Aurora Palit: On Characters Changing the Plans
In this interview, author Aurora Palit discusses feeling braver when writing her new romance novel, Honey and Heat.
A first generation Bengali-Canadian, Aurora Palit grew up in rural Alberta, where she was always the only South Asian student in her class. Her love of reading began at age four but it wasn’t until high school—when she wandered into the romance section of a bookstore—that she realized happily-ever-afters are her jam. Flash forward [an undisclosed number of] years and Aurora is now writing those stories with her own unique brand of humor, perspective, and belief that people of color deserve love stories too. During her time pursuing a master's degree in English literature, Aurora was drawn to discourses on diaspora and identity, racism, and multi-generational immigrant experiences; topics she now explores in her writing. When she’s not testing her characters’ patience, Aurora is raising small humans, roasting her spouse, prowling for chocolate, and dancing for all that she’s worth. She also spends her days adulting as a communications professional for a not for profit organization. Follow her on Instagram.
In this interview, Aurora discusses feeling braver when writing her new romance novel, Honey and Heat, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Aurora Palit
Literary agent: Jem Chambers-Black
Book title: Honey and Heat
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Release date: September 16, 2025
Genre/category: Romance
Previous titles: Sunshine and Spice
Elevator pitch: Cynthia Kumar has spent her entire career proving she can take over her father’s multi-million business but when he hires her one-night stand for the coveted role, it looks like a takedown is needed instead.
What prompted you to write this book?
After my debut novel, Sunshine and Spice, came out, I received quite a few messages from readers demanding that the character foil, Cynthia, deserved her own novel. Curious, I put pen to paper and quickly fell in love with her, too.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Honey and Heat took about a year to go from conceptualization to publication—and if this sounds fast, it’s worth mentioning that it was written under contract, ha! I’m a flashlight plotter/writer—I start with a sense of what themes and ideas I want to explore, but my plot and characters unfold as I go. I have a cloudy vision of the ending, but I like discovering its finer points alongside my characters. The plot of Honey and Heat did not turn out exactly as I first proposed to my publisher because the characters demanded something different.
Were there surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I’m blown away by the meticulousness of the copy editing process. I might have been too overwhelmed by newness during my debut, but this time around, I really noticed the level of insight and care the copy editors brought to their reading. It was a good (and humbling!) reminder that many eyes are needed for a story to come together. Nothing escaped the copy editors’ notice; if I could operate my life with that same attention to detail, I bet there would be less dumpster fires to contend with.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
For me, at least, this novel feels like a very different book than my first; I wrote my debut like a kid rushing through candy land with no idea what awaited them at the end. But with Honey and Heat, I had expectations of myself as an author. I wanted to grow as a writer, try new things, and contemplate my craft. The words and feelings had to make sense in my head before I put them to paper. At the risk of losing popularity points, most authors dread the second novel, but I really enjoyed writing this one. The characters fleshed out quickly and as the storyteller, I felt braver and more willing to get messy.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
In addition to what I hope will be a meaningful romance to readers, Honey and Heat is layered with complex family relationships, ideas that challenge traditional power dynamics in the workplace, and the question of whether women are held to different standards when it comes to making mistakes and achieving success compared to men. I always aspire to write those squishy moments that make readers squeal, but I’d also love if some of the deeper topics leave an impression that sticks with them after the final page.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write about whatever speaks to your heart. Especially now, it can be tempting to follow trends that might get you published, but writing a book is hard enough as it is! The only thing that will get you through that draft is to write about what excites you and makes you want to write your heart out. Your voice will find its readers.
