About this episode
Kelly chats with Kristen Hogrefe Parnell about her powerful Christian romantic suspense novel Watch Your Back, a story filled with grit, emotional depth, and redemptive hope. In this episode, Kristen shares her author journey—from self-publishing to traditional publishing—and how motherhood, faith, and perseverance shaped the writing of this deeply personal story.
They dive into Avery, a fiercely independent private investigator hardened by abandonment, and Ethan, a Coast Guard veteran wrestling with PTSD and survivor’s guilt. Together, Kelly and Kristen explore themes of fear of failure, self-reliance, foster care trauma, and what it truly means to surrender to Christ in the midst of brokenness.
This episode is an honest and hope-filled conversation about sanctification, spiritual growth, and how Jesus meets us in the dark places—not necessarily to erase the struggle, but to walk with us through it.
If you love layered characters, opposites-attract tension, and faith-filled romantic suspense, this one is for you.
Listen to the episode here.
Meet Kristen Hogrefe Parnell
Kristen Hogrefe Parnell writes suspenseful fiction from a faith perspective for women and young adults. A former English teacher, she now designs curriculum for a Christian academy and spends most of her time at her favorite assignment to date: being a mom to her toddler. Her books have won the Selah Award and the Grace Award, among others. She lives in the Tampa, Florida area with her husband and son. Visit Kristen at KristenHogrefeParnell.com.
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