Suddenly One Summer

In the California coastal town of Angel's Bay, an old legend says that sometimes, when they're needed, angels from an old shipwreck appear and good triumphs over evil. Award-winning, bestselling author Barbara Freethy enchants with the first book in a series that will capture your heart.

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 more >>

In the California coastal town of Angel's Bay, an old legend says that sometimes, when they're needed, angels from an old shipwreck appear and good triumphs over evil. Award-winning, bestselling author Barbara Freethy enchants with the first book in a series that will capture your heart.

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? He wants answers, but his quest for the truth could put them all in danger. They say love is a miracle -- but can it keep Jenna safe in his arms?"Family secrets, passion, betrayal and redemption." -- Susan Wiggs"This book has it all: heart, community, and characters who will remain with you long after the book is ended." -- Debbie MacomberONE

Jenna Davies shivered as she headed out of the market and down the dark, shadowy street that faced the harbor. Thick fog rolled in off the Pacific Ocean, blowing a cool, wet mist against her face. If she hadn't needed milk for Lexie's breakfast, she wouldn't have dragged Lexie out of their cozy, warm house into the cold night air. But she certainly couldn't leave her seven-year-old home alone.

Although she liked Angel's Bay for its remote location on the rugged central California coast, there were moments when the isolation made her nervous. In the distance she could hear music coming from Murray's Bar, the popular pub where the locals and tourists hung out, but this part of town was deserted. While the marina bustled during the daytime, now the boats bobbing on the water took on ghostly shapes that made her feel uneasy.

Jenna told herself not to let her imagination get the best of her, but the eerie glow of the streetlights didn't help -- nor did the feeling that someone could be following her and she wouldn't even know it. Though she'd covered her tracks, she still didn't feel safe deep down in her bones. Sometimes she wondered if she'd ever feel that way again.

But Angel's Bay was home now, and after two months she and Lexie were beginning to fit in. The private piano lessons she taught made her enough money to live on. Lexie had just finished first grade and would begin summer school next week. Her nightmares continued, but she wasn't so panicked anymore.

There was no reason to be nervous. Still, Jenna tightened her hand around Lexie's as they hurried toward her car.

Lexie stopped abruptly, pointing at the pier. "Look, there's an angel."

Jenna sighed. Lexie had been obsessed with angels ever since they'd moved to town and heard the legend of the famous shipwreck -- the people who hadn't made it to shore, and the angels that protected the bay. Lexie's imagination had been fueled even more in recent days when an Internet video had appeared showing apparitions dancing across the water, and mysterious symbols appearing on the cliff face. The video was drawing a flock of visitors to the town just in time for the summer festival that would kick off tomorrow night.

Jenna was about to tell Lexie she was imagining things, when her gaze caught on the shadowy figure at the end of the pier. It appeared to be a woman in a flowing dress, her long blond hair billowing out behind her as she swung one leg over the railing, straddling it as she stared down at the water below.

Jenna's heart began to pound. The hair reminded her of Kelly -- but that wasn't Kelly on the pier, it was someone else. Someone who was in a very dangerous positio << less