Victoria Slade is a thirty-something divorcee and family lawyer in Chicago. Dealing with the end of marriage on a daily basis has left her with a good deal of bitterness about the institution of marriage; so she tends to keep her personal relationships with men very casual. After a break-in at her condo, some old issues from her childhood come back to haunt her; causing her to experience panic attacks in certain situations. Because of this, Victoria has decided to move; and is also seeing a therapist in an attempt to deal with her panic attacks.

As an up and coming newspaper reporter, Ford Dixon is always looking for the story behind the story. He is also quite single and on the prowl. When a very sexy divorce lawyer moves in next door, he is immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, due to a series of misunderstandings, he and Victoria get off on the wrong foot; and their relationship is contentious and a bit strained. When Ford's pregnant, single sister Nicole shows up on his doorstep needing his help finding the father of her baby, Victoria gets involved in the young woman's plight. This has her working alongside Ford, and the sparks between them begin to fly.

SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER has a bit of a deeper plotline than expected in a kind of a story. I would categorize it as closer to Women's Fiction. There is romance, of course, but there are other storylines going on; some with more profound issues than are usually found in Contemporary Romance. Nicole's situation, for example, gets some resolution in the end, but it's not a pretty or pat resolution. In a way, it was a little sad, although quite realistic. So many lives are altered in a way that's not always pretty. Some of the messy angst and drama worked for me, but sometimes it fell flat. The conflict that temporarily separates the couple is a bit of a big misunderstanding trope. It is a plot device that didn't work so well in an otherwise smart, snappy book. The side characters are fun, well written and interesting, however; and Victoria and Slade's romance was fun and realistic. Overall, the dilemmas portrayed led to a satisfying, well rounded read.

SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER is book six in Julie James FBI/US Attorney series. As always, the author knows her lawyers; and is able to present that world to the reader in a rational yet supportive manner. Also, the author's trademark witty, sexy banter between her lead couple is well played here. Although SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER is part of an ongoing series, it can easily be read standalone. There are characters from previous books making an appearance here and there, but no ongoing series plotline threads that might confuse the reader.