The Forever Summer [Mass Market Paperback]

Suzanne Macpherson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 2007

The Awful Truth About Emily Ruth!

Lucas Griffin has come to Port Gamble for one purpose: to get the Griffin family summer home out of the clutches of his evil ex-wife, Emily Ruth Griffin.

But before he can blink twice, she drops dead in the local grocery market. Now he's stuck with her ghost, and her little dog, too.

Not-So-Dearly Departed Lila Abbott has had her fill of rich summer people who crowd Port Gamble every year. Townie girls and summer boys just don't mix, and she's learned that the hard way.

But Lucas Griffin has a ghost problem that only Lila can solve, and she finds herself knee-deep in Cheez Whiz while Lucas and the deceased Emily Ruth duke it out.

Working together to clear his name and get rid of their pesky poltergeist, Lucas and Lila find themselves falling in love. Maybe this will finally be the forever summer for Lila Abbott.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Single-mother Lila Abbott, suffering empty-nest syndrome as her daughter starts college in faraway California, works as a grocery checker in Port Gamble. But when Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead after eating a sample from Lila's demo tray, and then haunts the store every Monday at the hour of her passing, Lila must use her ghost-whispering talent to set Emily Ruth at rest. Lucas Griffin just wants Emily Ruth to vacate the family summer home, but his own very publicly announced feelings toward his ex-wife/widowed sister-in-law (she seduced his brother while still married to him) make him the prime suspect in her murder. Lila doesn't believe for one minute that he did it, and she sets out to prove it, motivated by their mutual physical attraction. A neurotic produce stocker, high-maintenance Pomeranian, uncooperative police chief, and the requisite best friend/confidante round out the cast of MacPherson's contemporary romance set during one memorable summer in a small town on the West Coast. Welch, Lynne

Review

"Macpherson succeeds in creating a romance that stands out from the pack. - Publisher's Weekly -- Publisher's Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Avon (July 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061161268
• ISBN-13: 978-0061161261
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,363,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a Northwest gal and like to write a good classic romance with some humor on the side. Kind of like a Denny's Moon's Over My Hammy. Ham and scrambled egg sandwich with Swiss and American cheese on grilled sourdough, served with choice of hash browns or grits. It makes you happy, but it's not a Grand Slam with the whole hotcakes or beefcakes or anything really spicy enough to make your tongue scorch or eyes water. Just plain eggs and Swiss with a little happy hash brown moment. Hey I'm getting hungry writing this analogy! So if you like a good romance but can skip the red hot chili pepper scenes, I'm your gal. Just a little sprinkle of pepper, not enough to make you get heartburn. Except in a good way LOL.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous and heart warming...., August 28, 2007

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Forever Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

Cleaning up after a ghost at the supermarket was not what Lila Abbott had in mind! Ever since Emily Ruth Griffin keeled over at Market Foods after sampling from Lila's Cheez Whiz demo, the ghostly presence of Emily Ruth has been silently haranguing the grocery store and her ex-husband, Lucas Griffin. Lucas had plenty of reasons to want Emily Ruth dead, but is he the guilty party? Lila has the unusual talent of speaking to and helping banish ghosts, but she can't figure out exactly what this angry ghost wants. Meanwhile, is Lila breaking her own taboo and falling in love with a summer boy in Lucas?

Suzanne Macpherson combines just the right touch of humor, the paranormal, and romance in THE FOREVER SUMMER. The antics of Emily Ruth's ghost are quite funny as she torments both Lucas and the aisles of Market Foods. Never have I laughed so hard as at these humorous behind the scenes glimpses of working at a small town grocery store. Lila's contentment with her life is shaken up with the arrival of both Lucas and the ghost, making for some interesting moments.

Lila has been burned once before by one of the rich summer boys so she expects nothing less of Lucas. Lucas, on the other hand, was once married to Emily Ruth until she perpetrated the ultimate betrayal on him and his family. While both Lila and Lucas have relationship issues, the love that develops between them is all the stronger for the hurdles they must overcome.

The mystery behind Emily Ruth's death is almost as good a story as the romance between Lucas and Lila. Emily Ruth is obviously distraught over her death and her ghost just won't let go... but what is she trying to tell them? The clues are all there as to just what is going on and Suzanne Macpherson does a fabulous job at keeping the intrigue level up to make things exciting.

THE FOREVER SUMMER is a humorous but heart warming story. Suzanne Macpherson is quickly becoming an author to watch out for with her quirky characters and moments of sheer hilarity. THE FOREVER SUMMER is easily recommended!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Talk about a crazy ghost!, August 1, 2007

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Forever Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

Lila Abbott has been a single mom for over seventeen years now. Her daughter has left for college and Lila is left with an empty nest. Lila lives in a small town and works in the local grocery store. The only UN-average thing about Lila is her "ghost whispering" talent. At least twice in the past years Lila has helped a lost spirit move on. Sometimes Lila feels as though ghosts just seek her out for spite. At least, that is what Lila feels Emily's ghost is doing.

Emily Ruth Griffin, the local snob who is mean to everyone in town, keels over by the lemons in the produce section. Everyone knows that Emily had a severe peanut allergy. Tests now show that peanuts were involved in her death. Yet Emily did not eat peanuts, or anything with peanuts in it, before she died. Another odd note is that Emily has always had several EpiPen kits around her, just in case. Yet no EpiPen was found on her body, in her purse, or even in her car. But Emily's little dog was found waiting in the lady's hot car. Lila takes responsibility for the poor animal. Lila sees Emily's abandoned grocery cart, and going by the contents Emily had been shopping for a candle light dinner. So Emily had expected some romantic company that night. However, no one seems to know who Emily was planning to make dinner for. Very strange; everyone in a small town knows everything about everyone.

Lucas Griffin is Emily's ex-husband. Lucas divorced Emily when he caught her in bed with his own brother! Could Lucas have murdered Emily somehow? Lila sure hopes not, because she and Lucas are attracted to each other. If Emily's ghost would stop being a snobbish pain in Lila's hind quarters, perhaps Lila could figure out the cause of Emily's sudden death and exactly WHAT Emily was so frantic to tell her.

**** If you can figure out what Emily is trying to inform Lila of, then you are a better sleuth than I. I found myself laughing aloud at some of Emily's stunts, but even more so at Lila's nonchalant attitude about it all. One thing is for sure, no one in town could say Lila was making anything up. Everyone in the store saw the cart shopping with no one pushing it and all the Cheese Whiz containers pop their tops and spray all over the aisle. This mystery is overflowing with humor, romance, sass, and one crazy ghost. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quirky 3.5 star romance, February 21, 2008

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Forever Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

When former townie Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead after sampling cheez whiz and crackers, grocery clerk Lila fears she may have caused her death. Due to Emily's allergy to peanuts, the police are ready to call it an accident. When Emily's ex-husband Lucas shows up and seems relieved of his ex-wife's passing, Lila assumes to worst. But when the ghost of Emily keeps showing up at the grocery store at the time of her death, novice ghost whisperer Lila is called on to find out why she's haunting the store and vanquish her to the beyond. Along the way, Lila and Lucas find romance and become suspects when the police learn that her death was no accident. Would Lucas kill his ex to get back his family's estate after she bed then wed his brother? After all, he brought Emily into the family and she managed to cause his estrangement.

Macpherson combines humor, romance, passion, and a touch of paranormal in a fun and quirky romantic tale. It won't be too difficult figuring out the culprit, but it is an amusing story with a great surprise at the end.