Publication date: April 22nd, 2025
Synopsis:
What happens when the truth you've hidden becomes the key to your greatest fear--and your greatest hope?
For years, Jane Landry has carried a secret that could break hearts and heal them all at once. Her son, Christopher Marcus, is the light of her life--but he's also the boy no one knows about. Not his father, her ex-husband Mark, nor his wife Maggie, or his sister Suzanne, Jane's best friends from childhood. Now, with a cancer diagnosis threatening her future, Jane must summon the courage to confess her secret. She prays they'll embrace Christopher as family before time runs out.
But just as Jane takes the first step, tragedy strikes--Mark is killed in an accident after learning he has a son. The devastating loss leaves Jane grappling with how to face Maggie and Suzanne, the two women she's avoided for years but now desperately needs. Her truth risks alienating them, yet the stakes are higher than ever. Christopher needs a home. Jane needs to know her boy will be loved when she's no longer there to protect him.
As Jane uncovers the secrets Maggie and Suzanne have been hiding, she realizes she's not the only one carrying the weight of the past. Old wounds, unexpected betrayals, and the search for forgiveness weave together in a story about love, loss, and the lengths we'll go to for family.
Set against the vivid backdrop of New Orleans, Unspoken Words explores the messy, beautiful journey of redemption and the bonds that hold us together--even when stretched to their breaking point.
Discover a story that will break your heart, heal your soul, and stay with you long after the final page.
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Excerpt
Sonny Boy sat up. I twisted around and sat cross-legged on the bed. Suzanne lounged with her shoulder against the door jamb and her arms folded. Skinny jeans accentuated her long legs, and the combination of jeans and white t-shirt made me think of her skipping rocks down by the river. Evidently, Maggie had gotten ahold of her toes last night. They shined bubblegum pink.
"She's from Terrebonne parish. She made breakfast. She and I decided not to wake up. Sonny Boy was hungry. Oh, and Maggie left early. I think she's rejoining the world. She's off to run errands. A first since..."
I reached and poked a spot on my son's side. "There's your Cajun bone. You're a Landry. Don't ever forget it. Now, go brush your teeth and I'll inspect when you're done."
Sonny Boy slid down from the bed. The second his feet hit the floor, he fisted his hands and scampered from the room like he intended to leap and fly--the bathroom was only two doors down the hall.
"He hasn't broken anything, has he?" I asked. "I'll pay for it."
Suzanne chuckled. "I put away the priceless items--I was expecting a dog. I'm more worried about him falling in the pool than him breaking anything."
"He can swim."
"You said that yesterday. Really?"
"Threw him into a canal. Said, "Happy birthday, boy. Swim or be gator bait.'" I mimicked a man from our past.
"My dad." Suzanne crossed the room. Moving the curtains aside, she opened the shutters. Sunlight poured in. She sat in the wingback chair near the window, curling her feet under her. "Actually, he took floating lessons after he learned to walk," I explained. "However, I don't want him around the pool unsupervised. But should he fall in, he can swim from the deep to the shallow end. He's tough, my little man." I gathered the robe from the foot of the bed and pulled it on.
"Athletic. Hmm. Not a trait from you. You hate to break a sweat. Does he get his natural athletic ability from his daddy?"
I jerked my attention to Suzanne. Had I revealed something last night in my drunkenness?
LINDA JOYCE believes stories are as integral to her life as breathing. She shares the joys and agonies of characters and often wishes their stories would continue far beyond "The End." She lives in metro-Atlanta with her very patient husband and their three fur babies--Jake, Maxence, and Sugar. Linda's addicted to Cajun food and Japanese food. She's a fan of smooth jazz. She will deny traditional jazz music hurts her ears--that could get her banished from her hometown, New Orleans. Her current life's adventure includes learning enough Kanji to be able to read a Japanese newspaper.
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