This book was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year. The excerpt I read before getting the full book had it all: humor, wiseass hero, strong and competent heroine with a career as a veterinarian, pumping me up for some great pet scenes. While One Summer wasn’t quite what I expected, Ms. Ross’ skillful writing overcomes stereotypical characterization and a somewhat cliché ending.

Gabriel St. James is in town for the wedding of one of his fellow marine buddies, Cole Douchett. As a former war photojournalist, he still feels the power of the words Semper Fi, so after being asked to be the wedding photographer, the only answer is yes. Not that it means he has to have a good time at the wedding. He plans only to get the shots and then travel on to Washington, then Alaska, and finally Hawaii, to wrap up his fifty state pictorial study. After meeting Charity Tiernan at the wedding, he is tempted to make a detour but his common sense kicks in. However, after watching a small dog being thrown out of a van, and coming to its rescue, he runs into Charity again when brings the dog to her clinic for treatment.

Charity has an intrinsic ability to match people with the right pet. Sensing that this little Shih Tzu mix and Gabe, both tough as Marines, would be good for each other, she convinces Gabe to keep him two more days since her shelter is full. While placing a pet with a good owner is always one her goals, she also wouldn’t mind if Gabe sticks around for a little summer fling. After pretty much calling off her wedding at the altar, she is ready to end her sex moratorium and explore the sexual attraction sizzling between them. So when he makes the demand for a dinner date in exchange for the two days of dog sitting, she doesn’t demur.

I liked the characters even though they are almost out of Characterization 101. Gabe had a horrible childhood, and then a bad first marriage, souring him on relationships. Charity’s early years were a little better since she had the security of a parent’s love even though her family members changed from year to year as her mother married and divorced five different times.

I enjoyed the setting and most of the secondary characters. I hope at least two that were mentioned have their own book. Even so, at times I felt that characters were included that didn’t add to the plot. There is at least a chapter involving shopping for clothes, but few scenes between the heroine and a secondary plot relating to foster children.

The conflict, of course, is two individuals deciding on a no strings relationship, and falling in love. While there is plenty of heat in the bedroom there is not much conflict out of it. The couple meet, Charity decides she feels open for a sexual relationship and it happens. There are two additional story arcs, one involving the heroine’s mother, which seem unnecessary unless the author felt there needed to be a secondary romance. The story arc build around the foster children is gratifying but predictable.

With all that I mentioned, it is easy to wonder about the B- grade, but Ms. Ross just makes this story work. I grew to care about all the characters, and the book held my interest to the very end. If you are a fan of Ms. Ross’ books as I am, then I think that you will enjoy time spent with this book.