Customer Reviews

Chesapeake Blue (Chesapeake Bay Series)

5 star:		(88)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I absolutely loved the brothers trilogy, it was truly my favorite of all Nora Roberts trilogys. Of course I do love them all! This book was telling the story of Seth as he now is grown up. I felt like I knew the entire family and cared about each and every one of them.

Seth is home with his family, the business, and the mother who has followed him over the years since he was a young boy. Blackmailing him, doing her best to ruin everything for him and for the family that gave him everything and made him who he is. Although he's all grown up now, he'll still pay her off, do just about anything to protect the family he loves.

Dru enters the picture, who has fled a cheating fiance and the life of the wealthy in Washington D.C. to strike out on her own in St. Chris. She owns a flower shop and does her best to fit into the community. Given her experience with men, she doesn't want to fall in love, doesn't even want to date. But Seth can be as convincing as any of the Quinn men and Dru finds herself in love with Seth.

I think Nora Roberts did an excellent job with this ending story. Her plot was great, the ending was a surprise and all the characters we loved in this trilogy have returned. If you start with this book you may want to read the first three to start.

The amazing Quinn family is back!

Seth, the youngest Quinn, is home for the first time in years. An acclaimed painter, who is blessed with a gift he can't quite explain, Seth is as handsome and dynamic as the other Quinns. He comes home to find things in St. Chris much the same, with the exception of lovely Dru Whitcomb-Banks, a new shopkeeper in town. Dru is not what Seth expected and he soon finds himself drawn to her, despite his unsavory roots. She's carrying quite a bit of baggage herself, but finds that she's falling for him just the same.

Nora Roberts had already built a compelling family that intrigued readers through the first of the Chesapeake Bay saga, Sea Swept, Rising Tides and Inner Harbor. But in response to overwhelming reader demands (she dedicates the book to "Every reader who ever asked, "When are you going to write Seth's story?") she writes Seth to be as dreamy and decidedly alpha as the other Quinn men. Dru is a perfect match for Seth, strong willed and determined and also a bit of a lost soul. The combined traits make the couple vibrant and interesting. On top of that, you get to revisit your favorite characters from the first three books and find out what's become of them and their children. Nora's greatest gift is her ability to write a family that keeps the reader's attention.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to both first time, or habitual Noraholics! If this is your first Nora book, I suggest that you read the first three in the saga before reading Chesapeake Blue. You'll find your enjoyment of the story even greater having met the secondary characters before.

Nora's done it again!

Seth Quinn is all grown up and has returned home. He is a very successful artist, and while his family is excited to see him, they know something is wrong.

Gloria DeLauter is Seth's biological mother. She has been making threats to all he holds dear. While he is now an adult, her presence brings out his insecurities and old fears Seth thought he had banished. He has been paying her blackmail for years, but when she ups the ante; Seth knows he has to go to his family for help.

This is a good conclusion to the series. In this book we see the family dynamic come full circle. They laugh, argue, but they do it all as a family.

"Chesapeake Blue" by Nora Roberts is a wonderful addition to the excellent Chesapeake Bay trilogy of "Sea Swept", "Rising Tides", and "Inner Harbor". The much-anticipated tale of Seth Quinn has finally arrived, and it was well worth the wait. Nora Roberts has written a romantic, insightful, and touching tale that stays true to the original trilogy and is sure to have readers everywhere cheering and begging for more.

Seth Quinn, the troubled and angry young boy adopted by Cam, Ethan, and Phillip after the death of their father, Ray Quinn, is all grown up and coming home. Now a successful painter who has conquered Europe, all Seth wants is to return to the big white house on the bay and be with his family. Troubled by a secret that has weighed on him heavily for more than a decade, Seth needs the peace that only home can bring.

And it is absolutely wonderful to see all of the characters we fell in love with in the previous three books. We see the most of Cam and Anna, because Seth lives with them, but Ethan and Grace, and Phillip and Sybill are never far away. Though 18 years have passed, not a whole lot has changed as far as the Quinn family dynamics are concerned (though the family has grown considerably), which I was immensely relieved to see. Grace and Ethan's daughter Aubrey is all grown up as well, and is a very important part of Seth's life.

Though some things never change, like the love and support Seth's family will always provide, there have been some changes in his hometown of St. Christopher. The most fascinating of which is the arrival of Drusilla Whitcomb-Banks, who has moved from D.C. and opened a flower shop. Intrigued by the beautiful Drusilla, Seth sets about trying to get to know her better. Dru, who comes from a wealthy and influential family, has come to St. Chris to get away from the demands of her previous life. Seth is determined to paint the lovely Drusilla, and as he convinces her to pose for him, and spends as much time with her as possible, the two of them begin to fall in love.

The romance between Seth and Dru is beautifully rendered and sure to touch readers' hearts. Drusilla is slow to trust and wary of relationships, but her misgivings are no match for Seth's charm, warmth, and love. Seth and Dru make a fabulous couple, and I was completely caught up in their developing relationship.

But trouble is brewing on the horizon, and the painful secret that Seth has been hiding for years is about to come back with a vengeance. Linked to his painful past, Seth's secret has the ability to destroy his new love and hurt his family. Conflicted, unhappy, and determined to keep Dru and his beloved family out of the mess he is in, Seth is heading for disaster. Will Seth trust in Dru's love, bite the bullet, and tell her and his family the truth? The tight knit Quinn clan always sticks together when one of them is in trouble, but they can't help Seth if they don't know what's wrong. Will some visitations from the ghost of Stella Quinn be enough to convince Seth to share his burden? Or will Seth let his past destroy his newfound love and happiness?

"Chesapeake Blue" is a truly heart-warming and affecting tale that had me smiling and wiping away tears throughout. Seth Quinn is a great hero, and readers are guaranteed to fall in love with the sensitive, strong, and fun-filled man who grew from a scared and angry boy. Dru is, likewise, a great heroine. She's independent, determined, and a very loving person when you get below the surface. Add in the amazing Quinn clan from the previous three novels, and you've got yourself an incredible and complex cast of characters. Nora Roberts has an undeniable gift for creating families that readers would love to be a part of, and the Quinns are one of her greatest triumphs. "Chesapeake Blue" is a superb read, and it focuses just as much on the love and importance of family as it does on the romance between Seth and Dru. Nora Roberts has really outdone herself with this one, so buy "Chesapeake Blue" today.

Chesapeake Blue is the fourth in Nora Robert's Chesapeake bay trilogy, and, in my opinion, it is the weakest of the series. I will probably received many negative votes for this review, (especially in a forum of so many positive votes), but, here's the deal: Chesapeake Blue was an average read for me. The plot seemed contrived, the characterization forced, and the story suffering from the forced inclusion of too many characters from previous books.

Chesapeake Blue is the story of late 'twenty-something' Seth Quinn. Seth has decided to return to the small water front town, this time to stay, and hooks up with rich girl Drusilla Whitecomb. Both Seth and Dru have 'issues' they need to work out before getting together.

Seth: I had a great deal of difficulty envisioning Seth as a romantic lead from the way he is written. He still seems to be a little boy running away from his problems. (Personally, I really wish Nora had chosen to write about Aubrey, she was much more interesting as an adult). In Nora tradion Seth is a 'super rich, fantastically talented artistic bachelor', who can't seem to take no for an answer. He seemed to be very immature, and was really pushy with his relationship with Dru. I disliked the way he manipulated Dru to do things she didn't want to do, by using his art and artistic talent as a weapon, and I found his vocabulary and mannerisms.... Somewhat childish. (And I'm not referring to the cussing, that didn't bother me).

Dru: Dru was a much more interesting character, but was oodles more mature than Seth. Although her dysfunctional relationship with her parents was touched upon, this was never resolved to my satisfaction, and I failed to see that Dru and Seth had much in common as a couple aside from sexual chemistry.

The highlight of this story was NOT Seth and Dru's relationship, but seeing what had happened to the rest of the Quinns- but even there, Nora takes few risks. She portrays the Quinn extended family, as too perfect, a little too cohesive and a little too good to be true. I have come to expect a little more realism from Nora. Also, the Quinn's have lost a bit of their 'blue collar feel' which I really liked.

So, overall, I felt CB was an average novel with few surprises. Perhaps Aubrey's tale will be better?

Those of us who frequent Nora Roberts' Web site know that she was besieged for years by readers anxious for her to tell Seth Quinn's story. Seth, the youngest brother in the popular Chesapeake Bay trilogy, was about 14 years old when the series ended, and everybody (including this reviewer) wanted to know what happened to him when he grew up.

Nora obliges us diehards in this wonderful novel, which takes up where the others left off. We meet Seth as a gorgeous, sexy (what else?) and famous artist, who has returned home to his roots on the Chesapeake Bay to join his brothers and family--and also to try to escape a terrible secret.

No sooner does Seth set foot on his old stomping grounds than he meets the lovely Drusilla, proprietor of a new flower shop--and a blueblood escaping her own little secrets. As in all Roberts novels, their eyes meet--sparks fly--and the reader is drawn into a hot, steamy love affair with just enough conflict to make it truly interesting.

"Chesapeake Blue" is true to the Roberts format her fans have come to know and love. It uncovers no new ground, and is not particularly imaginative or breathtaking, as some of her other works can be. But it tells the story of Seth, and tells it well enough for all of Nora's fans to turn the last page with a smile and a sigh.

Dear Nora: Now can we have a sequel about Seth's as-yet unborn children?

Thank You Nora Roberts for very satisfying ending to the Chesapeake Bay Series with Seth's story! The book had me hooked from the begining, taking us back to the fateful car ride to Maryland with a 10 year old Seth. It jumps us to the "now" with Cam, Ethan and Phillip and their families still loving and living at Ray and Stella's home by the shore. Seth returns running from his demon and wants the security that was always home. He is a young master painter who has travled the world. He comes back to St. Chris and meets flower shop owner Druscilla, who is running away as well. The true wonder of the story is the rich comlexities of the brother's relationships. Ms. Roberts blends in humor and more importantly--overwhelming love. I wonder if the Quinn's would adopt me. I could see a book for Aubrey, but time will tell. Thanks Nora Roberts for the amazingly complicated Quinn Boys.
P.S. Thanks for Stella, too!

This book is a continuation of Nora Roberts' Chesapeake Bay trilogy. I'm sure that if you haven't read the trilogy, you could still enjoy this book. However, I have read the trilogy therefore this book was more meaningful and definitly more sentimental. In the trilogy we learned all about the four Quinn brothers and their tight family bonds. This story is about the youngest, Seth. Family still plays a major role in this book. It was like meeting old friends after so many years. I was happy to see that even though the Quinns were older their personalities hadn't changed. While falling in love with Dru, Seth still has to deal with unfinished business from his past. Once again he learns that "You mess with one Quinn, you mess with them all." If you haven't read the Chesapeake Bay triology (Sea Swept, Rising Tides and Inner Harbor) I highly recommend that you do. As usual, Ms. Roberts' characters are larger than life. Enjoy.

Nora Roberts has returned to the Quinn family from the Chesapeake Bay trilogy, fast forwarding to the adulthood of the last "lost boy" Seth. Since the Quinns have long been friends of mine, the release of this book was much anticipated. It did not disappoint! It was delightful to see glimpses of characters developed previously in the series, and an interesting twist that they are now twenty years older.

Though I'm sure Chesapeake Blue stands alone as an entertaining novel, I'm also sure it adds to this story if the Chesapeake Bay trilogy has been read.

In typical Roberts style, there is strong character development, intriguing interaction, and clever dialogue. Seth was quite a character at eleven, and he's even more so in his late twenties. The storyline itself is not as intricate as some of her other work, but that also is part of the charm -- the simplicity of returning to a quiet place, to the roots of family... the symbolism of returning home.

The fourth installment of the Quinn brothers' (or Chesapeake Bay) series is finally out, and well worth the wait of two and a half years.

Seth, the youngest of the four brothers, should not be a stranger. From Sea Swept to Inner Harbor, fans of the series have witnessed his slow transformation, from a belligerent, battered child to a balanced and quick-witted teen with a smart mouth. In Chesapeake Blue, he has come into his own. A world famous artist aptly titled "The Young Master" by the Italians, Seth finally returns home to St. Christopher for good.

While the books serves as a welcome reunion with the Quinns for her hordes of readers, the story revolves mainly around Seth. Gone is the undisciplined cacophony of a thousand and one family members a la the O'Hurleys and the Stanislaskis. Ms Roberts has managed to strike just the right balance this time round, between developing the newest couple and catching up with the older characters.

Seth and Druscilla more than amply hold their own against the previous three couples; the banter, buildup and intimacy of their relationship is no less intense or heartwarming. Seth is the quintessential Nora Roberts hero, while Dru, his perfect complement. The former is hard-headed, charismatic and arrogant (just so) while the latter is reserved, strong willed and passionate. Watching them take stumbling steps towards each other is a pleasure, even with an anticipated fallout courtesy of an old threat.

Other characters are drawn just as vividly, with the spunky Aubrey heading the list. The lip-lock scene was unexpected, hilarious and wholly unexpected. Seth's two childhood buds, Dan and Wil, who used to hung around him uninvited, also return for interludes. Not to forget too, the precocious sons of Cam and Anna, the elder of whom looks set to follow the illustrious "woman in every port" habits of his father in his heydays :) .

But for me, the most simple and stunningly written part was the first introduction of Stella Quinn (Seth's Grandma) and Foolish (Seth's dog). Paranormal sightings aside, those few pages were a bona fide scene stealer. Not only did it bring Stella to readers, it also subtly reminds us of the love and continuity that is family.

And that perhaps, is what Chesapeake Blue is all about.