Are there any connections (other than setting) between RA Salvatore's IWD novels and the games?

None. The main characters (Drizzt Do'Urden, Bruenor, Catti-brie, Wulfgar and Regis) in the book trilogy play no part in the games.

What about from a timeline perspective? Are the events at all close together? Are there any novels that take place around the games (IWD or BG)? It's tough to find info on that. I'm mainly curious, just to see if I can find some fiction that gives a good context for the game setting and world.

No. Icewind Dale (the game) and Icewind Dale II are set in 1281 and 1312 DR, whilst the very first mention of Drizzt (Homeland) was in 1297, and he came to Icewind Dale in 1347 DR (Sojourn).

Icewind Dale took place in The Year of the Cold Soul, and I don't know of any novels revolving around IWD at that time. Icewind Dale II took place in The Year of the Griffon, and similarly I know of no IWD adventures around that time.

Yes, there is a connection between the first game and one of the Icewind Dale Trilogy novels. But, do you really want it spoiled?

Well, didn't the book come out prior to the game? So which would be spoiling which?

I may end up reading the novels for context anyway. I've fallen in love with the setting of Icewind Dale (compared to the Sword Coast in BG).

Ah ok. I wrongly assumed you had already read the novels and if I had said something it would have spoilt the plot of the game for you.

In Icewind Dale (the game) you deal with an antagonistic force which later reappears in The Crystal Shard novel. While the game is set before the novels, the book doesn't refer to the game's events because, like you wrote, it came out prior to the game. Although the game ends with an explanation for this 'forgotten history', if I remember correctly.