Summer Rain

Lightning Strikes #3

by Barbara Freethy

From #1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy comes the third and final book in the Lightning Strikes Romantic Suspense Trilogy. Action, suspense, romance and family secrets lead to an explosive conclusion!

Danielle Monroe is determined to use her new job in DC as a stepping-stone to a high-powered political career. But the secrets surrounding her father's death continue to overshadow her goals. Her family thinks she holds the final piece of the puzzle, but she doesn't even know what the puzzle is…until an attractive and possibly dangerous stranger shows up in her life.

Patrick Kane is searching for answers about his own dark tragedy, not realizing that the beautiful Danielle may not just hold the key to his mystery but also his heart. They have to stay alive long enough to find out.

Get the complete trilogy!
Beautiful Storm (#1)
Lightning Lingers (#2)
Summer Rain (#3)
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Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Mystery Thriller, Adult

377 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 19, 2016

About the author

Barbara's love of writing developed out of a love of reading. Growing up in an all-boy neighborhood, she spent quite a bit of time reading through her mother's large library, many of which were romantic novels. After graduating from the University of California at Santa Barbara, she went into Public Relations, but soon discovered that writing was her true passion.

Barbara was traditionally published for many years, then formed her own publishing company FOG CITY PUBLISHING in 2011 and has since sold over 10 million books! She has published 75 novels ranging from mystery thrillers to romantic suspense and contemporary romance.

Her book SUMMER SECRETS was a #1 New York Times bestseller! And twenty-five other novels have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists. She is currently writing two ongoing series, a contemporary romance series set in Whisper Lake and a romantic suspense series: Off The Grid: FBI Series. She is also known for her bestselling Callaway Family Series, which offers up fourteen books and two novellas.

When Barbara isn't writing or publishing, which isn't very often these days, she is playing tennis, hanging out with friends and family in beautiful Lake Tahoe or reading books!

For a complete list of her books, visit her website!

Reviews

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third book in the Lightning Strikes series by Barbara Freethy. Danielle Monroe is back in Texas for her sister's wedding and while she is there she attends the dedication ceremony of a park. There she meets Patrick Kane, the son of the woman who the park is dedicated to. When she loses her great-grandmother's ring she goes back to the park to find it and rescues Patrick from a mugging that involved knives. Patrick and Dani end up together seeking the truth about her father's and his mother's deaths. (Both died in plane crashes but years apart).

I enjoyed the series for the most part but I have to admit I got a little bored at times during this last book. Normally, I like books that investigate crimes but for some reason this one just got bogged down with all the details and different people involved, etc. Still, I was interested in finding out how it ended and who the baddies were and all that jazz. The story did pick up for me towards the end and I was almost sad when it was all over.

[Cruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author: Barbara Freethy
First published: 2016
Length: 368 pages, 4487 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. Corpus Christi, Texas, and Washington DC.
Sex: Hand wavy. Infrequent.
Hero: Investigative journalist.
Heroine: works for a politician.

And we conclude the trilogy.

An enjoyable read. A good mystery. A couple of threads slightly untied like the mystery of the Dad. I don’t think that was satisfactorily concluded. but overall it worked.

Freethy knows how to write a romantic suspense. Enough story to get your teeth into and romance to get the heart beating. Each book is sufficiently different but with familiar characters. As a series, it works.

Lightning Strikes:
Book 1 Beautiful Storm - Alicia Monroe and Michael Cordero
Book 2 Lightning Lingers - Katherine Barrett and Jake Monroe
Book 3 Summer Rain - Danielle Monroe and Patrick Kane

Spin Off series Off the Grid:
Book 1 Perilous Trust - Damon Wolfe and Sophie Parker
Book 2 Reckless Whisper - Bree Adams
Book 3 Desperate Play - Nathan Bishop

References:
Author's website: http://www.barbarafreethy.com/lightni...

(ISBN 9781943781072)

-CR-

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dynamic characters, riveting storyline, weird
lightening seen by a pilot who then disappears,
an airplane explosion with two US Senators onboard
after meeting with an anonymous whistleblower…..
What is happening? What is being covered up?
Dani Monroe, a legislative assistant for a US Senator in
Washington DC, lost her father when the flight he was
flying disappear. Her father was nicknamed “ Lightening
Man” claiming he saw lightening with gunfire. Then he
disappears!!! What was he seeing?
Dani ‘s grandmother sends her a ring with the prophecy
that she will discover the last piece of the puzzle leading
to her father’s disappearance.
Now the strange adventure ensures….. It begins after she
attends a job related dedication of a park. This park is in
Texas in honor of a US Senator who lost her life in a
plane explosion along with the other US Senator. Both
Senators had meet with an anonymous source prior to the
crash.
What had they discovered? What did they uncover? Who
is involved? How high up in the government does this
cover up go?
The ring falls off Dani ‘s finger. Retrieving the ring leads
her to an unexpected lead to solve the missing piece of
the puzzle. She connects with the deceased Senators son,
Patrick Kane. He is an investigative reporter who wants
to meet with the Dani ’s boss but is being blocked.
Everything go down hill when they team up together!!!!
Threats, attempted murder, arson, political intrigue,
actual murder combine with plenty of suspense, great
chills, thrills with unexpected twists.
An uniquely different, unpredictable plot weaving
together romance, intrigue and mystery from the past and
present effortlessly.
This is the third book in the Lightning Strikes series but
can be read as a stand alone.
Exciting read!!!!
Thank you to the author for this eBook. My opinion is
my own.

[Pamela Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well-crafted, complicated plot that left no stones unturned. Excellent story that brought in characters from the first two books to give the series a defined arc. While I rooted for Dani and Patrick, their characters weren't as satisfying as Jake and Katherine in Book 2. It was still a satisfying read and I recommend it.

[Marion Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! A great completion to a unique series!

[Reen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final installment of the Lightning Strikes series. The first two books focused on Dani's siblings and this is her book. She has never put much faith into her siblings belief in lightning and it's ability to guide them where they need to go and what they need to see. Dani has moved to DC to work for the senator and meets Patrick, an investigative reporter, whose mother died a in plane crash similar to the circumstances of her father's death. Patrick approaches her for help to meet with the senator and from there they begin to work together as a team to solve the mysterious deaths. Intrigue, corrupt politicians and corporate types abound. Good story and resolution to the series and the introduction of FBI Agent Wolff, who may appear in future stories.

[Sheri Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great third book in the series; it wrapped everything up nicely and let us know that there is another book coming about Agent Wolfe.

[Pam]

Summer Rain : Lightning Strikes Book 3 is by Barbara Freethy. It is the conclusion of the series and it is perhaps the best of the three. I like the way she uses the Mayan myths of lightning in her books.
Dani Monroe has finally made it to Washington DC as a legislative assistant for Senator Dillon of Texas. She hasn’t made her mark yet; but she is learning. Now she is back in Corpus Christi for her sister Alicia’s wedding. After the wedding she will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of a park in honor of the late Congresswoman Kane who died in an unfortunate plane crash. Since her death was so reminiscent of Dani’s father’s death, Dani took some time to look over the rose garden. As she did, she played with her great-great-grandmother’s ugly heavy wedding ring she had worn because Alicia wanted her too. Now, however, she couldn’t get the ring off. After paying her respects to the Kanes and giving Senator Dillon’s condolences, she started to leave. After a quick phone call from the Senator’s chief-of-staff checking on her, Dani realized her ring was missing and went back to find it. When she got to the roses, she saw Patrick Kane, the son, and a hooded man fighting. She watched as Patrick was wounded. Then she reacted attacking the hooded man with her purse then mace. The man ran away and Dani set her sights on Patrick to help. As she was helping him to the car, she found her ring in the grass. Now to get Patrick to the hospital.
Patrick Kane had heard a rumor that his mother and Senator Stuart had been having an affair which was why the two of them were on the same plane. He wanted to interview any witnesses to prove that rumor wrong. He needs to get to Senator Dillon but can’t get through his chief of staff. Would Dani be a way in? After all, he did need to see her to thank her for saving him.
Will Dani help Patrick find out the truth behind his mother’s plane crash? Is there a connection to her father’s plane crash? Will they be able to figure things out before they are killed? The tangled thread continues from DC to Corpus Christi to Mexico and back. Can they unravel it?

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Rain was a enjoyable third book in this suspenseful series. I liked all the characters in play especially the main characters, Dani and Patrick, and how they met and connected through lightning.

The author has done a wonderful joy of piecing the three stories together, each book being centered upon one of the family members and how they were compelled to search for answers after the loss of their father in a plane crash. Patrick was added to this story and linked to Dani through a similar loss in his life, his mother who was killed in another plane crash. Barbara Freethy created strong, resilient characters who are not afraid to venture into the unknown in spite of danger at every turn. This makes for some exciting and suspenseful reading.

I look forward to reading the next series involving one of the FBI characters that will spin off from this book. I’m sure the author will have more satisfying stories to tell that will keep this reader engaged.

[Danielle Bey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer Rain is the final and probably the best book in the Lightning Strikes trilogy. Dani lost her father in a plane crash when she was 18. It was very difficult for her to deal with the painful memories so she left that to little sister Alicia whose story is told in the first book Beautiful Storm.

Patrick Kane lost his mother in a plane crash as well, a separate incident but are they connected? Patrick approaches Dani because he wants to talk to her boss, Senator Dillon. Is Senator Dillon involved? Patrick is a dogged investigative journalist who does not give up. We revisit MDT a weapons manufacturer we met in the previous books who is favored for government contracts. What does MDT have to do with the 2 seemingly separate tragedies?

This is an interesting mystery touching on terrorism, power and extreme greed. I love Dani and Patrick but the writing was lacking when focused on the romantic chemistry. An enjoyable romantic suspense none the less.

[Megann · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I finished the third book in the series and found it wonderfully interesting how Barbara brought all three of the books to an end making sure that all the characters had some sort of roll in the finishing of the story. Have to admit that although I usually find I can figure out the meanies in a book I had the wrong person doing the bad deeds. I did have one but the other person I thought was involved was not as involved as I thought.
It is interesting to read this book (which was written in 2016) at a time when so many things are going so squirrely in our own government we read a book about corruption and dishonesty in the government in this story.
Again, it is an easy read and I know that when you read the first two you will find you have to read the third book and find out the final piece of the puzzle.
Enjoy

[Linda Lassman · Rating 4 out of 5]

My initial reaction was to give this book 3 stars because I was impatient to finish it. But it had everything I normally like--good, continuous storyline without a lot of annoying side action, some sex (but not the kind where they're in a life-or-death situation and everything comes to a grinding halt while they spend 6 pages on it), likeable characters, interesting premise--which means it was my mood and not the writing that was at fault. And unlike some books I'm impatient with, I didn't just skip to the end after the first 100 pages just to get it over with, so that was also a good signal that it wasn't the book's fault.

I like Freethy's writing and would certainly read other books she's written.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Lightening Strikes series and this book closes up all the loose ends of the first two books. Daniella Monroe worked in DC and did not want to believe what her brother and sister believed about the magic of lightening even though her siblings had experienced a miracle. Patrick Kane convinced Dani to join with him to try and discover who killed his Mother who had died in a plane crash just like Dani’s father had ten years before. This is a great mystery with all kinds of clues and dead ends. You need to read all three books in order but I think this book was the best.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense from beginning to end

I received a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed all three books of this Lightning Strikes series by Barbara Freethy, and I look forward to reading more of her books. As soon as you start reading any of her books you hate to put it down until you finish it because the suspense is so great. I liked the way this book ended and was happy to have the mystery of a missing father from a decade earlier finally solved. I highly recommend that you read this book and the whole series.

[Jeannine Wickliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this exciting conclusion to the trilogy we meet the last of the Monroe kids, Danielle. She lives in D.C. and loves her job with the senator. Patrick Kane is trying to find out the truth about his mothers death and the senator, Danielle works for is key. As Patrick and Danielle look into the mysterious death, they uncover information that also leads them to believe that Danielle's fathers death may not have been an accident. Follow the two as they dig to uncover the truth about their parents death and the conspiracy that lead to so many deaths

[Jan L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance, suspense, terror...politics

Another wonderful, exciting story in the Lightning series! I love the Monroe family & those who complete it by loving & helping each other through the disasters they are called on to fight. I held my breath through most of this book & loved every page. Though an imaginative plot, the story shows why Americans have lost trust in those who should be caring for the needs of the people. Looking forward to the Agent Wolfe spinoff!

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great wrap up to series

This was the third and final book in the lightening series. Full of action, suspense, intrigue, danger, love . I'm not always a big fan of series books, but really glad I read all three of these and read them in order. They were all very good and could be stand-alone stories; all full of adventure and wonderful characters. But this one really wrapped them all up and tied them all together.

[Charlsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara has done it again. The story of Dani and Patirck was really good. The story picked up where it left off from Alicia/Michael and Jake/Katherine. I am so glad we found out the truth about Wyatt and Jackie. Barbara makes the characters seem so real. Read the whole series. You will not be disappointed.

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the third in the Lightning Strikes series by Barbara Freethy. It was a fantastic completion to the series. Dani & Patrick are the final link in figuring out what’s been going on for 10 years. The story contains action, suspense, family, and romance. I had a hard time putting it down. I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.

[DA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book that I was reading of this author. So I started with a clean slate. The premise of the world of politics was interesting. But the characters did not keep me engaged consistently - just when I began to get interest, it dropped. I don’t think that you have to read the first two books to read this one of the lightning series.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third and final in the Lightning Strikes series. Danni is the last of the Monroe family and according to Mammich she will find the last piece of the puzzle in her father’s disappearance. Patrick Kane also lost his mother in a plane crash and now it appears that it wasn’t an accident. This book unravels the mysteries, a great finale to a complex series.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Ending to a Great Trilogy.

Dani is the last child to finally accept the premonitions of her Grandmother. She is given a gold wedding ring and told she will complete the puzzle of the plane crash that supposedly took their fathers life.
She also finds the man that will change her life Forever. Barbara Freethy is now one of my favorite authors.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is worth only 3 stars, the buildup from the first book didn’t get handled well, it could have been better, but it was mid. Giving the one extra star for Patrick because he was great and hot. The mystery could have been better, if you make the reader read 3 books to get a conclusion, the conclusion should be worth it.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good ending of a great series

A Good story line with welcome summery of events from books 1 and 2 The action was fast paced. The romance built slowly,until it was explosive. I've
never picked up a Freethy book I didn't love.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was pretty good, and the characters were engaging. The attempt to add a supernatural element were awkward, and the grammar errors were distracting. The author should hire a good editor to fix grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

I have loved several of Freethy's books but this series was not for me. Characters were good and mystery alright. I didn't feel the passion between the H/h. The Mayan belief and lighting showing the way was silly to me but that's just me.

[Dora Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series keeps your interest from start to finish.

Fast paced keep you riveted. Strong characters that wrap around each other. Keep you guessing about the bad guy is or isn' t he. FREETHY's novels are for you if you are looking for a new author.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good but I stopped after 1.5 chapters and planned to rate it low and DNF because it was pretty dull to that point. But I picked it back up and gave it one more chance. Fortunately, some action kicked in at that point and the rest of the book was interesting.

[Anne Blyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, strong characters and a gritty story line that kept me interested right to the end. Book #1 was also brilliant and though I still haven’t read #2 I was able to follow the story line easily. Definitely a must read if you love a good story along with the romance.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

Just enough romance mystery to be enjoyable. A quick and easy read that wasn't cheesy or nearly pornographic. I enjoyed and it wrapped up the Monroe family mysteries nicely.