Hallmark star Bethany Joy Lenz teased a new career update ahead of Hope Valley: 1874 season 2.

The actress revealed she’s in the middle of editing her new novel, The Betrayal of Cora Wexford, out in October 2026.

The One Tree Hill alum published her first book, Dinner for Vampires, in October 2024.

Bethany Joy Lenz may be on hiatus from Hope Valley: 1874, but she’s not letting the downtime stop her from making moves.

The actress has had quite the year so far, working on the When Calls the Heart prequel and teasing plans to record new music. But Joy has also been gearing up for the October 2026 release of her novel, The Betrayal of Cora Wexford—and she decided to give folks an update.

Posting an Instagram photo collection of herself in a hotel room with her dog, Charlotte, Joy appeared to be deep in edits for her second published work (her first book, Dinner for Vampires, debuted in October 2024). The Hallmark star used the gallery to tell her followers they can pre-order her new book now.

“The best way to focus on writing and edits—locked in a hotel room with only Instagram as a distraction 😆,” she wrote in the caption on May 30. “#TheBetrayalofCoraWexford coming your way soon… Pre-ordering ahead always helps authors!”

Although the release of Joy’s next book is still some time away, fans were eager to express their anticipation.

“It’s so exciting to see you locked in and working on your novel. I can’t wait to get my hands on it to read; October can’t come soon enough. It’s so sweet that you have Charlotte there with you too. Happy editing 📘☕️🐶,” one person wrote in the comments.

“Waaaaaaaaaa—so exciting! It’s going to be brilliant xxx,” another agreed.

“I am so proud of you! This looks like a beautiful scene to finish that book ❤️ Go be amazing!” a different follower added.

This isn’t the first time Joy has shared information about The Betrayal of Cora Wexford. She began teasing the novel in March 2026, when she made the initial announcement on Instagram. And while major details on the book’s plot are under wraps, we’re definitely excited for what’s to come for Joy’s literary career.

Now, can The Betrayal of Cora Wexford please come out already?!