THE GIRL FROM SUMMER HILL – Jude Deveraux
A Summer Hill Novel , Book 1
Ballantine Books
ISBN: 978-1-101-88326-6
eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-88327-3
May 2016
Romantic Comedy

Summer Hill, Virginia, the Present

Although a highly regarded master chef in a famous restaurant in Washington, D.C., for personal reasons, Casey Reddick decided it was time for her to start afresh. She moved to a small town in Virginia and was allowed by a friend to live in the guest house on an otherwise uninhabited plantation. At least it was supposed to be empty. Just before dawn on a misty morning, a man appeared on her porch. At first Casey was terrified, but he proceeded to strip naked and to take a shower. (Who knew a shower was there!) As he soaped his gorgeous body, however, her fear left her and she relaxed and enjoyed the show. Tatton Landers, a Hollywood superstar of romantic movies, eventually saw a strange woman watching him and took her for a paparazzi. He stormed into the cottage to chase her off. After all, Tattwell is his ancestral home. Not being a fan of romantic films, Casey didn't recognize him; she didn't like his manner and angrily ordered him out of her house.

Thus began a highly antagonistic relationship between the two.

The friend who loaned the cottage to Casey renovated an old building on the grounds. He's turning it into a theater where he can stage the play he wrote based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice . He plans several performances with the proceeds going to charity. Perhaps he can even get Tate and his action actor friend to take part.

THE GIRL FROM SUMMER HILL is wonderful . . . funny and gripping with many things going on with a large number of divergent characters. I finished it way past my usual bedtime. My only problem was keeping all the people straight in my mind. They have names and nicknames, sometimes screen names, and are often referred to by the names of the Austen characters they play. Besides that, the relationships can be confusing. Casey has several half-siblings, for instance. You will find out why along the way.

Like Casey watching Tate, I eventually just relaxed and enjoyed the Casey/Tate story and the rest of the subplots along with it. I can't wait for the next episode.

Jane Bowers