Our prompt this week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop is: “Have you ever written (or plan to write) a romance set in the winter? If so, does it differ from a summer one? How?”
Okay, so that's THREE questions. And my answers are: Several. Sometimes. And, oof. That's complicated. How long do you have?
I'm going to use my very first winter-set book, Sound of a Voice That is Still as an example--in part because I wrote it intentionally to pair with a "twin" book--Touch of a Vanished Hand--which takes place six months later, in the middle of summer.
While I don't think it's necessary to focus on the weather and/or the seasons, I have to admit that all the books in the Oberon series are very much grounded in those things--and the elements. There's a coldness at the heart of Sound and the overall theme is cold, wet, bleak. The story is set mostly at the beach and the weather is uniformly stormy. As are the characters' interactions with each other. It ends on a happy for now note--because spring is breaking at the end, and hope is the emotion of spring.
Touch is fiery and lush. It's set amid vineyards. There are hot air balloons, festivals and explosions...and I think THREE (?) couples get their HEAs.
Now, hop on over to Brenda Margriet's page and read her take on winter romances. And don't forget to check out her book, Loving Between the Lines.
A one-night stand neither will forget.
She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.
After a childhood being dragged around the continent by her musician parents, Lynn Kolmyn has stretched her roots deep into her chosen hometown. When her absconding fiancé screws up her careful plans, she decides to become a mother at almost forty, realizing the only person she can rely on is herself.
Benjamin Whitestone was the hometown hockey hero until a spectacular mistake led to failure and condemnation. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to make it up to his parents, his teammates, or his fans. In a final bid to prove himself, he accepts a job coaching the junior team where he used to be a star, determined to rewrite history.
When Lynn and Benjamin collide—literally—they are both shocked to see the stranger from a single sensual night two years ago. Now the past tangles with the future…a future neither of them was expecting.
(Book Two in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series. Can be read as a standalone)
Siobhan Quinn could give the injured officer a lesson or two in living with pain. It's been ten years since her life was changed and her heart critically wounded as a result of the tragic accident that robbed her of her family. She knows firsthand how grief can cripple a soul and drive a sane mind over the edge.
Sometimes it seems like Spring will never come again. Sometimes, the only alternative to living in inner darkness, is death. Your own, or someone else's. In the depths of winter, Ryan and Siobhan will have to make a choice: to help each other heal, or die trying.
Now available in print and digital formats
Our prompt this week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop is: “January is often when we reset our wellness goals. Share the recipe for a quick and healthy winter weather meal.”
Okay, this is really hard. There are so many delicious winter dishes and, honestly, I think anything you make with fresh, organic ingredients is going to be pretty healthy. But butternut squash soup--or pumpkin soup, or sweet potato soup--is one of my absolute favorites. Especially when served with a kale salad and a slice of fresh rosemary sourdough bread.
Here's a vegan version made with green apple and coconut milk:
https://immigrantstable.com/smooth-butternut-squash-soup-with-apple-and-coconut-milk/
Don't forget the pumpkin seeds (although I prefer mine raw). And nothing against thyme, but I also like to garnish mine with either rosemary or sage.
Oh, and I think this wine would go nicely.
https://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/2026/01/wine-wednesday-kendall-jackson.html
Now, hop on over to Jenna Da Sie's page to find out what healthy winter meal she recommends.
I wish I could remember what I paired this wine with, but it's been a little while, and I don't. But it's one of those wines that makes my husband say, "I really like white wine so much more than red wine."
I love red wine, but I know what he means. This is a very nice wine. It has hints of lemon blossom and honeydew on the nose. It's crisp (I'm guessing stainless steel, rather than oak) with a bright nectarine/cantaloupe flavor. Maybe a little papaya.
This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked, "What are you looking forward to in the new year, personal and/or professional? What are your author goals?"
So, let's talk about books. I finished up last year with a few POUR DECISIONS holiday releases. Two stories are free, and you can check out those links below. Currently, I'm working on a new POUR DECISIONS story--a wedding story. Because, that's right, the Martinelli sisters are getting married. You can find a few details--and a couple of new covers here: https://www.pgforte.com/pour-decisions
After that, I hope to wrap up a new edition to the Celtic Legends series--SELKIE for an anthology that releases in 2027. The blurb for that one is here: https://www.pgforte.com/celtic-legends
I'll also be working with Kate Davies and Kelly Jamieson on ANOTHER Pour Decisions Christmas story. And if everything goes according to plan, I might even manage to finish one of the many holiday stories I have in the works. Fingers crossed.
And...that's about it.
Now, hop on over to Leslie Hachtel's page to find out what she's got going in 2026! And don't forget to check out her book, Once Upon a Tablecloth.
Nick Jordan acquires failing restaurants, then makes them prosperous. But when Lily Mercer called him for help, he didn't count on falling in love. Or that someone wants to kill her.
And with so many obstacles and threats, will they ever find their happily ever after?
Meet the Martinelli sisters: Rosa, Bianca and Allegra. These partners in wine have just inherited a once-storied winery in the heart of Napa Valley. They’re living the dream, right?
Not so fast! Because, as it turns out, not everybody is happy for them. And that includes their Uncle Geno who’d assumed the property would come to him.
There are hoops to jump through, barrels to get over, and a mountain of regulations they'll have to scale. But the sisters are crushing it—and we don’t just mean the grapes. They’re making wine, falling in love, and working together to restore their inheritance to its former glory, one pour decision at a time.
Click this link to purchase the trilogy, Le Tre Sorelle. Or to download our two Christmas freebies!
