3.5* There seemed to be alot to keep track of in this novel. I did enjoy it overall. The character building is stretched out through the book.

It’s a promise of better things to come . . .

With its colorful history, and miles of sand, tide, and windswept oaks, North Carolina’s Outer Banks is a paradise for locals and tourists alike. For Curtis Gage, returning after nineteen years to be the new assistant manager of a 5-star, ocean-front resort, it’s a chance to start a new life—and come to terms with an old one. This is where his father, a revered police chief, died in the line of duty. Whisked away by his mother when he was just a child, Curtis always yearned to come back and reclaim this magnificent necklace of islands as home.

But he never imagined the risks . . .

This coastal haven is in attorney Rae Alden’s blood, and the resort’s expansion is encroaching on precious Fortunate Harbor. For Rae and the old-town families she represents, their generations-old heritage is not for sale for all the money in the world. Who’d have guessed that the ordeal would tie Rae to Curtis, a childhood sweetheart whose family tragedy once converged, fatefully, with her own past? The landgrab is reuniting them in more ways than one. Because the property is more valuable than even Rae believed. The proof is in a secret deed and a long-lost map to a bona fide buried treasure.

An enjoyable, multi-layered story of redemption and finding love again. There was a bit of a mystery and a fabulous setting - all in a great summer read.

This was my first time reading Davis Bunn, and this review is for the audiobook edition. Unfortunately, I didn’t particularly enjoy the narration. Sandra Bennett’s delivery felt flat and didn’t add much life to an already slow-moving story. Whether the lack of emotion was due to the narration or the storyline itself is hard to say—likely a bit of both.

From the synopsis, I was expecting a more romance-centered plot. Instead, the book leaned heavily into a legal and corporate drama set in a quiet coastal town, with the romantic elements feeling secondary at best.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy. While the premise had potential, I’m not sure I’ll be continuing the series.

While Sandra Bennett is a great Narrator, she couldn't make me love this book.
This was my first Davis Bunn book.

I felt misled by the description of the book. It didn't feel like as much of a romance as it did a long ago pirate mystery from childhood and a land grab. More of a secret corporate/legal mystery to grab valuable land from a small quiet town. There were a lot of legal meetings about obtaining this land by a secret group. All of this done by 2 people that grew up there and might be rekindling a childhood spark. So there's a lot of talking about the past. There is a surprise person that pops up near the end and really threw the story for a loop. The way so many things were left unanswered and opened it's obvious that there will be sequels. That is one thing that I find absolutely annoying about some books that have a sequel and I always give it a lower rating because of it. Please finish this story and then in the next book give us a new story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

You’ll like this book if you enjoy the Outer Banks, international / corporate plots, mysterious disappearances, and awesome military people. I would not classify it as a romance. There were several things left unresolved, which sets it up well to be the first in a series.

I haven’t read a book by Davis Bunn since he was co-writing with Janette Oke in the early 2000’s and I was curious about what his writing is like today. This wasn’t a book for me. I don’t enjoy all the corporate drama and got tired of the constant cliffhangers designed to keep my attention.

The audio narrator was more of a reader than an engaging narrator. Since the book alternates between a male and female point of view, I would have enjoyed it more with two narrators.

Many thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

The narrator is one of my favorites and she did an excellent job. Susan Bennet has voiced other stories that I’ve loved. There’s something about her voice that is perfect for novels set in North Carolina.
With that said, the description of this book is misleading and that was a disappointment about halfway in. I won’t spoil the story but when people in other reviews say that the outcome is one they didn’t expect it’s because the story description doesn’t elude to there being a third person added to the love story. I don’t like misleading descriptions of stories. I liked this story well enough but I think the direction the author took with the romance just resulted in a bit of a let down.

I love reading books that are based in places that I have been and specifically, North Carolina, so when I saw Fortunate Harbor, I knew I had to read it. This story had everything, mystery, pirate legends, romance, and second chances that may not turn out the way you expect. I love the connection that Rae and Curtis had as teenagers and how they were able to trust each other and work together as adults. They realized that there were others looking for the treasure that they used to hunt for as kids and they wanted to protect it when they realized it was in their grasp. Overall, this was an excellent read and is perfect for your summer TBR!

Fortunate Harbor by Davis Bunn and narrated by Susan Bennett releases April 29, 2025. I was excited to read this because they said fans of Karen Kingsbury and Nicholas Sparks would like this romance. In sorry to say this didn’t hit the mark at all. Where was the romance? To me it was full of corporate and lawyer/legal drama which isn’t what I expected. Not that it is a bad book but I found my mind wondering a lot and there were so many people to keep track of. Thank you to #NetGalley and RB media for this Arc. This is my honest review.

Unfortunately, I am DNFing at 37% in. This was marketed as similar to Nicholas Sparks' work, so I assumed it was going to be a romance. However, the story is more of a corporate/legal drama with some drama romance sprinkled in. I just couldn't find myself to care about what was going on. There were too many characters to follow with too choppy writing, making it difficult to stay on track at times. This isn't to say this is a bad book, just not for me and if you're into this sort of thing pick it up as you may like it.