COMING IN APRIL OF 2026

Jess Lockhart thought she’d fought her hardest battle when she beat a rare form of lymphoma. But months into remission, it’s fear of the unknown—especially of cancer’s return—that’s stealing her future. Once an aspiring fashion designer, she’s lost her drive to create and now spends her days working at her father’s hardware store in rural Trulee, Alabama.

When a young botanist rents the barn-loft apartment on her family’s property, Jess thinks she’s finally found something to take her mind off her mortality. Not only is Silas Haney strikingly handsome, but he’s irresistibly mysterious. His cryptic remarks and odd behavior suggest he’s hiding something. Then an accident exposes his secret: Silas once drank from a spring that made him immortal. Now he’s searching for the spring once more, hoping the tree that legend says grows from it holds the cure to the eternal youth he now sees as a curse. And that spring lies hidden in the woods behind her house.

Convinced the spring is the answer to her problems, Jess blackmails Silas into taking her along on his quest. But as forced companionship turns into affection, Jess begins to question whether escaping the fear of death is the same as truly living. And when a crisis arises, Jess must decide: will she trust God with her future or scoop destiny into her own hands?

Pre-order here
Click here to Add to your Goodreads "Want to Read" Shelf

  • "I cannot tell you how much I like this book. It’s books like this that make me love my job.”

    Sally Apokedak, literary agent and freelance editor

  • “You had me totally hooked right from the start, and I stayed hooked through the whole book."

    Sally Apokedak, literary agent and freelance agent

  • “It hit all my sweet spots. From the first chapter, your characters were very attractive—likeable, fun, vulnerable—with just enough confidence and a ton of intrigue.”

    Sally Apokedak, literary agent and freelance editor

Jana Hutcheson writes sweet, nostalgic Southern Romances that simmer with heart, hope, and life’s big questions.