Identity

FINAL DECISION: This book has a captivating and suspenseful narrative that immerses readers in the resilient journey of Morgan as she faces dangers and pursues her dreams. While the identity theft plot had some minor flaws, Roberts' storytelling prowess shines through well-developed characters, gripping drama, and surprising twists, leaving readers craving more.

THE STORY: Former Army brat Morgan Albright has found stability in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. With the help of her roommate Nina and her job as a bartender, Morgan is making ends meet. However, their lives take a horrifying turn when Luke, a charming IT guy Morgan met at the bar, attends their dinner party. The house is robbed, Nina is murdered, and Morgan's car is stolen. Morgan soon learns that Luke is actually a con artist named Gavin, who targets women, steals their assets and identities, and ultimately kills them. Devastated, Morgan is forced to flee to her mother's home in Vermont. She meets Miles, a genuine and unassuming man, who provides some solace as she tries to rebuild her life. Meanwhile, Gavin continues his hunt for new victims, and Morgan lives in constant fear that she is the victim Gavin is hunting.

OPINION: This book had me completely immersed in its captivating and suspenseful narrative. From the very beginning, the story drew me in, introducing me to the resilient and determined heroine, Morgan, and the dangers that surrounded her. While the pacing might not be as fast-paced as some romantic suspense novels, Roberts masterfully built suspense throughout, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

I couldn't help but cheer for Morgan, with her upbeat attitude and relentless pursuit of her dreams. Her interactions within the generational household she found herself in showcased the strong bonds and love between the women, providing heartfelt and entertaining dialogue.

The romance aspect of the story was equally compelling. Miles, the captivating hero, won me over with his actions and the chemistry he shared with Morgan. Their relationship added depth to the narrative, bringing moments of warmth and tenderness amidst the looming danger. There were moments between Morgan and Miles that just made me sigh and love these two together -- along with a very amusing dog named Howl at stole the show at times.

Roberts expertly wove the cat-and-mouse suspense plot between Morgan and the chilling villain, Gavin. I found myself turning the pages rapidly, eager to unravel the outcome of their intense and dangerous game. The blend of family, romance, and murder created a multi-dimensional story that kept me fully engaged.

However, there was one minor flaw that I couldn't overlook. The identity theft portion of the story had some plot holes and inconsistencies, which occasionally made me second-guess the credibility of the plot. These moments pulled me out of the story, preventing it from being a five-star read.

Nevertheless, IDENTITY showcased Nora Roberts' storytelling prowess, with well-developed characters, gripping drama, and surprising twists. Despite the minor flaw, the book remained unputdownable, leaving me craving more.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is a nice secondary romance here.

CONNECTED BOOKS: IDENTITY is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

I have to preface this review with the fact that I am a HUGE lover of Nora Roberts books (pretty sure I've read all of them at this point) and was SUPER excited to be given this opportunity to read this ARC. So excited, in fact, I didn't even bother to read the description and just jumped right into the story. Which, in hindsight I'm really glad I didn't read it because it added an unintended surprise factor for me along the way. Honestly, I think this may be my favorite romantic suspense ever by Nora Roberts because of that reason. I started this book last night and ended up staying up to 2AM because I HAD to finish it to see how it ended! It was that good.

Now, having said all that, these are few of the reasons why I love Nora Roberts' books in general and why you should read this one in particular. First, she is a master at developing characters and relationships within stories. I always feel like when I'm reading her books I either fall completely in love with the characters or want to be BFFs with them. I feel like I'm a part of their family and am invested in their well-being. I also love the inner strength of her characters - they can have the most terrible things happen to them and still manage to get up in the mornings and live life. In Identity, Morgan is a woman who fights fiercely for her independence and even when she gets knocked down and everything is taken from her, she still finds that inner strength to keep going, to keep getting up each day and start again. Morgan discovers she is stronger than she realizes in the face of her perceived failure and in the end is capable of putting down those much desired roots. She also is just such an inspiration character. You just keep rooting for her and wanting for her to make it out of the nightmare she ends up living through.

Second, Nora Roberts just seems to know how to craft the scene and weave details of everyday life into a fascinating story. If she were to literally write about someone who got up each day and went to work and came home and nothing exciting happens, I'd still read it. This book kind of has that feel - Morgan is just living her life when something horrible happens to her and the story becomes how she picks up her life in spite of this awful event (this is a theme that Nora Roberts has written in the past, and each time it's always slightly different and unique, which I love).

Third, the aforementioned "awful event". This is definitely a suspenseful thriller. There is no "whodunit" component - you will know who did the awful deed and why. The suspense is all about the when and the what in this book. When will the awful even rear its ugly head once again? What more awful things will be done and what will Morgan do to respond? Along the lines of character development again, one of the most interesting thing about this book is the dual progression of two characters: the protagonist (Morgan) is evolving and growing stronger while at the same time the antagonist devolving and coming apart. This was beautifully woven into the overall storyline and added to the suspense - when will the antagonist fully come apart and what happens next?

Overall, I loved this book. There is a bit of romance thrown in there (because would it really be a Nora Roberts book without a little romance?? Absolutely not!), but it's not thrown in the story in a way that distracts from it or takes away at all. It actually adds to the growth of Morgan's character and just gives you one more character to love. I cannot wait to buy this book and share it with my friends and family. 100% absolutely recommend if you love a good suspenseful thriller and amazing characters.

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful Woman’s Fiction Romantic Thriller. I became thoroughly immersed in Morgan’s Story of not only survival, but of healing, growth and discovery! Her world turned upside down after an identity theft takes all she’s worked so hard for, all her goals of a well rooted future that were almost within reach, and worse of all killed her best friend. Morgan is forced to seek shelter with the family she felt denied her the roots she desired in her childhood.

And as she decides on her temporary fix to regaining her future, the diligent FBI agents realize this thief was a serial killer and she’s on his list. Really enjoyed this determined FBI team and how they start to peel away his methods, start to unravel his computer skills that rival their best… Morgan does not become the typical damsel in distress, she becomes informed, puts plans into action for when the other shoe drops, but also continues to live, begins to heal her family relationships, builds her career and friendships. Not to mention a love interest.

He’s difficult but honest, brash but considerate—and undeniably sexy…and he has a dog! Though her growth and story is the main focus of the book, we see Miles Jameson’s growth as he comes to love her and to appreciate his family bonds more.

As the threat of this Killer becomes more real, Morgan learns that this small town, her family, has taken her in and you can accomplish so much more when you learn to let people in. The way she learned to bloom where you are planted. Loved Morgan and Miles relationship and the strength that comes from family and friends, love of all kinds.

But let me tell you the Antagonist blew me away, too! I found the Villian, a Psychopath/Sociopath, so well written! Not only a terrifying individual, I found his journey, his evolution or devolution, through out the book engrossing. His internal dialogue, observations of the world, people, and himself, so jaw-droppingly entertaining! He's a Serial Killer! She's the one who got away!

Oh MAN I liked this one. Morgan went through something horrific, but the death of her friend was only the beginning. While that event and everything that followed knocked her back, it didn't knock her out. Watching her find herself and forge a new path was riveting.

To start, there's the whole family situation. Morgan had distanced herself from her mother and grandmother as she worked on her five year plan. When circumstances brings her back to them again, she reconnects and starts realizing that she and her mother and grandmother have a lot in common. Most importantly, they give her the space to settle back into her own skin and figure out what direction she wants to take with her life after it had been blown apart so violently on her.

Then she connects with the Jameson family. They're tight-knit, they love their business, and they treat their employees very well. They're also collectively smart enough to see what a gem they have in Morgan when she starts working for them. And when she and Miles start connecting on a whole other level, they're not at all unhappy.

On Miles's end, he likes the strength he sees in Morgan and he's not at all pleased that the man who targeted her might still have her in his sights. The closer he and Morgan get, the more determined he is to make sure she stays safe.

A con man, a murder, a terrible situation that keeps on giving, a family that protects those close to them, another family that finds a way to grow close again, a man who admires a whole lot about his special someone, and a woman who refuses to let the bad guy win. Like I said, MAN I LIKED THIS ONE.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

Identity is an excellent book by Nora Roberts. I simply could not put it down. It points out how important your identity is and how devastating identity theft can be. Morgan Albright had been an army brat while growing up. Her father's career kept them constantly on the move as did her mother after the divorce. Morgan longed for a place to set down roots. After college, she settled on a small town near Baltimore. By working two jobs and careful planning and saving, she finally bought a small house and began setting down roots. Her best friend, Nina, moved in with her to help pay the mortgage. Now that she had her house, she began the second phase of her dream, to own a bar. She loved tending bar and talking to different people all the time. She was good at what she did. One evening, she met Luke Hudson in her bar. He was an It guy and traveled a lot designing and installing computer systems in homes and businesses. Morgan liked talking to him and finally, he asked her to dinner and unlike herself, she agreed. Finally, she invited him to a dinner party as her house with Nina and her boyfriend Sam. Though neither Nina nor Morgan cooked much, with Nina's mother's help, they managed to cook a very good meal. The four of them had a great time, although Luke had to leave early for a new assignment. Several days later, while Luke was still gone, Nina was sent home from work as she was sick. Unfortunately, that same day, Luke broke into the house and taking some software he had installed on Morgan's computer earlier. This software enabled him to access all her financial accounts. Unfortunately, Nina caught him in the act and he murdered her. He ransacked the house for valuables and then left. Hours later, Morgan discovered Nina's murder. Later, she learned Luke was actually a con artist and murderer who stole women's identities and then murdered them. Morgan was his intended victim. By the time his identity was confirmed, he had ruined her. He had taken all her money and savings, ran up credit cards in her name, taken out loans in her name leaving her bankrupt with nothing but Nina's run-down car. How was she to get out of this mess? She was forced to start over again from rock bottom. Her new start began with her moving home to Vermont to live with her grandmother and mother as she started her life anew.

I don’t know how ;Nora Roberts does it - each story is solid and full of love and adventure. I can always count on her for. a good read! This one is no exception.

Morgan is a hard working woman whose identity is stolen. She moves back home to live with her mom and grandmother. While there she starts to rebuild her life. Just one problem - a crazed killer is after her.

The characters are well developed and the setting is realistic. The women in this book are strong and capable and the men are proud of them. I enjoyed this story!