Too Close by Elizabeth Krall - Book Tour, Exclusive Excerpt

Too Close

by Elizabeth Krall

What rules would you break for the one you love? What lies would you tell?

Three weeks before their wedding day, Nicola and Greg discover that they may have the same mother.

They met when Greg joined the San Francisco newspaper where Nicola is the travel editor. After six months, eager to start a life together and raise a family, they decide to marry.

When Nicola finally meets his family in Seattle, and mentions the circumstances of her adoption, Greg’s horrified mother is forced to reveal the shameful secret she has kept for 36 years.

As they struggle to deal with her revelation, their relationship is challenged and strained. If his mother’s suspicions are true, they will be forced into a devastating choice: break all of society’s rules and fight for their love, or break their hearts and give each other up.

It will be the greatest test their newfound love has faced – and their love may not survive.

Scene: The day after Greg’s mother Mona revealed her past. Greg and Nicola have had their first fight. Greg and Mona are returning from church, and he has just asked her how she is.

“I’m not sure how I am. How I feel. Relieved, in a way, to finally have it all out. I should have told Edward years ago, I know that. But how?” She sighed heavily. “I thought I had made peace with myself over that baby. But she’s all I’ve thought of since yesterday. Your older sister. Who might be Nicola.” She glanced at him. “Prayer didn’t help me, either.”

He wanted to put his arms around her, hug her, try to soothe that pain in her eyes, but traffic was heavy and it would be madness. Greg rested his hand on her shoulder, and squeezed.

“Mom…if Janine hadn’t interrupted yesterday, what would you have said in response to Nicola’s question about us being in the same bed?” He had seen the way she had looked at them in the kitchen, and had wondered.

She was silent, and he thought she might not answer. But then she pulled the car to the side of the road, and turned to him. “My gut reaction was shock at even considering it. But later, I was glad Janine did stop me. I think there’s a good chance Nicola could be…that baby. Your sister. A good chance, but no certainty. Is it right to deprive you both of the comfort and love you can offer each other, while we wait for the DNA results?”

“Mom,” he said gently, “you wouldn’t have deprived us. I meant what I said. If Nicola had left, I would have gone with her. I may be mad as hell at her right now, but I’d still go with her.”

Mona took his hand. “Even knowing it may be a sin?”

A deep breath. “I’ll worry about sin when those results come back.”

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Elizabeth Krall grew up in Canada and lived in London, England, for many years. She has now settled in Sydney, Australia.

Most of her career was spent as an editor, but now she works as a print and digital graphic designer. An unexpected side-effect of leaving editing was the resurgence of an interest in writing. Her first novel, Ship to Shore, was published in February 2012; her second, Too Close, in January 2013.

She is also the author of an occasional series of short stories themed around holidays, called Holiday Romances.

Elizabeth’s interests include travel, tall ship sailing and cocktails.

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