novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is a long way from Hollywood. And that's exactly how Cilla McGowan wants it. Cilla, a former child star who has found more satisfying work as a restorer of old houses, has come to her grandmother's farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs - but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla's dreams. And during waking hours, Cilla is haunted by her melodramatic, five-times-married mother, who carried on in the public spotlight and never gave her a chance at a normal childhood. By coming east, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to find some kind of normalcy for herself.
Plunging into the project with gusto, she's almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer - but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor (not to mention his delightfully ugly dog, Spock) are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford's quirky charm, but she can't help indulging in a little fantasy.
But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died - and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can't help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may - like her world-famous grandmother - be cut down in the prime of her life." (From Amazon)
I was not wowed by this novel. While I loved Ford I was not into Cilla and her family. Even though I gave it a low rating it is still worth a read if you love Nora Roberts.
"Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is a long way from Hollywood. And that's exactly how Cilla McGowan wants it. Cilla, a former child star who has found more satisfying work as a restorer of old houses, has come to her grandmother's farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs - but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla's dreams. And during waking hours, Cilla is haunted by her melodramatic, five-times-married mother, who carried on in the public spotlight and never gave her a chance at a normal childhood. By coming east, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to find some kind of normalcy for herself.
Plunging into the project with gusto, she's almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer - but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor (not to mention his delightfully ugly dog, Spock) are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford's quirky charm, but she can't help indulging in a little fantasy.
But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died - and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can't help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may - like her world-famous grandmother - be cut down in the prime of her life." (From Amazon)
I was not wowed by this novel. While I loved Ford I was not into Cilla and her family. Even though I gave it a low rating it is still worth a read if you love Nora Roberts.
readingwithhippos's review
3.0
This was fine. I know what I'm signing up for when I read Nora Roberts. But it drove me a wee bit batty that the entire mystery could have been solved lickety split if Cilla had just put up a damn security camera.
laurenjodi's review against another edition
3.0
The characters did not grab me as much as Nora Roberts' others seem to. I did not like the dream/memory aspects of the buildup of the mystery and the villain was predictable.
lemondogz's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
loribelle3's review
3.0
So this is your typical love story--girl falls for boy next door, danger ensues, all while she tries to "find herself" and rebuild her grandmother's farm house. I actually found myself enjoying the witty banter the couple exchanged and didn't figure out who was behind the threatening behaviors until late in the book.
pardonthisbookaddict's review
4.0
A murder mystery to solve and a man to fall in love with. Sprinkle a dog and interesting side characters, then you got a Nora book. Tribute was slower, but it’s still good.
vaniaasantos's review against another edition
5.0
Mais um livro de Nora Roberts que conseguiu prender-me totalmente a atenção!
Após ter lido vários livros desta autora, já estou mais do que habituada a uma escrita fluída e natural. Um livro com mistério do princípio ao fim e que me apaixonou muito. Merece as 5 estrelas sem qualquer sombra de dúvida.
Após ter lido vários livros desta autora, já estou mais do que habituada a uma escrita fluída e natural. Um livro com mistério do princípio ao fim e que me apaixonou muito. Merece as 5 estrelas sem qualquer sombra de dúvida.
emmagrahxm's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
antidietleah's review
4.0
I really liked the main characters (and their occupations)! And I'm such a sucker for Nora. *sigh*
amandaj6's review against another edition
5.0
A tribute for Tribute
I’m not that great of a writer or reviewer to actually be able to write a tribute for this book, lol, but I can say that I really really really enjoyed it. I liked how Cilla is the builder and Ford is the geeky artist and not all big and muscular.
I’m not that great of a writer or reviewer to actually be able to write a tribute for this book, lol, but I can say that I really really really enjoyed it. I liked how Cilla is the builder and Ford is the geeky artist and not all big and muscular.