About the Book

Book: When the South Wind Blows

Author: Barbara A. Curtis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 14, 2026

He’s spent his life chasing headlines—until the woman behind the story captures his heart.

Elizabeth Canton never planned to abandon her budding theater career, but after witnessing a crime, she has no choice but to disappear. When a family invitation offers refuge at the Double E Ranch, she seizes the chance to hide and finds unexpected purpose helping her young cousin rehearse for the stage, never expecting to be drawn to the local reporter who sees past her carefully kept secrets.

Ranch hand Logan Palmer has always dreamed of writing stories that matter, not livestock columns for the town paper. Elizabeth’s grace catches his eye. But it’s her patience and tenderness with her cousin that captures his heart, even as her mystery stirs his reporter’s instincts. The closer he grows to her, the more he questions whether some stories are better left untold.

As Elizabeth and Logan grow closer, danger follows her to Idaho. When her past catches up with her, she’ll have to choose between protecting her heart and trusting in love. And Logan must decide what matters more—the story that could launch his career, or the woman who’s stolen his heart.

Set against the rugged beauty of the American West, this touching historical romance explores the healing power of family, second chances, and learning that sometimes the greatest role we can play is simply being ourselves.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Barbara A. Curtis lives in Connecticut with her husband, and they have one grown son, a blessing to their hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Novel Academy.

More from Barbara

Chocolate, Chocolate

What part does chocolate play in When the South Wind Blows? To little Susannah, it plays a big part, as Logan is going to help her frost her salvaged cake.

“Miss Lizzie?” Logan hadn’t moved from his spot next to the stove. “If it’s all right with you, may Susannah and I make the frosting for the cake?”

He knew how to make frosting? And again, he included the little girl.

“Thank you. Susannah, why don’t you pull out the cookbook for chocolate that your grandma and I like, and you and Logan will be in charge?”

“Oh yay! The Hershey’s Cookbook? They have the best frosting recipe.”

Yes, in 1934 Hershey’s had published a cookbook, so it would have been well loved and used in the Double E Ranch kitchen in 1950.

And Nestlé’s Toll House cookies weren’t far behind, as Nestlé acquired the rights to the original recipe in 1939. By World War II, the cookies were a staple included in packages sent to US servicemen overseas. Do you think they’d mind that Elizabeth called her version Victory cookies? Though they had nothing to do with the war but a little victory right at home.

Have you ever renamed a favorite recipe just for your family for fun?

I hope you enjoy When the South Wind Blows, the final book in the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series. Maybe with a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie to go along with it.

Blessings.

Barbara

Interview with Barbara

What is your favorite thing about being a writer? I love seeing what was a blank page at one moment be filled and “come to life” with characters and words that didn’t exist when starting out—especially words that can offer hope in God to readers.

What questions do you ask yourself when preparing to write a new book? Often the first question starts with what are the characters’ names. Until I find the names that fit them, I have trouble writing anything about them. Then I ask what is it that they want, and then what obstacles will stand in their way and how will they get to their goal.

What was the best money you spent as a writer? The best money spent and also my biggest investments are the in-person writing conferences I was able to attend and joining the writing classes and community Susan May Warren offers through My Book Therapy and Novel Academy.

How do you come up with story lines/book topic? Sometimes ideas come from a snippet of reading or hearing something and wondering who the people were and “what if.” And those what-ifs can lead to more questions and looking into research of an area or era. I like writing about small-town communities, so it’s a matter of imagining and “finding out” what’s going on in these towns among the imagined characters. It’s not so much as selecting a topic to start with but somehow letting these townspeople “take on a life of their own.” But ultimately, I believe God plants the story seeds and walks alongside as they grow.

What was your favorite childhood book and why? I’ll have to say “books”—as I can’t pinpoint just one, as I loved the Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew series. One of my elementary school teachers would read a chapter a day from these books after lunch, and each day’s new chapter was something to look forward to as the stories unfolded. I believe that’s where my love of mysteries started. And I also loved the Black Stallion series—and horses often end up with a role in my stories as well.