Unexpected Blessings

Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER SUPERB READING BY KATE BURTON
Review:
Hearing Kate Burton read an audio book is always unalloyed entertainment pleasure. She has the distinctive "Burton" voice enhanced by a precise, clear diction. This voice and the inflections she uses surely fit the privileged folks who inhabit Barbara Taylor Bradford's latest Harte family saga.

Millions of readers will remember Emma Harte, the staunch lady introduced in Bradford's hugely successful A Woman Of Substance. We now meet her decedents, all born into wealth, all facing life altering situations.

India, much to the chagrin of her family, has fallen for an artist from not so privileged parents. Evan, another of Emma's great-granddaughters is an American who crosses the ocean to work for Harte's department store. What a shock to discover that her father was not precisely who she believed him to be.

And, there's still more woe to come: Tessa is enmeshed in a custody battle for her daughter who seems to have disappeared, and Linnet, the business woman of the group, must learn that she can't have it all.

Someone, somewhere is trying to harm all of these women. The question is who and why?

- Gail Cooke



Rating:
Summary: Haven't I read this all before?
Review: "Unespected Blessings "is filled with past writing of Emma Harte and her huge family. Why do we have to again hear how each person in this novel is related to Emma and how beautiful they are and how they love each other. Also what wonderful houses they live in, in detail, teeth grinding detail. If I want to decorate a house, I wil buy a decorating book. Also as the head of a large family, Emma does not set much of a role model, with her children born out of wedlock and her living with a married man for many years. I wonder if we are going to read about her great, great, great, grandchildren and their love affairs which also will produce children without marriage. The time that she really got hold of a interesting plot, was the World Trade Center, which was written off immediately after Shane's part was disclosed. Going back to Emma in the final chapters is a page filler, is there anything we have left to learn about her? At the wedding, more time is devoted to thedescription of the brides dress than to the horrible problems that exist right outside the church door. Will Dusty and India marry? Will Tessa last with Jean-Claude until her divorce? Will Evan and Gideon have their marriage before she gives birth? Who cares? I hope Ms Bradford has all the money she needs, she deserves it, she is a wonderful author, this was an un-necessary book. If you have never read Ms Bradford, go back to " Woman of Substance" and start at the beginning.

Rating:
Summary: Better than the fourth book
Review: "Unexpected Blessing" is the fouth book in the Emma Harte series by Barbara Taylor Bradford. This book picks up in the summer of 2001, as Evan Hughes a newly discover relation of Emma Harte continues to get closer the Harte family as her own comes to England, while others members of the family are dealing with there own romantic relationship problems.
I did enjoy this book more than "Emma Secret" but I can't understand why Ms. Bradford keeps doing the flashback chapters, its seems to pull away from the story. Overall, this book was better than "Emma's Secret" and a good read.

Rating:
Summary: unexpected bleesings
Review: I REALLY LOVE THE CONTINUING SAGA OF EMMA HARTE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT STORY. THE WONDERFUL LOVE STORY OF ROBIN AND GLYNNIS. IT MADE ME BELIEVE IN "REAL LOVE" STILL EXISTING. I WOULD HIGHLY RECCOMEND THIS TO ANYONE WHO IS HOOKED ON THE SAGA OF THE HARTE FAMILY.

Rating:
Summary: Another chapter
Review: Overall this book is MUCH better than book four in the Harte Series, Emma's Secret. Book 4 was a lot of cut and paste from the previous three books with some updates on members of the younger generations. Unexpected Blessings was less of a rehash and it followed the action from book 4 more smoothly. I was happy to see that this story of Emma's great-granddaughters moved along without major inaccuracies from the first three books. That being said, there are still gaps and minor errors. For example, the relationship between Robin Ainsley and the rest of the Harte family continues from book four. In book 4, this much improved relationship was not explained and remains unexplained in this book. How Robin made it back into the graces of the family is a significant gap in the storyline between books 3 and 4. This lack of explanation is more objectionable in book 4 because of the plot in that book, but it is still a mystery. While it presumably relates to the secret revealed in book 4, the reader can only guess. Those familiar with the first three books may find this is a very big disconnect. One other mistake in this book is the recounting of the incident from the lives of Shane and Paula as children, wherein Shane paints Paula blue. This incident actually occurred between Winston and Emily as is noted in book 2, "Hold the Dream."

I was taken aback by the vignette relating to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. This incident should have been developed more fully or omitted completely. Yes, the event showed in a limited way what some people went through. However, given the considerable wealth of the Hartes, O'Neills and Kallinskis, and the financial companies located in the World Trade Center at that time, isn't it likely that they would have been more affected than they were??

Some of the good things in this book: Tessa mellowing (after a harrowing experience) and acknowledging for the first time her true heritage; and the relationship between Edwina and several of Emma's great-granddaughers.

I am looking forward to the continuing saga of the clans.

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite authors does it again
Review: Taylor-Bradford brings us yet another mouth watering saga in Unexpected Blessings. An exciting family drama that rings out with the 80's night-time drama shows (Dallas, Dynasty, etc).

Another excellent family drama novel is LUST OF THE FLESH by Beverly Rolyat. A compelling, riveting, pageturning, eye-opening novel. Nick Allapapalous, a corrupted district attorney finds himself caught up in a web of destruction and deceit, lies, betrayal, lust, murder, mystery, suspense, romance and sex galore! Is he really the biological father of his ex-wife's promiscuous teenage daughter's infant son? Or has he been set up? An engaging and enlightening novel through and through. Happy reading.

Rating:
Summary: unbelievably boring and stupid
Review: The only people that can enjoy this book are those that have read the series. I havent and it was unbelievably boring. How can a great grand mother who DIED OVER not 5, 10 or 15 but 30 YEARS AGO have so much influence on her family memebers. There is nothing that makes me care for the characters when all i read about is how much they are snobish and cliquey, and wealthy, privelged and no outsiders allowed and Emma said this Emma said that. Its just not possible that family members down the line will mention emma's name evey single day of their lives. The book is also poorly written, so much exposition without any story. I througly hated this book. The writer should have ended with emma hartes story. The hartes are so elitist, i though i was reading about a secret society. Imagine ones daughter is kidnapped by her crazy father. What do you do? No, dont call the police because a long dead woman said no outsiders allowed. IT is much better if the father harms the child than having the GASP police(outsiders) involved. I am ranting now, but that book was a waste of time. I couldnt finish it. PLS dont waste your money.

Rating:
Summary: Unexpectedly Good
Review: This is my first book I've read by Barbara Taylor Bradford.

I didn't know it was part of an earlier series, but it didn't matter. This was a really interesting saga about a dysfuntional wealthy family, not unlike the best soap operas of the 1980's.

There was a great deal of drama, with beautiful descriptions of the finest clothes, designs and lifestyles. Mrs. Bradford is the best at painting a picture of an opulent room, or a room of fashion plates.

I will certainly be going back to read the earlier books in this series, starting with A Woman of Substance.

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating addition to the saga of a Yorkshire family
Review: To be part of a large devoted family, filthy rich and the owner of a booming international business is a dream many of us have yet very few of us live. Perhaps that's why we never get tired of reading of the adventures of Emma Harte and her descendants found in Barbara Taylor Bradford's novels.

In UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS we find the great-granddaughters of Mrs. Harte struggling to find their way in a world that has changed considerably since that of their great-grandmother. From the bustling and busy streets of London to the quiet and beautiful moors of Yorkshire, however, age-old traditions, sense of history and family values are dominant.

Evan Hughes, who arrived in England from America in EMMA'S SECRET, continues her work with Harte department stores and struggles with a secret that she would love to share with her father but fears might shatter his life as he knows it.

Tessa Longden is engaged in a messy divorce and custody battle with a man who will stop at nothing to get his way. The only bright point is the new love she has discovered, but dare she hope it's one that will last?

Linnet O'Neill is trying hard to forge a closer relationship with half-sister Tessa, but even business can come between the closest of sisters, much less two who have shared a lifelong rivalry.

Last but not least, India Standish is involved in a breathtaking romance with a talented and dedicated artist who has secrets and prejudices that could come between them and wreck the best thing India has ever found.

As if these day-to-day struggles are not enough, there are those who would wish the Harte descendants anything but good and will go to the greatest lengths to see them fall from their perch as one of England's strongest and most powerful families.

Barbara Taylor Bradford continues to fulfill our need to know what happens to her descendants in UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS. She proves that she hasn't lost her touch and can still weave a fascinating story to follow the previous novels: A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE, HOLD THE DREAM, TO BE THE BEST and EMMA'S SECRET.

While dedicated fans are sure to be entranced by the new adventures of characters who feel like old friends, new readers also will find themselves drawn into the elite lifestyle and family ties that bind the Hartes and will most likely look to the previous books to see where it all began.

--- Reviewed by Amie Taylor


Rating:
Summary: Not one of her best
Review: Usually I love Barbara Taylor Bradford books. This one was quite boring. It seemed to plod along with very little happening of interest. A very uninteresting murder plot was left unresolved in the end, but by then I really didn't care. This is a continued story of the family introduced in Woman of Substance. Which was outstanding. Perhaps she has milked the dynasty and characters with too many characters that are now best forgotten. Sorry to say it was not one of her best. Be sure to read most of he other books. Most are excellent.