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We’re thrilled to welcome Katrine Wessel-Aas to Bonnier Rights!
Posted on 22/04/2025 in
We are incredibly proud to be working with the talented Katrine Wessel-Aas, whose captivating historical romance series about the Winther family, set in late 19th century Trondheim, has enchanted readers around the world. With over 1.5 million copies sold, her books have become a true sensation, cherished for their rich storytelling, compelling characters, and evocative period detail.
Katrine’s ability to bring history to life through unforgettable romance and strong female voices makes her a standout in the genre — and we couldn’t be more excited to have her on board!
Get to know more about Katrine and the Winther Family series, here is a short Q&A with her.
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Tell us briefly about the Winther Family series
The Winther Family series is a family drama about an upper-class family in Trondheim at the end of the 19th century. In the series, we get to know the Winthers consisting of Karl and British-born Cecilia Winther, and their three adult children: Christian, Fredrik and Rose. Society is changing and traditions are falling, and when Christian, the heir, marries a fur trader’s daughter from Kristiania who is both modern and outspoken, Cecilia must fight for the family’s happiness. The series is ‘upstairs-downstairs-drama in that it also depicts the working class and thus also the divide between rich and poor.
What made you want to write about this time and place?
The period around the turn of the century is particularly interesting because much of what happened, with industrialisation, labour and women’s struggles, all had a major impact on society as a whole, but also on each individual’s life. The period is also gratifying to research, as there are even film clips from the early 1900s. Placing the Winther family in the city of my childhood, Trondheim, felt very right. The aim was to create a kind of Norwegian ‘Downton Abbey’ with storylines from a town with history around every corner.
What made you want to write about strong women and the movement during this time?
Trondheim’s history has been characterised by many powerful families and, not least, strong female figures. These often ruled behind closed doors, while the men were the family’s face and voice to the outside world. With industrialisation and a changing need for labour, traditional family and female roles also changed. Writing, and reading, about women who want to get ahead and fight against convention is always interesting and entertaining. Each book in the Winther family series is dedicated to a strong female character.
