Overview

Fireworks on the Fourth tells the story of Susan, a woman whose world is upended when her estranged daughter Emma arrives at her holiday party with a date-a man who is Susan's first love, her ""Big Mistake,"" and possibly (but not actually) Emma's father. It's 1992 in the Connecticut countryside, where a group of intelligent but flawed women and men from two generations are gathering to celebrate the 4th of July. The story weaves back and forth in time and place until the characters meet at the house party. Decades earlier, two of the women faked a wedding and widowhood to hide a pregnancy. Now, fate is leading to humorous and heated exchanges between Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers about women's rights, civil rights, and the state of the world, with flashbacks to the '60s, '70s, and '80s, secrets being spilled, and fireworks in the bedroom as well as the sky.

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Reviews

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite Fireworks on the Fourth by Kate Harte is a twisty journey of discovery. Susan is estranged from her daughter but is shocked when she turns up at a holiday party with her new partner in tow - the first man Susan ever loved. It's the 4th of July, and the party is in full swing, but it's time for lies to be uncovered and lives to be rebuilt. Fake weddings, hidden pregnancies, and much more come to light in this funny, heartwarming tale of love, family, and buried secrets. Fireworks on the Fourth by Kate Harte is one of those stories that leaves you wondering what you just read. You must keep your wits about you as it flits between decades, and the truth begins to emerge. It's interspersed with plenty of healthy discussions about subjects that might just teach some readers a few things, like civil rights and women's rights. The tale twists and turns its way through every action-packed page, and at times you'll be laughing aloud. It's emotional in so many ways, but the humor does temper things a little, and it has some amazing characters. Each one has their own personality, and they are all very different, which adds plenty of interest. You'll find your favorites, but you can't help liking them all. There are sexual situations, but nothing that doesn't fit with the story, and plenty of fun back-and-forth discussions that offer readers some life lessons. The dialog is crisp and easy to follow, and overall, this is a fun book, perfect for summer reading. Reviewed by Jon Michael Miller for Readers' Favorite Kate Harte's Fireworks on the Fourth is a sophisticated, sexy, comedy romance set mainly in a Connecticut estate over the July 4th weekend in 1992. The date is specific because the novel contrasts two specific generations, the sixties and the nineties. It involves six main players (three quasi-couples) who jostle among themselves as the complicated plot unfolds. The characters are highly intelligent, cultured, and educated. They discuss current and historical events, spar with one another, and often refer to classic literature and film as well as to popular culture. The emphasis of the plot is on how the couples manage to find the proper combinations. The story begins (as Stephen King famously advises) with a ""situation"" a young woman is having an affair with an older man, a professor, who, unbeknownst to either of them, may be her father. He and her mother had a brief but passionate, true-love encounter as college students on vacation in France. The pregnant young woman faked a wedding to a Vietnam recruit who died in battle, and she never informed the real dad. Kate Harte's novel is thoroughly delightful. She kept me on my reader's toes regarding who knows what about whom. The daughter and lover (possibly father) show up at the mother's estate for the holiday, and it takes a friend of the mom and a plethora of shenanigans to manage the ""situation."" Can it, in fact, possibly be managed at all? I kept turning the pages, greatly enjoying the witty prose, peppered with allusions to classical history and literature, and contrasting the elders' culture with that of the youngsters, particularly involving sexual mores and behaviors. I became immersed not only in the challenging and often hilarious plot, but in the author's lively prose. If you are prepared for a complex but stimulating and enjoyable read, do not miss Kate Harte's Fireworks on the Fourth. ""If you love contemporary romance novels blended with drama, Kate Harte's Fireworks on Fourth is the perfect pick. Running the plot on a multi-perspective timeline, Harte introduced me to a fascinating, dynamic cast."" - Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

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