Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: As the twentieth century nears, fifteen year old Olympia Biddesford accompanies her family for a summer at the beach in FORTUNE'S ROCKS, New Hampshire. Olympia meets her father's friend Dr. John Haskell, author of a book and essays on working conditions at the New England mills. John is married and the father of three pre-teen girls and a teenage boy just younger than Olympia. Shockingly, John and Olympia are immediately attracted to one another though she believes him to be about forty years old. He finds her youthful intelligence and energy a far cry from his cold aloof wife Catherine. Over the next few weeks, John and Olympia share a blissful though forbidden passion as he teaches her physical love. However, there can be no future for the teenager and the married with children physician even though their idyll affair leaves Olympia pregnant. FORTUNE'S ROCK is an intriguing historical relationship drama filled with period piece paraphernalia. The story line moves quickly forward as the angst-laden affair leads to long term repercussions. The charcaters are interesting, but Olympia acts more like a late twentieth century young adult than a late nineteenth century teenager does. Since she is one of the prime narrators her modern maturity seems false and hurts an otherwise well written drama. Anita Shreve is a fine author, but Olympia is no Lolita. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Either love it or hate it...
Review: I've read most of the reviews and people, depending on their sensibilities, seem to either love or hate this book. I found it an enjoyable winter-evening read. As some other readers have stated, it is "just" a book and of course today Haskell would have been in jail on statutory rape. However, one has to remember this fictional tale happened a century ago and everyone then seemed very concerned with keeping their place in "society" - of course certain experiences were never spoken about or revealed. The heroine was an extremely sheltered child/woman (as many upper class girls were at that time). I won't spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read it, but I thought the final outcome seemed to be a rush job to tie up loose ends.
Rating:
Summary: Another good story from Anita Shreve
Review: I was fascinated by The Weight of Water, a previous novel written by Anita Shreve long before she became an Oprah author. I also had the pleasure of attending a book talk at our local library that spotlighted Anita Shreve. She represents her craft very well. In Fortune's Rocks she vividly portrays her characters, their settings and the era in which they lived. It was easy to understand her characters in the light of the era in which they lived. One was reminded of the story of King Solomon who had to make a decision about the fate of a young child. All of the books by Anita Shreve are vastly different, but all are entertaining to the reader.
Rating:
Summary: Monica 's dreams
Review: I tend to agree with those of you who found Fortune's Rocks to be a little too light and facile -- happy ending and all of the fashion details. The fact that the two main characters spent five years enduring great sorrow,separation and sacrifice, yet remained essentially the same people, is remarkable and frankly unbelievable. Tragedy that doesn't really effect anything, is just melodrama. On the plus side, although I don't think she did a great job on characters, I think Shreve did a good job evoking the place and time. I also write to comment on the fact that some of the reader/reviewers criticized the book because they believed that Olympia's and Haskell's behavior was immoral and, in the case of the doctor, illegal. I am curious as to whether these same critics would insist that books be written only about morally upstanding, law abiding and likeable characters? (were such a critical standard to be imposed, we would lose most of the so-called canon). I think it is less that the affair was immoral than it was improbable. Reading the book I understood what might have fueled the romantic dreams of so many other young women who are sure their lovers are going to leave their wives and marry them.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: I have read all of A. Shreve's boks. She is one of my favorite authors. This is her third best book behind Eden Close & Resistance. My least favorite was Pilot's Wife, I don't care much for Oprah either. Anita Shreve is a master. The skill she applies to her writing is very unique and refreshing. This book is excellent!
Rating:
Summary: Engaging writing style
Review: I've not read any of Ms.Shreve's previous novels but found this one quite lovely and extremely interesting. I had to laugh at some of the other reviewers opinions of the behavior in this novel. Lighten up folks! Of course if this happened today the man would be arrested! That isn't the point of this book. This happened in a much different time in our history. I thought these characters were very complex in their feelings. Very good novel. I will definitely read more of her.
Rating: 
Summary: What ever happened to Anita Shrieve
Review: If you have read Anita Shrieve's The Weight of Water and loved it as I did, do not read this book. The author's previous work was a beautiful and masterful work of literature and this book is fictional trash. It reminded me of the romance novels I read when I was 12. I believe that Ms Shrieve has sold her soul to the publishers who are hoping for a screen play for a television mini-series. I was terribly disapointed in the author and know she is capable of a much higher level of writing. It's depressing to think that she has compromised her work to such a degree.
Rating:
Summary: Fortunes Rocks A Nice Winter Read
Review: I enjoyed this work very much because we have recently purchase property in Fortunes Rocks, which the book describes beautifully. The author must have spent many hours on that spectacular beach. The story is somewhat predictable, but a nice book to curl up with this winter. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: I have read all of Anita Shreves novels with great pleasure but this work captivated my interest more than her other novels. This has become my favorite of her works. Her descriptive prose allows the reader to be transported to the turn of the century New England . This is just the type of book that will keep the reader page turning while sitting by the fireplace on a cold, snowy day.
Rating:
Summary: Fortune's Rocks
Review: Having read several of Anita Shreve's earlier books, I truly looked forward to this story. But after the first few chapters, it wasn't long before I was "fast-forwarding" to speed this snoozer along. The idea of a 15 year old girl being with a 41 year old man was disgusting (and ridiculous!) enough, but to have to read umpeteen descriptions of their uncontrollable passion was just too much. All that was missing from this book was a picture of Favio on the cover!
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