Their secrets protect them... but secrets are hard to keep.
No one in the army can find out that Captain Jesse Christensen has become a believer. He and bookstore owner Meryn O’Reilly are forced to meet in secret, facing imprisonment—or worse—if they are found together.
As their relationship deepens, so does Lieutenant Gallagher’s hatred for the Christians in their city, putting all believers, especially Jesse, in extreme danger.
Meryn wants to give her heart to Jesse fully, but her past holds her back. Although circumstances conspire to keep her silent, she needs to tell him her secret so nothing will stand between them anymore.
But when he finds out what she has been keeping from him, nothing will ever be the same.
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Welcome to my blog today to tell us more about THE DARKNESS DEEPENS!
Thanks so much for having me!
How would you describe the main characters of THE DARKNESS DEEPENS?
Bookstore owner Meryn O’Reilly is brave and very feisty. She can be quick-tempered, but her anger fizzles quickly. She loves her family fiercely and wouldn’t hesitate to risk her life for them, including the sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew who aren’t blood but chosen family. Still, nothing is more important to Meryn than her faith, and she gladly risks her freedom and even her life rather than renounce it.
Army Captain Jesse Christensen is calmer and more even-tempered, but he has a core of steel when it comes to protecting those he cares about and standing up for the vulnerable. He finds Meryn’s fire and passion equally amusing, intriguing, and terrifying, as he is well aware of the danger her defiance puts her in. Although he has to hide the fact that he has become a believer in order to keep his position in the military and secretly help the Christians, his faith is strong and growing, and he too is willing to risk everything for it.
What inspired the idea of The Seven Trilogy (now called The Day Draws Near Series)?
I grew up in the age when end-times books and movies were hugely popular and often shown in church. They were also gruesome and horrifying, so I never thought I would write books that had an end-times feel to them. Them our pastor taught a series on Revelation that completely changed my perspective. I came to see the last days, not as something to be feared, but as a time of seeing prophecies and promises being fulfilled before our eyes. A time of great darkness, chaos, and confusion, yes, but a time when God is still sovereign and in control, and His plans, which cannot be thwarted, are clearly unfolding. A time when life might become very difficult for believers in a society increasingly hostile to Christianity, but also a time when, whatever they face, God is with them, giving them hope, peace, and joy in the midst of the chaos and providing the strength and courage to persevere and remain faithful until the end. That new perspective inspired me to write this series in an attempt to convey the light and hope that fills and surrounds believers no matter what is happening in the world around them.
For those new to the series, what should they know?
I know a lot of readers are wary of end times or Christian dystopian books because they are convinced the stories will be bleak or depressing or scary (or all of the above). While many readers have commented that this series does portray a somewhat frightening but very plausible society in the very near future and that they were motivated to ask themselves if they were ready to lose their Bibles or face consequences for standing strong in their faith, the overwhelming sense they took away from these books is one of hope and encouragement. That is my deep desire and prayer for all my books but maybe this series most of all.
What is your favorite part of book two, and how did you avoid the pitfalls that middle books so often have?
Jesse is one of my all-time favourite male characters, and his compassion, courage, strength, and conviction really shine through in this book. Although not easy to write, the ones where he faces severe consequences for refusing to renounce his faith turned out to be some of the most real, raw, and powerful in the series, according to reviewers.
My hope is that those scenes inspire readers to stand strong in their faith, whatever they may face in the future.
I believe this book does manage to hold its own, although it falls in the middle of a series. In addition to strong relationships and a lot of humour and banter, The Darkness Deepens portrays the darkest of circumstances for the characters. Even so, a great light is woven throughout every scene—a light that the darkness cannot overcome, as hard as it may try.
What are you working on next?
I recently signed a contract with Kregel for a brand-new romantic suspense series about five brothers on a ranch in southern Manitoba. The first book—working title Rebel—is about traffickers smuggling desperate refugees into Canada across the border from the States. As with all my romantic suspense novels, this series will deal with serious social issues, but it will also be filled with family, faith, humour, and hope. Book one will come out in the spring of 2026.
What's one of your favorite things about fall?
Oh man. I literally can’t narrow it down to one. Fall is my absolute favourite season. I love the colours, the smell of woodsmoke and leaves outside, the sweater weather, the hot drinks—all of it. My only complaint is that, where I live in southern Ontario, Canada, the season doesn’t last nearly long enough.
I recently wrote a novella called “Just a Gilbert Blythe Kind of Girl” that just came out in the Christmas anthology I’ll Be Home. The story is a love letter to Prince Edward Island and Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne and Gilbert, and it’s filled with quotes from the books and mini-series, so I’ll wrap up this question in the words of Anne of Green Gables, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
Sara Davison is the author of five romantic suspense series as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, including the Christy Award, Davison is a Holt Medallion, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner for romantic suspense. She lives in Ontario with her husband, Michael. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason.
Connect with Sara at saradavison.org to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
(1) winner will win a paperback copy of The Darkness Deepens plus a $25 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked above. The giveaway begins at midnight November 18, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 25, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
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