A Rose City Romance (clean, holiday romance)
The Story Behind The Cookie Connection
The Cookie Connection is set in Springfield, Ohio. Some business names were kept and some were changed. If you live in the area, you will probably know the locations I’m referring to in the story. Springfield has a handful of nicknames, but one of its oldest ones is “Rose City.”
According to the historical marker located by the city’s rose statue:
For nearly 80 years Clark County was home to a flourishing nursery and florist industry. In fact, Springfield and Clark County grew and shipped more roses than any other city in the country. Rose growing and shipping became a multi-million dollar industry beginning in the 1870s with the innovation of a safe shipping process for young bushes and the availability of rail transportation.
In the late 1870s, Charles A. Reeser had an idea. He believed it was possible to send dormant one or two-year-old roses short distances by railroad. His former employee developed the process. Reeser opened a greenhouse and mail-order business, and the rest is history. In a 1919 publication, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce noted that there were 33 greenhouses in Springfield alone, which produced 9,637,000 roses each year. That total was even higher if you counted all the greenhouses in Clark County. In the 1930s more coal was used for the local floral industry than in the steel industry.
Even the most prosperous of local industries will inevitably meet stiff competition. The advent of the airplane, the availability of cheaper labor abroad coupled with rising demands for higher wages locally, and competition from growers using newer labor-saving devices combined to bring about the demise of the local rose industry. The majority of local commercial greenhouses were torn down in the early 1950s.
If you’re happening to be traveling through Ohio, you can stop off of I-70 and visit Springfield, Ohio. It’s nicknamed Champion City, along with Rose City. The crow is its token bird mascot. There’s a Frank Lloyd Wright house, along with theaters that were once sought after stops for Vaudeville acts. You’ll find a Coffin Station Road on the railway line and then find out most embalming fluid is made there. Now torn down, the city featured magazine publishing at the Cromwell Building before moving to New York City.
I’ve made it my home for a decade now and have loved seeing it come alive. You’ll find a vibrant downtown and a community that loves coming together.
Names of some places have often been changed in my books, but if you’re from here, or come to visit, you can probably guess the places I’m referring to in the story.
I often picture the opening scene of a book first before I even start writing it. This holds true for The Cookie Connection. Julie, the main character, is wanting a specific gourmet cookie. They are sold at the downtown coffee shop on a certain day. Now that it’s November, she’s in the Christmas mood and can’t wait to try the Winter Dream cookie – a sugar cookie with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and crushed peppermint. They’re out of stock and a stranger offers her his cookie.
The inspiration behind the cookies is Springfield’s Oats & Doughs cookies. Brittany Barlow sells her gourmet cookies mainly online now, but there was a time when people would show up early on the day her cookies would be sold at the downtown coffee shop. (Her cookies are really, really good!)
To read about all the places in and around Springfield that inspired scenes in the book, check out my blog post: The Cookie Connection Inspirations!
Buy The Cookie Connection on Amazon!
Available in paperback and Kindle versions.
Reviews of The Cookie Connection
“This is a sweet holiday romance that you won’t be able to put down! The author weaves a wholesome and creative story set in her hometown of Springfield, Ohio. It’s a fun twist to see how the author features both the history and key landmarks of the city. Great read!” – JTM, Amazon review
“Well-written, easy to read, cute romance novel written in the Rose City itself! I couldn’t put it down and was sad that it came to an end so quickly.” – PianoMama, Amazon review
“As a local Daytonian, I love reading a book set right up the road in Springfield, it’s not often you get to read a book set about Ohio. A sweet, not spicy book about a school teacher finding love and connection over a cookie. A cute must read this holiday season.” – Jennifer Bahan, Amazon review