Book of Love’s Susan Ottaviano on Mom Life, Creativity, and the 2026 Reunion Tour

Forty years since NYC synth-pop band Book of Love released its acclaimed self-titled debut album, vocalist Susan Ottaviano’s on a big creative kick. 

She’s posting throwbacks on TikTok, prepping for the band’s reunion tour, and, in days, releasing a beautifully illustrated plant-health book with collaborator Chris Young. The timing, at least for Ottaviano, is serendipitous. 

Her son Henry, 22, graduated from college in May, and nostalgia for all mid-80s things — including Book of Love’s nightclub-ready songs — is in full swing. And Ottaviano’s three bandmates —keyboardists Ted Ottaviano, Lauren Roselli, and Jade Lee — are along for the ride. 

“We’re going to be doing 10 dates in the U.S. with all four original band members,” Susan tells Rockmommy. “We haven’t done that maybe for 20 years. So it’s a it’s a bit of an undertaking, but we’re really excited.”

That’s not all. Book of Love’s 40th Anniversary special remastered vinyl reissue of their 1986 debut album dropped on June 26, 2026, via Rhino Records. The special anniversary edition, remastered by its original engineer Ted Jensen, features artwork in collaboration with original art director Nick Egan; a four-page insert featuring outtakes from the iconic photo session with Michael Halsband; and liner notes by writer and music historian Kurt B. Reighley. 

In advance of the album’s release, Grammy-winning producer Dave Audé also shared a new remix of “Boy,” reimagining the band’s breakout single for a new generation of listeners.

But even with the current Gen Z affection for neon lights, Stranger Things, and Kate Bush-worthy anthems, keeping a Reagan-era band going in the age of smartphone videos and AI isn’t easy. We sat down with Susan to learn more. 

The following Q&A is an excerpt of the full interview, available via Rockmommy’s YouTube page (see below). 

Rockmommy (Marisa Torrieri Bloom): So I’m so excited to talk about Book of Love, but I wanted to back up a second, because I remember we talked 10 years ago, around when I started Rockmommy, and you had a 12-year old son, and I had a 2-year-old son. And one thing I remembered was you telling me your son’s into his own thing. At the time I thought that because I play guitar and had a baby shower with guitar onesies, my kid would play guitar.

Susan Ottaviano: Yeah, what ended up happening? Because at that point, I think you still thought that, you know, it was going to happen.

Rockmommy: I was like, ‘oh yeah, it’s gonna be great, he’s gonna be to rock n’ roll like a hundred percent!’ No, that did not happen! So I will not forget that. Because then you approached me recently and you’re like, ‘my son’s 22 now!’ So what’s been happening the last 10 years? 

Susan Ottaviano: Well, I have a book coming out, but when we talked the other day, my son actually graduated from college … 2026 is a big year for me for, you know, all different kinds of milestones. I remember when I talked to you 10 years ago, that’s the first time I ever talked about being a mom and, you know, being on tour and things like that. It was really pretty interesting because my tour was based around my separation agreement — every two weeks when I wouldn’t have my son.

Rockmommy: I can’t imagine that because it’s hard enough to go on tour even if you’re in you and your partner live in under the same roof. When’s the tour? 

Susan Ottaviano: We just started announcing the tour, but we’re going to be doing 10 dates in the U.S. with all four original band members. And we haven’t done that maybe for 20 years. So it’s a it’s a bit of an undertaking, but we’re really excited.

Rockmommy: That is incredible, 40 years! How did you get everyone in the same head space?

Susan Ottaviano: I don’t know if everybody is in that same headspace! It’s kind of interesting, I mean … I went to college with Jade, Ted went to college with Lauren. So we met 40 years ago. So it’s kind of an amazing … lifetime achievement in a way. 

Rockmommy: How has your voice has changed? I can speak having experienced perimenopause. My voice has gotten deeper as a vocalist.

Susan Ottaviano: I have a lower voice to begin with, so I think it’s a little easier for people with lower voices. We did kind of revisit an old song that we never released and I thought that I wanted to bring the key down, but I think that my lower range is still strong and that made it easier for me. 

Rockmommy: When you think back though, 40 years ago, what do you miss the most about the music industry and being a working musician?

Susan Ottaviano: Well, the world has changed and we went on some big tours … we were able to have a stage show that we would travel with our own monitor system, all these kind of things that we can’t do now. We sort of have to compromise. And it’s the same thing for other work I do. You sort of have to compromise and decide what are the most important things. That becomes the challenge.

There’s a lot of different things. think that the whole DIY… I mean, in my day, you had to get signed by a record label so that you could, like, kind of break through that wall and record a pro album. Now you can record a pro album in your basement. So the field keeps changing.

Rockmommy: I mean, thank God you guys could make money off your records, because I don’t know how any band makes money today with streaming media, right?

Susan Ottaviano: I think you have to be lean and mean and I guess it depends on how you do it. I also work in the photography business, which has been decimated. If you don’t lean into the world, you’re going to be very unhappy. So how can you lean in?

Rockmommy: Some of your early songwriting now really still resonates now. Like, you know, I was listening to the boy song and I was just like, ‘wow, that hits!’

Susan Ottaviano: You know, it’s really relevant right now. But at the time it was just sort of our life. So that was, I always would encourage people to write from what you know, what you’re interested in and what you’re excited about. Our songs are really about life in New York City in the early eighties, you know.

Rockmommy: I love that, it’s a great period of time. Does everybody still live in New York? 

Susan Ottaviano: They do. Ted lives in Brooklyn and Lauren and Jade both live in downtown New York City.

Rockmommy: That’s so cool. So do you ever meet any new young musicians and talk to them for collaborations?

Susan Ottaviano: A little bit — Ted’s talking to some people right now about doing more of a dream-pop remix of “I Touch Roses.” It’s exciting to hear what they have to say … I mean my son might still not be interested in my music but some other Gen Z’ers are kind of interested in and what we’re doing and I’m fascinated by what they have to teach us.

Rockmommy: The last time we talked, you spoke about how people like the like Gen Xers were coming out to the shows … But does that affect who your opener is? Do you try to pair with younger performers? 

Susan Ottaviano: Well, we’re going to just do DJs to open the [Book of Love] set. I think that’s the best thing for our music and the audience. They’re kind of getting excited. There’s a mix of people who are really big fans and devoted to the group. And then there’s people that are about the 80s … all the music that was from that generation. 

Rockmommy: So your child is 22. Yeah. What is he into? I’m sure he loves your music now!

Susan Ottaviano: Henry! He’s supportive. I mean, I think that’s the wonderful thing about being a parent … it’s like, they’re not your fan club. They’re not your fans. You know what I mean? So they’re the ones that are going to push back. You know what I mean? Jimmy Kimmel was joking about it like, ‘what does somebody think of you? You know, excluding your kids, cause obviously they don’t think anything good!’

But it’s an interesting thing. So I think that it will come full circle. I know that we talked about like letting them have their own music and not sort of pushing that kind of thing on [them]. And sometimes we see at shows where people bring their kids. If works for their kids and if they like it, that’s great. But I don’t like the idea of, you know, forcing this kind of music on them.

Rockmommy: I want to talk about other projects you’re doing. I know you’re a photographer and that’s your jam and the photos of your new book are so beautiful. Tell us about your book. 

Susan Ottaviano: It comes out on July 7th and it’s called Plants that Heal, Plant-Based Wisdom for Body, Mind and Soul. I have a partner, Chris [Young], he’s like the plant guru guy. This is our second book. We did this other book called The Green Witch Guide to Magical Plants and Flowers that’s currently out on Skyhorse Books, but this one is broken up into eight core chapters, like mind, sleep, body, and we have different recipes and rituals and things …and I do also feel, like as a mom and someone who’s getting more mature, all these things to relax [are essential], like inner-peace oils and different teas … I love doing the recipes and I did all the illustrations for the book. So it’s been another labor of love. I’m very excited about it. And we have a book signing in New York City on July 9th. 

Rockmommy: What got you into plants for healing?

Susan Ottaviano: Chris has an amazing garden in California, and he started with writing about plants and flowers. And I’ve always been interested in flowers and also drawing flowers and the arts. We sort of worked together and we sort of developed this whole idea. I am a recipe developer, so it was great to get [recipes] in there. So it’s sort of a bit of a how-to book as well.

We’re going to be doing a lot of demos— we have this great strawberry vodka that you marinate the strawberries in the vodka for a couple of days. And, you know, just some really fun things. The book is a little keepsake.

Rockmommy: The first thing I noticed is the illustrations — they were hand-drawn and they were just like so, so gorgeous. Not AI.

Susan Ottaviano: Yeah. The interesting thing … when you say that about AI … the book is an example of something that you could not have paid an illustrator to work on because it would be too much. Now they … basically they want to just use stock illustration. And so you almost have to to and as a musician, you understand the same thing. 

There has to be a certain amount of labor of love because nobody is really appreciating the time that it takes to do something amazing.