12/15/2023

Spur Der Finsternis by Nora Roberts

The cover of the German edition is different from my taste. But it is the story behind it, that thrills me. And the fantastic plot. The author really knows how to catch her readers. With "Identity" she proves again, her storytelling ability. That she knows perfectly how to create great characters. Her main figure Morgan is a wonderful woman. As an old Nora Roberts fan, this novel proves that the author can still write great stories beyond imagination.

 

Spur Der Finsternis*

by Nora Roberts
Translation Christiane Burkhardt
Original Title Identity
Publisher Heyne on November 15, 2023
Genre Contemporary Romance
Pages 526
Format Hardcover
Source Heyne
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶

Morgan works hard to fulfill his dream of owning a house and bar. But her modest life is suddenly upended when her best friend Nina is murdered. She doesn't have time to mourn because the FBI tells her that she is dealing with a serial killer and identity robber. And this one is actually targeting Morgan himself. Step by step, the perfidious hacker takes everything from her: her savings, her house, her identity. Desperate, Morgan flees back to her family in Vermont and piece by piece puts the pieces of her shattered life back together. But her pursuer is always on her heels - and the people she loves. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary).

Story

Morgan is broke. A Hacker has stolen everything from her so she sees no other option but to move back to her family. A fresh start in Vermont is all she wants to get herself back together. Together with her mother and grandmother and a new job where she does what she knows best. And with Miles, the new man in her life.

Style

Nora Robert's writing style is unmistakable. With a lot of feeling and even more sensitivity, the author describes the beautiful Vermont landscape and the emotions that Morgan goes through. A real cinematic experience takes place in the reader's head. At times I even imagined that I could smell the cocktails that Morgan created during the course of the story. And Nora Roberts proves once again that she can easily create an atmospherically dense novel out of nothing, even if it isn't.

Characters

As usual from Nora Roberts, the reader is presented with strong and profound characters. Without any cliche, but with rough edges. Morgan is particularly strong. She is a bartender with heart and soul who, after a fateful encounter with a stranger, starts all over again. The strength and strength of her family helps her. The Nash women not only have a strong backbone, but they are also particularly tough. And with exactly this quality, Morgan defies her tormentor and teaches him what girl power really means. But I particularly liked Howl. Miles' dog. It's an absolute blast!

Conclusion

What a brilliant novel! I am completely thrilled. Big emotions, strong characters, and a great plot. As an old Nora Roberts fan, all I can say is: read and enjoy!

Happy reading

*Heyne kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Nora Roberts Schreibstil ist unverkennbar. Mit viel Gefühl und noch mehr Feinfühligkeit beschreibt die Autorin die herrliche Landschaft Vermonts und die Emotionen, die Morgan so durchmacht. Da spielt sich ein regelrechtes Kopfkino beim Leser ab. Teilweise hab ich mir sogar eingebildet, die Cocktails riechen zu können, die Morgan da so im Laufe der Handlung kreiert hat. Und Nora Roberts beweist einmal mehr, dass sie es einfach kann, einen atmosphärisch dichten Roman wie aus dem Nichts zu erschaffen, auch wenn er es nicht ist.

Charaktere

Wie von Nora Roberts gewohnt, werden dem Leser starke und tiefgründige Figuren präsentiert. Ganz ohne Klischee, dafür mit Ecken und Kanten. Morgan ist dabei besonders stark. Sie ist mit Leib und Seele Barkeeperin, die nach einer verhängnisvollen Bekanntschaft mit einem Fremden, nochmal ganz von vorn anfängt. Dabei hilft ihr die Kraft und Stärke ihrer Familie. Die Nash-Frauen haben nicht nur ein starkes Rückgrat, sie sind auch besonders tough. Und mit genau dieser Eigenschaft, trotz Morgan ihrem Peiniger und lehrt ihn, was Frauenpower wirklich bedeutet. Aber besonders gefallen hat mit Howl. Der Hund von Miles. Der ist der absolute Knaller!

Resultat

Was für ein genialer Roman! Ich bin restlos begeistert. Große Emotionen, starke Figuren und ein klasse Plot. Als alter Nora Roberts Fan kann ich nur sagen: Lesen und genießen!

*This book was published in the English language by St. Martin´s Press on May 23, 2023

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writer’s groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

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8/21/2023

Im Schutz Der Nacht by Nora Roberts

Usually, Nora Roberts is a safe bank when it comes to buying and reading a book blind. This time not. I am so disappointed. Only the characters were able to keep this novel from absolute reading failure. And I have no idea why she failed here so wholly. The author knows how to write great books. She knows how to create tension and figures that bring a story to life. So why didn´t you do it here, too? In the end, the single characters saved this story from a total disaster. So, no. Nightwork isn´t what I had hoped for.

Im Schutz Der Nacht*

by Nora Roberts
Translation Margarethe van Pée
Original Title Nightwork
Publisher Blanvalet on March 1, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 606
Format Hardcover
Source Blanvalet
Goodreads
✶✶✶

Harry Booth was just a child when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. In order to be able to pay the horrendous medical bills, he resorts to unusual means: he breaks into vacant houses under cover of night. When his beloved mother dies years later, Harry begins an unsteady wandering life. He has long seen himself as a thief with fixed rules: never attract attention, never stay long, only take from those who can afford it. Until he meets Miranda Emerson and forgets all caution about his love for her. Just then, Carter LaPorte, a former client, and his greatest enemy, tracks him down. Harry knows how little time he and Miranda have before LaPorte ruthlessly hunts them down. He makes a lonely decision...

Story

When Harry Booth must learn that no matter how fair his mother plays in life and no matter how hard she works to make ends meet, things just don´t play out the way they want them he decides that sometimes you must give it a little twist too. But one day, one man is a bit too much in need of his help, and within no time, Harry’s life changes again. Not in the way he wanted it but in a way, he can live with. Well, at first at least.

Style

The incredibly atmospheric note, which was particularly captivating at the beginning of the story, is used up after just a few chapters. The author shows the ordeal of a woman suffering from cancer, whose son starts a more than unusual career as a thief in order to be able to pay the bills. What worked wonderfully in another of the author's novels goes completely wrong here. Sure, the story has a certain charm, and the humor is not neglected either and the characters show the typical loyalty and family love. And so far, everything is good. But the evil is too defiant, too vain and the plot just seems too much sunshine here.

No question, the writing style is clearly that of Nora Roberts. The structure, the design, everything fits. Unfortunately, the story between the pages didn't convince me at all this time. This book only shows sophistication in the thieves that the main character plans and carries out. Otherwise, it is only a pale habit of presenting details, landscapes, and scenes.

Characters

The individual characters are ultimately the reason that saved the novel from the rating crash. Strength and willpower are shown that are simply convincing. Well, Nora Roberts doesn't omit a cliché that I don't usually see her do, but it seems to work here. While it doesn't elevate the story above average, that's better than a zero number.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, not a novel that I can recommend without hesitation. The plot is far too predictable, the characters have little depth despite all the tragedy, and that certain something is completely missing. For a Nora Roberts book, this story is surprisingly bland and uneventful. A pity. Despite the humorous components, this novel is disappointing and this time remains only average for me.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Blanvalet in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Die unglaublich stimmungsvolle Note, die besonders zu Anfang der Geschichte gefesselt hat, ist schon nach wenigen Kapiteln aufgebraucht. Die Autorin zeigt den Leidensweg einer krebskranken Frau, deren Sohn eine mehr als ungewöhnliche Karriere als Dieb startet, um die Rechnungen bezahlen zu können. Was in einem anderen Roman der Autorin wunderbar funktioniert hat, geht hier komplett daneben. Sicher, die Geschichte hat einen gewissen Charme und der Humor kommt auch nicht zu kurz und die Figuren zeigen die typische Loyalität und Familienliebe. Und so weit ist auch alles gut. Aber das Böse ist zu trotzig, zu eitel und auch der Plot wirkt hier einfach nur zu alles eitel Sonnenschein.

Keine Frage, der Schreibstil ist klar der von Nora Roberts. Der Aufbau, die Gestaltung, es passt alles. Die Geschichte zwischen den Seiten konnte mich nur leider diesmal gar nicht überzeugen. Raffinesse zeigt dieses Buch nur bei den Diebeszügen, die die Hauptfigur plant und durchführt. Ansonsten ist es nur blasse Gewohnheit im Präsentieren von Details, Landschaften und Szenen.

Charaktere

Die einzelnen Figuren sind letztlich der Grund, die den Roman vor dem Rating-Absturz bewahrt haben. Da werden eine Stärke und Willenskraft gezeigt, die einfach nur überzeugt. Gut, Nora Roberts lässt kein Klischee aus, was ich normalerweise nicht von ihr kenne, aber hier scheint es zu funktionieren. Es hebt die Geschichte zwar nicht über die Durchschnittlichkeit hinaus, aber das ist besser als eine Null-Nummer.

Resultat

Leider kein Roman, den ich bedenkenlos empfehlen kann. Die Handlung ist viel zu vorhersehbar, die Figuren haben trotz aller Tragik kaum Tiefgang und das gewisse Etwas fehlt komplett. Für ein Nora Roberts Buch ist diese Geschichte erstaunlich blass und ereignislos. Schade. Trotz der humorigen Bestandteile enttäuscht dieser Roman und bleibt für mich diesmal nur Durchschnitt.

 

 

*This book was originally published by St. Martin´s Press on May 24, 2022

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writer’s groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

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5/26/2023

Hallo Sommer by Mary Kay Andrews

It was the combination of political drama, some thriller elements, and three generations of a family which need to come to terms with their past and life that made me want to read this novel. And when you consider that some stories are the perfect book for a day at the beach, swimming pool, or your own deck, then yes, this one is a good choice. Despite the dark moments in this story, most of the book is wonderful entertainment. At least it was for me.

Hallo Sommer*

by Mary Kay Andrews
Translation Andrea Fischer
Original Title Hello, Summer**
Publisher Fischer TB on March 29, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 617
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Lucky to come home.

At first, investigative journalist Conley Hawkins isn't thrilled when she ends up in her small hometown in Florida. But the family newspaper is not doing well. Conley does everything to save her together with her sister. In her grandmother's beach house, Conley learns that regional journalism can also produce sensations. And that new love can arise from old injuries.

Story

Conley is about to get a new job when she hears that at home things aren´t working the way they are supposed to. She leaves Atlanta to help her family in Florida, only to find out that all the old problems and conflicts are still brewing within the three women. And when one night an accident with a burning car starts to shatter her world, she does her job. She starts to investigate and turn things around.

Style

An enjoyable read with the theme of dementia as a backstory. The author dealt with it very sensitively and empathetically. And it quickly becomes clear to those somewhat familiar with the disease that many things in the novel and thus in the USA are very different than in this country (Germany). Nevertheless, there are wonderful scenes and dialogues that captivate the reader, inspire them, make them laugh or smile, and, together with the setting, simply create a holiday feeling. Well, the plot itself isn't new and at some points in the book I felt like I'd read it all before, but still, the author knows how to engage her readers and with the character of Grandmother Lorraine, she has landed an absolute hit. Mary Kay Andrews shows the conflict and tension with an easy-to-read writing style and the use of absolutely appropriate words. And works her way through to an unusually happy ending. At least that's how I felt.

Characters

This novel is also about a family that has gone through its good and bad times. Where the blessings of the family don't always hang straight, and the past doesn't make it easier for daughters Conley and Grayson to navigate through life with themselves and the family business.

What is passion and freedom for Conley, the younger of the Hawkins sisters, is obligation, burden, and like a prison for her older sister Grayson. This inevitably leads to conflicts and arguments in the course of the action.

Conclusion

The happy ending is predictable, and the issue of dementia leaves a distinct mark on the story. But the many wonderful dialogues and scenes with Grandmother Lorraine often made me laugh and were just lovely to read. This took the heaviness out of the dark background theme and presented me with a grandmother that I would have liked to have had too. Maybe not an absolute top novel, but perfect for a few entertaining hours on the beach, lake, or on the patio at home.

Happy reading

*Fischer TB kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Ein angenehm zu lesender Roman, der das Thema Demenz als Hintergrundgeschichte hat. Die Autorin ging damit sehr feinfühlig und einfühlsam um. Und es wird denjenigen, die mit der Krankheit etwas vertraut sind aber auch schnell klar, dass viele Dinge im Roman und somit in den USA ganz anders sind als hierzulande. Trotzdem gibt es wunderschöne Szenen und Dialoge, die den Leser fesseln, begeistern, zum Lachen oder Schmunzeln bringen und mit dem Setting zusammen einfach nur Urlaubsfeeling erzeugen. Gut, der Plot an sich ist jetzt nicht neu und an einigen Stellen im Buch hatte ich das Gefühl, das alles schon mal gelesen zu haben, aber dennoch, die Autorin  versteht es, ihre Leser mitzunehmen und mit der Figur der Großmutter Lorraine hat sie einen absoluten Volltreffer gelandet. Mary Kay Andrews zeigt die Konflikte und die Anspannung mit einem einfach zu lesenden Schreibstil und der Verwendung von absolut passenden Worten. Und arbeitet sich damit zu einem ungewöhnlichen Happy End durch. Zumindest habe ich es so empfunden.

Charaktere

Auch in diesem Roman geht es um eine Familie, die ihre guten und schlechten Zeiten durchlaufen hat. Wo der Familiensegen nicht immer gerade hängt und die Vergangenheit es den Töchtern Conley und Grayson nicht einfacher macht, mit sich selbst und dem Familienunternehmen durchs Leben zu navigieren.

Was für Conley, die Jüngere der Hawkins Schwestern, Leidenschaft und Freiheit bedeutet, ist für ihre ältere Schwester Grayson Verpflichtung, Last und wie ein Gefängnis. Das führt im Handlungsverlauf zwangsläufig zu Konflikten und Auseinandersetzungen.

Resultat

Das Happy End ist vorhersehbar, und das Thema Demenz hinterlässt eine deutliche Spur in der Geschichte. Aber die vielen herrlichen Dialoge und Szenen mit Großmutter Lorraine haben mich oft zum Lachen gebracht und waren einfach nur schön zu lesen. Das hat dem dunklen Hintergrundthema die Schwere genommen und mir eine Großmutter präsentiert, die ich auch gerne gehabt hätte. Vielleicht kein absoluter Top-Roman, aber für ein paar unterhaltsame Stunden am Strand, See, oder der heimischen Terrasse perfekt geeignet.

**The book was originally published by St. Martin´s Press on May 5, 2020.

Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews grew up in Florida and lives now with her family in Atlanta, Georgia. During the summer you will find her in her holiday residence on Tybee Island, a wonderful island just off the coast of Georgia. She is a former reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and since her bestseller Summer Rental she is considered a guarantor for the perfect holiday experience.

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4/19/2023

Waiting On Wednesday #204 – Identity by Nora Roberts

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

I´ve seen way better-designed covers as a Nora Roberts book, but this sounds intriguing, so it is my pick for this Waiting On Wednesday post. I guess, I don´t need to tell you, that I am a huge NR fan. Her novels usually excite me every time I get the chance to read one. And I hope that this one will give me some reading pleasure as well.

Identity

Author Nora Roberts
Publishing Date May 23, 2023
Publisher St. Martin´s Press
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan's job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party - attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who'd been chatting her up at the bar - her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor. Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. "Luke" is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder. What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn't his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan's nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother's home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn't flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn't forgotten the one who got away.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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9/29/2022

Tief In Den Wäldern by Chevy Stevens

I love the thrillers Chevy Stevens is creating. Not only because the setting is always set in an incredible landscape but also because the psychological finesse is brilliant. This thriller however has a fantastic start and keeps you reading through the pages with growing excitement until a certain point where the logic starts to go south, and I started asking myself what I could have missed. Because all of a sudden it felt as if the author had taken a whole part out of the story before the book got printed. It just made no sense. Still doesn´t. From one second to the next another evil person was in focus and two other characters did everything to bring this devilish person into a police cell.

Tief In Den Wäldern

by Chevy Stevens
Translation Maria Poets
Original Title Dark Roads*
Publisher Fischer Scherz on June 29, 2022
Genre Thriller
Pages 456
Format Paperback
Source Publisher
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

For years, young women have been disappearing from the lonely Cold Creek Highway in northwestern Canada. The last victim hasn't been dead long, and the killer has never been found. Now two opposite women are in his sights: The tough Hailey knows the forests of Cold Creek like the back of her hand. When she discovers a dark secret, she makes an ominous decision. A year later, Beth, a city kid, comes to Cold Creek on a personal quest that becomes increasingly dangerous.

Story

Hailey´s instinct tells her that something is terribly wrong in her aunt’s household. And when she finds the answer, she knows that she has to go. To save her own life and to find answers she is having for weeks now. With the help of a dear friend, she develops a plan to do the unthinkable. Vanish.

Style

From the beginning, I was fascinated by the plot and the individual characters. Well, I never warmed to the protagonist's step-uncle. It literally gave me goosebumps that I didn't understand until the end. He hated the main character for which I couldn't find an explanation. Not until the end. For this, the author presents a highly exciting and incredibly intense story that takes place in a breathtakingly beautiful and equally dangerous landscape. Thanks to the author's extremely successful scene descriptions, I could literally see the paths on which the protagonist walked in front of my inner eye. It actually felt like I was running with it. And when an author creates something like this through the choice of words alone, that's great cinema for me. But it was all the more incomprehensible for me when the plot suddenly broke in the last third. No surprising turn that brought things to logical enlightenment. No, that read strangely. As if I skipped a few pages and was missing some important scenes and thus information that leads the reader and the characters to the logical resolution.

Characters

Quite apart from the fact that I don't like the character Vaughn, the author did a really good job of creating her characters. The contrasts could not be more remarkable. For me, Hailey is an absolute free spirit. She knows what she wants and doesn't want, and her instinct tells her that something is very wrong with her aunt and her family. I was very impressed by the way she takes her life into her own hands and the way she fights for her freedom. I'm not sure if I could have done that in her place.

Conclusion

For three-quarters of the thriller, I was convinced I had a five-star rating in front of me. Until the sudden break came in the last third of the story in terms of resolution, plot, and logic. I suddenly had the feeling that I had overlooked something, that I had missed something important. And although I went back a few pages and read the relevant passage several times, it remained confusing and incomprehensible for me. Then the events unfolded without making any sense, and everything (both the murder case and Hailey's father) felt like a quick plot resolution had to be squeezed into the last few pages. I found that a shame because I don't know anything like that from the author.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Scherz in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Von Beginn an war ich von der Handlung und den einzelnen Figuren fasziniert. Gut, mit dem Stiefonkel der Protagonistin bin ich nie warm geworden. Der hat mir buchstäblich Gänsehautmomente beschert, die ich bis zum Ende nicht verstanden habe. Der hatte einen Hass auf die Hauptfigur, für den ich keine Erklärung fand. Bis zum Schluss nicht. Dafür präsentiert die Autorin eine hoch spannende und unglaublich intensive Geschichte, die in einer atemberaubend schönen und ebenso gefährlichen Landschaft spielt. Ich konnte dank der äußerst gelungenen Szenenbeschreibungen der Autorin die Pfade, auf denen die Protagonistin lief, sprichwörtlich vor meinem inneren Auge sehen. Das fühlte sich tatsächlich so an, als ob ich da mitliefe. Und wenn eine Autorin so etwas allein durch die Wortwahl schafft, ist das für mich ganz großes Kino. Umso unverständlicher war für mich dann aber auch, als im letzten Drittel urplötzlich ein Handlungsbruch kam. Keine überraschende Wendung, die die Dinge zur logischen Aufklärung brachte. Nein, das las sich eigenartig. Als ob ich ein paar Seiten überlesen hätte und so einige wichtige Szenen und somit Informationen, die den Leser und die Figuren zur logischen Auflösung führen, fehlten.

Charaktere

Mal ganz davon abgesehen, dass mir die Figur Vaughn nicht gefällt, hat die Autorin ihre Charaktere wirklich hervorragend erschaffen. Die Gegensätze könnten nicht größer sein. Hailey ist für mich ein absoluter Freigeist. Sie weiß, was sie will und was sie nicht will und ihr Instinkt sagt ihr, dass bei ihrer Tante und deren Familie etwas ganz und gar nicht stimmt. Die Art, wie sie ihr Leben selbst in die Hand nimmt, wie sie sich ihre Freiheit erkämpft, hat mich sehr beeindruckt. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich an ihrer Stelle das auch so hätte umsetzen können.

Resultat

Über dreiviertel des Thrillers war ich davon überzeugt, hier ein Fünf-Sterne-Rating vor mir zu haben. Bis der plötzliche Bruch im letzten Drittel der Geschichte kam, was Auflösung, Handlung und Logik anging. Da hatte ich plötzlich das Gefühl, etwas überlesen zu haben, dass ich irgendwas Wichtiges nicht mitbekommen habe. Und obwohl ich noch mal einige Seiten zurückging und die entsprechende Stelle mehrmals nachlas, blieb es für mich verwirrend und nicht nachvollziehbar. Da überschlugen sich die Ereignisse, ohne irgendeinen Sinn zu ergeben, und alles wirkte so (was die Lösung des Mordfalls als auch die Sache mit Haileys Vater anging), als ob auf die letzten Seiten eine schnelle Handlungsauflösung gequetscht werden musste. Das fand ich sehr schade, denn so etwas kenne ich von der Autorin nicht.

 

*Book was originally published by St. Martin´s Press on March 14, 2017 

Chevy Stevens

Chevy Stevens is the author of Still Missing and Never Knowing. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a realtor. When she held open houses, she had a lot of time waiting by herself between potential buyers, and Stevens would spend this time scaring herself with all the things that could happen to her. The most terrifying scenario she thought up became the story behind Still Missing. Stevens grew up on a ranch on Vancouver Island, and she still calls the island home. When she´s not writing, she´s hiking with her husband and her dog in the local mountains.

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3/28/2022

Sommerglück Zum Frühstück by Mary Kay Andrews

Sunset Beach is not just a novel. It is a crime novel wrapped in a story about a family that isn´t really a family and in which a young woman must deal with an injury that changes her life forever. So, if you are looking for a solid crime novel, you might have found your afternoon read.

Sommerglück Zum Frühstück*

by Mary Kay Andrews
Translation Andrea Fischer
Original Title Sunset Beach
Publisher Fischer TB on March 30, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 517
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

If it weren't for her grandparents' little cottage, Drue Campbell wouldn't be able to take the new job at her father's law firm. In general, she feels a bit lost in her life right now. The little beach house with its old-world charm and the many beautiful memories gives her support. Then Drue discovers financial irregularities in a case the firm has been handling and sets out to find out the truth. Despite all the excitement, she doesn't have much time for love. But even if you don't search, you will find.

Story

Drue loves her independent life. She only knows what it feels like growing up with a single mother and her grandparents. That changes the moment, her mother dies and Drue has to cope not only with the grief but also with an injury that makes it clear that her life changed indefinitely. And when her father shows up after many years, she takes what he can offer. And finds something, she´d never thought possible.

Style

Basically, a solidly written novel that develops into a wonderfully designed crime novel in the first quarter. The main character makes some fundamental decisions and changes her life. The resulting conflicts and often heated discussions give the story momentum and speed. The wonderful landscape does the rest to give the reader a wonderful mental cinema.

With sensitive words, the author shows the conflict in a family that is no longer one and where new partners first must find their place. Add to that a portion of jealousy, envy, and a lot of old animosities and you have a story where mare bitingness and female life experience have their rendezvous and the main character knows how to assert herself.

Characters

Drue is a woman in her mid-thirties. She is not a career woman, nor does she have an impressive academic track record. On the contrary. She loves the loose, free life and would like nothing more than to feel the wind in her hair and the water under her feet. A stroke of fate changes everything in one moment. I particularly liked her tenacity, her way of asking questions, and her logical thinking. The woman has bite. And the heart is in the right place.

Conclusion

An all-around successful novel for entertaining reading pleasure. The mix of crime and family drama was interwoven just right and gives the reader some entertaining reading hours.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Ein im Grunde solide geschriebener Roman, der sich schon im ersten Viertel zu einem wunderbar gestalteten Krimiroman entwickelt. Die Hauptfigur trifft ein paar grundlegende Entscheidungen und verändert ihr Leben. Die daraus entstehenden Konflikte und oftmals heftigen Diskussionen geben der Geschichte Schwung und Tempo. Die herrliche Landschaft tut ein Übriges, um dem Leser ein wunderschönes Kopfkino zu bescheren.

Die Autorin zeigt mit einfühlsamen Worten den Konflikt in einer Familie, die keine mehr ist und wo neue Partner erst ihren Platz finden müssen. Dazu eine Portion Eifersucht, Neid und jede Menge alter Animositäten und fertig ist eine Geschichte, wo Stutenbissigkeit und weibliche Lebenserfahrung ihr Stelldichein haben und eine Hauptfigur sich zu behaupten weiß.

Charaktere

Drue ist eine Frau Mitte dreißig. Sie ist weder eine Karrierefrau, noch hat sie eine beeindruckende schulische Laufbahn vorzuweisen. Im Gegenteil. Sie liebt das lockere, freie Leben und möchte nichts lieber als den Wind in den Haaren spüren und das Wasser unter ihren Füßen. Ein Schicksalsschlag ändert alles von einem Moment auf den anderen. Mir hat ganz besonders ihre Hartnäckigkeit, ihre Art Fragen zu stellen, und ihr logisches Denken gefallen. Die Frau hat Biss. Und das Herz am rechten Fleck.

Resultat

Ein rundum gelungener Roman für kurzweiliges Lesevergnügen. Der Mix aus Kriminalroman und Familiendrama war genau richtig miteinander verwoben und beschert dem Leser einige unterhaltsame Lesestunden.

*This book was originally published by St. Martin´s Press on May 7, 2019

 

Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews grew up in Florida and lives now with her family in Atlanta, Georgia. During the summer you will find her in her holiday residence on Tybee Island, a wonderful island just off the coast of Georgia. She is a former reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and since her bestseller Summer Rental, she is considered a guarantor for the perfect holiday experience.

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12/31/2021

Legacy by Nora Roberts

As an old Nora Roberts fan, and with a weakness for beautiful covers, I simply had to read this. The summary sounded so good and so I started listening to the audiobook before I changed the book form and continued reading the print edition. And this one was a great read with many unexpected surprises and twists.  

Legacy*

by Nora Roberts
Publisher St. Martin´s Press on May 25, 2021
Genre Novel
Pages 434
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Adrian Rizzo was seven when she met her father for the first time. That was the day he nearly killed her - before her mother, Lina, stepped in. Soon after, Adrian was dropped off at her grandparents’ house in Maryland, where she spent a long summer drinking lemonade, playing with dogs, making a new best friend - and developing the stirrings of a crush on her friend’s ten-year-old brother. Lina, meanwhile, traveled the country promoting her fitness brand and turning it into a billion-dollar business. There was no point in dwelling on the past. A decade later, Adrian has created her own line of yoga and workout videos, following in Lina’s footsteps but intent on maintaining creative control. And she’s just as cool-headed and ambitious as her mother. They aren’t close, but they’re cordial - as long as neither crosses the other. But while Lina dismisses the death threats that Adrian starts getting as a routine part of her daughter’s growing celebrity, Adrian can’t help but find the vicious rhymes unsettling. Year after year, they keep arriving—the postmarks changing, but the menacing tone the same. They continue after she returns to Maryland and becomes reacquainted with Raylan, her childhood crush, all grown up and as gorgeously green-eyed as ever. Sometimes it even seems like the terrifying messages are indeed routine like nothing will come of them. Until the murders start, and the escalation begins…

Story

Adrian wants to do something for her own. She needs to prove that she can create something without the help of her famous mother. And make it a success. Her way of doing Yoga and teaching it to others is different from the way how her mother does it. And so, it doesn´t take long before Adrian and her mother Lina have a serious conversation about how different they see life and family.

Style

The writing style is soft, sensitive, and shows a form of life, not everyone is made for. Mother and daughter want the same but have different ways to achieve their goals. Nora Roberts shows the conflict and how the main figure, Adrian, literally breaks free from her mother without changing how she wants to do things.

I liked it very much that Adrian loves the same things, her mother does, but still has her own way of handling everything.

Characters

Adrian is in many ways like her mother. She knows what she wants, how she wants it, and what to do to achieve her goals. But unlike her mother, Adrian needs her family. Her grandparents, the place where her mother was born and raised. For Adrian, life is more than having a successful career. She wants a family, kids, and a career. And the way how she does it is fascinating to read.

Conclusion

Another wonderful book and a perfect read for a lazy afternoon. This novel shows in a very entertaining way how health, mind, and the will to get everything in life a person could possibly want, can be achieved.

Happy reading

*I read the German edition published by Diana on October 18, 2021.

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writer’s groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

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11/03/2021

Waiting On Wednesday #169 – Das Reich Der Vampire by Jay Kristoff

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

Today my Waiting On Wednesday post is about the German edition of Empire of the Vampire. I loved the author´s Nevernight Chronicles and after listening to the audiobook sample I recently bought the original audiobook of Empire of the Vampire. Doesn´t keep me from wanting this German edition too. I have no clue what to expect, except for the fact that reading a Jay Kristoff book is never boring. And the vampire theme is one I love since the start of the Vampire Diaries and the books with Cat and Bones.

Das Reich Der Vampire

Author Jay Kristoff
Das Reich Der Vampire #1
Original Title Empire Of The Vampire
Publishing Date June 29, 2022
Publisher Fischer Tor
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

The sun set 27 years ago – and the armies of vampires have been on the rise ever since. Little by little they have expanded their eternal realm and challenged the people for the land until a carefree life is only possible in a few places. Small islands of light in a sea of eternal darkness. When the young Gabriel de León has to leave his home village, his path leads him to San Michon, to the Order of the Silver Guardians, a holy brotherhood that defends the kingdom and the Church against the onslaught of the beasts. Little does he know that he will become the order´s greatest legend – and the last hope of a dying world.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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10/13/2021

Waiting On Wednesday #168 – Nightwork by Nora Roberts

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

I discovered this new Nora Roberts book Sunday afternoon at her website while looking for the cover of another book. As a fan, I am curious how this one will turn out. Because it isn´t the first time that the author writes a novel about a thief. In Sweet Revenge, it was a rich woman who stole the jewels. This time, the summary tells me that it is a man. With a completely different background. So, yes. I am eager to find out how the story is brought to paper by Nora Roberts this time.

Nightwork

Author Nora Roberts
Publishing Date May 24, 2022
Publisher St. Martin´s Press
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

Harry Booth started stealing at nine to keep a roof over his ailing mother’s head, slipping into luxurious, empty homes at night to find items he could trade for precious cash. When his mother finally succumbed to cancer, he left Chicago - but kept up his nightwork. Wandering from the Outer Banks to Savannah to New Orleans, he dons new identities and stays careful, observant, distant. He can’t afford to attract attention - or get attached. Still, he can’t help letting his guard down when he meets Miranda Emerson. But the powerful bond between them cannot last - because not all thieves follow Harry’s code of honor. Some pay others to take risks so they can hoard more treasures. Some are driven by a desire to own people the way they own paintings and jewels. And after Harry takes a lucrative job commissioned by Carter LaPorte, LaPorte sees a tool he can use and decides he wants to own Harry. The man is a predator more frightening than the alligators that haunt the bayou - and when he strongarms Harry into robbing a Baltimore museum, Harry abandons Miranda - cruelly, with no explanation - and disappears. But no matter what name he uses or where he goes, LaPorte casts a shadow over Harry’s life. To truly free himself, he must face down his enemy once and for all. Only then can he hope to possess something more valuable than anything he has ever stolen…

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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