Surrender Bay (Nantucket Love Story Series #1) (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: Miss Biddle, Denise Jfunfer, Denise Jfunrer (more...)

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Product Description

On the beautiful island of Nantucket, salt and roses scent the air, waves sparkle over hidden currents, and a storm-tossed soul seeks safe harbor.

When Samantha Owen's estranged stepfather dies, she inherits his cottage in Nantucket--a place she left years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom, Sam can't afford to pass up on a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down. As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she left the island. Will the secrets she's hidden all these years tear them apart . . . or is Landon's love really as unconditional as he claims?

Denise Hunter weaves a heart-tugging tale of shattered trust and enduring love . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

"You can just drop me off, you know. I'm not a baby." Eleven-year-old Caden flipped her mom a look, then stared out the passenger window.

"I like watching you." Sam pulled the Ciera into the parking lot of the Boston Academy of Gymnastics and was about to expound on the thought, but Caden interrupted.

"The other moms don't stay."

It wasn't true, but Sam had a feeling this objection had less to do with Caden's assertion of independence and more to do with her.

"Did Bridget tell everyone about me?" Sam asked.

Caden crossed her arms, her warm-up suit rustling.

"If I didn't clean the gym, we wouldn't be able to afford lessons, Caden."

Though her daughter frowned, her jaw and shoulders rigid, Sam knew the stubborn front concealed a wounded little girl. Knew it because Caden was so much like her.

"They all know now. Bridget has such a big mouth. She thinks she's so hot just because her mom owns the gym."

Sam turned off the ignition and withdrew the keys, then glanced at Caden, who made no move to leave. The clock on the dashboard read 7:02. "Honey, let's finish this later. You're late for class."

"So you're staying?"

Sam's parental pride shrank two more sizes. "By the time I got home, I'd just have to turn around and come back. I promise to sit in the back and keep my hood up to conceal my identity." Sam regretted the sarcasm instantly.

Caden discharged her seat belt, and it sprang upward, clanging against the door frame. "Whatever," she said, then exited the car, not quite slamming the door.

Sam grabbed the day's mail from the dashboard and tucked it in her purse. As she entered the gym, the familiar odor of sweaty little gymnasts assaulted her nostrils. She walked past the office and up the stairs to the balcony, where she found a seat in the back row. She smiled at a woman seated there, the mom of one of Caden's classmates. From her pantsuit and trendy heels, Sam guessed she didn't scrub bathrooms for a living or work a side job to afford her daughter's lessons.

On the floor below, a maze of mats and apparatus were spread across the blue carpet. Caden's class stretched, their legs straddled, leaning forward until their bellies touched the ground. Her daughter lay there, head resting against the carpet. The girl next to Caden whispered something to another girl and they laughed. Sam assumed the worst, and she wanted to give the girl's ear a swift tug.

Instead, she settled back into the chair and pulled the mail from her bag. Electric bill. Bank statement. Credit card bill. She'd open that one last. No sense ruining a perfectly good day. The last piece was addressed to her with a black pen. In the upper left-hand corner was a sticker with Miss Biddle's name and address.

Strange. Beyond the annual Christmas card, she rarely heard from Miss Biddle. And even when she did, she almost didn't want to open the envelope--as if doing so would open a door from her past she'd rather leave closed.

Curious, she turned the letter over and slid her finger under the flap. She withdrew a piece of notebook paper neatly creased in thirds. She unfolded the note.

Dear Samantha,

I hope this letter finds you well. I would have preferred to call, but the number you're listed as having is disconnected. I'm afraid I have some bad news.

Just yesterday your stepfather had a heart attack at work. They tried to take him to the hospital, but he passed away in the ambulance and they were unable to resuscitate him. I know there was no love lost between the two of you, but still I hated to tell you this way.

A strange feeling swept over Sam like an unexpected wind on a still night. There was no sadness or grief, but rather an unexplained dread.

I contacted Judge Winslow (from the probate court), who will be handling Emmett's estate, and I learned Emmett had no will. Since you are his adopted child, and the only living relative, his cottage and belongings will pass to you. You might contact Judge Winslow down at the Town and County building. I'm sure they'll send you notification soon, but I thought it might be better to hear the news from me.

Sam stared at the letter, but the words blurred as her thoughts scrambled. Excitement overtook the dread. The cottage sat on the valuable Nantucket shore and was worth a fortune. It was small and old, but even the smallest shanty on the island neared a million dollars.

The thought of what she and Caden could do with that kind of money stirred something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope.

She finished the letter, skimming over the funeral information.

A million dollars. She could pay off her credit cards, get out of their crummy apartment, buy Caden some decent clothes, pay for gymnastic lessons. Heck, she could send Caden to a private school if she wanted. And college. Caden could become anything she wanted to be.

Even Sam could go to college. It was a thought she hadn't allowed since she got pregnant with Caden. Even now, she tamped down the thought, too afraid to hope in case this was all a dream.

But the flimsy white paper in her hands was real enough. Emmett's name scrawled in black sobered her. Memories raced through her mind at the speed of light, none of them good. The feeling of being trapped, overpowered, and abandoned all at the same time made her squirm in her chair as if to make sure she wasn't restrained.

The realization that she would have to go back there stole her breath and jarred her mind to a sudden halt. The house would have to be cleaned out. Furniture and personal belongings would have to be sorted through. The cottage would need to be readied for sale. The flower beds, if they still existed, would need tending.

How long would it take, and would Patty let her off work that long? Sam hadn't had a vacation or sick day in--well, she couldn't even remember. They'd just lost an office building to Murphy's Maids the week before, so the schedule was lighter, and Gina had been asking for extra hours.

Still, the thought of going back to the island made Sam's soul shrivel like a sun-scorched bloom. There was a reason she hadn't gone back. A reason she'd left in the first place, and nothing had changed.

Except that going back was now worth a million dollars.

Sam lifted her eyes from the letter and found Caden's class across the gym at the foam pit. Caden sprang forward into a round-off and two back handsprings, then finished with a backflip into the foam squares. The spotter never touched her. It was her first unassisted backflip. When she came out of the pit, she looked toward the balcony to see if Sam had caught the moment. Before she could give her daughter a thumbs-up, Caden looked away. When she walked by Bridget and her new cronies, they turned, an obvious snub.

Sam wanted to thump them all. They were doing it because of her, and the guilt that descended on her was as heavy as a lead blanket.

Could a million dollars buy her and Caden a new life? Sam was suddenly sure it could. And she was equally sure she could face any demon from her past for the chance to make it happen.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595542574
• ISBN-13: 978-1595542571
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #330,431 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the norm, and that's a good thing..., October 28, 2007

By	Allen S. Etter - See all my reviews

I'll be honest, here. I'm extremely picky about what I read. There are many authors who are praised by the masses and critics alike, but I can't get past the third chapter. So it was with a nervous hand and much apprehension that I opened "Finding Faith" by Denise Hunter. She is my good friend's wife and, I suppose, a friend to me in her own right. That alone made me pause before reading the first page. But there is more reason to doubt why I should crack the pages of her book. Denise writes in what has to be my least favorite genre; Christian Chic Lit. But I enjoyed the book. No, I really enjoyed it. A lot. There were more twists and turns and surprises than most thrillers and the `Christianity' was not a smack in the face with a solid oak two by four that most Christian writing tends to be.

So then Denise wrote her next story, "Surrender Bay" and I decided to give that a go as well. Two chapters in, not a single reference to God, church, Satan, the Bible or any of the Christian writer's staples. Eight chapters in, still quite secular. Or is it? "Surrender Bay" is an allegory. It is decidedly not for everyone. It is not for the Christian reader who wants to be spoon-fed church-like platitudes and beatitudes. It is not for the extremely conservative or the reader who is looking for a `nice little love story'.

"Surrender Bay" is reality. It can be raw and tender, gritty and romantic, ugly and passionate. In fact, sometimes the passion can be quite ugly. If you have not read the book, you might not want to continue reading this review. If you have read Denise's previous works and have the misconception that this is like "Finding Faith", you might not want to read "Surrender Bay". You might not want to, but you should.

"Surrender Bay" is a story of doomed relationships. It is the story of a woman so wrought with self-loathing and guilt that she can not see the perfect answer to her pain even when he continually stands in front of her. She is hurt, emotionally closed off, and mother to a child who does not appreciate or understand her. It is also a story about a man who loves her unconditionally. And finally it is a story of broken relationships, betrayal, lust, anger, forgiveness, hatred, death, loneliness and, most of all, unconditional love.

As I read through "Surrender Bay", I was at first a bit confused. I was unaware that the story was an allegory for the love and hate that we sometimes feel toward God. But it is also an allegory for the love and hate we sometimes feel toward those we are closest to. I kept waiting for the kindly neighbor to "share God" with the protagonist (who is her own antagonist throughout most of the story) but it never happened. No one ever got down on their knees and `prayed the sinners prayer'. No one saw a miracle. No one begged God for forgiveness. Or did they? As I reread the ending, and it only took three evenings to read the entire book, I found so much useful information in the story. Useful in my own journey of Spiritual understanding and the relationship with my wife. I never felt preached at, or condemned, but I did feel, at times, convicted. I know, that's a `church' term that gets tossed a round a lot. I meant it as convicted that I was not always the strong husband or father that my wife and children need me to be. It was encouraging without all of the usual religious guilt.

So who should read "Surrender Bay"? All of Denise's fans should. But be warned that it is gritty and raw at times. And that is a good thing. But anyone who is having a troubled relationship should pick it up too. Anyone who does not understand forgiveness would benefit. Anyone who thinks they have ticked off the Almighty one too many times might want a go at the story.

But I don't want you reading this review and thinking that Denise has written something that is emotional manipulation or a "How-to-improve-your-whatever" sort of story. On the contrary, it is entertaining, suspenseful and, as I have come to expect from Denise Hunter, great story telling. I hope that one day Denise will find it in her nature to write a suspense story or a thriller. I believe it is in her head just waiting to come out. Until then, I will continue to enjoy reading a genre I normally would poke fun at.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this one!, October 22, 2007

By	Rel Mollet "RelzReviewz" (Australia) - See all my reviews

A surprising inheritance fills Samantha Owens with burgeoning hope and sickening dread. While the rundown ocean front cottage on Nantucket Bay could signal the end of her financial worries, it also requires Sam to return to the very place where her childhood dreams were shattered, leaving her scarred, fearful and alone.

Reluctantly, Sam returns to Nantucket with her young daughter Caden hoping she can restore the cottage quickly and sell it for an attractive profit. Sam hadn't anticipated that Landon Reed, her childhood confidant, would be living in his parents' home, unmarried and still so much in love with her.

Sam is drawn to Landon's generous heart and the security he offers and yet she knows all the professed love in the world won't last when her betrayal all those years ago comes to light.

To call Surrender Bay just a romance novel, though it is that, is to sell it short. It is a beautiful love story that I literally could not put down. The setting is enticing, the characters complex and their emotions and heartache palpable. Sam epitomises an adult whose heart and mind has been scarred by a traumatic childhood. Her first thought is to protect herself no matter what the cost to others and yet is so appealing that I wanted to comfort her myself! And Landon is compassionate, faithful and protective while remaining a realistic character, a tribute to Denise Hunter's talent as a writer. Sam's choices and their consequences are painful to read, Landon's constancy is a joy and the romance is simply mesmerising.

God's love, faithfulness and the heartache He endures to draw us back in to relationship with Him is powerfully told in this story by way of allegory. Without any overt reference to God, Denise has turned the spotlight on the depth of God's love for His children in a story that will remain with you long after the last page is read.

I was so taken with Surrender Bay I have chosen is as one of my book club's selections for 2008.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing love story!, October 18, 2007

By	Colleen Coble (IN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've always thought Denise Hunter was an amazing writer but this wonderful story sets her firmly at the forefront of compelling love stories. How Landon breaks down Samantha's determination that she is unworthy of love kept me glued to the pages. An amazing story!