"Seth's turn"

Alright, I admit it. I was skeptical when I read that Ms. Roberts had written a book about Seth Quinn. It's not that I had anything against Seth. It's just that he was only about eleven years old the last time I met him. Logically I understand that he is only a fictitious character, but Nora Roberts' characters feel almost real. So, in my mind, Seth was still a child. I quickly got past that the moment I started reading CHESAPEAKE BLUE.

Seth Quinn is a world-famous artist, a man who has traveled the world sketching and painting anything that catches his fancy, from the Irish countryside to a nude Italian woman. His life is carefree and filled with what he loves -- his art. Until he realizes that his past is catching up with him again.

Fleeing back to St. Christopher, the tiny town on the Chesapeake Bay, Seth is welcomed back into the arms of his unusual family. But even though he tries to conceal his pain, they notice that something is wrong . . .

Drusilla Whitcomb Banks, formerly a D. C. socialite and hiding from her own problems, has opened her flower shop in St. Chris to get away from the bustle of big cities and to experience small-town camaraderie. In her zest to establish an independent, self-reliant life, Dru never counted on Seth breezing into her life and changing everything.

Once again, Nora Roberts has written a captivating tale full of emotion and drama, as well as laughter and lightheartedness. Seth is a fantastic comibination of his brothers -- he has Cam's temper and bravado, Ethan's uncanny ability to listen, and Phillip's appreciation for the finer things in life. Fans of her Quinn family series will be pleased to note that all of the main characters from the past books make strong appearances in CHESAPEAKE BLUE, although Phillip -- my favorite -- could have been in it more. That's not a complaint, just an opinion.

Complex or simple, Ms. Roberts' plots never disappoint. Even the smallest detail is made important and is never forgotten, making her writing more solid than many authors on the market today. Her characters are rich and realistic and the waterfront setting is beautifully described.

Reviewed by Kelley Hartshorn
Posted December 5, 2002

Don't miss the other books in the Quinn Brothers Trilogy
Sea Swept (Cameron's story)
Rising Tides (Ethan's story)
Inner Harbor (Phillip's story)
and finally,
Chesapeake Blue (Seth's story)

Summary

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, 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. . . .