BOOK CLUB KIT
Dear Book Club Members, First, I wanted to thank you for choosing my book, Ramón and Julieta, as your book club pick! I’m truly honored that you have chosen to spend your time with my novel. I adore book clubs and bringing people together through their shared love of reading. I hope that Ramón and Julieta inspires some lively discussions. This was the book of my soul—I dreamt of it for years before I wrote a word. On the surface, I wanted it to be a fun, frothy rom-com with glossy wish fulfilment, but I wanted to bring a deeper subtext about what it means to belong or not feel like you belong to your community. One of my favorite parts is Ramón getting in touch with who he was when he was younger. How have your core values and passions changed since your youth? Are you still in touch with your inner child? This is my thirtieth book, but hands down, my best one. I was afraid to write this story because I was so in love with the concept that I really wanted to do it justice. This was the reason that I decided to sell it to a traditional publisher instead of publishing it independently like my previous books. I really wanted the best possible team of editors and publishing people around me to help me realize the vision. I couldn’t be happier with the end result. Also, this book is a love letter to my culture. A celebration of our amazing food and diverse community. I hope I won’t make you too hungry reading this. Though you can have a book club and also a taco party! The overall themes of this book, family, core beliefs, and love are universal. I hope that no matter what your background is, you will be able to relate to the dynamics in this book. I’m always available to my fans so please contact me if you would like to set up a visit. My email is alana@alanaalbertson.com. There are so many amazing books and never enough time to read them, so I want to thank you again for reading my book. I appreciate you!
xoxoxo,
Alana
In Conversation with
ALANA QUINTANA ALBERTSON Tell us about Ramón and Julieta. What inspired you to write this story? Honestly, I read Crazy Rich Asians and just loved the way I felt after I finished it. I wanted to write something like that for my community—a fun, frothy celebration of love, food, and culture. Ramón and Julieta is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. How did you go about adapting the classic tale into your own story? I’ve always loved Shakespeare, and I wanted to do something with forbidden lovers. Of course, I write romance, not tragedy, so I wanted a hard-earned happy ending. I loved the idea of a masquerade and thought, How can I do this in my culture? And then it hit me! My favorite holiday, Day of the Dead. I also loved coming up with the names, like Tiburón/Tybalt. Fun fact—my mom lives in Tiburon now, so that’s also an ode to my hometown. Introduce us to your main characters, Ramón and Julieta. How are they alike and how are they different? Ah, Ramón is dreamy! He’s kind of like that sexy man who has everything: looks, money, education. He’s a gentleman, too. But he’s lost his way. He doesn’t feel connected to anything and is questioning his identity. He struggles with not feeling accepted by his community but at the same time doesn’t realize that he is alienating them. And Julieta is the coolest. I want to be like her. She’s gorgeous, grounded, ambitious, and a workaholic. She always puts others’ needs before her own. She needs to take some time off and be happy.
They are both workaholics and committed to their families. Ramón is still struggling to figure out his core values but Julieta is pretty confident about who she is and what she wants. Ramón and Julieta first meet during Day of the Dead. How did you decide on their “meet cute” scene and what was the writing process like? I dreamt of this scene before I even wrote a word! Because it was Romeo and Juliet, I wanted them to meet with their identities concealed. Ramón knows people have preconceived notions about who he is, so his Day of the Dead outfit gives him freedom to just be Ramón the man, not Ramón the millionaire. Julieta is a workaholic, and when she takes the walk in the garden, she dreams of being in love. I wanted it magical and musical. As for the writing process, I’m a binge writer. I play this game called 4thewords, where you battle monsters that are different word counts, and then you can get cool outfits for your avatar. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it works! So I drafted the full book in two weeks. I just sit down and write all day every day and live the book. Ramón and Julieta illustrates the detriment gentrification inflicts on marginalized communities. What inspired you include discussion on gentrification in the novel? Lately two shows (Vida and Gentefied) on gentrification, or gentefication in the Latine community, really shed light on it. But I was noticing it a lot in Barrio Logan, where I set my book. Galleries were being shut down and residents were being displaced. I really wanted to show the issues and have Ramón work through these problems. Many delicious meals are enjoyed in Ramón and Julieta. What are some of your favorite dishes featured in the book? Oh, all of them! But the fish tacos Julieta made at the Day of the Dead event sound divine. I also loved her Day of the Dead tasting menu! What kind of research was required to write this novel? I ate a lot of tacos! I mean, I have been going to Barrio Logan for years, so that
wasn’t new, but I did a lot of research on gentrification. I also now know more than I’ve ever wanted to know about commercial real estate. What did writing Ramón and Julieta mean to you? What do you hope readers take away from the novel? Wow! Great question. It truly meant EVERYTHING to me. I had the idea for a few years but was scared to write it. For me, like Ramón, it really got me in touch with who I was in college and the passions I had that have faded with time. I hope readers on the surface just love the fun, sexy romance, but also really are enlightened about some of our wonderful traditions!
About
ALANA QUINTANA ALBERTSON Alana Quintana Albertson has written thirty romance novels, rescued five hundred death-row shelter dogs, and danced one thousand rumbas. She lives in sunny San Diego with her husband, two sons, and too many pets. Most days, she can be found writing her next heart book in a beachfront café while sipping an oat milk Mexican mocha or gardening with her children in their backyard orchard and snacking on a juicy blood orange.
Playlist ABRÁZAME by Julio Iglesias
¿ Y CÓMO ES ÉL ? by Marc Anthony ME ESTOY ENAMORANDO by Alejandro Fernández NOTHING ELSE MATTERS by Metallica EL REY TIBURÓN by Maná CATS IN THE CRADLE by Ugly Kid Joe MI VIDA SIN TU AMOR by Cristian Castro TIEMPO DE VALS by Chayanne A DIOS LE PIDO by Juanes
One of the inspirations for the novel was finding a picture of my mom inMexico in her twenties and putting it side by side with a picture of myself in Mexico at the same age. What was my mom like back then? How were we similar or different? This played a key part in Julieta learning more about her mother’s past.
FIVE FACTS YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT
Día de los Muertos
Discussion Questions 1. Ramón and Julieta is set against the culturally rich landscape of Barrio Logan. How does the setting contribute to the themes of the novel? How do the towns of La Jolla and Coronado contrast with Barrio Logan?
2. Ramón struggles to find his place in his culture. How does he reconnect with his heritage and come to peace with balancing his work and his conscience?
3. Julieta is accepted by her community. How does her loyalty interfere with her love life and her career trajectory? As a woman of color, is she expected to sacrifice her happiness and success in order to remain true to her culture? Is this fair?
4. How does Ramón’s relationship with his father compare to Julieta’s relationship with her mother? How do they contrast?
5. How does Ramón and Julieta explore issues of wealth and privilege? Does Ramón’s wealth affect his view of issues affecting his community?
6. How would you describe the portrayal of gentrification in Ramón and Julieta? Do you think neighborhoods can maintain their cultural identity when they become developed? Why or why not?
7. Julieta’s aunts bond during Lotería night over food. What cultural traditions do you share with your family?
8. Why do you think cuisine culture is so prevalent in the book? What does food reveal about the characters?
9. Music is threaded throughout Ramón and Julieta’s romance. How is music used to strengthen the narrative?
10.Ramón’s father founded Taco King due to his love of authentic fish tacos. Over the years, his recipe devolved and was nothing like its original inspiration. How do issues of cost and profit margin change the visions of other entrepreneurs? How can they maintain their visions yet still be profitable?
11. Ramón and Arturo both felt deeply connected to their cultures and their passions when they were younger. Can you think of examples in your own life when you lost your passion for causes that were once important to you?
12.Surfing is Ramón’s outlet to center himself. Do you have an activity that helps you find clarity?
13.In the 1970s, Arturo was part of the Brown Beret movement, which focused on farmworkers’ rights, educational challenges, and other issues facing MexicanAmericans. What do you think happened for him to have lost his conviction to serve his community? Do you think Ramón and Julieta will lose their passion for their community? Why or why not?
14.Chicano Park is a real historical landmark in San Diego, California, which commemorates the struggles and joys of the Chicano community through murals, sculptures, and gardens. It is a place for the Latino community to come together and celebrate. Why do you think the author chose to include it in the book? What role does setting, and specifically Chicano Park, play in the novel?