He wasn’t on her Christmas wish list, but he’s just what Santa ordered.
When Libby Munro returns to her hometown of Harmony Hills—a holiday-obsessed village that feels like stepping into a Christmas card—she’s longing for an escape. A respite from her hectic job as a big-city emergency room doctor, and a change of scenery after a painful break-up. Maybe Harmony Hills’s festive charm will help her rediscover the holiday spirit.
What she doesn’t expect is Liam the dreamy, green-eyed owner of the local bakery, whose smile rivals the glow of the town’s legendary Christmas tree. Or a run-in with Liam’s excitable pot-bellied pig, Mary Piggins, at the rumoured-to-be-magical tree-lighting ceremony. Libby’s knocked unconscious in the chaos and wakes up to find herself thrust into the specifically, to Christmastime, one year ago.
As she relives last Christmas, Libby begins to wonder if this is a second chance to change her life. With every snowflake-filled moment, the undeniable spark between her and Liam grows brighter. But if she’s going to rewrite her future, she’ll need to figure out what changes the past is asking her to make—and whether she’s ready to embrace the pull of home, and the promise of true love.
The Christmas Cure has a Groundhog Day-esque premise and all the festive feels of a Hallmark movie. Harmony Hills is as cosy as a mug of hot chocolate—the quintessential small town and the perfect setting for a holiday romance. With a pig that will steal your heart, this holiday gem is full of humour, cheer, and the magic of Christmas. Winters has gifted readers the perfect holiday rom-com!
KRISTINE WINTERS is the pen name of Karma Brown, an award-winning journalist and author of the bestsellers Come Away With Me, The Choices We Make, In This Moment, The Life Lucy Knew, and Recipe for a Perfect Wife. Her first non-fiction book, The 4% Fix, published in 2020. Karma's writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine. She’s also one half of the writing duo behind The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox.
Brown lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband, daughter, and their adorably handsome labradoodle, Fred.
Q & A with Kristine Winters*
GWR: As an author who has written in different genres, do you approach each book the same way?
KW: Generally speaking, yes. I typically write a synopsis first, once I have a good handle on the idea (and decide it has legs). Then I’ll do some early research and brainstorming. After that, more in-depth research and brainstorming…until I’m itching to start writing. I wait until the momentum is strong to avoid false starts, because the first draft is my nemesis and I need to show it who’s the boss. There have been a few exceptions to the pattern—notably my non-fiction book, The 4 % Fix, which required its own process (and even though it was about finding creativity at 5 a.m., it refused to be written at 5 a.m...).
GWR: Tell us about your writing process. Are you a pantser/gardner or a plotter/architect?
KW: I call myself a “plantser.” I have a solid outline and have done a lot of work on character/setting and plot details before I commit a single word to the document, but once I start writing I let things flow. Sometimes a book will closely resemble my outline, sometimes it looks wildly different by the time I type The End.
GWR: What was the inspiration for The Christmas Cure?
KW: It was inspired by one of my early novels, the one I signed with my agent for. It came close to selling, but we couldn’t quite get it over the line. It was not a holiday rom-com, but did feature a small-town doctor returning to her charming but gossip-happy small town after a tragedy. I loved the small-town vibe (it’s one of the tropes I enjoy the most), and even though that book has been shelved for over a decade now, the protagonist and the cast of characters has stuck with me. Plus, I’m a sucker for anything time-travel, especially with a Groundhog Day vibe.
GWR: Who is your favourite side character?
KW: Mary Piggins, no question. I adore that calamitous pig!
GWR: This novel is as much about a romantic relationship as it is about female connections (sisters, mother/daughter, best friend/high school best friend). What were the most important characteristics and dynamics that you wanted Libby and Liam’s relationship to have, as well as Libby’s with her sister, and her friends, Helena and Claire?
KW: I wanted Liam to be solidly in the “green flag guy” category, and for Libby to see what might be possible if she let go of the past. Miscommunication is a tricky trope in rom coms, so I tried to minimize that as much as possible between Liam and Libby.
In terms of the relationships between the women, my goal was for those connections to be strong and supportive, but also showcase a hint of gentle truth-telling to help Libby find her way.
GWR: The Christmas Cure features some of the best romance tropes—small-town romance, holiday romance, fated mates—what is your favourite trope to write and what is your favourite to read?
KW: My favourite tropes to write and read are similar. I’m a fan of enemies to lovers, small-town romance, anything involving warring chefs or food competitions, forced proximity, and, obviously, holiday-themed romance!
GWR: You really captured the magic and whimsy of Christmas—why do you think holiday books are so beloved?
KW: The coziness of the holiday season is hard to beat. Lit fireplaces, warm blankets, gently falling snow, twinkle lights, midnight black skies with stars and chilly air, nostalgic traditions and holiday carolling, family gatherings, everything decorated to within an inch of its life…add a sweet romance in there, and you’ve ticked a lot of boxes.
GWR: Why was it important to you to set the book in Canada? (Yay!)
KW: In my mind there is no better setting for a snowy holiday romance than Canada. It’s a vibe! Also, I was very excited to put ‘toques’ in my story, and use ‘u’s with reckless abandon. Canadian spelling for the win.
GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be?
KW: Hot chocolate with vanilla whipped cream, milk-chocolate shavings, and a dash of edible glitter on top. It’s Hallmark-style sweet and cozy.
GWR: What are you working on now? And will there be more Kristine Winters books?
KW: I’m currently on a much-needed break, and am looking forward to releasing two books over the next few months. The Christmas Cure this fall, and then my debut horror novel (Mother Is Watching), coming spring 2026. It’s been a busy couple of years, but I can’t wait for these releases. Even though they are quite different genres, both were a joy to work on. I’m grateful to the readers who follow me wherever this journey takes me!
*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.
No comments:
Post a Comment