The Sweetest Summer (Bayberry Island Series #2)

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Overview

A mermaid statue could be the cause of heartbreak or everlasting romance for a practical-minded police chief and his first love—in the second of the delicious Bayberry Island trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Susan Donovan....

Every instinct told Police Chief Clancy Flynn that his island’s claim to fame was nothing but a silly tourist attraction. But now and then, he couldn’t help but wonder if his lifetime of bad romances—starting with the pretty tourist who ...

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The Sweetest Summer: A Bayberry Island Novel

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More About This Book

Overview

A mermaid statue could be the cause of heartbreak or everlasting romance for a practical-minded police chief and his first love—in the second of the delicious Bayberry Island trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Susan Donovan....

Every instinct told Police Chief Clancy Flynn that his island’s claim to fame was nothing but a silly tourist attraction. But now and then, he couldn’t help but wonder if his lifetime of bad romances—starting with the pretty tourist who broke his fourteen-year-old heart—could be traced back to a childhood prank involving that very statue....

Then one day the pretty tourist comes barreling back into Bayberry—all grown-up and on the run with her niece. Though Evelyn McGuinness is wanted for kidnapping, she tries to persuade Clancy that there’s more to the story. Now the by-the-book police chief must make the toughest decision of his life: to take Evelyn into custody—or into his arms....

 

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
06/30/2014
Donovan (Sea of Love) opens this ostensible romance with a most unromantic prologue of obscenity-laced, macho dialogue among adolescent boys. The most profane and contemptuous of the lot grows up to be 32-year-old Clancy Flynn, a divorcé and a coward. Oh, and the chief of police, because this is a romantic thriller, with a child in peril, a slimy federal politician, and more than a few laws broken—many of them by the heroine, Evelyn McGuinness, who crosses state lines to abduct her orphaned niece. Once past the decidedly off-putting entr’acte, Donovan lays down a plot that entertains, but it’s staffed by characters who clearly exist to fill a genre slot or set up a few gags. The obvious puppet strings prevent strong reader identification with the story’s imbroglios, situational or emotional. The success of the story hinges on flashbacks to 14-year-old Clancy falling in love with Evie the first time, and the awkward, raw underage sexuality will make some readers squirm and others sigh. (Aug.)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780451419293
  • Publisher: Signet Select
  • Publication date: 8/5/2014
  • Series: Bayberry Island Series , #2
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • Sales rank: 81039
  • Product dimensions: 4.10 (w) x 6.70 (h) x 1.10 (d)

Meet the Author

Susan Donovan’s novels have won accolades for being witty, sexy, and entertaining. A former newspaper reporter with journalism degrees from Northwestern University, Susan is a USA Today and a New York Times extended list bestseller whose novels have been translated into dozens of languages. The author of Sea of Love, Susan is a two-time RITA Award finalist and her novel Take a Chance on Me was named Best Contemporary Romance of 2003 by RT Book Reviews magazine. She lives in Maryland with her family and assorted pets. 

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 4 )
Rating Distribution

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(1)

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Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews

  • Posted Tue Aug 26 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    I Also Recommend:

    When to Give Up on Life and Child
    Then Came the Lightning
    Public Displays of Affection
    Love's Eclipse Of The Heart
    Against the Mark

    Evie and Clancy, have a shared past. First love. Nothing is swee

    Evie and Clancy, have a shared past. First love. Nothing is sweeter than that. That first time when you experience your heart rate speeding up or wanting to spend every moment with another person. Donovan's portrayal of this wonderful time in the lives of two teenagers is compelling and heartfelt. Her story takes place in the present, but the flashbacks to fourteen year old Evie and Clancy give the book a feeling of nostalgia and stand to make the reader even more enamored with their story. Donovan uses this literary technique so well that readers will feel like they have actually read two romances instead of one. I liked that idea and it certainly added depth and emotion to the story.




    I was expecting a typical romance without a lot of fluff. Donovan's books often have a charm about them that make them a perfect candidate for a summer read in the hammock or on the beach. But this particular book had a bit more substance. The conflict involved in the story surrounded a kidnapping. Evie was kidnapped her niece, Christina and has returned to Bayberry Island to hide. At first I wasn't sure I was going to find her reasons for taking the toddler justifiable. But the more I read the more Donovan convinced me of Evie's reasons and motivation. This part of the story added a whole new layer to both the emotional impact of the novel, and the authors intent to make her storyline current and believable. Is it possible that a family member might kidnap a child to keep them safe from other unsavory elements in that child's life? Absolutely! It happens all the time. Are they right in doing so? That's the real question, isn't it. It was well done and made me think, not what you expect from a romance, huh?

    7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    A story with ¿a second chance at first love.¿ I really love the

    A story with “a second chance at first love.”

    I really love the whimsical feel of Bayberry Island and the legend of the mermaid fountain. Can you find your one true love by asking the mermaid for guidance with an honest heart? Clancy Flynn doesn’t think so. Eighteen years ago he met the love of his life. Granted, he was only fourteen at the time, but he knew in his heart that Evie was the one for him. After the festival ended and she left with her family, Clancy never saw or heard from her again.

    Evie was visiting Bayberry Island with her parents and younger sister for the Mermaid Festival. During their vacation she met a local boy named Clancy and fell deeply in love. She knew she couldn’t stay—being fourteen and all—but she desperately wanted to. She left Clancy with a promise to write him. Two days after being home, she mailed her first letter confessing her true feelings for the young man she left behind, only to never hear from him again. 

    Years later as Evie and her young niece flock to the small island for the festival in fear and desperation; they run directly into the path of Chief of Police, Clancy Flynn. Could this be a strange coincidence or are there mystical powers at work reuniting the hearts of a young boy and girl destined to be together? 

    I really enjoyed Clancy and Evie’s love story and was perfectly happy with the outcome. I love the endearing secondary characters and was glad to learn a little more about the mysterious oldest Flynn sibling, Duncan. He’s a Navy SEAL always away on covert missions but the usually tight-lipped soldier drops a HUGE bomb on the family leaving a rift between himself and Clancy. I’m looking forward to meeting the woman who tames the heart of this surely SEAL.

    My heart is still broken over Mona and Frasier; Duncan, Clancy and Rowan’s parents. They’ve been separated for two years now and with only one book left in the trilogy, I’m afraid that the great mermaid statue won’t have time to perform her mer-magic on the couple. Can the marriage be saved? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

    This is another wonderful installment in the series. I laughed, I cried and I wished at the statue along with the rest of Bayberry Island for my heart mate. I’m excited to see what’s in store for us next! This is a magical story full of hope and heart and I highly recommend it to anyone who still believes in true love.

    ***I was gifted an eBook copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted Mon Aug 11 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    The Sweetest Summer by Susan Donovan

    Susan Donovan brings reader's the second book in her Bayberry Island series, centering around a local mermaid statue with a legend for finding true love. The Sweetest Summer is exactly what it appears to be, a sweet romance, that is both heartwarming and enchanting at the same time. Where Donovan differs from the 'same ol' love story' is in the details. Her ability to add secondary conflict and emotional situations sets this book apart from the typical contemporary romance. What I liked: Susan's Donovan's books always make me smile. That in itself is a great compliment to any author. She has the ability to allow readers to become invested in her characters, to share in their victories and even in their defeats. She endears her readers by making her characters real. Often in books the main characters are unattainable for one reason or another. But Donovan's crowning glory in the Bayberry Island series comes from making her characters accessible to readers. They are easy to identify with and their circumstances are often ones the reader has experienced themselves or wish to, where love is concerned. Evie and Clancy, have a shared past. First love. Nothing is sweeter than that. That first time when you experience your heart rate speeding up or wanting to spend every moment with another person. Donovan's portrayal of this wonderful time in the lives of two teenagers is compelling and heartfelt. Her story takes place in the present, but the flashbacks to fourteen year old Evie and Clancy give the book a feeling of nostalgia and stand to make the reader even more enamored with their story. Donovan uses this literary technique so well that readers will feel like they have actually read two romances instead of one. I liked that idea and it certainly added depth and emotion to the story. I was expecting a typical romance without a lot of fluff. But this particular book had a bit more substance. The conflict involved in the story surrounded a kidnapping. Evie was kidnapped her niece, Christina and has returned to Bayberry Island to hide. At first I wasn't sure I was going to find her reasons for taking the toddler justifiable. But the more I read the more Donovan convinced me of Evie's reasons and motivation. This part of the story added a whole new layer to both the emotional impact of the novel, and the authors intent to make her storyline current and believable. What I didn't like: The villain in this story is Christina's biological father, who happens to be a member of congress. Not exactly a character that would easily be thwarted. My problem with him was not in who he was, but his characteristics and personality were not consistent. He flip-flops around a bit and doesn't come across as a very credible character. I think Donovan let him get away from her a bit. Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this book. I thought Donovan provided fantastic characters, who were real and identifiable. I thought she used humor in a subtle way and that the romance was believable and sweet. It was a heartwarming story that had some grit to it. Each aspect of the story was well written and very engaging. A great addition to the series!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Aug 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    The sweetest summer

    As usual this author writes a good love story

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