Synopsis

For fans of Colleen Hoover, this inspirational follow-up to Shooting Stars Above continues the love story between internationally best-selling novelist Tess and counterterrorism agent Jack as they both fight to overcome their deepest fears.

Tess Lee is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist whose inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack Miller is a federal agent who has spent decades working in counterterrorism—a violent world that has left an inevitable residue on his psyche.

Two years into their marriage, as Tess and Jack both heal from past trauma, their epic love, fostered by their ability to truly see one another, has brought them profound happiness. When an anonymous threat is made against Tess’s life, however, everything changes. Will they learn to lean on each other, or will they fall apart into the darkness?

In Twinkle of Doubt, the second Celestial Bodies Romance, Tess, Jack, and their chosen family explore the nature of doubt and the struggle to feel worthy of love.

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Praise

“Twinkle of Doubt is contemporary literature at its very best, one that hides its lessons inside perfectly baked cookies that leave you feeling better about the world and the people in it.”—U. Melissa Anyiwo, editor of Gender Warriors

Excerpt

“I do want to. I didn’t want to go as Tess Lee, but I’ll happily go as Tess Miller. Count me in. I’ll be your plus-one. I can only imagine how sexy you’ll look in a tux.” She turned to Omar. “Work your magic and try to get us seated together, pretty please.”

“Only if you promise to behave. No sitting on the floor in front of the president,” Omar chastised with a chuckle.

She flung another pretzel at him, but he ducked and it bounced off Clay’s head.

“Ooh, sorry, Clay,” Tess said, scrunching her face.

“Quite all right, but now you have to tell us what he’s talking about.”

Tess shook her head.

“Actually, it’s one of my favorite memories of you, Butterfly,” Omar said. “I just like to tease you.”

She shot him the side-eye.

“This must be good. Tell us,” Bobby said.

“It’s actually a very sweet story,” Omar began. “It was about eight years ago. Tess was invited to a gala in London to raise money for children’s art programs. Your typical, not-so-typical star-studded event, swarming with royalty. She dragged me along.”

“Uh, you begged me to take you. Clay, don’t be offended, it was before he met you, but there was some duke or prince or something that he was dying to meet. He practiced his curtsy for weeks,” she said, erupting into laughter.

“It was a bow and I’ll get you for that, Butterfly,” Omar said, tossing a pretzel at her.

Everyone laughed.

“Mockery is a two-person sport,” she quipped.

“Anyway, Tess wore the most spectacular gown. It had a big hoop skirt, very Cinderella, and her hair was styled in long spiral curls with little rhinestones sprinkled in. We were chatting with a potpourri of royalty when a little girl who was there with the charity came over. She tugged on Tess’s arm and said, ‘You look like a fairy princess.’ So of course, Tess knelt and says, ‘So do you, my dear. Can I tell you a secret?’ With wide eyes, the little girl nodded. Tess said, ‘I have some fairy dust. Would you like to see it?’ Naturally, the girl said yes. Tess took her hands and they sat on the floor together, right in the middle of this gala. She opened her purse and pulled out a small tube of gold glitter. She sprinkled some into her hands and blew it in the air. You should have seen this little girl; she couldn’t stop grinning. Tess sprinkled some glitter into the girl’s hand and blew on it. It wasn’t long before they both had glitter in their hair, on their faces. They sat there doing that over and over again, as if they were in their own private snow globe. Honestly, it was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen.”

Tess blushed. Jack leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.

“What did the people around you do?” Joe asked.

“Well, they sure as hell weren’t going to get on the floor with her. Everyone was so formal at this thing; I think they were stunned. But it was so precious, and it’s Tess Lee after all, so they didn’t quite know what to do. Eventually, Tess stood up and carried on with the conversation as if nothing had happened.” Omar turned to Tess. “That really is one of my favorite memories of you, Butterfly.”

She smiled.

“And they couldn’t have been too affronted, because one of those royals fell madly in love with her that night. He pursued her relentlessly.”

“You never told me that,” Jack said.

“There’s nothing to tell. I turned him down.”

“Yeah, and he couldn’t quite believe it. No one turns down royalty,” Omar said.

“Trust me, it can be done. I can’t imagine spending even a moment with a man who won’t sit on the floor in the middle of a gala to make a child smile. Besides, he didn’t fall in love with me, he was only mildly charmed for a fleeting moment.”

“Uh, he was absolutely in love with you,” Omar countered. He turned his attention to Jack. “Well, you heard it from her lips. Be warned, Jack. For all we know, she’ll lie on the floor in front of the president and make snow angels.”

“Ooh, that’s not a bad idea,” Tess jested.

“That’s fine with me. I’d happily join her,” Jack said. “I’ll be the luckiest man there with her on my arm.”

About the Author

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is a novelist, sociologist, and arts advocate (formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Founding Director of Gender Studies, and Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology at Stonehill College). She is widely considered the world’s most visible proponent of arts-based research, which merges the arts and sciences. Patricia has published over 40 books, nonfiction and fiction, and her work has been translated into numerous languages. She has received over 100 book awards. She has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016, Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and the State University of New York at New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In recent years, her passion has turned to penning romance novels.

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