The Hometown Hero

Lorhainne Eckhart

Jun 2020 · The O'Connells Book 7 · Lorhainne Eckhart, INC.

About this ebook

In this shocking O’Connell family novel, a brother’s secret is exposed, opening up old wounds and creating a scandal that could rock the community.

Big brother Owen O’Connell was only sixteen when his father mysteriously disappeared, forcing him to become a father figure to his five younger siblings. If you were to ask them, they’d say Owen is the perfect older brother with the perfect life: He’s single, a plumber, working his own hours in a close-knit community. Owen, though, knows that appearances are often deceiving.

When he is called to a plumbing emergency at the local high school after a grad prank goes wrong, he finds his old rival Tessa Brooks, now a teacher, holding a broken pipe in the middle of the flood, thinking she can fix the problem. However, the two soon make a horrifying discovery: the body of a student tucked away in a closet.

The event brings authorities flocking in, and in the ensuing chaos, Owen realizes that someone knows too much about his family. Having carefully held the family together since his father disappeared, he is determined to keep their secrets right where they are, dead and buried. But sometimes, secrets get revealed in the most scandalous of ways.

Ratings and reviews

Since his father’s disappearance, Owen’s always felt responsible for his younger siblings, and he’s also carried a heavy secret to protect his family, which has made him reticent with those who are not close family. When there’s trouble at the high school, it seems Owen’s ghosts may come back to haunt him and his family. In the midst of the drama, he gets a 2nd chance with his HS crush, Tessa, but will he be able to overcome his reticence and be more open with her or will the troubles mean an end to their chance before it really begins? This O’Connell tale is certainly filled with a lot of drama with some secrets revealed but still questions unresolved. There’s plenty to hold your attention, including a glimpse at the opioid problem among our most vulnerable population. Owen’s always been the stalwart one putting his family’s needs above his own, but finally he may just get his chance to shed some of the mantle of responsibility he’s worn as the eldest O’Connell and start a future with someone I believe is his perfect match, Tessa. It’s an intriguing and captivating story that you will find hard to put down, and just when it seems things may be settling down for the O’Connells and their partners, there’s a hint their story is not over yet. Hmmm…I wonder what’s coming next? Can’t wait!!!

Interesting plot it sort of reminds me of the story Peyton Place. It is amazing the lengths someone will go to protect their family.

Enjoyed it!

About the author

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 100 books 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.