Romance readers, take note: this week's Jen's Jewels interview brings you an exclusive look into Kristen Ashley's latest novel, EMBRACING THE CHANGE. Part of the captivating River Rain series, this book promises a compelling blend of love, loss, and unexpected twists. Ashley opens up about the creation of Nora Ellington and Jamie Oakley, two characters whose journey from friendship to romance is anything but straightforward. With hints of family secrets, New York high society, and the shadows of past heartbreaks, Embracing the Change delivers the emotional depth Ashley's fans have come to expect. Dive in with us as we uncover the story behind the story and get a tantalizing peek at what's next in the River Rain saga.
Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to create the characters of Nora Ellington and Jamie Oakley?
Kristen Ashley: They came about in the telling of the River Rain Saga, when Judge’s story came up (CHASING SERENITY – book 2). Considering how that story went, we met his dad, and then I fell in love with Jamie.
As per pretty much every book I’ve written, my heroine has to have a best bud (or more than one). So when I wrote Tom and Mika’s story (Making the Match – book 4), Nora introduced herself to me and I absolutely freaked for her. She was so hilarious, and so loving, and incredibly generous of spirit. I want to be her when I grow up. No joke!
Jamie’s backstory meant he had to have an HEA. And once Nora came on the scene, I knew this was a match made in heaven.
As such Embracing the Change was born.
Jen: How does Embracing the Change connect to the other books in your River Rain Series? What themes beyond romance do you explore in this book?
Kristen: I refer to the River Rain series as a saga, because to me, it seems like one, long story about a posse of family and friends who navigate all the varied things life throws at you—the good and the bad. It’s just that in each novel, you have a different heroine and hero.
In this book, we tackle grief, complicated family histories (very complicated), surprise revelations and other things that I don’t want to say, because I detest spoilers, and since this is a saga, not only Jamie and Nora’s story move forward, others do as well. But we can just say, there are some humdingers in the book as to the story moving forward for people we know and love.
Jen: Can you tell us more about the dynamic between Nora and Jamie before that pivotal kiss?
Kristen: Ah, that kiss.
Well, they’ve fallen in love, which is not something Jamie is prepared to do. And we go back in time to understand how that happened, because it didn’t simply happen since Jamie lost his wife to cancer, and they started to be friends without benefits once Mika and Tom got together and Nora was pulled into the clan. There’s much more to it.
Though I love it that their relationship is based on that solid ground. It made their journey, honestly, a breeze to write. They were just so easy. Their ages helped. They’ve lived long enough to have some wisdom to guide their way. Once Jamie got himself together, that is!
Jen: How does the New York socialite setting influence Nora's character and the story?
Kristen: I find Nora really interesting, because her family have been the big muckity-mucks in New York for a long time. It’s all she’s known, all her parents knew, and grandparents, and so on. It’s such a faraway world from what the vast majority of us experience, but it’s her life. She never needed to work. She never had to worry about money. This isn’t something I understand. I grew up in a home where we had government cheese (IYKYK). I’ve been working since I was thirteen years old.
But Nora is not a lady who lunches. She has purpose. She’s busy doing important things. She just doesn’t get paid for it.
On the other hand, she understands she’s been blessed in these areas, and she owns them. She’s stinking rich…and doesn’t apologize for it. She lives a life of privilege…and she revels in it. I love that about her. We should all be that with whatever life has given us, or what we’ve earned. Especially women. I’ve seen so many women apologize for being successful or try to hide it. It makes me sad. You earned that, sister! Live it up!
Jen: Jamie has experienced tragedy in his past relationships. How does this shape his approach to love in the present?
Kristen: Well, it paralyzes him! Completely! Thus, the crux of the problem, because he’s fallen for Nora, and he just can’t go there. The pain of not only his loss, but witnessing his children’s, has crushed him emotionally.
I get this. Grief is a dirty, insidious mofo. And it doesn’t go away. My ex-husband (who I’m still very close to) lost his parents, one right after the other, right before Covid locked down the UK (can you imagine solitary grieving? It was hideous). Before that, he was very lucky. They were the first really close people to him that he lost. He said, “When I get over losing Dad…” (this before his mom went too).
I had to explain that you don’t “get over it,” you get on with it. You learn to live with it. It never stops hurting. You just have to find the strength to let time show you how to manage the pain.
Jamie had to take that time, and then open his eyes.
Though, some matchmakers helped hasten this process.
Jen: What role do Jamie's children play in the story?
Kristen: Huge. As did Nora’s.
I really love writing about the mingling of families. How a hero and heroine fall in love with not only each other, but their kids.
Again, talking too deeply about this can spoil a very important plotline in this book, so I can’t get into it. What I will say is, I don’t think we’ve seen the end of Dru’s (Jamie’s adopted daughter, Jamie’s deceased wife’s blood daughter) struggles. There is a sense in this book (and Nora notices it right off) that Jamie moving on to another woman is going to trigger some things with Dru. She’s giving me that. So we’ll see how that plays out in her book.
Jen: What's next for the River Rain Series?
Kristen: Oh, we’ve got a lot coming up. Something is up with Ned. I’d say at least the first quarter of Blake’s book has played out in my head. Then we have Dru, Sully, Sasha, Gage. I’d like to write a novella for Ned…and then get into Blake’s story (or vice versa). That’s what I’m looking at next for River Rain. I need to get writing!
Jen: What’s on your fall TBR stack?
Kristen: It might be time to go back to Nora Robert’s In Death series. I blasted through the first 18 books earlier this year and had to take a break. I also jumped into Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series, read the first two books, fell in love with them, and I want to read more. I’ve heard great things about Devney Perry’s Cross Roads, so that’s on my list. And the heaving stack of books on my nightstand include novels by Tia Williams, Samantha Young, Lucy Score, Beatriz Williams and Liana de la Rosa.
I saw a meme on Instagram where someone wrote all the books they had in their TBR on little pieces of paper, folded them up and put them in a bowl. They pick what’s next by selecting a piece of paper. I think I might do that. Read whatever comes up at random. How fun does that sound????
Jen: What’s the best way for readers to stay connected with you?
Kristen: I try to spend time each day on social media, Facebook and Instagram is where I commune directly with folks (more Facebook, tbh). Or they can email me (just hit the Contact tab on kristenashley.net), though I must admit, I sometimes get months out on replying to reader mail. But I do it! I also have a TikTok account, and an amazing video creator who does fun stuff for me there. Her videos, in my opinion, cannot be missed! It’s been a hectic summer, and I haven’t made my own vids in a while, but I hope to get back to it.
All my social media channels are KristenAshleyBooks.
Jen: Thank you for sharing Nora and Jamie's story with us in Embracing the Change. Your ability to create such compelling characters and heart-warming romances continues to captivate readers, and we're grateful for the joy and escape your books provide.
Kristen: Wow. Thank you so much for those lovely words! And thank you for taking the time to interview me and shout out about Nora and Jamie’s story.
River Rain #6
From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes the new book in her River Rain Series, Embracing the Change.
That Kiss…
Gorgeous New York socialite, Nora Ellington has been waiting a very long time for her happily ever after.
So long, she’s given up on it and has decided, even though she’s the plus-one friend without benefits to a man she’s head over heels in love with, an HEA will forever be out of her reach.
Handsome billionaire Jamie Oakley thought he’d had two happily ever afters in his life. However, neither lasted long, and both ended in tragedy. He’s not about to try it again or put his children through the trauma Jamie has learned from experience undoubtedly will come their way.
And he’s made this decision even if the woman who’s become his constant companion is a woman he loves straight to his soul….and wants with everything that is him.
But then, one night, Jamie loses control and kisses Nora.
He can’t go there.
She can’t go on without it.
They’ll never be the same.
Or will they?
Romance Contemporary [Blue Box Press, On Sale: September 10, 2024, e-Book, / ]
Kristen Ashley grew up in Indiana, has lived in Colorado and the West Country of England but now she calls the Valley of the Sun home. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least), but loopy is good when you want to write. Kristen has published over eighty romance novels, her work has been translated into fourteen different languages, she’s sold over six million books and has won or been nominated for numerous awards. She’s started the Rock Chick Nation as a way to give back to her readers. RCN has a variety of programs to promote a strong female community and has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to women’s charities.
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry, earning acclaim as the award-winning author of the Gull Island series. Her debut novel, "Serendipity by the Sea," secured the prestigious Best First Book award from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. In 2024, Vido's talent garnered further accolades, with Baltimore Magazine readers naming her Best Local Author in their annual Best of Baltimore poll, while the Baltimore Sun acknowledged her with an Honorable Mention in their Best of 2024 Author category. When not writing fiction, she interviews authors for her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, leads water exercise classes, and directs a legal nonprofit. Currently residing in Maryland, she and her husband are proud parents to two grown sons and a rescue dog named Fripp.
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