Allow me to formally introduce to you my latest Christian romantic suspense novel: THE FINAL WORD, released this past week and published by Mountain Brook Ink. The thrill of a new book launching into the world never gets old (this is number 12 for me) and so I would love to share a few fun extras about this particular book baby with you—plus, there are some current giveaways for paperback copies you might want to check out…

“When an aspiring author trades Paris for the tranquil English countryside, she doesn’t expect her fairy tale romance to turn into a fight for her life as she’s pursued by the darkness of her past. Who will have the final word?”

There’s a little piece of me in every book I have written.

In The Final Word, there are perhaps more personal connections than ever before. This is the second book in my “Bite of Betrayal” series, where we follow the complex lives of three Canadian sisters—a photographer, a writer, and a retired ballerina, as they all end up in a charming, serene village in the English countryside … where, naturally, they are in grave danger under chilling circumstances!

The Final Word is Sophie’s story, and I loved writing about:

• WRITING: she’s an aspiring author, so I felt both her pain and her joy!
• BAKING: anyone who knows me knows baking is my absolute jam.
• PARIS: After one visit, I was smitten and need to go back for more research one day(!)
• ENGLAND: my homeland, the place where I was born and raised—all my family are still there.
• OPERA: the hero is an opera singer and our youngest son (about to begin his Doctorate of Musical Arts) was a fabulous source of inspiration and information.
• BOOKS: it’s no shock that I have a passion for books, and researching the beautiful literary city of Bath with its bookstores was no hardship whatsoever! (Read all about it HERE.)
• CINDERELLA: Sophie writes a contemporary novel called The Paris Pumpkin with all the Cinderella vibes— mainly because it’s the best fairy tale ever!
• SURRENDER: well, I didn’t actually LOVE writing about surrender (it hit a little close to home for my liking!) but let’s just say it’s a relatable theme that subtly weaves its way throughout the pages until Sophie is in the most desperate, dangerous, and dire of circumstances when she recalls fragments of my own life verses in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV):

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

One of the fun parts of writing a book is the research—so here ⬆️ are some pics from Paris (several years ago when I fell in love with the City of Lights), and in England  ⬇️ (where we re-enacted the scene from Miles and Sophie’s first date and hit up Bath)… oh, and a car I came across here in British Columbia and knew it was THE one for this story. It will all make sense when you read the book!

In case you’re still on the fence 🙂  here are some fabulous early reviews for The Final Word:

“… if the mouth-watering descriptions of French pastries don’t already grab your attention, then the action-packed romantic suspense will be sure to keep you glued to the pages.”

“…perfect for readers who enjoy Hallmark vibes with more substance, a dash of suspense, and feeling secure that everything will turn out alright in the end.”

“…a romantic suspense gem—perfect balance of swooning romance and nail-biting tension to keep your heart racing!”

🎁 I’m sharing lots of behind-the-scenes and extras in several blog interviews, a blog tour, and podcasts galore in the coming days, weeks, and through the summer—you can stay in the know as a newsletter subscriber HERE (and follow me HERE on Instagram where I hang out most often!)

*Here are some places you can read more right now and enter giveaways:

  Read my author spotlight and leave a comment to enter (by 06/10) to win a paperback copy of The Final Word at “Hope-Filled Fiction” HERE.

   Read my interview and leave a comment to enter the giveaway (by 06/11) for a paperback copy of The Final Word over at “Suspense Sisters” HERE.

   Read Carrie’s stellar review and enter (by 06/13) to win a paperback copy of The Final Word at “Reading is My Superpower” HERE.

Phew! Thanks so much for bearing with me while I gush about this book. If you have already bought or read it—thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Is there anything specific in this book that interests or resonates with you? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know! ⬇️

Until next time—happy reading,

P.S. If you are reading this before June 10^th, CAPTURED IN FRAME (award-winning Book 1 in this series) is on sale on Amazon.com for 99 cents HERE… plus The Final Word is on special at $3.99 HERE! You can actually snag both for $5 HERE. CRAZINESS!

*These are my Amazon affiliate links (full disclosure here) which means I get a tiny commission. At the same time, you pay the regular price for any of the books. Thank you! 🙂