Lacewood, a multi-period Southern small town romance from Jessica James

Please help us welcome Jessica James to the blog today. Jessica is here to share her new release, Lacewood with us. Lacewood is a multi-period Southern small-town romance. Welcome, Jessica! We are all excited to hear more about Lacewood.

Lacewood
a multi-period Southern small town romance
by Jessica James

Guest Post by Jessica James:

Hello Readers! For those of you who don’t know me, I started my writing career in the historical fiction genre with the award-winning Civil War novel Shades of Gray. (It came out before the other Shades of Gray, and you will be disappointed if you’re looking for sex scenes).
Being from Gettysburg, Pa., I thought I would write historical fiction the rest of my career, but “the muse” had other intentions. To make a long story short, really strange things started happening to inform me about a different book that needed to be written. That book became Meant To Be (romantic suspense), and went on to win a number of literary awards. (If you happen to read it, make sure you email me, and I’ll send you the entire story behind the story).
And now, I’m so excited to release Lacewood, which is a combination of contemporary romance, historical fiction, and small town fiction—mixed in with my favorite things…old houses and grand old trees.
I live in a 200-year-old house and always think about the people who occupied the same space…their laughter and their tears, their good times and their bad times. Lacewood gives the reader a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what took place in an old abandoned Southern mansion before two people from the modern world stumble across it and into each other.
Part love story, part ghost story, Lacewood is about trusting in fate, letting go of the past, and believing in things that can’t be seen.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it!

About Lacewood: 

A love story that spans centuries…
Two people trying to escape their pasts find a connection through an old house—and fulfill a destiny through the secrets it shares. Part love story, part ghost story, Lacewood is a timeless novel about trusting in fate, letting go of the past, and believing in things that can’t be seen.

MOVING TO A SMALL TOWN in Virginia is a big change for New York socialite Katie McCain. But when she stumbles across an abandoned 200-year-old mansion, she’s enthralled by the enduring beauty of the neglected estate—and captivated by the haunting portrait of a woman in mourning.

Purchasing the property on a whim, Katie attempts to fit in with the colorful characters in the town of New Hope, while trying to unravel the mystery of the “widow of Lacewood.” As she pieces together the previous owner’s heartrending story, Katie uncovers secrets the house has held for centuries, and discovers the key to coming to terms with her own sense of loss.

The past and present converge when hometown hero Will Durham returns and begins his own healing process by helping the “city girl” restore the place that holds so many memories. As the mystic web of destiny is woven, a love story that might have been lost forever is exposed, and a destiny that has been waiting in the shadows for centuries is fulfilled.

Release day for Lacewood: June 18
($3.99 for launch week. $8.99 after)

Lacewood BUY LINKS:

• Amazon
• Apple Ibooks
• .Universal

Lacewood EXCERPT:

Turning in a circle, Katie studied the room again. Faded wallpaper curled and peeled above the dusty wainscoting, but the walls themselves appeared sturdy. On the far side of the entryway, and dominating the wall, stood a mammoth fireplace with an ornately carved hearth. Her attention was immediately drawn to a painting of a woman in nineteenth century dress that hung prominently over the mantel.
“Who is she?”
The sheriff turned to the dusty, sun-bleached portrait in the heavy carved guilt frame. “One of the previous owners, they say.” He shrugged. “The family history kind of got lost with the house. Everyone around here calls her the Widow of Lacewood.”
Katie stood spellbound. The woman was clothed completely in black, but the magnificence of the gown gave the impression of sophistication and class. Her chin was slightly elevated as if to project strength, yet there was more than a hint of sorrow and pain in her eyes.
“She looks so sad.” Katie spoke without removing her gaze. “And so young. How could she be a widow?”
The sheriff had already started to walk away, but he turned back and glanced at the painting. “Not sure, but they say she never remarried.”
Katie’s heart suddenly struggled to beat. The anguish in the woman’s eyes kept her riveted. She could see the pain. Feel a heart ripped apart. Something was missing that could never be replaced. Katie had felt such loss before. In a way that’s why she was here.

About the Author:

Jessica James believes in honor, duty, and true love—and that’s what she writes about in her award-winning novels that span the ages from the Revolutionary War to modern day. She is a three-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and has won more than a dozen other literary awards. Her novels have been used in schools and are available in hundreds of libraries including Harvard and the U.S. Naval Academy.
To combat the sedentary career of writing, Jessica works as a part-time stagehand at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg, Pa., the “grandest small town theater in the nation.”

SOCIAL LINKS:

• Website: https://www.jessicajamesbooks.com
• BookBub : https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-james
• Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001IYTXOG
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/586216.Jessica_James
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanticHistoricalFiction
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/southernromance/