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elfinedaze's review against another edition
3.0
After successfully reading three really long books by this author, i can definitely say that her writing is very formulaic. you know the main characters are gonna instantly want each other the MOMENT they meet and end up falling in love [LUST] within a week (hell, that’s even pushing it, 4 days max), because that’s how long the course of the story runs, that they will have tragic backstories filled with pity parties, and there’ll be a serial killer who will be close to either one or both of them and who will be gleefully sneering at them and causing mischief and mayhem while they hump each other at very inappropriate moments, and that the main female character will always fall for the killer’s trap at the end. C’est finis. This extremely pathetic yet effective formula aside, the stories are still entertaining, fast-paced, and keep you listening or turning the pages which is why i’m moving onto the next book lmao.
lyricsninja's review against another edition
2.0
The premise is that someone was raped and murdered in the past, and people watched it happen. The killer is systematically seeking revenge for the victim. One by one, he is dropping those involved and its up to the detectives to stop him before he can wipe everyone out.
When picking up this one to read I wasn't implicitly aware that this was considered to be romantic suspense. On the romantic side, it was “meh” at best. The suspense side was pretty good, though the book kind of dragged on a bit at times. This is the type of book that would have benefited from being a bit shorter and cut back on the romantic aspect (it really didn't add anything to the novel). Its not bad, but not great either.
I wouldn't read this one again… nor am I moved from it. I’ll pass on the recommend on this one.
When picking up this one to read I wasn't implicitly aware that this was considered to be romantic suspense. On the romantic side, it was “meh” at best. The suspense side was pretty good, though the book kind of dragged on a bit at times. This is the type of book that would have benefited from being a bit shorter and cut back on the romantic aspect (it really didn't add anything to the novel). Its not bad, but not great either.
I wouldn't read this one again… nor am I moved from it. I’ll pass on the recommend on this one.
alisonraser's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lynguy1's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Karen Rose knows how to hook readers with a chilling prologue and keep them engaged and in suspense throughout a novel. You Belong to Me is the first book in her Baltimore Romantic Suspense series which combines a police procedural with romantic suspense. Baltimore city Homicide Detective JD Fitzpatrick has been a lot violence in his career as a policeman as well as his deployment in Afghanistan. However, the bodies turning up throughout the city take violence and torture to a new level. JD is intrigued by Medical Examiner Dr. Lucy Trask, who has several secrets that make him believe she may be shielding evidence linked to the case.
JD is compassionate, kind, has a good ear for accents, confident, and kind. Lucy is contained, thorough, sensible, predictable, has an eye for detail, and doesn’t get close to many people. As the story progresses, both show growth and become more dynamic.
This riveting crime thriller, police procedural, and romantic suspense novel keeps you turning the pages. The writing is fluid and descriptive which helps readers envision the scenes without disrupting or slowing the flow. It’s well-plotted with a few twists, and the storyline is gripping at times and heartwarming at other times. Add to that plenty of conflict and a strong but vulnerable protagonist, and you have a winning combination. However, there are some disturbing torture scenes.
Overall, this was intriguing, suspenseful, and had an action-packed ending with compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. With exciting scenes and a fascinating story line, this astonishing thriller kept me fully engaged. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was January 11, 2011.
JD is compassionate, kind, has a good ear for accents, confident, and kind. Lucy is contained, thorough, sensible, predictable, has an eye for detail, and doesn’t get close to many people. As the story progresses, both show growth and become more dynamic.
This riveting crime thriller, police procedural, and romantic suspense novel keeps you turning the pages. The writing is fluid and descriptive which helps readers envision the scenes without disrupting or slowing the flow. It’s well-plotted with a few twists, and the storyline is gripping at times and heartwarming at other times. Add to that plenty of conflict and a strong but vulnerable protagonist, and you have a winning combination. However, there are some disturbing torture scenes.
Overall, this was intriguing, suspenseful, and had an action-packed ending with compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. With exciting scenes and a fascinating story line, this astonishing thriller kept me fully engaged. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I purchased a copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was January 11, 2011.
in2themystik2's review against another edition
4.0
I just love this whole series! Plenty of interesting murder, thrills, appalling crimes, and deviant antagonists, and I don't really feel like they have that much more romance than the average mystery thriller, which is fine by me.
heabooknerd's review against another edition
3.0
Karen Rose does a great job of weaving several different story lines together and making you realize how they connect when initially they seem so far apart; this is something I always enjoy when done well. The villain was suitably creepy and depraved and there were plenty of twists to keep things interesting. I liked the pacing of this story as with most of Karen Rose’s books they are quick moving. The book is written from multiple character points of view, so you get a lot of different perspectives on what’s going on as well different views into the investigation. Breaking the story up with date and time increments also makes the story feel like it's going by faster.
I liked J.D. and Lucy but I felt their romance was not as developed as I would have liked. Lucy has a ton of secrets, many of which aren't revealed until the last 75% and the story itself only spans about 2 days, so their immediate connection does feel a little rushed. However, they were both likable characters who have overcome a lot of pain and heartbreak so it was nice to see them find someone to trust and love; they both certainly deserve it.
It's been a while since I've read a Karen Rose book, so I forgot how many characters she likes to include in her stories. In this case it's the first in her books set in Baltimore so there’s a lot of characters being introduced: detectives, crime scene techs, lawyers/prosecutors, PIs etc. It's a little overwhelming to keep everyone straight if you're not dedicating your time to the story. However this is a style of hers so you do get used to it, I'm just out of practice.
I liked J.D. and Lucy but I felt their romance was not as developed as I would have liked. Lucy has a ton of secrets, many of which aren't revealed until the last 75% and the story itself only spans about 2 days, so their immediate connection does feel a little rushed. However, they were both likable characters who have overcome a lot of pain and heartbreak so it was nice to see them find someone to trust and love; they both certainly deserve it.
It's been a while since I've read a Karen Rose book, so I forgot how many characters she likes to include in her stories. In this case it's the first in her books set in Baltimore so there’s a lot of characters being introduced: detectives, crime scene techs, lawyers/prosecutors, PIs etc. It's a little overwhelming to keep everyone straight if you're not dedicating your time to the story. However this is a style of hers so you do get used to it, I'm just out of practice.
namitakhanna's review against another edition
4.0
On a routine jog run Baltimore Medical Examiner Lucy Trask finds a dead mutilated body and us surprised to know the victim who she dated a long time ago.Soon more bodies start turning up that are connected to Lucy's past.Will Detective J.D. Fitzpatrick and Lucy be able to find the suspect in time before Lucy becomes his final prize.
A good , fast paced romantic mystery with lots of twists and turns.Overall a solid 4 star and would recommend ti mystery lovers even though was a few pages too long
A good , fast paced romantic mystery with lots of twists and turns.Overall a solid 4 star and would recommend ti mystery lovers even though was a few pages too long
briesespieces's review against another edition
3.0
After successfully reading three really long books by this author, i can definitely say that her writing is very formulaic. you know the main characters are gonna instantly want each other the MOMENT they meet and end up falling in love [LUST] within a week (hell, that’s even pushing it, 4 days max), because that’s how long the course of the story runs, that they will have tragic backstories filled with pity parties, and there’ll be a serial killer who will be close to either one or both of them and who will be gleefully sneering at them and causing mischief and mayhem while they hump each other at very inappropriate moments, and that the main female character will always fall for the killer’s trap at the end. C’est finis. This extremely pathetic yet effective formula aside, the stories are still entertaining, fast-paced, and keep you listening or turning the pages which is why i’m moving onto the next book lmao.
karen1's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
bookloverchelle's review against another edition
4.0
Another great read from Karen Rose, You Belong to Me begins a new series, Baltimore. Some of these characters could have been introduced in earlier books but since I jumped in with this book I’m not sure. We meet homicide detective J.D. Fitzpatrick and medical examiner Dr. Lucy Trask as they try to unweave a deadly plot that began 21 years ago in Lucy’s home town. With each new body that turns up J.D. and Lucy try to work against the clock deciphering clues to find the killer and uncover a secret that has laid buried for so many years. Ms. Rose does a great job with edge of your seat suspense, I loved how J.D. and Lucy built their romance. This book is pretty lengthy, almost 500 pages, so I did feel some could have been trimmed but overall a really fun, and sometimes frightening, story. A good introduction to additional characters for future books as well. Good read!