Polished, proficient romantic suspense.
Quick (Lie by Moonlight, 2005, etc.) takes us to the waning days of Queen Victoria’s reign, adding some clever feminist touches and a dollop of premarital sex.
The theft of a notebook from the newly discovered, 200-year-old laboratory of Sylvester the Alchemist lies at the heart of this nimble historical romance. After the theft, Gabriel Jones, a member of the Arcane Society founded by Sylvester, transports his other relics to the society’s isolated headquarters for safekeeping. Comely photographer Venetia Milton is invited to Arcane House to record the top-secret objects, and handsome Gabriel seems the perfect partner for her private plan to rid herself of her virginity without jeopardizing her social standing in Bath. A spirited virgin in her late 20s (and she’s psychic too!), Venetia has no hopes of marrying, charged as she is with supporting her siblings after the death of their parents. She has no problem seducing Gabriel, but he fully intends to marry her, in order to tame an atavistic brutality he’s afraid he harbors. Some menacing thugs lurking in the bushes outside Arcane House temporarily separate this unlikely pair; whoever stole the notebook is also a killer, and in order to elude him, Gabriel goes underground, faking his own death. He hadn’t counted on Venetia taking advantage of this death to claim status as his widow and becoming a hit in London as a portrait photographer. Things turn sticky when Gabriel re-materializes, and the couple has to make awkward appearances together as man and wife. As part of this cozy ruse, Gabriel is installed in the attic of the Milton residence, thereby ensuring the acquaintances of Venetia’s 16-year-old sister Amelia, winning younger brother Edward and well-intentioned Aunt Beatrice.
Polished, proficient romantic suspense.Pub Date: May 9, 2006
ISBN: 0-399-15352-7
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2006
Roberts’ newest is part thriller, part romance, part survivors’ psychological study with a touch of New Age magic—and a...
The victims of a mass shooting—including two young heroes from the tragedy—are moving forward in their lives, affected in different ways, when they're stunned to discover a serial killer is targeting survivors.
Simone Knox and Reed Quartermaine were both survivors of a mass shooting at a mall in Portland, Maine. Afterward, Simone, grateful to be alive, vows to be a better daughter and at first tries to conform to her parents’ conservative expectations. However, she soon realizes she’ll never be happy appeasing them and finally chooses to follow her artistic dreams in order to lead a more authentic life. Reed, inspired by Essie McVee, the first police officer on the scene, becomes a detective, eventually becoming Essie's partner and close friend. Years later, survivors of the massacre begin to die, and Reed is convinced the deaths are connected—but not even Essie takes him seriously until the killer targets him. Reed is wounded but survives, and suddenly everyone believes him. The cunning psychopath escapes into the ether, armed with money, lots of false identification, and a seething desire for revenge. Taking time to heal, Reed visits Tranquility Island, Maine, his childhood vacation spot, and falls in love with the place. He also meets a charismatic older woman who helps him land the house of his dreams and the position of police chief. Falling in love with her granddaughter, Simone—whom he had been aware of since the tragedy but had never met—seems like fate. Reed settles into his new job and hooks up with the FBI regarding the case, convinced their face-off has frustrated the vengeful killer. As heroic survivors, Reed and Simone are prime targets, and now that they’ve found each other, the stakes are higher than ever. Facing the hunter means fighting for their lives, love, and happiness while silencing the violent echoes of the worst day of their lives. Fascinating characters—Simone's grandmother is a standout—and a sprawling plot that covers a lot of ground yet keeps the reader engaged offer a surprisingly compelling and poignant redemption story that begins with a tragic mass shooting.
Roberts’ newest is part thriller, part romance, part survivors’ psychological study with a touch of New Age magic—and a lively, captivating read.Pub Date: May 29, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-16159-8
Page Count: 448
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: March 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.
Eleven years ago, he broke her heart. But he doesn’t know why she never forgave him.
Toggling between past and present, two love stories unfold simultaneously. In the first, Macy Sorensen meets and falls in love with the boy next door, Elliot Petropoulos, in the closet of her dad’s vacation home, where they hide out to discuss their favorite books. In the second, Macy is working as a doctor and engaged to a single father, and she hasn’t spoken to Elliot since their breakup. But a chance encounter forces her to confront the truth: what happened to make Macy stop speaking to Elliot? Ultimately, they’re separated not by time or physical remoteness but by emotional distance—Elliot and Macy always kept their relationship casual because they went to different schools. And as a teen, Macy has more to worry about than which girl Elliot is taking to the prom. After losing her mother at a young age, Macy is navigating her teenage years without a female role model, relying on the time-stamped notes her mother left in her father’s care for guidance. In the present day, Macy’s father is dead as well. She throws herself into her work and rarely comes up for air, not even to plan her upcoming wedding. Since Macy is still living with her fiance while grappling with her feelings for Elliot, the flashbacks offer steamy moments, tender revelations, and sweetly awkward confessions while Macy makes peace with her past and decides her future.
With frank language and patient plotting, this gangly teen crush grows into a confident adult love affair.Pub Date: April 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5011-2801-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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