Barbara Conrey Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Barbara Conrey is a general fiction and historical fiction author that is best known for her debut novel “Nowhere Near Goodbye,” which she first published in 2020.

Before she became a bestselling author, she worked in health care. However, retirement was never a good fit for her and after three months of being bored to death, she found employment with a national company specializing in finance.
Four years after getting back into the workforce, she decided that it was time to pen her debut novel. Barbara can often be found walking the streets of her neighborhood deep in thought and head down.

She is also passionate about exploring antique shops, reading, hiking, and writing. However, her biggest passion has to be her rescue beagle Miss Molly who she hopes will one day feature in some of her books.

Conrey currently makes her home in Pennsylvania, where she gets to be close to friends and family.

Growing up, all Barbara Conrey wanted to be was an author, even though life kept getting in the way. During her childhood, she was the type of child that would never be found without a book as she was a shy and timid girl.

It was from reading that she could beat the isolation and loneliness and even that far back she always knew she had the imagination to create stories. She was certain that her stories would help people find laughter, love, friendship, or solace.
She was inspired to pen her debut novel “Nowhere Near Goodbye” since about 15 years back, one of her friends lost a family member to cancer. It was so infuriating watching her friend turn gray and sad in a matter of weeks.

It made her so angry since the particular brain tumor seems to be well known in medical circles. It does seem that all cases that she heard of were quite random with two women, two children, and a middle-aged man dying from it.
While she has never had any type of formal training, she started considering herself a writer about half a dozen years ago.

She believed herself a writer when she saw her book for the first time out in the wild and in her hand. For the most part, she now writes women’s Fiction.

Barbara Conrey is very much involved in the writing community in which she has many friends that helped her become the author she is today.

There are many people in the writing community that she would call to ask for advice, for help, and sometimes meet in real life.

Some of these people include the likes of Kathryn Barrett, Christine Adler, Sherri Leimkuehler, and Jen Klepper whom she regularly meets with.

As for giving back to the community, she has been involved as a judge in the WFWA Rising Star and Star Contest as she believes in promoting the work of aspiring authors.

“Nowhere Near Goodbye” by Barbara Conrey is the story of Emma Blake, an oncologist that spends her life trying to find a cure for a rare form of brain cancer.

Twenty-five years ago, she lost her best friend in childhood to glioblastoma. This led her to vow to get rid of the deadly disease for good. Her father Ned had then promised to push her to work hard and achieve the promise she made to her friend.

When Emma comes to learn of her pregnancy, she finds herself torn between the demands of her work and the needs of her family.

While her father puts pressure on her to do what she cannot fathom, Tim her husband is busy decorating their baby’s nursery. Unwilling to quit her research work, she tries to balance both sides of her life.
Emma acknowledges that there is a need to reconcile her present with the past and walk the fine line between physician and mother.

But what she does not know is that Ned has a secret. When the secret comes out, it may just shatter the foundation of her entire existence.

This is a story of failure, family, and second chances.

Barbara Conrey’s novel “My Secret to Keep” is the story of Maggie Bryan who finally gets the courage to inform her parents of her pregnancy.

Being very conservative, they immediately disown her and things only get worse when her boyfriend gets killed that very night. Desperate, she turns to Sam her brother and he brings her to his rural Pennsylvania home, despite his wife’s protestations.
While she is waiting to give birth to her kid, she has to navigate the tension and takes the time to complete her high school studies. It is there that she meets accomplished architect and volunteer educator Anne Phillips.

Over several weeks, she gets drawn to the woman in unexpected ways but she cannot dare show her feelings. Following a devastating loss, she decides to move on with her life, but betrayals and secrets prevent her from living life to the fullest.
Beginning in the 40s and moving on for decades, it showcases a woman at war with her family, society, and herself.