Unexpected Blessings

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Book Overview

The new blockbuster from one of the world's greatest storytellers delves into the life of Emma Harte - the original Woman of Substance- -and the ambitious, passionate, and volatile women of the next generations.Evan, Tessa, Linnet, and India: four remarkable women. Three generations of Hartes. One indomitable family whose loyalty binds them together and whose enemies want to tear them apart.Evan Hughes, Emma's American great-granddaughter, is trying to integrate into the powerful Harte family. She is caught between her estranged parents, her new family, and her new love. But a dangerous enemy hovers in the background.Tessa Longden, Evan's cousin, is battling her husband for custody of their daughter, Adele. When Adele suddenly goes missing, Tessa is forced to seek help from her half-sister Linnet-a woman who has been her rival all their lives.Linnet, the most brilliant businesswoman of the four great-granddaughters, is desperately trying to show that she is the natural heir to her mother, Paula. But her glittering future at the helm of the vast Harte empire means many sacrifices, perhaps even the loss of her sister's fragile trust.And India Standish, the traditionalist in the family, falls in love with a famous British artist from a working-class background. Madly in love, India is determined to marry him, no matter what her family thinks.It is Evan who finds new perspective about her own life from the revelations in letters that Emma wrote to Evan's grandmother decades ago. But they may come too late.As conflict and danger swirl around the Harte women, someone is pulling the strings to make sure none of them finds happiness. Who among them will rise to the challenges as only a true Harte can do? This latest dramatic story in the ongoing saga of an extraordinary family dynasty is full of love, passion, jealousy, and ambition. It is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her inimitable best.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312307047
• ISBN13: 9780312307042
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 475 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.6" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Very enjoyable book

This is the continuing saga of the Emma Hart. Although she has long since passed away her empire still lives on through her grandchildren and great grandchildren. I have read all book in the series and have been rivited by each one. Unexpected Blessings is about the lives of 4 of Emma's decendents. They are ambitious, fascinating & powerful women. All a credit to Emma. Barbara Taylor Bradford tells their stories like no one else could.

Unexpected Blessings

I really enjoyed the continuing saga of Emma Harte's family. I don't agree that she has used up the story line. I hope that another continuation of these great love stories will be coming soon. I would look forward to reading another book about this family.

Blessings A Triumph - Hardly Unexpected

You gotta hand it to Barbara Taylor Bradford. She's been at it for more than 25 years and she still knows how to write an 'unputdownable' novel. Unexpected Blessings packs a whole lot of drama into a modern saga, including a kindnapping, a stabbing and a whole lot of family feuding, even as 9/11 unfolds. You may need a scorecard to keep track of all the family members through the multiple generations of Harte's, O'Neils and Kalinskis, but the book does provide an extended family tree for that very reason. If you like a sweeping family saga with good looking people and lots of money to fight over, you'll love Unexpected Blessings.

Legacy Of The Harte(s) - Still Strong

I read Unexpected Blessings after picking up a copy in London on my way back to Baltimore. Some six hours and 400+ pages later, I finally put it down. I just couldn't stop reading until the last page. Few authors, if any pay such great attention to detail as Barbara Taylor Bradford. She is a master storyteller who seems to get better with age. Unexpected Blessings is the 5th book in the Harte family series. While nothing beats the original, A Woman of Substance, this new saga is captivating, and even better than the earlier sequels, Hold The Dream, To Be The Best and Emma's Secret. Those who have read the earlier books will be completely stunned by a shocking discovery. But there is enough background information here to read this book, even if you haven't gotten to the others yet. Highly Reccomended!

A Blessing In Hardcover

As a regular reader of Mrs. Bradford, I was delighted last year when she returned to the `Harte' series with Emma's Secret. While Emma's Secret was a good book, it spent a lot of time catching up with the family through the years. But Unexpected Blessings contains nothing but action and drama (with a little romance mixed in). It's one of those books that stays with you long after you've put it down. The whole story of a major character who had a secret love affair over her lifetime will change your perception of the earlier books in the series. It is genuinely a shocking revelation. Overall, this is one of the best books Bradford has written in many years. And, it stands alone as a strong story for those who haven't read the earlier books in the series. It's just too bad the sequel, Just Rewards doesn't come out till next year.