Every chapter has a heartbeat. Mine just happen to sing.

I’ve always loved music. I’m passionate about it. All of it. Genre or language don’t exist in my world; if it moves me, it matters. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and it was just as central in Israel’s. It soundtracked our love, our road trips, our silences, our healing. It was part of the way we communicated when words weren’t enough.

So when I began writing Love in the Time of Grief, music naturally found its way in.

As each chapter took shape, I started pairing it with a song. Sometimes the match was emotional and direct. Other times, it was all about contrast… choosing a track that hit a different chord than the one I was writing through. A sad chapter might end in a disco anthem. A joyful moment might be wrapped in a ballad of ache. Whether in English or Spanish, each song became a mirror or a foil to the moment I was living, remembering, or surviving.

This playlist isn’t just a vibe. It’s the emotional spine of the book.

Some songs echo the ache. Others push back with rhythm and defiance. Together, they form the soundtrack of my grief, my healing, and the love that refuses to die.