Welcome back to the Extra Edition newsletter! I’m excited to bring you bonus content each month with a special inside look at my novels and the history behind them.
Valentines and Ashes
My husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. We never have. We’ve always said that giving a gift on a random day means much more than a day we’re forced to love each other. It’s unlikely that you’ll find many (if any) Valentine’s Day scenes in my books, but I do enjoy the story behind the holiday. Did you know that this year Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday (the start of Lent) fall on the same day? These two days may seem to clash, but they actually have more in common than you might think.
In the Catholic Church, there are three people attributed to being St. Valentine, all of whom were martyred. The one most commonly thought of, however, was a Roman priest who lived in the 3rd Century A.D. He was arrested and executed for performing Christian marriages which were denied by Roman law. Legend has it that, while in prison, he healed the jailor’s daughter from blindness, giving her a note that read, “From Your Valentine.” Hence, the origin of the modern exchange of Valentine’s cards.
How can we relate this to Ash Wednesday? In Biblical times, ashes were placed upon one’s body as a sign of repentance, grief, and sacrifice, and were often accompanied by fasting and the wearing of a rough material called sackcloth. In the Christian Church, ashes then became the symbol of penance in preparation for Christ’s coming death and resurrection, the most spectacular love story ever told. In a way, we can view Christ’s Passion as God’s Valentine, extending his arms and saying, “See how much I love you. No sacrifice is too great.”
No need to blush. It’s just good clean romance.
I may not officially celebrate Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love to read a really good romance. It’s why all my books have at least one central romance surrounded by one or two non-romantic plotlines. If you’re looking for good clean romance without all the ick, here are a few of my favorite historical romance couples:
- Jo and Professor Bhaer from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – I know most people are on Team Laurie for Jo, but after recently reading the novel, I understand why the professor is a perfect match for Jo’s intelligence and personality. The book also gives more insight into why Laurie and Amy are actually better suited.
- Gabi and Marcello from The River of Time series by Lisa T. Bergren – 21st century time traveler meets 14th century Italian knight and somehow they make it work. There is never a dull moment in this five-book series.
- Katie and Russell from Great Waters by Jennifer Q. Hunt – You can give me Second Chance Romance, Married Romance, and Redemption tropes all day long and this has all three. I love all Jennifer’s couples, but Katie and Russell (so far) take the cake.
- Cora and Ethan from A River Between Us by Jocelyn Green – He thinks he won’t live through the war. She’s doing all she can to survive. North meets South in this Civil War romance that was easily one of my favorites of 2023.
- Marty and Clark from Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke – This marriage of convenience story is a lovely beginning to a sweet faith-filled family saga. The movies, while rather different, are also some of my favorites. One Goodreads reviewer compared my Larksong Legacy series to this one, which I consider a huge honor.
- Any of the couples I’ve written – While my novels do have grit and tough topics, they never contain explicit scenes or open door romance. The most you’ll see is kissing and fade to black. I honestly love all of my main character couples, so it’s difficult to choose just one favorite.
Who are some of your favorite romantic couples?
San Francisco Kiss Cam
I have a little surprise just for you, my Extra Edition Adventurers. For this Valentine’s Day issue, I’m sharing the never-before-seen first kiss from Sparks Fly Upward. I’m including this scene via my website as it contains massive spoilers for those who haven’t read the first two books or those who don’t like to read anything before publication. Please do not share this text and be aware that it has not undergone final edits.
Until next month, happy reading!
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Kelsey
Purchase signed copies of my books: kelseygietl.com
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Purple Mask Publishing
2025 Zumbehl Rd, Ste. 33
St. Charles, MO 63303
