"Great Summer Love Story Happily Ends a Terrific Trilogy"

After thoroughly enjoying the first two books in this trilogy about the Harte and Madison families, (ECLIPSE BAY and DAWN IN ECLIPSE BAY) I could hardly wait to get my hands on the third book in the trilogy. I am happy to say that SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY did not disappoint.

SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY is a love story, yes there is a small mystery here but the emphasis is strictly on the developing love between Nick Harte and Octavia Brightwell and their relationships with family and the community. This is primarily a very nice character-driven love story; prime Krentz in my opinion.

Nick is a widower with an adorably precocious 6 year old son, Carson. JAK has always had a wonderful gift for writing appealing, but natural children and Carson is just perfect--not toooooo cute or precocious, just a bright little boy. Carson is the most important thing in Nick's life and he is an absolutely wonderful father, who really listens to his child.

Nick is a nationally known mystery writer, who left the family firm over Grandpa Sullivan's protests several years previously. I have the feeling that JAK is sharing her experiences with readers and non-readers as Nick hears the various comments from the reading public on his books--very funny stuff.

Nick lost his wife in a plane accident and it has been assumed that he loved her so much that he never wanted to commit to another woman. Unbeknownst to Nick he has become infamous among the Portland dating community, where he is known as 'Hardhearted Harte'. The gossip is that Nick is famous for The Talk that he has with a woman before he gets involved and that he never spends the full night with a woman (this habit is known as The Curse locally). Nick is blissfully ignorant that the whole world thinks he is a love'em and leave'em guy.

Octavia Brightwell is the owner of 2 art galleries and is a bit of a mystery to the Eclipse Bay community. With her bright red hair and colorful clothes she stands out and Nick was drawn to her from their first meeting. Octavia has a secret that she is afraid will anger the members of the Harte and Madison families. But, she also joins the phalanx of outstanding JAK heroines who are bright, friendly, sensitive and yet manage to be not too perfect.

The plot revolves around a missing painting that Octavia was storing for some of the town eccentrics. But, the best thing about SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY is the conversations. These people really talk to each other and often the repartee is sparkling. JAK has a gift for male dialogue and the scene where Rafe bails Nick out of jail is hilarious, as is the bar room brawl that precedes it. The love scenes are also both tender and hot.

It is also nice to see Rafe and Hannah again (ECLIPSE BAY), they are now running Dreamscape; which is a big success. How could it not be with Rafe's wonderful cooking?

Particularly wonderful is the rapprochement and conspiring of the two old men--Sullivan and Mitchell Madison. They both have the goal of getting Nick and Olivia married and their interaction is often funny and at the end touching. In fact the end of this book is one of the nicest happily- ever-afters I have read in a long time.

I have regarded the Eclipse Bay series as Jayne Ann Krentz's 'valentine' to her long time fans. After finishing SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY, I do not feel like Charlie Brown with his empty mail box; as this book was just terrific. In fact the complete trilogy was wonderful, with great couples, families and a community I want to see again. One can only hope that this is not the last we will see of the folks of Eclipse Bay--after all I still want to know what the heck is going on up at the Institute that A.Z. is logging so well and just what ARE the Heralds up to? I would love to see another generation of Hartes and Madisons--Carson and little Anne looked like a pair that would make a great couple in another 20 years or so!

SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY stands well alone as a fun love story, but do yourself a big favor and read all 3 books in order to truly appreciate how wonderful the Harte-Madison clans and the town of Eclipse Bay are.

Reviewed by Linda Hurst
Posted April 26, 2002

Summary

Word gets around fast in Eclipse Bay. Nick Harte should know --- his family's legendary feud with the Madisons fueled the local gossip mill for years before finally cooling off. But people are still talking--and rumor has it Nick's involved with someone new...

Art gallery owner Octavia Brightwell doesn't take chances-- especially on handsome, charming men. But that's only part of the reason why she turned Nick down six times before-- finally--agreeing to a date. Octavia's related to the woman who sparked the long-running family feud--and fears that falling hard for Nick would only ignite the flames again. Octavia knows her family's past is best kept hidden. But her secret isn't safe in Eclipse Bay--and neither is her heart...