The story begins with the arrival of Bertram Hemingway, a retired naval officer and amateur painter who soon becomes acquainted with most of the other protagonists.

In order to end her affair with Robert, Tory decides to move to London and unexpectedly agrees to marry Bertram.

Beth, a novelist, is portrayed as "blind to external reality", not noticing that her husband is having an affair with her best friend and next-door neighbour.

[1] A View of the Harbour also deals with the details of domestic life and the traditional activities of women's work, including cooking, cleaning and child care.

Beth's novel writing takes place in the context of her family responsibilities as the doctor's wife and the mother of two daughters.

Among the characters whose inner lives are described are the Cazabons' "daily woman" and Mrs. Bracey's daughter, who serves drinks at the pub.

In The New York Times Orville Prescott described the novel as characteristically English in being "all wit and charm on the surface and unexpectedly penetrating underneath".

[6] Also in the New York Times, Donald Barr placed Taylor in the tradition of Jane Austen for her humour, and praised her talent for characterisation while finding "flaws of technique" including "laconic settings of scene".

[7] Nelson Algren also commented on her gift for characterisation, describing the novel as "deft and witty" while "almost plotless", and compared Taylor's technique to Henry James's.