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Home to Harbor Town #1
The Hometown Hero Returns
At eighteen, Marianna thought she'd found the man of her dreams in Marc. That perfect romance fell to pieces when an unspeakable tragedy tore them apart. Yet when Marc reappears in her life fifteen years later, the sparks between them are as explosive as the day they first met.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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332 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 6, 2018
Liked it. Not as hot as her erotic books. In fact the first time they have sex - on meeting after ten long years - the author doesn't let us in! *sigh*
I liked both the h/H. Can't blame them for the choices they made in the past and the separation.
Young lovers torn apart by tragedy and fate. (Literally torn apart from each other's arms as they were just about to have sex for the first time. Talk about timing!) Meet again after ten years and how they cope with the same issues that separated them in the first place. I found the West Asian heritage of the h interesting and how her parents have double standards on their son and daughter dating. I found it authentic. Although with a boy like Marc showing interest in their daughter, any sane parent would react the same! “Their grins of delight upon seeing him subtly changed over a single summer, replaced by tense, slightly suspicious expressions.” Lol.
Actually it's about three families (and kids thereof) who find themselves in the eye of a storm as one drunk parent ends up killing 3 adults and injuring one child. There's anger, grief, uprooting and a lawsuit. So from this complicated mess are culled 4 books. I will read the other books too - later.
I liked both the h/H. Can't blame them for the choices they made in the past and the separation.
Young lovers torn apart by tragedy and fate. (Literally torn apart from each other's arms as they were just about to have sex for the first time. Talk about timing!) Meet again after ten years and how they cope with the same issues that separated them in the first place. I found the West Asian heritage of the h interesting and how her parents have double standards on their son and daughter dating. I found it authentic. Although with a boy like Marc showing interest in their daughter, any sane parent would react the same! “Their grins of delight upon seeing him subtly changed over a single summer, replaced by tense, slightly suspicious expressions.” Lol.
Actually it's about three families (and kids thereof) who find themselves in the eye of a storm as one drunk parent ends up killing 3 adults and injuring one child. There's anger, grief, uprooting and a lawsuit. So from this complicated mess are culled 4 books. I will read the other books too - later.
April 19, 2011
This feels a bit strange reviewing a 'non-erotic' romance by Beth Kery--I think The Hometown Hero Returns is BK's first venture into category romance, and it's a little on the 'mild' side compared to Wicked Burn, Release, Daring Time, and Sweet Restraint--all true scorchers. So it took me a little while to get over the lack of explicit detail in the love scenes, but once I adjusted, I realized Beth Kery can still write a good story without relying on the heat.
This is a second-chance-at-love story. In Harbor Town, Michigan fifteen years ago, eighteen-year-old Marianna "Mari" Itani and twenty-one-year-old Marc Kavanaugh were on the verge of consumating their love when a terrible tragedy interrupted them, changing the course of their lives as well as others. Mari moved from Michigan, never to see her first love Marc again. Now 33 year-old Mari is a San Francisco Symphony cellist, in Chicago (where Marc works as a state's attorney) for a performance. Marc attends the concert, follows her back to her hotel, and to make a long story short, they end up doing what they'd planned to do 15 years ago. But was it a mistake? Maybe you can't go home again...or can you?
The Hometown Hero Returns relies most on character development over plot. The plot is pretty simple--will Mari and Marc be able to find what they once had 15 years ago, or will the past (and their families) get in their way? Will they be able to overcome the obstacles (the main one being Marc's mother) that threaten their future? I won't be giving up a spoiler (since it's on the back book blurb) by telling you that Mari gets pregnant from her brief encounter in Chicago, but is that enough for Mari and Marc to try again?
Beth Kery does a good job making Mari and Marc and their difficulties and passion for each other seem real--I got a good sense of the types of people they were and felt like I knew where they were coming from. They were likable characters, their passion was hot (but not explicit--you must use your imagination a bit), and I was rooting for them. Yes, sometimes Mari tried my patience (especially when she was willing to let Marc's disapproving Mom decide her futute--I wanted her to fight harder for the man she supposedly loved!)
Throughout the book we meet interesting characters (Marc's brother and sisters, Mari's brother) who I think will one day get their own stories (in fact, Marc's police detective brother Liam will get his story next). So even though this isn't the Beth Kery I'm used to reading, I am looking forward to reading more in this series. For the first book in a series, BK does a good job--4 stars.
This is a second-chance-at-love story. In Harbor Town, Michigan fifteen years ago, eighteen-year-old Marianna "Mari" Itani and twenty-one-year-old Marc Kavanaugh were on the verge of consumating their love when a terrible tragedy interrupted them, changing the course of their lives as well as others. Mari moved from Michigan, never to see her first love Marc again. Now 33 year-old Mari is a San Francisco Symphony cellist, in Chicago (where Marc works as a state's attorney) for a performance. Marc attends the concert, follows her back to her hotel, and to make a long story short, they end up doing what they'd planned to do 15 years ago. But was it a mistake? Maybe you can't go home again...or can you?
The Hometown Hero Returns relies most on character development over plot. The plot is pretty simple--will Mari and Marc be able to find what they once had 15 years ago, or will the past (and their families) get in their way? Will they be able to overcome the obstacles (the main one being Marc's mother) that threaten their future? I won't be giving up a spoiler (since it's on the back book blurb) by telling you that Mari gets pregnant from her brief encounter in Chicago, but is that enough for Mari and Marc to try again?
Beth Kery does a good job making Mari and Marc and their difficulties and passion for each other seem real--I got a good sense of the types of people they were and felt like I knew where they were coming from. They were likable characters, their passion was hot (but not explicit--you must use your imagination a bit), and I was rooting for them. Yes, sometimes Mari tried my patience (especially when she was willing to let Marc's disapproving Mom decide her futute--I wanted her to fight harder for the man she supposedly loved!)
Throughout the book we meet interesting characters (Marc's brother and sisters, Mari's brother) who I think will one day get their own stories (in fact, Marc's police detective brother Liam will get his story next). So even though this isn't the Beth Kery I'm used to reading, I am looking forward to reading more in this series. For the first book in a series, BK does a good job--4 stars.
April 21, 2011
My initial reaction to hearing that one of my favorite erotic romance writers is doing a Harlequin series is the same reaction I have to my favorite PNR authors jumping into the YA genre…."Waaaait! Noooo! Stay with us!” (Sherrilyn Kenyon - I’m looking at you!) But then I tell myself to stop being selfish, and I follow along on the author’s creative journey because I want to hear their voice more than anything. I’m excited about Beth’s exposure to a whole new group of fans, and although I missed my precious wicked hot love scenes and had to keep reminding myself “This is Harlequin! Not Harlequin Blaze!”, this sweet romance did have much of her signature strong emotional undertone that I’m accustomed to in the Berkley titles.
Fifteen years after a major Harbor Town tragedy has torn apart 3 families, including the families of Marianna (“Mari”) Itani and Marc Kavanaugh, the story opens with Marc tracking down his first love in a Chicago hotel for a night of passion they should have, and nearly shared, as teenagers. Fearing the tension and animosity between the remaining Itani’s and Kavanaugh’s too strong, Mari “no shows” the next day, doesn’t return Marc’s calls and basically disappears for weeks until Marc spots Mari at a Harbor Town summer parade, on the eve of the tragedy’s anniversary. (I keep referring to the “tragedy” – it’s a rather unique set-up for a romance novel, one that I’d rather not spoil) Unbeknownst to Mari, she’s now pregnant with Marc’s baby.
As teens, it was perfectly acceptable for Mari’s brother to date around, but her Lebanese family had a strick “hands off” policy when it came to their daughter. Realizing the unfairness in this, Mari rebelled and made out with Marc in secret places all over her family’s home :) But this is not the Mari of today. With the stress of the pregnancy that she isn’t aware of, the actual clashes between the tragedy’s victims/survivors, and the icy daggers Marc’s mother keeps shooting Mari’s way, Mari believes that rekindling her relationship with Marc is selfish and dishonoring the memory of her family. Marc was really the best part of the story for me – I love a “hero pursuer” storyline, and boy does he! It takes a lot of patience on Marc’s part to convince Mari that they should live their lives for themselves, and not give up on a potential future together for the sake of appeasing their families. I mean, there were a few moments when I didn’t even think Mari deserved Marc, and I wanted to smack her! He’s gorgeous! He loves you! You’re having a baby! What’s the problem, babe? But then I tempered those thoughts with my lack of understanding for the volatile , almost unimaginable position Mari’s in (more on that “tragedy”), and so I gave her some slack :) Plus Marc’s romantic side more than made up for her flightiness. The love scenes were still sensual and captivating – Hello, front yard tree! *wink*
I’m excited to continue with the series and especially looking forward to the stories of Mari and Marc’s brothers – the cop & the military man – and more intertwining love lives of guilt-ridden survivors.
Fifteen years after a major Harbor Town tragedy has torn apart 3 families, including the families of Marianna (“Mari”) Itani and Marc Kavanaugh, the story opens with Marc tracking down his first love in a Chicago hotel for a night of passion they should have, and nearly shared, as teenagers. Fearing the tension and animosity between the remaining Itani’s and Kavanaugh’s too strong, Mari “no shows” the next day, doesn’t return Marc’s calls and basically disappears for weeks until Marc spots Mari at a Harbor Town summer parade, on the eve of the tragedy’s anniversary. (I keep referring to the “tragedy” – it’s a rather unique set-up for a romance novel, one that I’d rather not spoil) Unbeknownst to Mari, she’s now pregnant with Marc’s baby.
As teens, it was perfectly acceptable for Mari’s brother to date around, but her Lebanese family had a strick “hands off” policy when it came to their daughter. Realizing the unfairness in this, Mari rebelled and made out with Marc in secret places all over her family’s home :) But this is not the Mari of today. With the stress of the pregnancy that she isn’t aware of, the actual clashes between the tragedy’s victims/survivors, and the icy daggers Marc’s mother keeps shooting Mari’s way, Mari believes that rekindling her relationship with Marc is selfish and dishonoring the memory of her family. Marc was really the best part of the story for me – I love a “hero pursuer” storyline, and boy does he! It takes a lot of patience on Marc’s part to convince Mari that they should live their lives for themselves, and not give up on a potential future together for the sake of appeasing their families. I mean, there were a few moments when I didn’t even think Mari deserved Marc, and I wanted to smack her! He’s gorgeous! He loves you! You’re having a baby! What’s the problem, babe? But then I tempered those thoughts with my lack of understanding for the volatile , almost unimaginable position Mari’s in (more on that “tragedy”), and so I gave her some slack :) Plus Marc’s romantic side more than made up for her flightiness. The love scenes were still sensual and captivating – Hello, front yard tree! *wink*
I’m excited to continue with the series and especially looking forward to the stories of Mari and Marc’s brothers – the cop & the military man – and more intertwining love lives of guilt-ridden survivors.
April 7, 2011
Well written, straight forward (no stalkers, no paranormal aspects, no intrigue) romance about high school sweethearts who were torn apart by a tragedy involving both their families and their attempts to get back together. It is now 15 years later and they must deal with the events of the past and various family members' unresolved grief, loss and resentment. Marc and Mari were well developed characters and despite being a little too perfect, were very likable as were numerous secondary characters (this is the start of a series, it seems). I enjoyed the setting of Chicago (my home town) and Southwest Michigan (my current stomping grounds) though I had to suspend disbelief over all the properties with a View of Lake Michigan. Even in Michigan's depressed economy, that is still prime real estate.
My biggest issue was with the title which really makes no sense to the story. Finally it dawned on me that this is a Harlequin title and I stopped trying to figure it out. At any rate, the book is a departure from Beth Kery's more erotic romances, but a very sweet story where much of the story's conflict is internal, rooted in past trauma and current fears and insecurity. Not my usual choice for reading, but nicely done. I noticed one reviewer complained about family playing such a big part in why it was hard for these two to reconnect. Personally, I found that very believable considering what everyone had been through and how close the characters were to their families.
I look forward to future installments.
My biggest issue was with the title which really makes no sense to the story. Finally it dawned on me that this is a Harlequin title and I stopped trying to figure it out. At any rate, the book is a departure from Beth Kery's more erotic romances, but a very sweet story where much of the story's conflict is internal, rooted in past trauma and current fears and insecurity. Not my usual choice for reading, but nicely done. I noticed one reviewer complained about family playing such a big part in why it was hard for these two to reconnect. Personally, I found that very believable considering what everyone had been through and how close the characters were to their families.
I look forward to future installments.
May 26, 2020
2 stars, i guess the characters of marc and mari were nice even though they were a little boring. the real issue here is his mother brigit. like, you're telling me her husband was drunk driving and caused an accident that killed mari and eric's parents yet it's somehow gives HER a license to be a complete bitch to mari because she's upset the other 2 families received settlement money? also her children are fully aware that their mother is a horrible person but they refuse to say anything to her. like i literally cannot digest being rude to the children whose parents died because of your husband breaking the law, he essentially murdered them. also, marc being a divorcee was so unnecessary to the plot and kind of unrealistic. he mentions his ex-wife in passing maybe twice and that's only in relation to how he didn't want to work things out with her.
March 31, 2011
2 ½ stars. I love you but your mother doesn’t like me so we can’t be together. I’d prefer a different plot.
STORY BRIEF:
Mari and Marc fell in love as teenagers in Harbor Town. When Mari was 18, Marc’s father Derry was drunk and caused an auto accident killing himself, Mari’s parents, and Eric’s mother. Most of Derry’s assets were used to pay claims to the victims. Marc’s mother resented this. She had to sell the family home and no longer had any money to pay for her children’s college education. Eric and his sister used the money to pay for their own college education. Mari did not spend her money. Instead she saved it for fifteen years, and now will use it to fund The Family Center in Harbor Town, a facility for victims of substance abuse. Mari’s purpose is to heal wounds from the past.
After her parents’ deaths, Mari moved to San Francisco and became a professional cello player. She never married. Marc became States Attorney in Chicago. He married and divorced. Mari visits Harbor Town to make arrangements for the Center. Marc is visiting his mother in Harbor Town. He still loves Mari. From the moment he sees Mari he pursues her. He still loves her. Mari loves Marc but resists.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is a short Harlequin novel, a new genre for this author. I’m used to her hot steamy sex scenes, but the sex in this book is mild as milk, which is fine, just different. As a story, there isn’t much plot. I was disappointed. Most of the conflict between the couple is Mari loves him but feels they should not be together. So she avoids Marc at different times during the story. When they see each other for the first time after fifteen years, they spend a wonderful night together, and then she won’t return his calls. Later they start seeing each other again. But soon Marc’s mother gets sick, which reminds Mari that they should not have a relationship, and again she refuses to see Marc. The repeating conflict of “I love you but your mother doesn’t like me so we can’t be together” doesn’t make a good story for me.
When Marc and Mari are together, they are frequently interrupted by other people. I think this happened about five times. That’s ok, but it wasn’t as entertaining as it could have been.
The best part of the book is probably the reader identifying with Mari and enjoying the feeling of this wonderful, gorgeous guy loving you and pursuing you no matter how often you say no.
DATA:
Story length: 211 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: current day Chicago, Illinois, and Harbor Town, Michigan. Copyright: 2011. Genre: contemporary romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Mari and Marc fell in love as teenagers in Harbor Town. When Mari was 18, Marc’s father Derry was drunk and caused an auto accident killing himself, Mari’s parents, and Eric’s mother. Most of Derry’s assets were used to pay claims to the victims. Marc’s mother resented this. She had to sell the family home and no longer had any money to pay for her children’s college education. Eric and his sister used the money to pay for their own college education. Mari did not spend her money. Instead she saved it for fifteen years, and now will use it to fund The Family Center in Harbor Town, a facility for victims of substance abuse. Mari’s purpose is to heal wounds from the past.
After her parents’ deaths, Mari moved to San Francisco and became a professional cello player. She never married. Marc became States Attorney in Chicago. He married and divorced. Mari visits Harbor Town to make arrangements for the Center. Marc is visiting his mother in Harbor Town. He still loves Mari. From the moment he sees Mari he pursues her. He still loves her. Mari loves Marc but resists.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is a short Harlequin novel, a new genre for this author. I’m used to her hot steamy sex scenes, but the sex in this book is mild as milk, which is fine, just different. As a story, there isn’t much plot. I was disappointed. Most of the conflict between the couple is Mari loves him but feels they should not be together. So she avoids Marc at different times during the story. When they see each other for the first time after fifteen years, they spend a wonderful night together, and then she won’t return his calls. Later they start seeing each other again. But soon Marc’s mother gets sick, which reminds Mari that they should not have a relationship, and again she refuses to see Marc. The repeating conflict of “I love you but your mother doesn’t like me so we can’t be together” doesn’t make a good story for me.
When Marc and Mari are together, they are frequently interrupted by other people. I think this happened about five times. That’s ok, but it wasn’t as entertaining as it could have been.
The best part of the book is probably the reader identifying with Mari and enjoying the feeling of this wonderful, gorgeous guy loving you and pursuing you no matter how often you say no.
DATA:
Story length: 211 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: current day Chicago, Illinois, and Harbor Town, Michigan. Copyright: 2011. Genre: contemporary romance.
January 2, 2012
I really enjoyed this. The hero and heroine used to be in love, their families close but the heroine's parents were against them because of their family's religious beliefs but that didn't stop them and when they were about to consummate their love, an accident changed everything, robbing the heroine Mari of her parents, the hero's drunk father dead and the one responsible, then came the law-suits which made the hero's mother bitter.
Mari and Marc meet again after fifteen years and give in to their desires, but Mari wises up to the bad blood between their families and backs off and a few weeks later returns to Harbor Town to tie up loose ends and start a family center with the money they got for the accident.
Marc wants their relationship to work and tells Mari to take a chance, but she is divided between her brother and his mother, there is too much of a bad blood even when Marc makes her happy and then she finds out she is expecting.
I did feel the heroine dithered a lot but I really enjoyed the book.
Mari and Marc meet again after fifteen years and give in to their desires, but Mari wises up to the bad blood between their families and backs off and a few weeks later returns to Harbor Town to tie up loose ends and start a family center with the money they got for the accident.
Marc wants their relationship to work and tells Mari to take a chance, but she is divided between her brother and his mother, there is too much of a bad blood even when Marc makes her happy and then she finds out she is expecting.
I did feel the heroine dithered a lot but I really enjoyed the book.
August 24, 2017
A gentle romance set in a small Lake Michigan shoreline town. As an original harlequin romance, the story is rather short, not allowing for too much character development or attachment to the main characters. However, being a Beth Kery fan, I wanted to read it.
Both Mari and Marc have been touched by a small town tragedy affecting both of their families. Once young overs on the cusp of adulthood, the tragedy tore them apart. It's only when Mari comes back to her home- vacation town, where Marc's extended family still resides, and he visits, do they reconnect.
A pleasant couple hour read.
Both Mari and Marc have been touched by a small town tragedy affecting both of their families. Once young overs on the cusp of adulthood, the tragedy tore them apart. It's only when Mari comes back to her home- vacation town, where Marc's extended family still resides, and he visits, do they reconnect.
A pleasant couple hour read.
July 11, 2025
excellent story...please read this series in order to get the full benefit of the characters, happenings. The books need to be ready chronologically.
September 5, 2011
I’ve long been a fan of Ms. Kery’s erotic work and was excited to see a new branch in her already successful career. Writing for Harlequin is very different from writing for nearly any other publisher on the planet because when you pick up any Harlequin novel, you know exactly what you’re getting. Or you would, if you ever actually read them (unlike me, for the most part… but you won’t hold that against me, right? Right?).
The theme of this novel is a familiar one. Love lost at a young and tender age due to unforeseen – and uncontrollable – circumstances beyond the control of the hero and heroine. Then, miraculously, after many years, the couple finds one another and is offered a second chance. A very popular and often enjoyable storyline. One I enjoy greatly because, at one time or another, we’ve all needed that second chance. But Ms. Kery adds a special, emotional twist to this familiar theme and brings you into the story, heart and soul.
The struggles that Mari and Marc face in making their second chance as successful as they both deserve are ones we all encounter on a regular basis – things in our past causing doubts, our family’s disapproval, the uncertain future with someone you once loved but are only just rediscovering. But what makes this story so special is the forgiveness involved before the healing can start. The absolute strength on Mari’s part to forget the past and be able to move on. Marc’s unrelenting courage to face his past and make good on something that was never his fault.
On the inside cover of this novel is this: Life, love and family! These contemporary romances will strike a chord with you as the heroines juggle life and relationship on their way to true love. This is, I’m guessing, the tag line for Harlequin’s Special Edition line and, let me tell you, this novel definitely did strike a chord with me in more ways than you’ll ever know. Having a baby and being unable to break the news to anyone, the destruction that was wrought because of the addiction Marc’s father suffered from, the unbearable weight of having to bear responsibility of the actions of another person… it all hit home in a way that I hadn’t expected. And the last two pages of the book? Yeah, they had me bawling like a child missing her favorite teddy bear. The faith, the hope, the undying love of a person with such a pure heart was more than I could bear. I couldn’t recommend this book any more highly.
The theme of this novel is a familiar one. Love lost at a young and tender age due to unforeseen – and uncontrollable – circumstances beyond the control of the hero and heroine. Then, miraculously, after many years, the couple finds one another and is offered a second chance. A very popular and often enjoyable storyline. One I enjoy greatly because, at one time or another, we’ve all needed that second chance. But Ms. Kery adds a special, emotional twist to this familiar theme and brings you into the story, heart and soul.
The struggles that Mari and Marc face in making their second chance as successful as they both deserve are ones we all encounter on a regular basis – things in our past causing doubts, our family’s disapproval, the uncertain future with someone you once loved but are only just rediscovering. But what makes this story so special is the forgiveness involved before the healing can start. The absolute strength on Mari’s part to forget the past and be able to move on. Marc’s unrelenting courage to face his past and make good on something that was never his fault.
On the inside cover of this novel is this: Life, love and family! These contemporary romances will strike a chord with you as the heroines juggle life and relationship on their way to true love. This is, I’m guessing, the tag line for Harlequin’s Special Edition line and, let me tell you, this novel definitely did strike a chord with me in more ways than you’ll ever know. Having a baby and being unable to break the news to anyone, the destruction that was wrought because of the addiction Marc’s father suffered from, the unbearable weight of having to bear responsibility of the actions of another person… it all hit home in a way that I hadn’t expected. And the last two pages of the book? Yeah, they had me bawling like a child missing her favorite teddy bear. The faith, the hope, the undying love of a person with such a pure heart was more than I could bear. I couldn’t recommend this book any more highly.
December 31, 2011
I picked up this book on a whim and honestly didn't expect much from it. So I was so surprised by how much I did like it and the reason for it was the event that changed three families and the consequences from it and that would be the accident where the Kavanaugh father, driving drunk, managed to kill the Itani parents and the Reyes mother and scared the Reyes daughter. Once accident that destroyed so many things. Mari and Marc in the flush of first love, Marc and Ryan best friends, Natalie's image ruined. I liked how the author addressed how everyone was hurt, the family of the "evil" man, the families that lost so much, and how some of them never did work past the accident.
I loved Mari's idea to open a clinic to deal with survivors of substance abuse, those that were in the middle of it and those affected by it. It seemed like her idea was the catalyst to start the healing of that old accident and brought all the injured parties together.
I really liked Marc and Mari and how they fought their relationship, how they were like magnets and couldn't stay apart even amid the old memories, both good and bad. I found it interesting to see what everyone else's opinions were and how some of them couldn't get past the past.
I could see what was wrong with Mari right away and thought it could be just the thing everyone needed to pull together. Towards the end I was upset with Mari and the choice she made. I was glad to see that the ghosts of the past were able to help her do the right thing.
The last scene was perfect, just what everyone needed, a fresh start!
I loved Mari's idea to open a clinic to deal with survivors of substance abuse, those that were in the middle of it and those affected by it. It seemed like her idea was the catalyst to start the healing of that old accident and brought all the injured parties together.
I really liked Marc and Mari and how they fought their relationship, how they were like magnets and couldn't stay apart even amid the old memories, both good and bad. I found it interesting to see what everyone else's opinions were and how some of them couldn't get past the past.
I could see what was wrong with Mari right away and thought it could be just the thing everyone needed to pull together. Towards the end I was upset with Mari and the choice she made. I was glad to see that the ghosts of the past were able to help her do the right thing.
The last scene was perfect, just what everyone needed, a fresh start!
September 12, 2011
Some people say you can never go home again, but in Beth Kery’s Home to Harbor Town series, going home again can be the one place you find both forgiveness and love.
Harbor Town is a picturesque lakeside community that is known for it’s white sand beaches, charming Main Street, gorgeous sunsets and friendly neighbors. It’s a small town where, at first glance, everything looks beautiful; you’d never know that fifteen years ago tragedy struck leaving four people dead and three families broken.
In The Hometown Hero Returns, Mari Itani comes home to face her past and wants to build a better future for her and for the town. The one person she didn’t expect to face was the one man she’s always loved, Marc Kavanaugh, the son of the man who killed her parents.
This series and Hometown Hero in particular is about owning your past and accepting it for both the good and the bad, living in the present and planning for the future.
This is a contemporary romance that explores the deeper emotional issues of loss and forgiveness. Many readers have said this is not what they expect from a Beth Kerry book - and I beg to differ. Ms. Kerry's books whether erotic romance or contemporary romance always delve deeply into the emotional back story of the characters. This book gives a particularly poignant back story to the hero and heroine and becomes the motivating force that drives the emotion and the romance of this book.
Harbor Town is a picturesque lakeside community that is known for it’s white sand beaches, charming Main Street, gorgeous sunsets and friendly neighbors. It’s a small town where, at first glance, everything looks beautiful; you’d never know that fifteen years ago tragedy struck leaving four people dead and three families broken.
In The Hometown Hero Returns, Mari Itani comes home to face her past and wants to build a better future for her and for the town. The one person she didn’t expect to face was the one man she’s always loved, Marc Kavanaugh, the son of the man who killed her parents.
This series and Hometown Hero in particular is about owning your past and accepting it for both the good and the bad, living in the present and planning for the future.
This is a contemporary romance that explores the deeper emotional issues of loss and forgiveness. Many readers have said this is not what they expect from a Beth Kerry book - and I beg to differ. Ms. Kerry's books whether erotic romance or contemporary romance always delve deeply into the emotional back story of the characters. This book gives a particularly poignant back story to the hero and heroine and becomes the motivating force that drives the emotion and the romance of this book.
September 20, 2013
Maybe I am just over the whole Harlequin romance thing, at least I have been for awhile. I read the synopsis of a book and I think "Wow this sounds really good". Then I start read the book and it just has that certain feel to it. The "Harlequin" feel. I end up not liking the h or H. In this case Mari just bugged me towards the end. Too wishy washy. Still the plot line was good, the writing was very good. Mari gave me the case of the eye rolls. Just me I guess. I like Beth Kery's writing style and will read her book except for the rest of the Harlequin series.
May 28, 2014
An emotional romance that one wouldn't expect from such a small book. Beth Kery is able to tell a romantic story that is dripped in a horrific tragedy in such a short time. The pain is there and you really feel it when you read each word. It is very thought-provoking as well as it was romantic. Well done!
January 19, 2013
I liked it. I'm probably going to read some—if not all—of the rest of the series. (I have book 2 waiting, anyway.)
(I cannot for the life of me figure out where the title comes from!)
(I cannot for the life of me figure out where the title comes from!)
December 31, 2012
Nice read !
March 27, 2013
Unrealistic forthcoming and honesty with main guy, and a dull tale. It was alright, but nothing exciting or really even interesting.
November 15, 2011
Very quick read, nice
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews