Rating: Summary: Indisputably Exceptional! Review: "Chesapeake Blue" by Nora Roberts is a wonderful addition to the excellent Chesapeake Bay trilogy of "Sea Swept", "Rising Tides", and "Inner Harbor". The much-anticipated tale of Seth Quinn has finally arrived, and it was well worth the wait. Nora Roberts has written a romantic, insightful, and touching tale that stays true to the original trilogy and is sure to have readers everywhere cheering and begging for more. Seth Quinn, the troubled and angry young boy adopted by Cam, Ethan, and Phillip after the death of their father, Ray Quinn, is all grown up and coming home. Now a successful painter who has conquered Europe, all Seth wants is to return to the big white house on the bay and be with his family. Troubled by a secret that has weighed on him heavily for more than a decade, Seth needs the peace that only home can bring. And it is absolutely wonderful to see all of the characters we fell in love with in the previous three books. We see the most of Cam and Anna, because Seth lives with them, but Ethan and Grace, and Phillip and Sybill are never far away. Though 18 years have passed, not a whole lot has changed as far as the Quinn family dynamics are concerned (though the family has grown considerably), which I was immensely relieved to see. Grace and Ethan's daughter Aubrey is all grown up as well, and is a very important part of Seth's life. Though some things never change, like the love and support Seth's family will always provide, there have been some changes in his hometown of St. Christopher. The most fascinating of which is the arrival of Drusilla Whitcomb-Banks, who has moved from D.C. and opened a flower shop. Intrigued by the beautiful Drusilla, Seth sets about trying to get to know her better. Dru, who comes from a wealthy and influential family, has come to St. Chris to get away from the demands of her previous life. Seth is determined to paint the lovely Drusilla, and as he convinces her to pose for him, and spends as much time with her as possible, the two of them begin to fall in love. The romance between Seth and Dru is beautifully rendered and sure to touch readers' hearts. Drusilla is slow to trust and wary of relationships, but her misgivings are no match for Seth's charm, warmth, and love. Seth and Dru make a fabulous couple, and I was completely caught up in their developing relationship. But trouble is brewing on the horizon, and the painful secret that Seth has been hiding for years is about to come back with a vengeance. Linked to his painful past, Seth's secret has the ability to destroy his new love and hurt his family. Conflicted, unhappy, and determined to keep Dru and his beloved family out of the mess he is in, Seth is heading for disaster. Will Seth trust in Dru's love, bite the bullet, and tell her and his family the truth? The tight knit Quinn clan always sticks together when one of them is in trouble, but they can't help Seth if they don't know what's wrong. Will some visitations from the ghost of Stella Quinn be enough to convince Seth to share his burden? Or will Seth let his past destroy his newfound love and happiness? "Chesapeake Blue" is a truly heart-warming and affecting tale that had me smiling and wiping away tears throughout. Seth Quinn is a great hero, and readers are guaranteed to fall in love with the sensitive, strong, and fun-filled man who grew from a scared and angry boy. Dru is, likewise, a great heroine. She's independent, determined, and a very loving person when you get below the surface. Add in the amazing Quinn clan from the previous three novels, and you've got yourself an incredible and complex cast of characters. Nora Roberts has an undeniable gift for creating families that readers would love to be a part of, and the Quinns are one of her greatest triumphs. "Chesapeake Blue" is a superb read, and it focuses just as much on the love and importance of family as it does on the romance between Seth and Dru. Nora Roberts has really outdone herself with this one, so buy "Chesapeake Blue" today.
Rating: Summary: Chesapeake Blue is boring Review: Chesapeake Blue is boring.The characters are weak,the dialogue forced, the conflict predictable and the resolution a tad too tidy.There is nothing to learn from this book nor is it entertaining. I live on Maryland's Eastern Shore and I can tell you that Ms. Roberts has fallen way short in her descriptive of this beautiful peninsula and its blend of residents. I don't give it any stars but the minimum I can punch in is one. There is not time enough to read all the wonderful books written. Don't wste your time on this one.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful continuation Review: How many ever wondered what happened after the Quinn trilogy? Well now we know, once again Nora Roberts has written an excellent book. Seth has always been an artist, and grew up with the Quinn's. Now he is a man of his on and an acclaimed artist through out Europe. But something is sending him home to the security Chesapeake Bay and family. Not long after arriving home he meets the newest member of the area Dru Whitcombe banks, and is instantly drawn to her. But his past is still haunting him. Can he take care of all his problems from the past alone or will he need the help of his brothers and Dru? Once again we are taking to the Bay, for an excellent read. Nora Roberts truly writes the intriguing books that bring the Characters to life right in your mind as you are reading.
Rating: Summary: The Perfect Ending! Review: I absolutely loved the brothers trilogy, it was truly my favorite of all Nora Roberts trilogys. Of course I do love them all! This book was telling the story of Seth as he now is grown up. I felt like I knew the entire family and cared about each and every one of them. Seth is home with his family, the business, and the mother who has followed him over the years since he was a young boy. Blackmailing him, doing her best to ruin everything for him and for the family that gave him everything and made him who he is. Although he's all grown up now, he'll still pay her off, do just about anything to protect the family he loves. Dru enters the picture, who has fled a cheating fiance and the life of the wealthy in Washington D.C. to strike out on her own in St. Chris. She owns a flower shop and does her best to fit into the community. Given her experience with men, she doesn't want to fall in love, doesn't even want to date. But Seth can be as convincing as any of the Quinn men and Dru finds herself in love with Seth. I think Nora Roberts did an excellent job with this ending story. Her plot was great, the ending was a surprise and all the characters we loved in this trilogy have returned. If you start with this book you may want to read the first three to start.
Rating: Summary: Audiobook Excellent Review: I have never read the book but I thought it made for a great audiobook! I thought the voice of the reader really brought it to life. He really captured the emotion of characters.
After listening to it I thought it would make for a pretty good movie.
Rating: Summary: Great Review: I love the Quinn family, but this book would have been better if it had more about the four Quinn brothers. They really have their own little bonds together and it's entertaining to see how they interact in the other books. I would also like to see a book about Aubrey.
Rating: Summary: A Return to the Shore Review: Nora Roberts has returned to the Quinn family from the Chesapeake Bay trilogy, fast forwarding to the adulthood of the last "lost boy" Seth. Since the Quinns have long been friends of mine, the release of this book was much anticipated. It did not disappoint! It was delightful to see glimpses of characters developed previously in the series, and an interesting twist that they are now twenty years older. Though I'm sure Chesapeake Blue stands alone as an entertaining novel, I'm also sure it adds to this story if the Chesapeake Bay trilogy has been read. In typical Roberts style, there is strong character development, intriguing interaction, and clever dialogue. Seth was quite a character at eleven, and he's even more so in his late twenties. The storyline itself is not as intricate as some of her other work, but that also is part of the charm -- the simplicity of returning to a quiet place, to the roots of family... the symbolism of returning home.
Rating: Summary: Missed the Mark Review: Quite frankly, I read this book mainly to find out about the 3 original Quinn brothers- an excellent series. Unfortunately, the story has little about them. Second, I hoped this would tell the story of Seth and Aubrey...too bad it didn't. Aubrey was much more interesting than Dru, for whom I had little sympathy. The scenes with Seth and Aubrey sparkled, the ones with Dru and Seth seemed forced and flat. It does not help that Seth tends to come across as someone who expects to get his way and is rather vain.
While I do not object to foul language, used carefully and sparingly to create a particular character trait, too much sends up a red flag that the author doesn't want to take the time to develope a character. Either that or she thinks that 'real men' can't express themselves without it. I would like to reassure her that they can. The excessive use was annoying and distracting.
Overall, I got the impression that Ms. Roberts wrote the story to fill a square- a sequel for the series. I hope she will tell Aubrey's story and put more thought into it than she did this one...but I'll borrow it from the library instead of purchasing it.
Rating: Summary: Love it! Love her! Review: SO FAR I'VE READ INNER HARBOR AND CHESAPEAKE BLUE. I'M NOT IMPRESSED WITH THESE BOOKS. I FELT AS THOUGH DRU AND SETH'S ROMANCE WAS FORCED AND THEY DIDNT SEEM TO BE COMPATIBLE IN ANY WAY. I THINK THAT THE ONLY INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS BOOK WAS CAMERON AND ANNA. THEY SEEM TO BE SO IN LOVE, MAYBE I SHOULD READ ABOUT THEM. ONE THING I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY SETH DIDNT MENTION TO HIS BROTHERS ABOUT GLORIA. DID HE NOT TRUST THEM ENOUGH TO CONFIDE IN THEM? HIS WHOLE FAMILY KNEW ABOUT GLORIA AND HER TRICKY WAYS AND YET SETH STILL TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO PAY HER OFF EVERY TIME. HASNT HE LEARNED ANYTHING IN TWENTY YEARS? ANYWAYS, EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT IMPRESSED WITH THESE BOOKS I WOULD RECOMMEND READING THEM, ESPECIALLY INNER HARBOR. THAT BOOK WILL ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SETH AND THE REASONING FOR HIS ADOPTION.
Rating: Summary: Captivating Series! Best of the Best! Review: The first novel, Sea Swept, introduces the story of three adopted brothers and how the deal with the loss of their father and the gain of another adopted brother. Therefore, to fully understand the situation and the developing relationship with the brothers, the series should be read in order: Sea Swept, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor, Chesapeake Blue. The books take place on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Therefore, be prepared to read about the lives that accompany Maryland natives. Each book in the trilogy tells the love story of one of the brothers, beginning with Cameron, the first boy adopted. The brothers have completely different personalities, which allows the reader to better relate to one brother of the four. Cameron, the star of Sea Swept, is extremely outgoing with breathtaking looks. Before the events that take place in Sea Swept, Cameron's heart lied in racing and women. Now, he unexpectantly falls for a woman whose main goal is to make sure the new addition to the family (brother number four) is properly cared for and his biological mother does not interfere. Rising Tides is my favorite book in the series, dealing with the shy but undeniably masculine brother, Ethan. He is the only one of the three brothers who decided to stay on the shores of the Chesepeake and care for his father. His life is immensely simple, spending his days as a fisherman on the bay. The love story that develops between him and his lifetime love is the most romantic of the series. Phillip's story is developed in the third book of the series, Inner Harbor. This book is immensly important in the trilogy because a great number of unanswered questions are resolved during this story. Phillip is a hansome, well-mannered, businessman with a taste for fine wine and beautiful women. Not prepared to ever become a family man, a mysterious woman with a suprising background comes into town and steals Phillip's heart on first site. The last book of the series, Chesapeake Blue, tells the story of the last adopted brother, Seth. Twenty years have elapsed since Inner Harbor. This was the perfect ending to a breathtaking series. In this book, you are able to see how Seth has dealt with his new surroundings and if he has been able to separate himself from his biological mother. The book also updates readers on the lives of Seth's three brothers and their families. Seth unexpectantly falls in the love with a new businesswoman in town. They develop a relationship as friends that blooms into undying love, respect, and compassion. I highly recommend any romance novel fan to read this series. You won't regret the time spent!
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