True Blue

Hubbard's Point/Black Hall #3

by Luanne Rice

BOOK STORED WRONG BINDER CROOKED

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

Hardcover

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

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book frustrated me to no end. These characters put themselves through emotional torture for 20 years over something that could have been rectified by a simple conversation. Elizabeth was right- if Rumer and Zeb were truly meant to be together, then why would her simple flirting tear them apart? Why didn't Rumer talk to Zeb, or try to stop the wedding? I simply don't understand her lack of drive or her logic, especially when she knew that Elizabeth was only marrying Zeb so Rumer couldn't have him. The whole thing just made me angry. We all knew how the book was going to end too, so that was no surprise. The plot was just drawn out to the point where it was almost laughable, the romantic angst that grew between Rumer and Zeb was straight out of a Japanese Anime series. The only redeemable part of this mess was the setting. Hubbard's Point sounds completely enchanting, and living so close to New England my whole life, I can practically smell the salt water. Had this been a short story, or one where Rumer breaks up the wedding before it happens would have been cliche, yes, but much more satisfying. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is headstrong, stubborn, or with any romantic drive, because they will just end up screaming at the pages.

[Sefa · Rating 2 out of 5]

You just have to hate Elizabeth. I didn't particularly like Zack either. I felt 20 years was too long for the main character to have to wait for Zack to come back. She could have gotten married at least.

[Beatriz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't with this BS.
Poor Rumer and poor Michael... they both deserved better (well M got the better end)
The hero is a lousy husband, terrible friend, and an awful father... he is not even handsome XD.... please someone tell me what was so good about him?
Eli was a BITCH, another... terrible sister, awful mother, and not even a friend XD, those two deserved each other that's why they married and they should have stayed miserably married.
Why Rice, why would this woman who was betrayed, was left behind, lost her sister, lost her first love... could not move forward at all in 20 (approx) years, 20 FRIGGING YEARS!! (for an ass)

I'm doing a list of terrible heroes
1.- Jason from Whiskey Lullaby ... I hate this guy
2.- Zeb from True Blue <-- Oh look who's here
3.- Lucas from Waiting on You

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the beginning I was very interested but I slowly started getting tired of Rumer and her love for Zeb. Didn't like how the author kept ranting about there love. To me it started to become very unrealistic and corny especially how they were trying to save the town while exploring the love they had for each other. I was close to abandoning the book but I hoped that the ending would change my mind towards it but I could of guessed the ending nothing very special. I also don't like how the author made Zee into this really big asshole and at the end she apologizes but then disappears back to the west coast. To me that made her apology worthless she should of stayed and made amends with Zeb and gotten closer to her son. Maybe I would of liked the book better that way don't know.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lovely story about two childhood friends, Zeb Mayhew and Rumer Larkin. They spend every minute of their summers together at Hubbard's Point. Zeb is into star gazing and Rumer cares for injured animals. Rumer has always thought that she and Zeb would someday marry. However, she is crushed when Zeb marries her older sister Elizabeth. Eventually, years later Zeb and Elizabeth divorce. Zeb and his 17 year old son Michael return to Hubbard's Point for a local wedding. Zeb realizes the mistake he made in not marrying Rumer and sets out to win her back. Rumer is full of hurt and anger at his deception. Will Zeb and Rumer re-unite??? Guess you'll have to read the book to find out.

[Jac K]

DNF (early on too lazy to double-check)
Rumer and Zeb grew up together and had a friends to lovers- I’ve loved you forever relationship. They break up for the stupidest reason ever. (misunderstanding) H goes on to marry her evil bitch sister… and returns 20 YEARS later!! Their love was so epic that she didn’t move on for two decades, but she couldn’t speak up and clarify things before the wedding. I can tell already I won’t have the patience for this.

[Margie]

Good story and I like Luanne Rice but she repeats too much. I felt like she went over and over the same thing to many times. The book could have been 50 pages shorter! The relationship between the sisters was pretty true to life though and I related to it. Her characters are lovable. It's not a life changer but a good pass the time read.

[Andrea Vrtikapa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too predictable.

[Jena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Omg I just remembered reading this years ago. H picked someone else, didn't believe their HEA, etc.

[Kathy Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luanne Rice is one of my most favorite writers. This book was a great family saga, a story that makes the reader love the characters and invokes all sorts of feelings, happiness, anger, sorrow, etc. Luanne Rice has a way of making the reader feel all the feels!

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a winner for me. Too much repeating of the story line, didn't like the characters. What can I say?

[Nancy Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main characters, Rumer and Zeb were kind of annoying, but I really liked all of the characters and especially enjoyed the ending.

[Nancy L Hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Ready for the next book. Very interesting. Makes you feel like you can smell the salt air and see the lighthouse.

[Krystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

A sister ending up with her sister’s ex husband?!
Ew, no thank you.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

#1 the synopsis on the page states that Rumer is a school teacher,,,, `she teaches one class...she is a doctor of veterinarian science... aka a vet..... Rumer is an amazing heroine... it is too bad she still loves her faithless forever bf and her unredeemable and unrepentant stunningly beautiful movie star sister.... her father is pretty worthless in getting into the mess the older sister wrecked into their world... he is so apologetic to the older sister because she was "alone" she was stunning... she used everyone in every way...she whored her way through her town in the summer (with visitors...townies and went on whoring all the way through the movie industry..... he excused her manipulative behavior and NEVER ONCE took his good daughters side as she was kind... she will forgive..... wth

Now lets move onto Zeb... a worthless equal match to the stunningly hateful sister Zee,,,, a match made in hell.....but in equal term.... he destroyed Rumer... his best friend and first love for a POA that everyone in town had.... charming.... he was a lousy husband and a lousy father and a lousy friend..... Zee was a drunken abusive selfish wh$re.... get the feeling of how I feel about these two?

I am sad that Rumer never got a real boyfriend other than the guy pretending to be the hero in this story.... the author gave her a uptight prig of a man ...gee thanks... I am guessing next to that even the loathsome zeb seemed heroic.... NOT.

Michael is the child that should have Rumer 's he is kind and loyal and is used by his mother to hurt her sister.... she is by far the worst sister in the entire book land... bar none..... and her excuses for her behavior are shockingly selfsh.... she felt left out so she stole love letters and read them and then used them against zeb and rumer... she used Michael against rumer.... she was :"jealous" as she had everything else BUT zeb ...she wanted him to put her plain sister in her place that she deserved NOTHING that wasn't hers first. This will be my go to book when I am pissed at the world as after I read it... what I was pissed about was not as bad as what was going on in this book....

so in closing.... horrid family (except rumer and Michael) favorite teen Quinn...... would not throw a cup of water if they were on fire zee and zeb..... lousiest father to rumer award to six (along with biggest enabler to the biggest b*tch on wheels award).... and yes sadly Rumer forgave them all...not me...I didn't.... supposedly a hea..... I doubt it lasting...with suck a weak hero .

[Shirlene]

Zebulon (Zeb) Mayhew and Rumor Larkin grew up together and fell in love. She was all about animals and caring for living things. Zeb's head was in the stars. She became a veterinarian and he became an astronaut.
During their senior year in college, Zeb made arrangements to meet Rumor in the forest surrounding their properties and she never showed up. Zeb planned on finally making love to Rumor that night and was disappointed in her. He didn't know that Rumor's sister, Elizabeth was jealous of their relationship and hid the note asking her to meet him. Zeb ran into Elizabeth after he realized that Rumor wasn't going to show up while he was angry with her.
Elizabeth was 3 years older that Zeb and Rumor. She was beautiful and became an actress. She was needy and selfish. She set her mind on Zeb and took him away from Rumor even though her and Rumor had made a pact when they were younger to not go after each others boyfriends. Elizabeth had made the decision she wanted Zeb and they ended up getting married. Elizabeth didn't care that she had hurt Rumor and they were no longer close. Rumor also ended up hating Zeb for what he had done to her. He had broken her heart.
Zeb and Elizabeth had a son, Michael. Rumor loved him and wished he was hers. They spend a lot of time together until he turned 2. It was then that Elizabeth realized that Michael loved Rumor and she did everything she could to keep them apart. Especially after Rumor had come to visit and found out that Elizabeth had a drinking problem. Elizabeth spent time in rehab off and on. Michael was about 8 when his parents divorced. He spent most of his time traveling with his mother to different movie locations and had traveled to various places around the world.
Elizabeth was now in Canada filming another movie. Zeb had Michael for the summer and he had chosen to come back home using the excuse of a wedding to make amends with Rumor. He brought Michael with him because his mother didn't know what to do with him. Michael had decided to drop out of high school and Zeb also wanted to reconnect with him. Zeb and Elizabeth were married for 10 years and had been divorced for 10 years too.
They arrived in town intending to stay the summer. Zeb had chosen to take over the running of a lab in California for NASA after he was involved in an explosion on board the last spaceship he had been traveling on. He decided then that he needed to reconnect with Michael because the explosion had scared him a bit that he could have died without fixing things between both his son and Rumor.
When they arrived in town, Michael met Quinn who was his age. Her parents had been dead for 10 years and she still missed them. She was being raised by her aunt. Her parents had died in a boating accident. She was becoming rebellious in school and was told she needed to attend summer school in order to graduate. She didn't care about school and spent her time trapping lobsters until she met Michael. With the persuasion of Zeb, Rumor and Rumor's father, Sixtus, along with falling for Quinn, Michael decided to attend summer school so long as Quinn went too. Both families in town were happily surprised at this turn of events.
Sixtus was getting older and his arthritis was bothering him. He decided that he needed to take his sailboat and sail back to the land of his ancestors, Ireland. He didn't want to become a burden to Rumor and had decided to go back to Ireland to die there. He took off and stopped in Canada on the way to spend time with Elizabeth. They met and he tried to apologize for making her needy and jealous but Elizabeth wasn't ready to admit to being jealous of Rumor and let go of Zeb even though they were divorced. She didn't want Rumor to get close to her son and she didn't want Zeb going back to Rumor. Sixtus realized after spending time with her that he wasn't meant to go to Ireland. Rumor and his house in Connecticut was where he belonged. He decided that he needed to go back home rather than go on to Ireland. Elizabeth decided to return to Connecticut too when she learned from Sixtus that Zeb and Rumor were getting along again.
Zeb and Rumor adjusted to being around each other throughout that summer. She knew she was in trouble being around him and did her best to keep from letting her heart become involved with him again. They spent quite a bit of time together keeping an eye on Michael and Quinn. They worked together to remove a fish hook from the mouth of an osprey and when someone bought Zeb's old house next door, they tried to keep the new owners from changing the landscaping. The new neighbors were wealthy and cared nothing for the people of the area. They cleared the property of all the plants and were taking the house apart to build a new one. Rumor was really upset when they chopped down all the trees and the baby squirrels living in one of them died. They rescued a rabbit family and relocated them on Rumor's property. Zeb decided to do some research to try and stop what they were doing to the property. He didn't have any luck when he offered to buy back the land.
Rumor reluctantly fell back in love with Zeb that summer. She decided that it was her chance to have what she wanted this time and to fight for what she wanted. She had been somewhat dating a guy in town, Edward. They broke it off once she realized that she was still in love with Zeb. Edward also began dating someone else.
Rumor had a horse that she named Blue. She had been boarding Blue at Edward's for years. Edward asked her to find somewhere else to board her horse. She thought she might build a barn on some property near her veterinarian clinic but wasn't sure. She and Zeb talked about it and about him leaving as summer came to an end. He asked her to go to California with him and she was reluctant to leave. She had just about decided to go when he changed his mind about going.
Elizabeth showed up in town on the pretense of celebrating Michael's birthday. Elizabeth had to learn that she wouldn't be able to break up Zeb and Rumor this time. She was not happy about Michael's relationship with Quinn and found out that she couldn't break up their relationship either. Michael told everyone that he and Quinn were going to be married. Elizabeth then decided to tell Rumor about the note that Zeb had left her that day so long ago. She showed Rumor where she had hid the note. She then told Rumor that she was leaving town and would never return. Rumor chose to let go of the hate she had held for Elizabeth all these years. Elizabeth left town to never return. Before she left, she told Rumor that she had purchased the lot next door where Zeb's parents used to live. Rumor and Zeb could work to repair the damage their neighbor had done to the land. The seawall wasn't going to be blown up according to their neighbor's plans to give him a better view of the ocean.
Zebulon and Michael were going to stay in town and build the barn for Rumor. Zeb was going to persuade NASA to allow him to open and research lab on the east coast. Sixtus returned home to be with Rumor and Michael. Michael and Quinn were going to be married. They were going to continue their lives together attending college and making something of themselves in the process. They were going to grow together and support each other to become successful in life. Zeb and Rumor had become True Blue friends again and they were going to be married.

[Aya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book with a bad taste in my mouth.
All the while feeling sorry for Rumor and hating how forgiving she was. I kept waiting for the time of 'true blue redemption. But beware readers, as the novel sets up for this, it fails to deliver. What Zeb did was irredeemable, and so was his way of making amends, it was so weak. Elisabeth will be hated for all time, she doesn't have an inkling of decency and I really don't care about her. But what kind of epilogue was that? It seems the author was quick to marry Zeb and Elisabeth but liked to make the Rumor and Zeb pair still seem doomed even after their supposed reunion.

I'd like to let you know, Luanne Rice, that it wasn't enough. Michael and Quinn were adorable and had more sense in them but Rumor's story is still heartbreaking. Why the huge twenty years gap? Will she really get married? Have children? Have somethjng to actually call her own rather than her fond reminiscing? Because she was cheated of those, Luanne, and you let her be. And if a few of us arnet convinced Zeb really loved Rumor than I don't think this is romance at all. This book had such potential and I'm extremely saddened and disappointed.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know - I'm pretty torn on this one. I felt for Rumer and even Zeb to a point but come on - if he was so in love with her why did he go after her sister? The same with Elizabeth - she loved her sister but went after the guy Rumer was in love with? A lot of the story seemed a little unbelievable but it still kept me interested enough to finish it. The setting helps because I have lived in New England my entire life and the New England coast is one of the most beautiful places in my opinion. I loved the storyline with Quinn and Michael and hope they appear in future books of this series. Not my favorite of the series but it was good. One editing note - there was a page or so where Michael's name suddenly became Colin.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I immensely enjoyed the author's writing and was able to actually enjoy a few parts of the story (hence the two stars instead of one) I couldn't get passed the horrible sister! And the jerk, Zeb. And honestly, Rumer, too. Maybe some people liked the characters, but I did not. Unfortunately, it completely ruined it for me. I will say though that I enjoyed the author's writing style so much that I'm willing to try another of her books.

[Laura Pedersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book once a year for the past 15 years and every year I connect to something different. I have loved this book since I was a teenager. The turmoil shows the growth of the characters. I will always love this story.

[Sarah]

Wonderful story of growing up, community, family, first loves and what can be if only.... loved it.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very nice series... Enjoying the seaside stories.

[Pauline Burke · Rating 2 out of 5]

could not get involed with this book, seemed too far fetched.

[Lenny Husen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a Good Read. I am/was an entthusiastic Luanne Rice fan and believed her books were a "sure bet" for romances that are down-to-earth with interesting personalities, locations and quirky families. I loved Firefly Beach and Angels All Over Town and must have read at least 7 others that I liked.
This is a DUD. It is written so poorly that I wonder if someone was "helping" LR write it? Or does she have dementia? Her author photo makes her look like she is 38 but maybe the photo is 50 years old?
For two pages, the name of the character named "Michael" suddenly was changed to "Colin", obviously an error, as if the author changed the name of the character at some point but didn't have anyone edit the story for typos? BTW, "Colin" would have been a MUCH better choice of name than the other IMHO, but at least keep the name consistent whatever it is supposed to be.
I kept soldiering on, hoping the writing would improve, or that there would be ONE character I liked or even that rang true to life. I hated everyone, except Edward, whom the reader isn't supposed to like at all because he is nice, loves animals, handsome, hard-working, loyal, respectful and "boring".
The story seemed promising: same Connecticut setting as several of the author's other books. Quirky neighbors, two of whom, a boy Zeb and girl Rumer, grow up together and genuinely love each other, but for no good reason, never become actual romantic partners even when they are of age. And even though they are attracted to each other "in that way." Zeb marries Rumer's more beautiful sister Zee who is a Movie Star (that's HOW gorgeous she is) and also an alcoholic and promiscuous and after 10 years, Zeb and Zee divorce, having had a son, Michael/Colin. Michael/Colin is now 17, and Zeb and Rumer are 37, both crazy successful. Rumer is a Veterinarian and Zeb is an Astrophysicist/Astronaut. They meet again for a Wedding of mutual friends. Sounds like a good setup for a nice little romance, right?
I hated both Zeb (arrogant and unpleasant) and Rumer (boring, whiny, gelatin spined), hated Rumer's father Sixtus --why would a plan to abandon your daughter and grandson (whom you haven't seen for 10 years) in order to risk your life be your Only Dream in your Old Age? Especially with crippling arthritis?-- but mostly I hated the poor writing.

Do not waste your time.

[QuakerMaid · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a story of a person who is obsessed and clearly co-dependent on a male.
Cliches abound.
Some of the ideology is plain stupid (paraphrased) "They planned to lose their virginity to each other" ?!?!?!?!?!??!
So realistic (sarcasm)
And the slut Zeb is found peeping tomming the female and the vic's sister gets jealous cuz he's not sexually assaulting HER?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?
WTF?!?!?!?!? Dude should have been put in a cage, yet we're just sweeping past that?!?!?!?!?!?
And what female would get jealous if some whore perving on women?!?!?!?! ANd why wasn't she protective of her sister from this assault?!?!?!?!?

Not feeling I want MC's dreams to come true. I'm wanting MC to get behavioural therapy so she can live a full life.
\MC has some serious mental health issues.

The only reason I'm continuing this is because I need to read it for the SUmmer Book Reading Challenge at our library.
This book is so disturbing I would definitely burn it if it were mine . . . . and not an audiobook.

Hey Author, did I mention that Indians come from India, you racist prick.
A candlelight vigil for a house?!?!?!?
Now that's some white people nonsense!!!!!!!!!!

This is way too sappy and dumb and hypocritical.
Zab's upset because the new owner wants to redo the property, yet he's going to destroy open land to make a house of his own by Rumor's workplace.
Hypocrisy much?

Holy COW! The ending is worse than the ending of the movie Mighty Joe Young.
And of course, the workers get the news to NOT bulldoze the house 5 minutes before they're going to do it.

And they make the new owner sound like an evil person.
But now the delapidated old green eyesore of a dump house still gets to stand (probably full of mold) to bring down the value of all the other properties in the area.
Yes, Rumor and Zeb are now official white trashers.

[Yames Bond · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️

Good writing style, good time and place transitions. Interesting idea for a story…

BUT, I disliked the execution. I love the complicated drama of “the wrong sister” but the way it’s handled must be flawless, and this was anything but.

The guy says that he was always in love with h, but he was blinded by lust over the sister.
He married her, stayed with her for ten years but always knew it was a mistake? Had a kid with her? It’s not a ONS, it was a conscious decision of being with the sister of the alleged loved girl and then marry her and then keep being intimate! No way that’s excusable.

And then, the hero tries to say that he only loved the heroine, but she asks “you also loved my sister.” And he says that yes, that it was intense and quick (yet they were married for 10 years, but were together before) and that he couldn’t deny he had loved her.

WTF? Noooo dude! No logic there! And then the OW never gets what she deserves, the heroine goes like “thank you for giving me the letter that changed everything between my guy and me. It condemned us for twenty years but, I love you and you gave me my life back my giving me this hidden letter….”

I mean… are you for real? That’s BS! Pure and simple.
The guy, never redeemed in my eyes. And the OW is not a heroine. She’s childish, jealous and absurd.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first novel in the series where we have an active returning character - Quinn! Oh good 'ol Quinn. She seems to be a better character in this novel as a 16 year old too. But you only hear glimpses of previous characters, mainly Augusta the mother from the first novel. I was hoping this novel would focus on all three Renwick sisters, but it's more of township, community novel series.

And because it's a community series, I had a hard time deciphering the characters throughout this novel, based on how i imagined them. For example, I thought Augusta was Quinn's and Allie's grandmother; no she's the mother from the first novel. In Chapter 7, Augusta made a comment and appearance, but I honestly thought a chapter or so before Quinn mentioned she - meaning her grandmother - had passed away during the spring. Grandma did pass away and doesn't make any comments or appearances; I just got characters confused.

The digital version from overdrive library had quite a few grammar and spelling errors; doesn’t seem to be proofed well before posted.

3 out of 5 Stars

[Martha B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like stories about second chances. It started promising but developed to a fairy tale.
I was sorry for the OM. It wasn’t meant to be but he deserved better. I liked that he quickly found other love interest. I was angry with the H . I’m not sure he deserved the second chance but I accepted how it went . And yes, the sister stole him but he let her. The poor heroine was a substitute mother to he nephew as she never would have her own children. She certainly deserved better.
I liked her but the author made her wait twenty years for her happy end. It seemed like a long time to me but I understand what her sister did wouldn’t be easily forgiven .Elizabeth ‘s grand gesture in the epilogue didn’t make up for it.
The little community was a fantasy as it often is in books. The scenery was romanticized and so was the love story. I wanted more angst so I was disappointed and bored in the end.

[Danny Lamar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise but it didn't need to be 400 pages! Too much repetitive filler. The romance story was a little weak regarding why Zeb and Rumer initially broke up, but it was still an interesting book. I just wish the author had not gone so over the top with names. Zebulan, Rumer, Sixtus, and then even Elizabeth had to be turned into "Zee." Having to stumble over Zeb, Zee, Sixtus, etc all through a book was clunky and irritating. Also, there was a little too much of Rumer crying over wildlife that died. I don't know that most vets collapse into tears if they find that a litter of squirrels in the forest didn't make it. I dunno. It seemed normal when her character was still a teenager, but to carry that behavior into adulthood (especially when the person is a veterinarian and deals with it all the time) made Rumer seem a little unhinged. But that's just me.

[Jai Hara]

One more dormat heroine who leaves a good OM to have her HEA with the cheater with absolutely no grovelling .The cheater zero decides now is the time to have the second sister after being married to the first one for years.In return the zeroine gets the cheating hero and the house where he cheated on her and the zero's son with his sister after 20 years of waiting..I appreciate the other woman here for she knew how to go after the what she wants in her life,instead of the heroine and a hero both without a backbone.I am writing this review after a month of reading because to me it was quite depressing to see a woman believing in true love where all she got was the worst end of the deal with her having no say..