About Kelly Kay
214—that's the number of times Kelly Kay has seen When Harry Met Sally.
Someone recently called her a "Smutty Nora Ephron." Who knew goals could come true?
Kelly writes contemporary romance about big, messy, all-encompassing love. Her interconnected series feature sharp banter, emotional depth, found family dynamics, and always—always—a happily ever after. Because nothing's better than a belly laugh, an ugly cry, and a whole lot of kissing.
The Chicago writer
Chicago-based (Go Cubs!), married to a writer, mother of a creative twelve-year-old dynamo, and currently a little sleepy.
Kelly's life is organized chaos.
Equal parts color-coded spreadsheets and spontaneous wine nights. She loves lipstick as much as Chuck Taylors, and there's definitely either a glass of white or a cup of coffee in her hand right now.
Her stories reflect this beautiful contradiction: witty and urbane, wildly funny and heartbreakingly emotional.
She writes the kind of romcoms where chaos meets chemistry, where friend groups become family, and where love feels messy, real, and absolutely worth it.
Good Things in the World
• Pepperoni pizza
• Purple Flair pens
• Wine
• Coffee
• Laughing with friends until her stomach hurts
• Musicians at the top of their game
• Getting lost somewhere she's never been
• Matinee movies on weekdays
• Brightly colored ranunculus flowers
• Fresh notebooks full of possibilities
• Bourbon on a cold night
• Fantasy Football
• Witty men
• Walking through the zoo in the rain
• That magical moment when a character clicks in and begins writing their own adventure
Kelly’s Books
Kelly's catalog includes interconnected romance series, each featuring the found families, emotional chaos, and sharp humor she's known for.
From her winery series to her latest contemporary romances, every book delivers big, messy love stories that make you laugh, cry, and believe in happily ever after.
A swoony, laugh-out-loud prequel introducing the Wildflower Brides. Four women who are about to rewrite the rules of happily ever after. The prequel is about the wedding everyone wanted, the bride who lost herself, and the moment everything falls apart, right on schedule.
Courtney
Five months ago, my boyfriend surprise-announced our wedding date at our engagement party.
I smiled and said, "Of course."
Four months ago, his mother picked my dress.
I smiled and said, "It's perfect.!
Three months ago, he built us a house without me seeing it.
I smiled and said, "I'm sure it's great."
Two months ago, he planned our honeymoon to the one place I specifically said I didn't want to go.
I smiled and said, "That sounds nice."
This morning, I broke into that house and found a pink scrapbooking room and not a single thing that's actually mine.
I couldn't even paste on my well-practiced smile. Who knew a Pepto Bismol pink room might be my breaking point? Now it's six hours until my wedding, and I'm standing in a dress that weighs more than I do, holding a thousand dollars in "mad money" from my father, and finally asking the question I should have asked five months ago:
What do I actually want?
It might be time to say something and hope they listen.
Book one Runaway Roadtrip because before you can run, you have to realize you're trapped. Possibly in a bathroom.
I'm a walking disaster. He's a chart-topping rockstar. What could possibly go wrong?
I'm Meg Hannah, and I trip over flat surfaces, spill coffee on strangers, and embarrass myself professionally. So, when Ian Reilly—the gorgeous, younger rockstar who could have anyone—decides I'm his next great love song, I know it's temporary. I'm always the one before the one.
Ian is relentless, kind, and makes me believe in fairy tales again. Which would be perfect... if my messy past and the tabloids didn't threaten to destroy us. And then Jake shows up—my friend with the swoony smile and floppy hair who I thought I was over—just as Ian starts to look like forever.
Because of course he does.
Two complicated rockstars. One clumsy girl who always picks wrong. But maybe this time, someone will catch me when I fall.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Hilarious, swoon-worthy, and full of heart! The perfect mix of laugh-out-loud moments and toe-curling romance."
A rockstar romcom love triangle (no crossover) where everyone gets their happily ever after.
🎸 Instalove • Reverse Age Gap • Friends to Lovers • Grand Gestures • Found Family • One Flatulent French Bulldog
Abs you can admire. A smile you can't resist. A man who makes you rethink everything.
I'm Tess, and I write romance novels for a living—which is ironic, because my love life is a solid one-star review. My laptop is my soulmate. My idea of a hot Friday night involves plot twists and wine stains. After enough loss, I've learned that keeping my world small keeps it safe.
Then Alex Bishop walks into my life like the hero I'd write if I were feeling dangerous. He's a political podcaster with a wicked sense of humor and the kind of work ethic that rivals mine. We're both so devoted to our careers that dating feels like cheating on our day jobs. We agree on one perfect night, no strings, no encores.
Except he keeps booking flights. Soon we're stealing weekends between deadlines and falling harder than any characters I've ever created. He's my instalove. My exception.
But I've spent years building walls around a life that can't hurt me. Can a romance writer who's survived too much loss risk her heart on her own happily ever after?
No cheating (except on our jobs). All feels. A love worth the leap.
What Readers Are Saying
“Wow, okay... when I started this book I had no expections and within the first chapter I was completely hooked!! 😍 The banter, the chemistry, the total cinnamon roll of a rockstar who loves the everyday girl for who she is... and she doesn't see him as a rockstar, but just a man. I'm such a sucker for a rockstar romance and a reverse age-gap too!! I couldn't put this book down 🥰...
*runs off to start book 2*”
- Kelly from Goodreads on Shock Mount“Kelly Kay's banter is always on pointe but mix it with some unexpected drama, a golden retriever that will not let go of his newly found black cat and an accidental Vegas marriage - you have a book I could not put down. Shift in tone from Runaway Roadtrip was intriguing and so well done.
I can't wait for the next one! I love these Wildflower brides and will always one click her books!”
— H Nagel from Amazon on Morning After Marriage“Crazy cute story. Starts out with a high school love that is quick to form but deep. Transport to present day after heartbreak and we get taken on a journey of pranks and witty banter. When Bette and Hayden finally meet, it is everything you’d expect and more! Plus the seggsy times will have you panting! A well done tale of high school lovers to enemies to friends.
I truly loved everything about this book and really didn’t want it to end.
— Adrienne from Amazon on Keep Paris