Rachel Harris joins us today with her confession bout small town romances…
I have a confession to make. I’m in love with small towns.
I know what you’re thinking, that’s not exactly an earth-shattering confession, but see, teen Rachel would’ve denied that truth to the grave. She wanted to live in big cities and take over the entertainment industry. She was obsessed with movies and television shows, reading scripts and studying cinematography, and just knew that was where her life was going. Fast-forward a few years, young Rachel has landed a highly coveted internship at an entertainment program in the city of her dreams. She’s grateful, of course, and loving the experience…but something just didn’t fit. I didn’t fit.
I missed the slower pace. I missed the crazy, random festivals. I missed the superstition, the feeling of connection. Heck, I even missed a bit of the nosey gossip. Not so much for the fascinating (read: private) information, but the underlying truth that neighbors care and are watching out for you. Even, perhaps, when you’d rather they didn’t.
It’s no surprise then, really, that when it comes to my favorite books small towns are a common feature. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a happy girl in just about any book that has a romance. But the ones that stay with me, that seem to imprint in my reader DNA and make me laugh, cry, smile like a loon tend to be small town romances.
So, when it came time to sit down and write my first adult romance, TASTE THE HEAT, setting wasn’t even a question—it would be a small town, in particular, Magnolia Springs, a fictional small town on the outskirts of New Orleans where I grew up.
New Orleans, or Nawlins as I call it, is about family. It’s about laughter and memories and fun. We’re equally passionate about our Saints and our seafood, and we love our superstitions. We consider it completely acceptable to beg and fight over cheap plastic beads, but will then turn around and offer a neighbor a place to live for a year while they rebuild their home after the flood. There’s a heart, a determination, and a deep faith there that I haven’t found anywhere else in the world.
I believe this is true of most small towns.
People look out for their own. They tease as hard as they love. They have town secrets and mysteries, and goodness gracious, do they have gossip. But when it comes to choosing the best place to raise your children, it’s no surprise many people choose to “go back home.”
That’s the secret ingredient in small town romance. The people and the unique bonds between them. For me, TASTE THE HEAT is more than a love story between two people. It’s a love story to tightly woven communities and the deep loving family connections that are so vital to any small town.
That’s why I love small town romance. What about you?
Looking for a great small town romance? Pick up the Hometown Love Boxed Set for just $.99! This set will only be available for a limited time so get 3 fabulous romances for one low price.
**For a limited time only!**
Three novels that prove love can always be found right at home
There’s nothing quite like the comfort and serenity of returning home again, especially when combined with the sizzle and excitement of finding true love. This limited-edition contemporary romance boxed set from Entangled’s Bliss line features three fun and flirty small-town stories sure to make you laugh, sigh, and smile long after you’ve turned the last page.
Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris: Colby Robicheaux knows her brother’s best friend—delectable fire captain Jason Landry—is off-limits, and anyway, she’s only back home for a short time. Jason’s looking for someone to help him raise his preteen daughter, not a fling, but Colby’s all grown up and tempting as ever.
Playing at Love by Ophelia London: When Tess Johansson’s music program gets pitted against Jack Marshall’s football program in a battle for funding, she knows only one of them can win. Jack might be the summer love she never forgot, but her job means everything to her. Competing against the enemy was never quite this much fun.
Lucky Break by Kelley Vitollo: Sydney Williams might have come home to her small town of Shamrock Falls, but it’ll take more than that to rekindle a broken friendship with her childhood best friend, Kade Mitchell. When friendship turns to sparks turns to more, will Kade be able to convince his best friend to gamble on forever?
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