Summer in Eclipse Bay [Hardcover]

Jayne Ann Krentz (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 343 pages
• Publisher: Jove Books (2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739425609
• ISBN-13: 978-0739425602
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,977,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The author of over 50 New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 35 million copies of her books in print.

Building on the success of her DREAMLIGHT TRILOGY in 2010, Jayne is now focused on writing the LOOKING GLASS TRILOGY. This series will follow the Quicksilver Mirror (a paranormal artifact) through all three of Jayne's worlds covering a time span of several hundred years.

The first LOOKING GLASS book, IN TOO DEEP, will feature Fallon Jones, a recurring character from Jayne's contemporary ARCANE SOCIETY series of novels.

When she's not writing, Jayne can be found at her favorite social networking site posting messages to her fans.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining lightweight romance, May 21, 2002

By 

smartgal "ivybelle" (Santa Clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Summer in Eclipse Bay (Paperback)

The conclusion of the cheerful Eclipse Bay trilogy ties things up nicely. The hero and heroine, Nick Harte and Octavia Brightwell don't have quite the richness of the earlier book's characters (especially the delightfully droll Gabe Madison of Dawn in Eclipse Bay, the best of the series) but they are more than adequate. The best thing about this series (and many of Jayne Ann's books) are the quirky,almost Capra-esque supporting characters. The grumpy grandpas, the deliciously loony Arizona, the dumb-as-dirt n'er do wells who pick a fight with Nick and his pal Jeremy, Winston the World's Classiest Schnauser, all make the book worth reading. The plot is practically non-existent, but Jayne Ann excels at making nothing into very entertaining nothing.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun summer romance with heart-warming elements, June 12, 2002

By 

Bookivore "The Bookivore" (Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Summer in Eclipse Bay (Paperback)

We've returned to Eclipse Bay, home of the much-talked about Harte-Madison feud and the surprising romances in earlier books, Eclipse Bay and Dawn in Eclipse Bay.

This time a stranger has come to town - Olivia Brightwell, who hides a secret purpose in opening an art gallery in the little seaside town. The older generation might have a suspicion about why she's in town. But Nick Harte's main worry is whether he'll spend the entire summer collecting rejections from the new girl in town, or whether his 5-year-old son Carson will blame him for messing up Carson's relationship with his friend Olivia.

Soon enough everyone's worried about other things, like Nick's love them and leave them reputation, a valuable missing painting, and whether or not Nick has given Olivia The Talk (a lecture about keeping things light that has become famous among the females of Eclipse Bay).

This book has all of Ms. Krentz's signature touches -- family ties, down-home atmosphere, a dash of mystery, and a couple who spends enough time worrying about what the other one might do that it takes a while to figure out that they're falling in love. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fall in Love With Eclipse Bay again, Forget the Leading Pair, May 23, 2002

By 

Robin C. "perfectmotion" (Claremont, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Summer in Eclipse Bay (Paperback)

With "Summer in Eclipse Bay," JAK takes us back to the remote coastal town one last time, concluding the trilogy with a fizzle rather than a bang. This time we follow the escapades of Nick "Heartless Harte" Harte, a father who's been burned in marriage once, and Octavia Brightwell, the redheaded "fairy of Eclipse Bay" who has returned to repair the damages caused by her great aunt, only to find the divide repaired on its own. Deciding that she is not needed, Octavia vows to leave Eclipse Bay at the end of the summer, but Nick Harte has other ideas.

The attraction is instantaneous, and though Octavia is hesistant to commit to any sort of relationship in her free-floating status, Nick eventually wears her down and the romance proceeds from there, aided by the mystery of a painting stolen from Octavia's gallery.

The romance element is enjoyable but not exceptional: Nick and Octavia are a pleasant couple that is driven more by chemistry and timing than complimentary personalities, and the plot relies more on romantic cliches than its predacessors. Ideas like "the talk" (of non-commitment) and the "curse" that prevents the hero from staying overnight weigh the plot down, and heavy handed pasts do little to lighten the mood.

So the novel's bouyancy is left to the mystery plot, which carries it nicely. Nick's career as a mystery writer leads to a sleuthing job that draws him head first into trouble and excitement, providing the energy that keeps the pages turning, while Octavia's dealings with the gossip circles in town provide many opportunities to laugh aloud. Rafe and Hannah from the first book return with a renewed vigor, but Gabe and Lillian from the second are noticeably absent.

In the end, however, it is the colorful and quirky townsfolk of Eclipse Bay who give this book its real charm. Old favorites return, bringing with them a delightful new contingent. It is when paired with these offbeat neighbors that Nick and Octavia shine; going toe to toe with the locals adds wit and humor where the romance itself lacks it.

All in all, only a somewhat stale romance keeps this book from a five-star rating. This book earns its place as a contender in the Eclipse bay trilogy with with and humor and wit. For those just picking up JAKs first trilogy, this may not be the place to start; but for those of us ready to fall in love not with Nick and Octavia, but with Eclipse Bay itself, this book is a skillfully crafted delight that rounds out the trilogy nicely.