Fortunate Harbor
by Emilie Richards
Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Mira
Available: June 29, 2010
Book received from: Planned Television Arts
Join five women connected only by their growing friendship and the road that runs like a lifeline between their cottages in a rundown Florida development called Happiness Key.
Tracy Deloche finally gets a chance to swap business for a romantic evening with Marsh Egan, but dinner goes cold when she spots her ex-husband prowling outside her cottage. CJ is supposed to be in prison and out of her life for good. Exactly what is this modern day pirate seeking and what will it mean for Tracy’s future?
Janya Kapur envies every pregnant woman she sees, but Rishi, her husband, is suddenly reluctant to talk about children. Is he disappointed in her inability to conceive? Their marriage was a contract between strangers. Can they ever hope for anything more?
Waitress Wanda Gray loses her job after new owners turn the Dancing Shrimp into a tapas bar. Wise neighbor Alice Brooks’ suggestion that Wanda start her own business seems like a brilliant solution, until Wanda starts Pie War I with the owners of the local bakery.
When the empty cottage at Happiness Key is rented by single mother Dana Turner, everything seems perfect. With Alice volunteering to watch her daughter while she works and Wanda’s offer of a job, this spit of Florida Gulf Coast land should be a fortunate harbor for a mother and daughter who have moved far too often-except for Dana’s shocking secret.
As the women of Happiness Key struggle to discover the truth in time to help their new neighbor, their only weapon is friendship. But will friendship be enough?
REVIEWER: Samantha
Fortunate Harbor is the second book in Emilie Richard’s Happiness Key series. It tells the story of 5 nosey and gossipy women who live in the same rundown beach cottage community in Florida. It appears this book is technically classified as a contemporary romance although romance is hard to come by in this book.
Fortunate Harbor is 520 pages long and why it needed to be that long, I have no idea. For me the author goes into way too much detail about insignificant things that don’t really enhance the story or serve much purpose. About ¼ of the way through the book I found myself getting hung up on what she could delete that I would lose myself and have to go back a few pages to start over.
I did enjoy the characters of Dana and her young daughter, Lizzie. Dana and her daughter have been on the run for many years, but from what we don’t know until almost the very end. Eventually Dana meets Pete, a handyman who is a widow and retired from the military. Romance brews from their friendship, but don’t expect any sexy excitement on the pages of the book. I also found the character of Janya to be one of the few redeeming qualities of the book. Janya is from India and in an arranged marriage. She and her husband are struggling with trying to get pregnant. Throughout the book you get to see Janya grow into a more self-confident and outspoken woman. I appreciated seeing some growth in one of the characters.
If you like to know every minute detail and don’t mind sitting through 520 pages to get to the end of the mystery that surrounds Dana and her daughter, then maybe this is the book for you. It just didn’t work for me. In fact I struggled for 3 days on how to even write this review. If I could have, I would of summed up the whole thing by simply saying, “It was a hot mess.”
Thanks for the review Samantha, sorry this one wasn’t for you. –FV
Purchase a copy of Fortunate Harbor
Other books in the series:
Happiness Key
Other reviews on GoodReads
Visit author at:
Website | Blog |Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads
GIVEAWAY:
Thanks to Planned Television Arts, I have a copy of Fortunate Harbor to giveaway. Here is your chance to read the book an see if you agree or disagree with this review. Simply leave a comment letting us know if you would like to be entered to win. Open to all, ends June 19—winner announced the following day.
About FV Samantha
Aw bummer – the premise sounded really interesting.
First time hearing about this one, sounds good! tWarner419@aol.com
Eeee… sorry it didn't work for you Samantha.
Oh my..this does not sound like my type of book. Thanks for the review Samantha.
This is my first review where I had to give a bad one. I felt horrible writing it.
Maybe this type of book works for some?
I would be curious to hear others thoughts on it actually. I hope whoever wins the giveaway comes back and provides a comment.
I would like to read it. I think your review was really honest. Not everyone can like every book. I would rather hear an honest review than a sugar coated one. I have read more books than I care to admit, that had a great premise, and failed to live up to it.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Honesty is always the best. I enjoyed readin your post. Thanks.
dorcontest at gmail dot com
Thank you for your honesty. Not every book can be liked by everyone. I would be interested in seeing whether I like the book.
lovemybabysquid at yahoo dot com
I would like to be entered for this one. I haven't tried her books before.
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
This sounds really interesting, I'd love to give this book a shot!
I haven't heard of this book but would be interested to try.
I enjoyed such an honest interview.
Fortunate Harbor sounds like something I would enjoy reading, please enter me!
Thank you!
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com
I found your review to be intriguing and one that I think I would take pleasure in reading.
Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway.
steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com
I would like to be entered to win this book. It sounds like a great read. Thanks for this chance.
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
Sorry this book wasn't satisfying. I'd be willing to try it out though!
meredithfl(at)gmail(dot)com
I'd love to be entered. I wonder what I'll think of the book.
chirth7@yahoo.com
Oh I'd love to read the book & take a chnace on it.
christina101092@yahoo.com
I'd like to read it and hope that I'll like it. Hope to win it!!
Thanks for the giveaway!!
shundelt@yahoo.com