Patricia Gaffney was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. She pursued her higher education in English and philosophy from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and studied literature at various other universities. After completing her education, Gaffney worked as a 12th grade English teacher and later as a freelance court reporter for fifteen years in North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C.
Gaffney's writing career took off with the publication of her first historical romance novel by Dorchester in 1989. Over the next eight years, she wrote eleven more romance novels, which earned her several award nominations and wins. In 1999, Gaffney ventured into contemporary fiction with her hardcover fiction debut, The Saving Graces, which became a bestseller on the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and other lists. She followed it up with Circle of Three, Flight Lessons, and The Goodbye Summer, all of which were national bestsellers.
In addition to her novels, Gaffney has also contributed to three novella anthologies, including The Lost, The Other Side, and The Unquiet, all of which were New York Times bestsellers. Her recent work includes "The Dog Days of Laurie Summer," "The Dancing Ghost," and "Dear One," which explore various themes such as marriage, friendship, love, and the supernatural. Gaffney currently resides in southern Pennsylvania with her husband and continues to write fiction. Her latest novel, Mad Dash, was published in 2007, and she is working on a new novel about a man who changes his life when he finds out he's dying, titled "On Second Thought."