Rising Tides

This is the 2nd book in the Quinn series, and my least favorite, though it was better this time through than I remembered. (The first book was Sea Swept.)

Ethan is the strong, silent type, referred to as a "waterman," by which I assume is meant that he makes his living on the water. Grace is a single mother, extremely hard-working and devoted to her child. She's got a bit of estrangement from her father, but it's due to normal family stuff--they disappointed each other and were both too stubborn to be the first to forgive--rather than anything more dramatic than that.

Ethan's character was better explained than I remembered--introverted because of his past before coming to the Quinns. And I suppose that explains his self-imposed show more martyrdom, though it doesn't make me like it any better for being explained. "I can never marry because I might have a child and I can never have a child because my birth mother was an evil whore and I might pass on her genes." That doesn't make me sympathetic. It just makes me want to smack some sense into him. Which Anna does, eventually, in one of my absolute favorite scenes in the book.

I want to smack Grace, too. She married because she was pregnant, and divorced soon after. Her father was disappointed in her, which got her back up, and they've both stubbornly clung to what's often referred to as "pride"--more commonly known as stupidity, IMO. So she's preternaturally perfect, except for her "fatal flaw" of stubborn pride, which is seen as some sort of warped virtue. She cleans houses and waits tables until she's dead on her feet; she's The Perfect Mother, a genius at home decoration, the world's greatest cook, tall & slim & gorgeous of course, beloved by small children and animals, and can leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Then there's the problem that nothing much happens in this book. In the first one, the whole problem is set up, and the brothers have to change their lives. The third book has the climactic showdown. This one... there's not much development in the ongoing trilogy plot except for a demand from Seth's mother for more money. And with Ethan and Grace having the fewest conflicts of the three couples, it makes for a less engaging book.

And do I need to mention how much 22-year-old Ethan having the hots for 14-year-old Grace squicks me out? Do 22-year-old men (who aren't sickos) spend a lot of time pining after high school freshmen?

Okay, those are my complaints. But you'll notice that I did give this book 4 stars anyway. Why? Because despite the fact that I didn't particularly like the characters, they were very real and very understandable. And despite the fact that it didn't move the trilogy plot along very much, there were some wonderful scenes. show less

"Rising Tides" is Ethan Quinn's story and the strongest in the Chesapeake Bay series. I have to say though that the whole thing with Seth's biological mother has gotten beyond stupid at this point. There's a lot of things going on that I wonder why the police haven't become involved. We still have the magical realism elements popping up in this book that don't really work with everything else going on. Cameron is now married in this one and he and Anna are only in the last half of the book. Phillip barely feels real in this one and even when he is the subject of his own book still feels fake to me.

Ethan Quinn is quiet and loyal. He loves being on the water and now is turning his hand at helping his brothers with their hand made boating show more business. That said, this book is pretty hard to read since it deals with child rape. Though Phillip and Cameron's childhood stories are tough to read about, Ethan's definitely affected me. Ethan feels as if what happened to him as a child now makes him unclean and unworthy of love as an adult. When childhood friend Grace Monroe finally makes her feelings for Ethan known, they stumble along to something, though Ethan is reluctant to have things become permanent.

I did like Ethan for most of this book, and then I didn't at times. His talking down to Grace after she is almost assaulted was definitely one of those times. I really got tired of the men in this series and how they supposedly talked to women they cared about. At least he apologized though so that was something. Ethan is probably the brother that gets Seth the most so it was great to see the scenes involving them together. And Ethan telling Seth about his past has Seth opening up even more about things.

Grace was great and I felt for her. A young woman who had dreams of dancing that were taken away by her parents, she married a man she didn't really love who left her when she was about to give birth. She is now raising her 18 month old daughter on her own while working several jobs. I hated how Ethan and even other people acted like Grace was acting too prideful when her father treated her like dirt because she was pregnant before marrying, and is now divorced.

The writing was strong in this one, though the flow was off here and there. I think there were too many things going on with Seth's mother, the insurance company still, rumors about Ray Quinn, etc. When the book just focused on Ethan and Grace and their budding romance it really works.

The ending did make me laugh and sigh at times though. Ethan finally gets told about himself and it finally starts to sink in that what was done to him as a child doesn't have to shape the rest of his life. show less

This review was updated on A Weebish Book Blog as part of my TBT Review feature.

Ethan isn’t my favorite character in this series, but his and Grace’s book is very enjoyable and has it’s own part to play in the Chesapeake Bay Saga. I happily re-read this series every time I’m in a book slump and I need a Nora Roberts pick me up.

Ethan is the Tall, Dark, and Silent type. It’s not that he doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t feel the need to fill a space with words like I do. He’s content to work in silence or just soak up the lakeside air. Even though he’s not as approachable as his brother Cam, or even Phillip, he always surprises a laugh out of me. He’s also one of the most clueless men I have ever read about, especially show more when it comes to women. He compared Grace to a HORSE! I realize he was trying to compliment her long, silky legs, but seriously. A horse? Pfft.

Grace is an intriguing character. My original interest in RISING TIDES stems from my curiosity about she and Seth’s relationship, and now I can see why he has such a big crush on her. She’s a sweet, caring mother, and little bit naive. There are a few “poor, deluded Grace” moments,, but in the end I found her character endearing. And her daughter, Aubrey, was just adorable. My favorite character of the book, hands down.

This book might not have been my favorite of the Chesapeake Bay Saga, but it was a great read that I’m sure I’ll be re-reading again one day. If you’re family-thmed contemporary romances or a fan of Nora Roberts, check out this series. show less

Ethan wasn't my favorite character in this series, but his and Grace's book was very enjoyable and had it's own part to play in the Quinn/Chesapeake Bay Saga.

Ethan is what I would call the Tall, Dark, and Silent type. It's not that he doesn't speak, but he doesn't feel the need to fill the air with words like some people would. He's content to work in silence or just soak up the lakeside air. And even though he may not be as approachable as his brother Cam is, or even Phillip, he always surprises a laugh out of me.

He is also one of the most clueless men I have ever read on paper (I've met some fairly clueless men in person, most of them family members) , especially when it came to women. He compared Grace to a HORSE! I realize he was show more trying to compliment her long, sexy legs, but, seriously, why not a gazelle? I mean a horse?!? No woman wants to be compared to a horse.

Grace was an intriguing character. My original interest in RISING TIDES stems from my curiosity about she and Seth's relationship, and now I can see why he has such a big crush on her. She's so sweet, caring, and little bit naive. Okay, a lot naive. There were a lot of "poor, deluded Grace" moments for me, but she wasn't annoying like a lot of whinny contemporary chicks these days (*cough* Bella).

My favorite character in RISING TIDES, hands down, was Aubrey, Grace's toddler. She's just the most adorable little kid ever. I'd keep her as a pet if I could. Would it be wrong to keep a kid as a pet? Probably.

This book might not have been my favorite, but it was a great read that I wouldn't mind re-reading again sometime. If you're into the whole family saga/drama thing, or hell, just a fan of Nora Roberts, check out this series. I absolutely loved it, maybe you will too!

Read more reviews and recommendations @ No Book Left Behind Book Blog show less

This is book two in the Chesapeake Bay series. So far I've read books one and two, plus the several-years-later follow-up #4. Overall, this is definitely one of the meatier series. There's enough room for some true character development as well as an ongoing storyline that threads throughout the series. And, truth be told, I had a very hard time putting it down. (Read until 3 a.m. one night, even though I knew I had to be up by 7 the next morning.)

The one major issue I had was that there were a few instances where I felt that Ethan bordered on abusive. There were reasons for his actions that gave an acceptable background for this, and it was clear that there was supposed to be a kind of simmering temper in the background, and not one show more that would come out in a relationship. And, actually, from the character standpoint, I bought that. But there were some places where I felt the writing didn't quite provide that support for the character and took it a little too far. (Which I see as a distinction from having the character take it too far, if you know what I mean.) Because of this, I brought the rating down to a 3.5. Otherwise it would be a solid 4 (or even 4.5). show less

Ethan and Grace have known each other for years, and each has been in love with the other for almost as long, unbeknownst to each other. Unfortunately, Ethan's past comes between them, and they worry they won't be able to get past it.

While the dark tones of nearly all of the characters' pasts are incredibly unsettling (and I wonder at how well-adjusted and sexually "healthy" they are, especially those who were raped as children. And yes, there's more than one), the chemistry and love between Ethan and Grace is pretty tense and sexy.

Not for the faint of heart, and I'm not crazy about the reader, but overall, a decent read.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Quinn Brothers series. This book focuses on the love story between Ethan and Grace, the single mother who cleans their house and who the brothers have known since they were kids. The thread that ties the books together has to do with Seth, the youngest foster brother. The way he ended up as part of the family wasn’t entirely through the proper legal channels, so there is concern about his mother showing up in his life again. That storyline doesn’t really go far in this book, but the stage was set for some dramatic happenings in the next. And, in true Nora Roberts sibling saga fashion, there’s a ghost lurking in the background. I could actually do without that part, but I understand what show more she’s trying to do. Also, she does a wonderful job of bringing the Chesapeake Bay setting to life. I’ll definitely be finishing this series. show less