[Eclipse Bay 03] • Summer in Eclipse Bay

Word gets around fast in Eclipse Bay. Nick Harte should know - his family's legendary feud with the Madisons fueled the local gossip mill for years before finally cooling off. But people are still talking - and rumor has it Nick's involved with someone new... Art gallery owner Octavia Brightwell doesn't take chances - especially on handsome, charming men. But that's only part of the reason why she turned Nick down six times before - finally - agreeing to a date. Octavia's related to the woman who sparked the long-time family feud - and fears that falling hard for Nick would only ignite the flames again. Octavia knows her family's past is best kept hidden. But her secret isn't safe in Eclipse Bay - and neither is her heart..

A special message from Jayne Ann Krentz

Dear Reader:

Summer has arrived in Eclipse Bay and things are definitely heating up between the Hartes and the Madisons. It seems that the mysterious new gallery owner, Octavia Brightwell, is thinking about having a scandalous fling with that rogue Nick Harte before she leaves town. As far as Nick is concerned, a short-term affair sounds perfect. But it isn’t going to be easy.

One big obstacle is Mitchell Madison. For reasons of his own, Mitchell has taken it upon himself to play guardian to Octavia. He’s made it clear that if Nick fools around with her, there will be a price to pay. And then there’s Nick’s young son, Carson, who has his own agenda where Octavia is concerned. He doesn’t want his father messing up his plans.

Summer in Eclipse Bay is going to be eventful this year. Some long-buried secrets from the infamous Harte-Madison feud are about to surface. The past and the present are on a collision course. I hope you’ll join me to watch the fireworks.

Happy reading . . .

Jayne Ann Krentz

**

Amazon.com ReviewSetting: A small town on the Oregon Coast

Sensuality: 6

Art gallery owner Octavia Brightwell turns down six dates with handsome Nick Harte before she finds the courage to say "yes." She knows that not only does Nick have a "no-commitment" reputation, but he's also a member of one of Eclipse Bay's foremost families. Octavia, on the other hand, is the niece of the infamous woman who started a feud between Nick's grandfather and another prominent family, the Madisons, years ago. Sheer attraction wins out, however, and after one date, Nick is determined to make Octavia more than his dinner partner. Before the two have time to explore their relationship, a valuable painting is stolen from Octavia's art gallery and when the town names her as the prime suspect, she turns to Nick to solve the mystery. The investigation unravels an old scandal, heals a broken friendship, and forces Nick and Octavia to face and resolve the passionate attraction that binds them.

In this third tale in Jayne Ann Krentz's trilogy about life and love in a small town on the Oregon Coast, readers get to revisit the quirky characters that populate Eclipse Bay. The supporting cast also includes the fascinating members of the Harte and Madison families who starred in prior books. While the mystery element in the plot is light, the banter between hero and heroine is fun, and watching these two tread warily through the land mine-strewn road of their developing relationship is a pleasure. --Lois Faye Dyer

From Publishers WeeklyThe 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. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.