Review: Harbor Nights by Marcia Evanick

Yes, so I totally got sucked into a light-hearted romance novel last night, and almost finished the silly thing before my eyes started slamming shut. Besides, I'm still trying to get through Stephen King's The Stand, at the request of a student, and just needed something lighter before bed! (In case you didn't know, King's novel is about a "superflu," which feels a bit weird to be reading about right now with the whole swine flu mania.) Today at school, while my students were testing, I could only sit quietly and monitor, so I pulled out my book and finished it. I debated reviewing it, but decided I might as well.

Synopsis: In this stand-alone novel by Marcia Evanick, we find 24 year-old Norah and her recently divorced mother in Misty Harbor, Maine. (All of Evanick's novels pretty much take place in this same town, but somehow don't overlap.) Feeling shaken by an abusive relationship with her father, Norah looks at men with a good deal of distrust. She has moved to Misty Harbor with her mother, to support her in her new life. Together, they are building new lives, and trying to learn how to not be victims any longer. Enter the next door neighbor's 27 year old son, Ned, who is hunky and mysterious, and you have the makings of a romance novel. Can Norah trust any man enough to fall in love?

Review: While I have to say that I really liked a previous Christmas novel written by Evanick (which is why I tried this one out), I will say that the story felt predictable at times. Even in my synopsis, you get the general gist of what's to come, the issues they'll have to face, and what will end up happening, but you just don't know the specifics. Yes, there are a couple of sex scenes, but it doesn't take up the entirety of the book like some romance novels. The characters are likeable enough that you do care and want to find out what happens...even if you already sort of know. Although this wasn't one of my favorite reads ever, nor the best romance I've read, I can give Evanick props for writing a romance that I could get into pretty quickly. I had a few laughs at the silly things the characters said or did (once again, because I had a sense of what was going to happen), but overall, found that as far as romances go, it wasn't the worst I've ever read.

P.S. Congrats to my good friend Sarah, who gave birth to an 8lb 2 oz baby girl on Sunday morning! She called me at work today to give me (and the entire gang) the good news. Congratualations Sarah! Can't wait to see her! :)