Mixed Signals

Love Is on the Air

Belle O’Brien, the woman behind the warmest voice in Virginia radio, has one problem: Her oldies show on WPER-FM is a solid-gold hit, but her love life, at thirty-two years and counting, is an off-the-charts disaster. The pickings are slim in small-town Abingdon. Will it be smooth-talking Patrick Reese, the man who launched her radio career a decade earlier? Moody but handsome David Cahill, the chief engineer with a mysterious past and a new life in Christ? Or Matthew the Methodist, her pastor across the street? Surrounded by an on-air cast of colorful characters, Belle’s journey toward joy is filled with humor, heartache, and endless surprises. Norah Silver-Smyth, her friend and encourager, will join Belle in discovering that it’s never too late to listen to your heart.

“One of the most delightful surprises I’ve had all year—

a first novel that moved me to both laughter and tears!”

Susan Wiggs, USA Today bestselling author Love Is on the Air

Belle O’Brien, the woman behind the warmest voice in Virginia radio, has a problem: Her oldies show is a solid-gold hit, but her love life is an off-the-charts disaster.

Her prospects for a husband are small-town slim. Will it be smooth-talking Patrick Reese, who launched her radio career? Moody but handsome David Cahill, WPER’s enigmatic broadcast engineer? Matthew the Methodist, her oh-so-available pastor? Or the mysterious radio listener who signs his letters, “All Ears in Abingdon”?

As Belle embarks on a journey toward joy, Norah Silver-Smyth, proprietor of The Silver Spoon, cooks up her own delicious recipe for happily-ever-after in this winsome tale filled with humor, tenderness, endless surprises…and two happy endings!

“Liz Curtis Higgs…has succeeded magnificently with her first fictional effort.”

K-LOVE News & Reviews

“Christian fiction isn’t known for humorous books, so this title is a special joy.”

Library Journal

“Great laughs, good solid story, surprises and twists, and great characters.”

Francine Rivers, bestselling author of Redeeming Love

“Absolutely wonderful. An outstanding and heart-warming debut!”

Angela Elwell Hunt, author of The Note

“Mixed Signals was my sweet reward at the end of my demanding days…a most satisfying treat!” Jane Johnson Struck, Senior Editor, Today’s Christian Woman

Story Behind the Book

Before she became a platform speaker, Liz Curtis Higgs spent ten years as a successful radio personality, moving town to town, up and down the dial. In Mixed Signals, Liz draws on that memorable decade to create WPER, an oldies station in Abingdon , Virginia . The Barter Theater was included with thanks to her experience with amateur drama productions, and the ten hot-air balloon ascents she weathered while a broadcaster were also put to use. Her heroine, Belle, marries a radio station engineer…just as Liz did nearly twenty years ago. But there the parallels end in this winsome tale with two happy endings.


From the Trade Paperback edition.