That Summer Place: Private Paradise\Island Time\Old Things (Mira Romance)

Rainshadow Lodge may be on a secluded island with blue skies and crystal waters, but surely that isn't enough to make three mismatched couples jump over their differences and into each other's arms. After all, what could a socialite and a handyman have in common? How could a workaholic and a free spirit ever compromise? And why would a perfectly nice woman overcome a bad first impression made by a grumpy stranger? Must be in something in the air.

The San Juan Islands in Washington State come alive in That Summer Place, an anthology set on fictional Spruce Island. In "Old Things" by Jill Barnett, California divorceé Catherine Winslow seeks to recreate the magic of her childhood with her two daughters on the island where her family spent many happy summers. She has no idea that she is about to revive a teenage romance as well.

In Debbie Macomber's "Private Paradise," widow Beth Graham is invited to stay on an island with friends. But when a last-minute accident keeps her friends from the island, Beth and her son end up sharing quarters with a handsome single father, John Livingstone, and his teenage daughter. Close quarters cause tempers to flare, but Beth and John just may manage to find love before the trip is over.

"Island Time" by Susan Wiggs finds workaholic Mitch Rutherford and Dr. Rosalinda Galvez busily conducting an environmental impact study of the island, although Mitch wonders if he will ever get anything done with the beautiful doctor around.

Barnett's trademark humor, Macomber's poignancy, and Wiggs's expert storytelling all combine to create the perfect summer beach book. --Maudeen Wachsmith