Friends, it’s release day for A WEDDING ONE CHRISTMAS! Which is partially the reason for this post today. The other part is that having two Christmas romances out this month has fooled me into thinking I’m an expert on Christmas romances. (Actually, I know I’m not, but it’s better for this post if I pretend to be.) Today, I’m sharing two things every Christmas romance should have.

The Christmas Thing

As you can tell from the descriptive title of this paragraph, I’m truly an expert on Christmas 😉 Seriously though, I’ve used the vague term thing because Christmas means different things to people around the world. For the most part, people associate Christmas with snow. Cue the romances with beautiful white covers and mistletoe kisses.

But let me tell you – this doesn’t mean anything in my part of the world. Snow is rare in South Africa, and mistletoe is only something we see in movies. Which means that my Christmas thing is different to the more traditional Christmas romances. To clarify (although honestly, how much clearer than a thing can I be?), your Christmas romance should have something that makes your readers feel like it’s Christmas. In HER FESTIVE FLIRTATION, that thing was my hero and heroine decorating a Christmas tree together. In A WEDDING ONE CHRISTMAS, it was a Christmas parade and a Nativity play. Make sure you have it, and your Christmas romance is closer to being just that.

The Christmas Kiss

Christmas Kisses are a Thing, okay? Despite the fact that there’s no mistletoe in South Africa. But mistletoe is a really good way of introducing the Christmas Kiss, and it’s a fan favourite. So, if it’s a thing where you live, go for it! But if it isn’t, you still have to embrace the Christmas Kiss. It’s that magical kiss that seems like it’s made possible by the festive season. The moment the Christmas lights go on and the couple realise it’s Christmas and the attraction flares. Or when the hero buys the perfect Christmas present for the heroine and the emotion builds.

You have to make your reader feel like it’s Christmas, and these are two easy ways to do so!

What do Christmas romances mean to you? And does A WEDDING ONE CHRISTMAS fit your expectations? (Haha, see what I did there?) Let me know in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook!