When DC Loved Iowa

by Lee Winter

What happens after the morning after? Polar opposites fall in love in this low-angst, ice queen lesbian romance about a DC finance journalist and a cheeky butch flight mechanic.

Cynthia Redwell can’t believe she bedded some ex-softballer/mechanic at her best friend’s Iowa wedding. Worse, the woman has a smart mouth, a cute grin, and a baffling immunity to her fabulously biting barbs.

Suzette Beringer wakes up beside closeted, bitchy, beautiful Cynthia and instantly knows she’s trouble. She should definitely steer clear. So how come they keep reconnecting…to the point she’s just invited Cynthia to meet her parents? And why on earth did Cynthia say yes?

The funny short story from Lee Winter’s Red Files universe has now been expanded into a novella.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Novella, LGBT, Lesbian Romance, Lesbian Fiction, Contemporary

119 pages, ebook

First published July 2, 2025

About the author

Lee Winter is an award-winning veteran newspaper journalist who has covered courts, crime, news, features and humor writing for almost three decades around Australia. Now a full-time author and part-time editor at Ylva, Lee is also a two-time Lambda Literary Award finalist and a multiple Golden Crown Literary Award winner.

Want to get in touch? Email: [email protected]

Reviews

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOOO DARN DARLING. i’ll have 10 more please!

i’ll say…4.75, bc SOOOO many of the sex scenes were fade to black or otherwise implied. i love winter, but most authors know better than to keep it vague after their happy ending.

cynthia and suze are the SWEETEST, i want to keep them safe in my pocket. they’re so giggly and hopelessly romantic despite having that endearing attitude of theirs.

i love the grit that comes with some of winter’s stuff, but this feel-good novella was SUCH a treat and just what i needed after a rough couple of days.

this is definitely a go-to comfort read as from now. PLEASE make more of this type of novella. genuinely the best of winter’s recent works. VPFA and Fixers don’t compare to this delight.

[KT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee Winter the author that you are. If you wrote a pamphlet on Safety Tips for Employees Working in the MRO Hangar, I’m 100% certain I would laugh and cry reading it and promptly give it 5 stars on Goodreads.

[Menestrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2021, I wrote "Too short! I want a whole novel about them now..."

And I guess with a novella I got close to my wish. Lee Winter never disappoints.

This was a fun, sexy and in a way nerdy short story. And the dog name cracked me up.

[Aunt Missa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody can take an ice queen and thaw them like Lee Winter. Suze? Hell yes. Gimme ten more of her all day. Her confidence and her banter and her family? Sigh.

[Guerunche · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treat indeed! Loved not only revisiting these characters, but old favorites as well. How wonderful to enjoy a Winter-verse crossover like this!

[Elske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novellas are always hard for me to rate.

Did I like this? Definitely. Was I emotionally invested? Not really, if not at all.

I do love all the recent additions to the Red Files universe, though.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️. Nice to see the old characters back again. I wish this one was longer

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay—hands down—this is the hottest novella I’ve read so far this year! No. exaggeration. Plus Cynthia and Suze’s banter? Absolute fire. And their chemistry? Scooooorching! I caught myself breathless *multiple times!*

I’ll admit, I never read the short story ‘When DC Met Iowa’ (I was too salty about what Cynthia did to Lauren in ‘The Red Files’ to even bother with her story. Yes, I am petty like that! I only dived into this because I was hoping my book wifey Catherine Ayers would make an appearance —that was all!), so I wasn’t expecting to cackle through the first chapter or to suddenly “get” Cynthia and find her cockiness… charming. It’s all down to Lee’s writing, I know. It is sharp, funny, addictive—as ever! And Cynthia Redwell, aka my wifey’s bestie (and a boxers thief), turned out to be so much more than her “bitch in heels” exterior. And for someone like me who is still closeted at home and work, her POV hit me harder than I expected.

All in all, this was funny, spicy, and introspective. A solid 5 stars from me—and a reminder to *never* skip a Lee Winter short story.

[stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t really know what to say. I’ve always adored Lee’s books, but this one simply didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t find Cynthia’s remarks particularly appealing, especially when the adjectives were so strong that it destroyed my view of Suzette. (Since I have a very… vivid imagination.)

Either way, I always love when characters from other Lee Winter’s books are featured. It was a good time to read about Monique or Catherine and Lauren.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This love; I enjoyed it.

[Bugs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Lee Winter, you brilliant one, you! Another gem in the bag with this absolutely delightful and devilishly charming story about 2 polar opposites, Cynthia and Suzette. These two appeared in the Red Files series as best mates to the lead characters - Cynthia being Catherine's and Suze(tte) being Lauren's.

If you had read Winter's short, "When DC Met Iowa," featured in her fantastic anthology, "Sliced Ice," and wished Cynthia and Suze's one-nighter short were longer and more substantial, fret no more bc Winter's long-awaited, much-anticipated novella, "When DC Loved Iowa," grants us our wish!!! Well, at least mine.and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Granted, I was still a little unsure if WDCLI would be a true extension and not merely a re-release of the short. Until I read every page of it and heaved a sigh of relief when it wasn't the latter! Phew! Mind ya, I still wish it were a novel length story (at least 300 pages long, heh!) but beggars can't be choosers.

So I'm just ecstatic to have, in my reread collection, a properly expanded story between a prickly, acerbic ice queen and a former softball player, their respective back story, especially Cynthia's! Truth be told, after reading their short, I always wondered what happened in Cynthia's past that shaped her ever-caustic, icy persona.

Yeh, I love me some hardcase ice queens with properly crafted back stories - BC I truly believe that there's always a reason for someone to behave a certain way especially when they seem to go against the grain in every turn.

Anyway, I absolutely, positively LOVE this exquisitely heartfelt story about the thawing of an ice queen who never thought, in a million years, would be smittened by someone from a different world in the name of love! I especially LOVE the banter, the flirtation, the subversive "chase" (oooo yeh!) and ohhh...Cynthia's heartfelt back story!!!!

And...we get a visit from the usual suspects, Catherine and Lauren PLUS...the ever-intriguing Monique Carson from one of my faves, "Hotel Queens," and "Number 6!" ABSOLUTE GEM!!!

So what are you waiting for? READ IT!!!!

[Corrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When DC Loved Iowa by Lee Winter was a fun little read.

Cynthia Redwell, a DC-based finance journalist with serious ice-queen energy and a razor-sharp tongue, wakes up after her best friend’s wedding in the most unexpected place — with a total stranger: Suzette “Suze” Beringer, a down‑to‑earth, cheeky flight mechanic from Iowa (and yes, a former softballer). It’s such a clash of worlds, and yet… sparks fly.

Cynthia, ever the elegant cynic, can’t believe what happened. Suze, on the other hand, wakes up and immediately senses—something’s off. She knows she should steer clear of this beautiful, closeted, and frankly bitchy ice queen. BUT then, why do they keep bumping into each other? And even more confusing: why did Cynthia accept Suze’s invite to meet her parents?

Basically, it’s a low‑angst, opposites‑attract lesbian romance that’s equal parts witty banter and sweet connection. A short story from Lee Winter’s Red Files universe has now grown into this charming novella, expanding their flirt‑and‑snark‑filled day-after adventure into something deeper and more heartfelt.

4.4 Stars

[Shula McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave When DC loves Iowa five ⭐️’s . It’s a fun read as you can tell by the quote, with a lot of verbal sparring between DC (Cynthia) and Iowa Suze. You should recognize the main characters from Lee Winter’s The Red Files and Under Your Skin, they’re the best friends of Catherine and Lauren. You’ll also see another familiar face from Lee’s books in a hotel in Vegas.
This novella is a fast read at 100 pages, but it’s definitely a story with depth. You will finish the book understanding Cynthia for the first time ever, and even like her. Yes, I know! Suze was of course lovable already. I really enjoyed how opposite they are in so many ways, but it turns out what you need is a spark, and chemistry…okay communication definitely helps too.
You do have to have read at least The Red Files before this story, and preferably Under Your Skin and it would be more fun to have also read Hotel Queens and Number Six. This is the kind of short story I will read again.

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

witty, snarky, hot f/f novella with gratifying depth
I was hooked from the first sentence. It took not even a full page to know that I hit the snark goldmine of witty banter with this novella and I started happily chuckling along when uptight, icey, high-femme Cynthia wakes up in a strange bedroom and tries to remember her ‚apparent night of chandelier swinging‘. Then she discovers - the horror - that she spend the night with butch mechanic Suze, the ‘antithesis of every perfectly manicured stick insect she‘d ever bedded‘. And then the great snarking and out-snarking really takes off. There are sparks and there is spice, a lot of spice OMG!
But this wouldn‘t be a Lee Winter-book without more depth and thoughtful exploration: Lee Winter skillfully adds a whole layer of past, pain, sadness and understanding for the two main characters without detracting from the witty banter. A masterful balance.
And it shows that Lee Winter had as much fun writing the book as we readers will have reading this. After the second page I gave up marking all the wonderful sentences to remember - the book is chokeful.
BTW. You can enjoy the novella as a stand-alone. Added bonus: If you know Lee Winter‘s books you will meet some of her previous main characters (Catherine, Lauren, Monique). If you don‘t you might crave to get to know more about them. Prepare for an epic binge.

I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.

[Jennabeebs79 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When DC Loved Iowa is an absolute delight! It’s sharp, clever, and crackling with whip-smart dialogue that feels effortlessly real. It dances beautifully between biting humor and raw honesty, serving up laugh-out-loud banter right alongside moments that quietly gut you. The balance of snark and sincerity is done in such a perfect way that it makes the heavier themes of trauma and self-reflection land all the more powerfully. It’s the kind of deceptively light storytelling that sneaks up on you, lingering long after the last page.


Check out my complete review at TheLesbianReview.com,

[Shannon Luchies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suze (Iowa) meets Cynthia (DC) and they end up in bed in what starts as a one night stand. But as the snark flies, the attraction grows.

But Cynthia is deeply closeted, while Suze couldn't hide her lesbianism if she tried. So how will this play out...?

Really fun read. Plus we get cameos from Catherine, Lauren and Monique.
5 out of 5 stars. My only gripe, I wish it was longer.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this incredibly boring. The premise itself was unrealistic, and the ice-queen character was so overdone as to be ridiculous. Then, of course, she melted overnight and became an entirely new person. If you're a fan of Lee Winter's ice-queen novels and are already familiar with these characters, you might get better mileage.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute short with characters from other books by Lee Winter. I can honestly say I hope there is more to their story. It was way to short. Still it's a must read. Highly recommend reading The Red files and Under your skin as well as Hotel Queens before reading this book.

[Vita L. Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful novella from Lee Winters! We catch up with Ice Queen/snarky/closeted/DC Cynthia and fun loving/ hard working/ snarky/out Iowan Suzette! After a one night stand, they can't stop thinking about one another. But Cynthia hates Iowa! This is a fabulous Ice Queen love story! 5 stars!!

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who might you be calling patronising?

Tying off a loose end…in the best possible way.

And it’s so satisfying to know in most smart-talking, supercilious and patronising ice queens there beats a heart that needs redemption. I’m happy for you, Cynthia Redwell. Well done, Suze.

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

And she does it again :) You'll never be disappointed with Lee Winters' books, and this novella is no different.
I love the banter and subtle humour that she injects into all her books, looking forward to the next one

[Jan Gwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Another fabulous book by Lee Winter. This was especially fun because it brought back characters I loved in her earlier books. This was definitely one with opposites attract and ice queens thaw.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

You look up 'witty banter' in the dictionary, you'll find a photo of this book. OMG what sharp tongues these ladies have, I haven't read so much snark compressed into 119 pages, ever. Loved every crack, every bitchy comeback. This was pure, phenomenal, stratospheric wit.

[Mayra Luria · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great short story

It’s Lee Winter and her little band of faithful Iowans, what’s not to love. Lots of laughs, some serious adult emotions, just enough spice and as always - the story ends too quickly no matter the pages.

[Em Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this short read and catching up with some favourite characters.

[Paulina · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely devoured this sofar fav book of 2025

[jnkulni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think im psychically unable to not like lee winter books. but while id really love this one to be a little bit longer because i could have enough of suze and cynthia

[dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little story

Great follow-up to the first book. First rate for shorts. Humor, fun, play and lee winters unique and captivating style.

[Tuba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee Winter is my favourite author. My Safekeep I always pick whenever I want to read something that makes me laugh as well as think about serious issues.

I like this novella. I would be more delighted to have this book as a full blown novel. For example, a case investigation with DCs and Iowas. The banter would have been delicious. OMG.

But, I am satisfied with this one too. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. It is witty, funny, and so much with under-layer pain that you can just see hiding to be surfaced with 'the one' in plain sight.