Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If I never read the word “darlin’” again, it will be too soon. First part of the book is about two children (Zane & Britt) growing up with a pair of psychopathic, violent parents and being freed. Both parents are charged, convicted and sent to prison. This section was a tad too unbelievable as I doubt in reality things would have worked out so neatly. Children grow up with the loving family of their aunt (who happens to marry the detective who saved the day) and grandparents. But what I say about the word “darlin’”: these kids were raised in a rigid home with serious manners. I don’t care how well adjusted the son is, it seems so out of character for him to be calling his girlfriend “darlin’” later in the story. This annoys me. Next we see of Zane, he has moved back to Lakeview Terrace from Raleigh (where he was a prosecutor) and hung out his shingle. Then we are introduced to Darby, landscaper extraordinaire. She, too, has escaped an abusive husband and moved lock, stock, and barrel to a new place, which just happens to be where Zane is. And they meet, of course. This section of the book is boring (no highs no lows), even though we are introduced to three bad guys. How can you not have a climatic event with three bad guys??? Mommy and daddy get out of prison – years apart – daddy kills mommy, daddy goes after Zane and gets beat to a pulp by Darby (who knows martial arts, naturally). Dad gets arrested – AGAIN – and goes back to prison never to be heard from. This could have been developed so much more, but it is wrapped so quickly you hardly realize daddy came back. So first bad guy is gone. Second bad guy is some idiot country hick who, come to find out, isn’t so tough as he ends up dead by bad guy three. And I knew who this was as soon as he killed bad guy two. Bad guy three is Darby’s ex-husband. He kidnaps her, takes her to the cabin he is renting that is part of a larger complex of cabins – he didn’t even take her somewhere more secluded – and wants to have a conversation before he kills her. Okay. But Zane saves the day – he knows immediately where she is - and bad guy three, who confesses other murders to Darby is foiled by Zane’s mighty pitch (did I forget to mention he carries around a softball?) and also goes to prison. Oh yeah. Zane and Darby marry. The first part of the book, the part about the abusive family and surviving could have been developed into something really interesting. Unfortunately, it was not. The rest of the book should have been deleted. I really don’t know what’s happening to Nora Roberts. I’m not sure if her writing is getting worse or if I’m just reading better writers and find that she simply does not meet my expectations any longer. There is nothing interesting in this story; you don’t catch your breath at something unexpected, you don’t shed a tear at something tremendously sad or happy. It’s a monotone. It’s boring. Totally and completely not worth the read.