Helena Halme's Blog

My blog has moved to my new site, Helena Halme Books. 

As well as blog posts, you can purchase all of my books directly from the Helena Halme Books Shopify site, either in ebook or paperback format. 

To read my latest blog posts, go to https://helenahalmebooks.com/blogs/my-writing-life where I write posts about my writing life, recommend books to read, let you know about new books, and tell you about fabulous book offers.

See you at helenahalmebooks.com! 

The post My Blog Has Moved! appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

Would you like a sneak peek into my new novel?

You can now download an exclusive first chapter from my next novel, To Melt A Frozen Heart! 

The Novel Blurb

When trust is betrayed by those closest to you, can love still find its way?

Kat, a TV producer nursing a shattered heart from a celebrity chef’s betrayal, seeks refuge in a ski resort in Lapland. There, she crosses paths with Mikael, a Finnish ski instructor from a wealthy mining dynasty.

Their worlds collide like ice and fire, yet an irresistible attraction blooms. Kat, an ardent vegan and environmental advocate, has sworn off holiday romances. Mikael embodies everything she detests about privilege: fast cars, inherited wealth, and disregard for the environment.

But destiny has other plans. When disaster strikes in Lapland’s wild mountains, Kat and Mikael are drawn together. In their struggle for survival, they uncover shared values and a connection they never expected.

Will Kat’s heart thaw, granting her a second chance at love, or will it remain frozen forever?

To Melt A Frozen Heart whisks you from London’s bustling streets to Lapland’s enchanting landscapes, where the Northern Lights and twinkling stars illuminate Kat and Mikael’s path.

To Melt A Frozen Heart, is an emotional contemporary romance, a tale of resilience, and redemption.

Out 30 November

To Melt A Frozen Heart will be out on 30 November, but you can pre-order it today for just $0.99 (USD)/ £0.99 (GBP) 0.99€. The price will go up to $4.99 (USD) on the day of publication. So if you’d like to have my new book drop onto your eReader as soon as it’s released, preorder it today.

Preorder NowHelena Halme Books

All of my books are now available to purchase in my Shopify store. You can also find exclusive offers and titles to buy on Helena Halme Books before they hit the shelves in the usual bookshops (see below). Go and browse for stories about love, family, and friendship now. Just tap the image below or go to helenahalmebooks.com.

Paperback Now In Stock

The paperback copy of the new book, To Melt A Frozen Heart, is already for sale in my bookshop. That’s a whole week before it hits the shelves elsewhere!

I think the new book would make a brilliant Christmas present, but then I’d say that wouldn’t I?

Get Your Paperback Copy NowNew Novel Sneak Peek

Your exclusive sneak peek of To Melt A Frozen Heart is only available for my Readers’ Group, but if you join my mailing list, you can download it today! (Naturally, you can unsubscribe at any time.)

Just tap the button below to download Chapter One from To Melt A Frozen Heart now.

Read Chapter One Now

The post New Novel Sneak Peek appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

My new novel, To Melt A Frozen Heart is now on pre-order. An enemies-to-lovers winter romance this is also Book 1 in a new series, titled, The Andersons.  

In To Melt A Broken Heart we meet Kat Andersson, a passionate environmentalist TV producer. Heartbroken after a devastating betrayal by those whom she most trusted in life, she travels to Lapland, where she meets – and immediately hates – Mikael Hult, a ski instructor from a wealthy Finnish mining family. 

To Melt A Frozen Heart

When trust is betrayed by those closest to you, can love still find its way?

Kat, a TV producer nursing a shattered heart from a celebrity chef’s betrayal, seeks refuge in Lapland. There, she crosses paths with Mikael, a Finnish ski instructor from a wealthy mining dynasty.

Their worlds collide like ice and fire, yet an irresistible attraction blooms. Kat, an ardent vegan and environmental advocate, has sworn off holiday romances. Mikael embodies everything she detests about privilege: fast cars, inherited wealth, and disregard for the environment.

But destiny has other plans. When disaster strikes in Lapland’s pristine wilderness, Kat and Mikael find themselves drawn together. In their struggle for survival, they uncover shared values and a connection they never expected.

Will Kat’s heart thaw, granting her a second chance at love, or will it remain frozen forever? 

To Melt A Frozen Heart whisks you from London’s bustling streets to Lapland’s enchanting landscapes, where the Northern Lights and twinkling stars illuminate Kat and Mikael’s path.

Limited Time Pre-order Offer

You can now pre-order the eBook version of To Melt A Frozen Heart from your favourite store for just $0.99 (USD)/ £0.99 /€0,99. This is a time-sensitive offer, so if you want to read my next novel, Book 1 in a brand new series as soon as it hits the virtual shelves (for next to nothing) tap the button below or go directly to the following stores:

Helena Halme Books: https://helenahalmebooks.com/products/to-melt-a-frozen-heart
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/to-melt-a-frozen-heart/id6467734937
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1144123027?ean=2940179315926
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ru9KJI
Choose your favourite retailer: https://books2read.com/ToMeltAFrozenHeart

To Melt A Frozen Heart will be out on 30 November 2023, at which point the price of the novel will go up to $4.99.

 

The paperback copy of To MeltA Frozen Heart will be out about two weeks before the eBook. If you would like updates on the publication dates of the paperback and the eBook (this may be sooner than 30 November ), you can sign up for my weekly newsletter. Just go here to find out more: http://eepurl.com/bHRisv

The Anderssons Series

I am also already plotting the next two books in The Anderssons series. I’m totally in love with my new characters and cannot wait to share their story with you. 

TV producer Kat Andersson is a passionate vegan environmentalist, an ideology not fully shared either by her single mother Simona or her younger siblings Lily and Daniel.

Kat’s mother, Simona, hails from Northern Finland, where Kat, after suffering a devastating heartbreak has gone in search of solace. 

Meanwhile, Simona’s relationship with her children suffers a fatal blow when a most unimaginable betrayal comes to light. 

The series travels from bustling London to the enchanting wild landscapes of Lapland and back again as we follow the loves and lives of the Andersson family.

I hope you are looking forward to reading To Melt A Frozen Heart as much as I am looking forward to sharing the story with you!

If you are interested in my other books, please check out my bookstore, Helena Halme Books.

The post To Melt A Frozen Heart on Pre-order appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

It’s here! My brand new online bookshop, Helena Halme Books is now open.

Once a Bookseller …

Did you know that I’m a former bookseller? Although my career in a bookstore was quite short-lived, I loved every minute of the time I spent in (now sadly gone) England’s Lane Books in London’s Belsize Park.

I loved recommending titles to people. I often played the game of guessing what a particular customer would buy as they stepped into the shop. We had a wonderful team of booksellers and held regular book clubs, children’s reading hours and author events.

I remember particularly fondly the time when there was a queue out of the door and round the corner for David Nicholls, author of the huge best-seller, One Day.  We also hosted Tessa Hadley and the children’s author, Julia Donaldson, among many others. 

If I could, I would set up a small Notting Hill (You know, the romantic film with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts) kind of bookshop tomorrow. Sadly, I don’t have the money or the time.

 Copyright: Notting Hill Pictures, Bookshop Productions, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films, Universal Pictures
Helena Halme Books

As I am not able to bring my dream of a brick-and-mortar bookshop into reality, I went for the next best thing. I opened my own Shopify bookstore online.

I am beyond excited!

The shop is simply called, HelenaHalmeBooks, and it features all my fiction titles in Ebook form. Paperbacks will find their way into the shop soon. The headline of the shop is Nordic Fiction with a Noir Twist, which I think is the right description of the type of stories I write. I hope you agree.

Please visit my shop!

Please do go and have a look at Helena Halme Books and let me know what you think of my new shop. If you’d like to buy paperbacks directly from me, watch this space.  They are on their way into the product selection and will be for sale soon. 

Let me know in the comments what you think of Helena Halme Books, my brand-new bookshop!

Visit Helena Halme Books

The post Helena Halme Books is open appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

It’s here! The new Love on the Island Books 4-6 Boxed Set, with the last three novels in the series is now out on preorder.

The boxed set, which includes An Island Summer, The Island Child, and An Island Heatwave, will be published to celebrate my birthday on 20 April.

The Blurb

Fall in love with the stunning Scandinavian islands in this gripping three-book box set!

An Island Summer sets the stage for the series with three love stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Join Alicia, Frida, and Hilda as they navigate newfound love and old passions rekindled with twists and turns that will leave you breathless.

Get into the festive spirit with The Island Child, book two of the Love on the Island Series. With a Christmas baby on the way, Brit’s past comes back to haunt her, and Alicia must choose between her ex-husband Liam and the Swedish journalist Patrick. Full of impossible choices and heartwarming moments, this page-turner will leave you wanting more.

The heat is on in An Island Heatwave, the final book in the Love on the Island Series. With a Russian fugitive on the loose, a second chance at love for Hilda and Leo, and Alicia’s struggle to choose between two men, this small-town love story will keep you turning the pages.

Don’t miss out on the beautiful scenery and gripping drama of this must-read series!

Love on the Island Series

You might also like to know that The Love on the Island Series includes 6 novels, one prequel short story, The Day We Met (you can sign up to my mailing list here for a free copy), as well as two boxed sets.

The Day We Met (Prequel short story)

The Island Affair (Book 1)
An Island Christmas (Book 2)
The Island Daughter (Book 3)
Love on the Island Boxed Set (Books 1-3)

An Island Summer (Book 4)
The Island Child (Book 5)
An Island Heatwave (Book 6)
Love on the Island Boxed Set (Books 4-6)

Get your copy of the Love on the Island Boooks 4-6 Boxed Set today!

Preorder now

The post Love on the Island Books 4-6 Boxed Set appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

Would you like to watch a reading from An Island Heatwave, my latest release? To celebrate the launch of the title last week, I recorded a reading from the novel.

An Island Heatwave is the story of three women, whose relationships come close to meltdown in the heatwave that has hit the Scandinavian Åland Islands.

The Blurb

Alicia is happily reunited with her ex, surgeon Liam. She’s pregnant and making a go of their new business venture when she sees the Russian fugitive Dudnikov. Her archnemesis disembarks from a superyacht in the peaceful island harbour. To complicate Alicia’s life even further, Patrick, the Swedish reporter with whom she had a passionate affair, is also back on the islands and wants to meet up.

Alicia’s mother, Hilda, on the other hand, puts aside her doubts and past disappointments to give her estranged husband Leo another chance. Their date in Stockholm turns out to be anything but romantic.

Meanwhile, young single mom Frida longs for her new love, Andrei, to leave his homeland of Romania. She wants him to settle with her on the islands, but he keeps making excuses to stay. Can she win him over?

The Reading

The reading from An Island Heatwave is from the beginning of the novel, No 6 in the Love on the Island Series. It can be read as a standalone book, but just to make you understand the action a bit better, I give a short account of what has happened in the previous books to Alicia, whose point of view the first chapter is written.

Tap the image below to watch the reading from An Island Heatwave now. I hope you enjoy it!

An Island Heatwave is out now

An Island Heatwave is now out and available to buy from most eBook stores, including Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play. There’s also a paperback version, available to order from your favorite store or to buy from Amazon.

The post A Reading from An Island Heatwave appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

Today is Publication Day!

My latest novel, Book 6 in the Love on the Island Series, AN ISLAND HEATWAVE, is out today. Whoo, hoo!

After all the trials and tribulations I’ve had with this book, my 15th title, I am delighted and – to be honest – very relieved that this novel is finally out.  I began writing AN ISLAND HEATWAVE in November 2021, right after sending the previous title in the Love on the Island series to my editor. I had the storyline almost ready, and I knew how the book was going to end.

But, then life happened. The world began opening up after Covid. Travel plans that had been put on hold for the best part of two years were suddenly imminent. As were various events, which I cautiously began attending, only to catch Covid myself.

As if this wasn’t enough, towards the end of the year the Englishman and I lost two close members of our families.  

New Year, New Book

In October last year, I decided to push Publication Day into the spring. The novel was more or less ready, and my editor had given me her first comments, but I just didn’t feel ready to let the story go yet. So I took my time, and now, finally, THE ISLAND HEATWAVE is here.

AN ISLAND HEATWAVE

A heatwave makes everyone hot under the collar on the starkly beautiful Scandinavian islands …

Alicia is happily reunited with her ex, surgeon Liam. She’s pregnant and making a go of their new business venture when she sees the Russian fugitive Dudnikov – her archnemesis – disembark from a superyacht in the peaceful island harbor. 

Patrick, the Swedish reporter with whom Alicia had a passionate affair, is also back on the islands. Is he here to be reunited with his former wife, Mia, the daughter of island magnate Kurt Eriksson? If so, why does he want to meet with Alicia?

Hilda, Alicia’s mother, puts aside her doubts and past disappointments to give her estranged husband Leo another chance, but their date in Stockholm turns out to be anything but romantic.

Meanwhile, young single mom Frida longs for her new love, Andrei, to leave his homeland of Romania and settle with her on the islands, but he keeps making excuses to stay. Can she win him over?

Good News!

AN ISLAND HEATWAVE is now available to buy from your favourite eBook store, including Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.

What’s more, the pre-publication offer price of $0.99 will be held until 12 March 23, when it goes up to $4.99.  

The reason for the extended price reduction is that the novel has been accepted to be featured by various email marketing channels. These include a BookBub ‘New Releases for Less’ -feature and an Ereader News Today promotion, both on 7 March. This is great news because the book will hopefully get increased visibility during the crucial first weeks of its publication.

Reviews

Having good reviews is another great way to increase a book’s visibility. I’m delighted that AN ISLAND HEATWAVE has already gained some fabulous 4 & 5-star reviews! Here are a few of them:

Alicia and Liam are still dealing with the Russian while waiting for the birth of their child. Hate to see the series end. Each character might find the peace that they seek but not in the way that they want. Could not put it down as I wanted to see how it all came to an end.” – 5* Amazon

An interesting ongoing saga about family and relationships. Yes, I’m sure that reading the previous books would help when reading this one, but I jumped straight in at this entry in the series. While it took a little while to figure out just who was who, the back story, where required, is slipped into the plot to keep the reader up to speed. Whilst one storyline strays into the thriller realm, the majority of the book is concerned with the character development and relationships that lie at the heart of any long-running series. – 4* GoodReads

Great Read!

An Island Heatwave puts an ending to the stories that were pending in previous books of this series, some relationships were made stronger, and some not so much. The story continues to focus on human and family relations, and how we can always take lessons from good or bad situations. – 4* Barnes & Noble

I just loved the way the author tied up loose threads in An Island Heatwave but at the same time I am dreading that this might be the final book in the series. I do hope I am wrong!

A must-read for anyone already hooked on Alicia’s story or anyone else looking for a great read with interesting characters set in the beautiful archipelago of Åland. – 5* Amazon

I’d like to thank everyone who has already posted a review for AN ISLAND HEATWAVE. You have no idea how much your wonderful words warm my heart!

This is me when seeing the paperback versions of AN ISLAND HEATWAVE for the very first time.

And just in case you missed it, here’s the universal link to AN ISLAND HEATWAVE again: https://books2read.com/AnIslandHeatwave.

I’m off to open a bottle of something bubbly to celebrate Publication Day!

The post It’s Publication Day appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

If you love Christmas books, you’ll love this post!  I read a lot of Christmas-themed stories, so I thought I’d give you a few recommendations. My selection of Christmas books includes Nordic Noir, Cozy Mysteries, as well as Romances. If you’ve never read a seasonal novel, I hope I will persuade you to try one of these novels.

Hidden in Snow by Viveca Sten

Perhaps I shouldn’t have started with this novel, because it isn’t strictly set at Christmas. Instead, the story happens in the weeks approaching the holidays. It does, however, have a seasonal vibe, even if this is definitely a story classed as Nordic Noir.

More or less a police procedural, with a few personal tragedies thrown in, Hidden in Snow is written by one of my favorite Swedish authors, Viveca Sten. Hidden in Snow is the first novel in a series set in Åre, the Swedish ski resort where my book, The Christmas Heart, is also set. So I know the place well and can vouch for the authenticity of the local detail in this novel.

I read this book in three days, suffering from a cold, so I can wholeheartedly recommend it. I loved it so much that I began reading the sequel, Dalskuggan in its original Swedish. This book is not yet out in English, sadly.

The splendor of the Swedish mountains becomes the backdrop for a bone-chilling crime.

On the day Stockholm police officer Hanna Ahlander’s personal and professional lives crash, she takes refuge at her sister’s lodge in the Swedish ski resort paradise of Åre. But it’s a brief comfort. The entire village is shaken by the sudden vanishing of a local teenage girl. Hanna can’t help but investigate. While searching for the missing person, she lands a job with the local police department. There she joins forces with Detective Inspector Daniel Lindskog, who has been tasked with finding the girl. Their only lead: a scarf in the snow.

As subzero temperatures drop even further, a treacherous blizzard sweeps toward Åre. Hanna and Daniel’s investigation is getting more desperate by the hour. Lost or abducted, either way, time is running out for the missing girl. Each new clue closes in on something far more sinister than either Hanna or Daniel imagined. In this devious novel by the bestselling author of the Sandhamn Murders series, discover what it will take to solve a case when the truth can be so easily hidden in the coming storm.

Murder Before Evensong by Richard Coles

Richard Coles is a well-known TV personality with a career that started in pop music as a member of The Communards before he became a priest. He has written several books, but I believe this is his first foray into fiction.   

When I saw Murder Before Evensong at my local bookshop, I wanted to read it immediately. Not only is the book Christmassy, but to me, the novel evokes the Father Brown stories by CK Chesterton, as well as the mysteries written by that other famous British Richard: Osman. If you love either of these writers, I know you’ll adore Murder Before Evensong. 

Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother – opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey – and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.

When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village.

And then Anthony Bowness – cousin to Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton – is found dead at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs.

As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together… and catch a killer.

Murder in the Manger by Debbie Young

Debbie Young, an author friend, writes cozy mysteries set in a small English village in the Cotswolds. Murder in the Manger is the third (standalone) book in the Sophie Sayers Village Mystery series. If you love Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, you’ll adore these books.

When Sophie Sayers’ plans for a cozy English country Christmas are interrupted by the arrival of her ex-boyfriend, her troubles are only just beginning. Before long, the whole village stands accused of murder.

Damian says he’s come to direct the village Nativity play, but Sophie thinks he’s up to no good. What are those noises coming from his van? Who is the stranger lurking in the shadows? And whose baby, abandoned in the manger, disappears in plain sight?

Enjoy the fun of a traditional Cotswold festive season, as Sophie seeks a happy ending for her latest village mystery – and for her new romance with charming local bookseller Hector Munro.

The Amsterdam Affair by Kate Frost

Kate Frost is a hugely successful romance author whose stories are set in various European holiday destinations. The Amsterdam Affair is the fourth book in a standalone series of Romantic Escape novels that can be read in any order. They’re uplifting, heartwarming stories of love, romance, hope, new beginnings, and second chances featuring different characters in beautiful locations.

I love Kate’s stories. Especially during the pandemic, her novels were the perfect way to travel to various lovely locations without leaving home. 

A new start, a chance encounter, a Christmas to remember. Will Iris’s new year be happy ever after? 

When Iris Greene’s boyfriend surprises her with a romantic dinner at their favourite restaurant, she’s expecting a proposal, not a move to another country. 

But Amsterdam proves to be the change she never knew she needed, and a surprise encounter with a local actor leads Iris to new friends and the rediscovery of a long lost passion. While Iris thrives in a city filled with festivity, her boyfriend struggles, and her heart is torn in two. 

As snow falls and secrets are revealed, Iris must decide her future. Will she be brave enough to start over and take a chance on love? 

The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan

I’m also a huge fan of Karen Swan. I’ve read several of her novels, which always have a gripping storyline, often involving families and dysfunctional relationships. I haven’t yet read her latest story, The Christmas Postcards, but I am really looking forward to delving into this one!

The right words can change everything . . .

It had been a make-or-break holiday for their marriage, but Natasha and Rob’s rekindled romance is short-lived when their daughter’s beloved soft toy disappears on the journey home. As Natasha comforts her distraught child, she turns to social media for help. Miraculously, the toy is found, but it has become the lucky mascot of a man named Duffy, who is thousands of miles away trekking in Nepal.

When Duffy promises to keep Natasha updated with pictures, a correspondence begins that soon becomes more meaningful. Sometimes, Natasha feels this stranger halfway across the world understands her more than the man lying next to her.

But as the weeks pass and Duffy heads deeper into the mountains, Natasha notices a change in him. Then one day, the messages stop. Too late, Natasha wonders why he had ever needed a lucky mascot at all.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

I have a real affinity with Jenny Colgan because she’s written many books set on remote islands, often in Scotland. I wonder why I feel this way. Her latest, The Christmas Bookshop, is set in Edinburgh, a city I absolutely adore. 

Carmen has always worked in her local department store. So, when the gorgeous old building closes its doors for good, she is more than a little lost.

When her sister, Sofia, mentions an opportunity in Edinburgh – a cute little bookshop, the spare room in her house – Carmen is reluctant, she was never very good at accepting help. But, short on options, she soon finds herself pulling into the snowy city just a month before Christmas.

What Sofia didn’t say is that the shop is on its last legs and that if Carmen can’t help turn things around before Christmas, the owner will be forced to sell. Privately, Sofia is sure it will take more than a miracle to save the store, but maybe this Christmas, Carmen might surprise them all…

Three Christmas Stories Set in Scandinavia

Of course, you might also be interested in my seasonal titles. All three books are set at Christmastime in Scandinavia. They have lovely snowy settings, second-chance love affairs, and characters holding onto deeply buried secrets.

Just tap the image below to find out more on The Christmas Heart, An Island Christmas, or An Island Child.

I hope you like my list of Christmas books and choose to read some or all of them! If you’d like to get more book recommendations, and stories from my writing life, you can now sign up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll also get unbeatable book offers and you’ll be the first to know about new releases and even get exclusive sneak peeks into my forthcoming titles.

Sign up now

The post Christmas Books appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

I love books set in Scandinavia – or the Nordic countries if you include Finland and are pedantic about your geography. You couldn’t set a book anywhere more beautiful than my native land.

I may be a little biased, of course.

But having just made a quick visit to the Åland Islands, situated between Finland and Sweden, where my Love on the Island series is set, I am once again surprised why more writers don’t use this stunning location as a setting for their books.

Nordic Noir

It’s even harder to find any books set in Scandinavia which are not either Nordic Noir or historical Viking stories. For some reason, the Scandinavian landscape seems to inspire writers to write books with lots of blood and gore in them.

When the Lisbeth Salander books by the late Stieg Larsson became best-sellers in the Noughties, and many other Nordic Noir books were suddenly published, I remember reading an article about why the genre was so popular. ‘Blood shines brighter on snow,’ was that particular corespondent’s verdict.

I prefer an in-depth analysis of why the genre is so popular by Fiction Beast on his YouTube channel. He thinks Nordic Noir novels are practical like the ethos behind Lego and IKEA.  And that at the same time they are ‘cries of pain’ from the happy, wealthy people of Scandinavia. 

So as you can see, I have always been a bit of an anomaly with my books, which are set in the Åland Islands but are not Nordic Noir. However, I recently came across four other novels set in Scandinavia that are more Romance than Noir. 

Icelandic Romance by Victoria Walker

Victoria Walker has written two novels set in Iceland. They are both books in a new series called, Icelandic Romance, and look just the kind of winter stories you need when you want to take your mind off your own troubles.

Set in Reykjavik, the books are cozy winter romances full of snow and maybe a glimpse of the Northern Lights. These books are full of hygge, rather than murder and mayhem. Now, isn’t that refreshing?

[image error] [image error] [image error] [image error]A Scandinavian Summer by Helga Jensen

A Scandinavian Summer is a romantic comedy, another rare breed among Nordic fiction.

It’s the right time for love, but is it the wrong place?
After the tragic, premature death of her husband Anthony, Martha has spent all her time focused on her teenage daughter Rosie in their small Welsh village.
But with Rosie leaving the nest and Martha’s own job on the line, it feels that life is passing her by.
Inspired by her love for Scandi-noir dramas, Martha impulsively books a trip to Denmark, determined to push herself out of her comfort zone – even if the thought terrifies her…
Her trip to the tiny island of Fano becomes something much more: in the form of a handsome stranger, Lars. Can Martha find love under the Scandinavian skies… but more importantly, can she find herself?
This a romantic, warm and uplifting read guaranteed to leave you smiling.

[image error] [image error]The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan

A dramatic story of secrets, betrayals, and a surprising love affair, The Hidden Beach is the perfect book to read while traveling in the region. Set in the Stockholm archipelago, it describes the landscape very beautifully – and accurately.

Through Karen Swan’s heartfelt writing, I was swept away into the scenery that I know so well.

Bell is a nanny working for a well-to-do Swedish couple, Hannah and Max. They have a seemingly charmed life, but, underneath the veneer, there are deeply-buried secrets. These come to the surface when Hannah’s ex wakes up from a 7-year coma. 

Wishing not to get snarled into her employers’ personal tragedy, Bell tries to distance herself. However, Max and Hannah’s problems make her relive the secret tragedy that she herself is recovering from. When she meets and falls for a stranger on the longest day on the summer island, her life becomes more complicated than she had ever imagined.

Do check out this thrilling read with so many twists and turns that it could quite easily fall into the category of a Nordic Noir mystery. There are no bloody murders, though, I promise.

[image error] [image error]

I hope you enjoy these books set in Scandinavia which are not Nordic Noir. I, for one, cannot wait to read these different kinds of stories set in my home region.

Would You Like a Free Scandinavian Love Story?

The Day We Met is a short Nordic love story and free for you to read today.

It’s a snowy day at Uppsala University in Sweden where Alicia is studying English. Stressed over her exams, with a migraine hovering at her temples, the last thing she expects is to meet the man of her dreams.

Liam, a recently qualified British doctor is attending a medical conference. A beautiful leggy blonde chooses to sit at the same table as him in the busy student canteen. He’s not looking for love, but there’s something beguiling about this Nordic beauty and he cannot take his eyes off her.

“An easy and heartwarming read. Two people meet in a different country from both their origins and find their mate for life. Beautifully written it describes in full (it makes you feel cold…) the winter snow storms and their physical effects on people. Good start for a series!” 5***** Amazon

The Day We Met introduces the two main characters of Helena’s new series, Love on the Island.

This short story is available FREE to my Readers’ Group.

Sign up now

The post Books Set in Scandinavia appeared first on Helena Halme Author.

I’m afraid I’ve had to postpone the publication of An Island Heatwave, Book 6 in the Love on the Island series. The good news is that you can now take a sneak peek into the forthcoming novel. Scroll down to find out more.

Why I Postponed the Publication Date

Some of you may know that I recently traveled to the Åland Islands (where the Love on the Island series is set) because my stepdad was seriously ill. Sadly he lost his fight with cancer last Sunday.

There is also serious illness in the Englishman’s side of the family, which after nearly forty years of marriage is my family too.

All of this means that I’m not able to complete the edits to An Island Heatwave in time to publish the book at the end of this month. Due to the strict (and rightly so) Amazon rules on preorders, I’ve had to unpublish the title. The book is nearly ready and just needs a couple of rounds of editing, but I am not able to concentrate on writing at the moment.

I’d rather give out a good story than rush the process when my mind is elsewhere.

An Island Heatwave will be out in the spring of 2023.  If you pre-ordered a copy, Amazon will refund you. (You should already have been recompensated.)

I’m sorry you have to wait a bit longer for the book to come out. I hope that when you do eventually get to read it, you’ll love it!

A Sneak Peek

I’m pleased to let you know that you can now download an exclusive sneak peek into the new novel. You can read the first chapter of An Island Heatwave by tapping on the link here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/i6vw9bgwvy

A heatwave on the beautiful Scandinavian islands brings relationships to the verge of a breakdown.

Alicia is happily reunited with her husband, surgeon Liam, but her ex-lover, Swedish reporter Patrick, can’t accept their affair is over.

Young single mom Frida and her Romanian lover are trying to find a way to be together. There are many obstacles in the way, not least her recent inheritance which Andrei thinks is tainted.
The unwelcome reappearance of an all-too-familiar Russian fugitive brings more trouble for the islanders.

As the heat rises, secrets are unraveled, and one woman’s life takes an unexpected turn.

Chapter One of An Island Heatwave is only available to my Reader’s Group, so I will ask you to sign up to my mailing list. Naturally, you can unsubscribe at any time.

I hope you enjoy this exclusive sneak peek into my forthcoming novel!

Read Chapter One Now

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