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Chance Harbor
From the acclaimed author of Beach Plum Island and The Wishing Hill ... "No one does it better than Holly Robinson.”—Susan Straight, National Book Award Finalist and Author of Between Heaven and Here
Catherine and Zoe are sisters, but even their mother, Eve, admits her daughters are nothing alike. Catherine is calm and responsible. Zoe is passionate and rebellious. Nobody is surprised when Zoe gets pregnant, drops out of college, and spirals into drug addiction.
One night Catherine gets a call from Zoe’s terrified daughter, Willow, saying her mother has abandoned her in a bus station and disappeared. Eve blames herself, while Catherine, unable to have children, is delighted to raise Willow as her own.
Now, five years later, Eve is grieving her husband’s death and making reluctant plans to sell the family’s beloved summer home on Prince Edward Island. But a series of unexpected revelations will upend the family and rock three generations of women.
CONVERSATION GUIDE INCLUDED
Catherine and Zoe are sisters, but even their mother, Eve, admits her daughters are nothing alike. Catherine is calm and responsible. Zoe is passionate and rebellious. Nobody is surprised when Zoe gets pregnant, drops out of college, and spirals into drug addiction.
One night Catherine gets a call from Zoe’s terrified daughter, Willow, saying her mother has abandoned her in a bus station and disappeared. Eve blames herself, while Catherine, unable to have children, is delighted to raise Willow as her own.
Now, five years later, Eve is grieving her husband’s death and making reluctant plans to sell the family’s beloved summer home on Prince Edward Island. But a series of unexpected revelations will upend the family and rock three generations of women.
CONVERSATION GUIDE INCLUDED
449 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
24 people are currently reading
1379 people want to read
About the author
Holly Robinson
24 books241 followersHolly Robinson is the author of The Gerbil Farmer's Daughter: a Memoir as well as several novels, including Sleeping Tigers, The Wishing Hill, Beach Plum Island, and Haven Lake.
Her essays, articles and columns have appeared in a variety of national publications. She also works as a ghost writer and book doctor on celebrity memoirs and other nonfiction books.
Holly holds a B.A. in biology from Clark University and is a graduate of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
She and her husband have five children, two cats and one very stubborn Pekingese. They are crazy enough to be fixing up two old houses--in Massachusetts and on Prince Edward Island--one shingle at a time.
Her essays, articles and columns have appeared in a variety of national publications. She also works as a ghost writer and book doctor on celebrity memoirs and other nonfiction books.
Holly holds a B.A. in biology from Clark University and is a graduate of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
She and her husband have five children, two cats and one very stubborn Pekingese. They are crazy enough to be fixing up two old houses--in Massachusetts and on Prince Edward Island--one shingle at a time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
June 2, 2015
If you’re lucky, life will hand you a second chance. And if you’re smart, and nimble enough to get out of your own way, you’ll take it. In Chance Harbor, Holly Robinson shows us just how difficult it can be to move beyond entrenched behaviors and attitudes, to see the world afresh and gamble of the golden hope of tomorrow. It might even be impossible.
The characters here have edges, and secrets galore. The mom plays favorites (as did the dad, now deceased). One sister is straight and good, with a cad for a husband. The other, a hot mess, abandoned her daughter with the good sister, and is presumed dead. But none of these folks follow the tropes. Over the course of the story, they evoke our sympathy, as well as our frustration and disappointment. Even the cad. Just a teensy bit.
And that is what makes Chance Harbor ring so true. Robinson’s skillful storytelling, smooth pacing and vivid characters combine to show us that no matter our secrets, misgivings and mistakes, compassion is the most precious human virtue. An engrossing story, with plenty of meat on the bones for hungry book clubs.
The characters here have edges, and secrets galore. The mom plays favorites (as did the dad, now deceased). One sister is straight and good, with a cad for a husband. The other, a hot mess, abandoned her daughter with the good sister, and is presumed dead. But none of these folks follow the tropes. Over the course of the story, they evoke our sympathy, as well as our frustration and disappointment. Even the cad. Just a teensy bit.
And that is what makes Chance Harbor ring so true. Robinson’s skillful storytelling, smooth pacing and vivid characters combine to show us that no matter our secrets, misgivings and mistakes, compassion is the most precious human virtue. An engrossing story, with plenty of meat on the bones for hungry book clubs.
October 14, 2015
Eve, Catherine, Zoe, and Willow. Grandmother, mother, daughters, and granddaughter all caught up in family secrets.
All four women had a lot going on over the years that made today difficult for each one of them.
Join in the suspense as well as the family saga that will pull at your heart strings and make you want to be with the characters.
CHANCE HARBOR takes us through the years with Eve, Catherine, Zoe, and Willow. Willow was my favorite. She is sweet but wise. Zoe made me crazy. Eve and Catherine were characters that held the story together as secrets unraveled and brought the characters closer, made them more understanding, or simply helped them find themselves.
Ms. Robinson has crafted a beautiful story with unforgettable characters and descriptions of Prince Edward Island that have you right there sharing the experiences and pain as well as the little bit of the characters' happiness.
All four women had wonderful stories to tell and secrets to reveal. Secrets both good and bad. I couldn’t decide whose secret I liked the most. :)
I truly enjoyed CHANCE HARBOR, and any women's fiction fan which includes me will fall in love with this book and its characters. The setting as well as the warmth and the vividness of the characters pull you in and keep you turning the pages.
This was my first book by this author even though this isn't her first book.
Ms. Robinson has a way with words that has you not wanting the characters' stories or the book to end.
Absolutely recommend this book. Read it and ENJOY. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
April 11, 2016
Contemporary women’s fiction at its best, author Holly Robinson excels at emotional storytelling that teaches lessons in forgiveness. When one event after another unravels this family, you’ll root for their success as well as dread what may happen next, all the while hoping the book will never end. Recommended Read!
Widow Eve MacLeish is cleaning out her summer home on Prince Edward Island in order to sell it, when she meets Darcy MacDougall with his sexy Scottish brogue and his dog Bear. Does she dare develop a friendship while in her state of mind of loving and hating her deceased husband at the same time? A sophomore in high school, Eve’s granddaughter Willow’s artistic soul discovers photography as an outlet. Little does she know that her new passion may save her from the insanity that is her life.
Willow’s legal guardian, Catherine, and her husband Russell, stepped in when Willow’s mother disappeared. Catherine has never forgiven her drug addict sister for abandoning Willow five years ago at the bus station. Meanwhile, Eve has never stopped hoping to find her daughter everyone suspects is dead.
When Russell announces that he may lose his job once he becomes a father, Catherine’s world begins to crumble along with Willow’s. Catherine isn’t the mother of Russell’s soon-to-be-born baby – the result of his affair with a student at Willow’s high school. As Catherine and Willow’s lives are spiraling out of control, Eve’s past begins to reveal itself. If the family can survive Russell’s indiscretion, how will they handle the rollercoaster of events to follow?
There is infidelity in this story, but no one is getting away with a simple slap on their wrist for it either. Their indiscretions tear their lives apart with a fair amount of fallout. I mention this for romance readers who dislike this plot device in their books. Normally, its inclusion in romantic stories sets me off on a tangent as well, but this time I feel it is very well portrayed and dealt with in a way that satisfied my agitation with the subject. Its presence within, as well as the happy-for-now ending for this book, suits women’s fiction with romance elements perfectly.
In many ways, CHANCE HARBOR is like a train wreck in slow motion, written so beautifully that you can’t help looking, even though you know there will be painful moments. I fell in love with these characters and their stories as they weave back and forth between their present and past.
I often dislike a book with multiple points of view that intertwine from present to past because I lose track of who I’m reading about and get confused. This wasn’t the case with this book that sunk its claws into me and wouldn’t let go. So addictive! The family drama sucked me right in. I love books that start off strong like this one and capture my interest so much that I hate being an adult who can’t just read all day and ignore my other responsibilities.
The emotion in CHANCE HARBOR is often poignant and the characters made me cry with them. Shocker after shocker kept me flipping the pages, often wondering if the next revelation will break them, or cement them together as a solid indestructible force. I was enamored with several of the characters, but I was especially charmed by the wise-cracking teenager, Willow, who seemed more resilient and perceptive than the adults.
I highly recommend CHANCE HARBOR to lovers of romantic fiction and family sagas. There are many more characters in this story who intrigued me and were an intricate part of the plot. I was so entertained by this family and their friends that I hated for their story to end. Superb storytelling that provokes the reader to laughter and tears, CHANCE HARBOR is a book you’ll remember with a yearning for more.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print ARC provided by the publisher.
Widow Eve MacLeish is cleaning out her summer home on Prince Edward Island in order to sell it, when she meets Darcy MacDougall with his sexy Scottish brogue and his dog Bear. Does she dare develop a friendship while in her state of mind of loving and hating her deceased husband at the same time? A sophomore in high school, Eve’s granddaughter Willow’s artistic soul discovers photography as an outlet. Little does she know that her new passion may save her from the insanity that is her life.
Willow’s legal guardian, Catherine, and her husband Russell, stepped in when Willow’s mother disappeared. Catherine has never forgiven her drug addict sister for abandoning Willow five years ago at the bus station. Meanwhile, Eve has never stopped hoping to find her daughter everyone suspects is dead.
When Russell announces that he may lose his job once he becomes a father, Catherine’s world begins to crumble along with Willow’s. Catherine isn’t the mother of Russell’s soon-to-be-born baby – the result of his affair with a student at Willow’s high school. As Catherine and Willow’s lives are spiraling out of control, Eve’s past begins to reveal itself. If the family can survive Russell’s indiscretion, how will they handle the rollercoaster of events to follow?
There is infidelity in this story, but no one is getting away with a simple slap on their wrist for it either. Their indiscretions tear their lives apart with a fair amount of fallout. I mention this for romance readers who dislike this plot device in their books. Normally, its inclusion in romantic stories sets me off on a tangent as well, but this time I feel it is very well portrayed and dealt with in a way that satisfied my agitation with the subject. Its presence within, as well as the happy-for-now ending for this book, suits women’s fiction with romance elements perfectly.
In many ways, CHANCE HARBOR is like a train wreck in slow motion, written so beautifully that you can’t help looking, even though you know there will be painful moments. I fell in love with these characters and their stories as they weave back and forth between their present and past.
I often dislike a book with multiple points of view that intertwine from present to past because I lose track of who I’m reading about and get confused. This wasn’t the case with this book that sunk its claws into me and wouldn’t let go. So addictive! The family drama sucked me right in. I love books that start off strong like this one and capture my interest so much that I hate being an adult who can’t just read all day and ignore my other responsibilities.
The emotion in CHANCE HARBOR is often poignant and the characters made me cry with them. Shocker after shocker kept me flipping the pages, often wondering if the next revelation will break them, or cement them together as a solid indestructible force. I was enamored with several of the characters, but I was especially charmed by the wise-cracking teenager, Willow, who seemed more resilient and perceptive than the adults.
I highly recommend CHANCE HARBOR to lovers of romantic fiction and family sagas. There are many more characters in this story who intrigued me and were an intricate part of the plot. I was so entertained by this family and their friends that I hated for their story to end. Superb storytelling that provokes the reader to laughter and tears, CHANCE HARBOR is a book you’ll remember with a yearning for more.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies and The Zest Quest. Print ARC provided by the publisher.
September 17, 2016
This is a wonderful book that explores family dynamics. We have two sisters that are complete opposites, a mother who thinks she will be alone for the rest of her life and a granddaughter who clings to her aunt when her mother abandons her in a bus station. So realistic, set in Canada this story is a surprise from Start to finish. I would never have predicted the twists in the family but it's brilliant.
August 22, 2015
I was excited to get an advance copy of Chance Harbor and had high expectations after reading The Wishing Hill and Beach Plum Island. This book exceeded my expectations. Kudos to Holly Robinson once again.
Robinson has a way of plucking me out of my midwestern life and plunking me down in Massachusetts, and in this novel, on Prince Edward Island as well. These are places I've never been but at Robinson's skilled hands these settings are vivid and personal to me. This story, like Robinson's other novels, takes a family secret (or two, or three) and winds realistic and likable characters into knots over them, and each other. Unravelling these secrets at the same time the story goes deeper and moves forward is Robinson's true gift to her readers.
Robinson has a way of plucking me out of my midwestern life and plunking me down in Massachusetts, and in this novel, on Prince Edward Island as well. These are places I've never been but at Robinson's skilled hands these settings are vivid and personal to me. This story, like Robinson's other novels, takes a family secret (or two, or three) and winds realistic and likable characters into knots over them, and each other. Unravelling these secrets at the same time the story goes deeper and moves forward is Robinson's true gift to her readers.
November 30, 2015
Chance Harbor is an honest, gritty portrayal of a family as they come to terms with deception, dishonesty, hurt, and anger. It is the story primarily of two sisters, Catherine and Zoe, and their mother Eve. Five years earlier, Zoe abandoned her 10-year-old daughter, Willow, at a Boston bus station, and from that point on Catherine and her husband Russell become Willow's legal guardian, effectively her parents in both their eyes and Willow's. Eve has recently lost her own husband, and is making plans to sell their family home in Chance Harbor, which opens up memories and wounds from long ago. The characters in this book are believable and multi-layered. Catherine has always been the good sister, responsible and loving; Zoe is rebellious and daring, an addict who can no longer keep her own child safe. Willow herself is a confused 15-year-old, who loves both Catherine and Zoe, and wants more than anything to know where she belongs, especially after a rift in Catherine's marriage calls even that relationship into question. Chance Harbor is about mothers and fathers, the ones who brought us into the world vs. the ones who raised us; it's about marriages, and how what we see from the outside in no way represents what really goes on behind closed doors. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster, as secrets are revealed, as hurts are healed, as families fall apart and come back together. It is a heartfelt journey, equally combative and poignant, a truly incredible story.
October 20, 2015
I just finished reading Holly Robinson's Chance Harbor, and I have to say -- read it! Such a beautiful and multi-layered story of a complicated family and the women who hold it together, sometimes just barely but ultimately with success. There are mysteries, too. And now I need to visit Prince Edward Island, too. A fabulous read.
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July 13, 2024DNF
January 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this book because it was about family and all the twists and turns of events that kept me interested. The author was very good at keeping me interested . I do want to read more of her books. It was a story about 2 sisters that were totally different and they distanced themselves from each other. The author was very good at keeping the secret as to why until the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good family book.
September 7, 2022
This family is whacked. Could they make the relationships any more convoluted.
November 5, 2015
This is a full, rich book that is sure to satisfy women’s fiction lovers a hundred times over! I more than loved this book, and you know how much I LOVE women’s fiction! I was in my glory! This book is extremely character driven, which I love, too. Every character is unique and great in their own way, and you know with a character driven book there are going to be a lot of ups and downs with all the characters. Yes, that did happen in this book. The characters had very active and full lives, and the best part is I could relate to where this story took place so well because I was there once, a long time ago. Prince Edward Island is off the eastern shores of Nova Scotia, Canada, and is one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen. Why, you wonder? Aside from the fishing, it is farmed, and that is the beauty of it. The land is so expansive you can see this from the car alone, along with the many different crops that are grown, making it look like a patchwork quilt. The pure beauty is really indescribable. The reason this book got it’s title is there are a lot of Harbors on this island (it’s surrounded by water, of course), they name the Harbors. For this book, the author named it ‘Chance Harbor’, and that so goes along with this book! Anyway, if you are ever in the area of Nova Scotia, Canada, make it a point to visit Prince Edward Island!
Being a character driven book, there is a lot of discussion between the four characters. Eve, if you want to even consider her a mother, is mother to good daughter, Catherine, and bad daughter, Zoe, then a grandchild comes along later in this story, Willow. The problem? They don’t all act their ages. Problems arise, different people have to take control of the different issues that pop up in their lives, and the secrets, oh, the secrets that come out! The issues that occur when Eve decides she wants to sell the vacation home on Prince Edward Island! Not pretty, and the secrets, oh, the secrets.
So now I’ve found a new author I want to read MORE from! Her writing grabs you from the very start, and you just don’t want to put this book down at all. This author really has a hold on you! If you like women's fiction, then you need to read this book!
This book is one that would be an excellent Book Club pick! It’s even easier to be a Book Club choice because there is a Conversation Guide in the back to help you along.
I want to thank Penguin/New American Library for providing a print copy of this book for me to enjoy reviewing in exchange for a review of my own opinion.
Being a character driven book, there is a lot of discussion between the four characters. Eve, if you want to even consider her a mother, is mother to good daughter, Catherine, and bad daughter, Zoe, then a grandchild comes along later in this story, Willow. The problem? They don’t all act their ages. Problems arise, different people have to take control of the different issues that pop up in their lives, and the secrets, oh, the secrets that come out! The issues that occur when Eve decides she wants to sell the vacation home on Prince Edward Island! Not pretty, and the secrets, oh, the secrets.
So now I’ve found a new author I want to read MORE from! Her writing grabs you from the very start, and you just don’t want to put this book down at all. This author really has a hold on you! If you like women's fiction, then you need to read this book!
This book is one that would be an excellent Book Club pick! It’s even easier to be a Book Club choice because there is a Conversation Guide in the back to help you along.
I want to thank Penguin/New American Library for providing a print copy of this book for me to enjoy reviewing in exchange for a review of my own opinion.
June 14, 2019
A story about two sisters, Catherine and Zoe, who are the complete opposite of each other. Catherine is very serious and responsible while Zoe is wild and care free. Zoe has a illegitimate daughter, Willow and after Zoe disappears, Catherine becomes Willows guardian.
This is a story of a family rebuilding their relationships, forgiveness and bringing them back together.
“Chance Harbor” is a great book that I am happy I read!
This is a story of a family rebuilding their relationships, forgiveness and bringing them back together.
“Chance Harbor” is a great book that I am happy I read!
May 29, 2016
I really enjoyed this story and would like to see a second one continuing the lives of these characters.
May 31, 2017
This is the first book I've read by Holly Robinson, but I will definitely be looking for others by this author.
This story of the dynamics between siblings and parents was complex with many unexpected twists.
The book is set in Massachusetts and Prince Edward Island and even mentioned New Brunswick. :)
Initially I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the book; the prologue left me struggling to figure out the connections to the characters in chapter one, but before long I was hooked. I had a very hard time to put this book down. I normally only have 30 minutes each day at bedtime to read; however found myself picking up Chance Harbor every time I had a minute to sneak in a few paragraphs...I even finished it tonight while making dinner. I hated to see it come to an end and would love to see a sequel.
This story of the dynamics between siblings and parents was complex with many unexpected twists.
The book is set in Massachusetts and Prince Edward Island and even mentioned New Brunswick. :)
Initially I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the book; the prologue left me struggling to figure out the connections to the characters in chapter one, but before long I was hooked. I had a very hard time to put this book down. I normally only have 30 minutes each day at bedtime to read; however found myself picking up Chance Harbor every time I had a minute to sneak in a few paragraphs...I even finished it tonight while making dinner. I hated to see it come to an end and would love to see a sequel.
October 1, 2019
This was a good family book that is based in the Boston area. It's about two sisters Catherine and Zoe, their mom Eve. Zoe abandon's her 10 year old Willow in a bus station and disappears. Catherine and her husband, Russel becomes Zoe's legal guardians. Russel is a teacher at an upscale school and gets one of his student's pregnant. Russel and Catherine separate and split visitation of Willow. In the meantime, Eve, who has just lost her husband is getting their vacation home ready to sale. With that comes memories and secrets that she needs to share. Is Zoe dead or alive? It's a good a read and reminds you that no family is perfect and all have their own secrets.
May 16, 2019
I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like this book or not, but it turned way better than I expected. I like how it dwelt with a lot of complex issues such as: gang rape, bullying, adultery, infedelity, alcohol and drug abuse, running away, neglect, abandonment, pregnancy, teen mothers, and divorce. Sometimes books or shows tend to focus on 1 of those tough issues more than the others, but those book touched on each in great detail. It also shows the importance in family and that you don't have to be blood to still be considered family.
December 15, 2024
Catherine and Zoe are sisters, who are nothing alike. Catherine is the responsible one, Zoe the wild child. Ten years ago Zoe disappeared leaving behind her daughter Willow. Neither Catherine or her mother Eve know whether she is alive or dead. Catherine and her husband have been looking after Willow ever since. From what was once a peaceful loving home environment everything is about to change. The book is set in Cambridge Mass where Catherine’s family live and Chance Harbour, Prince Edward Island where Eve has a summer home.
November 25, 2017
Complicated, but beautiful...just like life!
I loved the characters and the setting. Prince Edward Island holds a special place in my heart, so I enjoyed that much of the book was set there. The family dynamics were complicated, just like real life, but they worked through them in their own way. I enjoy reading about strong women and women who strive to know themselves and go after what they want. Great book...I highly recommend it!
I loved the characters and the setting. Prince Edward Island holds a special place in my heart, so I enjoyed that much of the book was set there. The family dynamics were complicated, just like real life, but they worked through them in their own way. I enjoy reading about strong women and women who strive to know themselves and go after what they want. Great book...I highly recommend it!
March 23, 2021
I very good read. The complicated dynamic of family and how they navigate many dramas of secrets filled with pain. The matriarch Eve says it well at the end; "..she had family gathered around her, noisy and flawed and generous. She loved and was loved. A woman who would ask for forgiveness and receive it, for all the mistakes she'd made, and would continue to make, as long as she lived beneath a sky that rained light."
January 15, 2023
Probably not fair to the author or the book, but this story was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a romance since that was my search criterion. Something light and darling to read while I was sick. Not it. This was a drama with sad, secretive, depressing characters who could only think of themselves. I gave the book three stars because it redeemed itself a bit at the end and I finished it. Life is sad enough without wallowing in another family's dysfunction.
February 4, 2019
The characters didn't act or talk in ways that made sense to me for the first half of the book, but then I started to get into the story and was less distracted by it about halfway through. I would have liked more development of the relationship between Grey and Catherine. Overall, I liked the story and it was a quick read with good prose.
November 12, 2020
A story about love and forgiveness between sisters, mothers and daughters. The secrets between spouses and the secrets they keep that can ruin a relationship or make it stronger. In the end the bond of family love can strengthen everyone and bond them together. Characters are so well defined that the reader feels a bond with all of them.
August 9, 2021
A book about love, family and marriage and all it entails while entertwined with the realities of addiction and those it effects. A teenager in search of herself, where she belongs and where she has come from.
February 2, 2022
This story started out pretty interesting. There was a lot of hot-mess going on, and I was curious about how the story would wrap up. Unfortunately most of the twists were easily predicted, and story ended without much of a bang.
November 4, 2018
Two stars -too dramatic and too much going on!
January 11, 2019
I think that if you are a person who likes romance novels, you would rate this much higher than a 2 star. I just can't develop a liking for the genre, and am starting to wonder why I keep trying...
June 19, 2019
Tried to read twice by accident because I didn't add it to this list. Do not like the language or the writing style.
January 19, 2020
Семејна драма која може да ги задоволи вкусовите на читателите кои обожаваат драма како книжевен жанр.
August 8, 2020
I just couldn't.
October 4, 2020
Truly loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews