Cuffing Season

MOOD BOARD

The Cuffing Season Soundtrack

Author's Note

Every story has an origin, and this one started years ago with a little Christmas movie called Holiday in Handcuffs. It has been one of my favorite holiday films since high school — cheesy, chaotic, heartfelt, and a little ridiculous in all the right ways.

Back then, I remember thinking:
What if this idea were flipped? What if that wild, impulsive, snowstorm kidnapping spiraled into something tender… and sapphic? What if the emotional heart of the story wasn’t about the chaos at all, but the connection that forms when two very different women get trapped together during the coldest time of the year?

That little spark lived in my head for a long time.

And honestly… I’ve always loved the phrase “cuffing season.”
It describes that time of year when the weather turns cold, everyone couples up, and even the most guarded hearts start feeling a little braver. It’s slang, sure, but it’s also a perfect play on words when you mix it with a “kidnapping-turned-love-story” setup.

So this book became my own version of that idea.
A love letter to winter.
To quiet moments.
To unexpected connections.
To the people who thaw us out just by being there.

I hope this story makes you feel warm, makes you smile, and gives you something soft to hold onto this season.

With love and gratitude,
M. Keane