Secrets of the Lost Summer

December 5, 2011
Bestseller Neggers (The Whisper) spins a tale of stolen jewels, long-lost love, and other secrets in this engaging contemporary romance. Olivia Frost has returned to Knights Bridge, Mass., to turn a historic home into a getaway destination. A neighboring house is in disarray, so Olivia writes to the owner, Dylan McCaffrey, asking him to clean it up. Dylan has no idea his late father left him the property until he gets Olivia’s note. Curious, he travels to Knights Bridge, where he and Olivia hit it off. Soon they are digging into the past, trying to find out why Dylan’s father bought the house and what secrets its previous owner might have had. Lovely descriptions of the countryside add plenty of New England charm, but the romance between Olivia and Dylan is overshadowed by the more interesting flashbacks, secrets, and experiences of a secondary character. Agent: Writers House.

February 15, 2012

Stabbed in the back by an ambitious, underhanded colleague she'd befriended, award-winning graphic designer Olivia Frost takes a break from Boston and heads home to rural Knights Bridge to freelance and realize her dream of turning her recently purchased historic house into an upscale getaway destination. But the rundown property next door is a problem, and when Olivia's letter to the absentee owner brings sexy hockey star-turned-businessman Dylan McCaffrey to town instead of the elderly man she expects, her life, as well as Dylan's, takes a decidedly unpredictable turn. VERDICT A wealth of appealing, totally relatable characters (including well-matched protagonists), long-hidden secrets, and a lost treasure provide some delightful, heartfelt surprises in this cleverly plotted, well-researched, and beautifully described tale that rewards readers with an intriguing mystery as well as a deliciously satisfying romance. Neggers (Saint's Gate) lives in Vermont.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2012
After Boston designer Olivia Frost befriends and graciously mentors Marilyn Bryson, teaching her the ropes and introducing her to important customers, Marilyn pulls an All about Eve move and steals Olivia's clients. Devastated by the betrayal, Olivia returns to her small hometown of Knights Bridge and decides to open a bed-and-breakfast. Although Olivia's place is neat and clean, the cottage next door is in disrepair, and the overgrown yard is filled with trash and discarded appliances. Dylan didn't know his treasure-hunter father left him anything until, out of the blue, some woman writes to him, telling him to clean up his property. Little does he realize that the trash-covered path will lead to the love of his life. Neggers' lush descriptions of a New England winter turning to spring serve as a lovely metaphor for Olivia and Dylan's growing romance. This heartwarming tale is full of fascinating secondary characters and enhanced by plot threads involving the long-term effects of a flooded valley, a search for stolen jewels, and long-ago passion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)