Summer Secrets

by Barbara Freethy

From bestselling author Barbara Freethy comes a powerful contemporary standalone novel—the story of three unique sisters ... the secrets that bind them for life ... and the summer that will set them free.

Eight years ago, the three McKenna sisters—Kate, Ashley, and Caroline—had their fifteen minutes of fame. Driven by their ambitious father, they won an around-the-world sailing race as teenagers. But something happened out on the turbulent sea during a fierce storm they could never forget ...

Now Tyler Jamison has come to Castleton, a picturesque island off the coast of Washington State, asking questions about the famous McKennas. But even as the sisters close ranks against the tenacious reporter, the past threatens to drown them in its wake. It will take Caroline's willingness to right a wrong, Ashley's struggle to face her greatest fears, and Kate's attempt to embrace life—and love—again to finally calm the winds and stop the rain.

Summer Secrets is the perfect beach read!

REVIEWS ...

"Freethy skillfully keeps the reader on the hook , and her tantalizing and believable tale has it all -- romance, adventure and mystery." Booklist (Starred Review)

"Freethy's zesty storytelling will keep readers hooked, and the sisters' loving but prickly interactions will make anyone with a sibling smile." Publishers Weekly

"Graced with sympathetic, well-defined characters and an intriguing multi-threaded plot, this is an emotionally involving story ... sure to please Freethy's growing fan base, and like Kristin Hannah's novels, neatly bridges the gap between romance and traditional women's fiction." Library Journal

"In the tradition of LaVyrle Spencer, gifted author Barbara Freethy creates an irresistible tale of family secrets, riveting adventure and heart-touching romance." NYT Bestselling Author Susan Wiggs

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Suspense, Contemporary Romance

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2003

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

[Amanda B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Mrs · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book was to long
to drawn out
nice story,but little more than half way thru
i wanted to end it..be done

[Glenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased Barbara Freethy's "Summer Secrets" in the middle of an insomniac night. I was checking my email on my phone and selected "Summer Secrets" by accident. That's the only reason I read this contemporary romance.

"Summer Secrets" tells the story of three sisters who eight years earlier won a yacht race around the world. Now a mysterious reporter has come calling and gives the sister the ruse of writing a follow-up about their victory. His real reason for snooping into the sister's lives concerns his brother's family and a questionable adoption.

There's nothing wrong with the plot but much to be desired in the author's style, which is very straight forward, simplistic, and unimaginable. Freethy doesn't write literature. She writes escapism. I suppose that's okay, but I'd rather escape into a literary love story rather than one devoid of lyricism.

[Lori V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another 99 cent Kindle book. The plot was intriguing and the suspense over what really happened during the sailboat race kept me reading. I was really enjoying this book--until the end. When all was revealed, I couldn't believe the loyalty demonstrated by the sisters towards their father. For what really happened, it was too contrived and I was actualy a bit mad and their unfledgling support of the man through the years. To say I was disappointed in the ending would be an understatement, but as the story held my attention all the way through, you cannot beat this one for 99 cents.

[Courtney Wallace · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read 1/4 of the book and had to stop. I just can't continue. Basically it's the same old thing over and over. Kate refuses to talk to Tyler. Then she gets lost in his dark blue eyes. Then she talks. But then she resolves not to talk to him. Over and over.

If I met a man like Tyler in real life, I would consider threatening him with harassment charges. But no..Kate just lets him in her house. Ya know, because of his dark blue eyes and her hormones. Sheesh

[Kristina Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story!

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt that the story was a good one but the characters were kind of weak. The romance between Kate and Tyler is the stuff of movies...aka never happens. I don't mind that if the story carries the day, but a combo of weak characters, okay dialogue and a good story weren't enough to pull this story off. The big "secret" isn't revealed until the very end which is somewhat frustrating. Overall not a horrible read, but I wouldn't go looking for another of this author's books.

[Jeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three sisters with a -big- secret, and the mysterious man who comes to town determined to discover all. This kept my interest, and was mildly enjoyable, but I was irritated by the coy manner of story telling -- too many references to the big secret, such as "she sighed, remembered all that they had experienced that summer" and so on ...)

[Phyllis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summer garbage, and not particularly good garbage, either

[Joni Markowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a novel of secrets that is fast paced keeps your interest. If you are interested in sailing then you will be delighted with the descriptive language of sailing and sailboats.as the secrets are exposed they are not predictable.held my attention to the final page.

[Ewa ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great summer read.

[Suzanne Morgis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a beach read... a fluffy tale of three sisters, two boys and a boat.

[Christina Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not one to put down

Though the story covers the event taking place in about one week, the storm they rode through 8 weeks ago interwoven with the present is well written.

[Linds · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Kathleen Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyler And Kate's Love Story

I loved the book ❤️. It was about the best book I have ever read. Full of secrets and family loyalties. Kathleen Ryan

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bel libro. Fa riflettere sull'importanza della famiglia e su come qualsiasi problema, anche il più grande, possa essere affrontato restando uniti.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 15%.
I have too many books on my TBR to spend time reading an unoriginal romance.
This is HIGHLY unusual for me.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story started off slowly, and didn't pick up until 3/4 way through. The characters didn't seem real until the last 1/4 of the book. In the first section, they didn't even confess the secrets among their thoughts. There were 4 points of view, which made it hard to follow. I didn't like any of the characters, except Theresa, who seemed to be the most real of any of them. It seems that Freethy was writing the book as a mystery in that she didn't reveal her characters. The real art, I think, would be to know the characters in their true form, and for readers to still be innately interested in getting to know them.

[Michelle Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

These sisters have a major secret.

When Tyler shows up asking questions that they don't want to answer, they should be wary of him.

When I found out what the girls had been involved in and kept secret, I was disgusted. If it had been a man that had behaved in this way, in a novel we would have no sympathy for him but because it's 3 women, there is a sense that we should over look the extremely bad behaviour of the women.

This is a quick read and many will love it. Not me. I have read better Barbara Freethy

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 700+ page book...and I finished it within 6 days. I couldn't put it down at some points, and I really enjoyed it. Having said that, I ultimately gave it a 4 star rating, but at the end I considered a 3 star. I was not a big fan of exactly how the "secret" came out and thought it was rushed and was hoping for a different reaction from the two main characters. But overall, I did not feel like I was reading 700+ pages and it was a fast, good read.

[Laura Ruetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be an excellent read. It really pulled my attention in with the plot and the pacing and the characters. My only issue, after being glued to the book, eagerly waiting to see what happened, is that the last few pages just wraps everything up in a neat little bow - it tells you it is all resolved, without actually narrating what happened and it felt like such a let down after such a well written and engaging book

[Djana Mazzaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

La storia racconta le vicende di tre sorelle, Kate, Ashley e Caroline, veliste professioniste che, dopo una spaventosa tempesta capitata durante una regata in mare aperto, hanno deciso di dire addio al mare e a tutti i brutti ricordi a esso connessi. E di Tyler, un giornalista che vuole avvicinarsi alle sorelle per carpire i loro segreti e capire in che modo c’entrino con la storia della sua famiglia. Mentre scava nel loro passato e si scontra con la loro riottosità e diffidenza, Tyler inizia a subire il fascino delle McKenna e in particolare di Kate, la sorella maggiore; Ashley invece, terrorizzata dall’acqua e dipendente dagli psicofarmaci, si imbatte in una vecchia fiamma, Sean, che lei aveva lasciato dopo la tremenda esperienza della regata e non aveva più visto per anni; Caroline si lascia andare come il padre lungo il pericoloso sentiero dell’alcolismo e pare aver intrapreso una relazione con un ex detenuto molto più vecchio di lei e violento. I misteri si dipanano fitti capitolo dopo capitolo, la montagna delle bugie si accumula e i protagonisti sono chiamati a fare i conti con un passato che non avevano mai davvero sepolto e del quale portano ancora le cicatrici. Ho apprezzato ogni cosa: l’ambientazione paradisiaca nell’isola di Castleton, la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, lo sviluppo delle storie amorose, gli intrighi e le sotto-trame che concorrono a creare un romanzo scorrevole e avvincente, che mi sento di consigliare caldamente.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed

The books amazon page says it’s bestseller right off the bat in the summary section...fair enough and it sounds intriguing so let’s read it. I made it to 48 percent and threw the towel in. It drags on and on over secrets that just aren’t that interesting or relevant. Who cares if it was shady adoption...whoever gave the baby up didn’t want it and never came looking for it. Man up and fix it instead of sending your brother to investigate who’s baby it is while digging into peoples past to find painful memories and secrets. Talk about ultimate narcissist behavior. Btw that is not a spoiler,you learn that a few chapters in. The characters are stereotypical and not likable really. Quit whining about the past and live. That’s the basis of the book...people can’t let the past go and their lives are miserable which I learned a long time ago it’s your own business if you wanna be miserable and not try to move on but I don’t want to watch any one do it. I might try one more book by this author but this one isn’t the one to start with if you want a good book to read

[Josh Bokor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember trying to read this book a couple times over a decade ago and only being able to make it halfway through. For years I was thinking I should just read the whole dang thing and I finally accepted the challenge. Overall there's nothing entirely special about this read. It's light, it's cute, it's cheeky. It's like a sailing rom com you'd see on Hallmark or some cheap Netflix original. The mystery aspect to it is essential to making this read enjoyable, since I could not read an entire book just on the "will they/won't they" romance aspect from the characters. And the humor... let's just say it's as funny as one of those rom coms I mentioned earlier. It's similar to an Emily Giffin novel but the cheese is turned way up to 11 (no disrespect to Giffin; she's the queen of this type of book genre). Also I think the reason why I couldn't finish this book before is that it is way too stretched out. This book could've easily had a third cut out of it and it would still remain the same read. Overall this was a kind of enjoyable and airy read that's as light as the sea breeze. I just read it mainly to finish this mental challenge of mine, not so much to be entertained.

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in July 2011, I’m way behind in getting into this author’s backlog. A light and easy read but very enjoyable when I needed a break from the angsty and dark ones that frequent my Kindle!

An around-the-world sailing race eight years ago that cost lives and changed others. A father and his three daughters caught in the middle. A reporter looking for more than just a story. There are secrets on every dock. With the addition of a couple romances expertly woven into the fast-paced plotting, you’ll find a solid romantic-suspense novel.

I admit I was still guessing up to the very end who held the answer to the best-kept secret. That, in my books, makes for a very satisfying mystery. Freethy certainly handled this secret well keeping the answer just out of reach.

My biggest disappointment is that we didn’t get more background on each of the main characters –particularly on Tyler, the reporter. The story was wrapped-up neatly – maybe a bit too soon for this reader, but all in all a satisfying and well-done plot and a cast of interesting and entertaining characters. And, of course, tidy and neat happily ever afters.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Barbara Freethy book that I have read. I didn't know what to expect. I would classify it as a summer contemporary romance. There was a bit of an underlying mystery to it as well.
Tyler Jamison, a reporter, comes to Castleton to find out some information about the McKenna family. He tries to interview the father, Duncan, and the three sisters, Kate, Ashley, and Caroline about their win in a sailing race around the world 8 years earlier. However, the McKenna family is a tight-lipped group, and they are wary of his questions.
It seems that Kate's love, Jeremy Amberson, was lost at sea during that sailing trip. Ashley is in love with Jeremy's brother, Sean, but feels guilt about Jeremy. Caroline is hiding secrets, too. As Tyler continues to ask questions, Kate warms to him, but is still cautious.
Everything comes to a head when there is a storm in the harbor. Truths come out, and lives are changed.
The story was well written, with the right amount of romance and mystery.
#SummerSecrets #BarbaraFreethy

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Secrets is by Barbara Freethy. This interesting novel takes place in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. It takes place in Castleton, a town on the ocean. It was here that many sailboat races began and many stories of previous races dwelled.
Kate McKenna and her sisters and Father were celebrities in town. When the girls were in their early teens, they won one of the most prestigious races. Theses days, the girls were as far from racing as they could be. Kate owned and ran a bookstore in Castleton, Ashley did photography, and Caroline was a hair stylist. None of the three sailed any more. Their Father, Duncan, was an alcoholic. Tyler Jameson, a journalist, came to town to write a story about the last journey of the family. He also had another motive.
Can Kate and the girls keep their secret from the Tyler while Kate keeps him at arms length? He just attracts her too much.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is fast-paced and a real page turner. Three sisters (the McKennas) and their father win a prestigious sailing race and then quit. Eight years later, Tyler shows up on the scene to ostensibly do a follow-up on the girls and what has happened with/to them. That is not his true reason. He is there on behalf of his brother to find out which of the sisters is Mark's adopted daughters biological mother. Of course there is a romantic entanglement between him and the oldest sister. Kate. There are more secrets to tell. As the book moves along, you learn about Kate's old boyfriend, Jeremy. His brother, Sean wants to follow in his footsteps and race. He changes his mind much to the relief of his parents and goes into the family business of boat building. As the book is winding down (or up?) more secrets are revealed. I seriously could not out this one down.

One reviewed said this book was over 700 pages in length. It was actually just over 350 pages.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eight years ago, the three McKenna sisters and their Dad won a yachting race, survived a horrendous storm and the women came home traumatized. They vowed never to talk about what happened on the trip and kept secrets that involved their father, each other and the death of one sister's fiance. They struggled to go on with their lives on their island home, despite the father's problems and their own fears and downfalls. A handsome reporter comes to the island with a quest of his own and starts digging into the past. He has a serious reason for being there. Meanwhile, the father has something to prove and wants back into the racing life, not caring who he hurts in the process. He realizes he cannot do this without his daughters as his crew. He does everything he can to get them back to sailing, even if it risks more lives.

[Sandra Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer Secrets by Barbara Freethy is an emotional book about sisterhood, love, lies and deception. The McKenna sisters all reside on the same small island in the Washington state area where they have lived most of their lives. Eight years ago, their mother died and Duncan, the father, lost his lode stone. He took his three daughters out on their sailboat, the Moon Dancer, and they sailed for 3 years aboard the boat. At one time they entered into a year long race around the world and won--but at what cost. Now Kate, the eldest sister, feels she needs to protect her family from the nosey investigative reporter who wants a "what are they doing now" story. His reason is embroiled in deception and the costs to all might be too high. I couldn't put this story away--it was too entertaining.