VACANCY: Secrets and Second Chances in Small-Town Texas

By Jann Alexander

Women’s Fiction / Mystery and Crime

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Publication Date: September 24, 2026

Synopsis

A struggling single mother and a suspicious widow, at odds. Both have a habit of hiding from hard truths.

INSPIRED BY REAL EVENTS

Helen is childless and widowed after a long marriage and gets a second chance with a long-lost love. But she’s grieving her hidden regrets. She bonds with her quiet kindergarten student and doubts the girl’s struggling single mother, Charlene, is fit to parent.

Charlene’s hiding a secret of her own, and she resents Helen’s interference. She’s determined to make a better life for her young daughter, the teenage boy her ex left behind, and the baby on the way when a scarred veteran offers to lend a hand.

A tragedy no one sees coming forces the two women to unite, as small-town bias threatens to destroy innocent lives. But first, Helen and Charlene must confront the vacancy in their hearts. As they do, can they find new strength, acceptance, and a second chance at love?

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Review

This is the first novel I have read by this author, and she manages to capture small towns – their personalities, the people, and their struggles. It may be 2005, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have issues with their lives and just trying to make it day by day. This novel will tug at your heartstrings.

This story is told from two points of view – Charlene and Helen. There are a few other chapters that might be told from other viewpoints, but the majority is by these two women.

I felt for Charlene. She is living with the guy that knocked her up all those years ago, and now he knocks her around. It is a good thing that they never married. She is doing the best she can to help her family survive with no help from him. She even takes care of his son, Mick. They have a beautiful daughter, Jillie, and she is the light in Charlene’s life. Luckily, Mick cares for her too, and they have a fairly strong core, even without the deadbeat dad. She is lucky to have the support of Fiona and Spence. Fiona is her boss at an antique store, and Spence runs the local motel. These two have big hearts and give back in so many ways.

Helen is a widow in several ways, and is Jillie’s kindergarten teacher. There are some initial moments where I was concerned that Helen was going to cause trouble, but looking back, I think she was still grieving the passing of her husband.

Mick is a wayward young man. He is torn between the loyalty to his dad, his love for Jillie and Charlene, and wanting to be the best he can be. While he may lose his way, he has the support of family and friends to help him get back on track.

This book is a tear-jerker in spots. I don’t want to spoil anything, but have tissues close by just in case. Charlene and Helen both have struggles, and while they may not start out as friends, they definitely get there. I think they both see something of themselves in each other. They both grow from the beginning until the end, and discover that sometimes a good friend is all you need.

If you are looking for a novel that is hopeful yet realistic, this might be the book for you.

We give this book 5 paws up.

About the Author

Jann Alexander is an author, photographer, and public speaker on all things Texas history. She’s a 22-year resident of central Texas and creator of the Vanishing Austin photography series. Her lifelong storytelling habit and her more recent passion for Texas history merged in 2025 to become the historical novel Unspoken, set in the Texas Panhandle during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, and is her first book in The Dust Series. Vacancy, releasing in September 2026, is the second novel in the series. She holds a B.S. from the University of Maryland. When Jann is not reading, writing, or creating, she bikes, hikes, skis, and kayaks. Jann always brakes for historical markers.

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