Garden of Secrets
Everyone loves Angel’s Bay!
AT HIDDEN FALLS
“Angel’s Bay shines in Freethy’s talented hands as she updates the lives of continuing characters, adds several memorable new ones, and dusts it all with magic and hope.”
—
Library Journal
“Reading
At Hidden Falls
is like learning more about personal friends and close relatives, as they continue to reside in your thoughts long after the book is finished.”
—Single Titles
“A compelling, magical story of love, heartbreak, happiness, community, and courage . . . fast paced.”
—My Book Addiction and More
“Truly a work of art . . . a very satisfying read.”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“A lovely romance. . . . It is always fun to visit the little town on the bay.”
—
Romantic Times
IN SHELTER COVE
“A compelling story of intrigue, along with a romantic story of love, forgiveness, and faithfulness.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A good solid romance and a spine-tingling mystery all in a tidy package. . . . Freethy does a fine job of keeping us guessing [and she] continues several ongoing stories to keep things fresh. I can’t wait to see where they will lead as the series continues.”
—A Romance Review
ON SHADOW BEACH
“A lovely contemporary romance.”
—
Romantic Times
“
On Shadow Beach
teems with action, drama and compelling situations. . . . A fast-paced page-turner that unravels small-town scandals and secrets.”
—
BookPage
“
On Shadow Beach
has a fascinating touch of magic plus an abundance of genuinely heartfelt emotions, where everything is wrapped around an intriguing mystery.”
—Single Titles
“This compelling story is fast-paced, filled with renewed acquaintances, complicated relationships and plenty of mystery. You will love the story and be surprised on several accounts by the ending.”
—Fresh Fiction
“An excellent, easy-to-read novel. It flows beautifully with intriguing and appealing characters. It will grab you within the first few pages and just keeps getting better.”
—Romance Reviews Today
SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER
“
Suddenly One Summer
delivers a double whammy to the heart. Ms. Freethy cuts to the core with her depiction of a woman in jeopardy and a man who no longer believes that life has anything to offer. . . . A story that will keep you spellbound.”
—
Winter Haven News Chief
(FL)
“Intriguing, suspenseful.”
—
Library Journal
“
Suddenly One Summer
transported me to be a beautiful place and drew me into a story of family secrets, passion, betrayal and redemption.”
—
New York Times
bestselling author Susan Wiggs
“Angel’s Bay . . . promises many poignant and heartwarming stories.”
—Fresh Fiction
“Freethy has written a suspenseful and captivating story, weaving in human frailty along with true compassion, making every page a delight.”
—Reader to Reader Reviews
“Angel’s Bay is a place I’ll want to visit time and again. . . . Freethy has done a beautiful job of weaving a compelling story.”
—Romance Novel TV
“A well-written, captivating story, with good pacing that will leave you satisfied as it unfolds . . . fascinating story.”
—Romance Reviews Today
A
LSO BY
B
ARBARA
F
REETHY
At Hidden Falls
In Shelter Cove
On Shadow Beach
Suddenly One Summer
Now Available from Pocket Star
Pocket Star Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Barbara Freethy
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsover. For information, address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Pocket Star Books paperback edition October 2011
POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at
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.
Cover illustration copyright © by Thomas Szadziuk/Trevillion Images
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 978-1-4516-3651-2
ISBN 978-1-4516-3653-6 (ebook)
To Terry for always being there!
Thank you for purchasing this Pocket Star Books eBook.
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Don’t forget
to click through after
Garden of Secrets
for an exclusive sneak peek
at Barbara Freethy's next heartwarming tale
THE WAY BACK HOME
Available from Pocket Books July 2012
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank my writing friends who provided wisdom and support during the writing of the Angel’s Bay series: Bella Andre, Jami Alden, Anne Mallory, Carol Culver, Lynn Hanna, Diana Dempsey, Kate Moore, Barbara McMahon, Monica McCarty, Tracy Grant, Candice Hern, and Veronica Wolff. And special thanks to Christie Ridgway for always answering the phone when I needed her. I’d also like to thank my family for participating in research field trips as I brought Angel’s Bay to life. And to the readers who fell in love with Angel’s Bay in the first book,
Suddenly One Summer
, and have read every one since then, I hope you enjoy reading
Garden of Secrets
as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Garden of Secrets
NE
New Year’s Eve
It was a night for new possibilities, a night for dreaming. But would her dreams last past the stroke of midnight?
They never have before.
Normally an optimist, Charlotte Adams didn’t usually worry about the future or think about the past. She’d deliberately lived in the present for more than a decade. But the past few weeks of hectic holidays, family changes, and now the flipping of the calendar made her feel . . . restless. She glanced around the crowded room, wondering if she could make an escape.
The mayor, Robert Monroe, and his wife, Theresa, had invited half the town to their New Year’s Eve party so they could show off their new home, the stately Sandstone Manor. Sitting on a bluff on the north end of Angel’s Bay, the grand old estate
had fallen into disrepair over the past thirty years at the hands of a wealthy, eccentric recluse. The hundred-year-old, seven-bedroom, five-bath house with the castlelike turrets, dramatic bay windows, and alleged ghosts had always fascinated the town, and when it had come up for sale two months ago, the Monroes had snapped it up. Everyone who’d been lucky enough to get an invitation to tonight’s party had accepted, dying to get a look inside.
