Vacancy: Secrets and Second Chances in Small-Town Texas

by Jann Alexander

INSPIRED BY REAL EVENTS

A sudden widow. A single mother. Both have a habit of hiding from hard truths until a brutal accident-or was it?-forces them to face what they're hiding, and what they want, in an unforgiving Texas town.

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, to find newfound strength, acceptance, and a second chance at love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Womens Fiction

319 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2026

About the author

Jann Alexander writes characters who face down their fears. Her novels are as true as fiction gets.

Jann Alexander is the author of THE DUST SERIES, including the historical novel, UNSPOKEN, set in the Texas Panhandle during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression eras, and her first book in The Dust Series. Her second novel, VACANCY, the next book in The Dust Series, releases Sept. 24, 2026.

Jann is also a public speaker on Texas history. She writes on all things creative in her blog, Pairings. She's been a central Texas resident since 2004, and is the creator of the Vanishing Austin photography series. As a former art director for DC-area ad agencies, corporations, and magazines, and a painter, photographer, and art gallery owner, creativity is her practice and passion.

Jann's lifelong storytelling habit and her more recent zeal for Texas history merged to become The Dust Series. When she is not reading, writing, or creating, she bikes, hikes, skis, and kayaks. She lives in central Texas with her own personal Texan (and biggest fan), Karl, and their Texas mutt, Ruby.

Jann always brakes for historical markers.

Reviews

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Maryann · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Helen McCabe, the widowed kindergarten teacher, becomes entangled in the life of one of her students, Jillie, she opens herself to more grief, although she isn’t aware of it at first.

Charlene, Jillie’s mother, is in an abusive relationship with Ray who is Jillie’s father and the father of the baby Charlene is carrying now. When a tragic accident takes the child’s life, the two women grieve the loss, but not always together; and the parallels of their grief drives much of this story.

Other major characters are Mick, Ray’s teenage son from a prior relationship; Spence and Fiona, who own the old motel where Charlene finds refuge, and their son Jack. There’s also Dave, an old flame from Helen’s past, who invites her to love again.

They all have secrets from their past, and those secrets affect their actions and relationships, creating the romantic drama as new bonds attempt to form. While those secrets are integral to the plot, some of the backstories of characters are too detailed, with some repetition of the same, or similar, information given at different times. Tightening that would have made the pacing of the story a little stronger.

Helen’s conversations with Hal, her deceased husband, showed her emotional instability, but some of his supposed responses to her questions at the site of his accident stretched believability. As did Charlene’s confusion about baby Sarah at her birth followed so quickly with a sudden clarity.

I did enjoy the descriptions, especially how the struggling, dusty West Texas town of Hartless came to life. That corner of the world can be very harsh when it comes to the weather, and the setting is deftly presented in all seasons of the year. It was also pleasurable to read some descriptions of characters that so vividly illustrated their personalities. For instance, this way Jack remembered Fiona from when he was a young boy. “She would arrive like a hallucination in her two-tone Ford Fairlane Skyliner. Good times followed Fiona like fleas on a farm dog.”

Despite the minor craft issues, this is a pleasurable read with very satisfying endings to all the threads of romance and characters finding personal stability in their lives. I recommend Vacancy to readers who enjoy a character-driven story with strong female leads.

[Ruthie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

“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.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets and second chances exact a price.

Vacancy is the second book in Jann Alexander’s West Texas-set women’s fiction series, The Dust, and in this novel two women at different points in their lives face tragedy and second chances, finding common ground in their losses. Keep a box of tissues at hand as these characters quickly wedge their way into your heart.

Helen McCabe, the middle-aged, widowed kindergarten teacher, is shocked by her husband’s sudden death, suffering the uncertainties and questions it prompts. In her grief, she becomes entangled in the life of one of her small students, a winsome, shy girl named Jillie, and concerns herself well beyond the boundaries she’d normally recognize. Charlene Simpson, Jillie’s mother, has been trapped in an abusive relationship with Jillie’s deadbeat, drunk of a father, and a new pregnancy is the last thing she needs. Not only is he in no position to welcome another child into her tenuous living situation, but her boyfriend, Ray, who didn’t want Jillie or Mick, his young teenage son from an earlier marriage, is going to take out his displeasure on her with his fists. Both women have drifted through their lives up to this point, and their conflict over Helen’s excessive interest in Jillie motivates both to seek a better way. A terrible accident reveals they have more in common than they ever thought.

Alexander’s characters are strong and vividly crafted, and their choices drive the plot. I was immediately drawn into these two women’s lives, waiting for the next shoe to drop because of the ominous foreshadowing from the beginning of the book. The descriptions of the struggling, dusty West Texas town of Hartless are cinematic, and the harsh extremes of the High Plains weather add another layer of challenge to everyone’s daily existence. The town’s name itself hints at what the besieged young single mother may find there when the dust settles.

I recommend VACANCY to readers of women’s fiction, especially those who want strong female protagonists and character-driven stories.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

[Jean Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacancy by Jann Alexander

Helen is a middle-aged schoolteacher. She is processing her life and marriage after the unexpected death of her husband, sorting out her feeling for him in what seemed to have been a cold marriage to a much older man. She becomes attached to one of her students, Jilly, whose mother is not living up to Helen’s expectations.
Charlene, the young mother of Jilly, is barely keeping her head above water. Her partner is an abusive alcoholic with a fifteen-year-old son. Without the help of loyal friends, she’d lose everything.
When tragedy strikes, Helen and Charlene must work through their problems, prejudices, and preconceptions to survive their emotional trauma.
I really enjoyed this book by Jann Alexander, the first I’ve read from her. The far West Texas setting, the building tension, and the excellent character development gives life to this story of women trying their best to do the right thing, stumbling, falling but never giving up. It’s also a story about second chances and finding love where you can at any age.
I admit I was not quite prepared for the ‘tragedy’ and was pretty taken aback, but it worked really well as a catalyst. The resolution was satisfying for both Helen and Charlene, which added a happy ending to a sad story.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy women-centered stories about strength, resilience, forgiveness, and empowerment.
I give this book: 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Jill Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacancy by Jann Alexander defies easy description. Tragedy, drama, suspense, and romance weave together in this compelling story of events in a small Texas town. No matter what you’re looking for in a novel, you’re likely to find it here.
Parallel stories of widow Helen and young mother Charlene intersect when Charlene’s daughter Jillie becomes a student in Helen’s kindergarten class. A seemingly innocuous beginning to a story laced with heartbreak and redemption, misunderstandings and true connections.
Alexander serves up a fantastic cast of characters—just enough to keep the story cruising along at a strong, almost racing pace without overdoing it. As a reader, I struggle when the number of high-visibility characters gets overwhelming. I want to feel like I’m getting to know the people of the story, and that’s harder to do when an author favors quantity over quality. The people of Hartless, Texas jump off the page with their courage, foibles, emotions, and actions. I wanted to scoop some of them up for a well-deserved hug and give others a serious talking-to.
Each chapter is told through one character’s perspective, a device I enjoy. While many stories of this nature would typically be presented via a narrator, the shifting first-person perspective allowed me to feel and see the action more intimately. This is a deeply personal story, so the choice in perspective was a strong one.
Vacancy is a story that touches some truly complicated issues such a grief, abuse, parenting, fidelity. Alexander approaches them all with a nuanced understanding, reminding us that no story is as simple as it might appear on the surface. I feel like this it’s true strength. It is so easy to jump to conclusions or rush to judgement. We can always use a reminder that you never know what another person has lived through or is struggling to overcome. Kindness and compassion can have such a lasting impact for the better.
Readers looking to be immersed in a gripping tale of stumbling and recovering, getting knocked down and choosing to continue forward, or continuing to hope despite the odds will be thoroughly enchanted with this book. Readers who prefer character-centered stories with a constantly surprising story line will be engaged and enriched.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vacancy by Jann Alexander is the second book in The Dust Series and is a historical fiction novel with themes of family drama, mystery, and the process of healing. The story takes place in 2005 in Hartless, Texas and centers around two women whose lives cross after their personal tragedies.

Helen is a recently widowed kindergarten teacher in her 50s who is greiving her husband and having to think deeply about the circumstances of his death. Charlene is a struggling single mom trying to create a better life for her daughter, the baby she’s expecting, and the teen boy who was left behind in her care.

This story is deep with small town atmosphere and many complicated feelings. There is a lot of heartbreak in this story twisted with small town judgment and secrets. Ultimately, however, Vacancy showcases the strength of its characters by having them face the truths they are afraid to accept. As much as this story breaks you, it also focuses on healing and the opportunity to rebuild. And this is what gets me about this story because the women are at the center of it. So many of the complex feelings are directly because of the tragedies Helen and Charlene experience. My take away from Vacancy is the hopeful energy that I was left with when I finished the story. The belief that although we will endure some difficulties in our lives, we can endure and come out much stronger from it.

Vacancy is the second in a series, however, it can definitely be read on its own as it takes place during a completely different time from the first one (that one takes place during the Texas Dust Bowl). Alexander’s writing is accessible, emotional, and definitely character-focused, so I recommend picking up Unspoken (the first book) too. It was definitely a book I could not put down because I became invested in these characters’ lives.

One last think, Vacancy deals with feelings of bereavement, motherhood, anger, and forgiveness - so please proceed with caution if this particular mix of themes would do you more harm than good.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacancy is the second book in Jann Alexander’s Dust Series of historical novels set in rural Texas. The first, Unspoken, was a tale of the dust bowl of the 1930s and extended into World War II This stand-alone next installment begins in 2005 in Hartless, Texas, a fictional, small town. Although at least one major character in Vacancy has a backstory connection to the heroine of Unspoken, the most important sharing between the two books is the undaunted pluck of the people whose stories Alexander tells. Despite living conditions that many readers would have trouble tolerating, including poverty, limited education, unintended pregnancies, and for one woman, domestic violence, the people of Vacancy persist and may even end up thriving. The book includes a lot of grieving, including the physical and emotional loss of children, parents who range from uncaring to emotionally abusive, and struggles with PTSD related to combat in Afghanistan. Many of the townspeople in Hartless are more dedicated to gossip and accusations than to lending a helping hand. However, the core characters create a loving, found family. The author has a wonderful knowledge of Texan sayings and sprinkles them liberally throughout the text. They combine with her descriptions of the landscape, buildings, and inhabitants to vividly evoke the financial depression but strong spirit of the panhandle.

[Literary Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jann Alexander’s Vacancy is a character-driven novel set in Hartless, a struggling Texas Panhandle town where hardship, gossip, and unexpected kindness bind people together. The story centers on Helen, a widowed kindergarten teacher who becomes deeply concerned about Jillie, a quiet five-year-old in her class, and Charlene, Jillie’s pregnant mother, who’s trying to protect her children from an abusive and unreliable partner. A tragedy announced in the opening pages hangs over the narrative, giving even ordinary moments a sense of urgency. Inspired by real events, the novel explores how easily concern can turn into judgment and how difficult it can be to recognize what another person is surviving.

Alexander tells the story through several perspectives, including Helen, Charlene, Jillie, Jillie’s teenage brother Mick, and Jack, a veteran working to restore his family’s roadside motel. That structure lets the reader see how misunderstandings take root. Helen’s attachment to Jillie comes from genuine compassion, but it’s also tangled with grief, regret, and her longing for the daughter she never had. Charlene’s choices make far more sense once we’re inside her fear and exhaustion, while Mick’s chapters reveal a fiercely protective boy who’s been forced to behave like an adult. The characters don’t simply represent social problems. They have private hopes, blind spots, humor, pride, and complicated loyalties.

The Texas setting gives the book much of its personality. Heat, dust, freight trains, empty storefronts, a secondhand shop, and the glowing vacancy sign at the Jack of Diamonds motel create a landscape that feels worn but alive. Alexander’s writing is especially effective when physical places reflect emotional states, from Helen’s silent house to the cramped spaces where Jillie hides from conflict. The plot occasionally leans hard into coincidence and dramatic revelation, but its emotional movement feels carefully earned. Grief doesn’t disappear when the story turns toward healing, and forgiveness isn’t treated as a simple decision. The novel allows recovery to include anger, accountability, new boundaries, and the acceptance that some losses remain permanent.

Vacancy will appeal most to readers who enjoy emotionally intense small-town fiction, family dramas told from multiple viewpoints, and stories about women rebuilding their lives after abuse, bereavement, and public scrutiny. It’s also a strong choice for book clubs because Helen’s well-intentioned interference, Charlene’s limited options, Mick’s responsibility, and the town’s rush to assign blame leave plenty to discuss. Readers who appreciate hopeful conclusions that still acknowledge lasting damage are likely to connect with it most. This is a compassionate story about people making room for one another after their old lives have been emptied out.

[Joanne Easley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vacancy by Jann Alexander captures small-town Texas with authenticity: dusty streets, shuttered storefronts, and minds just as closed as the businesses on Main Street.

The novel is told mainly through two women. Helen is a recently widowed, middle-aged kindergarten teacher. Charlene is the young single mother of Jillie, one of Helen’s pupils. Charlene’s abusive ex left her battered, pregnant, and responsible for Mick, his teenage son from an earlier relationship. Several other characters appear, and a few of them get chapters of their own.

Helen doubts Charlene’s ability to parent Jillie, and that doubt creates friction. Charlene is overwhelmed, but she works hard to keep a home for her children. A kind acquaintance of Charlene’s employer runs a motel and offers her a room and a job, which steadies the little family. Still, Charlene wants her ex to pay child support, especially with another child on the way.

One terrible night, while Charlene is on a pay phone across the street from the laundromat where Mick is watching Jillie, an accident changes their lives. As the aftermath unfolds—publicity, gossip, and lawsuits—Helen steps forward to help Charlene weather the storm.

Alexander weaves Helen’s and Charlene’s stories together with a sure hand. Both women move through the wreckage and find a second chance at love. My one nitpick is the long stretches of interior thought written in full sentences, which feel out of character for the five-year-old Jillie. Even so, this is a well-written piece of women’s fiction, and I recommend it to readers who like small-town stories about resilience, motherhood, and starting over.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I am leaving this review voluntarily. There was no promise of compensation, and this review reflects my honest, independent opinion.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel follow two women whose lives become intertwined and after a tragic accident they realize maybe there was a reason they were brought into each other's lives. Helen a widowed school teacher has taken an interest in a new student Jillie. She feels something isn't right at home and reaches out to her mother to try to get a little more insight. But the mother continues to ignore the meetings and calls from Helen. When Helen's worst fear comes true, she carries the guilt that she should have done more. Charlene, a young mother stuck in a bad relationship just found out she is pregnant again. How could this happen? He didn't even want the first child and he never takes the time for his first child, the teenage son she helps care for. She needs to get out and finds the strength to do all it takes to get out of this situation. With the help of some friends, she gets out of there with Mick and Jillie, but the struggle is hard. While stepping away for a few moments to make a phone call, a terrible accident happens and now the fear of her new life she was starting hangs in the balance as the town points fingers at her and labels her as another negligent mother that shouldn't have had children. With the strength of her friends and Helen who continues to reach out, Charlene has to learn to live for the new child growing within her and the guilt of what happened. I really enjoyed this read, the struggles these women had how they gave each other strength to move forward. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Wow! Women on Writing for the invite to review this novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[B. Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

There have been many books written about men hurting women, but have you ever read about a secret hiding place abusing the person who trusted it? How could that be? No, this is not sci fi, and yes, the main characters are hiding unspeakable secrets despite the love and trust that are shared in Jann Alexander’s Vacancy.


Kindergarten teacher Helen is childless and widowed. She’s grieving her hidden regrets though an administrator sees right through her and advises her to see a psychologist. She stalls while she bonds with shy girl in her class and fears that the girl’s struggling single mother, Charlene, is not parenting well.

Charlene’s hiding a secret too, while doing the best she can to keep her daughter and the teenager her ex left behind safe. She resents Helen’s judgments and interference, but she resents her former husband’s drunken violence more. When she meets a scarred veteran who offers to lend a hand, hope flourishes, until she begs for time.

After an unexpected tragedy Helen and Charlene bond despite the harsh judgements of people who speculate about what really happened. Helen and Charlene must confront the vacancies in their hearts, creating an opening for new love.

Author Jann Alexander is a skillful storyteller. Her characters resonate and you’ll find yourself reeling at the problems life brings to them. She has written an earlier book in the same series, Unspoken.

If you’re drawn to women’s fiction, other people’s problems, or the Texas panhandle, this book is for you.

[Janis Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jann Alexander's Vacancy, the second novel in The Dust Series, proves that a series' installment can stand firmly on its own. While readers familiar with Unspoken will appreciate the subtle connections, Vacancy is a complete and deeply satisfying story that welcomes newcomers without requiring them to have read the earlier book.

One of Alexander's greatest strengths is creating scenes that pull you in emotionally. She presents a horrific tragedy and deals with the aftermath with honesty and compassion, never sensationalizing the pain. Instead, she invites readers to sit with the characters as they struggle to make sense of lives forever changed. The readers immediately connect with the characters as they struggle through their own sense of vacancy, whether it’s grief, loneliness, regret, or dreams left behind. They're imperfect, believable people. I found myself deeply invested in their lives, hoping they would find the courage to move beyond the darkness and discover healing.

I also loved the way the setting became almost another character in the story. The rundown motel, the hard-scrabble house, and even the small-town laundromat aren't just places where events unfold—they reflect the lives of the people who pass through them. Together they create a vivid sense of place that feels authentic, worn, and quietly hopeful.

Vacancy is a moving, beautifully written novel about loss, resilience, and the quiet courage it takes to rebuild a life.

[Karen Lyon]

Haven’t we all experienced “vacancy” in our lives at one time or another? And by vacancy, in this context, we refer to the things that may be absent in our lives.

In the second novel of her Dust Series, Jann Alexander returns her readers to the mythical town of Hartless, located in the Texas panhandle, to candidly explore vacancies in the lives of a handful of residents: a woman abused and abandoned by her partner; a bereft, motherless child; a struggling widower; a bitter, childless widow.

Through empathetic storytelling and generous sprinklings of colorful and delightful, Texas-style witticisms, the author transports us to this gritty farming town where readers become eyewitnesses to the precarious unfolding of human dramas. In small town Texas, where everybody knows everybody, we see that cruelty and judgement abound but so do compassion and genuine caring. Her characters are relatable and flawed but we hold our breaths. We celebrate their hard-won victories.

Jann Alexander reminds us that, even in the most trying times, there are unsung heroes who selflessly step forward to fill the voids. For that, we should all be grateful. Ultimately, the stories of Hartless residents are uplifting. We can banish the vacancies!

Kudos to the author. I am already looking forward to the third book in the Dust Series 😊

[Paulette Mahurin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacancy can have multiple meanings, among them room for rent and an emptiness one possesses emotionally. This story, starting with the introduction of multiple characters, is aptly titled. Helen the widowed lonely teacher come alive over a kindergarten student, Jillie. Jillie’s mother Charlene is married to an abusive alcoholic bum who runs out on them and his son when he finds out Charlene is pregnant. The topic of pregnancy weaves through the story with mentions of Helen’s lost baby, a loss more profound than Hal, the husband who died in an auto crash mysteriously, but all is not lost for Helen as she meets up with Dave, her first love, a high school sweetheart. In the mix of characters is Fiona who owns the second hand shop Charlene works in, and lives with Spencer who has a truck-driver son who wants to stay at the motel Spencer owns and settle down. All well cast, the characters play off each other bringing out their pasts and insecurities, along with secrets. The author does a good job of bringing in each character in separate chapters melding them together into a collective whole that works. It’s an easy, enjoyable, fast read that left me feeling satisfied when I closed the last page.

[David Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring resilience is the message that keeps springing to mind while reading Vacancy. I was reminded of family stories about the grit and courage of my great-grandparents who lived in West Texas during this period. The story follows Helen McCabe, a widowed kindergarten teacher struggling with loss, and Charlene Simpson, a young mother facing poverty, abuse, and an unplanned pregnancy. Through richly drawn characters and a vivid small-town Texas Panhandle atmosphere, Alexander creates a compelling portrait of ordinary people confronting extraordinary challenges. The novel’s opening chapters immediately establish empathy and suspense, drawing readers into a community where hidden wounds and difficult choices shape every life.

Alexander handles domestic violence, childhood trauma, and bereavement with sensitivity and authenticity, never losing sight of her characters’ humanity. Vacancy is a powerful story about second chances, the strength found in community, and the courage required to move forward when life seems broken beyond repair. Vacancy is a fascinating and vivid reminder that our toughest moments are life’s challenge to become our greatest selves.

[Crystal Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotionally rich and resonant small-town drama, Jann Alexander’s Vacancy is a deeply moving, beautifully paced exploration of grief, motherhood, and unexpected second chances. Set in an unforgiving Texas town where the heat and dust practically seep off the page, the novel follows two very different women—a grieving widow named Helen and a struggling single mother named Charlene—whose lives become tangled through a quiet kindergarten student.

What makes this book shine is how effectively the physical setting mirrors the emotional interiority of the characters. Alexander handles multiple points of view with skill, keeping the pacing sharp through short, engaging chapters that make it hard to put down. The emotional evolution feels hard-earned rather than rushed, refusing to tie up every wound with a neat bow; instead, it honors the reality that recovery includes anger, boundaries, and lingering scars but ultimately recovery IS possible!

The sheer strength of the character of both main characters will leave you thinking about Vacancy long after closing the back cover. It's such a hopeful read! Highly recommended for book clubs and fans of intense emotional fiction.

[Diane Nagatomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Vacancy” by Jann Alexander is a heartbreaking, yet heartwarming, novel that takes place in the fictional town of Hartless in the Texas Panhandle. It’s part of a series, but it isn’t necessary to read the previous book (“ Unspoken”) in order to thoroughly enjoy this one. The story is told from multiple viewpoints (Helen, a recent widow; Charlene, an abused wife barely out of her teenage years; Jillie, Charlene’s five-year-old daughter; Mick, Charlene’s deadbeat common-law husband’s son; and Jack, an army veteran).

The lives of these people intertwine in ways that can only happen in a small town, especially when Charlene’s husband disappears after beating her up when he learns she is pregnant with his second child. When an unspeakable tragedy occurs, the town is fiercely divided, and Charlene learns who her true friends are and what love really is. And that family isn’t necessarily the one you were born into, but the one you make.

Many thanks to the author for an ARC of this novel. My opinions are my own.

[Suanne]

Vacancy is the second novel in Jann Alexander’s Dust series, set in the fictional small town of Hartless in the Texas Panhandle. It is told from multiple points of view: Charlene, a poverty-stricken young mother with a kindergarten daughter and another child on the way, whose been abandoned by her abusive ex; when he bails out, he dumps Mick, his teenaged son, on Charlene though the boy isn’t hers; Helen, a middle-aged widow with no children, who still suffering from the loss of her only child; and Jack, a veteran of the Afghanistan war who’s returned home with PTSD. All must face the devastating consequences of what may—or may not—have been a brutal accident.

You can almost hear the Texas drawl in the dialogue as Alexander does a great job capturing Texas witticisms. Hartless, like any collection of humans, is full of a wide variety of folks, flawed but relatable, some with great hearts and others whose hearts are twisted by judgement, bias, and downright cruelty, voiced even in the churchyard.

Vacancy is about found families, learning to accept oneself, and to forgive oneself. The various protagonists have good character arcs and resolve their problems with aplomb despite their trials and the outrage of the townspeople.

[Catherine Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one wants to believe that tragedy is random and unpredictable. Somehow finding blame gives us the sense that we are protected from the same—especially in a small town plagued with generations of tragedy. In Vacancy, author Jann Alexander beautifully illuminates the truth: We all have secrets, no one escapes tragedy, and everyone deserves compassion. In this heartwarming tale, two very different women must come to terms with their pasts and learn both to accept help and to stand on their own two feet. With a deep cast of endearing characters and a setting that mirrors both the wasteland of despair and a silver lining of hope, I was drawn into the characters’ world. The events of the story evoked every emotion from outrage to sorrow to joy. Vacancy ends on a satisfying note with just enough surprises to make me wonder if there will be more to the story. Another great read by Jann Alexander.

[Joan Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the unforgiving backdrop of the Texas Panhandle, Jann Alexander’s Vacancy, A Dust Novel is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of what remains when life’s promises are broken. The novel follows four distinct souls, each carrying a different charged emptiness, whose lives collide in the wake of a tragic accident. Alexander masterfully uses the harsh, shifting seasons of Texas as a metaphor for the internal struggles of her characters—raw, unpredictable, and ultimately transformative. Despite its heavy themes of trauma and loss, Vacancy remains a hopeful exploration of the human spirit's ability to heal. This slow-burn narrative builds in tension, serving as a moving testament to resilience, proving that even in the harshest environments, the "holes in our hearts" can be filled.

[Marilee Dahlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping story about life, and death. An emotional whirlwind beginning unfolds into a compelling and heartfelt tapestry of intertwined lives in the small town of Hartless, Texas. This relatable domestic drama sizzles with gorgeous writing and a fast pace. Two women take center stage. Helen is a widow with a caring heart but who guards guilty secrets. And there’s Charlene, a young woman struggling in an abusive relationship and doing her best to care for her young daughter. Good guys might enter their lives but what really matters is whether Helen and Charlene will find steel within themselves to deal with the worst kind of adversity. Before you know it, you’ll be rooting for Helen and Charlene to find someone, anyone, with extra space in their hearts for them. Highly recommend!

[Cam Torrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small-town atmospherics and deep emotions highlight a story about difficult families, secrets, second chances, and the desperate measures good people will take to protect those they love. Charlene, Mick, and Jack aren’t heroes — they’re survivors — each carrying wounds only visible to the few compassionate townspeople they can count on. When tragedy strikes, suspicion abounds, and justice morphs into a weapon pointed at the innocent.

Alexander’s balance between tension and compassion is both subtle and sure. Her military backstory for Jack is well-researched and authentic. Like her bestselling Unspoken, the author delivers scenes that crush the reader and then slowly—but inevitably—turn toward hope.

Highly recommend.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a touching novel of two women whose lives cross as they face the tragedies in their lives. They find strength, making it through to new life. Second chances give hope to them both. Alexander has written an emotional novel in which the women eventually find healing and strength to overcome tragedy, remorse and guilt and experience forgiveness and hope.

Potential readers should be aware that the tragedies include the death of a spouse and a child's death. Those may be trigger situations for some. There is also a threatening and dangerous past boyfriend. Those are hard experiences but the women find the strength to go on.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through WOW! Women on Writing. My comments are an independent review.

[Maureen Griswold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Texas Panhandle, a child and related cast of characters, a small-town community, and a tragedy combine in a striking story of judgment, recovery, and redemption in this modern-day tale. The Panhandle, the town of Hartless, its local businesses, and the cast of characters are brought to life with vivid descriptions, poignancy, and heart. The tragedy involving a child casts light on how communities often react with scandal, prejudice, condemnation, and ostracism. Those most closely affected by the tragedy eventually find healing, hope, and renewal, making this novel moving and memorable. A well-worthwhile read.

[Lucille Guarino · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the crux of Vacancy is the will and hope of moving forward after unspeakable tragedy hits. Set in the Texas panhandle, Charlene not only finds herself stuck in an abusive relationship with a deadbeat man, an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy worsens her situation. In the meantime, Helen, a recent widow, reconciles all that her thirty-year marriage was, and all that it wasn’t. What unites these two women is a sweet little girl named Jillie, Charlene’s daughter and Helen’s student. The impact these two women will have on each other will transform their lives forever. A powerful story for creating good from tragedy.

[Linda Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Jann Alexander’s Vacancy, the second in her Dust series, she balances compassion with tension, continuing to explore the bleak times brought on by the Dust Bowl in West Texas. After an unthinkable tragedy in the small town, people take sides and make life difficult to move forward. Faced with giving in to the devastation, the author takes the reader through trauma and heartache as two women struggle to re-find their footing.

It’s about broken promises, second chances and the courage to move forward, even when faced with heartbreak and loss. Ultimately, it’s a story of resilience that keeps you turning the pages.

[Paul Jantzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jann Alexander and Texas are one and the same. Her characters reel much like the harsh and unpredictable storms that crush the Texas landscape. But when personal devastation comes knocking, some people have what it takes to weather the storm.

Alexander delivers her sophomore effort, Vacancy, the latest novel in the Dust Series, with precision and beautifully crafted prose. She firmly establishes her voice and her place in women’s literature, offering yet another gem ripe for book club discussions.

[Elaine Stock · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Vacancy, the author, Jann Alexander, continues her Dust Bowl Series, sharing her love of how everyday people in the hard-scrabble small towns of Texas show courage and resolve to pull themselves out of otherwise tough and tragic times. The two female leads, Charlene and Helen, are at a point where they must choose to move forward past heartache and trauma and learn that they are worthy of love. Ms. Alexander shows her own grit once again in this continuation of the series--though it can definitely be read as a single title--of this hold-nothing-back tribute to making life work

[Kay Smith-Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades after the dust bowl, Alexander guides her readers through the challenges of the present-day Panhandle. Vacancy slips us into the shoes of two women struggling to find their footing in the harsh, yet beautiful winds of change. Rampant emotions, small-town judgments and the joys of motherhood drive this tale of hope. A poignant story of resilience and promise that will keep you turning the pages.