To all those in this industry who offered criticism and rejection (and there were a lot), I say thank you. Your many rejections—especially those with personal responses as to why it was rejected—are what ultimately got me looking at my work with a more critical eye. They gave me that much more determination to get it right, and get it in the hands of the masses.

Thank you to the most fabulous editor in the world, Mandy Schoen, for being the one to discover me in a pitch contest on Twitter last year. It was your intrigue and interest—and your eager request for my manuscript—that got all this rolling. Not only were you the one to bring me into the Swoon Romance family, but you have been so amazing to work with during the editorial process. You have loved and respected Hemlock Veils as my story, and your help has been priceless. Thank you to all the staff of Swoon who has worked together in making this a possibility.

Lastly, I have to thank my agent, Beth Campbell. Beth found me around the same time as Mandy. The timing aligned and everything fell into place quite perfectly. Thank you for believing in me and my story—even though paranormal romance was a hard sell for the market at the time. You stuck with me and worked hard to make sure I was taken care of and that I got the best deal.

I wouldn’t be here without any of you, and many others unnamed. You all rock my fairytale-loving world.

JENNIE DAVENPORT

When Jennie isn’t trying to run her home with as few casualties as possible, she loves snuggling with her family and pets, laughing with her friends, delving into brilliant entertainment of any vein, and playing outside. Even before she began writing it, well-told, original, and character-driven romance was always her weak spot. Add the paranormal element, toss in a fairy tale retelling, and she may never make it back to reality.

Although writing is in her blood, and the wheels of her writerly mind are constantly turning, she likes to think that in another, more-extroverted life, she would have been a Broadway star. Or an American Idol finalist.

Jennie lives for the fall, and not just because of her adoration for the NFL. In her perfect world, she would have the springs, summers, and falls of Colorado, and the winters of her native Arizona—someplace where the climate and weather would allow her to go on a trail run year-round. She might prefer the pines and mountains, but she is a devoted fan of all nature, and finds it has a magic all its own.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/jenniemaydavenport

Website: www.jenniedavenportauthor.blogspot.com

Twitter: @may_davenport

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Visit Swoon Romance Online