This summer it's time to sit back, relax, enjoy a cup of something cool, and lose yourself in the pages of LAST KISS, the newest book from perennial favorite, Luanne Rice.

Nell Kilvert, who appeared as a young girl in a previous book by Rice, Beach Girls, is now a teenager suffering through another loss, the murder of her boyfriend, Charlie Rosslare. She and Charlie's mother, Sheridan, are both hurting and wanting answers as to why a young man with so much future ahead was lost in the prime of life.

Nell feels that Gavin Dawson a private investigator with a past that connects him to Hubbard's Point is the person who can help bring the closure that she so badly needs. What Nell doesn't know is that Gavin's past is directly linked to Sheridan's past, and in order to solve Charlie's murder some of the past might come rushing headlong into the present. Will everyone, including Nell be strong enough to accept what might be uncovered?

LAST KISS is full of strong emotions that run the full gamut from budding friendship to enduring love, from cool aloofness to intense hatred. It is my belief that only the most talented of writers can wrest so many emotions from their readers, and Ms. Rice rates with the best.

True, there are moments where the storytelling is slow, and readers will wonder where the action is. Then there are the moments where the reader is unable to put the book down because emotions are flowing freely yet, these different moments weave together to create a story that will long reside in the reader's heart even after the last page is turned.

Many years ago I was attracted to the emotionality of Ms. Rice's books, and LAST KISS doesn't disappoint, and indeed reinforced my opinion of her work, and I look forward to reading future efforts.

This review is from the hardback edition.