About the Book

Book: Waitin’ On Paige (Romance in Valiant Book Four)

Author: Mary Pat Johns

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 8, 2025

All he wants is to reclaim her love…

Tavo Morales has returned to Valiant, Texas, to stir the embers of a relationship with the woman he has never stopped loving, but hidden reefs from his past threaten to destroy his future. Paige Munoz wants her new event planning business to be a success and won’t let anything stand in her way. But the path she’s on to make her dreams come true proves dangerous. Is the love Tavo and Paige once shared strong enough to survive his secrets and her stubbornness?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mary Pat Johns’ writing career began once she retired from teaching speech and writing. She has written devotions for an online publication, had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul, and wrote a column for the Victoria Advocate, a local newspaper.

Countin’ On Jesse, her first novel debuted in 2023, and books 2 & 3 of the Valiant series, Lovin’ On Red and Glitter and the Grouch released in 2024. God put it in her heart to tell stories of brave veterans and their reintegration into civilian life after suffering the traumas of war.

She writes Christian romance because when we see life through the hope of Christ’s sacrifice, we find that happily ever after is God’s idea.

More from Mary Pat

The ending of a series is always bittersweet. I will miss the characters, but I remind myself they are in a good place. Kind of like my grown children. They have their own lives to live, and I’m not as “hands-on” as I was during their formative years. If you weren’t around for the beginning of this series, no worries. Each book tells its own story. In the meantime, stay tuned. I have other stories to write. That said, I probably won’t wander too far from Valiant—the strong, safe place where it all began.

Interview with the Author

What does success as an author look like to you?

I love to teach. Since I needed a less strenuous method of sharing my heart, I channeled my efforts into writing, which I also love. I work hard to create fun stories that readers will enjoy as opposed to a heavy-handed preachy approach. And while I think every author would love a vast audience, I write to please the Lord first and then connect with people. Success is writing so people understand and relate to it.

Which character did you connect to best in this book?

I usually connect first to my hero and this story was no exception, though I adored Paige, the heroine, too. What can I say? The male figures in my life, namely my husband, but also my son and grandsons, are around frequently, so they probably influence that connection. Also, I could relate to Tavo’s desire for reconciliation with the people he loves.

Which part of the book was the most difficult to write?

When I wrote Waitin’ On Paige, hardest part was the muddy middle. It’s difficult to keep the momentum and intensity high when so much still needs to happen. Once the first draft is done, I have to go back and add layers to beef up the middle section. With this last story, I added two scenes that helped clarify what motivated Tavo and Paige.

What inspired this book?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could write Waitin’ On Paige. The novella that squeezed itself between Lovin’ On Red and this book was enormous fun to write, but two book launches in one year took a toll on my creativity. Yet, as I sought the Lord for strength (in the form of whining) he assured me that this book was his idea. That gave me everything I needed to get the job done, though it proved challenging.

What are you reading right now?

It’s normal for me to have a few books going since I’m a bona fide reading nerd. Total immersion in a good book is my idea of a great time. Currently, I’m reading a writing devotional, The Write Calling. Compiled by several authors, it provides scripture and practical tips for the writer’s life.

Since I’m tiptoeing into romantic suspense with my next series, I’m reading books in that genre, but also for pure fun. Currently, I’m reading Frame of Reference by Amber Gabriel, a Scrivenings Press author. It’s a marvelous story about a Ukrainian ballerina and an American architect.

For writing craft, I’m reading You Write You, a new release by another Scrivenings Press author, Heather Greer. This is a topic every writer needs to revisit occasionally. I’m also using Believable Characters, Creating with Enneagrams by Laurie Schnebly, and The Emotional Wound Thesaurus, as research tools for my new series.