Status
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:The final novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts' stunning Chesapeake Bay Saga, where the Quinn brothers must return to their family home on the Maryland shore, to honor their father's last request... Itâ??s been a long journey. After a harrowing boyhood with his drug-addicted mother, Seth had been taken in by the Quinn family, growing up with three older brothers whoâ??d watched over him with love. Now a grown man returning from Europe as a successful painter, Seth is settling down on Marylandâ??s Eastern Shore, surrounded once again by Cam, Ethan, and Phil, their wives and children, and all the blessed chaos of the extended Quinn clan. Finally, heâ??s back in the little blue-and-white house where thereâ??s always a boat at the dock, a rocker on the porch, and a dog in the yard. Still, a lot has changed in St. Christopherâ??s since heâ??s been goneâ??and the most intriguing change of all is the presence of Dru Whitcomb Banks. A city girl who has opened a florist shop in this seaside town, she craves independence and the challenge of establishing herself without the influence of her wealthy connections. In Seth, she sees another kind of challengeâ??a challenge that she canâ??t resist. Don't miss the other books in the Chesapeake Bay Saga Sea Swept Rising Tides… (more)
User reviews
What I'd forgotten was the characters. To catch you
The heroine of the story is flower shop owner Drusilla Whitcomb Banks, "poor little rich girl" trying to break out of the mold she's been forced into all her life.
The story itself is pretty predictable, but it's the way it's told, and the way the characters are themselves rather than two-dimensional stock characters that make it shine. The reactions go beyond the standard and become individual.
And it's occurring to me that I can't think of a good example. Drusilla, maybe, as I've already described her as the "poor little rich girl." She does have the standard cold-hearted upbringing, the parents disapproving because she broke up with the philanderer who was, nonetheless, a "good match." But she doesn't wallow in it. She sees herself clearly, and knows there's a middle ground between cutting herself off from her family completely and caving in to their expectations. Her parents, likewise, aren't evil--they're just a tad clueless and self-absorbed. The rest of the characters are similarly well-developed.
There's just something about this book that really showcases Nora's talent. The atmosphere, maybe, the characters, certainly the way the words flow... whatever it is, it sucked me in and made me believe. It's not a big story, but it's a complete and satisfying one.
Seth falls for a beautiful (of course) flower shop owner, who happens to come from an incredibly wealthy family. Seth is a famous artist nowadays, and while the rest of the family doesn't know it, he's been blackmailed by his raging alcoholic mother for years. There's a lot of saintly martyrdom attempted, blah, blah, but the steamy parts are nice!
This was a solid finish to what was already a great trilogy, possibly my favorite Roberts series. There was a consistent theme of family, and how the ones you make can be more important than the one you are born into. And, of course, there was a tempestuous romance to fill in the gaps.
If you aren’t already a fan of Nora Roberts, this is a great series to start with. Particularly if you are turned off by the thought of her paranormal books. There are a couple of ghosts, but nothing that I think qualify as paranormal – they’re more visions than anything. What you get the most is a great family in a great setting.
Dru was fantastic. From a wealthy family she has spent her life dealing with her parents and their expectations and she finally had enough. She broke off her engagement to the "right" man who cheated on her and moved to St. Chris to pursue the life she wanted. She owns a flower shop and has a good life doing what she loves. I loved her from the first, when she helped Seth pick out the right flowers for his sisters-in-law and niece. She is cautious and not inclined to get involved with the smooth talking painter. Her introduction to the Quinn family was hysterical and so far from what she was used to that she wasn't sure what to do. She was attracted to Seth and liked his family but she still had trust issues to overcome. She had a great scene with Aubrey after she accused Seth of having strong feelings for her. She also had some serious issues with her family who tended to be pretty darned snobbish and completely unwilling to let her live her own life. I loved the way that she slowly opened herself up to the possibilities with Seth. She also grew to understand him very well. I loved their confrontation at the end when the whole blackmail thing came out and the way she was there for him.
The best thing about this book is the strength of the family relationships. Seth knows that he is loved and that he is always able to come home. In his worry about keeping his family safe he forgot the family creed that if you mess with one Quinn you mess with them all. I loved catching up with all the rest of the family and seeing how their lives have been since the end of the original trilogy. The conversations Seth had with his late grandmother were a neat touch and helped bring the story full circle.
Romance. This was my favourite of the whole series. I just wish I had a more visual imagination so I could picture Seth's paintings.
Now, a grown man returning from Europe as a successful painter, Seth is settling
Dru Whitcomb is a city girl who's opened a florist shop in the seaside town. She craves independence and the challenge of establishing herself without the influence of her wealthy connections. In Seth, she sees another kind of challenge - one she can't resist.