Read an interview with Jill Lynn about The Summer of Keeping Secrets, a women’s romantic fiction from Love Inspired Trade.

Jill Lynn is a two-time ACFW Carol Award winning author of inspirational romance for Harlequin Love Inspired and has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University. She pens rocky mountain beach reads set in Colorado, where she lives with her husband and two teenage children. An avid fan of thrift stores, summer and coffee, she loves to connect with readers through social media or her newsletter.

Sunday Dinner is a traditional (noon) meal served after church on Sundays. Whole families, including extended family, would gather over a large meal to celebrate a day of rest. Multiple cultures enjoy this Sunday Dinner tradition. In my experience, I know it from both my Midwestern farm family as well as my Italian-American family. Now, I’d like to bring Sunday Dinner virtually to you. So, pull up a chair as we invite various guests to join us each week!

This or That Quick Takes

*Author’s choice is in bold.

Ten Questions

Tell us something interesting readers would enjoy learning about you.

I grew up in Minnesota, but I’ve now lived in Colorado for just as long as the state I grew up in. I miss the lakes and water of Minnesota, but I do love that Colorado doesn’t have bugs! 🙂 I’m an outside girl. I love paddle boarding, hiking, walking and just sitting outside reading.

Can you tell us about your latest novel?

For fans of Denise Hunter and Susan Mallery, a captivating story about a single summer that could completely break a family apart—or bring them back together.

Recently widowed Marin Henderson considers time with her two adult children a gift. And she’s intent on not prying into their lives while they’re all together, cleaning out her late parents’ Colorado home. But from the start, nothing goes as planned. Her free-spirited daughter, Slade, and her strait-laced son, Reed, both arrive ahead of schedule, and no one is explaining why. Marin knows they’re hiding issues in their personal lives. But she can only push so far because she, too, is keeping secrets.

Setting aside family tensions, the three of them get to work purging the house. But when Slade discovers a decades-old newspaper clipping about a body found on the rocks below the house, questions arise. Marin insists the death was ruled an accident, but Slade’s curiosity is piqued. And when a roof leak compels Marin to call on an old friend and flame for help, it’s the catalyst for a wave of revelations.

Between a daughter bent on distracting herself from her own career turmoil, a son desperate to hold on to his marriage and a mother forced to confront her choices from that long-ago summer, pieces of the past and present begin to unravel. And before the summer is over, they each must decide what to hold on to and what to let go…

In what city is your story set and why did you choose to set your novel there?

Dillon, CO. We love visiting Dillon, and the houses on a cliff above the lake inspired this story.

Describe your setting. And, if it’s a real place, have you visited?

I set this book in the real town of Dillon, Colorado. I’ve visited numerous times. We love to hike and paddle board in Summit County, CO. The novel is set on the cliffs above Lake Dillon. The houses are stunning, and there’s quite a drop down to the Snake River Inlet and Lake Dillon (AKA Dillon Reservoir) below.

What research was required to set a book there?

Since we have the opportunity to visit Dillon, CO often, I was able to use my own experiences with the people, the small town setting and the nuances of the lake setting to create the backdrop for this story.

What does a day in the life of one of your characters look like?

Each of my characters has been uprooted from their typical life in order to meet in Colorado and clean out the grandparents’ home. Their grandmother was a near hoarder, so there’s a whole house to sort through. At the same time, each is dealing with issues in their personal lives and navigating personal relationships. This book focuses on a mother and her adult children, so there’s the added layer of navigating family relationships.

Were resources easy or difficult to find on these topics? Do you have a favorite resource?

I read a lot and I observe people around me. My favorite resource is simply reading articles about family relationships.

What is one piece of your research that you couldn’t include in the book, but wish readers could know?

I’d love to share more about the setting of the book. I do share pictures on my social media of Lake Dillon to try to give readers insight into the area.

Do you have another book in the works? What can you tell us about that book?

I am working on another women’s fiction book with romance and a little bit of mystery. It’s about three women, their friendship, and the loss of one of their friends in high school. It’s set in Breckenridge, CO.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

This is my first book that has both women’s fiction and romance. I enjoyed delving into more intricate family relationships in this story, and yet I also loved including some romance story lines. I hope readers enjoy!

The Wrap-Up

The afternoon is slipping away, so we have to draw the stories to an end. Thank you for joining us today!

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If readers would like to purchase a copy of your book, where might they be able to do so?

Amazon | Direct from the Publisher | Goodreads

If readers would like to learn about you or your other books, how might they find you online?

Website | Amazon | BookBub

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Question for Readers

*Answer in the Comments!

Have you visisted Colorado? If yes, where have you been? And if no, where would you like to visit in Colorado?