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Winter Term
A small town second chance at love novella with a dash of Jane Austen and a floury dusting from a certain British baking show.
Middlebury College lit professor Will is mourning his dead partner while teaching a winter term course on Jane Austen.
Scottish ski instructor Jeremy is fleeing a televised breakdown and the implosion of his engagement. Can Austen (with a helping of baked goods) bring these two together?
Middlebury College lit professor Will is mourning his dead partner while teaching a winter term course on Jane Austen.
Scottish ski instructor Jeremy is fleeing a televised breakdown and the implosion of his engagement. Can Austen (with a helping of baked goods) bring these two together?
96 pages, ebook
Published December 1, 2020
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Neil S. Plakcy
238 books649 followersI have been a voracious reader all my life, mostly in mystery, romance, and science fiction/fantasy, though a college degree in English did push a lot of literary works into my list of favorites.
Quick note: sign up for my newsletter at plakcy.substack.com to get free prologues, epilogues and short stories.
I began writing seriously in high school after an inspiring assignment with A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I didn't know I was gay then, but I knew I was longing for an emotional connection with a best friend. That desire shows up across my writing, from romance to mystery to adventure. I am lucky to have found my special person, and I want to inspire readers to make those connections, to one person or a found family.
It took getting an MFA in creative writing to kick-start my career. That's where I honed my technical skills and began to understand what kind of storyteller I am.
I remember reading Freddie the Detective about a very smart pig inspired by Sherlock Holmes. I’ve always believed that dogs make the best detectives. They notice what humans miss — a faint scent, a subtle shift in body language, the hidden treat in your pocket. That belief inspired my Golden Retriever Mysteries, where Rochester helps his human, Steve Levitan, nose out the truth.
My passion is telling stories where community, loyalty, and sometimes love solve problems just as much as clues do. Whether it’s a cozy mystery in Bucks County, a thriller on the streets of Miami, or a romance unfolding under the Mediterranean sun, I want readers to feel the heartbeat of the place and the people.
I write because stories helped me feel less alone growing up, and now I want to give readers that same feeling: a companion, a puzzle, and maybe a laugh.
When I’m not writing, I’m probably walking one of my own goldens, teaching writing, or daydreaming about my next story.
Since then I've written dozens of books, won a couple of treasured awards, and enjoyed the support of readers.
Every place I’ve lived has made its way into my fiction: the rolling hills of Bucks County, the neon heat of Miami, the beaches of Hawaii, the cobbled streets of Europe. I love exploring how communities work — from a café where dogs guide healing, to a fraternity house in South Beach, to a police unit in Honolulu.
My goal is simple: to write stories that feel grounded in real people and real places, but with enough twists, romance, or danger to keep you turning pages late into the night.
I hope you'll visit my website, where you can sign up for my occasional newsletter, and also follow my author page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy.
Quick note: sign up for my newsletter at plakcy.substack.com to get free prologues, epilogues and short stories.
I began writing seriously in high school after an inspiring assignment with A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I didn't know I was gay then, but I knew I was longing for an emotional connection with a best friend. That desire shows up across my writing, from romance to mystery to adventure. I am lucky to have found my special person, and I want to inspire readers to make those connections, to one person or a found family.
It took getting an MFA in creative writing to kick-start my career. That's where I honed my technical skills and began to understand what kind of storyteller I am.
I remember reading Freddie the Detective about a very smart pig inspired by Sherlock Holmes. I’ve always believed that dogs make the best detectives. They notice what humans miss — a faint scent, a subtle shift in body language, the hidden treat in your pocket. That belief inspired my Golden Retriever Mysteries, where Rochester helps his human, Steve Levitan, nose out the truth.
My passion is telling stories where community, loyalty, and sometimes love solve problems just as much as clues do. Whether it’s a cozy mystery in Bucks County, a thriller on the streets of Miami, or a romance unfolding under the Mediterranean sun, I want readers to feel the heartbeat of the place and the people.
I write because stories helped me feel less alone growing up, and now I want to give readers that same feeling: a companion, a puzzle, and maybe a laugh.
When I’m not writing, I’m probably walking one of my own goldens, teaching writing, or daydreaming about my next story.
Since then I've written dozens of books, won a couple of treasured awards, and enjoyed the support of readers.
Every place I’ve lived has made its way into my fiction: the rolling hills of Bucks County, the neon heat of Miami, the beaches of Hawaii, the cobbled streets of Europe. I love exploring how communities work — from a café where dogs guide healing, to a fraternity house in South Beach, to a police unit in Honolulu.
My goal is simple: to write stories that feel grounded in real people and real places, but with enough twists, romance, or danger to keep you turning pages late into the night.
I hope you'll visit my website, where you can sign up for my occasional newsletter, and also follow my author page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
dnf
September 23, 2021DNF @ 30%
I read about 28 or 29% on Sunday night, then didn't pick it up again until last night after coming home from a road trip, and those few pages I managed confirmed my first impression. This is dry. There's no chemistry between the MCs. They might as well be two limp noodles. The Jane Austen course the one MC is teaching, as a clear inspiration for his own love life and life in general, was a nice idea but executed poorly, and since I haven't read most of her books, much less the modern fanfic being published based on it, it fell flat for me.
I read about 28 or 29% on Sunday night, then didn't pick it up again until last night after coming home from a road trip, and those few pages I managed confirmed my first impression. This is dry. There's no chemistry between the MCs. They might as well be two limp noodles. The Jane Austen course the one MC is teaching, as a clear inspiration for his own love life and life in general, was a nice idea but executed poorly, and since I haven't read most of her books, much less the modern fanfic being published based on it, it fell flat for me.
April 25, 2025
Besides a touching love lost love found story, we get some interesting lessons on reading Jane Austin.
I found this rather tenderly written as Will reminisces over his deceased boyfriend and feels uncertain when a man he meets interests him. For those of us who have suddenly lost their partner this will ring true and maybe hurt a little, but it's so very gently done. Jeremy, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air for Will, bringing him back to life so to speak. I found this a wonderful read.
I found this rather tenderly written as Will reminisces over his deceased boyfriend and feels uncertain when a man he meets interests him. For those of us who have suddenly lost their partner this will ring true and maybe hurt a little, but it's so very gently done. Jeremy, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air for Will, bringing him back to life so to speak. I found this a wonderful read.
January 6, 2025
Short and sweet but really no depth. I liked that this story showed two mature men finding love again. Both characters were very likable and Jeremy was extremely charming. I wondered, though, if Will was really focused on Jeremy since he couldn’t stop talking about Rafe and making comparisons.
As for Jane Austen, all of the references were completely lost on me so I don’t know if that would have impacted my view of the story.
As for Jane Austen, all of the references were completely lost on me so I don’t know if that would have impacted my view of the story.
April 11, 2022
Cute, cozy novella. I liked the meta discussion of romance tropes from Austen to the present. Not as much a fan of the rushed happy ending. Their misunderstanding occurred because one character was dishonest about something important, for no good reason, and this wasn't really addressed before they made up.
January 10, 2026
a captivating short story of love, liss, literature, skiing and a HEA. Two men around their 40s both hurt from recent ended relationships bump into each other in the men's self help section in a bookshop. the story goes from there. the author is such a short time, gives an insight into both their losses, intertwined with Elinor and Marianne comparisons. Worth the read
October 6, 2021
This story was a bit of insta-love but it was a quick an easy read. There was a glaring case of JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER ALREADY that became really annoying at the end, but all culminated in talking and declaring undying love.....which felt too soon. Overall it came off a bit wishy washy.
February 14, 2022
Nice, second chance at love romance.
No real angst, with local college archivist Will fighting shy of romance after the death of a partner who kept him out of his life and Jeremy, who is fleeing infamy after being on GBBO!
Short, engaging, enjoyed
No real angst, with local college archivist Will fighting shy of romance after the death of a partner who kept him out of his life and Jeremy, who is fleeing infamy after being on GBBO!
Short, engaging, enjoyed
December 29, 2021
A sweet story that surprisingly wasn't padded out with sex.
I loved the Jane Austen cross over bits.
Will and Jeremy were a pleasure to watch fall in love.
I loved the Jane Austen cross over bits.
Will and Jeremy were a pleasure to watch fall in love.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews