We recently had the chance to connect with Jennifer Ward and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jennifer, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
There are two places where I completely lose track of time: in the kitchen, and inside a good book.
When I’m cooking, especially for for friends and family. There’s something meditative about it—the rhythm of chopping, the sizzle of the pan, the quiet alchemy of turning simple ingredients into something that comforts and connects. It’s not just about feeding people. It’s about being fully present in the act of creating something that brings joy and grounding. That’s where I find myself again, every single time.
The other place is between the pages of a spicy romance novel. Reading gives me that same sense of presence and escape, but in a different way. It lets me disconnect from the noise and drop into a world of imagination, feeling, and story. That’s actually what inspired A Novel Affair, my second and newest business—the desire to make those solitary reading moments something we could also share and celebrate together, out loud.
So whether it’s stirring a pot or turning a page, those are the moments that pull me back to myself. They’re small acts of magic, and I try to build a life—and businesses—full of them.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Jenn, the creative mind and heart behind Harvest to Home and A Novel Affair—two passion-driven brands that might look different on the surface, but are both rooted in one thing: connection.
Harvest to Home is my private chef and retreat dining business, where I specialize in seasonal, locally sourced meals that bring people together. I like to say it’s the kind of food that hugs you back. Whether I’m cooking for a women’s wellness retreat, an intimate elopement, or a mountain micro-wedding, I’m not just feeding people—I’m helping create moments they’ll remember forever.
A Novel Affair, on the other hand, is my love letter to the bookish community. It’s a spicy, inclusive lifestyle and events brand that celebrates romance readers, deep conversations, and immersive experiences. From fantasy-inspired dinner parties to friendship speed dating events and book clubs, I’m creating spaces where people feel seen, celebrated, and like they truly belong.
Both brands grew from the same belief: that storytelling—whether it’s through a good book or a lovingly prepared meal—has the power to transform. Right now, I’m expanding into more retreat collaborations, working on a cheeky cookbook, and building out A Novel Affair’s event lineup, including themed parties, reader freebies, and bookish conversation decks.
Whether you find me in the kitchen or on the event floor with a romance novel in hand, I’m all about creating experiences that feed your soul, spark joy, and remind you that you’re never too much—you’re just getting started.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think what breaks the bonds between people is disconnection—when we stop seeing each other clearly, stop listening, or stop making time for real moments of presence. It happens when we feel too busy, too guarded, or too exhausted to show up fully. Add in a culture that often celebrates hustle over heart, and it’s easy to drift apart, even from ourselves.
But what restores those bonds? Slowing down. Gathering. Being witnessed.
For me, it’s the shared meal at a retreat where someone says, “This is the first time I’ve felt truly nourished in months.” Or the book club moment where a reader says, “I thought I was the only one who felt that way.” Those tiny sparks of “me too” are what stitch us back together. Food, story, laughter, safe spaces—they’re the glue that reminds us we belong.
That’s what I aim to create with both Harvest to Home and A Novel Affair: spaces where people can soften, open up, and reconnect—with themselves and with others. Whether it’s over a beautifully prepared meal or a spicy book, it’s all about presence, permission, and the power of being seen.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
For a long time, I thought I had to do everything perfectly—or it wasn’t worth doing at all. That mindset kept me stuck, quiet, and constantly second-guessing myself. The first time I launched something that flopped—an offering I poured my heart into that barely got any traction—I felt like I had failed as a person, not just as a business owner.
But what I’ve come to learn (and continue to relearn) is that failure isn’t the opposite of success—it’s part of it. I had to shift my mindset from “this didn’t work, so I must be doing something wrong” to “this gave me clarity.” Every flop has shown me something: about timing, about alignment, about what I actually want.
Now, I see failure as feedback—not a full stop. I’ve launched new things with a lot more play and flexibility since then: events that evolved as I learned what people needed, menus that changed based on who was sitting at the table, offers that shifted to better reflect what lights me up. And the best part? That’s when the most aligned clients and community started showing up.
So yeah—perfection is overrated. Done with heart is better than done flawlessly.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies I see—especially in the culinary and event world—is that everything has to be polished, perfect, and picture-worthy to be valuable. The curated Instagram feeds, the styled plates, the perfectly lit dinner parties… it can all create this illusion that success is aesthetic, not emotional. But the truth is, the real magic happens in the messy middle—in the realness, the vulnerability, the human connection.
Another lie? That burnout is just part of the job. In both industries, there’s this unspoken badge of honor around “doing it all,” being chronically overbooked, and pushing through exhaustion. But I’ve seen firsthand what it costs—physically, emotionally, creatively. So I’m actively rewriting that narrative. I build space into my retreats and events for rest. I leave room for joy, softness, and imperfection. I don’t just want to look successful—I want to feel fulfilled.
And in the bookish space? There’s still a lot of gatekeeping around what’s considered “worthy” literature. Romance—especially spicy romance—often gets written off as fluff. But it’s one of the most powerful genres for exploring identity, pleasure, and emotional growth. That’s why A Novel Affair exists: to celebrate the stories and the readers that are too often overlooked.
So yeah… the biggest lie? That it’s all about the surface. I’m here for what’s beneath it—the soul, the story, and the stuff that actually lasts.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
What I understand—on a deep, lived level—is that people are aching to feel seen. Not just noticed, not just praised, but truly seen for who they are beneath the noise, the roles, the masks we all wear to get through the day.
I’ve been that person: doing everything “right,” checking off the boxes, building and building, only to look around and realize I felt disconnected from myself and the world around me. I’ve learned that the real hunger so many of us carry isn’t for more success or more validation—it’s for more meaning, more truth, more spaces where we don’t have to shrink or perform.
That’s changed the way I move through life. I now choose softness where I used to choose striving. I prioritize slowness, even when the world pushes for speed. And I try to offer others what I’ve worked so hard to give myself: permission to be real, to be messy, to be whole.
Yes, I create meals and events and experiences through Harvest to Home and A Novel Affair. But underneath all of it, what I really offer is a moment to exhale. A reminder that you don’t have to earn your place at the table—you already belong.
So what I understand deeply is this: the most valuable thing we can offer each other isn’t polish or perfection. It’s presence. It’s being willing to say, “Come as you are—and let’s create something beautiful from there.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.harvesttohomepcs.com www.anovelaffairevents.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/harvesttohomepcs www.instagram.com/anovelaffairevents
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/harvesttohomepcs www.facebook.com/anovelaffairevents
Image Credits
Matlai Photography
Hennessy Photo Co
Larsen Photo Co
Mckenzie Bigliazzi
