Isle of Hope (48 page)

“Me, too, Brye,” she whispered, her sigh of contentment lost in his mouth with the sweet taste of his kiss.

Forever and ever, amen …

A
Note from the Author

Although this is largely a work of fiction, two things are very real.

First, Isle of Hope, Georgia is not only a real place, it’s one of the most beautiful and historical locales in the United States. Located fifteen minutes from Savannah on a peninsula that becomes an island at high tide, Isle of Hope possesses a unique low-country charm along with a rich and vibrant history.

Almost a world apart from the continental U.S., Isle of Hope is a sleepy tidal island with a strong sense of community where picture-perfect cottages reside side-by-side with lush waterside manors and the historic Wormsloe Plantation. Dating back to the early 1700s, Wormsloe Plantation is the oldest of Georgia’s tidewater estates and has served as a military stronghold, plantation, country residence, farm, tourist attraction, and historic site.

With a unique Southern charm all its own, Isle of Hope’s seaside beauty and low-country allure has drawn movie makers and photographers to its shores for years, boasting such films as the Oscar-winning
Glory
, the original
Cape Fear
,
The Last of the Belles
,
Forrest Gump
, and
The Last Song
. And, with a name like “Isle of Hope,” it was—for me—the perfect setting for a story of hope restored.

The second “real” thing about this novel is the estranged relationship between heroine Lacey Carmichael and her father, which purposely mirrors my own relationship with my dad. Although Lacey’s circumstances and mine are totally different, the bitterness and unforgiveness is much the same, as is the road to restoration for both Lacey and me, miraculously wrought through the unfailing love of Jesus Christ, truly a God of hope and healing.

I hope you enjoy Jack and Lacey’s story and that of the Carmichaels and O’Bryens, two families who had to learn—as I did—that the true “Isle of Hope” resides in the heart of a Savior Whose love never fails.

Hugs,

Julie Lessman

Author Bio

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas as well as religious and inspirational romance that evolves into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.

Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series with Revell Publishing, Julie was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 17 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in
Family Fiction
magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on
Booklist
’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list. Her last novel,
Surprised by Love
, appeared on
Family Fiction
magazine’s list of Top Ten Novels of 2014, and her independent novel
A Light in the Window
is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled
Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets
.

You can contact Julie and read excerpts from her books at
www.julielessman.com
, or through
Facebook
,
Twitter
,
Google Plus
, or
Pinterest
, as well as sign up for her
newsletter
. Check out Julie’s group blog,
The Seekers
,
Writers Digest
2013, 2014, and 2015 “Best 101 Websites for Writers,” and Julie’s own personal blog,
Journal Jots
, voted blog of the month in the Readers’ Choice poll of
Book Fun Magazine
.

Other Books by Julie Lessman

Following is a listing of Julie’s books, available in both paperback and e-book except for the novellas, which are e-book only.
Note
:
The links below are Amazon, but most of the following books (except the novellas,
A Light in the Window
, and
Romance-ology 101
) are also available on Barnes & Noble, Berean Christian Stores, Books-a-Million, CBD, Deeper Shopping Christian Bookstore, Family Christian Stores, Indiebound, and Lifeway.

The Daughters of Boston Series

Book 1:
A Passion Most Pure

Book 2:
A Passion Redeemed

Book 3:
A Passion Denied

The Winds of Change Series

Book 1:
A Hope Undaunted

Book 2:
A Heart Revealed

Book 3:
A Love Surrendered

Prequel to The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change Series

A Light in the Window: An Irish Love Story

The Heart of San Francisco Series

Book 1:
Love at Any Cost

Book 2:
Dare to Love Again

Book 3:
Surprised by Love

Novellas

Hope for the Holidays Historical Collection

With This Kiss Historical Collection

Home for Christmas Historical Christian Romance Collection

Writer’s Workbook

Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Inspirational and Sweet Markets

Published by Julie Lessman, LLC

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Cover by The Killion Group

ASIN: B0163HTXLU

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Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author through her website at
http://www.julielessman.com/contact-julie/
.