TITLE: Rising Tides
AUTHOR: Nora Roberts
COPYRIGHT: 1998
TYPE: Romance
PAGES; 330
SERIES: Yep Book 2 in a 4 book series
1. Sea Swept
2. Rising Tides

REASON FOR READING: I enjoyed book 1 and really liked Ethan’s character so I had to read what happened to him.

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Set on the windswept shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Nora Roberts's Rising Tides, the second book in the Quinn Brothers trilogy, continues the story of the lives and loves of adopted brothers Ethan, Cameron, and Philip Quinn. Eager to honor their father's dying wish that their other brother, Seth, be cared for, the three settle into life with a 10-year-old. Of all the brothers, it is Ethan who finds himself drawn to the young boy, because both suffered horrific abuse before being adopted by the Quinns. Time hasn't extinguished Ethan's pain, only buried it deep within his heart, a fact that may keep him from the only woman he has ever loved

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
Ethan’s story is the one that I wanted to read the whole time I was reading Cam’s story. I really enjoyed how serious he was, how calm, and that he took his time before making a decision he appeared to be the kind of man you could like and respect. I also found that I was really interested in Grace’s story during book 1. She appeared to be the kind of woman I could be friends with and I just wanted to see her get a HEA. The book takes off a few months after the last one. Cam and Anna are married and on a honeymoon in Rome. Leaving Seth with Ethan which was good b/c Seth’s past was a WHOLE hell of a lot like Ethan’s the only difference was how far the abuse went. God what Ethan had to go through was horrible and I found myself crying with Grace while he told her. The shame and guilt he felt and the fact he believed he was tainted about broke my heart.
As far as Grace is concerned she is doing everything she can just to survive. She has a daughter with no father. Her own father cut her out of his life (but that was a mutual thing) she is working 2 jobs and trying to give her little girl the best life she can. She was exactly what Ethan needed.

Things I enjoyed:
-I really enjoyed that Ethan helped Seth come to terms with his shame and helped him to realize that he was still an okay kid even after what had happened to him. I really feel that Ethan is the reason that Seth started to connect with the family.
-I enjoyed Grace. Yes at times she was beyond stubborn but she figured out early in life you can’t count on anyone to take care of you but yourself and by God did she ever.
-Watching these two dance back and forth fighting their feelings, mis-reading each other and not talking would usually be a turn off for me. But in this case I really enjoyed it.

Things I didn’t care for:
-I didn’t care for the almost rape scene that happened at the bar and how Ethan reacted to. I thought it was a little out of character for him and didn’t do anything for the plot other than help Grace realize that maybe it is okay to ask for help.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it. It was a cute book but not a re-read for me.

SCORE: 7 out of 10

Anything Else: You really need to read book one in order to fully appreciate the situation with Seth and the brothers.
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100+ Book Challenge

47 / 100 books. 47% done!

2nd in a series

5 / 12 books. 42% done!

TITLE: Sea Swept
AUTHOR: Nora Roberts
COPYRIGHT: 1998
TYPE: Romance
PAGES; unsure
SERIES: 1st in the series
1. Sea Swept

REASON FOR READING: Well I’ve never read a Nora book before and this one came HIGHLY suggested so I figured why not

Summary : {From Goodreads}
Sea Swept tells the tale of three brothers--all former juvenile delinquents adopted by Raymond Quinn and his wife, Stella. Cameron, Ethan, and Philip are as different as can be, but they are bound by their love and respect for their adoptive father, who has recently passed away. On his deathbed he asks his sons to look after their most recent brother, 10-year-old Seth, who--if the rumors are to believed--just may be Ray's biological son. Of course, the brothers don't know anything about caring for the young boy, and if social worker Anna Spinelli has anything to say about it, they won't. However, the sparks that fly over the fate of Seth are nothing compared to the romantic sparks that fly between Anna and Cameron

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
For my first Nora book it was pretty good. I enjoyed the setting St. Christopher Bay. The brothers were different all from a horrible background and taken in by wonderful people who gave them a chance to better their lives. The only hiccup was the fact they were all BEAUTIFUL, GIFTED, RICH, Ect… and so forth including the women listed. That got old but I cancelled that out based on their horrible childhoods and made it work. The brothers are living their lives when it falls apart. The man they call Dad just died and left behind a kid just like them. Only this time Seth is left with scandal. The town believes that he is Ray’s son which of course the brother’s don’t believe. This book focuses on the eldest Cam who races boats for a living and his “heroine” Anna who happens to be Seth’s Social Worker.

Things I enjoyed:
-Anna she was very strong, she knew what she wanted and wouldn’t stop at anything to get it. Plus when Cam was being an ass she decided that yes it would hurt but she didn’t need him to survive. She is a heroine after my own heart and I really enjoyed her whipping Cam into shape.
-The plot was pretty good and watching Seth and the brothers come to terms with their life being flipped around was very sweet. I also liked that Seth and Cam liked each other but at the same time didn’t know how to take each other. It wasn’t like the brothers became a family all at once.
-Seeing how the brothers interact with each other was fantastic. Their fights and arguments were very believable.

Things I didn’t care for:
- Like I stated above the brothers were almost too perfect. They were all handsome, rich, well to do, had a great job, ect. It was a little too much
- I didn’t care for “Ray” making a ghost like appearance I thought that was a little silly. I guess it worked but something about it was off for me.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing on it. While it was cute it just wasn’t a re-read for me.

SCORE: 6 out of 10

Anything Else: I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fluffy and quick romance read.
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100+ Book Challenge

44 / 100 books. 44% done!

1st in a series Challenge

12 / 12 Books. 100% done! DONE BABY!!!!

Okay I finished my first Nora book. All and all pretty good. I liked the characters, and even though they appeared to all be "too perfect" (everyone of them was handsome, beautiful, good with kids, had the money, great personalities ect.) I still found that I liked them. Maybe it was due to them having such horrible backgrounds or whatnot.
I liked that our hero actually had to fight for our heroine and that she would have been fine without him. She was capable and able to move on even though it hurt (that was very nice.) I liked that he had to admit that Seth was growing on him and that he allowed him in.

All and all good like I said and yes for those of you curious I will be reading book 2 by her in this series b/c I'm just that curious. And if that holds my attention I will pick up book 3.

So what did you like about it? What were you favorite parts? and whose your fav brother?

Well I finally did it. I took the plunge and began my first Roberts book. And man am I sucked in or what. The sad part no idea why other than the lady knows how to write a novel that tugs at your heart. But I digress the reason this is important is A) I've never read Nora b/c I had a prejudice against her and B) I figured it was time to grow plus most of her novels (that I know of) are contempoary romance and I just don't care for them.

Okay so I started it today during my 12 hour shift and was like okay no biggie. Then WHAM she hit me with a plot twist and 3 brothers that I must know all about. Ethan has my heart as does his possible heroine so really looking forward to that story. Cam is a woman's version of a wet dream and Philip is the one I would marry simple for money. But the backstories will make you want to cry and smile.

Seth's story is the one that's breaking my heart. Watching him grow has been wonderful and I can't wait to see what he does with his brothers or how the story pans out. So needless to say my first experience so far with Nora has been a winner. Makes me wonder why I'm so against contemporaries (and am I even spelling them right?)

So what's your favorite Nora story? Did you have the same notions I had about her?