Each story lives in a different place — by the sea, in the city, or in the quiet hours after dark — but they’re all rooted in emotional tension, slow-burn connection, and love that unfolds gently.

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A story you can read tonight.

When the bookshop closes for the night, the world quiets — and some things become impossible to ignore.

After the Lights Went Out is a slow-burn, emotionally intimate romance set in the stillness after hours, where late nights, shared silences, and unspoken feelings draw two people closer than they expected. As the lights go out and the boundaries they’ve built begin to soften, connection becomes both irresistible and frightening — because staying might cost more than leaving ever did.

Book cover titled 'After the Lights Went Out' by Erika Aylward, featuring a silhouette of a man and woman close together, warm lighting in background.
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After the Lights Went Out

An After Hours Novel

Coming in 2026

Stories currently being written — returning to familiar places and new quiet corners.

A Maison Du Coeur Novel

A cosy Parisian romance about starting again, finding connection in small moments, and learning that home can be made — quietly.

A small coastal town. A quiet library. And a story written in the margins.

Tides & Typewriters is a slow-burn romance about silence that lingers, borrowed books, and the gentle courage it takes to be seen — one page at a time.

A watercolor painting of a desk with a vintage typewriter, an open notebook with handwritten notes, a cup of coffee, and a pen. The desk is by a window showing a seaside view with boats and colorful houses on a hill in the background.

A snowbound night. One shared room. And the understanding that some connections are only meant to last until the light changes.

Just Until Morning is a quiet, emotionally charged romance about temporary closeness, blurred boundaries, and the tenderness that can exist even when nothing is supposed to follow.

Coming February 2026

A man adrift. A coastal town that remembers more than it should.

Man in the Fisherman’s Jumper is a quiet, emotionally charged glimpse into a story shaped by salt air, unspoken longing, and the possibility of beginning again — even when you’re not sure you deserve it.

Book cover titled "The Man in the Fisherman's Jumper" by Erika Aylward, depicting a man with dark hair wearing a cream-colored, knitted jumper, standing by a coastal village with houses and boats, overlooking a bay.

The Man in the Fisherman's Jumper

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Tea, Gossip, and Other Disasters

A small seaside town. Too much gossip. And one woman who knows exactly who should be in love.

Tea, Gossip and Other Disasters is a warm, quietly chaotic glimpse into life in Forthaven Bay — where busybodies mean well, romance has a habit of arriving sideways, and a strong cup of tea can set just about anything in motion.

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The Editor Next Door

Tides and Typewriters

A Forthaven Bay Novel

Just Until Morning

An After Hours Novel

Book cover for 'The Editor Next Door' by Erika Alyward, featuring a woman with curly brown hair in a blue dress holding a basket of flowers and carrots, standing beside an older man with white hair and a beard, wearing a brown jacket and cream scarf, with the Eiffel Tower and buildings in the background.
An open notebook with blank lined pages on a marble table, a croissant, handwritten letters, and a cup of coffee.
Cozy indoor scene with a table set for drinks, lit by a small table lamp and candles, near a window with rain on the glass, a fireplace with a fire burning, and a coat hanging on the wall.

Beige Girl in Paris

Reader Teasers

Short pieces written as invitations — glimpses into the worlds, emotions, and quiet moments that shape my stories. These teasers are meant to be lingered over, offering a feel for my writing and the kinds of connections I explore.

Book cover titled "Tea, Gossip, and Other Disasters: A Forthaven Bay Story" by Erika Aylward. Illustrated woman with curly hair, glasses, yellow earrings, and necklace, holding a cup of tea. Background features a lighthouse, a couple walking along a path, greenery, and blue sky with clouds.

A quiet editor. A chaotic pet shop. And a Paris apartment block where every door hides a story.

The Editor Next Door is a warm, slow-burn Parisian romance filled with gentle humour, unexpected connection, and the quiet magic of neighbours crossing paths — sometimes by accident, sometimes by fate.

Read the Teaser