ended up leaning over the seat and, like, you know, talking to me. And I said, why don't you just come sit next to us? So he came and sat next to us, and we talked the whole way, the whole way home. And that's how I met my husband.

[Olivia]

That's beautiful.

[Alona]

That is crazy.

[Olivia]

I love that. Yeah.

[Abby Jimenez]

I got him searched by tsa, and I didn't tell him until, like, we were engaged. I waited.

[Olivia]

What was his reaction when you did tell him? Did he ever have an inkling or was. No.

[Abby Jimenez]

He was like, are you serious? And I'm like, Unfortunately, I am.

[Olivia]

I am.

[Abby Jimenez]

Fortunately, I'm dead serious. Yeah.

[Olivia]

So now, when you notice romance in your everyday life, are you taking notes? Are you saving that for future stories? Are you? You know, when you notice in other people or in your own relationship, how does that work for you?

[Abby Jimenez]

I definitely do draw from real life. You know, like, people ask me, people think that the type of men that I write are fictional. And I know they're not fictional because I have one. You know what I mean? You know, just a lot of the thoughtful things that my husband does in our marriage and just in, you know, in his life in general, I definitely infuse into my heroes. You know, there's like, little things, like, my husband will never be the first person to serve himself food anywhere. He will always serve himself last because he wants to make sure that everybody else at the party, whether it's our party or not, has eaten and has had enough to eat before he will serve his own food. You know, just, like, little things that I feel like, can't really be taught. They're just, like, innately, you know, considerate. That's very much him. So it's not hard for me to imagine these men, you know, and create these situations with these men, because I live it. You know what I mean? And I think a lot of really popular romance authors do, you know, I know that Rebecca Yarrows is in a really beautiful marriage. There's so many of these authors that just, like, it's easy for them to create these characters because they see it. They're in a very healthy marriage themselves.

[Alona]

I've read your books, and a lot of them are Fade to Black, too. So it's interesting to me because I read all sorts of books. But why you made that choice to do more Fade to Black, and then also, what's, you know, romance versus intimacy. And how are they different? And how can you. Because I think there are so many people that want that in stories. But yet you still created beautiful stories without having that. The other stuff in it, I think.

[Abby Jimenez]

Well, for me, I think if I was better at writing those scenes, I probably would write more spicy scenes. But I just don't feel like I'm very good at it. And there's so many authors who are very good at it. You know what I mean? Like, I was just reading or rereading Tangled in Tinsel by Tralina Pucci, which is a. Why choose Christmas Romance? And she's so good at it. You know what I mean? Like, write that down. I feel like, you know, and I, and for my books, I personally really like the emotional attachment better. I feel like that's where I really shine and I'd rather put my energy into writing that than writing spicy scenes that I feel like I'm not very good at. But yeah, for me, it's just, it's the emotional attachment. And I, you know, I think I'm going to lean more towards lower spice as I go on and just sort of like up the yearning side of it because that's just what I really enjoy writing, you know.

[Olivia]

We want to get into your baking. We are. I, I mean, I think most people find this very interesting when they learn that you are a baker, you are a, you know, a bakery owner, you bake for your other author friends. When this came before your writing or were you always writing what came first, the chicken or the egg? The cupcake or the book?

[Abby Jimenez]

I started writing in high school, creative writing, and then I stopped for a really, really long time. Mostly because I was just busy working and living my life. I didn't have time for hobbies, basically, which is what writing was for me in the beginning at any rate. No, I started, I always, I always love to bake. I'm Sicilian. I grew up in an Italian household. You know, baking and desserts was always a big part of, of every meal and tradition. And what ended up happening was I ended up losing my job when I was 27 years old. I was pregnant with my third baby in three years. And I very unexpectedly lost my job at six months pregnant. And I was devastated. I was very lost. I loved my job. I never wanted to do anything else. I really loved retail. And I ended up taking some cake decorating classes at a local Michaels just to sort of make myself feel better, distract myself, be like, oh, now I have time. And time is in quotes because I already had two small babies at home at this time. But I started taking these cake decorating classes and realized that I had, I had a sort of a flair for decorating. And then after I had my baby, I told my husband, what if I made some cakes from the house for a couple of months just to sort of like pay the grocery bill until we figure out what we're going to do because we couldn't afford for me to not work. So that's what I did. And I started naughty kicks out of my house with a newborn, a one year old and a two year old all in diapers. It was the hardest two years of my life. I had carpal tunnel in both hands and I did by Myself for two years out of my home, what now takes four full time people to do. In my bakeries, I baked every cake, I did every delivery, every consultation, all the billing, all the decorating, I did everything. And I did it with three little babies while my husband worked full time, you know, commuting two hours each way down to LA from where we lived, you know, to work his retail job. And after about a year and a half of this, I was like, I can't keep doing this. Like people that do what I'm doing have a bakery or a daycare. I was chronically exhausted and my husband was like, well, why don't we open a bakery? And so we ended up, you know, those, those advance checks that you get for your credit cards where it's like 0% interest for 12 months, right?

[Olivia]

The thing they keep emailing me about.

[Abby Jimenez]

We had really good credit. We couldn't get a loan because this is 2009. They weren't giving out money, but we had really good credit. So we laid those checks out on the bed and we wrote out $125,000 on our advance checks and opened up the first Nadia Cakes location in Palmdale, California. And the day we opened it, we were so broke, we didn't even have money to put change in the cash register. We were that broke. Like, we had, we had nothing. It was like the month we were going to not make our house payment, I'll make our car payments, like, and we were, the minimums we were paying on these credit cards was astronomical. And we opened to immediate success. Like, all the people that came and held my baby while I filled out their order form, they all came and they supported. And three weeks later, my husband quit his job to come be the CFO of Nadia Cakes. Like, and this is what I mean when I say, like, you know, to have these non toxic men in your life, right? Like, my husband saw that I had the good idea and he was not threatened by that, he was not intimidated by that. He immediately quit what he was doing to lift up the business that I started because it was what was best for our family. And I always tell him, like, you know, we wouldn't have, we wouldn't have any of the things that we have today if my husband had not been the support that he is for me and all of my endeavors and all of my careers. And then Nadia Cakes, you know, we started going on TV shows, going on Fabulous cakes on TLC for two seasons and we went on Cupcake wars and I won. We moved to Minnesota I know. It was. It was just. Those shows are so real. I could never do, like, I still get. They still message me, and they're like, you want to come on this reality show? I'm like, absolutely not. Unless you want to judge. I'll come judge. You know, I'll be the next.

Yeah, but I'm not. I'm. Oh, they're so real. Like, the competitions are absolutely exhausting.

Stressful. I mean, it. It's as you know. I mean, you've been on a really reality show.

[Olivia]

She knows she has a competition vibe. Good lord.

[Abby Jimenez]

Yeah. So anyway, we moved to Minnesota. We ended up opening up two more locations, and then once I had those bakeries up and running, I was very burnt out on the cakes. I decided to take a step back from the business and be more administrative, let my managers run my stores, and that's when I just started writing creatively again. And that's how I got my writing start. You know, I picked it up at 36 years old and started writing and ended up with a book deal. And it all happened really, really fast. And I just. I can't even believe where my life is right now, to be honest. Like, I pinch myself all the time.

[Olivia]

A labor of love that you poured into that to be where you are.

[Alona]

Pinch yourself. But you also deserve it so much. And, like, I get asked the question, how do you deal with imposter syndrome? I hope you don't have that.

[Olivia]

No. Because it really worked.

[Abby Jimenez]

No.

[Olivia]

Don't you deserve absolutely everything you have? Oh, my God. And so you've also announced a collection of three interconnected crib Christmas holiday novellas coming out in fall of next year, though. What can you tell us about them?

[Abby Jimenez]

So they're very cute. I'm not gonna make you cry at Christmas. I know all my books. All of my books always have a lot of depth to them, and they, you know, they make you laugh and they make you cry. That's. That's my thing. But I decided I'm not making anybody cry at Christmas because we're already seeing our family a ton, and it's very stressful, and I just. We don't need to be crying over a little funny rom com collection. So the moment of inception for this was I was thinking about the Hallmark movies or, you know, And. And how, you know, this big city girl goes off to this small town and meets this boy and then just, like, leaves everything behind to go and. And, you know, marry him. And, like, what if there was a sane best friend, right? Like, what if. What if you are the best friend and your best friend calls you and says, I met this man in this small town three days ago. We're getting married. I'm leaving the firm. And, like, you know, what would you, as the best friend, say to that? Right? So that is the premise for a married Little Christmas. There's three. Three short stories. They all interconnect. And this sort of poking fun at the Hallmark franchise is the last of the three stories. You know, this woman goes up there to convince her best friend not to marry the rando that she just met three days ago. And her best friend will not be convinced. And, you know, she's at the bar, you know, trying to think of her next move. What is she gonna do? And she meets a man at the bar next to her, and he is the best friend of the groom who was also there to convince his best friend not to marry the random woman he just met three days ago. So they team up to break up their friend's marriage. Because you can't fall in love in three days. Or can you?

[Olivia]

Or can you?

[Adriana]

That's amazing.

[Olivia]

Oh, that's exciting.

[Adriana]

Well, I'm excited to read that when it comes out in 2026. Will be ready for it.

[Olivia]

I'm ready. I'm ready now if you want to slip me anything. I'm just kidding.

[Adriana]

Now that we've just had a total love fest about romance novels, we're gonna touch a bit about what you're reading right now and what we call the Book Nook. So are you currently reading anything at the moment?

[Abby Jimenez]

So I have just downloaded the Home Sweet Holidays collection on Amazon. It's four short stories. Mia Sosa, who's one of my favorites, Ali Rawson's in there. And it's just four short Christmas stories. I love those because then I can, like, tick off my TBR and get four. I get four books checked off, and it's just one collection. And then I'm doing my reread of Tangled and Tinsel, which I do every year by Tralita Pucci. She is another one that does really good audiobooks. Also very involved in her audiobooks. She's got, you know, multiple narrators for each character. They're really great narrators. I like to just kind of put that in when I'm. When I'm baking cookies and stuff. So that's what I'm working on right now.

[Olivia]

And you read that every year around the holidays?

[Abby Jimenez]

I. I do. I like to reread it. It's like my comfort read because she's so funny. Like, she's just so funny. I really like. And I like how she does spice. Like, it's just one of those books that I can put in my ear, and it's, like, the background to, like, my holiday things that I'm doing in the kitchen usually.

[Olivia]

I love it. So you're mostly audiobooking, or do you ever have a physical book in front of you, and if so, what are you physically reading versus listening to?

[Abby Jimenez]

I'm very rarely physically reading unless I'm blurbing, because books that they want blurbs for don't have audiobooks yet. You know, because you blurb so far in advance of publication. It's, like, 99% audiobooks for me.

[Olivia]

Is it romance audiobooks, or are you on thrillers or memoirs? Just all of it.

[Abby Jimenez]

I really like memoirs, and I cannot for the life of me remember the last one that I read. I read Matthew Perry's book in the last year.

[Olivia]

Do you have a favorite memoir?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, gosh, I'm glad my mom died. That was amazing.

[Alona]

I heard that was great.

[Olivia]

Whoa. And I listened to that one, too. Having it read by, like, her. I was like, whoa, that was big.

[Abby Jimenez]

That was very well done.

[Alona]

Guys, not to be dumb here. What is blurbing?

[Olivia]

That's a great question. I have someone that can answer that for you here.

[Adriana]

Abby.

[Olivia]

What is blurring?

[Alona]

I've been nodding my head like, I know. I don't know.

[Abby Jimenez]

So when you pick up. When you pick up a book, and then on the COVID it says, like, you know, Mia Sosa is. Is always one of my lifetime reads, you know, whatever. That's a blurb.

[Olivia]

So it's when you could turn nobody else.

[Abby Jimenez]

Yes, exactly. Yep. That's.

[Olivia]

And it's by, like, various authors.

[Alona]

Got it. Very cool. Good to know. I didn't know that. Abby. I'm kind of writing a book, and it'll maybe come out. It's gonna come out in many years, but I've been starting to write, so I'll give you an advanced copy you can blurb.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

Get blurbing, girl.

[Abby Jimenez]

Absolutely take you up on that again.

[Alona]

I've been writing it for a while, but I'm not done writing it. But I think I also wanted to have my tone, because it's definitely written by an athlete.

[Olivia]

It's.

[Alona]

It's written by somebody who's not a writer but has a lot to say. So I'm following in your footsteps, and hopefully we'll have a bestseller on our hands at some time.

[Adriana]

You already talked to us about the shirt that you're wearing, but not to the audience yet.

[Abby Jimenez]

I read banned books.

[Adriana]

Hot amazing shirt and I think that's something we all here fully support a wide plethora of books.

[Olivia]

Before we go, Your website says 2026 dates to be announced. Is there something you want to tell us? A book tour on the horizon or something fun?

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, wow. I'm gonna be doing a lot less stops. So this year I was telling my husband, I, we, we have taken 19 round trip flights this year on book tour. We have gone to different countries. Like I'm, I'm very, very burnt out. So I'm going to be doing fewer stops next year, but I will be doing larger venues to try and counteract like the we sold out in 22nd thing that's been happening at these events that I've been doing. I will be having a very, very large.

Book launch for the night we met in my home city of Minneapolis. And I will be revealing my 1966 Dodge Dart convertible, which is the car that I wrote into say or remember me. I'm. I bought one for myself because I used to drive one when I was 16. I. I bought one for myself and I'm having it restored and the restoration is absolutely stunning. It's going to be like literally one of a kind when it's done. And I'm going to be unveiling the car at that event. So that's a fun one. So if people, you know, if you've ever considered flying to see me at any events, I would definitely recommend making it that one because there's going to be a lot of really cool extras and things like that.

[Olivia]

That's awesome. That's really cool. Well, thank you so much for coming over to our house, Abby. You can find Abby Jimenez's you say you'll remember me in stores and online now and pre order the Night we met, which will be everywhere in March. You can also follow her at author Abby Jimenez on TikTok and Instagram. Thanks for coming.

[Alona]

Thank you so much.

[Olivia]

Unbelievable. I just want to say you're glowing. You're radiant. I got to figure out how you do your hair. I love it.

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh, thank you so much. I was like doing battle with it before it started. Like, it's so big.

[Adriana]

Why is it so.

[Olivia]

It's gorgeous staring at it.

[Abby Jimenez]

I love it.

[Alona]

Thank you. This is so cute, right? And we love it.

[Olivia]

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[Alona]

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[Olivia]

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[Adriana]

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[Olivia]

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[Alona]

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[Olivia]

It's cold out ladies, so let's play a game to warm up. We are big fans of Rom Coms. And you may have seen our episode ranking some rom com tropes. This time we are going to hit a few holiday romance tropes. We're gonna get seven rom coms tropes and rate them one through seven. One being the best. But we won't know what the rest are when we make each choice. You got it? Yep. Let's do this thing.

[Adriana]

Number one, Snowed in together.

[Olivia]

Ooh, you love this one. You said you recently you've been reading a lot.

[Adriana]

I love it. Oh, but I've read them. I enjoy them.

[Olivia]

What's one that you've read?

[Alona]

I have a great one.

[Olivia]

Who?

[Alona]

It's a billionaire one.

And she. Well, I guess it's not really snowed in so much. If it's the one I'm thinking I would say. But it's where she has to go to this lake house with her sister. Oh, my gosh. There's a hot billionaire there. What the heck?

[Adriana]

What?

[Alona]

And he's so annoying.

[Adriana]

What?

[Alona]

And then they're trapped there together because the car gets. And so they're trapped in the.

[Olivia]

Is there snow?

[Adriana]

Is it car trapped?

[Alona]

Car trapped. But I'm calling that snowed in.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Alona]

Okay. I'm calling that trapped in. I also just read another book where they did get snowed in.

[Olivia]

Which one?

[Alona]

Duke of the Cash series.

[Adriana]

Oh.

[Abby Jimenez]

Oh.

[Alona]

So I like Snowden. I'd give it a three.

[Olivia]

Three. Okay. We're ranking Snowden as a three out of seven?

[Alona]

I am.

[Adriana]

I would say four.

[Olivia]

Cause I feel like it's. Forced proximity is another term for it, Right?

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

But I like forced proximity more When.

[Olivia]

Okay, we'll go three.

[Adriana]

We'll go three.

[Olivia]

Go three. We gotta be confident.

[Adriana]

Interconnected love stories.

[Alona]

What does this mean?

[Adriana]

Like when it's Cash and then all of a sudden you hear about Wyatt's story and that's gonna be the next one.

[Olivia]

So it's one world. They're interconnected, but separate stories.

[Alona]

Here's my deal with those. Oh, we're all now finding the loves of our lives.

[Olivia]

Right?

[Alona]

Connecting each other in a short amount of time. Even though the billionaire series is actually.

Connected to that. Picking and choosing.

[Olivia]

You cannot.

[Alona]

I'm not that into it. I love it.

[Adriana]

Like Windy City series. That's a good one.

[Olivia]

I mean, I'm gonna say it. Immortals After Dark.

[Alona]

Oh, interesting.

[Olivia]

And we were saying that at the exact same time. Because what I love is you get to love these characters in one book, and then you're reading the next and you hear about how they're doing and you're like, hi, my darlings. I love you. You guys still in love? You still fucking like, crazy happy for you. So I love it.

[Alona]

Here's the plot of Immortals After Dark. They're magical creatures and they're fucking.

[Olivia]

And they be fucking.

[Alona]

And they be fucking.

[Adriana]

There's diamonds.

[Alona]

There's zakaris. There's vampires. There's witches. Succubus. Phantoms. There's phantoms.

I personally think it's a great series.

[Olivia]

There's like a Gajil.

[Alona]

I've read many of them and they were so.

[Olivia]

She started them in, like, the 90s or something like that.

[Alona]

I can read them over and over again. Yeah, they're set in New Orleans. So one of the best characters I've written in literature is in that Nyx.

Okay, maybe, I guess is this 3 and Snowden 4. You can't change ranking. I don't know what the other one's gonna be.

[Adriana]

You can't change.

[Alona]

Fine, do what you want.

[Olivia]

We can't rank. We like Snowden together. We can't touch. So interconnected love stories.

[Alona]

Two. Fine, two.

[Olivia]

Let's go.

[Adriana]

Crazy.

[Alona]

Way too high. This is fucking crazy.

[Olivia]

That's why I said four. She's stressed.

[Alona]

I said we could do four.

[Adriana]

I know, but why am I. If you're both agreeing on it anyway?

[Olivia]

Fake dating.

[Adriana]

I'm actually, like. I read a lot of fake dating ones, but sometimes it's just.

I'm like, get married at that point and just be in a.

[Alona]

What do you mean?

[Adriana]

Like, I prefer more of, like, a fake marriage almost. Marriage of convenience, if you will. So fake dating for the. And especially for the holidays, eh? Adrenaline's like.

[Olivia]

You're not faking it hard enough. Just get married.

[Alona]

Right?

[Adriana]

You know which one I do love? Is that Emma Roberts movie? Is that Holidate? That's a good one. Where they're each other's dates for all the holidays.

[Olivia]

I don't know. It.

[Adriana]

It's a beautiful movie. What? There's also a movie like that. I think it's professional plus one or something. It's that girl from pen 15. There's also one where.

They'Re both going to a lot of, like, Indian weddings and, like, so there's so many events after that. So then they start going to that together.

[Alona]

Ugh.

[Olivia]

Anyway, so where are we ranking it? I feel like it's like a six.

[Adriana]

Do it.

[Olivia]

Six.

[Adriana]

I like how confident you guys were with that.

[Olivia]

Home for the holiday. Second chance for.

[Alona]

I don't read a lot of these. I like to have been I like to be there when they meet.

[Adriana]

Unless there's crazy groveling on the guy's side, of course.

[Olivia]

You Free cadet.

[Alona]

I don't read a lot of these.

[Olivia]

It's a 7. If it didn't work once, I'm sorry.

[Adriana]

Is the spirit of Christmas really going to solve everything? You know, right.

[Alona]

Yeah. 7.

[Olivia]

Christmas miracle. Would this be like, what's the one with the girl from Game of Thrones and then the guy from Crazy Rush Asians?

[Alona]

Oh, the.

[Adriana]

The. Or the one and then he's actually crazy?

[Alona]

Don't spoil it.

[Olivia]

Everybody bleep what she's saying. What's that movie? Is it Last Christmas? Is that Christmas? I think that's Christmas Miracle.

[Adriana]

What movie?

[Olivia]

Could you show her the COVID of that, please?

[Adriana]

It's. She Got a trans.

[Olivia]

The girl with a big smile. Amelia Clarke. Yeah. And then the hot guy from Crazy Rich Asians. It's Christmas Henry and Goldman. That one. Remember that one? Did you watch that?

[Alona]

Oh, I don't think I watched that one.

[Olivia]

I. I don't really.

[Alona]

Maybe that would be my 7. I don't know about Christmas. Sorry. I don't.

[Olivia]

It's fluffy to me.

[Alona]

Give it a five.

[Olivia]

No, it's a six.

[Alona]

Well, we. Oh, we already gave a six away, Olivia.

[Olivia]

So what do we got left?

[Adriana]

Four and one. Five.

[Alona]

Give it a five.

[Olivia]

Okay. Christmas miracles.

[Adriana]

Five.

[Alona]

Punkish.

[Olivia]

Go.

[Alona]

Stop.

[Olivia]

One and four. Okay.

[Adriana]

Airport love declaration.

[Alona]

If it took four.

[Adriana]

Yeah, if it took them, like, leaving for you to finally do something deep.

[Olivia]

4.

[Alona]

Dre.

[Adriana]

So that means this last one is gonna be one.

[Olivia]

I'm already mad. No, I'm mad already. Workaholic girl boss. Insensitive boy.

[Alona]

You know what?

[Olivia]

That is the holiday trope.

[Alona]

Oh. Like, girl takes her time off. Goes to a cottage.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Goes back to her hometown. Whatever. That's the holiday trope.

[Adriana]

In the spirit of Christmas fixes her.

[Olivia]

I feel like that's okay as number one just because it's all the stuff. We watch it. We do it anyway.

[Alona]

I also sometimes like Workaholic Girl Boss. And like, Grumpy Boy, though.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

Grumpy Man.

[Olivia]

And she's like, yeah, thank you. That was really descriptive. I. Yeah, I like that. Workaholic Girl Boss. It has to be number one. I'm happy. I'm fine with it. Because if I'm not, I'm going to be angry. So.

[Alona]

I don't read a lot of holiday books, to be honest.

[Olivia]

Anyway. And holiday movies.

[Alona]

I read that one. She's an adult.

[Olivia]

Merry little meet cute.

[Alona]

Merry little meet cute. If you want to read a sexy holiday book this year.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

Mary Little, meet cute. She is a thick queen, Possibly adult.

[Olivia]

Actress.

[Alona]

And she gets a role in a movie, I think.

[Olivia]

Yep.

[Alona]

And her co star loves her.

[Abby Jimenez]

Yeah.

[Alona]

He watches her stuff. Ah.

[Olivia]

Ah.

[Alona]

As I'm saying out loud, I'm like, what the heck?

[Olivia]

That was actually a pretty thick book.

[Alona]

It's a fun book if you want to trade it.

[Olivia]

It's. I find. I find holiday ro. Romance books to be very fluffy. But that's why you do it. You keep it light and you keep it easy.

[Adriana]

Is her being thick in the book kind of like a big applause?

[Alona]

Great point. I don't think it is. It's definitely. There are those books where you're like. And you know the inner dialogue of the character. And since I've always been so big and since. And she's five times, I'm like, chill out, girl.

[Olivia]

Shut up.

[Adriana]

I'm getting.

[Alona]

We get your thick queen.

[Adriana]

All right.

[Alona]

Anyway.

[Olivia]

You don't like that.

[Alona]

I just think that the sometimes author wants you to really, really tell you how big she is. And to the point, like, she's not like, oh, you know, this is actually a big character. You're probably not gonna see it.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Alona]

See this character.

[Olivia]

I did something here.

[Adriana]

And sometimes it comes across as.

That the author can't even believe that she's beautiful or that you shouldn't believe that they are beautiful. That it's just because, like that one person just loves them. And I'm just like, I understand having more of a body focused book or.

When that's a huge thing about the character of they are overcoming, say an eating disorder or something. But if it's just supposed to be an aside that just keeps getting dropped so casually, I think it's so just dangerous and harmful for readers. Interesting to be constantly absorbing that.

[Alona]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Like now I'm at a point where I'm just like, why the fuck are you including that? Like, I don't like, she's like, oh, I could barely pull up these pants. What?

[Olivia]

What? Interesting. And I feel like if that's on the flip too, when characters are just so small.

[Alona]

Oh, my God.

[Olivia]

And they're just so.

[Alona]

She's so frail.

[Olivia]

She's so frail. His hands went all the way twice around her wrist.

[Alona]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Get out of here.

[Olivia]

Why? Ooh, I don't know. Yeah, there's like two extremes on the spectrum. Well, I will still be reading a themed holiday book this year because it's what I do every year.

[Adriana]

Thanks so much for coming over to the House of Mar A Wave original.

[Alona]

Be sure to watch and subscribe on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Olivia]

Plus follow the show on social media ouseofmar for clips and behind the scenes content. Thanks for coming over.

[Alona]

Go, go put up your Christmas tree.

[Olivia]

Yeah, put up your Christmas tree. Hang some tinsel. All right.

[Adriana]

Make sure to water the tree too.

[Alona]

Water the tree.

[Olivia]

Get freaky under a place like every.

[Adriana]

Two days or something or else all the pine needles are gonna fall into your floor.

[Alona]

Okay, Catch on fire.

[Adriana]

It's gonna sound great when you vacuum though.

[Olivia]

Bye. Stay cozy. Love you.

[Abby Jimenez]

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