Title: Sweet Gone South
Series: Gone South #1
Author: Alicia Hunter Pace
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: Gone South #1
Author: Alicia Hunter Pace
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: April 7, 2020
Blurb
Welcome to Merritt, Alabama, where summers are lazy,
tea is sweet, and guests are always welcome.
Luke Avery needs a wife to help raise his motherless
three-year old.
three-year old.
Candy shop owner Lanie Heaven desires a child but can never
have her own.
have her own.
When Luke moves into the apartment above Lanie's shop, she
can't help falling
can't help falling
for the sexy single dad and his sweet litte girl.
Luke's not planning to fall in love ever again--but easing
the ache of loneliness with pretty Lanie isn't falling in love. Still,
proposing to her could solve all his problems and give his child what she
needs.
the ache of loneliness with pretty Lanie isn't falling in love. Still,
proposing to her could solve all his problems and give his child what she
needs.
Lanie believes her dreams of love and family are finally
coming true--until she is faced with evidence that Luke's heart is locked away
tight. Can Luke learn to slay his demons and put the past to rest? Or will he
lose Lanie--and any hope that he might've had for a sweet life--forever?
coming true--until she is faced with evidence that Luke's heart is locked away
tight. Can Luke learn to slay his demons and put the past to rest? Or will he
lose Lanie--and any hope that he might've had for a sweet life--forever?
Author note: "We hope you will enjoy this re-release from the Gone South
series. Sweet Gone South, a stand alone novel, was originally published by
Crimson Romance in 2012.”
Purchase Links
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
Excerpt
Easter
Sunday.
Sunday.
There were
lilies on the altar, the music was soothing, and the bells rang sweet. Behind
her, Lanie heard a quiet chuckle go through the crowd. Highly unusual.
Episcopalians were taught at an early age not to talk, laugh, or fidget after
entering the sanctuary. This was a time to prepare to worship. Lanie resisted
turning around, which was also against the rules—until she felt an insistent
little finger tapping her shoulder.
lilies on the altar, the music was soothing, and the bells rang sweet. Behind
her, Lanie heard a quiet chuckle go through the crowd. Highly unusual.
Episcopalians were taught at an early age not to talk, laugh, or fidget after
entering the sanctuary. This was a time to prepare to worship. Lanie resisted
turning around, which was also against the rules—until she felt an insistent
little finger tapping her shoulder.
She gave
her head a quarter turn, and there sat Emma Avery—in a bee costume, complete
with antennae, yellow and black tights, and little black shoes. Lanie bit her
lip and met Emma’s bright smile. Then she slid her eyes to the left. Pressed
and perfect Luke Avery didn’t look so pressed and perfect this morning. He
looked like a man who had fought a war—a bad one. His hair lay in messy curls
all over his head, his tie was crooked, and his face was damp with
perspiration. He met her eyes and shook his head helplessly.
her head a quarter turn, and there sat Emma Avery—in a bee costume, complete
with antennae, yellow and black tights, and little black shoes. Lanie bit her
lip and met Emma’s bright smile. Then she slid her eyes to the left. Pressed
and perfect Luke Avery didn’t look so pressed and perfect this morning. He
looked like a man who had fought a war—a bad one. His hair lay in messy curls
all over his head, his tie was crooked, and his face was damp with
perspiration. He met her eyes and shook his head helplessly.
During the
children’s moment, when all the preschoolers went to the altar to gather around Father Gregory, there
were more chuckles throughout the congregation. As Emma sat among the other
children wearing their smocked and embroidered finery, Father Gregory smiled
broadly and said something about all God’s creatures gathering on Easter
Sunday. When Emma passed Lanie on the way back to Luke, she leaned in and
whispered, “Buzz.” Throughout the rest of the service—hymns, sermon, prayers,
communion—Lanie fought her laughter. By golly, Emma had said she was “’posed to
be honeybee,” and she was.
children’s moment, when all the preschoolers went to the altar to gather around Father Gregory, there
were more chuckles throughout the congregation. As Emma sat among the other
children wearing their smocked and embroidered finery, Father Gregory smiled
broadly and said something about all God’s creatures gathering on Easter
Sunday. When Emma passed Lanie on the way back to Luke, she leaned in and
whispered, “Buzz.” Throughout the rest of the service—hymns, sermon, prayers,
communion—Lanie fought her laughter. By golly, Emma had said she was “’posed to
be honeybee,” and she was.
Luke and
Emma were just stepping onto the sidewalk when Lanie descended the steps.
Emma were just stepping onto the sidewalk when Lanie descended the steps.
Emma jumped
up and down and waved to Lanie. Luke looked like a man who wanted to leave the
country. Town matriarch, genteel Caroline Brantley stopped and laid her hand on
Emma’s cheek. Emma turned her bottom toward Miss Caroline and pretended to
sting her. Miss Caroline threw back her head and laughed with delight. She
patted Luke’s arm before moving on.
up and down and waved to Lanie. Luke looked like a man who wanted to leave the
country. Town matriarch, genteel Caroline Brantley stopped and laid her hand on
Emma’s cheek. Emma turned her bottom toward Miss Caroline and pretended to
sting her. Miss Caroline threw back her head and laughed with delight. She
patted Luke’s arm before moving on.
“Lanie!
Here I am!” Emma called.
Here I am!” Emma called.
“I see you.”
Lanie bent to accept her hug.
Lanie bent to accept her hug.
“Buzzz!”
She bumped Lanie’s leg with her little soft sculpture stinger.
She bumped Lanie’s leg with her little soft sculpture stinger.
“Ouch! You
stung me,” Lanie said.
stung me,” Lanie said.
“I stinged
Father Greg too!”
Father Greg too!”
“Yes,” Luke
said wearily. “You’ve done a fine job of stinging today.” Emma stung Luke, probably
not for the first time, before turning her attention back to Lanie.
said wearily. “You’ve done a fine job of stinging today.” Emma stung Luke, probably
not for the first time, before turning her attention back to Lanie.
“I’m going
to Beau’s house. I’ll see the Easter bunny and find eggs.”
to Beau’s house. I’ll see the Easter bunny and find eggs.”
“No
kidding? Guess what? I’m going to Beau’s house too.” She’d known they were
going to Missy’s Easter brunch. She’d made Emma’s chocolate place card. But
lots of people were going.
kidding? Guess what? I’m going to Beau’s house too.” She’d known they were
going to Missy’s Easter brunch. She’d made Emma’s chocolate place card. But
lots of people were going.
“Yay!” Emma
turned to Luke. “Lanie’s going to Beau’s!”
turned to Luke. “Lanie’s going to Beau’s!”
“I heard.
Do you think she’s going to have her picture taken with the Easter bunny?”
Do you think she’s going to have her picture taken with the Easter bunny?”
Just then,
Miley Sanders and her little girl, Teresa, walked by in their matching floral
mother/daughter dresses. Emma studied them for a second.
Miley Sanders and her little girl, Teresa, walked by in their matching floral
mother/daughter dresses. Emma studied them for a second.
“Lanie, can
you to be the same as me?”
you to be the same as me?”
“Hmm. That
might be fun. But I don’t have a honeybee suit.”
might be fun. But I don’t have a honeybee suit.”
“My daddy
will buy you one.”
will buy you one.”
Lanie
looked at Luke, who rolled his eyes and looked heavenward.
looked at Luke, who rolled his eyes and looked heavenward.
“That might
be nice,” Lanie said. “But all the stores are closed and there’s no place to
buy a honeybee suit today.”
be nice,” Lanie said. “But all the stores are closed and there’s no place to
buy a honeybee suit today.”
“Oh.” Emma
looked disappointed.
looked disappointed.
“I might
have another idea. We wouldn’t be exactly the same, but I have a blue dress and
you have your beautiful new blue dress. We could go home and put them on before
we go to Beau’s.”
have another idea. We wouldn’t be exactly the same, but I have a blue dress and
you have your beautiful new blue dress. We could go home and put them on before
we go to Beau’s.”
“I’m ’posed
to be honeybee.”
to be honeybee.”
“And you
already have been. You’ve done a wonderful job of being honeybee. Now you can
be the girl who wears her new blue dress.”
already have been. You’ve done a wonderful job of being honeybee. Now you can
be the girl who wears her new blue dress.”
She
considered for a moment. “Okay.”
considered for a moment. “Okay.”
Luke’s eyes
met Lanie’s. “Okay? Just like that? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through
this morning?”
met Lanie’s. “Okay? Just like that? Do you have any idea what I’ve been through
this morning?”
“I might,”
Lanie said.
Lanie said.
Stephanie Jones and Jean Hovey write together as Alicia
Hunter Pace.
Hunter Pace.
Stephanie lives in Tuscaloosa, AL, where she teaches school
and wishes for a bigger bookstore. She is a native Alabamian who likes
football, civil war history, and people who follow the rules. She is happy to
provide a list of said rules to anyone who needs them.
and wishes for a bigger bookstore. She is a native Alabamian who likes
football, civil war history, and people who follow the rules. She is happy to
provide a list of said rules to anyone who needs them.
Jean, a former public librarian, lives in Decatur, AL, with
her husband in a hundred-year-old house that always wants something from her.
She likes to cook but has discovered the joy of Mrs. Paul’s fish fillets since
becoming a writer.
her husband in a hundred-year-old house that always wants something from her.
She likes to cook but has discovered the joy of Mrs. Paul’s fish fillets since
becoming a writer.
Stephanie and Jean are both active members in the romance
writing community. They write contemporary romantic comedy. They love to hear
from readers.
writing community. They write contemporary romantic comedy. They love to hear
from readers.
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