The Christmas Cure by Kristine Winters

A special thank you to to the publisher, Simon and Schuster Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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!

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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.

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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/gardener 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.

Christmas at the Ranch by Julia McKay

A special thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

She hasn’t been in love in ten years, but she’s about to get back in the saddle.

With the holidays around the corner and her father recently imprisoned for financial fraud, disgraced journalist Emory Oakes doesn’t know where to turn. She’s only certain of one thing: She needs to get away.

Fate takes the wheel, leaving her stranded in snowy Evergreen, the picturesque town where she spent her happiest Christmas as a teen—and chronicled every moment in her journal as she fell in love with handsome local, Tate Wilder, at his family’s idyllic horse ranch—until it all went wrong.

Emory isn’t ready to face Tate, but kismet and Christmas magic have other ideas. As the love they’ve denied for a decade rekindles, the betrayals that kept them apart resurface, as does Emory’s family scandal. Yet Tate Wilder and his ranch feel more like home than anywhere ever has. Will Emory and Tate’s alchemy fizzle or will their Christmas wishes come true? 

This swoony second chance holiday romance is about a woman who escapes a family scandal by fleeing to the charming, nostalgic place where she both fell in love for the first time and had her heart broken. Set against a perfect snowy setting, Christmas at the Ranch is a story of love, hope, and the magic of Christmas. With themes of forgiveness and second chances, this is the perfect holiday escape.

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JULIA McKAY is the pen name of Marissa Stapley, a New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the Reese's Book Club pick Lucky (soon to be an Apple TV+ limited series starring Anya Taylor-Joy). She has also co-written several bestselling holiday romances, including The Holiday Swap, All I Want for Christmas, and Three Holidays and a Wedding. 

Stapley divides her time between city life in Toronto and lake life in Haliburton, where she writes about love, second chances, and the magic of the holidays.

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Q & A with Julia McKay*

GWR: What inspired you to write holiday romances? 

JM: There’s just something about the holidays that makes my storytelling heart come alive. The lights, the traditions, the way love and nostalgia seem amplified—it’s irresistible! I’m also fascinated by the contrast the season brings: joy and celebration isn’t all there is to the holiday season. It can also be full of loneliness and family unrest, which can stir up old tensions or heartbreak. That mix of comfort and complexity gives me so much to explore as a writer. And, of course, I adore capturing the cozy magic of a small Canadian town blanketed in snow.

GWR: What sparked the idea for Christmas at the Ranch? What is the story behind the story? 

JM: The story was born from my deep love of cottage country—and my own little slice of it. The lake in the book is inspired by the one where I spend my summers (and sometimes snowy holidays), where the ice makes the most haunting, beautiful sounds as it shifts and cracks. I’ve also been an equestrian most of my life, so weaving in a ranch setting and that bond between humans and horses felt natural. Christmas at the Ranch is my love letter to winter in Ontario—snow, family, healing, and second chances all included.

GWR: You’ve also co-authored holiday romance books writing as Maggie Knox (with Karma Brown) and with Uzma Jalaluddin—is there a trope that you haven’t explored yet that you would like to?

JM: I have a soft spot for Opposites Attract, and I think an office romance might be next on my wish list. That seems like it could be great fun—especially when the mistletoe gets involved.

GWR: What elements are a must in a holiday novel?

JM: Even the most laugh-out-loud or glamorous holiday story needs emotional truth underneath,  that spark of connection and hope that makes readers feel deeply invested in the love story. Setting is key, too: snow-covered streets, glowing windows, twinkle lights, and the smell of something baking in the background. And of course, a satisfying happily-ever-after...because if not at Christmas, when?

GWR: I loved the juxtaposition of Toronto and cottage country. What is it about the small-town setting of Evergreen that makes it the perfect backdrop for a Christmas romance?

JM: Evergreen is everything I love about small-town Ontario: it’s full of charm, community, and a little mischief. People know one another’s business—for better or worse—but that also means they show up when it counts. The natural beauty of the snow-covered lake and forests creates a built-in sense of wonder, and the town provides the perfect opportunity to introduce a quirky cast of supporting characters, something I always love to do.

GWR: You utilized a dual timeline as well as an epistolary element through the inclusion of Emory’s diary entries—how did this structure come about? 

JM: I wanted readers to feel the depth of Emory and Tate’s history,  to sense how the past still echoes in the present. The diary entries allowed me to weave in emotion, secrets, and reflection in a really intimate way.

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

JM: For a cocktail, I’d say Ranch Water: traditionally made with tequila, water, and lime, but made festive with a splash of cranberry juice, a few frozen cranberries, and a sprig of rosemary. It easily becomes a mocktail by skipping the tequila and adding a dash or two of bitters.

GWR: Can you share what are you working on now?

JM: I’m currently finishing my next romance novel, which I’ll be able to share more about soon—but for now, I can say it’s set in small-town Ontario and full of cozy vibes, second chances, and seasonal magic. On the other end of the spectrum, I’m also deep into writing the sequel to Lucky. It’s a busy but very exciting time!

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena

A special thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When a beloved wife and mother disappears, a luxurious condo building transforms into a potential crime scene, and the investigation begins: can the detectives find her before it's too late?

Bryden and Sam have it all: thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter. The perfect life for the perfect couple.

Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden—working from home that day—has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.

Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out. 

The queen of domestic suspense, Shari Lapena, is back with a gripping and claustrophobic tale of deception, revenge, and jealousy. 

She Didn't See it Coming is union of a suburban thriller and police procedural. Told from multiple points of view, this cast of unreliable and unlikable characters are full of secrets, lies, and in some cases motivation—everyone is a suspect for Detective Jayne Salter.

Expertly plotted and full of red herrings and twists, this is Lapena is at her finest. Strong recommend.

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SHARI LAPENA is is the internationally bestselling author of nine thrillers—including The Couple Next Door—which have all been New York Times, Sunday Times, and Globe and Mail bestsellers. Her books have been sold in forty territories around the world. 

Lapena lives on a farm outside Toronto with her husband.

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Q & A with Shari Lapena*

GWR: Is there a particular author/work that inspired you to become a writer or the way you write?  

SL: There’s no one book or author who inspired me to become a writer exactly, but I do remember being nine years old and reading Nancy Drew books and thinking that I’d like to grow up and write Nancy Drew books one day. As far as the way I write, I take inspiration from Patricia Highsmith, who was so good at getting into the deep, dark psychology of her characters.

GWR: Are you a pantser/gardener or a plotter/architect? 

SL: That’s interesting—I haven’t heard the gardener/architect labels before. I’m definitely a pantser/gardener. I’ve tried planning but I just can’t think of anything that might happen unless I’m actually writing inside a character in a scene and seeing what happens next. I’m definitely an organic writer—one thing leads to another for me. I start with a couple of characters and a situation or conflict and see what they do and go from there. 

GWR: As a seasoned author, what is your favourite part of the publishing process? Is there anything that you still find difficult?

SL: I still love writing the first draft. I love to see where the story is going. And I love touring and going to festivals. I still find edits a slog after a while, but they’re a necessary part of the process. There’s also a lot of administrative work that goes along with being an author, but it must be done.

GWR: What sparked the idea for She Didn't See It Coming?

SL: I’ve always been interested in stories about people who go out to the corner store to get a loaf of bread for example and are never seen again. I always want to know what happened. I came up with the idea of a woman working from home one day in a condominium building who appears to have just stepped out for a moment, leaving her purse, keys and phone behind. No signs of a struggle. And no clues as to what happened to her. Of course, the people left behind are going mad not knowing what happened to her. The police investigation is extra interesting because there is no evidence that she ever actually left the building—but they can’t find her.

GWR: Detective Jayne Salter and her partner, Dr. Michael Fraser, are persuasive and compelling characters—will either/both be featured in any upcoming works, or for a series perhaps? 

SL: That’s a good question! I’ve always written stand alones, but I’m actually starting to consider doing a series. And I like Jayne and Michael too—her struggles with being a homicide detective, and the extra colour he provides as a psychologist. I might come back to them. People are already asking for a sequel to She Didn't See It Coming.

GWR: Why do you prefer to write from a third-person point of view? 

SL: I love third person point of view, but even more, I love multiple points of view. Third person is great because you can get as shallow or as deep as you like into a character—and I like to get deep into their emotions and complexities. And I love multiple viewpoints because I find it really helps to keep the pacing fast and sets up lots of opportunities to engage and mislead the reader.  

GWR: How do you write such effective red herrings when you are so close to the material?

SL: I don’t even have to think about red herrings—they just occur naturally as I write. I think of every character, or most characters, as a suspect, so I’m imagining why they might have done the crime and how and why. So the red herrings are there naturally for each suspect.

GWR: As the queen of domestic suspense, do you build your stories around a twist/reveal, or does this happen organically?

SL: It’s all organic for me. I don’t plan any of it, and that includes plot, character, twists, reveals, and the ending. I start with an incident—for example, in She Didn't See It Coming, I knew Bryden would disappear from her condo and not pick her child up from daycare. I knew she would have a husband. But that’s it. After I’d written that, I went back and added a prologue about a minor car accident she’d had. And then I started adding in other characters as they occurred to me in the story.

GWR: What draws you to darker themes? 

SL: That is such a good question, and do we ever really know? I just find that I’m curious about them. It’s curiosity that drives me to write, and I think it’s curiosity that drives us to read. We want to know what happens next. People have a built-in love for story. I think it’s how we learn.

GWR: What’s the one element of a thriller that is a must?

SL: Tension. You can’t have a thriller without tension. You can have a thriller without a dead body, but you must have tension.

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

SL: Oh, no one’s ever asked me that before. Maybe a black coffee with a shot of gin. I wonder what that tastes like? (Shari said that the black coffee for a jolt and the gin because apparently psychopaths drink gin.)

GWR: Can you share what are you working on now?

SL: Yes, I’ve just finished my tenth crime novel, called Getting Away With Murder. It will be out next summer. It just might be my best yet.

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

Hello, Juliet by Samantha M. Bailey

A special thank you to the author, Samantha M. Bailey, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy Westcott fled LA as her acting career imploded. In a flash, she lost her first love and chosen family—her Hello, Juliet castmates. But she never discovered who turned her closest friends against her. Now the whole world knows her as #PoisonIvy.

A decade later, Ivy is horrified when a celebrity exposé thrusts the Hello, Juliet cast back into the limelight, dredging up the old scandals she hoped to escape. Desperate for a fresh start and some financial stability for her mother and manager, Ivy agrees to participate in a top-secret reunion episode.

Ivy’s poised for a comeback, but past betrayals become a present danger when she and the man who once broke her heart find their costar dead.

Determined to find justice and clear her name, Ivy must tear down the facades of cast and crew to uncover chilling secrets that have plagued the Hollywood set from day one. Or she could be the next to die. 

Hello, Juliet is a soapy thriller about the perils of fame. Told in a dual timeline from Ivy's point of view, it is a searing behind the scenes look at show business. 

With its shocking twists and satisfying epilogue, Hello, Juliet is Bailey's best book yet.

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SAMANTHA M. BAILEY is the USA TODAY and #1 international bestselling author of Woman on the Edge, optioned for series adaptation, Watch Out for Her, shortlisted for Canada Reads 2025, and A Friend in the Dark, an Amazon Charts bestseller. Her novels have sold in twelve countries. 

Bailey lives in Toronto with her family.

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Q & A with Samantha M. Bailey*

GWR: Readers may not know this about you, but you started writing what was once referred to as “chick lit.” How did you make the transition to thrillers?

SMB: After my first two books died on sub, and it was clear that chick lit was a hard sell, I started writing women's fiction. Then I had kids, and as my fears and worries grew, my books got darker. My debut, Woman on the Edge, was actually a dark women's fiction, and it was my amazing agent who encouraged me to turn it into a thriller. I'd always wanted to write thrillers, and her advice was one of the best things to ever happen for me. I found my true passion.

GWR: What was the inspiration for Hello, Juliet?

SMB: I'm addicted to TV and fascinated by celebrity. I'd always wanted to set a book in Hollywood and the world of soapy, glossy shows, especially the behind-the-scenes drama. The inciting incident came to me first. When Ivy Westcott returns to the set of the teen drama she starred in, and fled a decade earlier, to film a reunion episode, she finds the body of one of her former co-stars in her old dressing room. 

GWR: This is your fourth published novel (Samantha is also the author of Woman on the Edge, Watch Out for Her, and A Friend in the Dark). Does your writing process change book-to-book?

SMB: Yes and no. I usually start with the premise and characters then create a detailed outline. At the same time, I draft chapters to see if the premise is propulsive and has enough forward momentum. I also compose countless emails to myself, jot ideas on any paper I can find, record ideas when I'm on the go. My process is all-consuming. I'm trying, though, to find a better balance and shut off my brain at the end of the day and on weekends, depending on how tight my deadline is. 

GWR: Do you pair your characters to the book—who would survive the scenario—or do you write them situationally?

SMB: While I generally know by the time I finish the outline who survives and who doesn't, I'm much better at rewriting than drafting. So, it often takes a few drafts for me to truly understand my characters, what they want, who they are, and what's at stake for them. I follow their lead so the story unfolds as organically as possible.

GWR: How do you write effective red herrings when you are so close to the material?

SMB: Good question! By rewriting and working with excellent editors. It will be a few drafts before I can effectively place red herrings, reveals, and twists, because it's not until I'm fully immersed in my characters' worlds that I can see where I need to add those details.

GWR: Tell us about the research you did for the novel. 

SMB: It was the most fun I've ever had writing a book because it was the first time I could travel for research. I spent five glorious days in LA with Meredith Schorr, my author BFF. We went everywhere Hello, Juliet takes place. We strolled Santa Monica Beach and the pier, went to Culver City, West Hollywood, and took a bus tour of all the hot spots, including a dangerously steep drive up Mulholland Drive, where we stopped to gaze at the Hollywood sign. We spent a lot of time on Sunset Boulevard, where we had dinner with Jon Lindstrom, my fellow thriller author, who's also currently an actor on General Hospital and Beyond the Gates. He also drove us up and down the Sunset Strip, so I could hop out and take photos inside iconic bars, like Whiskey a Go Go.

GWR: Hello, Juliet is told in a dual timeline, but from only one character's point of view and with the use of social media—how did this structure come about? 

SMB: Painfully. Ha ha. I generally do a dual timeline/dual POV, but this is my first novel with a dual POV for one character, told ten years apart. It took a lot of hair pulling and teeth gnashing to fit it all together. And the social media was really exciting to write but also tricky because I had to go back to 2014 to make it as accurate as possible. Because it's a book about the dangers of fame and how quickly public perception can change, social media needed to be included. 

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch. Who would you cast?

SMB: I don't envision actors when I'm writing because I need to see my characters as themselves, if that makes sense. But Melissa A of @mel_thebookfairy made a fantastic cast list. She chose: Gracie Lawrence for Ivy, Cassie Randolph for Lauren, Callum Kerr as Jesse, Kyle Allen as Caleb, Victor Webster for Mack, Linda Cardellini as Elizabeth, Fiona Rene for Detective Tanaka, and Jenna Dewan as Rachel. A dream cast! 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

 

SMB: I'm going to say a cosmopolitan because it's fun and pretty with a tart bite.

GWR: Can you share what you are working on now?

 

SMB: I'm working on book five, currently untitled, and it's slowly taking shape. I can't give too much away because it's still in the early stages, but it might be my wildest and most ambitious book yet. 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young

A special thank you to Dell for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

High school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood have always been a sure thing. For the past seventeen years, they have had each other’s backs through all of life’s ups and downs, achievements, losses, stages, and phases.

But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?

When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.

That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.

The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?

In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a gruelling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.

What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.

Bonam-Young's companion novel to Out on a Limb features a marriage in trouble trope that's skewered with young love. Told in a dual timeline, it is an exploration of Sarah and Caleb's relationship as well as grief—how paralyzing loss can be. 

Out of the Woods tackles some weightier topics that Bonam-Young balances with witty banter and her exceptional supporting cast. Centred around loss, it is a novel that has incredible depth with a side of spice.

Readers will love the cameos from some beloved characters—Win, Bo, and Gus—and will be rooting for Sarah and Caleb.

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HANNAH BONAM-YOUNG is the author of Next of Kin, Next to You, Out on a Limb, and Out of the Woods. Hannah writes romances featuring a cast of diverse, disabled, marginalized, and LGBTQIA+ folks wherein swoon-worthy storylines blend with the beautiful, messy, and challenging realities of life. When not reading or writing romance you can find her having living room dance parties with her kids or planning any occasion that warrants a cheese board. 

Bonam-Young lives with her childhood friend turned husband, Ben, two kids, and bulldog near Niagara Falls on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.

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Q & A with Hannah Bonam-Young-Young*

GWR: How did you start writing/become a writer?      

HBY: It sounds so cliche but I've been writing as long as I can remember! I was the kid with her nose stuck in a book or a journal and often found my imagination a nicer place to exist than in the real world. It wasn't until the pandemic that I started writing again in a more serious, structured sense. I had two toddlers at home with me, while trying to work part-time from home as well, and I needed something in my day that was just for me. After a year or so, I wrote a book called Next of Kin that I felt pretty proud of. I sent it off to some family and friends and they all supported me in the decision to do something with it! Eventually that became self-publishing! After self-publishing my first three books (and a novella) I made the transition over to traditional publishing when I signed a book deal with Penguin Random House. Now, I get the pleasure of writing and releasing books with them!

GWR: Being a seasoned author, what is your favourite part of the publishing process? Is there anything that surprised you? 

HBY: I don't know if I would call myself a seasoned author just yet but thank you for the compliment, ha! My favourite part of the publishing process is definitely seeing the fully finished cover for the first time. It always feels like a puzzle piece clicking into place. 

I think what surprised me the most was that in traditional publishing there are so many folks working to make the book a reality! I was a one-woman team for the most part before, so it's very cool to have a team of people working towards a common goal of making each book the very best it can be.

GWR: What comes first for you—the overall idea or the characters? 

HBY: Usually the idea is very vague, but necessary for me to start daydreaming, and then the characters are what sell me on whether I think the book is worth writing or not. If they are interesting to me or easy to reach, I'll always want to write their story! Often the idea becomes totally different too, once I get to know whose story it is.

GWR: Did you always want to tell Sarah and Caleb’s story? (Sarah and Caleb are introduced in Out on a Limb—this is a companion novel, but it is not necessary to read Out on a Limb first.) 

HBY: I did! I didn't necessarily think I would, because I wasn't convinced that Out on a Limb would do "well" enough to keep readers interested enough for a follow-up novel, but I did hope for the chance to write their story.

GWR: Out of the Woods features young love and marriage in crisis tropes—what is your favourite trope to write and what is your favourite trope to read?

HBY: My favourite trope to write, that I've written so far, is friends-to-lovers. I love reading it too! I think it's just so wholesome and messy and FUN.

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Sarah and Caleb’s relationship to have? I love that you also celebrate female friendship, so I’ll ask the same question about Sarah and Win’s relationship.

HBY: What was most important to me about Sarah and Caleb's dynamic was that they remained in love for the duration of the book. There's not a moment in Out of the Woods, or at least I hope there isn't, that the reader will doubt these two are very much in love and wanting to work on things. They have a really deep, layered, fundamental bond that isn't easily broken and while they have a lot of progress to make, they do love each other throughout it all. 

For Sarah and Win, their relationship is so pivotal to each of their individual character arcs. I love to say this but I found a lot of comfort in the fact that Win would have been totally fine in Out on a Limb if Bo had never met her for coffee—because she had Sarah! And if Sarah had needed to leave her marriage, Win would have helped her through it. They will always be there for each other.

GWR: How do you balance complex subject matter—loss, grief, toxic parental relationships, mental health—with the lighter elements of a romance novel? 

HBY: I think it's just about keeping things grounded in reality. Humans experience all of these heavier, "negative" emotions day after day—but we still feel joy amongst it! Having characters processing all of these very difficult things while simultaneously feeling hope is so necessary to me—because that's life. And hope can come through in many different forms... Sometimes it's silly, goofy banter. Sometimes it's sex. Sometimes it's light-hearted conversations to remind them that there's still more happiness to come. Without that balance, the story wouldn't feel worthwhile to me. Or, I'd get too sad writing it to keep going.

GWR: Which subjects do you wish more authors would write about?

HBY: I honestly don't know! I would love to see more limb difference representation, obviously. But every author has to figure out what story they want to tell, and we're being fed a lot of incredible books these days so I don't feel like I'm missing out! 

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from Out of the Woods?  

HBY: That you can reinvent yourself at any stage of life. That it's never too late to figure out who you are and what you want! And, if you do have a partner, they should go on that discovery journey alongside you and support you through it.

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

HBY: If Out of the Woods was a beverage it would be black coffee from a thermos. Bitter, but comforting!

GWR: Can you share what are you working on now?

HBY: I'm finishing up copy edits on my upcoming September release, People Watching, while also writing my sixth book, People Pleasing. I cannot wait to share more about them! 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

A special thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When doppelgänger best friends trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian would’ve-been-honeymoon, both might just find love they weren’t expecting.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bedless, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet. 

For fans of The Holiday and Hallmark movies, The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a best friends, dual point of view, new chance at love in the most opposite of settings. This is the perfect read to kick off your holiday season.

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JULIA McKAY/MARISSA STAPLEY is a journalist and the bestselling author of Lucky, The Last Resort, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and Mating for Life. She co-authored All I Want for Christmas and The Holiday Swap with Karma Brown as Maggie Knox, and Three Holidays and a Wedding with Uzma Jalaluddin. 

Stapley lives in Toronto with her family.

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Q & A with Julia McKay*

GWR: How long did it take you to write The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, and how many drafts were there before publication?

JM: The timelines are really tight with my holiday romance novels—given that there is no leeway, and they must come out before the holiday season! So, I tend to write them in more concentrated bursts. It took me about five months to complete the first draft, and then there were two faster drafts after that before we got to copyedits. 

GWR: Is there any significance to the name Julia McKay?

JM: Julia is my middle name; McKay is my Grannie Maggie’s maiden name—and she was a writer, freelancing for many Canadian newspapers and magazines over the years and penning short stories as well. 

GWR: Were you inspired by any holiday movies or other holiday rom-coms?

JM: I was inspired by one of my favourite movies, The Holiday, as well as one of my favourite rom coms, The Unhoneymooners! 

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for the book.

JM: For fans of The Holiday, but make them besties … When Holly gets left at the altar of her Christmas themed wedding, she swaps holidays with her best friend, Ivy—and, out of heartache,  both friends find unexpected love beyond their wildest dreams. 

GWR: What comes first for you—the overall idea or the characters?  

JM: It always depends. Sometimes a situation or plot will come to me first, sometimes the main characters. In the case of The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, Holly and Ivy appeared first, and I knew these were characters I wanted to work with. Then I had to take some time to sort out the kind of journey I was going to take them on. 

GWR: Do you have more fun with character development or plot?

JM: I have a lot of fun with both. It’s really exciting to get to know your characters during the early stages of book conceptualizing—almost like meeting a new friend! I always use questionnaires to learn about my characters, such as the Proust questionnaire or the one in Save the Cat Writes a Novel, and it’s so entertaining to come up with answers for a person who doesn’t really exist. But I also adore plotting and planning. I feel such a rush when I’m writing an outline, even if I know things are likely to change somewhat once I get to the writing stage. 

GWR: This novel is as much about romantic relationships as it is about friendship. What were the most important characteristics and dynamics that you wanted Holly and Aiden’s/Ivy and Oliver’s relationships to have, as well as Holly and Ivy’s friendship? 

JM: It is very important to me that my characters have agency, and full lives outside of their romantic relationships. So, in this case, it was key that any relationship either character ended up in would work with her best friendship. I wanted both male leads to be secure and confident, with some baggage but not the sort that would get in the way of outside relationships. And I also thought it would be good if they were both a little isolated in their lives and really in the market for a bromance, which is definitely what I see happening between them after the final pages of the novel, by the way!  

As far as Holly and Ivy’s friendship goes, if you’re lucky enough to have this kind of friend then you know what it’s like. It’s such a gift to have someone you can truly be yourself with, someone who accepts you for who you are even if you aren’t always perfect—because no one is—supports and brings out the best in you, and is there for you no matter what. I feel lucky to have a best friend I know I can call in any crisis, and who will also be unconditionally happy for my successes. I didn’t find this friend until I was in my forties; it’s completely okay to hold out. But I love that Holly and Ivy met in university. 

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from The Holiday Honeymoon Switch? 

JM: That it’s okay to take risks in the pursuit of happiness. That safety and responsibility are good, but following your heart is, too. That love comes in many forms, and the love you have for a friend is just as important as the love you have for a romantic partner. 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

JM: Since there are two love stories, there would have to be, two! A Hawaiian Bonfire cocktail for Ivy, a peppermint mocha with extra whip for Holly. 

GWR: Will there be another Julia McKay book or holiday novel with one of your other partnerships?

JM: Although Uzma and I would love to write together again once we find the time and the right idea, Julia McKay is here to stay. A second novel will be out next holiday season, and I’ll be sharing news on that soon. 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.