Exploring Small-Town Romances and Christmas Cheer with RaeAnne Thayne

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In this episode of What to Read Next, I sit down with bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne to discuss her prolific writing career, including her transition from romantic suspense to sweet, small-town romances and heartwarming women's fiction. With an impressive 75-book backlist, RaeAnne shares her journey, writing process, and recommendations for where new readers can dive into her works. We also chat about her love for crafting Christmas-themed novels, the joy of collaborative plotting retreats, and a sneak peek into her upcoming release for 2025, The Lost Book of First Loves.

What We Discussed:

• RaeAnne's career journey, from her first book in 1995 to her 75th book, The December Market.
• The differences between her women's fiction and small-town romance series.
• Recommendations for where to start with RaeAnne’s backlist:
• Women’s Fiction: The Cliff House, Summer at the Cape, The Cafe at Beach End, and her latest, 15 Summers Later.
• Small-Town Romance: Haven Point and Hopes Crossing series.
• Christmas Romances: Christmas at the Shelter Inn and its sequel, The December Market.
• Insight into RaeAnne’s writing process, including her love for plotting, her seasonal approach to writing Christmas books, and her decorating her office with holiday cheer.
• How RaeAnne incorporates community and emotional depth into her stories.
• A teaser for The Lost Book of First Loves (coming June 2025), featuring themes of family secrets, sisterhood, and romance.
• RaeAnne’s advice for aspiring writers and the value of having a writing community.

Books Mentioned in the Episode:

• Christmas at the Shelter Inn by RaeAnne Thayne https://amzn.to/4i9VbAo
• The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne https://amzn.to/4i3TVij
• 15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne https://amzn.to/3Vczi9L
• The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne (coming June 2025) https://amzn.to/3CO3BgQ
• The Cliff House, Summer at the Cape, The Cafe at Beach End, and other Cape Sanctuary books by RaeAnne Thayne https://amzn.to/4g0UpDS

Where to Find RaeAnne Thayne:

• Website: RaeAnneThayne.com
• Facebook Group: RaeAnne Thayne's Book Group
• Instagram: @RaeAnneThayne

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