About the Book
Book: Blue Jean Bayou
Author: Janis Jakes
Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Release Date: June 12, 2026
After Jenna’s father dies, she travels to his cabin in the Texas Piney Woods to oversee the remodeling and ready the property for sale. She’s surprised when the contractor is a childhood crush – now a handsome man with a heart of gold.
Their friendship reignites, bringing the possibility of more…but at a price. Jenna, a business owner, loves the bustling streets of Manhattan. Creed, a military veteran with a hero’s past, finds refuge in small-town living.
When Jenna learns her father led a secret life, her world turns upside down, and she suspects Creed knows more than he’s telling.
As the truth about her father emerges, Jenna faces the secrets hidden in her own heart and must choose: a life of high heels and high rises or a meandering bayou with the man she now loves.
Excerpt from the Book
When mere inches separated the canoe from the wooden dock, Jenna stood up. The man reached downward, and she grabbed his hand, leaping onto the ladder. With trembling legs, she climbed up, semi-stumbling into a hard chest before regaining her balance and firm footing.
“That canoe is not safe,” she exclaimed the obvious. “It shouldn’t be anywhere near the water. And whoever plugged the hole did a lousy job.”
“Are you OK?” Dark, coffee-hued hair, a little too long, curled about the collar of his flannel shirt and brown corduroy jacket. His face appeared freshly shaved. The scent of him reminded her of hay and leather, a warm but sweet smell that quickened her senses.
Compassion lingered within deep-set brown eyes, tugging upon a distant chord of familiarity. Jenna looked at him harder. A vague memory stirred.
She pushed her hair over her shoulders, blinking away the heat of fear-laden tears before they could fall. “Do we know each other?”
He grinned, showing a faint dimple in his chin. “Magill Bridge. You were in second grade, and I was in third. We promised each other we’d marry, live in a tree house, and adopt a monkey.” He chuckled. “We even shared a grape popsicle to make it official.”
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About the Author
Janis Jakes is an author of multiple contemporary and historical inspirational romances with an emphasis on courageous men, strong women, Texas sunsets, and happily ever after.