Attorney Jake Trenton’s perfectly ordered life unravels when he loses a promotion and his wife announces she wants to become a surrogate. While Jake spends even more time at the office to prove his worth, he worries about the effects on their family if Sophia carries a baby for a stranger.

Once Sophia explains how important it is to her to bear a child for someone who can’t, Jake reluctantly agrees. However, when the embryo transfer is successful, Jake’s carefully constructed world crumbles beneath the memory of his brother’s death, which occurred years ago in the same month the baby is due.

With nightmares plaguing his sleep and rage consuming his days, Jake makes a devastating choice that will forever alter the lives of two families. Suddenly, he is the kind of man he never thought he would be. Jake must confront the darkest parts of himself and question everything he thought he knew about love, loss, and what it truly means to heal.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Red Adept Publishing, October 2025

“A Fine Layer of Dustis both real and relatable. Reading this novel was like witnessing a real drama with a real family. Jake, the flawed husband, makes mistakes but his love for his wife, Sophia, and daughter, Emily, shines through. His wife wants one last baby—even it isn’t hers. The plot twist involves the childless couple for whom Sophia is the surrogate. It’s one that will keep readers guessing…and keep them turning the pages.  I was absorbed from start to finish. Here’s my takeaway: During tough times, cracks can form in a family.  Love is the glue that holds it together.”
– New York Times Bestselling Author Eileen Goudge

“A Fine Layer of Dust is a heart-wrenching reminder that one choice—one moment—can alter our lives forever. Conrey’s realistic characters captured my emotions from the beginning and didn’t let go, even after the last page. Masterfully woven from a wife’s dream and a husband’s secrets, this beautifully written complex family drama should be your next book club read.”
– Lee Bukowski, award-winning author of A Week of Warm Weather

“Conrey deftly steps into the mindset of Jake Trenton, bringing us an insightful and compelling story of ambition, love, betrayal, and the power of family. A fast read with startling twists that will keep readers turning the pages long into the night.”
– Alison Ragsdale, best-selling author of My Husband’s Child

“With a finely tuned eye for the fault lines that run through marriage, ambition, and identity, A Fine Layer of Dust draws readers into the tangled, deeply human decisions one man faces, and the consequences they carry for those closest to him. Written with striking clarity and emotional depth, Conrey traces the far-reaching impact of grief, betrayal, and unforeseen connection with insight and grace. The novel shines in its portrayal of fragile relationships, the emotional cost of ambition, and the unexpected endurance of love. A resonant, thoughtful, and emotionally layered read.”
– Anna Quinn, bestselling author of The Night Child and Angeline

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• Tantor

When Maggie Bryan works up the nerve to tell her parents she’s pregnant, they immediately disown her. Later that night, her boyfriend is killed. In desperation, she turns to her brother, Sam. Against his wife’s wishes, Sam brings Maggie to his home in rural Pennsylvania.

While Maggie awaits the birth of her child and navigates the tension in her new home, she decides to finish high school. There, she meets Anne Phillips, a volunteer educator and full-time architect. Over time, Maggie becomes drawn to Anne in ways she doesn’t understand, but she knows enough to keep her feelings hidden.

After a devastating loss, Maggie tries to move on, but secrets and betrayals keep her from living her fullest life. Beginning in the late 1940s and spanning decades, My Secret to Keep portrays a woman at war with society, her family, and herself.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Red Adept Publishing, August 2022

• 2024 American Legacy Awards Winner: Women’s Fiction

“My Secret to Keep is a testament to the truth that every woman’s story is unique, and every woman’s story is worth telling.”
– Jennifer Klepper, USA Today bestselling author of Unbroken Threads

“A truly remarkable, rivetng, and honestly beautiful read.”
– Samantha Verant, Bestselling author of The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

“MY SECRET TO KEEP is a powerful story of courage and acceptance, an emotional journey through the life of a strong but conflicted woman who, according to society, finds love in all the wrong places. Or does she?”
-Barbara Claypole White, bestselling auhor of The Perfect Son and The Promise Between Us

“Which secrets can be told – and which buried forever? You will hold your breath as you read this heart-rending page-turner. My Secret to Keep will remain on your mind long after you read it. Pick up this compelling story of love, loss, and love again. You won’t want to put it down.”
-Marilyn Simon Rothstein, author of Crazy to Leave You, Husbands and Other Sharp Objects

“Both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, My Secret to Keep is a poignant and stunning tale of secrets, lies, and betrayal. Readers can’t help but fall in love with Maggie and Anne. I was hooked from the first page.”
-Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post & Amazon Charts Bestselling Author

“There’s nothing I love more than reading a new work by a wonderful author whose love for people shines through every word. My Secret to Keep is an extremely moving and heartfelt tale that again proves Conrey as a genuinely affecting voice in fiction.”
-Natalie Jenner – Internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls

“Exquisite writing that goes directly to the heart of an emotionally complex story in need of telling.”
-Patrcia Sands, bestselling author of Drawing Lessons

“In My Secret to Keep, Barbara Conrey mines the painful places where identity, family, love, secrets, prejudice, and hope intersect.”
– Julie Carrick Dalton, author of The Last Beekeeper and Waiting for the Night Song

“Exceptionally well-written, gut-wrenching, and inspiring, My Secret To Keep is a stunning story of a woman longing to love and be loved. With masterfully building tension, perfectly timed surprises, and remarkable depth, this novel is now woven into the fabric of my soul and will touch my heart forever.”
-Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 national bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her

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• Blackstone Publishing

A mother’s love vs. a doctor’s oath.

Oncologist Emma Blake has dedicated her life to finding a cure for a rare brain cancer. Twenty-five years ago, Emma’s childhood friend Kate died of glioblastoma, and Emma vowed to annihilate the deadly disease. Now, Kate’s father, Ned, is pushing her to work harder to fulfill that promise.

When Emma discovers she’s pregnant, she’s torn between the needs of her family and the demands of her work. While Ned pressures her to do the unthinkable, her husband, Tim, decorates the nursery. Unwilling to abandon her research, Emma attempts to keep both sides of her life in balance.

Emma knows she needs to reconcile her past with her present and walk the fine line between mother and physician. But Ned has a secret, and when Emma discovers what he’s been hiding, the foundation of her world cracks.

Nowhere Near Goodbye is a story of family, failure, and second chances.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Red Adept Publishing, August 2020

• USA Today Bestseller

“An often engrossing narrative about putting one’s vocation first, no matter the personal cost. Overall, this novel offers a nuanced look at one woman’s complicated relationship with motherhood.”
—Kirkus Review

“The past versus the present. The desperate needs of a family going against the desperate needs of work. And secrets that could derail everything. Conrey’s beautifully written novel probes the choices we make—and the choices we regret, and she does it with grace and aplomb.”
–Caroline Leavitt, New York Times Bestselling author of Pictures of You and With or Without You

“Barbara Conrey asks what happens when a doctor’s devotion to finding a cure for cancer competes against the expectations of motherhood. The answer is a story I will never forget. Emotional, heartbreaking, and hopeful, Nowhere Near Goodbye is an exciting debut.”
–Jennifer Klepper, USA Today Bestseller author of Unbroken Threads

“Barbara Conrey’s debut poignantly addresses choices women make—what it costs them, what it saves. Nowhere Near Goodbye is the emotional, yet hopeful journey of motherhood and second chances.”
–Natalie Jenner, International bestselling author of THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY

“Fierce and poignant, readers who love women’s fiction and true-to-life stories should not miss this stunning debut.”
–Samantha Verant, Author of The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

“Meticulously written, with powerful characters, this debut novel delves into friendship and family, deception and forgiveness, ultimately leading the reader to an emotional but satisfying conclusion.”
–Rebecca Hodge, Author of Wild Land

“Nowhere Near Goodbye examines the fraught balance of love and family versus drive and life purpose.” 
–Lainey Cameron, Award-winning Author of The Exit Strategy

“Nowhere Near Goodbye is thoughtful women’s fiction that examines the tightrope women walk to balance love, family, ambition, and their purpose in life. Can women ever fully reconcile those choices? It also looks at how our pasts shape our futures.”
–Suanne Schafer, Award-winning Author of Hunting The Devil

“Beautifully written, captivating, and raw, NOWHERE NEAR GOODBYE is an outstanding debut that tackles the push and pull between motherhood and career. This stunning, powerful novel will shatter your heart and put it back together piece by piece.”
–Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her

“Ms. Conrey delivers a deeply thought-provoking story of balancing career and raising a family that has kept me thinking long after I turned the last page. And that does not happen often.”
–Susan Haught, Award-winning author of A Promise of Fireflies

“ Conrey’s storytelling creates the right amount of tension on every page. Her knowledge of the subject via her obvious research gives the necessary authenticity required for a good read. Here is a novel that will move you in so many ways. Highly recommend.”
–Julie Mahoney, Award-winning author of A Matter of Chance

“An unforgettable and heartbreaking novel. Tragic and thought-provoking, the story moves from tragedy through sorrow and ultimately comes to a triumphant and happy ending. Will entertain those who enjoy gripping stories with moving plots and indomitable heroines.”
–Reader’s Favorite 5 Star Review

“Barbara Conrey displays a keen wit and strong powers of observation in this emotional and honest story about one woman’s lifelong battle with guilt and grief.  Nowhere Near Goodbye is a stunning emotional journey penned by an author who writes with heart and hope.”
–Indies Today 

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• Red Adept Publishing