Title: The Orphans at Race Point
Author: Patry Francis
Publisher: Harper Collins 2014
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 547
Rating: 4/5 stars
Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New Author; Monthly Key Word - October; Lucky No. 14 - Blame It on the Bloggers
Set in the close-knit Portuguese community of Provincetown, Massachusetts, The Orphans of Race Point traces the relationship between Hallie Costa and Gus Silva, who meet as children in the wake of a terrible crime that leaves Gus parentless. Their friendship evolves into an enduring and passionate love that will ask more of them than they ever imagined.
On the night of their high school prom, a terrible tragedy devastates their relationship and profoundly alters the course of their lives. And when, a decade later, Gus—now a priest—becomes entangled with a distraught woman named Ava and her daughter Mila, troubled souls who bring back vivid memories of his own damaged past, the unthinkable happens: he is charged with murder. Can Hallie save the man she’s never stopped loving, by not only freeing him from prison but also—finally—the curse of his past?
I feel like this is a good book, but not a great one. I enjoyed reading it, but didn't have any strong feelings at the end. I didn't get into the world as much as I would have liked. I didn't connect to the characters as much as I would have liked. And yet, the writing was good, the storyline was thought out, and the characters were interesting. I guess I just wanted a bit more from the book. I'm giving it 4 stars on the strength of the writing and storyline.