Safe Harbor

Hubbard's Point/Black Hall #2

by Luanne Rice

New York Times  bestselling author Luanne Rice has touched the hearts and lives of readers everywhere with powerful tales of love and loss . . . and love regained. In an unforgettable novel set on her beloved Connecticut seaside, she weaves a timeless story.

After every storm there is a place to return to — if you have the courage to follow your heart. . . .

Artist Dana Underhill has always been a free spirit, traveling the world, filling her canvases with the mysterious colors of the seas she and her sister have sailed since childhood. Then on a calm, moonlit night an inexplicable “accident” occurs and Dana is called home to Hubbard’s Point to become a mother to her two young nieces, a challenge unlike any she’s ever known.

As Dana and the girls struggle to begin a new life—and to find the truth about what happened to Dana’s sister and brother-in-law—help comes in the person of an old childhood friend. Sam Trevor is now a tall, striking marine biologist, and he’s been in love with Dana for years. Although she can’t begin to contemplate opening her heart again, together Dana and Sam will discover that Hubbard’s Point is the center of endless mysteries—and endless possibilities. And as Dana rediscovers her passion as an artist and a woman, she will find more than a lifetime’s share of answers, magic, and love in the only safe harbor there is.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Family, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-eight novels, translated into thirty languages. Rice often writes about love, family, nature, and the sea. Most recently she has written thrillers, including one based on a murder that affected her family. She received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award for excellence and lifetime achievement in the Literary Arts category.
Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the College’s Special Collections Library. They are archived in the Luanne Rice Collection.
Rice has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph University in West Hartford, Conn.
Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television. Her monologue for the play Motherhood Out Loud premiered at Hartford Stage and has been performed Off-Broadway in NYC and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Rice is a Creative Affiliate of the Safina Center. She lives in southeastern Connecticut.

Reviews

[Ralph Gara · Rating 4 out of 5]

what I've learned from the book:


When it comes to love, age truly doesn't matter.

because the age of a person doesn't affect the sincerity and care for one another. whether it was love between a man and a woman, a parent's love for their kids, or even two friends reunited after life separated them... it always foils down to how a person can open up and welcome someone in, even after so many things tried to shut it out.

and one thing, who said love was easy to get and keep?

life is just one big ocean, and we're sailing on it whether we like it or not. there are times when we're sailing on clear water - when we just feel like nothing's gonna happen, and there are other times when we get caught in a huge storm, and we sometimes feel hopeless because of it... and there's only one answer to that situation: you value more of the good and simple things after going through so much hardship. and it's only a matter of how much you open up once the storm clears up...

i'd like to thank Luanne Rice for the great novel and hoping to read more of her works.... to make a beach boy feel at home after a long time away from the beach.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of course once you start recording *everything* you read on a site you start getting feedback like "I can't believe how many romance novels you read." Romance novels like this one are both decently written and not taxing - no learning required, little thought required. Safe Harbor pushed some pleasant emotional buttons regarding dealing with grieving issues as well. I'll probably read other books by Luanne Rice - based on the excerpt at the back of the book for another one - her formula seems sound.

[Tanya Eby]

I just loved this book. I had the honor of narrating it, and it was such a lovely painting of words. It's a story of families, and sisters, and love, and, of course, of longing. There were so many beach details that makes this the perfect summer read...or for reading in the winter when you really WANT summer. Of course, you could listen to it too. It's a lovely piece that warmed my heart even as I was dabbing at my eyes. Hard to do when you're narrating, but luckily, we were able to take a break while I blew my nose. :)

[Manoj B Unni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros: Beautiful showcase of tender emotions.
Cons: No movie made on this so far.

To read more about my review, click here

[Ratforce]

As a fan of Kristin Hannah, you may enjoy books by Luanne Rice. Both authors delve into the lives of women working to re-discover themselves. Safe Harbor is a good starting place. 0553802186

[Ann Gallo]

great story about family values and responsibility

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dana & Lily... Ally and Quinn... and Sam...

Dana & Lily - sisters.. artists & sailors... living on the bay... one summer as teens they taught/coached sail boating... and included Sam... 8 yrs old and poor and eager... and saved his life when he fell into the water during a race practice... and he vowed to be their protector...

Dana went to Paris and painted beautiful underwater scenes... Lily got married and had two daughters (Ally & Quinn)... her husband is a developer, and that sometimes caused tension as he was away too much & it went against Lily's grain to build in undeveloped areas... When Quinn is 11, they have regular fights, especially when he takes on a project at Martha's
vineyard where he proposed to Lily & now is building 4 big homes...

Quinn is upset by the fighting, and makes some reference to suicide, scaring her mother who then breaks open her diary to make sure she's okay... but totally pisses Quinn off... When Lily reflects, and she & her husband calm down, they decide to leave the kids as the sleep to take the sailboat out for an hour and discuss things... and Lily has found some peace... but they get caught on a tow rope unseen in the dark, and the boat sinks killing them.

Dana takes it hard, and although named as the girl's guardian, she leaves them with mom and returns to France... to find out that her boyfriend is sleeping with her model... and with a broken heart over her boyfriend & her sister decides a year later to bring the girls to France to live and begin anew.

Quinn has felt guilty that her mom died after their diary fight, and she worries that her parents committed suicide because of irreconcilable differences, and she is lonely... She fights Dana's plans...

And Sam, knowing that she is in town... and now a marine biologist... shows up to offer sympathy and support... He works his way into their lives, helping them all to rediscover their love of sailing... of each other... and to find peace over the questions left in the parents's death.... and Dana takes up painting again...

A touching story of loss and peace and growing up...

[Reader Of Everything · Rating 5 out of 5]

Safe Harbor
'Her spirt yearns for different shores. Her heart calls her home.'
This book is a memorable one. I couldn't help but feel the characters. I didn't quite understand them in a way people who have been through the same situation might have, but I felt their passion and I felt their pain. Every character is well planned out, and has a backstory that is incredible. Throughout Luanne Rice's work, I could see the scraps of their lives stitch back together, and piece by piece, my heart thundered along with it all. I could never be happier reading Safe Harbor. The writing was excellent, even though in the beginning with the prologue I couldn't quite understand where all of this would lead to, though it's an exciting one. It reils in readers. The beginning was like shards of glass- the scarps I was talking about- and the end was like a new jar. Not exactly the same jar, but something surly different. The epilogue summarizes things up wonderfully. But everything unfolded naturally. You're both on edge, and calm. The books themes basically revolved around each other, and mending hearts. One thing that I really, really liked was the imagery. It came flawlessly. I didn't have to force pictures out of my head, trying to re-read sequences to see what the color of the main characters eyes were, or her nieces' hair color. It didn't come to me like 'oh, yeah, I can see everything in my head', but instead, it was just there.Luanne made it seem like writing perfection was effortless. The book held powers of love, sisterhood, and friends. I couldn't believe it was over, but it had one of those endings that you're satisfied with. While reading it, I realized that great novels don't have to be action packed with characters sailing around the world, but they can be soft and gentle. They are made of people who push a story along, who come to situations where one only dreams about. Hope you enjoy reading it!

[Euriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that this book in a large way was realistic in terms of grief, new love, heartbreak, parenthood and home though I found Quinn annoying, I later got to understand her as a character. 4 stars.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I again enjoyed another delightful book in this series by Luanne Rice and very well narrated by Tanya Eby. A story of two young girls coping with the grief of losing their parents in a boating accident. Of their aunt Dana, coping with the loss of her sister and becoming the guardian of her two nieces. She has also been betrayed by her lover and has lost her painting mojo. Sam a younger man, who remembers her from way back when she taught him to sail, is determined to help them all through this difficult time and show just how much love heals. Great book.

[Barbara Hanna]

It was another great story of the relationship between sisters- their similarities, differencies, and
their connection with each other during life and afterwards in death. One sister dies and the other who is a free spirit is left to be guardian of her two nieces. The story often goes back to the past and events of Lily/Dana and then to the present with the story of Quinn/Allie- the nieces. It was a great story.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Luanne Rice's book. First book I read of hers was Follow The Stars Home. I absolutely loved it. I have several of her novels and plan to read more. Any of her books are great summer reads.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

That we cannot always run away from people we love and care about. Very moving story. Would recommend it to anyone.

[Kaori Miyazono · Rating 5 out of 5]

i learned about the importance of family love..
and dat first love never really dies. and age really dont matter at all.

[Kimber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love her books. This one was a nail bitter... Lol.. But one great read!! Has a little of everything in it :)

[La Tisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet, tearful at times book about sisters

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summer read!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars I think it is a little odd what they went through to "find the truth" about how the parents died especially going on a child's instinct.

[Anne Wisniewski Vogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story.

[Judith Wrinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all of this authors books, so thought provoking and entertaining Thank you Ms. Rice.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is a part of the Hubbard’s Point series.
The book begins with a stage setting prologue where 8 year old Sam is rescued by 20 year old Dana and her 18 year old sister, Lily. Sam makes a promise to both of them that he will always try to rescue them if they ever need it. The tone of this promise came across more like one an adult would make although I do think a child might have said the same words.
When the story opens 21 years later, Lily and her husband have drowned and Dana was designated as their children’s guardian. Dana lives in France and after her sister’s funeral, she disappears back to France for 10 months leaving the children in the hands of her mother. This came across as selfish to me and it was my first impression of her in the main part of the book. She had a right to grieve her sister too, but I thought she should have immediately taken on the responsibility that her sister gave her. No reason was given for her choice.
Dana comes back to the US because she has been offered a show at a local art gallery. She is planning to take the kids back to France with her after the show. Sam attends Dana’s art show and the author conveys a sense that Sam believes that he and Dana are meant to be together. I thought this was a contrivance of the story as they have not talked to each other since the rescue and each have lived their lives in the meantime. However, Sam is a wonderful character, very loving and family oriented. I really liked him. I thought he was a wonderful match for Dana. He was always supportive and caring. I thought the author could have brought out a little more why Dana was the right person for him.
The older of her sister’s two daughters, Quinn, does not want to go to France. She is a rebellious early teenager. Throughout the book, I liked Quinn. She had loving, angry, caring, and grief stricken moments that were raw and moving. A big part of the book was Quinn’s journey through her grief for her parents.
I read this book more than 20 years after it was published and the technology references are dated.
Very, very small nitpicks: Lily applied for a passport when each of her daughters were born. At least one of them is a teenager and would have needed to get her passport renewed. There was another traveling gaffe but I cannot give it without spoilers. I know these are small issues but they bugged me. Most people would not care.
Note: spoiler... there is a paranormal moment in the book.
I thought the book got better a bit further into it, but I probably will not continue reading books by this author.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dana Underhill artistic gift has led her all over the world in search of new oceanscapes. Her breathtaking underwater canvases evoke all the beauty and romance of the seas she and her beloved sister, Lily, have sailed since childhood. But when a shattering event takes Lily from her forever, Dana must leave her nomadic artist's life to become a mother to Lily's two young daughters, Quin and Allie.
Twelve-year-old Quinn may be Dana's toughest challenge. With a mass of wiry braids as uncontrollable as she is, Quinn hides her secret diary in a remote cove and clings fiercely to private mementos of her parents. Already an expert sailor herself, Quinn is convinced their deaths at sea were no accident. Dana, too, is troubled by the puzzle of what could have gone so terribly wrong on that clear, moonlit night.
Support comes to Dana with the unexpected reappearance of an old friend, marine biologist Sam Trevor. When Sam was eight years old, Dana taught him to sail and unlocked his dreams of the undersea world. Now he's a tall, laughing, pro, researching dolphins. And he 's been in love with Dana for all the years that have passed between them. Together Dana and Sam begin to discover that Hubbard's Point is the point of endless mysteries and that many of the answers lie in the blue-purple depths that surge through Dana;s paintings and into all of their lives, revealing the transcendence of love even in the face of grief and death.
This is a story of family bonds, love lost and found, and of a painter's unfolding vision of herself.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dana Underhill is a talented vagabond artist. Returning to Hubbard Point after the tragic death of
her beloved sister Lily and Lily's husband Mark, Dana has her hands full taking care of her two nieces. Aquinnah "Quinn" is twelve and her sister Alexandra "Allie" is ten. Quinn is a bundle of hyper energy that refuses to return with Dana to her art studio in France. Quinn refuses to leave the country until she knows exactly what happened the night her parents died in a boating accident.
Dana overcome with grief over the loss of her beloved sister, hasn't painted in months. She is also
recovering from a breakup with her live in lover and fellow artist Jon.
Sam Trevor is happy to see Dana return to the U.S. . Dana and Lily taught Sam to sail when he
was eight and they were in their late teens. After Dana and Lily save Sam from drowning after an
accident during a race Sam has been devoted to Dana. Sam now a oceanographer and professor at
Yale agrees to help Quinn search for her parents sunken wreck. Sam calm demeanor and steady
presence and love for Dana and the girls convinces Dana that their age difference doesn't matter.
After Sam discovers that Lily and Mark's deaths were truly accidental and that her parents weren't
unhappy before they died, Quinn and Dana are ready to lay them to rest.

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dana Underhill is an artist, well-known for her paintings of the sea – particularly life under the sea. She and her sister were raised in New England. The two girls became excellent sailors – in fact they became sailing instructors. One of their students, Sam, never forgot the girl who gave him confidence, and also saved his life. Now back in New England, Dana faces a new challenge she never expected. Her beloved sister and brother-in-law were drowned in a sailing accident and she is now the guardian of her two nieces. Her plans to take them back to France are cancelled by a melt-down at the airport when the girls refuse to go. Sam, who is now a successful oceanographer, has been helping Dana understand what the girls are going through and helps get them back to their New England home. Young Ally is insecure but young enough to trust Dana, but Quinn is stubborn and resentful. Dana finds herself relying more and more on Sam, but wary of him because he is about 10 years younger than she and she is just coming out of an unhappy love affair with a young man in France. Can she ever win the trust of her young charges – and stop fearing falling in love with Sam???

[Jeanne (love2cook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dana Underhill is a free spirit seeing the world and painting her canvases with the colors of the seas. Her and her sister Lily sailed the seas by their home on Hubbard's Point. Then an accident happened and Dana was called home to take care of her two nieces. Lily and her husband mark were killed in a boating accident. When Dana and Lily taught youngsters how to sail, one of the kids was Sam Trevor. They had saved him when he fell overboard. Now, that Dana was back he looked her up as he had loved her from the beginning. He hoped she would love him back. It's a complicated time for her nieces and her self as they try to come to grips with their loss. A real good read!!! 

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely had a hard time connecting to this novel with the characters. The mystery and intrigue of what happened with Lily and Mark was what held my interest.

Quinn definitely needed to revisit therapy and the adults in her life have to have her stick with it. This child was way too scary at her age of 12. No way to smoking and running away, the foul language! Losing a parent young is hard and having an inexperienced aunt doesn’t help. But some of the ways Quinn acts with her fathers water glass line, their room, destroying her room... too much and was a serious cry for help.

2.5 out of 5 stars

[Coda_o7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has the potential to be very good, like a lot of the authors books. But it drags too much and the heroine has a childlike naïveté about other people, like Jonathan and Monique, that feels out of step with her character—if the descriptions of the characters’ grief were more visceral and less flowery, and contrasted more with her pre-grief state, it would have hit better. I also felt like having the only non-white character be the person who cheats feels like a choice that would’ve been avoided if it were written today.

Would still recommend for fans of the author who like her brand of family melodrama a la hallmark channel.

[Marilyn Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really got engrossed in this book. Luanne Rice awoke a deep love and admiration for the ocean and the quaint little cottages that surrounded it. It wasn't long before I had my WhatsApp statuses graced with seacoast paintings that 'Dana' could have created. In spite of Dana's nomadic ways that she had to rein in when her nieces are orphaned, she becomes a wonderful mother substitute for the two girls. Once again Ms. Rice's vivid characterizations are the best and you'll find this smoothly written book a pleasure to read.

[Shannon Jessup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luanne Rice is officially my favorite author. My first was Last Day. Then I started the Hubbard Point/Black Hall series (#1- Firefly Beach). I finished Safe Harbor (#2) and started True Blue (#3) today. I'm already hooked to the point that I can't imagine putting it down. Safe Harbor is yet another renewal of my hope for 2nd chances. A good cry is always welcome. Rice is an expert at transporting me inside the minds and emotions of such well-developed characters.

[LInda L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think of the Luanne Rice books I've read, this was my favorite. Loved most of the characters, but didn't have the patience with Quinn that everyone else did. Losing a parent at any age is awful, but at 12 it seemed even worse for her than anyone else. The ending was perfect and I've already read the next book in the series. I'm still missing about 7 of Rice's books, but haven't given up on finding them. I've even liked the ones I didn't like very much!!!!