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The Story Was Just There
Hermosa is a darkly tender thrill ride through L.A., where a real estate developer and a neuroscience resident are thrown together by a violent crime and discover danger, connection, and unexpected redemption. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Some years ago, I was driving through the San Fernando Valley in the exact place where the book starts and the story came to me. I had never written before and didn’t know that I was going to start one day. The story was just THERE. It took me a while to figure out how to communicate it.
The villains in Hermosa are unsettling. How did you approach writing such morally twisted characters without glamorizing them?
I’ve met some terrible people in my life. Almost all people are good people, trying to get through their own lives, dealing with their own issues. But there are some that do not have empathy for others. They were born without it and don’t fully understand it. What kind of terrible could they be?
The humor in the dialogue feels so natural. Did any of that come from personal experience or real-life conversations?
My sense of humor is the only part of me in the book. I try to keep conversations fun and hope to bring that out in others, which I’m hoping comes through in my work.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
There is a follow-up to Hermosa currently in the works, expected to arrive in January.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Hermosa, A Novel
Hermosa is a wild, fast-paced novel that starts with a bang. James, a real estate developer with a strong moral compass, witnesses an attempted kidnapping and doesn’t hesitate to intervene, smashing his beloved truck into the kidnappers’ van. That single act ties his fate to Lauren, a sharp-witted neuroscience resident, and launches the two into a tense, oddly heartwarming adventure across Los Angeles. Along the way, they uncover shady characters, dangerous secrets, and an unexpected bond between two people who never knew they needed each other. Slavin wraps all this action in a rich setting full of nostalgic Southern California vibes, sharp humor, and slow-burn romance.
What I really loved about this book is how immediately real the characters felt. From the moment James spots Lauren by the freeway (“it was like watching moving art,” James muses), I was hooked. Their chemistry isn’t forced, it bubbles up in little moments, like Lauren making fun of James’ “pocket protector” comment after the accident. It’s funny without trying too hard, and that effortless humor makes their relationship feel genuine. The way Lauren and James joke about “jocular” versus “jovial” is a perfect example. The dialogue throughout the book just clicks in that way where you forget you’re reading fiction.
Not everything is sunshine and good vibes. Slavin doesn’t shy away from creating truly nasty villains, and he goes deep into their twisted mindsets. Some sections about Chance and Billy, especially when they rant about women (like the disturbing “Harvey Weinstein wasn’t that bad” drunk conversation), made my skin crawl. But that’s the point. Slavin doesn’t glamorize their evil; he shows how deeply messed up and entitled they are. It’s heavy, but necessary. I appreciate that he didn’t flinch away from the darker side of human nature, even if I sometimes wished I could speed-read past those parts because they made me so angry.
One thing that completely charmed me is how Pete Slavin paints Los Angeles. He captures LA’s weird contrasts, which are gritty yet beautiful, fake but somehow authentic underneath, with such a sharp eye. James’ quiet beach house in Hermosa Beach (not huge, but cozy and thoughtful, like everything about him) feels like a character itself. When Lauren looks out over the Valley from the fixer-upper house, it’s not just a pretty view; it’s a glimpse into hope, rebuilding, and starting over. Those small moments, a sunset, a shared Diet Coke, a quiet joke about being a “weirdo,” brought a surprising sense of warmth and tenderness to the story. I did not anticipate feeling so genuinely moved while reading an action-thriller-romance, yet that is exactly what happened.
Hermosa is a perfect read for anyone who loves fast plots, believable love stories, and characters who actually feel like people you could meet in real life. If you like books with action, humor, and heart (and don’t mind some very dark villains), you’ll absolutely get caught up in this one. Slavin skillfully strikes a balance between high-stakes action and tender, everyday moments, creating a story that is both thrilling and unexpectedly heartfelt.
Pages: 274 | ASIN: B0F2SMYQK2
LITERARY TITAN 