Lee McClain - A Family For Easter

Too different to fall in love?

In Rescue River, anything can happen...

When wealthy single mom Fiona Farmingham rents her carriage house to widowed Eduardo Delgado, it’s purely in friendship. Insecure over her late husband’s betrayal, Fiona hides her attraction to the humble landscaper. Between them they have six children, two dogs—and a world of differences. But with half a dozen little matchmakers involved, can they find the courage to reach for happiness once more?

LEE TOBIN MCCLAIN read Gone with the Wind in the third grade and has been a hopeless romantic ever since. When she’s not writing angst-filled love stories with happy endings, she’s getting inspiration from her church singles group, her gymnastics-obsessed teenage daughter, and her rescue dog and cat. In her day job, Lee gets to encourage aspiring romance writers in Seton Hill University’s low-residency MFA program. Visit her at leetobinmcclain.com.

Also By Lee Tobin McClain Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Bible Verse Introduction Dear Reader Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Epilogue Extract

Love Inspired

Rescue River

Engaged to the Single Mom

His Secret Child

Small-Town Nanny

The Soldier and the Single Mom

The Soldier’s Secret Child

A Family for Easter

Christmas Twins

Secret Christmas Twins

Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch

The Nanny’s Texas Christmas

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Family for Easter

Lee Tobin McClain

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08241-9

A FAMILY FOR EASTER

© 2018 Lee Tobin McClain

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

—John 3:16

“Dad!” Diego cried. “Lauren and Ryan and Maya and Poppy got a dog!”

“It’s a hound-pointer mix, like, this big.” Sofia held her hands a yardstick apart. “Come out and see!”

All three of Fiona’s older kids, plus Eduardo’s two, ran after the dog, leaving Fiona, Eduardo and Poppy to watch.

Eduardo blew out a sigh and tried not to notice the way the sun set fire to Fiona’s hair. Or the curve of her smile as she watched her kids play. Or the unconsciously warm and motherly way she made little sounds in her throat to soothe her youngest, who still rested her head on Fiona’s shoulder.

He didn’t want to notice what a deep-down good person Fiona was. But being around her during all his at-home moments made that reality impossible to ignore.

Maybe he needed to start looking for a new place to live. Before he did something crazy again, like tell her how much he liked being around her.

Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Bible Verse Introduction Dear Reader Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Epilogue Extract ,

Have you ever struggled with body image? I think most of us do at one time or another. I was a beanpole kid and teenager. It doesn’t seem fair that I morphed into “carrying a few extra pounds” without even a pause at the perfect weight.

Or wait...maybe that’s because perfection is an unattainable goal?

In A Family for Easter, Fiona struggles with her size, and her challenge is exacerbated by her mother’s criticism. Because she feels so imperfect, she isn’t open to receiving the love Eduardo offers. It takes caring friends and the realization that she’s passing her own body-image issues down to her daughter to make her see that she’s “fearfully and wonderfully made,” God’s perfect creation.

As you put on your Easter finery this year, my prayer is that you see yourself as God’s good creation, ready to focus on His joyous resurrection.

Happy Easter!

Lee

To my dad, because we always visited

his family at Easter, and because I know

he’s singing in the heavenly choir.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Too different to fall in love? In Rescue River, anything can happen... When wealthy single mom Fiona Farmingham rents her carriage house to widowed Eduardo Delgado, it’s purely in friendship. Insecure over her late husband’s betrayal, Fiona hides her attraction to the humble landscaper. Between them they have six children, two dogs—and a world of differences. But with half a dozen little matchmakers involved, can they find the courage to reach for happiness once more?

About the Author LEE TOBIN MCCLAIN read Gone with the Wind in the third grade and has been a hopeless romantic ever since. When she’s not writing angst-filled love stories with happy endings, she’s getting inspiration from her church singles group, her gymnastics-obsessed teenage daughter, and her rescue dog and cat. In her day job, Lee gets to encourage aspiring romance writers in Seton Hill University’s low-residency MFA program. Visit her at leetobinmcclain.com .

Booklist Also By Lee Tobin McClain Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Bible Verse Introduction Dear Reader Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Epilogue Extract Love Inspired Rescue River Engaged to the Single Mom His Secret Child Small-Town Nanny The Soldier and the Single Mom The Soldier’s Secret Child A Family for Easter Christmas Twins Secret Christmas Twins Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch The Nanny’s Texas Christmas Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk