Music is my number one inspiration; it helps me lock in and block out distractions. A single lyric can move my soul and awaken my imagination, humming the melody of a perfect story, or at least its theme or tone.
Stubborn Love by the Lumineers fits the tone of SMOOTH SAILING perfectly. Granted, there isn’t any cheating or stealing (as mentioned in the opening line). It is more about the tone of this song as a whole. There’s a powerful drumbeat throughout, and I swear it’s Paloma and Max’s heartbeat for each other— their stubborn refusal to give up on the possibility of love.
It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
The opposite of love's indifference
So pay attention now
I'm standing on your porch screaming out
And I won't leave until you come downstairs
Taylor Swift is another artist who appears regularly onthe SMOOTH SAILINGplaylist. The song that is 100% Paloma’s is Anti-Hero. One of her biggest wounds is that she’s always been too much or not enough in every relationship. She’s told herself she doesn’t care and vows to focus on rebuilding her career. Which requires her to work with Max, and when she starts catching strong feelings for him, it scares the sh*t out of her because she’s certain he’ll realize what everyone else has, and he’ll leave, and she’ll be left shattered.
Taylor Swift says it perfectly in the following lyrics:
I wake up screaming from dreaming
One day I'll watch as you're leaving
And life will lose all its meaning
(For the last time)
So does Paloma during her thoughts of him in the opening chapter of Smooth Sailing: "She'd always found Max handsome with his broad shoulders and lean, ropey muscles.. But Max was a nice guy—like a real one, not the assholes who pretend to be decent men. And true good guys always found her to be too much." - Smooth Sailing
There are at least three George Iza songs on the Smooth Sailing playlist. His music is perfect sunshine for those playful moments, and the one that stands out for this story is All My Love. It’s playful perfection. It also reminds me of MMC Max London. He falls first and falls hard for Paloma Wagner. Then there are the following lyrics that are 100% Max—from his love to his fear of his reckless nature and possibly embracing his spontaneous side.
All my love is yours
All my time is ours
All my reckless dreams
All my restless hours
Max’s reckless side is struggle for him, or as he plainly said to his family: "’You know it, and I know it. I'm an impulsive f*ck up. Why would Paloma get entangled with me?'" - Smooth Sailing
There is no better band for the spice and heat in my romance novels than Two Feet, and the perfect song for Paloma and Max is Never Enough. This song is perfect for these two because their chemistry is off the charts; no matter how they try to contain the fire, it continues to burn wild and out of control.
Baby, you told me last night was the last time, the last time
Baby, you pull me under like a riptide, a riptide
It's never enough, never enough, never enough
I think you just don't care
The following is one short passage of chemistry: "The kiss was hungry and desperate; weeks of longing poured into a single, scorching moment.
Paloma matched Max’s hunger, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. She arched into him, erasing any remaining space between their bodies. He groaned softly against her mouth, one hand sliding down to her hip, gripping tightly.
They broke apart, panting. Her pretty lips were swollen, and her pupils were dilated... 'I want you,' she gasped. - Smooth Sailing
I stumbled upon Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokes & Coldplay on social media and fell in love with the chorus line. So many people have this misconception that romance readers want perfect characters. That is the farthest thing from the truth. Most romance readers desire a story where imperfect people find the perfect love—whatever that may be for them. I think this theme is so loved in the romance community, and why this song resonates for the genre and in Max and Paloma’s story: You don’t have to be a superhero to be that person’s hero or heroine. And this is definitely part of Paloma and Max’s journey. They both struggle to accept that the other sees them as exactly what the other needs and wants.
I'm not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts,
Some superhero,
Some fairytale bliss,
Just something I can turn to,
Somebody I can kiss.
I want something just like this.
Oh, I want something just like this
Bonus Song: The Bones by Maren Morris & Hoizer is perfect for Smooth Sailing because of all the building metaphors. Not only is Paloma an interior designer, but Max is an architect landscaper, and their careers bring them together. Also, the relationship aspect and analogies of this song are fantastic. It is about how if there’s strong love, a.k.a. the bones are good, then a relationship can survive.
Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter
Let it rain (let it rain, let it rain)
'Cause you and I remain the same (the glass could shatter)
When there ain't a crack in the foundation
Baby, I know any storm we're facing
Will blow right over while we stay put
The house don't fall when the bones are good, yeah
Here is one of my favorite such analogies from the book: "He studied her like she was a garden worth tending, worth the patience of seasons." - Smooth Sailing
Lake House Love #2
A Steamy Small Town Slow Burn Romance
When work becomes foreplay, everyone gets dirty.
Interior designer Paloma Wagner has one focus: rebuilding her life and business from the ground up. She has no room for distractions—especially not landscape architect Max London, whose killer smile and meticulous eye for detail make him both the perfect business partner and the most dangerous kind of temptation.
One reckless afternoon in a client's home ignites something neither of them can control. Despite her iron-clad rules about mixing business with pleasure, Max proves masterfully skilled at dismantling her defenses. But in an industry where reputations are everything, their forbidden rendezvous could cost Paloma everything she's worked to rebuild.
Max knows he's falling hard for the ambitious designer who matches his passion project for project. But his impulsive nature has cost him before, and he's terrified of destroying his rare shot at something real.
A steamy workplace romance about breaking all the right rules.
Women's Fiction | Humor | Romance [Author Self-Published, On Sale: February 28, 2025, e-Book , ISBN: 2940180416254 / eISBN: 9798227770363]
DK Marie has been devouring books since childhood, falling especially hard for romance during her college years. With seven published works—six romance novels and a poetry collection—she crafts stories of unexpected connections and second chances, masterfully blending heart, heat, and humor. Her experience spans both traditional and self-publishing, earning her a devoted readership who can’t resist her relatable characters and emotional storytelling.
When not writing her next steamy romance, DK Marie can be found photographing nature, riding her motorcycle, or curled up with a book and either coffee or bourbon. She lives with her husband, two kids, and a feline writing companion who supervises her creative process.
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