On this episode of Complicated Conversations we welcome back Allison Winn Scotch to discuss her tenth (and we’ve declared, her BEST) novel, Take Two Birdie Maxwell, a story about what happens when Hollywood’s biggest rom-com star tries to recover from her damaged reputation by staging her own rom-com and following a lead on a lost love.

We dive into the inspiration behind the character of Birdie Maxwell and the concept of exploring past loves. We also also discuss Birdie's fall from grace and the complexities and arc of Elliot, the reporter chronicling her journey who has spent two decades repressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend. Allison shares the difficulties she faced while writing this book, the importance of sibling relationships in the story, and Birdie's search for agency and narrative in her own life. In this conversation, Allison discusses the themes of stepping into our power, embracing change, forgiveness, idea generation, and the lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship!

Take Two Birdie Maxwell is out now and you are definitely going to want to buy it, read it, share it, and listen to our spoiler-free conversation with Allison wherever you get your podcasts.