Jasmine Guillory knows how to write a great love story. The prolific New York Times best-selling author hooked us with her debut, The Wedding Date, followed by a roster of page-turners featuring dynamic Black women. Her latest is Flirting Lessons, a story of two women, Taylor and Avery, who, against the backdrop of Napa Valley, find themselves sipping wine and flirting with the idea of being more than friends. In her signature fashion, Guillory has again provided us with a novel heavy on the laughs, witty banter, and steamy love scenes. We recently sat down with the Oakland-based author to talk about the new novel, her favorite scenes, and how to plan your very own trip to Napa Valley.
ESSENCE: I love that Flirting Lessons and your last novel, Drunk in Love, are set at the fictional Noble Family Vineyard. What is it about Napa Valley that makes for a perfect setting for romance to unfold?
Jasmine Guillory: It’s partly because it’s just so beautiful there. You get there, and there are rolling hills, grape vines, and flowers everywhere. I also think that there’s just something romantic about wine. We think of it as kind of a leisurely thing, which leads to romance. You get there and ask yourself, Who will I drink wine with? And what are we going to talk about? And who am I going to snuggle with? It’s always felt like a very romantic place to me.
Since you’ve spent a lot of time in Napa Valley, what’s the best time to go?
The weather in the Bay Area, and just in California in general, is the best in September and October; that is when it’s the warmest and the sunniest. It’s also less busy because a lot of people come in the summer. In the fall, it’s not quite as hectic. You can get into more places, travel around a little bit easier, and not feel quite as rushed.
Any favorite wineries?
Obviously, I have to mention Brown Estate Winery. It’s one of the biggest and best Black-owned wineries in Napa Valley. It’s family-owned and has a good range of interesting wines. They also have a great tasting room right in downtown Napa. When you go, you learn so much about the history of wines.
I love that Drunk in Love and Flirting Lessons take place on the same timeline, and we also get a sneak peek at Margo and Luke, the leads from Drunk in Love. Are there any plans to write about more characters at Noble Family Vineyards?
Yes, I definitely have plans for that in the future. Also, I laughed when you said they’re in the same timeline because I did that with my previous series, and I promised myself that I would never do it again because it was so stressful. And then, of course, I did it again. But yes, I definitely have plans to write about Elliot, Margot’s brother. I feel like there’s some history there. I’m contemplating Elliot’s book and maybe some other characters, so we’ll see.
Something that I really picked up in the book is the community in Napa Valley. Avery and Taylor are outside. They’re doing painting classes, karaoke, and gardening workshops. Today, it seems like people are so lonely and isolated. How important is it for people to get outside, not just for love, but also for friendship?
It was a core part of the book for me. I thought about that because, coming out of the pandemic, many of us stopped figuring out how to do that right. People were lonely and sad about not having that community, and we forgot how to find it. But you have to go out and put yourself out there and find those communities because they’re out there. One really great way is to think of something that you’re interested in or interested in learning and find out where that happens, whether it’s the community garden or the bookstore.
I also loved the depiction of Napa Valley as a place offering lots of different activities. Outside of winery visits, what are some other must-see things to do?
Napa Valley also produces a lot of olive oil, which is fun to learn about. There’s also a lot of good cheese, so I recommend going on a cheese tour. But there are also some really great spas where you can relax with your girlfriends.
Do you have a favorite place to stay?
Carneros Resort is a delightful place to stay. The resort is a bit of a splurge, and the breakfast restaurant, Boon Fly Cafe, is fantastic. Get there early and order the donuts.
Was there a particular scene that you found especially rewarding or challenging to write?
I love the first scene of the book, the party scene, because Avery and Taylor were sort of circling around each other. This is their first real interaction. They’ve known each other before but have never really talked. I loved having them kind of learn that, “Oh, we could be friends,” and then they stumble into this decision to do these flirting lessons together.
As you mentioned, Avery is a beginner at flirting with women and asks Taylor for help. Speaking of being a beginner in things, do you have any tips for people new to wine tasting?
I love this question. Think about what you like in wine. If you like white wines the most, don’t try to push yourself to drink reds and vice versa. Also, ask a lot of questions. I like going to wine tastings, where I can ask the person giving the tasting what they like about the wine. What is special about it? What’s best to eat it with? There’s also a specific order in which you taste the wine, so ask some questions about that, too. Write down some notes. I think that’s really helpful because then when you go on to the next place, they’ll ask you questions about what you like, and so I think the more knowledge you gain, the more things you will remember from winery to winery.
If Flirting Lessons were a glass of wine, which one would it be?
I would describe it as a sparkling rosé – a little fun, a little fizzy. Sparkling wine often has more depth than people give it. It’s a little sweet but exciting. And a glass of rosé is always fun.
