Suddenly One Summer (Angel's Bay) [Mass Market Paperback]

Barbara Freethy (Author)

Book Description

Series: Angel's Bay | Publication Date: June 30, 2009

The first in a contemporary romance suspense series from USA TODAY bestselling and RITA award-winning author Barbara Freethy, set in the coastal California town of Angel’s Bay.

In Angel’s Bay there is a local legend: spirits from an 1800s shipwreck protect the townspeople, bringing about a belief in miracles and an ability of the community to heal wounds and save souls. So when Jenna Davis’s sister left instructions for keeping her daughter, Lexie, safe from her abusive father, Jenna obeyed her late sister’s wishes and took Lexie to Angel’s Bay. For three months, the two live quietly. But when a young woman jumps over the pier into the ocean, Jenna dives in, saving the woman’s life. Now a hero in the eyes of the locals, Jenna tries to lie low, but reporter Reid Tanner is determined to figure out just who she is and what she’s hiding from—without realizing the possible cost.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Freethy (Silent Run) launches the Angel's Bay paranormal romance series with this atmospheric but slow-moving and formulaic tale. Angel's Bay, Calif., swirls with secrets, hidden identities, regrets and belief in angels. Reporter Reid Tanner arrives to discredit a video of angel sightings, but gets distracted by newcomer Jenna Davies's determination to avoid publicity after she rescues a suicidal pregnant girl. Meanwhile, mysterious symbols appearing on a cliff, invisible assisting hands and flashbacks to previous lives suggest that the town's legendary guardian angels are real. Numerous secondary characters (perhaps aimed at future books) crowd Jenna and Reid, and Freethy's nicely descriptive prose wraps them in a pleasant quilt of intrigue, despite their lack of chemistry. (July)
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Review

"Family secrets, passion, betrayal and redemption." -- Susan Wiggs

"This book has it all: heart, community, and characters who will remain with you long after the book is ended." —Debbie Macomber

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star; Original edition (June 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439101566
• ISBN-13: 978-1439101568
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this fabulous new book!, July 10, 2009

By 

Chloe "Book lover" (Park Ridge, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suddenly One Summer (Angel's Bay) (Mass Market Paperback)

If you like your summer reading to be full of unforgettable characters and lots of great emotion you should definitely get hold of SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER, Barbara Freethy's latest book. Actually it's the first in a series that takes place in a California town called Angel's Bay. It's a real page-turner and I can't wait for the next book in the series. This one is full of suspense, romance and a hint of magic. You'll love it!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a friend recommended this book, January 23, 2010

By 

alabama lady (alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suddenly One Summer (Angel's Bay) (Mass Market Paperback)

I had never read this author before and now I am trying to find every book I can by her. It is a refreshing change from what I normally read (best-selling murder mysteries).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars warm lighthearted romp, July 2, 2009

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Suddenly One Summer (Angel's Bay) (Mass Market Paperback)

What makes Angel's Bay different than the rest of California is a belief that angels exist. There is proof as a video of sightings has gotten around, but reporter Reid Tanner assumes a clever fraud by the townsfolk. He plans to prove the whole thing is a fake.

Tanner meets another newcomer Jenna Davies who saved a pregnant girl from suicide. He is attracted to her because she avoids the publicity her rescue warrants. Meanwhile, enigmatic etchings appear on a cliff that is nearly impossible to climb let alone stop to carve symbols. Soon Tanner begins to wonder if the legends are true as someone unseen seems to help people there and glimpses of what appears to be previous lives occur. Either that or someone is pulling off quite a fraud with no obvious motive.

The premise is intriguing as the townsfolk fully believe angels reside with them leading to a fun paranormal romance between the ultimate skeptic seeking the scam and the somewhat doubting but hopeful other newcomer. They are a solid lead couple as each separately and together struggle to navigate the nuances of Angel's Bay although the numerous appearances of the zillion townsfolk at times overwhelms their prime plot. Still this is a warm lighthearted romp that fans will enjoy and look forward to apparently future angelic sagas.

Harriet Klausner