I did a lot of research on jewelers like Eliza—people who found big success on Instagram. The jewelry sold at Brooklyn Jewels is inspired by a lot of current trends I’ve seen lately (yellow gold, three-stone settings, pear-shaped diamonds), as well as trends that have been popular for several years now (diamond halos, diamond pavé bands, birthstone jewelry). Eliza’s engagement ring is actually inspired by Meghan Markle’s!

Who was your favorite character to write and why?

I loved getting inside Eliza’s mind. It’s easy to see Instagram influencers and assume their lives are a certain way, so to explore the messy, impulsive, imperfect aspects of her life—all while she maintains a façade of success and perfection—was a really enjoyable challenge for me.

Dating apps aside, how do you think social media affects the way we pair up and settle down?

Social media isn’t important to everyone, but if you do care a lot about it, it can be frustrating when the person you’re dating doesn’t respect your interest. In the grand scheme of things, it’s pretty harmless if you like to photograph your brunch before you dig in, or if you ask your significant other to take a picture together on date night. But anecdotally, I’ve experienced and heard so many stories of men who seem to have really negative opinions of women who love social media. Because of that, it was important to me to include scenes in which Eliza discusses social media with both Blake and Raj, respectively. Blake challenges her interest in it and teases her for it, while Raj later encourages it (in that final moment on the plane).

Raj and Blake are so different from each other. What do you think they represent for Eliza?

Growth! There are a lot of books out there in which the heroine falls in love at first sight. This is not one of them. In real life, dating can be messy and complicated; the process of figuring out who you’re compatible with can be tough. Ultimately, as Eliza gets to know Blake and Raj better, she gets to know herself better. Through the process of dating both men, she learns a lot about the kind of life she’d like to lead. Blake represents the life she feels she’s supposed to want—he’s ambitious and successful, just like she is, though their connection isn’t the strongest. Raj offers her a new way to imagine her life: she can pursue her career with a supportive partner who makes her feel like the best version of herself.

Friendship and sisterhood are big parts of this novel. As people pair off in their late twenties and thirties now, how do you think we rely on these relationships?