Eclipse sees Edward Cullen and Bella Swan reunited after the heartbreaking separation that sets the scene for most of the twilight saga's second book New Moon.
Eclipse sees the tension between Edward, Bella and Jacob ignite in lieu of Edwards absence during Jacob and Bella's deepening friendship. Edward is aware that he will have to prove himself to Bella and is consumed by the desire to let her know he is never going to leave her again. The tension between Edward and Jacob is further intensified by the vampire - werewolf aspect of their relationship. Jacob is not as comfortable in his wolf body as the other members of his pack and he vehemently blames the Cullens for being inflicted with becoming a werewolf.
Edward wants to avoid hurting Bella at all costs and so relents on letting her spend time with Jacob. Although Jacob makes it clear to Bella in several ways that he is more interested in her than in just a simple friendship. Bella denies she feels anything but love as a friend for Jacob, but he is unperturbed.
As the story progresses it becomes apparent that a vampire or possibly more are loose in nearby Seattle and when some of Bella's clothing is stolen from her house by an unknown vampire scent, the werewolves and vampires are forced to become allies to protect Bella.
As Jasper Cullen has had previous experience with newborn vampire armies, he becomes aware that the killings in Seattle are more than just a couple of rouge newborns. The Cullens are keen to stop the vampire attacks themselves to prevent a visit from the Volturi, in light of the fact that Bella is still mortal and has not yet lived up to the terms of their agreement from the last book. It eventually emerges through Alice's visions that Victoria had created a newborn army and the Cullens and Werewolves head out into the forest to defend their home and Bella. During the wait for the newborns to arrive, Bella realises that she does in fact love Jacob as more than a friend, though not in comparison to how she feels about Edward. This further complicates the trios relationships, just as it seems Jacob and Edward may be finding some kind of basic common ground to agree one.
The newborns and Victoria are no match against the werewolf pack and vampire coven and so Bella lives to see another day. Though now she is positive that she wants Edward to change her into a vampire. Jacob is aware of this and threatens both Edward and Bella that is this happens the werewolves will consider the treaty between themselves and the Cullens as void. Although Edward does not want to end Bella's life, he does see that this is what she wants and he can't deny that he wants to spend eternity with her. Because he was unwilling to change her himself, Carlise agreed to do it. However, Edward offers Bella a compromise. He will be the one to change her is she agrees to marry him first. Although Bella spends most of the book dead against this proposal, by then end she can see that what she really wants is Edward to be the one to change her and so she agrees to marry him.
Publisher: Little Brown & Co
Publication Date: Aug 07
ISBN: 9780316160209)
