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Legend of the Coco Palms Resort
Never confuse Hawaiian Spirits for Aloha Spirit
On the lush tropical Island of Kaua`i sits the iconic dilapidated Coco Palms Resort, once a paradise haven for the rich and famous, one of whom was Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.
On September 11, 1992 Hurricane Iniki ripped through Kaua`i, leaving the resort nothing more than a hollowed shell.
After more than two decades of sitting in ruins, corporate New York lawyer, Abby Parker is hired to help acquire the coconut grove. Abby soon discovers that some unfriendly forces are keeping her from doing her job. Within hours of arriving on the island, Abby finds herself fighting for her life.
Not one to believe in ghosts Abby tries to dismiss the odd occurrences as a figment of her imagination, but the last monarch to rule the land, Queen Deborah, proves her wrong.
Written with light-heartedness, the story is a true testament to friendships and family ties, which no one can break, not even greedy land developers.
On the lush tropical Island of Kaua`i sits the iconic dilapidated Coco Palms Resort, once a paradise haven for the rich and famous, one of whom was Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.
On September 11, 1992 Hurricane Iniki ripped through Kaua`i, leaving the resort nothing more than a hollowed shell.
After more than two decades of sitting in ruins, corporate New York lawyer, Abby Parker is hired to help acquire the coconut grove. Abby soon discovers that some unfriendly forces are keeping her from doing her job. Within hours of arriving on the island, Abby finds herself fighting for her life.
Not one to believe in ghosts Abby tries to dismiss the odd occurrences as a figment of her imagination, but the last monarch to rule the land, Queen Deborah, proves her wrong.
Written with light-heartedness, the story is a true testament to friendships and family ties, which no one can break, not even greedy land developers.
- GenresFiction
468 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2020
2 people are currently reading
3090 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 6, 2017
Where to begin? First of all, I can't for the life of me understand why this book received the rave reviews it has. While the premise was great, the execution - and ESPECIALLY the editing - left much to be desired.
First the good: having spent quite some time on Kauai myself and having visited most, if not all, of the places mentioned in the book, it was a pleasure to relive my experiences there. The descriptions of the island and its customs were vivid and generally accurate (except for one: twin waterfalls cannot be seen from Waimea Canyon as claimed on p. 85; what can be seen is the 800-foot-drop Waipoo Falls). There was a certain amount of humour in the book and Queen Deborah was a hoot.
My biggest beef was the editing. Whoever proofed this book should be fired. One’s interest is not “peaked”, it’s “piqued”. If a person is unfaithful to his partner, he has “wandering” eyes, not “wondering” eyes. When the table was made available to Abbey, it would make more sense for her to accept it “gratefully”, not “graciously” (the people are doing her a favour, not the other way around). I think Stan wanted to demolish the “wretched” property, not the “retched” property (somehow I don’t think the property was vomiting.); “Who’s leg are you trying to pull?” rather than the correct “whose” leg…
Besides issues with homophones, the editor also missed such elementary grammar rules as capitalizing a word when it’s used as a name (ie. using “boss” rather than “Boss” – as in “You’ve got it, boss” rather than “You’ve got it, Boss”); incorrect apostrophe usage (eg. “No buts. Just do’s…”. As written it means “do is” which makes no sense); and quantity matching (eg. One rooster, two sentences later, is referred to as “they” and “their.”). And these are not all the errors in the book. While some may decry my criticisms as minor and petty, I don’t think they are. The mistakes detracted from my enjoyment of the book and distracted me from the story. A few editing errors are understandable, but this is ridiculous.
I also found much of the writing to be awkward and somewhat amateurish, which is surprising considering this is not the author’s first book. Examples include: too many separate, short sentences that would flow better if joined with conjunctions; a character yells “just a little too loudly” (How can one yell quietly??); a lack of transitional/explanatory paragraphs (eg. why did Abbey decide to go paddleboarding? How DO pineapples grow? They grow on the ground, but this is not specified or described); disconnections between ideas (eg. emergency vehicles and police cars blocking the parking lot only “seem” to point to an emergency? a character who apparently refers to Elvis as a “fellow Hawaiian”?)
If this book makes it to a second printing, it is to be hoped that these and numerous other weaknesses will be corrected. With more polishing, Legend of the Coco Palms Resort has the potential to be a terrific book. It has a great plot and quite interesting characters and, had it been better edited (if nothing else), I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. It doesn’t pay to rush something into print before it’s really ready.
First the good: having spent quite some time on Kauai myself and having visited most, if not all, of the places mentioned in the book, it was a pleasure to relive my experiences there. The descriptions of the island and its customs were vivid and generally accurate (except for one: twin waterfalls cannot be seen from Waimea Canyon as claimed on p. 85; what can be seen is the 800-foot-drop Waipoo Falls). There was a certain amount of humour in the book and Queen Deborah was a hoot.
My biggest beef was the editing. Whoever proofed this book should be fired. One’s interest is not “peaked”, it’s “piqued”. If a person is unfaithful to his partner, he has “wandering” eyes, not “wondering” eyes. When the table was made available to Abbey, it would make more sense for her to accept it “gratefully”, not “graciously” (the people are doing her a favour, not the other way around). I think Stan wanted to demolish the “wretched” property, not the “retched” property (somehow I don’t think the property was vomiting.); “Who’s leg are you trying to pull?” rather than the correct “whose” leg…
Besides issues with homophones, the editor also missed such elementary grammar rules as capitalizing a word when it’s used as a name (ie. using “boss” rather than “Boss” – as in “You’ve got it, boss” rather than “You’ve got it, Boss”); incorrect apostrophe usage (eg. “No buts. Just do’s…”. As written it means “do is” which makes no sense); and quantity matching (eg. One rooster, two sentences later, is referred to as “they” and “their.”). And these are not all the errors in the book. While some may decry my criticisms as minor and petty, I don’t think they are. The mistakes detracted from my enjoyment of the book and distracted me from the story. A few editing errors are understandable, but this is ridiculous.
I also found much of the writing to be awkward and somewhat amateurish, which is surprising considering this is not the author’s first book. Examples include: too many separate, short sentences that would flow better if joined with conjunctions; a character yells “just a little too loudly” (How can one yell quietly??); a lack of transitional/explanatory paragraphs (eg. why did Abbey decide to go paddleboarding? How DO pineapples grow? They grow on the ground, but this is not specified or described); disconnections between ideas (eg. emergency vehicles and police cars blocking the parking lot only “seem” to point to an emergency? a character who apparently refers to Elvis as a “fellow Hawaiian”?)
If this book makes it to a second printing, it is to be hoped that these and numerous other weaknesses will be corrected. With more polishing, Legend of the Coco Palms Resort has the potential to be a terrific book. It has a great plot and quite interesting characters and, had it been better edited (if nothing else), I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. It doesn’t pay to rush something into print before it’s really ready.
November 9, 2016
Legend of the Coco Palms Resort by Rita D'Orazio is fascinating. Her novel brings readers to Hawaii. A tropical place that is exotic and loved by many. Here, I got to follow the main character to a place called, Coco Palms Resort. Once upon a time, this was the most expensive and popular resorts know worldwide. The rich and famous would come there to visit. But then, a hurricane came and all was lost. Destruction took over. Since then, real estates have tried to take over the property. It's a real money spot, only if they can get to it. So far, no one has succeeded. Plus, there's rumors that it's haunted. Now, enters the protagonist, Abby. She's a lawyer hired to go scout it. But what she finds is more than anything she ever thought. I loved how themes like family, culture, heritage, and love were present here. Rita D'Orazio has captured them beautifully. The scenes come to life with every page. The characters and their personalities snag readers like myself further into the plot. Soon, I found myself at the ending. It was brilliant. I truly enjoyed following this adventure from beginning to end. A lawyer turned into a business woman and the new treasures she finds is worth reading...Overall, I highly recommend this contemporary women's fiction to readers everywhere.
February 8, 2017
Rita D’Orazio has created a wonderfully intricate story.
Read full review in the 2017 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2017 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
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February 23, 2017Enjoyed this book very much. I especially loved the ending. Nice book to read.
August 9, 2021
Filled with romance and mystery “Legend of the Coco Palms Resort” which I received through Goodreads Giveaways opens in the 1960’s with forty-nine year old Genie Evans a successful business woman turning rich real estate mogul Gerry Gartner’s purchase into a thriving resort than entices even Elvis Presley to Kaua’i. There Genie befriends the ghost of Queen Deborah who wants the land to stay in her family and finds love, but in 1992 after a devastating hurricane the resort lies in ruins.
The story picks up in 2015 when New York City lawyer Abby Parker after a heartbreaking breakup with her boyfriend Noah King is sent to by her boss to the island to make a bid on the coconut grove for two investors. There she discovers the land/resort under dispute by Kanoa Kahala of the Heritage and Cultural Association who’s been working to make it a heritage site. While making a deal for the two investors, Abby will not only come face to face with the pain in her past; befriend a two-hundred-year-old ghost; but bring peace to the land under contention.
Set in exotic Hawaii with the language adding a unique flavor to the dialogue, the story is narrated from several perspectives including Genie Evans, Abby Parker, and Kanao Kahala. Intriguing, the plot builds from the arrival of Genie Evans to the resort in 1960 with her interactions with the owner Gerry, her friend Mike and with Queen Deborah as she pursues a marketing strategy for the resort that will draw the attention of Elvis Presley.
But, emotional intensity and suspense escalate with the arrival of Abby Evans in 2015 when her boss Stan sends her to Kaua’i to broker a deal for two greedy investors unaware of the history of the resort and land under contention. There she will not only face the pain in her past but resolve a mystery that has Queen Deborah still haunting the resort and the land under dispute. Compelling from start to finish, all too quickly the plot flows seamlessly to a satisfying ending.
Bringing the story to life are fascinating characters like trustworthy, quirky and loyal Genie Evans, a successful business woman; the rich, womanizing but good-hearted Gerry Gartner; control freak, anxiety riddled corporate lawyer Abigail “Abby” Parker who slowly learns to stress out and face her fears; the confident, handsome, and gentlemanly Noah King/ Kanoa Kahala; and the self-assured, humorous, friendly ghost Queen Deborah. Filled with unbreakable friendships, family ties and the pursuit of true love this is a captivating story that won’t let you go until the end.
I enjoyed the “Legend of the Coco Palms Resort”, light reading for a warm summer’s day.
The story picks up in 2015 when New York City lawyer Abby Parker after a heartbreaking breakup with her boyfriend Noah King is sent to by her boss to the island to make a bid on the coconut grove for two investors. There she discovers the land/resort under dispute by Kanoa Kahala of the Heritage and Cultural Association who’s been working to make it a heritage site. While making a deal for the two investors, Abby will not only come face to face with the pain in her past; befriend a two-hundred-year-old ghost; but bring peace to the land under contention.
Set in exotic Hawaii with the language adding a unique flavor to the dialogue, the story is narrated from several perspectives including Genie Evans, Abby Parker, and Kanao Kahala. Intriguing, the plot builds from the arrival of Genie Evans to the resort in 1960 with her interactions with the owner Gerry, her friend Mike and with Queen Deborah as she pursues a marketing strategy for the resort that will draw the attention of Elvis Presley.
But, emotional intensity and suspense escalate with the arrival of Abby Evans in 2015 when her boss Stan sends her to Kaua’i to broker a deal for two greedy investors unaware of the history of the resort and land under contention. There she will not only face the pain in her past but resolve a mystery that has Queen Deborah still haunting the resort and the land under dispute. Compelling from start to finish, all too quickly the plot flows seamlessly to a satisfying ending.
Bringing the story to life are fascinating characters like trustworthy, quirky and loyal Genie Evans, a successful business woman; the rich, womanizing but good-hearted Gerry Gartner; control freak, anxiety riddled corporate lawyer Abigail “Abby” Parker who slowly learns to stress out and face her fears; the confident, handsome, and gentlemanly Noah King/ Kanoa Kahala; and the self-assured, humorous, friendly ghost Queen Deborah. Filled with unbreakable friendships, family ties and the pursuit of true love this is a captivating story that won’t let you go until the end.
I enjoyed the “Legend of the Coco Palms Resort”, light reading for a warm summer’s day.
May 21, 2017
This was a fun book. Nice story about Kauai and good characters. Nothing serious but a great read for vacation. Leaving it in a rental condo on Maui for someone to find.
January 9, 2017
A GoodReads GiveAway.
An enjoyable book. And why wouldn't it be? The setting is Hawaii. There is intrigue. There is romance...
...oh, and there is a ghost of a former Queen of the Islands...
...and, possibly, there's Elvis.
An enjoyable book. And why wouldn't it be? The setting is Hawaii. There is intrigue. There is romance...
...oh, and there is a ghost of a former Queen of the Islands...
...and, possibly, there's Elvis.
July 30, 2017
"Legend of the Coco Palms Resort" was not what I was expecting. We follow high-powered lawyer Abby as she travels to Hawaii to obtain the Coco Palms Resort for a corporation. Once she arrives, she learns that not only is not as simple as it sounds (and there's some local lore about the place), but that she will be working against the one-who-got-away, her ex-boyfriend Noah, who now goes by his Hawaiian name, Kanoa.
The book really turns into a romance more than anything else as the plot thickens around how their relationship ended and why. The hotel and Hawaiian backdrop were less a major part of the story than the relationship building. The writing flows pretty well (it surprised me, in a good way, for a non-mainstream book), but I think it should be marketed more as a romance than a mystery. A different audience and I think it could do quite well. As others have mentioned, there are a few small editing issues, but it is overall a decent read, and I think it fits within the romance genre well.
Please note that I received a copy through a goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.
The book really turns into a romance more than anything else as the plot thickens around how their relationship ended and why. The hotel and Hawaiian backdrop were less a major part of the story than the relationship building. The writing flows pretty well (it surprised me, in a good way, for a non-mainstream book), but I think it should be marketed more as a romance than a mystery. A different audience and I think it could do quite well. As others have mentioned, there are a few small editing issues, but it is overall a decent read, and I think it fits within the romance genre well.
Please note that I received a copy through a goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.
December 20, 2016
I received a complementary copy of this book from the author.
Legend of the Coco Palms Resort is a romance and a mystery and a vacation all in one. Rita D'Orazio's excellent writing took me back to Hawaii and reminded me of all the little reasons I loved being there.
Abby is a New York lawyer who's been sent to the island of Kauai to manage a real estate deal for a non-native buyer. But the Coco Palms Resort doesn't want to be bought any more than the islanders want to see it turned into high-rise condos. Mysterious things happen every time Abby gets close. And her extended stay on the island begins to soften her rigid New York attitude.
There is an easy mixture of mystery and romance here. Neither element feels forced into the other. I found myself unable to put it down for wanting to know what happens next.
If you love mystery, if you love romance, or if you love the islands, I suggest you give this book a go. It's an especially good pick-me-up for those of us just heading into a cold, snowy winter.
Legend of the Coco Palms Resort is a romance and a mystery and a vacation all in one. Rita D'Orazio's excellent writing took me back to Hawaii and reminded me of all the little reasons I loved being there.
Abby is a New York lawyer who's been sent to the island of Kauai to manage a real estate deal for a non-native buyer. But the Coco Palms Resort doesn't want to be bought any more than the islanders want to see it turned into high-rise condos. Mysterious things happen every time Abby gets close. And her extended stay on the island begins to soften her rigid New York attitude.
There is an easy mixture of mystery and romance here. Neither element feels forced into the other. I found myself unable to put it down for wanting to know what happens next.
If you love mystery, if you love romance, or if you love the islands, I suggest you give this book a go. It's an especially good pick-me-up for those of us just heading into a cold, snowy winter.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews