A Vineyard Crossing

Jean Stone

Jul 2021 · A Vineyard Novel Book 4 · Kensington Books

About this eBook

Martha’s Vineyard may be picturesque and peaceful, but even there, happily-ever-after has its dark side . . .
 
Annie Sutton is not only a bestselling mystery author, she’s the proprietor of the newly opened Vineyard Inn. Recently engaged to local police sergeant John Lyons, instead of making wedding plans, Annie’s fighting with him about his older daughter, a troubled teen who has moved home—bringing chaos in her wake. With Annie’s beloved brother away on a troublesome journey of his own, Annie needs a friend. She begins to confide in one of the Inn’s guests, a mysterious stranger named Mary Beth Mullen. Her mix of kindness and vulnerability makes Annie trust her—until Mary Beth shares a secret that leaves Annie torn between family loyalty and a promise she made.
 
When a handsome, internationally acclaimed journalist checks into the Inn, he too unpacks a boatload of trouble for Annie, triggered by a provocative photo, covertly snapped—and posted on the internet. Intrigued, as tensions mount between her and John, Annie decides to eschew the police and get involved herself—enlisting Mary Beth’s help. But Annie is soon questioning whether anyone on the Vineyard this season is who they seem—and realizing that any chance of happiness rests in finding out just who her real friends are . . .
 
Praise for Jean Stone’s Vineyard Novels
 
“Filled with heart. . . . Perfect for long summer days. For fans of Debbie Macomber or Elin Hilderbrand.” 
—Booklist

“Lie down on the couch, put a pillow under your head and enjoy the ride.”
—The Vineyard Gazette
 

Ratings and reviews

A Vineyard Crossing is the fourth book in Jean Stone’s Vineyard series. It is a stand-alone book, but I believe you would get more out of the book if you read the series in order. This is a great summer book, set in the gorgeous Martha’s Vineyard, with lots of references to the Island, and the sea. Annie has just re-opened her new Vineyard Inn in Chappaquidick, on Martha’s Vineyard, has wedding plans to make, and is busy writing her next mystery novel. It’s August on the Island, and everyone is busy. The inn is booked up, and her fiance, John Lyons is busy fighting crime at the busiest time on the Island, plus his oldest daughter is back along with all her chaos. When an unexpected celebrity guest needs a couple of rooms in her booked-up inn, Annie has to move out of her cabin, in order to accommodate the handsome, troubled guest and his assistant. This book is full of mystery and secrets with many surprises. The writing is very good and I liked that I was reading through to get to the end to find out how these mysteries are resolved. The romance part was certainly secondary to the mysteries, but realistic too. The characters are well developed, and I especially liked Annie and emphasized her busy schedule and dealing with all the drama from her guests, friends, and family. The author described the beautiful inn, and the surrounding area very well and I felt like I was there with Annie, enjoying the gorgeous scenery of Martha’s Vineyard. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Saga Continues This book is part of a series. The author tries to keep the new reader with details as needed, but that really only goes so far. I have not read the earlier episodes and I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I was aware of all the interpersonal nuances. With all of that, this is a great story that keeps your interest. I found myself invested in the characters and emotionally responding to the twists and turns in the book. It will be an entire year before the next episode, I think I will have time to read the earlier books. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by Jean Stone and even though this is the fourth book in this series, I didn’t feel lost. The author gives us enough information so we know what happened in the previous books. Annie Sutton is now engaged to John Lyons, although no wedding date has been set. Annie’s brother, Kevin, has gone to Hawaii to be with Taylor. When Annie gets a request for two rooms at the Inn by Simon Anderson, a successful journalist/tv reporter, she decides to give up her cottage to accommodate him. She’ll just have to find another place to work on the book she’s currently writing. Everything isn’t as it appears with Simon and it creates some angst between Annie and John. Also, it didn’t help matters that Annie saw him with his ex-wife, while she was having dinner with a guest at The Wharf, and he didn’t even acknowledge her. Is there trouble in paradise? No spoilers, so grab your copy and see what happens. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.

About the author

Jean Stone is the author of seventeen novels about contemporary women that have been published by Random House and HarperCollins. Her book, Good Little Wives (written under her pen name, Abby Drake) has been optioned for a Lifetime TV movie. From Germany to Japan, over a dozen countries around the world have purchased the subrights to her novels and translated them. In addition, all of her books are available in both print and eBook versions. Jean has taught at a number of writers' conferences and has been a guest lecturer at many colleges and conferences. A native of New England, she lived in Amherst, Massachusetts, for several years; she now resides on Martha’s Vineyard. Visit her website: www.jeanstone.com or her blog www.jeanstonemv.com.