This week on Jen’s Jewels, I’m thrilled to welcome back New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne as we talk about her newest holiday romance, SNOW KISSED. Set in the charming town of Shelter Springs, the story follows Holly, a single mom facing custody struggles, and Ryan, a man working through a complicated past. RaeAnne shares the inspiration behind the book, the holiday traditions that bring her joy, and what readers can look forward to next from this fan-favorite author.
Jen: Many readers love small-town holiday romances because of the cozy setting. How did you create the charm of Shelter Springs, and is it inspired by a real place?
RaeAnne: Shelter Springs is actually a spin-off series to an older series of mine, Haven Point, which is loosely based on McCall, Idaho. That is a lovely community set on a gorgeous lake similar to Haven Point. I needed a neighboring town for a couple of Haven Point traditions, so I created Shelter Springs. When I decided to create a new series exclusively for my holiday titles, it made sense to use Shelter Springs as I had already created some of the infrastructure for the town.
Jen: What sparked the idea for SNOW KISSED?
RaeAnne: I introduced the heroine Holly in previous books as a good friend to the heroines of those books. I knew I wanted to write her story but I didn’t know many details about her, only that her husband left her and she had a child with special needs. I wanted to write about the difficulties navigating child custody issues, especially around the holiday season … and I also wanted Holly to find the perfect hero!
Jen: Holly and Ryan both have such heartfelt journeys. Did you always know their stories would intersect the way they did, or did it evolve as you wrote?
RaeAnne: Like most of the characters I write, I always have a general idea of how I want my characters to come together but they inevitably surprise me while writing their story. It probably sounds weird to say fictional characters have a mind of their own but I’m often amazed at the direction certain stories go once I’m diving deep into the first draft. Holly and Ryan were so much fun to write and I loved showing these two people helping each other work through their complicated family dynamics to find joy together.
Jen: Writing a story centered around family, love, and second chances can be emotionally charged. Which scene was the most fun—or the most challenging—for you to write?
RaeAnne: Not to give away any spoilers, but I loved writing all the scenes where Ryan and his father begin to find some common ground, after years of estrangement.
Jen: Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition that always puts you in the holiday spirit, and did it make its way into the book?
RaeAnne: I actually love everything about the holiday season: the baking, the lights, the time with friends and family. After writing more than twenty Christmas books, I’ve used every single holiday tradition of my family in some book or other!
Jen: What’s next for you? Can readers expect more stories set in Shelter Springs or another holiday romance on the horizon?
RaeAnne: I just finished next summer’s book THE RAINY DAY BOOKSHOP, which will be out in June, and am diving into my Christmas book for 2026. This is also set in Shelter Springs and is about Holly’s twin sister Hannah. I’m having so much fun digging into her story!
Jen: What books are currently on your TBR stack, and are there any upcoming releases you’re especially excited about?
RaeAnne: I’ve heard so much buzz about THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans and can’t wait to start that one. I also always grab the latest fabulous holiday read by Sarah Morgan and am really looking forward to A MERRY LITTLE LIE.
Jen: How can readers stay connected with you and keep up with your latest news and releases?
RaeAnne: You can find me on all the social media properties as RaeAnne Thayne or on my website.
'Tis the season for a little white lie…
Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. The twinkly lights on the tree, the cookies in the oven, the snow on the ground. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now.
Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So they make a deal: he’ll be her date if she’ll help him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away.
Romance Holiday [Canary Street Press, On Sale: October 7, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781335013170 / eISBN: 9780369764188]
Stories of Hope, Healing, & Heart
RaeAnne Thayne will do anything to tell a story. In 15 years as a newspaper reporter and editor, she rode along with a motorcycle gang, took a trip in a hot air balloon and even gave a hunky country music star her home phone number (it was for an interview -- honest!).
When she wasn't working as a journalist, though, RaeAnne worked on her real love -- writing romance novels. She dreamed of publishing a book long before she ever thought it was possible. In fact, college friends used to spend hours when they should have been studying, trying to help her come up with a good pseudonym (none of which she actually ended up using, since she writes under her own name!).
After graduating from college, she took a job as a reporter at a daily newspaper, then moved to news editor. It wasn't until she was home on maternity leave after the birth of her first child in 1990 that RaeAnne seriously tried her hand at fiction writing. She sold her first book in 1995 and quit her editor job two years later to write full-time.
She is a two-time recipient of the Heart of Romance Reader's Choice award and has been a finalist for the RITA and for the National Reader's Choice award.
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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