October is here at last! Living in Florida keeps the crisp cool weather and turning leaves away for another two months, but I’m so ready for Fall now. The stores are filled with adorable kids’ Halloween costumes and bags upon bags of candy. To be truthful, the stores have been stocked since August! Nevertheless, I love picking up piles of silk leaves to scatter around the house and decorating the front porch with plastic pumpkins. I’m currently burning a scented candle called Autumn Leaves from a famous New England chandler, and that really helps bring me into my favorite season. It’s a poor substitute, though. I miss New England and the rest of my family, but I really miss going apple-picking and choosing real pumpkins from the patch.

I’ve unearthed enough autumn recipes to get me through to Thanksgiving, but I need something more as the year marches toward December. Yes, I have lots of candles to get me through that season too, lol. And so many favorite holiday cookies to make I can’t even count. But I need more than recipes and candles. You may have noticed that this is the time of year when holiday-themed Romances appear on the physical and virtual bookshelves. Sprigs of holly and trailing red ribbons decorate so many new releases I’m at a loss over which one to choose first! I love a story that really brings the romance home within a celebration of the holidays. I don’t mean sleigh rides and buttered rum surrounded my sugar plums. I mean a gathering of family to enjoy the season and the romance of the hero and heroine.

In my upcoming Lachesis Publishing release, More Than Charming, we visit the Christmas holiday more than once. We also check in with favorite family members from the first two books in the Dashing Nobles series. The lure of hearth and home—and heart and heat —makes me gather these characters together. Of course, the hero and heroine indulge in more than eggnog and plum pudding! The couple grows closer even as danger swirls outside along with the snowflakes. Not to give too much away, but the next Christmas serves as the perfect time to conclude the series that began with More Than Passion.

Now I’m going out on the front porch to sit beneath the leafy autumn wreath on my door with a mug of warm spiced cider. Who cares if it’s 80 degrees outside? Hmm. Maybe I’ll drink it cold.

Thanks so much for dropping by. I’d love to hear from readers, too. Please email me at JoMarie@JoMarieDeGioia.com or visit my website, www.jomariedegioia.com