Your book SERENDIPITY BY THE SEA is the first book in your new “Gull Island” series. What can you tell readers about this series?
The inspiration behind the Gull Island series came from a family vacation to Fripp Island, South Carolina. As a frequent visitor to coastal Carolina, I adore the Lowcountry, especially the people who call it home. Fripp Island is a small barrier island, rich with natural beauty and history—the perfect backdrop for my fictional town, Gull Island. The importance of community is the common thread weaving the Gull Island stories together. Serendipity by the Sea, Serenity by the Sea, and Simplicity by the Sea are the first three books in the series. Each of these standalone titles highlights a strong woman at a crossroads. I hope readers fall in love with Gull Island as I did!
This story is a second-chance romance. What appeals to you about this classic romance trope? Any other favorites?
One of the best parts of being a romance writer is being able to explore different tropes. A story about a second-chance romance like Serendipity by the Sea appeals to me because relationships are messy and complicated, especially those with a potential for a do-over. It’s hard not to make mistakes when emotions take the driver’s seat. The second book in the series focuses on the enemies-to-lovers trope—a real push-and-pull dynamic between the lead characters. I chose to write a friends-to-lovers story for the third book—a delicate dance between the main characters who dare to wonder what if?
How would you describe the dynamic between your two main characters?
Cate Ainsworth and Knox Price have a long history. Both have been focusing on their careers, not their love lives. Cate is on the cusp of landing her dream job at Guest Services on the island. She is a vital part of the community and takes pride in her work. Knox left Gull Island to follow his dream as a freelance photographer with no intention of returning. When he comes back to help his uncle battling a health issue, he fears running into Cate, the one he left behind. When the two come face-to-face, old feelings get stirred up, but so does the deep-rooted hurt, causing tension between the two ex-lovers.
If you could only pick one of your books, other than this one, for a reader unfamiliar with your work, which one would you pick? And why?
I’m a big fan of cozy mystery series, so I’d say Par for the Course, the first book in the Piper O’Donnell Social Lite mysteries. It’s best to start at the beginning—a proper introduction, if you will, to the characters and the setting. The three books in the series center around Piper O’Donnell, a twentysomething who finds herself embroiled in a suburban nightmare when her wealthy older husband is mysteriously murdered, and she is implicated. Trouble seems to follow Piper wherever she goes, so she enlists the aid of Rusty O’Brien to help solve her husband’s murder. As you can imagine, tongues start flapping among the country clubbers, with her keeping company with a hot, eligible bachelor so soon after her husband’s untimely death. The secondary characters in this series are scene-stealers. I found myself laughing aloud as I wrote the dialogue in this series, and I hope you do too when you read it.
Other authors I’ve interviewed have told me that the kinds of books they enjoy reading are different from the kind of books they enjoy writing. What do you like to read? Favorite books? Favorite author?
I love to read thrillers, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. I have a long list of favorite authors, including Karen White, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Camille Pagan, Patti Callahan Henry, Danielle Steel, Elin Hilderbrand, Colleen Oakley, Mary Kay Andrews, and Jenny Hale. Some of my latest reads have been Between Two Strangers by Kate White, Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica, and The Audrey Hepburn Estate by Brenda Janowitz.
What are you currently working on?
My current work in progress is the third book in the series, Simplicity by the Sea. This friends-to-lovers story focuses on Delaney Huger, a rising marketing executive working at a prestigious winery in Virginia, and Shep Nelson, a charismatic charter captain with a precocious four-year-old son. Delaney returns to Gull Island for a friend’s wedding, but the quick trip home becomes an extended stay when Delaney discovers the family business is in trouble. What I like best about this book are the recurring characters who add flavor to the storyline. It’s like visiting old friends. That’s the beauty of writing a series.
Thank you for letting me share an inside glimpse into my books. Happy reading!
Gull Island Series #1
Will a hopeless romantic on the verge of landing her dream job reconnect with her wanderlust ex-boyfriend for a second chance at love?
Cate Ainsworth is poised to land her dream job when an ex-boyfriend-the guy she once loved who left town with no explanation-returns to their Lowcountry hometown. Their long-denied attraction tugs her in a new direction, but will she risk everything for a second chance at love?
A freelance photographer, Knox Price seeks adventure, not commitment. Back in town to care for his uncle gets complicated when he crosses paths with Cate, igniting a spark he can't ignore. But can he confess the truth about why he walked away?
Romance Small Town | Romance Contemporary [Wild Rose Press, On Sale: April 12, 2023, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781509247851 / eISBN: 9781509247868]
A Quintessential Beach Romance, no matter the season!
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry filled with southern charm and hospitality. In between chapters, she interviews authors for her bi-weekly Jen’s Jewels column on FreshFiction.com. Most mornings, she teaches an arthritis-friendly water exercise class for seniors before heading to the office to serve as the executive director of a legal non-profit. A New Jersey native, she currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two rescue dogs and is the proud parent of two sons who miss her home-cooked meals. To learn more, please visit her website.
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