As promised…although a few days later than planned…we have Besty St. Amant’s spotlight on her latest characters from The Key to Love, Bri and Gerard.

Sounds like these two are bound for a fiery journey to love, but the ride sounds like fun! If you missed Necee’s review, be sure to check it out here. She has lots of good things to say about this unlikely couple.

Once again, Revell is generously providing a copy of The Key to Love as a giveaway, so don’t miss your chance to win this delightful story.

Enjoy meeting Bri and Gerard…

Abrielle “Bri” Duval

Physical Stats

Height: 5’7

Hair colour & style: blonde, long, and often wavy

Eye colour: light blue

Favorite accessory or clothing style: Her favorite sweatshirt is the one she wears all the time when she bakes – it reads WANDERLUST across the front.

Resembles…

Can’t live without…

Petit fours, macarons, her parent’s love letters in her attic, and all things romance.

Strengths

Bri’s strongest quality is her loyalty – both to people and to the places that are important to those people. She is very sentimental, especially regarding her late parents.

Vulnerabilities

Bri’s vulnerability is found in how she places her identity in other people’s stories instead of living her own. She tends to play it safe and live vicariously, rather than go for her own dreams.

Passions

Bri’s passion is helping people around her. She loves to give and brighten people’s day—especially those who are down. In her small town, she’s happiest when she’s discounting a latte for a tired single mom, slipping a homeless man a leftover petit four, or listening to an elderly man reminisce about his late wife over free soy milk.

What book/movie would she recommend?

Bri would absolutely recommend Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. In fact, her book club just finished it!

What has shaped their character and resilience?

The marriage her parents shared really contributed to shaping Bri’s ideals, expectations, and character. She learned the concept of “holding out for a hero” and not settling in the romance department.  

Your inspiration for the character

My inspiration for the character of Bri came from the thought of a Parisian-themed bakery. What type of chef would run such a place in the MidWest? She’d have to be very “girlie”, romantic, and a bit of a dreamer. I got to flesh that out with Bri.

Gerard Fortier

Physical Stats

Height: 6’2

Hair colour & style: dark, a little longer on top

Eye colour: brown

Favorite accessory or clothing style: His leather jacket and never-leaves-without-it laptop bag.  

Resembles…

Can’t live without…

Writing, traveling, adrenaline rushes 

Strengths

Gerard’s strongest qualities are is his tenacity and his sense of “daredevil” that makes him do whatever is necessary for the articles he writes for Trek Magazine. Whether that’s careening on an oceanside cliff on a mountain bike, deep-sea-diving, or parasailing, he’s down for the adventure.

Vulnerabilities

Gerard’s biggest vulnerability is his tendency to run. He’s afraid of putting down roots, getting too close to people, and falling in love, so he prefers to keep moving. Writing for a travel magazine and climbing that corporate ladder gives him the perfect opportunity to do so.  

Passions

Gerard’s passion is seeing the world and writing about it—encouraging people who live small lives to branch out, take risks, and put themselves out there.

What book/movie would they recommend?

Gerard has a secret love of classic literature, despite his dislike of all things romance. He’s read Pride & Prejudice, like Bri, but doesn’t hold the same view she does of the themes of the story. He’d more likely recommend Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

What has shaped their character and resilience?

Growing up with a struggling single mom greatly shaped Gerard’s outlook on life and love. He is burdened to care for her, since other men in her life chose not to, and is a very caring son because of it. Part of his drive to advance at Trek Magazine is largely due to being able to help her more with a bigger pay-check.   

Your inspiration for the character

My inspiration for the character of Gerard came from the concept of the “permanent bachelor” type. What makes him want to stay single? What makes him bitter and scorned toward love? And what would make him start to shift that view? These were all the things I wanted to explore in his character.  

Background to the story

I originally planned this story to take place at least partly in Paris, France, because of the lovelock bridge. However, as I started writing the story several years ago, the city of Paris shut down the lovelock concept and removed all the locks from the bridge. It forced me to consider alternatives, and I’m so glad I did! I love the thought of a romance-obsessed single girl in a Midwest small town creating her own version of lovelocks and honoring her parent’s romance—and many others—in that space…all while waiting for her own love story to begin. Throw in some matchmaking elderly sisters, a conniving ex-boyfriend threatening to buy out the bakery, a romance-scorned travel writer, and you have a recipe for delicious chaos!

Betsy St. Amant is the author of more than 15 inspirational romances and a frequent contributor to iBelieve.com. She lives in north Louisiana with her husband, two daughters, a collection of Austen novels, and an impressive stash of pickle-flavored Pringles. When she’s not composing her next book or trying to prove unicorns are real, Betsy can usually be found somewhere in the vicinity of a white chocolate mocha–no whip.

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