Jove, $7.99, ISBN 0-515-13341-8
Contemporary Romance, 2002

The third book and (I think) the conclusion to Jayne Ann Krentz’s Romeo-loves-Juliet-times-three thingie, the other two being Eclipse Bay and Dawn in Eclipse Bay.

Nick Harte is an ex-CEO with lots and lots of money and now he retires to take care of his son Carson and writes mystery novels. I hope Nick writes better mysteries than Jayne Ann Krentz. Olivia Brightwell, art gallery owner (read: more food and coffee with names I can’t even pronounce). She’s the emotional one (read: she falls in love first) while he’s the methodical one (read: he just wants her, he tells her he loves her only towards the late leg of the story). Missing painting. Murder. Mystery. Kooky weirdos.

I like Carson. No doubt he will grow up to be a serial killer one day, but this unbelievably precocious 5-year old is smart, charming, and cute. He will grow up to be the psycho serial-killing society millionaire like that dude in American Psycho. You read it here first.

I like how there are some signs – not much, but some – of romance and character development. Nick isn’t just your usual perfunctory dark-haired CEO control freak, he… well, ah, he has a cute son. Olivia isn’t just the usual nee-nah nee-nah creative bent java-masala (or whatever they call those overpriced coffee) swigging nutcase, she… er, she likes a cute boy called Carson.

Grow up fast, Carson, and start running around covered in blood, naked, and holding a chainsaw over your privates, will ya? I can’t wait for your story. In the meantime, hmm, what was I talking about? What was that book called? Summer in Eclipse Bay, that’s it.

Whatever.