Today, Lettie writes slow-burn romances—stories about characters who are imperfectly perfect, the hard moments that shape them, and the plot twists that leave readers reeling. Outside her writing life, she’s a wife and mom of two, roles that influence both her time and perspective. She’s also a dedicated soccer fan, the kind who will plan her day around a match and openly admit she’ll yell at the TV when things get heated.
Through all of it, her goal as an author is simple: she wants her characters to stay with readers long after the book ends.
Her latest book is the new adult romantic suspense, The Arrangement (Bancroft University Chronicles Book 1).
Visit her website at www.sdlettieauthor.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, BookBub and Goodreads.
I am so excited about your book, The Arrangement. Why did you choose this particular story to write?
I love a good redemption arc, and I knew early on that at least one of my characters - maybe more - would get one. As a writer, you always have a hundred story ideas bouncing around in your head, and it’s hard to know which one will actually stick. Luckily, this one did, and for good reason.
I’m a huge fan of mafia romance. It’s one of my favorite tropes, especially when the MMC has that “touch her and die” energy and lives firmly in the morally gray. In real life? Hard pass. In fiction? Absolutely.
With The Arrangement, I wanted to put a twist on the classic “forced to marry the mafia heir” setup. My FMC isn’t poor, she didn’t grow up struggling, and she’s not a damsel in distress. Emilia is a rich, political trust-fund kid who is exhausted by a life she never chose. Then you throw in a mafia heir - someone who also didn’t choose his life—and suddenly you’ve got two characters who can and will go toe-to-toe.
Emilia expected senior year to be predictable: classes, charity events, and pretending she isn't suffocating under the spotlight of D.C. politics. What she didn't expect was an arranged engagement... to the boy - now man - she told her secrets to in letters.
Nikolai, the ghost from her past. The boy she bared her soul to through letters - right up until the day they stopped coming.
Now he's back. In her city. In her life. And, somehow, her fiancé.
But the engagement is just the beginning. Everything Emilia thought she understood - about her past, her family, even herself - starts to shift the moment he returns.
Some reunions are sweet, theirs is something else entirely.
Book one in a slow-burn duet that has political intrigue, a forced engagement, elite university drama, betrayals, and men who will bring you to your knees.
Can you tell us about the main characters?
Emilia Langford is the main female character. She’s the Vice President of the United States’ eldest daughter and the president of Bancroft University’s Chi Omega chapter. She's ambitious, composed, resourceful, and charming, but beneath that polish is someone driven by a deep desire for freedom. After years of living under her parents’ control, she’s desperate to claim a life that actually feels like her own.
Nikolai Volkov is the main male character. He’s thoughtful and strategic, with deep-seated trust issues shaped by his upbringing. He’s intensely focused and capable of fierce loyalty and love, but that same background also makes him ruthless at times, with a moral compass that doesn’t always point north.
Where and when does your book take place?
It takes place in modern-day Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area during Emilia’s senior year at Bancroft University.
They say all books have at least one pivotal point where the reader just can’t put the book down. What is one of the pivotal points in The Arrangement?
The forced engagement is the clear moment - it’s hard to put the book down once that happens. But if I had to pick another pivotal point, it would be when Max enters the story. He isn’t a main character, but he’s incredibly important to the overall plot and to Emilia’s personal journey.
Does your book carry a message?
Yes - At its core, the story explores how privilege doesn’t always equal freedom, and how some of the most confining cages are the ones you can’t see from the outside.
What's your next project?
Next up is Book 2 of the Bancroft University Chronicles duet, The Unraveling. After that, some of the side characters will get their own stories. I’m also outlining another book in a different romance genre, so we’ll see where that goes.
Where can we pick up copies of The Arrangement?
The ebook of The Arrangement is exclusive to Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. The paperback is available on Amazon, other major online retailers, and directly through me.
Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers and fans?
I couldn’t do this without you. Your support and excitement mean more than I can put into words, and it’s what keeps me going. And I’ll just say this - book two is going to be big. Like, scream-into-your-pillow big. I’m having way too much fun writing it, and I can’t wait for you to read it.
