I have recently joined the romance novel playground after writing extensively for academia* (read: important but kind of boring).
Giving life to my alter ego, Sophie, who is empowered to live out everything I may or may not have wanted to say and do in real life, has been a lot of fun and I am currently working on the second book in the series.
In my debut novel, I've worked hard to bring well-developed characters, tons of spice, hints of rural Canadian living, gratifyingly vengeful plot twists, and a fulfilling happily ever after for the readers' new favourite couple.
In my writing, you will notice the Canadian spelling of many words (why not add a “u” when just an“o” will do?) and my soft spot for the occasional British invasion of the North American lexicon. I also like to add a sprinkle of sexy French-Canadian words to the mix to round out my ancestral representation.
Warning: I especially enjoy writing graphically about my featured couple's intimate encounters, which I subjectively rate as a 4 out of 5 on the spice scale. No major kinks involved, but graphic, indeed.
*The academia connection, i.e., for privacy purposes, is also the reason for a watercolour rendering instead of my actual photo.
Meet Gina LaFrance
An image bearing a slight semblance
to the somewhat shy Gina LaFrance
Release Date:
June 3, 2025
Debut Novel
Book 1: Empty Without Her
Release Date:
June 3, 2025
Sophie, a strong-willed and fiercely independent divorced woman—worn down by the constant pressure of her unrelenting ex-husband, Sam—strives to shield her children from the drama between their parents and is compelled to protect Payne, the man of her dreams, from certain ruin at the risk of losing him forever.
Little does Sophie know that Payne has a secret that holds the influence and power to free her from Sam's control, and ultimately, from herself.
Sophie’s revenge against Sam is sweet, but Payne’s lips are by far the sweetest she’s ever had.
But will she ever taste them again?
Sophie tells her story of falling in love with Payne, the quiet, handsome patron of the diner she runs, whom she never suspected would also be the hottest and steamiest lover she's ever had—in bed . . . in his transport truck . . . on the hood of his muscle car . . .
Keywords/Tropes: contemporary romance, small town, Canadian, spicy, erotic, steamy,
cowboy hat, truck, truck stop, family, forgiveness, divorce, vengeance, divorce, single mom, muscle car, Mustang
Meet Sophie, a soon-to-be divorced woman who finds the love she always wanted with Payne, a driver where she works. But before they can get to their happily ever after, they have to navigate a few detours and secrets along the way.
Sophie Lambert finds herself running a small diner in a truck stop in the middle of nowhere as she picks up the pieces of her life. On hold for almost three years since ending her unfulfilling and embittered marriage with Sam, her life now focuses on giving her three kids the happy, stable life they deserve. Her dreams and needs are all but forgotten until the day that Payne, a regular customer, arrives late for lunch after his truck breaks down and everything changes. Her feelings, desires, hopes and dreams come roaring back to life with Payne's devotion and the love she doesn't believe she deserves.
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Favourite quotes . . .
“I’ve always wanted what my dad had; to love a woman so completely that you are empty without her. That’s you, my beautiful Sophie. I love you.”
~ Payne
“This abstinence crap is for the birds.”
~ Sophie
“You have a lot of big muscles.
More than my daddy.”
~ Mac, 8 years old
“I love you, Sophie.
That doesn’t need to be repaid,
just accepted.”
~ Payne
“Don’t you want to dance with
someone else now, Sophie?”
~ Madeleine Lambert
(Sophie's mom)
“You look rough. Busy polishing
your trophy this weekend?”
~ whatshisname
What's Next: Coming December 2025
Sophie & Payne are back. Will they be able to keep their love alive against impossible odds?
Sophie begins to lower her guard of self-doubt and starts to believe that she deserves the enchanted life she has found with Payne. Life couldn’t be better, until a misunderstanding causes Payne to leave on his truck route, upset. The next thing Sophie knows, her darkest fear is realized.
This is the second book in the series following Empty Without Her, coming back with lots of steam and spice between Sophie & Payne!
Book 2: Forget & Forgive
Are you an ARC reader?
Yes? I'd love to hear from you!
What's an ARC, you ask? An advance reader copy is what authors (like me) send out to wonderful readers of their genre (like you!). The reader receives a free copy of their favourite category of fiction to read before everyone else. Typically the author hopes the reader will provide an honest (but never cruel) review on platforms such as Amazon, Goodreads or the reader's blog as the book is released to the public. This helps the author, especially a new one, gain a foothold in their market with a bit of hype, and lets other readers know the book is worth a look.
It's a win-win all around!
Interested? Wonderful! Please send me your application right away!
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