Washington DC

The Washington Post names AFTER HOURS ON MILAGRO STREET top 10 romance of 2022

I lived in DC for twenty years. My first summer there, I attended my first Romance Writers of America conference. Soon after, I joined the Washington Romance Writers, and attended weekend meetings and annual retreats where I got to learn how to be a romance writer.

Over the next twenty years, my non-writing friends cheered on my writerly aspirations and bought me drinks when I met my writerly goals. My first book, Lush Money, was published when I still lived in D.C. Just this month, I celebrated the three-year anniversary of my debut launch party at One More Page Books.

So for my book to appear today in The Washington Post in Adriana Herrera’s list of the Top 10 Best Romance Books of 2022 is truly meaningful. I hope it’s proof to all of those friends that their cheerleading and support was worth it.

Adriana, the amazing Latinx romance author of The Caribbean Heiress in Paris (one of my favorite books of the year), says about After Hours on Milagro Street:

Lust, animosity and forced proximity make for a potent cocktail in this emotional enemies-to-lovers romance… Lopez excels at penning strong women who know exactly what they want, but what makes this romance shine is the way she reveals the vulnerabilities and pain hiding behind Alex’s tough exterior….

Other books included in this top 10 list include ones from authors Tracey Livesay, Natalie Caña, Kennedy Ryan, Sarah MacLean, Christina Lauren and more!

Enjoy Dazzling Jewels and Dresses at the Hillwood Estate

Enjoy Dazzling Jewels and Dresses at the Hillwood Estate

Marjorie Merriweather Post was the owner of the Postum Cereal Company and one of the richest women in the United States before her death in 1973. She also was a renowned collector -- her beautiful Georgian home in the midst of 25 acres of trees and gardens in Northwest D.C. is the museum she left for all of us to enjoy her French and Russian Imperial decorative arts collection. 

Drinking and Dining at District Winery

Drinking and Dining at District Winery

I'm a huge fan of wine tasting and the Virginia vineyard scene. What I am NOT such a huge fan of is the hour drive to get to most of our local vineyards (if you live inside the Beltway) and the hour drive home. The newly opened District Winery makes a phenomenal tasting and dinner just a Lyft away.