Heirloom

by Nancy Wakeley

Healing secrets and a battle for survival await in Eden Springs. Kate Tyler is already in a life crisis when she inherits Howard's Walk in Eden Springs, North Carolina, after the sudden death of her twin sister, Rebecca. The last thing she wants is to be tied down to an abandoned estate and its neglected once-famous gardens. She vows to sell it as quickly as possible. But on her first visit to Howard's Walk, Kate finds a family heirloom, an embroidered tablecloth, that Rebecca has left behind, and that connection, and the deepening sense of loss she is feeling, convince her to stay--at least until she is able to decide her future. As Kate struggles alone in her grief, healing appears in the form of new friends and neighbors. When secrets begin to surface within the old house, Kate questions the connection she feels with a mentally challenged young man from the farm next door. When she meets the owner of a local garden center, she begins to open her heart again to the possibility of love. Kate learns that a powerful and vengeful man who was denied ownership of Howard's Walk in the past is determined to finally own it at any cost. She must decide.

Genres: Fiction

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 14, 2020

About the author

Nancy Wakeley is the author of the award-winning Kate Tyler series, small-town fiction filled with mystery, emotion, and resilience. She's also the creator of the Author Essential Toolkit, empowering writers to stay organized and inspired.

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Reviews

[Barbara Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heirloom review

I think that this was a good book for a first book.There were some parts that were a little dry and I had to put the book down for a while.There were also parts that kept me reading on. If there is a next book in the series, I will read it also.

[Mary Cushnie-Mansour · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Heirloom,” the debut novel by Nancy Wakely, will touch your heartstrings as you turn the pages, from beginning to end.
Kate Tyler hasn’t had an easy time lately, and when she returns from Italy and a failed freelance assignment, Kate is devastated by even worse issues. Not only is her boyfriend cheating, ending their relationship, but Kate receives the news that her beloved twin sister, Becky, was killed in a horrific car accident. Kate is beside herself. There is no one left in her life that she can call family, as she and Becky were adopted, and the only parents they knew had passed away.
Upon the reading of her sister’s will, Kate discovers she has inherited a property in Eden Springs. Out of respect for Becky’s wishes, Kate makes her way to Eden Springs, intending to resell the property and return to her life, such as it is. However, a feeling of belonging begins to encompass Kate. Despite her original intentions of fleeing, Kate starts to fall in love with Howard’s Walk, and with the townspeople in Eden Springs. When the entire town comes forward to help Kate return Howard’s Walk to its former glory, Kate discovers the family she’d always felt was missing from her life––and a loving relationship.
Not to give away the whole story, I highly recommend “Heirloom.” As you delve into the pages, rich with description, you will find real human emotions, family dynamics mingled with mystery and intrigue, and a journey of discovery.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

How do you continue to live after you experience the perfect storm of job loss, relationship betrayal, and the death of your twin? Any one of those occurrences can lead to heartbreak and confusion, but if all three happen in close proximity, you must learn to adapt to your new circumstances—if you want to survive.

Kate, who always considered herself the weaker twin after their adoptive parents died, is truly alone now and feels ill-equipped to experience life without the support her sister always seemed to provide. Inheriting property she didn’t know her twin had recently purchased, Kate decides to honor her sister’s memory by at least looking at the house before selling it. She struggles to overcome the debilitating inertia of grief and makes her way to Eden Springs, a small town in North Carolina, only to discover that the house and land have fallen into complete disrepair.

Kate’s journey of personal growth begins as she entertains the notion that she might not be as weak as she had always assumed. She leans into her grief, accepts life as it is, and grows stronger, while still allowing others to come alongside to support her.

Beautiful descriptions and emotional scenes are interspersed with action scenes. Quirky characters are added for comic relief, while sinister individuals provide additional conflict to keep the plot moving swiftly to its conclusion.

I hope the author has more stories to tell. I look forward to her next book.

Review by Betsy Beard (March 2021)

[Scott Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within the first few pages of Heirloom, I was taken by the rich place descriptions (close to home for me, in NC) and the attention paid to character development. Nancy Wakeley writes with a nuanced perspective on grief, loss and the Kate Tyler's journey to a rebirth (in more ways than one). Wakeley’s eye for detail leaves no corner of the fictional North Carolina town of Eden Springs unexplored. It’s a place you’ll want to keep coming back to, and Kate Tyler is a character of depth and passion you’ll want to spend more time getting to know. I can't wait to see what's next for Kate.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and descriptive. A good story with elements of sisterhood, romance, intrigue and legacy. Looking forward to the next Kate Tyler novel!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel incorporated relationships, family ties, setbacks, and great character development.

After Kate's sister is killed in a devasting accident, Kate inherits a run-down estate that Rebecca purchased before her passing.

Kate is a nomad who doesn't put down roots. The estate is a burden and the last thing she wants is to be tied down.

On her visit to Howard's Walk in Eden Springs, N.c., she finds a tablecloth, a family heirloom. That revelation and the deepening loss of her twin convince her to stay, at least for a short time. Secrets begin to surface regarding the house. She feels a connection to a mentally challenged young man and a probability of falling in love with the owner of a garden center.

Knowing the possibility of the sale of Howard's Walk, a powerful and vengeful man possesses the want and need to purchase the estate at all costs..

[Nancy Panko · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely, captivating story. A good read that draws one in. Beautifully done.

[Deborah Necessary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book of two sister’s and the ties they had to a abandoned house.

[Nancy Wakeley]

"Heirloom", for me, speaks about real life--it is about the losses we all face in our journeys, but it is also about overcoming the loss, and finding strength when we need it--not just from ourselves and our own inner convictions but accepting the strength offered from others and allowing that help to be a source of healing. Kate grows into her own in "Heirloom" when she understands that others need her, too, and this gives her a sense of purpose. She grows as she discovers that she must fight for what is rightfully hers and while it is a battle she never expected to have, she meets it head on.

Here are two of my favorite reviews from a reader: "I just finished Heirloom and had to tell you how much I LOVED it! I'm kind of sorry I finished it because every page had me wanting to read more. Your characters were so real and your imagery brought everything to life. I can't wait until your next book!"

"I finished it last night. Loved it. I hated that it ended! I want the story to keep going."

I know that you will love the small town feel, the quirky characters, that secrets that Kate discovers about herself....and I will leave the rest to you!

"The Kate Tyler novels" will be a series so watch for more adventures with Kate!

[Nancy Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading Heirloom, by Nancy Wakeley, I didn't want to put it down. I was hooked from the beginning with the character, Kate Taylor and the crisis she endured so quickly upon her return to the states. The unexpected loss of her relationship with Mitch and moving out, as well as the immediate loss of her sister, had me grieving right along with Kate. You could feel the anguish of all that needed to be done to plan a funeral and deal with her sister's affairs, as well as making decisions about her career and where she would live. Nancy did a great job keeping me hooked throughout the book with the turns and happenings that brought Kate right where she needed to be. I highly recommend reading this book!

[BJ Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heirloom is an excellent story of a young woman at a time in her life where she faces a sudden turn in her future. The death of her twin sister leads to the discovery of a house with gardens that need tending. A new group of friends in a new community surround Kate as she reconsiders what she wants to do with her life. She learns to face challenges and to fight for what is hers. The Kate on the last page is not the Kate on the first page!

[Esther Hadassa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems that Nancy Wakeley is pulling this slow reader out of a reading slump with the Kate Tyler adventures.
My life has been crazy for a while (and still is) and I struggle to read anything, often falling asleep while reading because of exhaustion. But I finished Heirloom within 2 weeks and that's fast for me in normal circumstances let alone now.
Heirloom, an old neglected house and gardens, a sleepy town in North Carolina, a charmer who's actually a *bleep*, and two young men entering Kate's life who truly belong.
So, I'm quickly moving on to the second book to see what Kate Tyler is up to next. I'm only a few pages in, Kate has travelled to England, leaving behind the two most important men in her life at Eden Springs. Slowly a mystery unravels on the pages of The Legend...