Expired vows
Step into Last Chance County with a Christian romantic suspense about grief, second chances, and finding the courage to love again. When family counselor Kelsey Scott becomes the target of a series of dangerous attacks, EMT Trace Bently is determined to protect his late wife’s best friend, even as the feelings growing between them force him to confront the grief he thought he had buried.
She sees the promise of freedom. He vowed to always be the hero. If he can face the grief he buried.
ABOUT RESCUED DUTY
A Christian Romantic Suspense About Grief, Danger & Second Chances
EMT Trace Bently returned to Last Chance County hoping to escape his past. After losing his wife, he walked away from a promising career as a police officer and found a new purpose saving lives with the Fire Department. But when a hostage situation requires the help of a local counselor, Trace realizes the past he left behind may not be finished with him.
Family counselor Kelsey Scott is determined to secure the grant that could help her hold on to the life she’s worked so hard to build. But when she becomes the target of a series of dangerous attacks, Trace steps in to protect his late wife’s best friend.
As the danger closes in, Trace and Kelsey are forced to confront more than the person targeting her. Trace must face the grief he buried and the fear that loving Kelsey could somehow betray the wife he lost, while Kelsey must decide whether she can believe she is worthy of the love and freedom she longs for.
What You'll Find in Rescued Duty
Friends to Lovers
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Small Town
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First Responder Hero
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Second Chances
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Romantic Suspense
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Protective Hero
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Friends to Lovers 〰️ Small Town 〰️ First Responder Hero 〰️ Second Chances 〰️ Romantic Suspense 〰️ Protective Hero 〰️
The Inspiration
Most of my stories begin with a “what if?” question, and Expired Vows was no different.
This story came to life when I found myself asking: What if your deceased wife’s best friend needs protection from a killer, but falling in love with her feels like betraying the love you once had for your wife?
That complicated question became the heart of Trace and Kelsey’s story, and once I started writing, I couldn’t stop until I discovered what would happen to them.
Expired Vows is the fourth book in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series, but it can also be read as a standalone.
Meet Naya Michél & Zack Stephens
Kelsey Scott
A family counselor determined to build the life she wants despite the choices and disappointments of her past. When a series of dangerous attacks makes her the target, Kelsey must accept help from the one man capable of breaking through the walls she has built around her heart.
Trace Bently
A former police officer and current EMT who returned to Last Chance County after the devastating loss of his wife. Trace has dedicated himself to saving others, but protecting Kelsey forces him to confront the grief he buried—and whether opening his heart again means betraying the love he once had.
Their Story
Kelsey was Trace’s wife’s best friend, making the feelings developing between them anything but simple. As Trace fights to keep Kelsey safe, they both have to confront the pain and beliefs that have kept them from moving forward. With danger closing in, their second chance depends on whether they can let go of the past without forgetting the people and experiences that shaped them.
Grief, Grace & Freedom to Love Again
At the heart of Expired Vows is a story about what happens when the pain of the past begins shaping what we believe we deserve in the future.
Trace has built his life around saving others while carrying grief he has never fully faced. Kelsey is fighting for the future she wants while wrestling with whether she is truly worthy of being loved by others—and by God.
Their story explores grief, grace, healing, second chances, and the courage it takes to open your heart again. Sometimes moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting what came before. Sometimes it means allowing God to bring hope and freedom into the places we thought would always hurt.
Discover More From Laura
Looking for more faith-filled romance filled with danger, mystery, first responders, and characters fighting for a second chance? Discover more Christian romantic suspense books by Laura Conaway.
TESTIMONIALS
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TESTIMONIALS 〰️
Rescued Duty Book Reviews
over 2500 Reader Reviews and 4.6 stars on Amazon
“This book had me wrapped completely up in each scene and I could not put it down and walk away easily. Conaway’s writing reached out to my heart and my soul, as Trace and Kelsey tried to put the pain of the past aside while getting to know one another once again.”
— Tina Lowery
“Both main characters dealt with deep hurts from their past. I could relate on a deep level to Kelsey. She had to learn that she was worthy of being loved by others and God. I am rarely moved to tears by books but this one really touched my heart.”
— Laura Hambry
Frequently Asked Questions
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Expired Vows follows EMT Trace Bently and family counselor Kelsey Scott after Kelsey becomes the target of a series of dangerous attacks. As Trace steps in to protect his late wife’s best friend, he must confront his unresolved grief and what it would mean to open his heart to love again.
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Trace Bently is a former police officer who became an EMT after losing his wife and returning to Last Chance County. Kelsey Scott is a family counselor and the best friend of Trace’s late wife. When Kelsey finds herself in danger, their lives become intertwined in ways neither expected.
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Expired Vows features friends to lovers, a small-town setting, a first responder hero, second chances, romantic suspense, and a protective hero. The romance also explores the emotional complications of grief and falling in love after loss.
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Yes. Expired Vows is the fourth book in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series. However, Trace and Kelsey’s story can also be read as a standalone.
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Yes. Expired Vows combines Christian fiction, romance, suspense, danger, and faith-centered themes as Trace and Kelsey confront both an external threat and the wounds they carry from their pasts.