Romance is the spice of life. It’s also a key to the success of certain businesses that are built on hearts and flowers, literally.

Buzzy Heroman is a fourth-generation florist in Baton Rouge and the owner of Billy Heroman’s Flowers, which has three stores in the area. The store was founded by his parents, Billy and Janet Heroman in the 1950s, though the Heroman family has actually been in the floral business since the 1870s. Today, Buzzy and his wife Susie run their business, which is the largest florist in Louisiana. They now have the fifth generation of the family also working with them – their sons Ben and Robert Heroman, and nephew Todd McBride. 

Season Vining is a romance writer, who has published three steamy novels with a fourth on the way. Season’s stories are page turners with heroes and heroines who have dark pasts and hidden secrets but good hearts, deep down. Season began writing poetry while she was still just a child, growing up in Baton Rouge. Over the years, as she matured, so did her writing. Today, in addition to being an author, Season is a designer, and the mother of a toddler. 

Photos at Mansurs on the Boulevard by Ken Stewart.