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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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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MY REVIEW
“Buried hopes…eventually come up for air.”
Vacancy by Jann Alexander is an extraordinary fiction based on true events. Everything that transpires across the pages is heartbreaking, inspiring, and fully engaging from start to finish.
The two main characters, Charlene and Helen, live in a small Texas Panhandle town called Hartless. Both women are battling regrets, heartache, and uncertainty, crossing paths through Charlene’s young daughter, Jillie. Charlene is a victim of domestic violence and poverty, raising two children with another one on the way. Helen is a recently widowed kindergarten teacher who is trying to find meaning in her lengthy marriage to Hal, his unexpected death, and a lonely future.
Vacancy is fast paced and well written, filled with many dynamic characters; a rugged landscape; and a dusty town full of gossip, closed businesses, and a neglected laundromat that changes everything.
This story is rife with relatable themes, including second chances, secrets, closure, acceptance, friendship, and hope. In a world where good, honest, and loving men, women, and even children can seem scarce, several emerge in Hartless, Texas: Charlene, Helen, Mick, Jillie, Jack, Spence, Davey, and Fiona, with a dog named Goldie bringing plenty of loyalty and bravery into the mix.
Vacancy by Jann Alexander will entertain the casual reader and offer encouragement to those experiencing similar circumstances. This story is not without its fair share of sadness and mourning, but all of that is balanced with plenty of victories and love. While the events of this story are absorbing, the stellar characterization keeps readers captivated and drives the story forward to an ending that is both satisfying and optimistic.
A word of caution: This story does contain some domestic violence and heartbreaking events that may be triggers for some readers; however, the overall story is well worth both the telling and the reading for all readers looking for a compelling fiction about how love, respect, and friendship can go a long way toward filling that internal vacancy and achieving healing and hope.
To learn more about the book, look for #LSLLVacancy on your preferred social media platform.
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Thank you for your very thoughtful review! I’m so happy you enjoyed Vacancy.