Casee‘s review of Suddenly One Summer(Angel’s Bay Series, Book 1) by Barbara Freethy.
Jenna Davies flees to the close-knit community of Angel’s Bay with a seven-year-old child, a dangerous secret, and a heart full of pain. She wants nothing more than to live a quiet life, but when she sees a teenager plunge off the pier, she doesn’t hesitate to dive in after her. But saving the desperate girl’s life thrusts Jenna into a spotlight she can ill afford. Suddenly everyone in town wants to know her story — a story that could cost her life.
Reid Tanner was a tough reporter until a shattering incident changed everything. Now all of his instincts are on alert Who is Jenna and what is she hiding? Will his quest for the truth put them all in danger? They say love is a miracle — but can it keep Jenna safe in his arms?
Barbara Freethy tends to be hit and miss for me. I really liked Don’t Say a Word, but could barely finish Taken. Silent Run sounds promising, but I just haven’t picked it up yet. The blurb of Suddenly One Summer was so different from the other books of Freethy’s that I read, that I had to read it.
It is almost impossible to review this book without spoilers. I’m going to try to keep them to a minimum.
Jenna Davies lands in Angel’s Bay after going on the run with her sister’s child. For about half of the book, it’s written in a way that the reader thinks that Lexie is actually Jenna’s child and that she’s on the run from her abusive husband. In that way, I think the author does a good job of keeping the reader guessing.
Reporter Reid Tanner is in Angel’s Bay to investigate possible angel sitings. If anyone would have told him two years before that he would be freelancing a story on possible angel sitings, he would have laughed. That was before he got one of his best friends killed to get a story. Since then, Reid hasn’t returned to the investigative reporting that he thrived on.
The mystery of Angel’s Bay draws both Jenna and Reid, though for different reasons. As a reporter, Reid investigates until he’s satisfied with the answer. For Jenna, b/c she wonders if she’s ended up in Angel’s Bay for a reason. Estranged from her sister for years, Jenna never considered the fact that she would never have a chance to make up with her. Now all Jenna can do is protect the child that she loved.
Everything about Jenna sends Reid’s reporter senses off. He knows that she’s running from something. He thinks he can ignore it, but he’s drawn to Jenna just as he’s drawn to Angel’s Bay. It takes awhile, but Reid finally convinces Jenna that she won’t regret confiding in him. Soon, Reid is doing exactly what he’s sworn not to do…investigative reporting.
I really like the town that Freethy has created. It definitely gives you the small town warmth feeling. Suddenly One Summer sets the stage for what I think will prove to be a good series.
3.75 out of 5.
This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
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