Reader's Edyn: The Neighbor (The O'Connell's #1) by Lorhainne Eckhart

**The Neighbor by Lorhainne Eckhart**

Good Morning, Everyone! So thrilled to see you all today! We have another new-to-me author and book! Please allow me to feature on the blog Lorhainne Eckhart and her latest release, THE NEIGHBOR …

**LORHAINNE ECKHART**

**BIO**

With flawed strong characters, characters you can relate to, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Lorhainne Eckhart writes the kind of books she wants to read. She is frequently a Top 100 bestselling author in multiple genres, and her second book ever published, The Forgotten Child, is no exception. With close to 900 reviews on Amazon, translated into German and French, this book was such a hit that the long running Friessen Family series was born. Now with over sixty titles and multiple series under her belt her big family romance series are loved by fans worldwide. A recipient of the 2013, 2015 and 2016 Readers' Favorite Award for Suspense and Romance, Lorhainne lives on the sunny west-coast Gulf Island of Salt Spring Island, is the mother of three, her oldest has autism and she is an advocate for never giving up on your dreams.

To find out more about Ms. Eckhart, please visit:

**THE NEIGHBOR**

Publication date: January 31, 2020

Series: The O’Connell’s #1
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

**BLURB**

After the devastating loss of her husband, Jenny Sweetgrass packs up her teenage daughter, Alison, and moves to Livingston, Montana, hoping for a fresh start—that is, until Ryan O’Connell knocks on her door.

Park ranger Ryan is one of the six O’Connell siblings in Livingston, raised by an independent mom who has been a rock to him. He has a career he loves, and up until six weeks ago, he lived a comfortable life. When a new neighbor moves in and disturbs the quiet peace of the area, bringing with her a daughter who’s walking trouble, Ryan is shocked to discover that the woman is a one-night stand he picked up at a bar years ago.

Right now, the gorgeous Jenny isn’t too interested in making friends, but despite her cool façade, as Ryan gets to know her, he can’t fight an idiotic need to try to ease the pain he sees her trying to hide. At the same time, he knows deep down that both mother and daughter have a secret, and if he were smart, he would listen to his brother’s warning and walk away.

When Alison goes missing, everyone in town believes she simply ran off or found her way into trouble, but nothing about her disappearance adds up. She simply set out on an afternoon hike into the park and never came back.

Jenny soon learns she’s not alone when Ryan takes matters into his own hands and sets off with her into the park to find her daughter. What he doesn’t know is that Alison is actually his daughter, too, and when he learns the truth and the real reason she left, the secret could end up dividing the O’Connell family and the community.

**TEASER**

**EXCERPT **

What was it about being told to sit and wait at home that reminded her so much of Wren? Her husband had had a cruel streak she’d never expected. It was in who he was, what he did, how he crushed her with his words and then built her up again. The same words had rolled off his tongue nearly every day: “Let a man handle it, and don’t worry your pretty little empty head. Stick to what you’re good at, the bedroom, the kitchen, and staying fit and attractive for me.”

Those were just some of the many things he’d said to her, but the smile that had charmed her the first time they’d met would appear after every cutting remark, every cruel word. And then what would he do but lean in and kiss her? She had felt as if her entire life was in the palm of his hands, and he alone controlled her.

It had been horrible to be under his mercy, feeling as if her voice, her life, her confidence were continuing to shrink away. Ryan hadn’t done that, but she couldn’t help feeling as if Wren still had a hold over her life.

She slapped the dough on the counter and kneaded. If she didn’t do something, she thought she’d lose her mind. She’d stared at the clock and swept the floor already as she waited, listening for every creak or noise outside that would tell her Alison was home. She pictured the minute, the relief that would come, and then she’d scream and yell at her daughter for what she’d put her through yet again.

She heard a vehicle and a door closing, and she grabbed a towel, wiped her hands, and hurried barefoot to the door, ready to grab her daughter, hug her, and then yell at her. But it was only Ryan. His heavy footsteps creaked on the porch as she pushed open the screen door. He pulled off his shades and tucked them in his shirtfront, and she found herself looking around him for Alison. No one was there.

He reached for the edge of the screen door, holding it open above her head.

“You didn’t find her,” she said.

He just shook his head and somehow maneuvered her back into the house. “No, but we talked with Ollie, and at least we have some ideas now. Seems your daughter shared some personal stuff with him about your late husband and you, and I kind of need to ask you about it, because it could definitely tell us where Alison is. Certainly tells us where her head is at.”

She didn’t know what to say. Just hearing that he knew something about her, that Alison had been sharing their personal stuff with strangers, had her feeling such anger and betrayal. What was her daughter thinking?

“I can tell by your face that I’ve just hit a nerve, but I need you to put it aside.”

She forced herself to swallow past the lump in her throat as she clutched the dish towel still in her hands. They were standing in the entryway, by the stairs. The hardwood floor was stained, and the beige carpet runner on the stairs was old and worn. Ryan was watching her as if he knew something she wasn’t going to like.

“Just say it, Ryan, because I’m not liking this game of silence. It’s something my husband, Wren, used to do. I’d walk on eggshells around him because he’d make me think he knew some secret about me and then wouldn’t tell me. He’d let me worry about how bad it could be. It’s the kind of thing that fucks with your head, so just spill it already!” she snapped. “This is my daughter. Just tell me. Whatever she said, just say it.” She could feel the edge of her nerves, the bite, the discomfort.

What did he do but glance away? His expression was off, but he nodded. “It seems your daughter shared a lot about the personal problems between you and your husband. A lot of fights, anger, control. Apparently he was drunk one night and told your daughter he wasn’t her father.”

Had the floor actually moved? As she stared up at Ryan, it took another second before her brain reminded her she needed to breathe.

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