SouthCoast Nurse Turns Fall River Into the Backdrop for a Spicy Romance

When you think of Fall River, Massachusetts, a few things probably come to mind. Maybe it's the mills, the Lizzie Borden House, or a good old-fashioned chow mein sandwich, but a steamy romance novel that's spicier than Michael's chourico? I definitely didn't have that one on my bingo card.

Meet Kristy Charest, a 45-year-old Dartmouth resident, Westport native, and nurse at Charlton Memorial Hospital who has found a creative way to bring a little spice to the SouthCoast. She writes romance novels under the pen name "Kade Charest," and her latest local-inspired story has quite the interesting setting.

I first came across Kade on TikTok, where she was promoting her book Gray Area, a spicy romance set in Fall River. Right off the bat, I knew I had to reach out to her, because if there's one thing I never expected to find, it's a fictional bad-boy love story running amuck near Kennedy Park.

Fall River's Bad Boys Have Entered the Chat

Gray Area focuses on Declan, a Fall River businessman looking to expand his family's empire of properties, bars, and restaurants. While taking classes at Bristol Community College, he meets Vivian, a young woman with a difficult past who's determined to build a better future for herself.

Declan falls hard, but Vivian isn't interested. Eventually, his bad-boy charm begins winning her over, until his questionable business dealings and hidden secrets threaten their relationship. "Let's just say Declan isn't exactly the type to call the police when trouble comes knocking," Charest clarified.

Why Write Spicy Romance?

Of all the different genres of literature, I was curious why Charest chose spicy romance. Sure, there's the excitement, passion, and steamy storytelling, but her reasoning was actually much more heartfelt than I expected.

"I love that the romance/spicy romance will always work out," Charest explained. "There is so much uncertainty everyday that it's so beautiful to me that you can read something or in my case create something where in the end it's always a happily ever after."

Dartmouth Nurse Writes Spicy Romance Set in Fall River

I truthfully love that perspective. With so much uncertainty in the real world, sometimes it's nice to escape into a fictional one where, despite the drama and heartbreak along the way, love ultimately wins. Silver linings for the win.

From Dartmouth Nurse to Romance Novelist

Charest has been writing for approximately 15 years, balancing her passion with nursing and raising two sons. Her pen name, Kade, is actually a combination of names from her family: Kristy, her husband David, and their sons Aaron and Ethan.

Dartmouth Nurse Writes Spicy Romance Set in Fall River

Before Gray Area, she published Inevitable Inheritance and its sequel, along with another romance inspired by the SouthCoast area with specific local spots, including Fathoms and Flo's Clam Shack. As for her writing process, Charest compares it to making a quilt. She writes individual scenes as they come to her, eventually stitching everything together into one complete story.

Where to Find Kade's Books

You can find Gray Area and her other books on her official website or through Amazon. Her books are also carried at local shops, including Serendipity Bookshop in Taunton, Three Gen Love at Kilburn Mill, Once Upon a Bookstore in Fall River, and Literary Lily in Swansea.

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I've interviewed plenty of local authors over the years, but this one certainly caught my attention. There's nothing more heartwarming or attention grabbing than a "happily-ever-after" waiting somewhere along South Main and Columbia Street.