What happens when a reality TV superfan, a true crime enthusiast, and a romance author walk into a book? You get Courtroom Drama, Neely Tubati Alexander’s irresistible new novel mashes up a sequestered jury, a second-chance love story, and all the Bravo-level chaos you could ever want. We caught up with Neely to talk about her inspirations, the tricky art of forced proximity romance, and why she’d gladly join the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills—if only for a season.

She Reads: Tell us about Courtroom Drama. What inspired you?

Neely Tubati Alexander: Courtroom Drama is about an infamous Real Housewives-esque reality TV star on trial for allegedly murdering her husband. Sydney Parks is thrilled to be selected for the sequestered jury, until she finds out her estranged childhood best friend, Damon, is also a juror. It’s forced proximity to the max!

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I have always wanted to serve on a jury, especially in early adulthood. I find high-profile court cases fascinating, and this book was a chance to sort of live out this little dream of mine. I am also a big reality TV fan, so this book really was the epitome of writing the book I would want to read.

SR: Courtroom Drama is a mashup of a courtroom rom-com and a novel for the reality TV fandom. How did your love of reality TV make its way into the book? And if you could join the cast of any reality TV show, which would it be?

Neely: One of the greatest things about being an author is getting to explore places and things you otherwise perhaps would not be able to. This book is a literal mashup of two things I consider guilty pleasures–reality TV and high-profile court cases! This book is dedicated To The Bravoholics, because there are many Easter eggs throughout the book specifically for the fandom.

As far as casts to join, there are SO MANY, but I would likely be too boring to make it past one season. That said, I would love to be on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills so I could force Boze and Erika Jayne to be my friends.

SR: Serving on a sequestered jury is a unique experience. What kind of research did you undertake to authentically portray this aspect of the story?

Neely: Every story requires some level of unique, in-depth research, and this one was no different. I have never served on a jury, nor did I have more than a novice understanding of trial procedures or courtroom proceedings going into this story. So, a lot of my research was on the courtroom portions of the story.

In addition to many hours on Google, I had a few early readers who work in the legal profession who gave me feedback on the courtroom components, which was extremely helpful. It’s always a challenge to strike a balance between reality and fiction, and I did my best to accomplish that here.

SR: Courtroom Drama explores themes of second chances and confronting past relationships. What message do you hope readers take away from Sydney and Damon’s journey?

Neely: I like to think of all of my books as hopeful. Sydney and Damon have been through a lot in their lives, both individually and together, and it colors how they approach love and relationships, and certainly each other.

What I love so much about second chance in particular is how people grow and change and evolve as we get older, but that certain connections can withstand that.

SR: Which fictional character (not your own!) do you think Sydney would be friends with?

Neely: What an interesting question! Because Sydney is complex and flawed, but also funny and quirky, I feel like she would be friends with some, if not all of Emily Henry’s main characters! I could also see her vibing with the Aunties in Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Dial A For Aunties series, because she was not very close with her own family growing up, so it would be funny and interesting to drop her into that hilarious (but sometimes overbearing) clan.

SR: What books or authors inspired you while writing Courtroom Drama?

Neely: Legally Blonde and all the BRAVO reality shows, of course! I had already drafted the book when the show Jury Duty came out, but there was so much incredible synchronicity that I truly believe it’s also for fans of that show.

I am always inspired by the contemporary romance authors. Kennedy Ryan is someone whose writing will always inspire me, because its just so damn good.

SR: What book are you most looking forward to reading this year?

Neely: I am excited for the final book in the Luna Sisters Series by Liana De La Rosa, Gabriela and His Grace. I loved the first two books and now we get Gabriela’s story.

Audrey Ingram has a fabulous new book coming out this year entitled The Summer We Ran and I loved it, and there is a debut I had the opportunity to blurb entitled The Dirty Version by Turner Gable Kahn. I’m excited for these two books to be out in the world and for readers to discover them because they are so brilliant.

SR: Do you have a favorite book-to-screen adaptation?

Neely: The book is always better! I will die on this hill. BUT, if I had to choose, I thought the Where The Crawdads Sing film was really well done, and I am excited for the upcoming Verity film because I go way back with Josh Hartnett.

And by way back, I mean he doesn’t know I exist but I once had posters of him on my walls.

SR: What is your favorite summer reading setup? (On the beach, at the lake, inside with air conditioning?)

Neely: There is nothing that beats reading a good beach read while on vacation.

SR: Do you have a favorite bookish trope (e.g., enemies to lovers, found family, unreliable narrator)?

Neely: As a romance author specifically, I love second chance and forced proximity. These, to me, are the most romantic opportunities to explore connections. But there are very few tropes I woudln’t read or don’t enjoy.

SR: If you were planning a summer road trip and could bring any three authors (living or dead) who would it be?

Neely: This is so hard. Can I get a clown car and bring more? Jane Austen, Emily Henry, and Ali Hazelwood seem like they would provide enough content and laughs for years to come.

SR: What’s a book you find yourself recommending over and over again?

Neely: I am always recommending Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. I have not stopped thinking about this book since I read it and I truly hope we get to see it on the big screen because it would make an epic movie.

In the romance space, I am always recommending Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go. When I first read this book, there were so many times I had to stop reading just to admire a beautifully written line or recover from a heartbreaking one. This book is a master class in writing emotion.

SR: Which bookish social media accounts or influencers do you love following?

Neely: @britandherbooks is hilarious. Ashley Spivey is a great follow as well. I’m always looking for positivity, diversity, and beautifully outspoken women when I look at who to follow.

SR: If you could live in the world of one book for a year, which would it be?

Neely: This is so hard because the hottest romances are usually set in awful circumstances. Like, I’d love some Xaden Riorson time, but I wouldn’t last a day at Basgiath.

The first thing that comes to mind is Nisha J. Tuli’s Not Safe For Work because it’s set in Hawaii, which is much more my vibe. Give me one bed in real life, not dragons.

SR: What is a genre you haven’t written in yet, but would want to explore?

Neely: I like to think I have a thriller in me. I love reading them and it’s the genre I read most outside of romance. It’s promising to see how many authors are now writing in multiple genres and finding success in multiple spaces. I hope something similar lies in my author future!