"The House on Harbor Hill” by Shelly Stratton

Title: The House on Harbor Hill
Author: Shelly Stratton
Publisher:  Kensington Publishing Corp.
Year: 2018
Genre(s):  historical fiction, contemporary
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: After running from her abusive husband, Tracey has nowhere else to go with her two young children. She then receives an invitation from Delilah Grey to come live at her mansion in Camden Beach, Maryland. Tracey accepts and soon her ghosts help Delilah put her own to rest.

Review: I did like this book but there were parts that just held it back from getting a higher rating.

And once again, I’ll remember to stick to what the story was rather than what I hoped it would be. It’s only fair.

I absolutely loved Delilah’s story. Honestly, I feel it was strong enough to carry a whole book by itself and didn’t need the more modern parts, except as maybe a framing device. Delilah was compelling and her romance with Cee also was well-done. The reader could feel how she could be taken in by Cee but also then be scared of him. I think it did a good job of showing an abusive relationship.

Aidan was also a compelling character as well with his history. He also had a great relationship with Delilah, almost like a son to her.

Tracey got lost in the shuffle. She was treated as a main character but felt more like a supporting character. I think she would’ve been better served that way rather than getting overshadowed by Delilah despite how their stories had good parallels. Stratton should’ve really leaned into that more than she did, in my opinion.

Stratton had good grasp of imagery and delving into a character’s emotions, especially with Delilah. I think that was one of the reason why her story really resonated with me. My only wish was that the house felt like its own character rather than just a backdrop, especially given how important it was.

Though I felt it had some drawbacks, this book still explored some intriguing and complex topics well. So I do encourage you to read it – especially for Delilah’s story.

Bottom line: A good story that maybe bit off more than it could chew.

Sex: Some mentions, nothing graphic. Some nonconsensual.

Moonlight Musing

Do you think there are cases that would be decided differently today?