Lacewood: A Novel of Time and Place

WOMEN'S FICTION:  NY Socialite Katie McCain leaves New York and impulsively purchases a 200-year-old, abandoned mansion called ‘Lacewood’ in the small town of New Hope, Virginia. She buries herself in the restoration process and in uncovering the mystery of “the widow of Lacewood.” From the very beginning, she feels a deep connection to the old house, the legends, and the hauntingly beautiful painting of a woman. In the process, Katie learns how to come to terms with her own losses. The hometown hero, Will Durham, returns and helps Katie with her restorations and ends up renting the carriage house on the estate. It doesn’t take Katie and Will long to see how they are connected and caught in the two-century-old web of lovers, love and loss.

Adjectives to describe “Lacewood” might include emotional, poignant, beautiful, heartfelt, haunting, unique, or unforgettable. They would all be true. This is a lovely story. Katie is worn out by the fake façade of the NY social scene and yearns for a simplicity she remembers from summers with her grandmother. While trying to find her granny’s old farm in Virginia, she stumbles upon Lacewood. The story is filled with great characters, freshness, and sound pacing. Right up to the end where the book falls a little flat. There is no HEA or HFN for Katie and Will. Once all the loose ends of "Lacewood" are wrapped up, the story simply ended. Beyond that, if the reader believes every house has a story to tell, “Lacewood” has a delightful story.

Emerson Matthews