In this video, I share what inspired me to write A Love Once Lost. You also get to see some fun movie clips from Persuasion and French Kiss because – although it was not planned – this book is a smash-up of those stories. I hope you have fun watching! (Transcript below if you prefer to read).
Here is the transcript of my YouTube video for those who prefer to read rather than watch. (But you’ll miss the cute little film snippets thrown in by just reading).
Hi, I’m author Jennie Goutet, and I write clean historical romance. Today, I want to tell you a little about A Love Once Lost, share some background on why I wrote the book, and talk about my upcoming release.
I signed with Haven for a series set in the 18th century, centered on the Grand Tour. I’ve mentioned it before, but this was essentially an extended trip across the continent, usually undertaken by young gentlemen. There were exceptions, but women who traveled were typically married or older and independent.
In this story, we have Mr. Bridwell, who wants to take his three daughters on the tour because he hopes to turn them into luminaries. I was excited by this concept. I knew one book would be set in Paris, where I live, and I decided another would take place in Rome, a major destination on the Grand Tour. I’m actually planning to travel there with my husband this fall to prepare for writing the third book.
For the first book, I chose Spa. I initially knew nothing about it—I didn’t even know it existed—but it’s only about four hours away from me by car, in present-day Belgium. At the time, Belgium didn’t exist; the area was part of the Bishopric of Liège within the Holy Roman Empire. Spa was a bathing town, similar to Bath or Tunbridge Wells, known for both its therapeutic waters and its vibrant social scene. While it wasn’t a typical Grand Tour stop, it was a popular resort destination.
As I developed the story, I began shaping the characters. I knew that the heroine of the first book, Amy, did not want to leave England. For some background: Mr. Bridwell lost his wife when Amy was about eight years old. Before her death, Amy’s mother told her she was responsible for her two younger sisters and their father, who is a scholar—eccentric and not particularly reliable. Amy took this responsibility very seriously.
Aside from falling in love with James, the son of a neighbor, Amy was always obedient and dependable. She kept everything running smoothly. She and James shared a quiet, secret love, and he even proposed. However, his father disapproved of Mr. Bridwell, finding him too eccentric, especially with his habit of placing statues all over the garden. Their relationship was discovered, and at the same time, Mr. Bridwell was attempting to arrange a marriage for Amy with one of his older friends so she could remain nearby. Ultimately, things fell apart between Amy and James, and they separated without further contact.
Six years later, Amy reluctantly joins her family on the Grand Tour. She has no desire to leave England. All she wants is a home, a husband, and children. She has never fallen in love again; James remained, in her mind, the ideal.
When they arrive in Spa, James has followed his own difficult path. After leaving heartbroken, he completed his own tour, studied medicine, and eventually became a physician in Spa. When Amy arrives, one of the first people she sees is James—though he does not immediately see her. The shock is overwhelming.
At a ball, when they finally meet, Amy wonders whether he still sees her the same way, whether he still finds her beautiful, and whether fate has brought them back together. Then she discovers that he is engaged to someone else. Her renewed hope is quickly shattered.
This premise may sound similar to Persuasion, and it is. I didn’t initially set out with that book in mind, but as I wrote, the parallels became clear: a long separation, lingering feelings, and the belief that one has moved on. In Persuasion, the separation is about seven years; in my book, it’s six. In both cases, the hero believes he has moved on and is even pursuing another woman, while the heroine must endure the situation with patience and restraint.
Amy is forced to confront her new reality in Spa and find fulfillment in a place she never wanted to be. That’s when I realized the story also echoes the film French Kiss—a character taken out of her comfort zone, placed in a foreign environment, and forced to discover who she truly is and what she wants.
Although Amy and James are not opposites—they share similar values and desires—her journey still pushes her to grow. Over time, she begins to appreciate the town of Spa and her life there, independent of James. She consciously steps back, allowing him to follow his path, even though she doesn’t understand his engagement.
This is where the beauty of second-chance romance emerges. Both characters made mistakes in the past, bowing to family pressure. To find their way back to each other, they must recognize that missed opportunities are not always permanent, and that mistakes do not necessarily prevent one from achieving what they truly desire. Love, even after years of separation, does not always diminish in intensity.
Writing this story was both rewarding and challenging. A second-chance romance is especially difficult when one character appears to have moved on—especially to the point of becoming engaged. It prevents an immediate rekindling; instead, it requires restraint, self-denial, and a genuine desire for the other person’s happiness. The characters must act with integrity, even when it’s painful.
I found that theme deeply meaningful, and I believe it’s something we can all learn from.
If French Kiss meets Persuasion sounds appealing to you, and you enjoy emotionally intense stories, then A Love Once Lost releases on June 23rd. You can pre-order it now. This is the link to my book HERE.
If you order from Baker (the button to take you there is on that link just above), there’s a special promotion that includes free shipping, 40% off, and bonus items like stickers, a bookmark, and character art. However, you can also order from your preferred bookstore or in other formats such as ebook or audiobook. Simply fill out the Google form HERE, and you’ll still receive the bonus items.
I hope you enjoy Amy and James’s story, and I’ll see you next time.