266 ratings | 62 reviews | avg rating:4.50

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Kelly Duran

Goodreads Author

Website

https://kellyduran.com/

Genre

Fiction, Contemporary

Member Since

October 2017

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/kelly_duran

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Kelly Duran writes poignant and relatable stories about friendship, family, and love. She's the author of three novels, including her debut Can’t Take It Back (Audible Original 2020; print and ebook 2024) and her latest release, All You Have To Do (2025).

When she’s not writing, Kelly can usually be found reading, drinking coffee, or spending time with her family—not always in that order.

Keep up to date on her writing at kellyduran.com/subscribe and follow her on Instagram at @bykellyduran. ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Kelly Duran It’s important that you are writing for yourself and not with a dream to be published. We all know publication is the goal, but if you aren’t writing …moreIt’s important that you are writing for yourself and not with a dream to be published. We all know publication is the goal, but if you aren’t writing for the love of the craft, what is the point? The odds are so slim; it can be very disheartening.

So, write for the love of writing. Write because you can’t imagine NOT writing.

When you are ready to query, do so with hope and patience...and start working on your next book. Stay focused on your craft. I can pinpoint so many little moments where if I had gone a different direction I might not have ever signed with an agent or sold my first book.

Be humble. Be proud. Believe in yourself.(less)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Kelly Duran I didn't have one 'a-ha' moment where I knew exactly what was going to happen in CAN’T TAKE IT BACK. I started it knowing that I wanted to write a sto…moreI didn't have one 'a-ha' moment where I knew exactly what was going to happen in CAN’T TAKE IT BACK. I started it knowing that I wanted to write a story about the power of female friendships and how important those bonds are for women.

This was a theme from which I could draw inspiration from my own life and experiences because I never would have made it through my relationship issues and motherhood challenges without my friends by my side.

I’ve also always been fascinated by the way love evolves differently for couples. Specifically, how men and women change as individuals as their relationships mature and the decisions they make for the sake of their marriages.

I chose to write in multiple POVs so I could tell each woman’s story individually and also show how they came together with intersecting storylines. Each of the female characters in CAN'T TAKE IT BACK has a little bit of me in their soul.(less)

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Kelly Duran’s books

Average rating: 3.54 · 1,381 ratings · 143 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	Can't Take it Back 3.55 avg rating — 1,320 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Journey Begins by Kelly Duran (Goodreads Author), Stephanie Einstein (Narrator) 3.12 avg rating — 51 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In This Together: a Can't Take It Back novella really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	All You Have To Do 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

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Kelly’s Recent Updates

Kelly Duran voted for Fake Skating as Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction in the Final Round of the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards. Cast Your Vote
Nov 27, 2025 07:19PM · like
Kelly Duran voted for Atmosphere as Readers' Favorite Audiobook in the Final Round of the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards. Cast Your Vote
Nov 27, 2025 07:18PM · like
Kelly Duran shared a quote “His words cut through me in that way only the truth could.” Kelly Duran
Oct 19, 2025 10:31AM · like · more quotes by Kelly Duran · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of All You Have To Do by Kelly Duran. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — All You Have To Do by Kelly Duran <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kelly Duran and 174 other people liked jenny reads a lot's review of The Heartbreak Hotel: "This book is so tragically beautiful and romantic! An absolute MUST read. The Heartbreak Hotel is exactly what I need in a romance. Trauma in all the right places, emotional depth for days, breathtakingly beautiful prose, so much TENSION, and YEARNI" Read more of this review »
Oct 12, 2025 11:05AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kelly Duran has read The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 04, 2025 06:20PM · like
Kelly Duran entered a giveaway Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 18, 2024 07:22AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Kelly's books…

Quotes by Kelly Duran (?)

“If you aren’t paying attention, it’s easy to miss when love changes. Sometimes it’s gradual—unravelling slowly like a ball of yarn rolled across the floor. Other times it’s lightning fast, triggered by something so powerful it cannot be quieted or undone.”
― Kelly Duran, Can't Take it Back

tags: first-line-in-book, first-lines

1 likes

“His words cut through me in that way only the truth could.”
― Kelly Duran, All You Have To Do

0 likes

“at the precise moment my
life changed completely,
i’d been clueless.”
― Kelly Duran, All You Have To Do

tags: first-lines

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