Meet Francine Beaton

Francine Beaton
Apr 28
5 min read

You’ve spent decades reading romance novels before picking up the pen yourself. What was it that finally motivated you to start writing, and how did your journey as a reader influence your writing style?

I started writing in 2016 on a flight home from New York. I had downloaded two rugby romances to read, but they did not hold my attention. Somewhere over the Atlantic I decided to try writing one myself. By the time I landed, I had outlined five stories that would become my first series. That Monday I unpacked my suitcase, opened my laptop, and started writing.

I had been reading romance stories since I was a teenager. I loved how they made me feel, how they offered hope and happiness even when life did not. That is what I try to give my readers, too. I want them to close one of my books feeling lighter than when they started.

Your debut novel Eye on the Ball and the Taste for Love series have been well-received. How has your writing evolved since then, and what can readers expect from The Widow’s Choice compared to your earlier works?

When I started writing, I wanted to write spicier romance, especially with the rugby series. But over time I realised that is not who I am or what I enjoy writing. I love romantic tension, but not explicit scenes. So yes, my writing has definitely evolved, and I have grown as a writer. Over the years, I discovered deep POV and sensory writing, and I love incorporating that into my stories.

My first books were energetic and full of enthusiasm, but I have learned to slow down and focus more on emotion and character development. The Widow’s Choice reflects that. It is gentler and more introspective, about love after loss, faith, and second chances. It still has humour and warmth, but it also carries more depth.

As a South African-born writer, how do your roots influence your stories, particularly in a series like Our House on Heather Wynd, which touches on diverse settings and characters?

Of course, my local books reflect my South African roots. I find that I speak with my South African voice, more open, more friendly, and less reserved, and then I have to tone it down a little to fit the country where the story is set.

For me, Our House on Heather Wynd felt like coming home. My husband is Scottish, and we spent many years living in Scotland before returning to South Africa two years ago. When I wrote this story, everything was still fresh in my mind: the people, the humour, the rhythm of life there. It made it easy to write with authenticity because I could truly relate.

The Widow’s Choice was released in September 2025 as part of the Our House on Heather Wynd series. Tell us a bit more about this book.

The Widow’s Choice actually began years ago, even before the series existed. In 2019, I wrote Love, Life and Unicorns, which was set in Scotland and told the story of a young woman searching for her biological family. She found them, and one of them was her half-brother, Bryce.

Readers kept asking me about Bryce, and truthfully, I wanted to know more about him too. He stayed with me, this man who had seen sorrow and the darker sides of life but still carried quiet strength. When I was invited to join the Our House on Heather Wynd collaboration, I did not have to think about it. I knew immediately that this would be Bryce’s story. I did not plan it, I did not question it, it simply felt right.

The Widow’s Choice became the book that allowed me to explore who Bryce really was and what it means to choose hope again after heartbreak. It is about loss, faith, and the courage to start over when you thought your story had already been written.

What drew you to write a book that falls within such an expansive series like Our House on Heather Wynd? How did you develop your story to fit seamlessly into the broader narrative?

When I was asked to join Our House on Heather Wynd, I will admit I was a little unsure at first. I do not usually write Christian romance specifically, and I was not certain my voice would fit. But, at that time, I was already planning to rebrand into sweet romance, and this felt like the perfect opportunity to make that transition.

The fact that the series was set in Scotland was another big reason I said yes. Scotland has always been close to my heart, and the timing just felt right. I had also recently finished a four-book, three-author collaboration, so I knew I could work within a shared-world project and still make the story my own. It was a challenge, but the kind that helps you grow as a writer.

You are an avid traveller and photographer. How do these passions inspire your writing, and do any of your experiences or photos make their way into your stories?

They do. Travel keeps my imagination alive. Every trip gives me new ideas, from the way light falls on a city street to the sound of people’s laughter in a market. Photography helps me see small details, and those often become settings or moods in my stories. My books are full of real places and moments that caught my eye somewhere along the way.

You’ve mentioned your love of rugby and how you once played the game. Does your enthusiasm for rugby or any other personal hobbies find its way into your characters or stories?

Often. My early books were full of rugby players, but it is more than a sport to me. Rugby taught me teamwork, commitment, and resilience, and those values appear in every story I write. My characters do not always play sport, but they fight for what they believe in, they support each other, and they get up when life knocks them down.

My hobbies find their way into my stories in other ways, too. Angie in Eye on the Ball reflects my dabbling in painting, and Richie in Wrecking Ball is a photographer, and he is Scottish. Travel also features in my books because it is such a big part of my life. My daughter lives in Melbourne, and one of my upcoming stories is partly set there. And then, of course, there is my love of food and wine. I think that comes through clearly in many of my books.

With a debut novel in 2018 and many successful titles since, how do you stay motivated and inspired to continue writing? What keeps you going, and what can readers look forward to in your future works?

I often joke that I write to stay sane. There are so many characters whispering and sometimes shouting in my head that the only way to quiet them is to write their stories. Writing helps me make sense of the world around me, and it reminds me of what matters most. The joy comes when readers tell me a book made them smile or gave them hope, because that means the stories are doing what they are meant to do.

As long as those voices keep talking, I will keep writing. There are more sweet romances ahead, stories about love, faith, family, and finding beauty in ordinary moments.