Love in the Kitchen (+giveaway)

September 11, 2023 Jaycee Weaver48 Comments

Did you know September 10-16 is Chef Appreciation Week this year? How exciting is that?!

I know, I know, it’s back-to-school season, but I’ve already written a back-to-school post. Yeah, I’ve already written a food post too, but this time I thought it would be fun to talk about those who fulfill our fictional food fantasies, CHEF characters!

Romance is FULL of chef heroes and heroines. There’s just something about being in the kitchen surrounded by food that creates the perfect setting for love… or loathing. Chef heroes and heroines add a whole lot of extra flavor to typical romance tropes (pun totally intended). So in honor of Chef Appreciation Week, let’s explore how those tropes are so much tastier with chefs at the helm as we show our appreciation for those who heat up the kitchen.

One of my favorite tropes is loathe-to-love (aka hate-to-love and/or enemies-to-lovers), and when it takes place in the kitchen? Count. Me. In. What a place for cooks to clash! Egos flare, attraction sparks, passions ignite, and love fans into a flame. A perfect example of this is Jenny Proctor’s third Hawthorne brother book, How to Kiss Your Enemy All that friction between chefs Lennox and Tatum is so fun. Our very own Jan Thompson also has chef rivals in her Savannah Sweethearts series, Call You Home. Bonus, Jan’s title features a deaf heroine! (I love seeing diverse representation in Christian fiction. Isn’t it beautiful to explore God’s wide world through the eyes of others whose experience vary from our own?) Let’s give a shout out to Piper and Isaac! And one of my all-time favorite rival chef romances is Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish from rom-com queen Bethany Turner with chefs Hadley and Max battling it out for reality television glory.

If grumpy/sunshine romances are more your thing, what’s more fun than a broody, crabby chef? Valerie Comer’s chef Levi Esteban from Better Than a Crown is a prime example of hard-headed and brooding hero (and I adored him).

Billionaire, widower, and single dad romances are market staples, and you can find all three in Jan Thompson’s His Morning Kiss, where we meet a personal chef Skye.

See what I mean about putting chefs into all sorts of romance tropes? What a *perfect* way to add a little forced proximity, caregivers, or any number of other sub-tropes we love.

And I’ve got a few more personal chef books for you! Lavished with Lavender from Valerie Comer features both a nurse and a personal chef, which is doubly fab in my book (cheers for Chef Tony!). And I can’t forget my dear friend Teresa Tysinger’s personal chef Leah Spencer in Say It’s For Good, which also combines the tropes of second chances and a fake relationship with Teresa’s signature Southern flavor and gorgeous backdrops.

Speaking of forced proximity (and workplace romance!), Sarah Monzon’s Freedom’s Kiss is full of sparks between food truck owner Adam and chef-hopeful Olivia. Lindi Peterson’s Chef Grant reconnects with his childhood sweetheart and friend in Sweet Love of Mine, and you’ll have fun with Paige’s unique and tasty offerings in Elizabeth Maddrey’s opposites attract tale, A Splash of Substance while learning about sustainable food!

We’ve covered a lot of tropes already, but I can’t leave without appreciating the chef of at least one marriage of convenience book. Dwight Williams, chef of the legendary Maple Pit in Toni Shiloh’s Buying Love, is just the sort of hero worth appreciating. (Come on, maple barbecue and all the other maple goodness? Stop. I’m drooling.)

While it’s still fairly early in the back-to-school season, a lot of us are looking forward to Christmas books!! If that’s your favorite, Carolyn Miller’s upcoming holiday release will feature TWO chefs, Alphonse and Camille. Plus it’s a collection of short romances, so you know I’m down for that. (This tall girl LOVES her short books LOL!) You can pre-order Muskoka Holiday Morsels for auto-download on 11/2/23.

I also happen to have a holiday romance featuring a chef heroine. CJ Sinclair is visiting her sister this Christmas as she sorts out her life after breaking free of a traumatic relationship. There, CJ reconnects with her former best friend and first love, ex-military musician Tobin, in Now and Forever Christmas, a friends-to-more second chance tale with a wacky, lovable family lightening the serious moments. There are plenty of those, since CJ walked away from God for a while and yearns for redemption and forgiveness with her fresh start.

Whew! We covered a lot of ground today! LOL! I hope our chef characters feel appreciated. 😉 Wouldn’t you agree the passion, artistry, and dedication of chefs make the most overdone of tropes more palatable?

Since all of our chefs here are fictional, I’d like to offer my own personal appreciation gift to one lucky reader! To enter the random drawing for an eBook edition of Now and Forever Christmas, be sure to comment with your favorite fictional chef, the title of the book they’re in, and/or which of YOUR favorite tropes I missed! Remember, until tomorrow 9/12, your comments are ALSO your entries into the 2023 Back-to-School Bash!

Until next time, happy reading!

Devotional Thought · Reader Input Request

Fools for Love

April 1, 2023 Jaycee Weaver8 Comments

It’s April 1st, known to many as April Fools’ Day, day marked for many by pranks and mischief (or one that goes on as normal with little notice, ha ha!). Since I recently did a post on pranks for my third Sinclair Sisters book, I won’t do a repeat of that. Instead, let’s talk about characters who make fools of themselves for love!

Embarrassing moments aren’t much fun to experience firsthand, but boy are they a delight to read in a rom-com. Whether it’s a meet cute gone wrong or a grand gesture that requires a bit of humble pie, there’s no denying the glee (and vicarious cringes) we readers find in a moment we’d prefer not to endure ourselves but LOVE when our characters do. Ah, catharsis, am I right? And what is more satisfying in a romance than the delicious moment the hero or heroine (especially one who has behaved badly due to pride or misunderstanding) is FINALLY willing to do whatever it takes to win the heart of the one they love?

Now, I’m using the term “fool” in a more modern sense for this post than the kind described in the Old Testament. For example, Proverbs 14:3a, “A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,” or the warning in Ecclesiastes 7:5, “Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool.” Or even Proverbs 19:1, “A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.” Dozens of Proverbs describe fools as unwise, pleasure-seeking, someone who speaks without thinking, ineloquent, worthless, unfaithful, untrustworthy, lazy, among other undesirable traits. None of which are qualities we enjoy reading in a hero or heroine, am I right? Though, really, when a character has behaved like a biblical fool and on realizing their folly humbles themselves, that’s essentially what I’m trying to convey here—becoming a fool as a means to humble oneself for the sake of love.

That’s the kind of fool Paul calls himself in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 3:18-19, Paul says, “Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.” He reminds us we belong to God, and not to follow human ways but God’s. In 2 Corinthians 11, in comparison to false teachers who boast about their successes but reveal themselves to be true fools, Paul makes himself a “fool” by boasting of his weakness. Paul wasn’t afraid or intimidated by others or by his past, he was so sold out to Christ that he did whatever it took to spread the gospel and minister to people.

And I don’t think it’s really much of a leap to extend this kind of dedication or foolishness to a relationship intended for marriage (IRL or fictional). After all, Paul commanded husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, giving himself up for her, and Jesus Himself said there’s no greater love than laying down one’s life (self) for a friend. Love goes the distance, does whatever it takes, even if it costs us everything.

Sometimes I think it’s harder for us to lay down our PRIDE than our lives. It’s certainly more likely to come up in an everyday situation. The Bible is filled with examples of people refusing to humble themselves and paying the price, as well as those who did and were rewarded. It’s a character trait God places a high priority on, which (in my opinion) accounts for why humility and a willingness to sacrifice (aka dying to oneself) might be among the most alluring heroic traits in real life as well as fiction.

So I’d love to ask what Christian romances you’ve read in which the hero or heroine made a fool of themselves for love? Remember, I’m defining foolishness as humbling oneself, acknowledging their own pride or a mistake and laying themselves down in the name of love. And of course, since I’m a sucker for a good rom-com and it’s April Fools’ Day, I’d love your recommendations for titles where maybe that happened a bit embarrassingly or publicly in a humorous way! (And you’re always invited to leave other comments below with your thoughts on the topic. I always enjoy our conversations!)

Until next time,

Real Life Romance · Romance Tropes

Friends-to-More is the Best Romance Trope (and here’s why!)

March 13, 2020 Jaycee Weaver43 Comments

If there’s ever been a romance trope more thoroughly beloved than friends-to-more, I’ve got the wrong data. Poll after poll shows above and beyond that this is one trope we romance readers will never, ever get enough of.

Now, I’m well aware that the actual term for this trope is friends-to-lovers, but sometimes “lovers” has a much different connotation than we as Inspy and/or Christian romance readers would give it, so I’ll stick with friends-to-more.

Why do we love this trope so very much? I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments below, but I’ll share a few of mine first.

Friendship makes for the strongest basis of any relationship. Solid, lasting friendships are build on a history of laughing together, facing life’s everyday challenges together, respecting each other’s differences, supporting one another with unconditional love and acceptance simply for who that person is. Sounds like the perfect foundation for a lasting marriage, too, huh?
Friendship doesn’t blind you to the other person’s faults. When it comes to new love, it’s all too easy to see past a person’s flaws because of those rosy-colored, heart-shaped glasses we’re wearing. With friends, we see plenty of flaws and imperfections and choose to accept them—maybe even appreciate them—because you know the other person complements you because of them.
Friendship builds intimacy. In friendships, we’re more likely to be vulnerable with what we’re going through and how we feel about it. Friendship feels safe, so it’s easier to come unguarded into the relationship without fear of rejection.
New awareness changes everything, which means hello chemistry! That spark of new awareness, the hope of new love, the fear of love remaining unrequited…in other words, all the feels. This trope has more potential for emotional entanglement as a reader than any other, in my opinion.
Other tropes can join in the fun and only make the story richer. Think of all the fun an author can have with this trope. I mean, add unrequited love or marriage of convenience, and BAM! you have a whole new aspect to what some consider an overused trope. (Overused my foot. I say unlimited potential!) Think of the possibilities!

It’s kind of funny how much I love this trope, actually. Up until the past few years, I never really considered my husband to also be my friend. In my head, it sounded sappy and weird, and I already have a best friend who has filled that role for far longer. A while back, though, I realized that I’ve been living a reverse of my favorite trope. After twenty years together, my husband and I still have our separate interests and hobbies. We fully support and respect and adore each other, even if our likes and dislikes don’t often overlap. We complement each other in the best of ways and are a unified team. And finally, it’s hit me that he is also my very best friend.

Best friends are the ones we run to when life is tough. The ones we call first with good news. The ones we laugh with and sometimes laugh at, but only because teasing brings us closer together. Best friends aren’t afraid to tell us when those jeans do make our butt look big, but the history and trust between us removes the sting of uncomfortable truth. Best friends pray over each other. They listen to the rotten day we had and offer up comfort—a joke, a hug, or reassurance.

When I’m writing, I don’t set out to write a trope specifically. The characters usually develop organically in my head first, and then the plot sort of fills itself in from there. But I’ve noticed a trend in my stories for those friends-to-more stories.

My favorite that I’ve written so far is Love, Laughter, & Luminarias. Nina and Garrett have been friends since high school. Their teasing relationship often feels more like siblings at times, until witnessing Nina chase down a shoplifter opens his eyes to a whole new side of his friend. The experience rattles Nina, who begins to seek God in her life for the first time. Her best friend’s faith and willingness to go along with whatever zany plans she comes up with sparks a whole new appreciation for the dependable book nerd.

While I don’t consider it my best work, What Could Be holds a special place in my heart as my debut novel. In it, single-dad Josh and slightly-naive daycare worker Brynn build a friendship over several months. There’s a bit of a love triangle in this one, as Brynn seeks God’s will regarding the steady relationship she’s increasingly certain isn’t the right one and the feelings she keeps denying for the man she never expected to care for.

Another one is What Makes a Home. Free-living artist Jobie and computer engineer Caleb form an unlikely friendship after he buys a rundown house across the street. Spending time together renovating his home parallels the work God is doing in Jobie’s life. While neither intends to fall for the other, unexpected issues arise for fledgling believer Jobie, and Caleb’s steadfast friendship and care become the foundation for a new kind of relationship she’s never known before. How can she not fall for him?

Now, while I argue that friends-to-more is the very best romance trope, I will admit I love variety. I also love stories that turn stereotypes on their heads and face unexpected challenges. And I haven’t really met a trope I don’t like so long as it’s done well. What about you? Do you agree that this is the best of all, or do you have a special favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Remember—all comments this month get extra entries into our annual InspyRomance Birthday Bash!

New Releases · Romance Tropes

Retelling the (Fairy) Tale

October 12, 2019 Jaycee Weaver20 Comments

Ah, fairy tales. Like so much classic literature, fairy tales form the basis for many contemporary stories. In recent years, retellings have even become so popular they’ve become their own subgenre in fiction. And it makes sense. The originals are clean and usually end happily. Good triumphs over evil. The impossible becomes possible. Romance. Magic. Wonder. They’re inspirational and usually teach a lesson.

Best of all, they’re timeless.

So how do we take an old story and craft it into something new and unique without contorting it into just another twisted clone on the bookshelf?

Well, it’s not easy. I’ll tell you that. But with a little creativity and inspiration all around us, the task doesn’t seem so daunting. In fact, authors Andrea Boyd and Mikal Dawn teamed up with three Inspy Romance authors—myself (Jaycee Weaver), Toni Shiloh, and Angela Ruth Strong—to release a brand new anthology of such tales. Last week on October 1, Once Upon a Christmas: Contemporary Retellings of Timeless Tales hit the shelves, and the reviews so far affirm that we seem to have found success in remaking these classic old stories into something new, fun, and relevant to today’s contemporary romance readers. (Yay!)

Rather than blend into the background with straight modernizations or retelling the tale with simple nods or twists, we decided to give each story a Christmas spin. Andrea took Sleeping Beauty and gave her a real-life sleeping disorder with three fierce and funny aunts in a gorgeous old theater for a holiday production of the musical of the same title. Mikal brought Mulan out of China and into the boardroom with a fierce (but flirty) legal battle on her father’s behalf, the wicked Hun insisting on a Christmas victory. For an updated Snow White, Toni sent her sheltered heiress fleeing into a snowstorm and hiding from a wicked stepmother in an orchard owned by a handsome hero and his seven “uncles” over the holidays. Angela twisted the classic favorite Cinderella into a whole new story, giving her lumberjack-like prince the nutty stepfamily as a perfect obstacle standing between Ella and her happy (New Year) ever after. And lastly, it was my joy to take The Little Mermaid out of her Las Vegas aquarium and into the dry southwest, where she discovers the power of her own voice during the romantic holiday season.

We sure hope you’ll give this set of novellas a chance to live up to your fairy tale expectations…and I suppose your Christmas tale expectations, too. If you’ve already read our retellings of these timeless tales, be sure to comment with what you enjoyed most! We love your feedback. If you haven’t yet had the chance, we’d love to know—what’s your favorite fairy tale, retelling, or Christmas trope?