A Long Way from Eden by Jana Richards
Zane Martin’s teenage daughter is pregnant. Meg Evan’s son is the baby’s father. Because Zane grew up not knowing who his father was, he’ll be damned if he’ll let his grandchild live with that shame. Meg was forced into an abusive marriage because of an unplanned pregnancy, so she knows that love is the only good reason to marry. Neither Meg nor Zane expects or welcomes the attraction that sparks between them. As they await the impending birth of their grandchild, old wounds open and long hidden family secrets come to light. The young couple builds a newer, stronger relationship, while Meg and Zane reach for a love passionate enough to overcome the past—if they’re strong enough to trust it…and each other.
Excerpt
Erin was waiting to pounce on Zane as soon as he opened the front door the next afternoon.
“Oh my God, Daddy, what have you done?”
Her complexion was even more pale than usual. Her long blonde hair curled around her face, reminding him of her mother.
The anger in her dark blue eyes also reminded him of her mother.
“I’m looking after things, sweetheart. Don’t worry about it.”
He reached out to touch her, but she evaded him.
“Don’t worry about it?” She bit out the words in a tone he’d never heard her use before, her eyes narrowed. “You’re threatening to have my boyfriend thrown in jail for rape and I’m not to worry about it?”
“Erin, he has to take responsibility for what he’s done.”
She took a step closer to him, her body shaking and her voice vibrating with anger. “What he’s done? What about what I’ve done, Daddy? I invited him over when I knew you wouldn’t be home, and I took him to my room. He told me he didn’t have any condoms with him, but I told him it was okay because I was on the pill, even though I wasn’t.”
Zane’s gut twisted. This was his baby talking. “God, Erin, why would you do a thing like that?”
She lifted her chin in a gesture of defiance. “Because Tom is good-looking and funny and smart and because I wanted him.”
“Sweet Jesus.” Sweat broke out on his forehead. He couldn’t believe this was his little girl talking, the one who’d played with Barbie dolls till she was fourteen. But his little girl was all grown up and it was the grown-up Erin he had to deal with.
Author Bio
When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal.
When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).
Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com
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Oh dear, another book shooting straight for the top of my TBR pile… ♥
Awesome Ella! Thanks for featuring a snippet from A LONG WAY FROM EDEN.