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rscuderi's review against another edition
2.0
Something always bothered me about this book, but now having re-read and DNF it years later, I realized it's the whole ongoing blackmail premise. After everything that family went through in the first three books, Seth would never have continued paying hush money. It's just not realistic...and that bothered me. It was a slap in the face to his family.
jessthebibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as books 2 and 3 of this series, but better than the 1st.
corgigirl02's review against another edition
2.0
I've read a LOT of chick lit. When it's done well, it's a refreshing light hearted break from life. Every novel doesn't need to be deep with history or subplots & who doesn't enjoy a simple love story with a dishy bedroom scene? Unfortunately this is not good chick lit. While I believe Nora Roberts is a good writer, she falls far short of basic literary standards here. The basic storyline is just terrible. Carefully crafted phrasing can't fix a cliched premise from start to finish. The ending was almost painful to read as it was so trite and predictable. I do think this book could be fixed if you eliminated Gloria & Stella's portions of the narrative. This is the 4th book in a series. Perhaps the previous versions are better representations of Nora's art, but I'm not inclined to try reading the 3 preceding books. So many better options out there Chick Lit fans!
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
5.0
The last book in one of my favorite Nora Roberts series, this one shows one of her greatest strengths - the incredibly close families that she writes about. Seth the boy is all grown up now and coming home. He's been working in Europe for the past five years, determined to make his mark on his own terms. He's missed his family though and is also tired of running from the past. His love for his family is obvious in everything he does. He's not sappy with his brothers, they all know how they feel and they show their love in the teasing they do and how they are there for each other. His love for the women in his family is soft and warm and very protective. Seth himself is generally cheerful, laid back except when it come to his art when he can be very intense. From his first meeting with Dru he is captivated by her. He sees her beauty first and wants to paint her, but it's the woman who fascinates him. I love his won't take no attitude in the way he pursues her, but also his gentleness in that pursuit. He has some great moments in that pursuit with the way he meets all the challenges of overcoming her cautiousness around him. I also loved the way he held his own around her family and stood up for her to them. His love for her nearly made him push her away to protect her from his mother. His determination to keep Gloria away from his family and the lengths he went to were heartbreaking. I loved the way that she was finally dealt with.
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.
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.
tessiekat's review against another edition
4.0
Seth Quinn stole my heart. Not as bad as his older brother Ethan did, but I'm pretty sure I nearly swooned a couple times. I loved his romance with Dru. It depveloped so nicely. I'm sad that the story has to end here!
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 STARS
"Seth Quinn is finally home.
It's been a long journey. After a harrowing boyhood with his drug-addicted mother, he'd been taken in by the Quinn family, growing up with three older brothers who'd watched over him with love.
Now a grown man returning from Europe as a successful painter, Seth is settling down on Maryland'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, he's back in the little blue-and-white house where there'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. Christopher since he's been gone--and the most intriguing change of all is the presence of Dru Whitcomb Banks. A city girl who's 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 challenge--a challenge that she can't resist.
But storms are brewing that are about to put their relationship to the test. Dru's past has made her sensitive to deception--and slow to trust. And Seth's past has made him a target of blackmail--as a secret he's kept hidden for years threatens to explode, destroying his new life and his new love..." (From Amazon)
I enjoyed this family saga of four brothers finding love with a partner and family. Roberts is great at finding her heroes a heroine that not only meets their match but also someone that adds to their life. The relationship between the brothers is heartwarming and realistic. A great series. This is one of my favourite in the series.
"Seth Quinn is finally home.
It's been a long journey. After a harrowing boyhood with his drug-addicted mother, he'd been taken in by the Quinn family, growing up with three older brothers who'd watched over him with love.
Now a grown man returning from Europe as a successful painter, Seth is settling down on Maryland'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, he's back in the little blue-and-white house where there'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. Christopher since he's been gone--and the most intriguing change of all is the presence of Dru Whitcomb Banks. A city girl who's 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 challenge--a challenge that she can't resist.
But storms are brewing that are about to put their relationship to the test. Dru's past has made her sensitive to deception--and slow to trust. And Seth's past has made him a target of blackmail--as a secret he's kept hidden for years threatens to explode, destroying his new life and his new love..." (From Amazon)
I enjoyed this family saga of four brothers finding love with a partner and family. Roberts is great at finding her heroes a heroine that not only meets their match but also someone that adds to their life. The relationship between the brothers is heartwarming and realistic. A great series. This is one of my favourite in the series.
sunnydee's review against another edition
5.0
Dies ist der 4 Teil der Quinn-Saga, um 4 Brüder, die ihren Adoptivvater durch einen Unfall verloren haben und sich dann gemeinsam um den Jüngsten kümmern mussten. Nun geht es endlich um den jüngsten Bruder, Seth. Mittlerweile ist er ein Mann und ein angesagter Künstler. Nach längerer Abwesenheit kommt er zurück in das kleine Städtchen, in dem er seit seiner Adoption aufgewachsen ist und in dem seine Brüder (die alle in den vorherigen Bänden ihre Partnerinnen gefunden haben) mit ihren Familien leben. Schnell lernt er die nette und etwas außergewöhnliche Floristin kennen, die erst vor Kurzem in den Ort gezogen ist. Natürlich knistert es bald. Seth hat nicht nur privates Interesse an ihr, sondern möchte sie auch unbedingt zeichnen. Ob sie dies zulässt und wie sich ihre Beziehung entwickelt, müsst ihr natürlich selbst lesen. Neben der Liebesgeschichte gibt es auch wieder jede Menge schöner Momente mit den Brüdern und den verschiedenen Familienmitgliedern, die Seth natürlich sehr viel bedeuten. Das machte hier den großen Unterschied warum mir dieses Buch noch viel besser gefallen hat als die anderen drei. Ich mag Familienbande und Szenen, wo sie sich gegenseitig unterstützen und beschützen. Das bekam ich hier alles.
Ein klein wenig Spannung kam auf, da die 'gute' Gloria (Seths leibliche Mutter) immer noch ihr böses Spiel spielt. Allerdings ist das wirklich nicht nervenaufreibend oder überraschend. Es peppt die ganze Wohlfühlgeschichte einfach etwas auf. Ich persönlich brauche nicht viel Spannung und bin sehr froh, dass es auch Bücher gibt die so langsam und mit wenig Spannung daherkommen. Dafür gibt es hier jede Menge Gefühl und Familie.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin lässt einen richtig miterleben. Sie schreibt witzige, unterhaltsame aber auch sehr bewegende und emotionale Szenen.
Der Vorteil des Hörbuches liegt eindeutig beim Sprecher, Sascha Rotemund. Mein Gott kann der Mann schön vorlesen. Er hat eine so angenehme Stimme, dass man sich einfach nur irgendwo hinsetzen und ihm lauschen möchte. Die unterschiedlichen Charaktere bekommen alle eine eigene Stimme von ihm, ohne dass er einen Charakter künstlich übertreibt. Auch die verschiedenen Altersgruppen kann man allein an der Art wie er sie liest erkennen. Für mich gehört Sascha Rotemund zu den besten Hörbuchsprechern und daher würde ich das Hörbuch unbedingt empfehlen. Ich bin absolut kein Fan von gekürzten Hörbüchern und normalerweise höre ich diese aus Prinzip nicht. Hier bei dieser Reihe kann ich aber einfach nicht darauf verzichten. Die Kürzungen fallen beim Hören nicht sehr auf.
*Fazit:*
4,6 von 5 Sternen
Für mich war es der beste Teil der Reihe und somit ein sehr schöner Abschluss. Warmherzige Charakter, emotionale Beziehungen, ein toller Familienzusammenhalt und ein grandioser Sprecher machen dieses Hörbuch zu etwas ganz besonderem. Ich kann es jedem, der gern Contemporary Romane liest, empfehlen.
Reihe:
Tief im Herzen
Gezeiten der Liebesgeschichte
Hafen der Träume
Ufer der Hoffnung
Ein klein wenig Spannung kam auf, da die 'gute' Gloria (Seths leibliche Mutter) immer noch ihr böses Spiel spielt. Allerdings ist das wirklich nicht nervenaufreibend oder überraschend. Es peppt die ganze Wohlfühlgeschichte einfach etwas auf. Ich persönlich brauche nicht viel Spannung und bin sehr froh, dass es auch Bücher gibt die so langsam und mit wenig Spannung daherkommen. Dafür gibt es hier jede Menge Gefühl und Familie.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin lässt einen richtig miterleben. Sie schreibt witzige, unterhaltsame aber auch sehr bewegende und emotionale Szenen.
Der Vorteil des Hörbuches liegt eindeutig beim Sprecher, Sascha Rotemund. Mein Gott kann der Mann schön vorlesen. Er hat eine so angenehme Stimme, dass man sich einfach nur irgendwo hinsetzen und ihm lauschen möchte. Die unterschiedlichen Charaktere bekommen alle eine eigene Stimme von ihm, ohne dass er einen Charakter künstlich übertreibt. Auch die verschiedenen Altersgruppen kann man allein an der Art wie er sie liest erkennen. Für mich gehört Sascha Rotemund zu den besten Hörbuchsprechern und daher würde ich das Hörbuch unbedingt empfehlen. Ich bin absolut kein Fan von gekürzten Hörbüchern und normalerweise höre ich diese aus Prinzip nicht. Hier bei dieser Reihe kann ich aber einfach nicht darauf verzichten. Die Kürzungen fallen beim Hören nicht sehr auf.
*Fazit:*
4,6 von 5 Sternen
Für mich war es der beste Teil der Reihe und somit ein sehr schöner Abschluss. Warmherzige Charakter, emotionale Beziehungen, ein toller Familienzusammenhalt und ein grandioser Sprecher machen dieses Hörbuch zu etwas ganz besonderem. Ich kann es jedem, der gern Contemporary Romane liest, empfehlen.
Reihe:
Tief im Herzen
Gezeiten der Liebesgeschichte
Hafen der Träume
Ufer der Hoffnung
ebony_renaissance's review against another edition
3.0
Overall the series was quite enjoyable. But I have to say the second book that covers Ethan and Grace is my favorite. This fourth book took me several pages to really get into the plot. However, Nora Roberts is a consistent writer and delivers a decent read. Although Dru's character was a bit flat for me. For me the uptight, wealthy female routine was a repeat of Sybill in book three. I was hoping for a bit more variety and depth for Dru. Also, the reappearance of an old foe was a bit over done and mildly irritating. However, this series has delivered great beach reading for me this summer. It was a welcomed break from boring academic readings from grad school. Nevertheless, I still highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a good romantic series.