You can never have too many cozy love stories. This Spring 2026 romance following married couple Tess and Jack’s journeys through past trauma, guided by their shared love, is the sequel to Shooting Stars Above, but can also be read as a standalone. Enjoy an exclusive Q&A with the author that peels back the curtain on the inspirations behind Twinkle of Doubt.

Twinkle of Doubt

Twinkle of Doubt by Patricia Leavy

Tess has built a highly successful career on her novels, which explore the human need for hope and liberation from our deepest struggles. Jack is a federal agent working in counterterrorism, a job that takes a toll on his psyche. As they heal from past trauma and nurture their grand love, an anonymous threat on Tess’s life changes everything. They’ll have to rely on each other to avoid slipping into the very darkness they seek refuge from.

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Tell us about Twinkle of Doubt. What inspired this story?

Twinkle of Doubt is a contemporary romance that follows Tess Lee, a world-famous novelist, and her husband, Jack Miller, a federal agent. Both have experienced violence in the past and are healing from their trauma. Their ability to truly see one another has finally brought them happiness, but when there’s a threat made against Tess, they struggle to hold onto what they’ve built. Really, it’s a love story about the nature of doubt—what doubt looks like and feels like, and how it manifests in our psyches and relationships. Many people struggle with the feeling that they’re not enough or somehow not worthy of love. That’s what I wanted to explore in this novel. So, it’s not really about external threats, but rather internal ones, the audio playing in our own minds telling us we are unworthy. Despite some of the heavier topics, ultimately, it’s a cozy story about how unconditional love can change how we see ourselves. My hope is in the end it’s a feel-good read.

What made you want to return to the Celestial Bodies series?

I just love these characters, their relationships, and the hopeful messages so much. To me, this series isn’t only about romantic love, but also friendship and building families of choice. So I love all the central relationships. After Shooting Stars Above, I felt there was much more to explore with these characters. I decided to write a series with each book taking place a year after the last. Each novel explores love and another theme. In Shooting Stars Above it was healing. In Twinkle of Doubt the theme is doubt. There are already six books written and we plan to release one every spring. I honestly love each one more than the last.

How do you balance pacing emotional beats with lighter, cozy romance beats?

I try to create a balance between the lighter and darker moments by creating some space around them. I think of the light, airy, funny bits like the soufflé. These parts aren’t trivial though, because they create balance. These lighter scenes allow me to take on some of the darker topics in the book, such as the re-traumatization Tess experiences when her childhood abuse resurfaces or the trauma Jack relives from his job as a federal agent and the death of his daughter. This is heavy stuff, but ultimately, I wanted to write a book that moves between darkness and light. The funny bits, whether it’s outrageous sex talk at a black-tie gala, or the sarcastic conversations between Tess and her best friend Omar, allows the story to breathe. In the end, the message of the book is all about learning to breathe through the tough times and learning to move through darkness to light. I tried to mirror that theme with my approach to story-telling.

What are you most excited for readers to experience in this next installment in the series?

Tess Lee is an aspirational character in a lot of ways. She’s incredibly famous and successful. Sometimes it’s like her life is a series of life’s greatest hits. So, there are fun stories about past experiences, for example, being wooed by a royal. She also befriends the female president of the United States. The fantasy aspect of it is a lot of fun to me. What I love most in the book is the richness of the love between Tess and Jack and Tess and Omar. You can see and feel how those relationships help Tess to love herself more and I think that’s a beautiful thing to witness. I hope it resonates with readers who may need that kind of hopeful message. Self-love is really the hardest love.

What are some of your favorite books that you think fans of Celestial Bodies would also enjoy?

How readers feel about books is so subjective that I’m always hesitant to make suggestions. Readers who enjoyed the Shooting Stars Above told me they like novels by Ashley Poston, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Jennifer Weiner, Meg Donahue, and Colleen Hoover. To that, I would add Micalea Smeltzer’s series called Wildflower Duet with three novels that bear some similarities to my series. For those inspired by Tess’s story of healing from childhood sexual abuse, they may also be interested in reading nonfiction. Facing the Jaguar by Babs Walters is a terrific memoir on the topic.

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Patricia Leavy is an award-winning, best-selling author. Formerly Associate Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College, she has published more than forty books and has received career awards from the National Art Education Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, and more. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz when they established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice” and in 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research. Her website is www.patricialeavy.com. She lives in Kennebunk, Maine.