Wendy Hawthorne Writes

California native who has spent her whole life writing. Fan of life's small pleasures, especially sunsets. Constantly distracted and booped by her mischievous cat Penny. https://wendyhawthorne.com/

[wendyhawthorne]

Hello and welcome!

My name is Wendy Hawthorne (She/Her), and I'm a M/M romance author who enjoys writing spice and everything nice! I specialize in angst, forbidden love, and earned happy endings.

I've been a prolific writer from a young age, writing everything from sci-fi to historical romance. I've always been passionate about my craft, and I love writing stories that make others feel something deeply emotional—whether it's belly-aching laughter or being on the edge of your seat, wondering what's going to happen next. There's nothing I love more than knowing my words have reached someone.

On this blog you'll find all the latest news about my writing and teasers for my upcoming releases. I'll also post musings on the writing process from time to time. Don't be surprised if I share cute photos of my cat Penny here too!

I'll be releasing my debut book in Summer 2025! I'm so excited to start publishing my works this year for others to enjoy!

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter on my website (https://wendyhawthorne.com) as all upcoming release announcements will arrive straight to your inbox first and foremost!

You can also find me on the other sites below! 💜 BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wendyhawthorne.bsky.social 💜 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyhawthornewrites/ 💜 Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/wendyhawthorne

[wendyhawthorne]

Interested in an MM hockey romance between two goalies? What about a slow burn that builds into steamy heat with a dash of hurt/comfort? Then look no further! Connection From Chicago needs ARC readers just like you! 🥅 This ARC is for readers who love hockey romance with a healthy blend of sporty action and romance. You do NOT need a big account or fancy graphics to be part of my ARC team. Just honest reader vibes and a sense of community 💙 ARCs go out on May 13th | Book releases June 9th Sign up on my website to join my ARC team!

Website | Instagram | BlueSky | Goodreads

[wendyhawthorne]

CONNECTION FROM CHICAGO

I'm excited to announce the release of my upcoming MM hockey goaltender romance: Connection From Chicago. This book features…

🥅 Goalie x Goalie 🥅 Slow Burn 🥅 Long distance friends to lovers 🥅 Epistolary romance over texting 🥅 Found Family

...and so much more!

Book releases June 9, 2026. Preorder your copy today!

[wendyhawthorne]

BLACK FRIDAY SALE

From now until December 2, 2025, Snapshots in San Diego, a hockey MM romance, will be on sale!

This novel features a best friends to lovers dynamic between a hockey player and his team's social media manager, hurt/comfort, and heaps of mutual pining.

Snapshots in San Diego is available through Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and as a paperback!

🏒 Available here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQYG7X24

[wendyhawthorne]

🧡 NEW BOOK RELEASE 🧡

Snapshots in San Diego, a hockey best friends to lovers MM romance, can now be read through Kindle & Kindle Unlimited, or as a paperback!

🏒 Available here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQYG7X2

Book summary under the cut ⬇️

Oliver Ever since his family moved in across the street from mine, Gareth Galloway has been my best friend. We used to believe we would play in the NHL together one day. He knows my secrets better than anyone else. Or, at least that’s how it was until an injury ripped me from his side on the ice in high school. We’ve managed to salvage our shared dream in what ways we could. He’s a professional hockey player for the San Diego Starbirds, and I’m a member of his team’s marketing department, selling his story to hungry and eager hockey fans online. Some would say we’ve made it, but for me, there’s still something missing before I can call this happily ever after. I want Gareth to be my forever, but the last thing I want is to risk rejection and ruin what remains of our friendship. Some days it already feels as if we’re drifting apart. I can’t lose him. Gareth I’ve been in love with my best friend Oliver Owen for years, but I’m notoriously shy. I play one of the world’s roughest sports, but I can’t manage to put my feelings into cohesive words. One desperate read through a self-help book later, I’ve realized I can’t keep harboring this secret any longer. I need to find a way to tell Oliver how I feel or risk losing him forever to some other guy who’s capable of saying the words he’s longing to hear. I just hope I’m not too late. Snapshots in San Diego is a best friends to lovers MM romance featuring photography and a deep bond forged through hockey.

[wendyhawthorne]

Snapshots in San Diego is a dual, first person POV book!

Introducing Oliver Owen...

📸 Social Media Manager for the San Diego Starbirds ⭐ Former Hockey Player 💖 Madly in love with his best friend, Gareth

Pre-Order: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQYG7X24

Book releases September 30, 2025!

[wendyhawthorne]

💖 Trope Reveal 💖

Summer may be coming to an end, but the love in the air is still sizzling hot! 🔥

Snapshots in San Diego is a best friends to lovers MM hockey romance, with a splash of spice and angst!

🏒 Pre-Order Now: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQYG7X24

[wendyhawthorne]

Snapshots in San Diego

I'm thrilled to announce my upcoming book coming later this month!

Best friends Oliver Owen and Gareth Galloway must overcome their fears, doubts, and pasts to take their friendship to the next level. Being “just friends” won’t cut it anymore. Snapshots in San Diego is a best friends to lovers MM romance featuring photography and a deep bond forged through hockey.

Releases September 30, 2025! ❤️ Pre-order here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQYG7X24

[wendyhawthorne]

Why I Wrote The Rival

With The Rival having been out for 2 months as of this week, it’s time to peel back the curtain and about why I wrote this story and why I think it’s special.

For my first foray into writing original fiction, I wanted to tell a straightforward romance story with a clear premise and interesting characters.

Rivals to lovers is a relationship dynamic I’ve always enjoyed, and it presents a clear point of tension between two characters: they’re feuding over something which matters to them. Adding in the element of basketball as the backdrop for the rivalry made sense, and the post-game setting of the locker room creates a case of forced proximity which sparks into passion.

I intended for the reader to get a sense of a before and after with this story. The characters are not total strangers; they have history which includes their rivalry and something more—a missed opportunity at romance caused by an accident and a subsequent miscommunication. I love the idea of characters having a second chance at love, something which isn’t always afforded to everyone. By the story’s end, the characters may no longer be on stage, there’s still a sense of their future as individuals and as a couple. There’s a promise of more between Matt and Jason.

Sports romance is a genre I never thought I would become so invested in, but here I am! I understand the appeal now. Sports in general tell narratives of their own, and with how much time and effort a person can put into honing their craft, the stakes of a game, even a county-wide basketball league, suddenly feel tangible.

The Rival won’t be my last sports romance, but I’m proud it will always serve as my first. If there’s one major takeaway from this experience, it’s to keep an open mind when trying something new. Who knows, you may just discover your next favorite thing!

The Rival is available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle Unlimited!

[wendyhawthorne]

Longtime basketball rivals must contend with more than just their feud when unexpected circumstances have them meeting each other off the court...

The Rival is book one of At Last: An MM Romance Series.

I'm so excited to be able to share the first of what will be many stories in this series! Whether you're a fan of sports romance or looking for a second chance romance, this story serves up a healthy balance of spice, mutual pining, and self-discovery.

📚 Purchase your copy of The Rival here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC3QWCQ8

Sign up for my author newsletter to stay up to date on my latest releases, teasers, sales, and more at wendyhawthorne.com

[wendyhawthorne]

Trope Map for The Rival

Start off your summer with a steamy read featuring…

☀️ Forced proximity 🏀 A dom x sub power dynamic ☀️ Second chances at romance and love

📙 The Rival is my debut book and it releases on June 10, 2025!

Preorder your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC3QWCQ8

[wendyhawthorne]

✨ Cover Reveal ✨

Sparks fly when a sore loser and a gloating victor collide after their league's championship basketball game...

Introducing... The Rival, my debut book releasing June 10, 2025! Mark your calendars!

The Rival will feature...

🧡 Basketball Boys 🏀 Rivals to Lovers 🧡 Second Chances at Love

[wendyhawthorne]

Newsletter 001

The first issue of my newsletter as an indie MM romance author is now live! This is just the start of something new and exciting for my writing career. Every step on this journey is a process, but it's one step closer to achieving my goal of being officially published.

Subscribe today to learn about my upcoming book release coming this summer… and a teaser for what's next! 💜 Thank you so much!

➡️ wendyhawthorne.com

[wendyhawthorne]

I just finished finalizing my newsletter! It'll be going live next week, and I have exciting news to share! 👀 If you're a fan of MM romance novels, sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news regarding my writing! ➡️ wendyhawthorne.com

Thank you so much! I'm so excited to share more about what's coming soon! 💜

[wendyhawthorne]

Introducing my writer's assistant… Penny!

She's always eager to provide feedback with a meow and boop 😻💜

Currently, she's helping me make the final edits to my new book! More about that coming soon 👀

[wendyhawthorne]

Coming soon to a dashboard near you...

An introduction to this blog and who I am!

Stay tuned 👀