Holly Cassidy is the pen name for internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon. Her suspense novels include The Neighbors, Her Secret Son, Sister Dear, You Will Remember Me, Never Coming Home, and The Revenge List. McKinnon was born in England, grew up in Switzerland, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three sons. The Christmas Countdown is her second novel writing as Holly Cassidy. 

If you want to keep up with all things Holly, then check out her website: www.hannahmarymckinnon.com  and follow her on Facebook and Instagram 

What’s the strangest thing you searched for on the internet for your novel?

It’s not that strange to me because I grew up in Switzerland, but readers might not know that windows were blasted into the north face of the famous Swiss mountain, the Eiger, when the Jungfrau Railway (Jungfraubahn) was built over 120 years ago. When taking the train all the way up to the Jungfraujoch at 3,454m (11,332 feet), the train used to allow passengers to disembark at the Eigerwand station and peer through the windows into the valley below. The Eigerwand station is disused since 2016, which it’s a shame because the view was spectacular. Mind you, so are the ones from the Jungfraujoch!

This is the Eiger and its history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiger

Here are the windows: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_and_beth/2148375590 

And here’s more about the Jungfrau Railway to the Jungfraujoch, aka the Top of Europe https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/

What book (or author) made you fall in love with the romance genre?

Ralph’s Party by Lisa Jewell. I remember buying it at the airport because I loved the cover and then laughing out loud during the entire flight home.

What is your favourite trope? Why?

I love the enemies to lovers trope because there’s so much material for banter, and writing dialogue is one of my favourite things! Friends to lovers is always charming and fun, too. No surprise then that The Christmas Wager is the former, and The Christmas Countdown the latter.

It’s the morning after, and a lover is making your main character the perfect breakfast in bed. What is it?

Easy! Scrummy vanilla and coconut French toast. And yes, it happens in the book 😊

What book are you reading currently?

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore. It’s a time travel story with a twist, as each New Year’s Eve, Oona moves to a different time in her life, i.e. lives it out of order. It’s unique, poignant, funny, and completely fascinating. I’m loving it.