Love at The Fall Fair was one of the reading highlights of my fall season, warming my heart even as temperatures dropped. In this Hallmark-esque, slow-burn novel, Katy and Luke reunite as adults in Dover, Delaware. As they work separately to launch literacy initiatives in their communities, they attempt to overcome their history and write a new story together.
As an aside, if you are a book lover, this one will be your new favorite. A love letter to the written word, Love at the Fall Fair is filled with bookish joy and all the coffee that typically accompanies it. In an email interview, J.R. Boles tells us how she created the ultimate fall romance.
Elizabeth Webster: Tell us a little about yourself! How did you come to be an author and an editor?
J.R. Boles: I started my author journey over ten years ago with an epic fantasy trilogy, and I’ve never looked back. Writing is just a part of who I am. The editor journey was slower. I started in academic editing in law school, branched out into fiction editing, and then worked for a publishing house for a while. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. I love being part of the support system and process for other writers.
EW: Love at the Fall Fair is such a sweet, Hallmark-esque romance, but it seems like a departure from your previous fantasy books. What inspired you to try your hand at a romance novel?
JRB: The idea for this romance popped into life on a walk past a neighborhood Little Free Library, and this story kept rattling around in my head for too long. I finally had to write it. I adored these characters and really wanted to give them a story. I have another sweet, Hallmark-esque romance that I’m currently shopping around to find a publisher or an agent. I keep thinking I might write another romance with two side characters from Love at the Fall Fair, but we’ll see.
EW: I want to make clear to readers that the romance between Katy and Luke is of the non-explicit variety. Why did you decide to write a clean romance, and why do these types of novels matter today?
JRB: I love sweet, clean stories, and everything I write (fantasy, dystopian, mystery, romance) has always been clean. I’ve always wanted to have books that I can share with my daughters and my parents. For this book in particular, it originally sold to Hallmark Channel and had a multi-year movie option, so the book was literally written to be a Hallmark movie. Hallmark Channel didn’t end up making the movie, but the option was such a win. I’m forever grateful that they were even interested and that one executive, in particular, championed my story.
EW: So many of my subscribers have roots in the Delmarva Peninsula and share our enthusiasm for it. What led to your choice to set Love at the Fall Fair in Delaware?
JRB: My husband was stationed at Dover AFB for about four years, and I absolutely loved the town. It was my favorite place we lived while he served. He was also stationed at Langley AFB near Virginia Beach, so we spent a lot of time in Delaware. We got to know the people, the culture, and we still miss it sometimes.
EW: Most of the books I read set in close proximity to a coastline focus on the beach aspect of that backdrop, but your book seemed to highlight its small-town lifestyle instead. Was this a conscious choice to pull in more community?
JRB: I couldn’t imagine a better backdrop for a military romance than Dover. It has that small-town magic despite its size, and everyone always seemed to know each other and care about each other. It was close enough to the ocean to have so many options for getting outside. In the fall, the beaches in Delaware can be very cold and windy, so Katy and Luke don’t have a beach day until the sweet epilogue.
EW: You weave so much richness and diversity into the book, particularly your rendering of Katy’s Choctaw background. How much research was required to give Katy’s story its depth?
JRB: Dover is a military town and an HBCU town, so I didn’t think I could authentically share a story set there without diversity. As a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a registered Choctaw artist/storyteller, I really wanted to share a modern love story with a Choctaw main character. Because I was raised in a Choctaw family, sharing Katy’s Choctaw background came naturally. I loved sharing some of my favorite things about my culture.
EW: Why did you decide to set the story in the fall? Are you a seasonal reader, too?
JRB: The fall is my favorite season, so the story came together around seasonal experiences like pumpkin patches and the Choctaw New Year. I think I packed as much autumnal joy as possible into this book. I love reading seasonal books, and I’m so happy that more fall romances are being released now.
EW: Katy and Luke’s relationship is full of humor, grace, and forgiveness. What lessons do you hope readers take from their relationship? How do you want readers to feel at the end of this story?
JRB: Romance stories are always rooted in hope, and I hope that Love at the Fall Fair reminds readers that even when life is messy and hard, it can still be amazing and beautiful. I also hope it inspires them to be brave.
EW: How can readers best connect with you?
JRB: Readers can find me on Facebook and Instagram as @jrbolesauthor. I’d love to connect!
Thank you to J.R. Boles for sharing her insight into Love at the Fall Fair and her author journey! I know this community of readers has appreciated learning more about this inspiring author.
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