Title: Old and New, Book 1 The MacLellan Sisters Trilogy
Author: Lucinda Race
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book Blurb:
Three sisters and one enchanted wedding dress.
Jamie vows to never get married.
When a package and a letter from her great-grandmother arrives from Scotland containing an heirloom wedding dress, fate may have other plans. The dress is supposedly enchanted and if her great-grandmother's descendent tries the dress on, her future will be revealed in the mirror. Curiosity piqued, she tries on the dress. What would it hurt to wear it, after all, this will be her only opportunity? In the reflection, she sees a shadow of a man. Is he her future or just a trick of the light? After telling her sisters what she's done, they devise a plan to see if the handsome lawyer she's been dating could be 'the one'. Then she meets Caleb. The sexy twin brother, who, with a simple look, sets her heart racing. The only catch: he lives a vagabond life. Will Jamie turn her back on a once in a lifetime love or is she ready to embrace a different future?
Excerpt:
Kenzie twirled noodles around her fork and shifted her gaze to Jamie. “Your text said a box from Scotland arrived?”
Jamie’s shoulders slumped and she munched on a slice of bread. “I got an email from Mom. She and Dad are cleaning out some of Gran’s things and found it. I guess it was addressed to us. I thought it would be better to open it together.”
Kenzie looked between her sisters, her smile pained. “It’s hard to believe she’s gone.”
Jamie wiped away a lone tear. “I keep expecting the phone to ring and hear Gran asking when we’re hopping on the next plane.”
“Guys”—fighting back tears, Grace’s face sagged—“can we concentrate on what’s in the box? It hurts too much to talk about Gran’s death.”
Kenzie wiped away the tears that had slipped down her cheeks. “Grace is right. Let’s open the box and see what’s inside, after we finish this amazing lo mein.”
The girls bounced ideas around over what might be in the box until dinner was finished. Grace stood up and whisked away the empty plates. She called over her shoulder, “I’ll grab the wine if someone can get the box. You know how much I hate waiting to open any kind of box.”
Jamie went in search of scissors and pointed to the closet. “Kenz, the box is in there.” Kenzie opened the door and carefully carried the box to the coffee table, as if it contained something irreplaceable.
Jamie returned, and said, her hand hovering over the tape, “Here goes nothing.”
Grace came in holding a bottle of wine. “Be careful, Sissy,” she whispered reverently. “It was Gran’s, so it’s really old.”
Jamie held her breath as she cautiously sliced through the layers of packing tape and eased back the cardboard flaps.
Standing on tiptoes, Kenzie peered over her shoulder. “What is it?”
Jamie withdrew a cream-colored envelope. “It’s a letter.” Grace reached out to pull back the bubble wrap when Jamie touched her hand. “Wait. We should read it first and then we’ll see what’s inside.”
Kenzie stretched out her hand. “I’ll read it.” She slit open the wax seal and pulled out several pieces of stationery. Glancing down, she said, “I don’t remember Gran’s handwriting so spider web like, so it might take a while.”
Grace leaned in and studied the page. “I don’t think its Gran’s. What if it’s Great-gran’s? You know Dad’s grandmother.”
Jamie admonished, “If we stop talking and let Kenz read, I’ll bet we find out.” She picked up her wineglass and settled back on the sofa cushions.
My dearest granddaughters,
This is your father’s grandmother writing to you long before you were even a gleam in his eye or even before he had any interest in lassies. If you have received this box, it means that I’ve had the joy of seeing my beloved daughter, your grandmother, again. I’m sorry for your loss and hope your memories of her will sustain you through the years to come and her wisdom will guide you. I will assume you have a box from your Gran. Have you looked inside? If not, carefully unwrap the contents and lay the three items I chose for you on a table.
Jamie’s eyes grew wide as she looked at her sisters. “What the hell, is she psychic or something?”
Grace clapped a hand over her mouth. “Remember, Gran said the women in our family were special. Maybe that’s what she was talking about.”
Kenzie’s eyebrow shot up. “That would explain a few things about Gran. She always seemed to have eyes on us all the time.”
Absentmindedly Jamie tapped her glass with her finger. “Do you remember the time…I must have been around ten. We decided to get up early and go fishing, and when we got to the bottom of the stairs Gran was dressed and waiting for us? I know we never talked about sneaking off while we were in the house where she could hear us.”
“You’re right.” Grace let out a rush of breath. “Our sneaky plans were always hatched underneath that old willow tree near the creek.”
Kenzie gasped. “Oh, wow. That does make me wonder about all kinds of things.”
Jamie waved her hands toward the box. “Enough speculating about Gran being able to read our minds—let’s see what’s inside.”
Taking care not to rush, Grace took a small package wrapped in plain brown paper. She pulled back the paper and cut the bubble wrap inside, to discover a carved wooden box. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Should I open it?”
“Hold on, let’s see what Kenzie has.”
Kenzie withdrew a large floppy package wrapped in white tissue paper tied with the deep green satin ribbon. She pulled back the paper, revealing a large piece of wool, a Scottish tartan. “Isn’t this the MacLellan plaid?” She carefully placed it on the back of the sofa.
Jamie and Grace nodded, eager to see the third item.
“One item left, Jamie, your turn.” Kenzie slid the box in front of her older sister.
Jamie pulled out an identical-looking package tied with the same ribbon. “Do you think it’s another plaid, maybe a cape?” She tugged the bow and eased back the tissue paper.
“Oh my gosh! It’s a wedding dress.” Awestruck, Grace reached out and fingered the silky fabric. “Do you think it was Great-gran’s?”
Jamie’s voice softened. “It must have been—look at the style. The simplicity of the cut is definitely vintage. The fabric feels like silk,” she turned the dress over, “and look at the laces on the back, that must have been how it was secured.” Jamie held it up to look closer. “This eyelet looks to be hand-sewn. It must have taken hours and the needle work is exquisite.”
Kenzie picked up the letter. “Let’s see what Great-gran has to say about it.”
“Wait! What’s in the little box?” Grace pried off the top and unfolded a square of the same silky fabric as the dress. Nestled inside was a large brooch. She held it up in the firelight. “Look, it’s a thistle, and I wonder if the stone is an amethyst.” Grace turned it over in her hand. “It’s stunning,” she said breathlessly.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Why is your featured book a must-read?
Old and New is a novel about three sisters who are very different women but who have decided to stay single. Their love for Gran and spending summers in Scotland with her, traipsing over the highlands is more than just something they did, it is a part of who they became. And they each do believe in a wee bit of fairy magic.
If you liked the books, Sisters of the Traveling Pants books you will enjoy The MacLellan Sisters Trilogy but with a grown-up twist.
Giveaway –
Enter to win an e-book bundle of all 23 books featured in the Super Reads Bookish Event:
Open Internationally.
Runs September 22 – 27, 2020.
Winner will be drawn on October 5, 2020.
Author Biography:
Award-winning author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of romantic fiction. As a young girl, she spent hours reading romance novels and getting lost in the hope they represent. While her friends dreamed of becoming doctors and engineers, her dreams were to become a writer—a romance novelist.
As life twisted and turned, she found herself writing nonfiction but longed to turn to her true passion. After developing the storyline for The Loudon Series, it was time to start living her dream. Her fingers practically fly over computer keys as she weaves stories about strong women and the men who love them. Lucinda lives with her husband and their two little dogs, a miniature long hair dachshund and a shitzu mix rescue, in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts. When she's not at her day job, she’s immersed in her fictional worlds. And if she’s not writing romance novels, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on. It’s too bad her husband doesn’t cook, but a very good thing he loves takeout.
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