Summer in Eclipse Bay

April 15, 2002
The final installment in Krentz's Eclipse Bay trilogy (Dawn in Eclipse Bay, etc.) centers around thriller writer Nick Harte, the handsome scion of one of the tiny town's most prominent families. In the two years since the death of his wife, single dad Nick hasn't even been tempted to let a woman get close. But when he meets gallery owner Octavia Brightwell, his defenses finally crumble. Though she can't deny Nick's many attractions, Octavia herself is far from avid for romance. Then a valuable painting disappears from her gallery's safekeeping, and the local rumor mill suggests that Octavia herself is the culprit. Figuring that a man who writes about criminal investigation is the closest to a private eye that Eclipse Bay has to offer, Octavia enlists Nick to help discover the real culprit. Along the way, he has plenty of opportunities to scrutinize the town's weirder inhabitants and form a relationship with Octavia. Though Krentz's signature comic banter is slightly more subdued here, her playfully intelligent voice retains all of its characteristic charm. Scenes featuring the eccentric townspeople are strained at times, but the lighthearted warmth of the romantic sequences and the appearances of Nick's precocious son, Carson—a wonderful combination of budding tycoon and ordinary five-year-old boy—more than make up for the occasional lull.

May 15, 2002
Once again, Krentz (Eclipse Bay, Dawn in Eclipse Bay) takes readers to the deceptively peaceful Pacific Coast town of Eclipse Bay, where the long-standing feud between the Hartes and the Madisons is finally on the mend. Marriages have now linked the two families, and the once-warring patriarchs meet regularly for coffee. Then the niece of the woman who caused the original trouble comes to town, attracting not only the highly eligible Nick Harte but someone with a grudge to avenge. Featuring well-drawn characters, snappy dialog, and a good sense of place, the final volume in Krentz's "Eclipse Bay" trilogy skillfully delivers an independent story while deftly tying up any loose ends from the earlier books. Fans are sure to be waiting for this heartwarming, contemporary romance. Krentz is a best-selling author and lives in the Seattle area.

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.