Starred review from March 7, 2016
Romance queen Roberts entices readers with a winning tale in which a woman tries to embrace love even as horrific events of her past threaten her happiness. Naomi Bowes was just a young girl living in West Virginia when she discovered a cellar where her father was keeping his latest rape victim. After helping the victim escape and getting the police involved, Naomi and her mother and brother try to go on with their lives, though it’s a constant struggle. The past seems to constantly encroach on Naomi’s life, even though she changes her name and lives with her uncle and his husband. Years later, Naomi is a successful photographer who finds solace in the small town of Sunrise Cove, Wash., where she buys an old house and works on remodeling it. She also finds unexpected love with local mechanic Xander Keaton. As she lets him into her heart, her world is shattered by a series of gory murders. Roberts has an unparalleled ability to paint a picture with words—readers will easily picture Naomi’s photographic art and her rambling home with its beautiful view—and the story is expertly executed. Sizzling romance, affable characters, and enticing suspense make this a read to be savored. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House.
March 1, 2016
Nearly 20 years after bringing her serial-killer father to justice, a photographer begins to settle into a new life only to discover that a murderous stalker is after her--and may have been collecting his own victims along the way. Just before her 12th birthday, Naomi Bowes followed her father into the woods and made the grim discovery that he was a serial killer, which sent him to jail for life. Naomi, her mother, and her brother, Mason, moved in with her uncle Seth and his partner, Harry, ultimately settling in New York City and changing their last name for anonymity. But her mother never quite recovered from her husband's horrid influence, and the tragic aftermath of that relationship will have a long-lasting impact Naomi won't recognize until she settles into a new home in Washington state and her past catches up with her in ominous ways. Thanks to new friends, a new lover, a rescue dog, and her FBI-agent brother, she might weather this dangerous situation, but discovering someone has been shadowing her formerly nomadic life gives her a new appreciation for her own strength, resilience, and many blessings. Naomi's unique past makes her wary of strangers, so when she falls in love with a house and buys it, then is quickly enfolded into a group of new friends and, through them, meets the man of her dreams, she feels both embraced and nervous, but when her past threatens her and her new community, she knows she's in the right place with the right people. Bestseller Roberts explores the experience of a serial killer's family and, more subtly, the true natures of trust, friendship, and loyalty. A little uneven and with an abundance of detail that occasionally slows the pace, this is still an appealing story from a romantic-suspense favorite.
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April 15, 2016
Two days before she turns 12, Naomi Bowes rescues a woman from a cellar in the West Virginia woods near her home and discovers that her strict, Bible-thumping father is a sadistic serial killer. Stunned but determined to be strong, Naomi is taken in by her uncles and swept off to the East Coast (along with her mother and young brother) to begin a new life as Naomi Carson, eventually becoming a brilliant freelance photographer. Yet the taint of her father's crimes lingers, and for years her own nightmares keep her on the move. Now, 16 years later in a quiet seaside community on the other side of the country, Naomi has finally found a place that feels like home--and a man she's coming to love. Then the killings start, and the links to the past are impossible to ignore. A talented woman haunted by her father's insanity but determined to live life on her own terms and a solid renaissance man lay old ghosts to rest and help bring a scoundrel to justice. VERDICT This riveting tale benefits from an immensely likable supporting cast and its rewarding blend of suspense and romance. Brief glimpses into the killer's mind add a chilling touch to a story you won't be able to put down. Roberts (Stars of Fortune) lives in Keedysville, MD. [An April LibraryReads pick.]
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from March 1, 2016
Naomi Carson has one rule in life: never look back. Late one hot night 17 years ago in Pine Meadows, West Virginia, young Naomi saw her father, Thomas Bowes, sneaking out of the house. On a whim, she decided to follow him, hoping that her father might be hiding the bicycle she desperately wanted for her birthday. What Naomi discovered instead in the root cellar of an abandoned cabin was most certainly a surprise, but definitely not the good kind. Naomi did what she had to do to see that justice was served, but after the dust settled and her father was in prison, she adopted a new last name and never looked back. Now a successful photographer, Naomi finds her dream home in the small town of Sunrise Cove, Washington, and begins making plans to finally settle down. But just as she is renovating the place and building a new relationship with sexy mechanic Xander Keaton, her past comes knocking at her door. Roberts retains her impeccably high standards in this excellently executed tale, once again dazzling readers with a sophisticated blend of edge-of-your-seat suspense and sexy romance. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Roberts has more than 600,000 Facebook followers, and all will be courted by a major national print and online media campaign, ensuring that her latest will become another best-seller for the Queen of Romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)