You’ve probably seen pictures or heard the news about the volcanic eruption on the Big Island in Hawaii. My contemporary, new adult romance novel, Finder Keeper of My Heart, is set on the Big Island. Of all the Hawaiian islands, it’s my favorite.
I love the Big Island’s rugged and singular beauty born out of its volcanic origins. The eruption of Kilauea Volcano is truly humbling, a reminder of how precarious nature can be.
In Finder Keeper, Emma Munroe, an aspiring Broadway actress, believes in finding her soul mate. The romantic hero, Avery Bell, is an MIT-educated techie who spurns the concept of fate. When they are thrown together in a jungle in Hawaii, their opposite beliefs are tested.
Finder Keeper is my way of celebrating the Big Island and its people. I’d like to share some interesting facts about the island that you’ll find in my book.
5 Interesting Facts
#1 The weather is fickle. It’s balmy on the Big Island for the most part, but as Emma discovers, the weather can also be fickle. It might be sunny where you’re standing, but rainy just down the street. It’s called microclimate.
#2 The wildlife is not too wild. Emma, a New Yorker who gets lost in the jungle, is wary of the wilderness. Avery reassures her that the wildlife on the island—feral pigs, cats, and goats—usually run away from people.
#3 You can swim with the giant green sea turtles. In Finder Keeper, the giant green sea turtles (called honu) appear twice. They are a main attraction on the Big Island. It’s not uncommon to find them basking on the beach or swimming next to you in the sea. You can rest assured they’re delightful.
#4 There are five volcanoes on the Big Island. As though having an active volcano like Kilauea is not enough, the island has four other volcanoes: the Kohala, Mauna Kea, Hualālai, and Mauna Loa. In the last chapter of Finder Keeper, Avery and Emma return to the Big Island to celebrate their first Valentine’s Day together. They talk about hiking in the Volcanoes National Park, where Mauna Loa and Kilauea are located.
#5 Loco moco is a meat lover’s dream come true. If you’re going to visit Hawaii, try a plate of loco moco. That is, if you like meat and you’re not on a strict diet. Avery describes this local favorite as a pile of “heart-attack-inducing meats, pus fried egg, atop a bed of white rice, all smothered in thick brown gravy.”
Any thoughts on Hawaii? Share them with us here!
About the Author
Vina Arno is the pen name of Cindy Fazzi, a Filipino-American writer and former Associated Press reporter. Finder Keeper of My Heart, published by Painted Hearts Publishing, is her second romance book. Her romance debut, In His Corner, was published by Lyrical Press in 2015. Her first literary novel, My MacArthur, will be published by the Sand Hill Review Press in 2018.
Connect with Vina Arno on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+
Book Information
Title: Finder Keeper of My Heart
Author: Vina Arno
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Publisher: Painted Hearts Publishing
Publication Date: June 21, 2018
ISBN-13: 978-1-946379-95-5
ASIN: B07DBBJGZG
Get a copy of the book:
Book Summary
EMMA MUNROE, a Juilliard senior, snags a plum role on Broadway a few weeks before her twenty-first birthday. She travels to Hawaii with her best friends to celebrate. When she gets lost in a jungle during an impromptu hike, she happens upon a waterfall—and a naked hunk bathing underneath it.
When she finds out his name is AVERY BELL, she’s dumbstruck. She believes she’s meant to love someone named Avery. It all goes back to a message in a bottle she found when she was nine, a letter written by a soldier called Avery to his sweetheart named Emma. He’d written it in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack during World War II. Since then, Emma has been searching (and saving her virginity) for her own Avery.
But Avery Bell is as mysterious as he is irresistible. Emma learns about his family secrets. In the course of this vacation, an accident and a tragic death will shake both of them to the core. Her singular faith in him—her unwavering belief in love and destiny—proves to be his saving grace.
We had turtles swim near us when we visited the Big Island years ago; it was indeed nifty! Best wishes, Vina, for the success of your book.
Many thanks to Smexy Books for featuring FINDER KEEPER OF MY HEART! More power to you!
Cheers,
Cindy Fazzi (Vina Arno)
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