Identity

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Family love and support play an important role in this novel, on both sides. I loved Morgan’s mother and grandmother (her “ladies”), and appreciated how Morgan’s mother is also a skilled and creative business woman, much stronger, more competent, and happier than Morgan’s memory of her. While Morgan loves her mom, there’s initially a distance there; it was heartwarming to watch them become closer. Part of Morgan’s growth in the novel comes from accepting and trusting in the love and support of her mother and grandmother, and from her growing appreciation for the strong women they are. Below are my play by play thoughts while reading the book — though I don’t think I’m spoiling anything they could be interpreted I suppose as spoilers. Then everything goes wrong. It turns out Luke isn’t what he says he is. He’s a con artist named Gavin and serial killer. But he missed with Morgan, killing Nina instead. Morgan becomes the one who got away, and he can’t have that. So the heroine Morgan was about as annoying as any I’ve read. If I have to hear about sangria (cringe!!!) or frog fountains again in my entire lifetime I will barf. Seriously that was not necessary. Also, this is a thriller? No it’s not. Nothing thrilling here especially when it comes to her “ladies”. Vomit.

This novel has plenty of suspense. It is chilling that what happened to Morgan could happen to any woman out there. I liked the characters of Morgan and Miles and their developing relationship. They helped each other and were a great balance to each other's personalities.

About Emmalita

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. This is an intense story. The author gives us plenty of breaks to show us how Morgan’s new life is shaping up—then brings Gavin in again just to let us know he’s still on the hunt and things aren’t as rosy as we want to believe. It isn't just the identity of the victims and the villain that are on display here, however. Throughout her healing process, Morgan confronts her identity as she sees herself, as her family sees her, and as her friends and coworkers see her. And identity isn't just an issue for her - we see other characters pondering their own identities within their own relationships, as they grow throughout the novel.

I just love this book! It is subtle and at times intense. Roberts builds tough resilient characters along with some wonderful family connections. I think this is a winner all around with the multiple aspects of romance, family, suspense, and crime tension. I could go on and on, but definitely put this one on your list! If you’ve never experienced identity theft, count your blessings. It is stressful, traumatizing, and doesn’t end with filing reports. The complete upheaval to Morgan Albright’s life due to identity theft was so incredibly realistic, I forgot that I was reading about a fictional person for a bit. Morgan attempts to restart her life in a new location with a new job. She cautions her new employer about her legal difficulties, then finds that they’re incredibly understanding, supportive, and protective. Despite the support emotional support Morgan receives from friends and co-workers, she still has feelings of guilt over Nina’s death due to her actions. Needless to say, Morgan has difficulty trusting her judgment, especially with regard to a new romantic relationship, but she does eventually begin one. A new location, new job, new career, and a new man seem to be all it takes for her identity thief to decide that Morgan’s continued successes at rebuilding her life are why he isn’t having as much “success” with his “job.” I found it to be a fast-paced and wholly engrossing read. I enjoyed the characters (yes, even the bad guy) and the action. The storyline was highly believable and the characters realistic, even with their flaws. I had some seriously strong emotional responses to the stress and trauma Morgan was going through. (I truly felt for Morgan and her situation due to a family member going through a similar ordeal with identity theft, the ongoing reporting issues and trauma, and the emotional fallout from the entire process.) For those of you that love Nora Roberts, I know I don’t have to urge you to grab a copy of Identity to read, but I will anyway. For those of you in the market for a suspenseful read with a bit of romance, I encourage your to grab a copy of Identity. I’ll be getting a copy for the 88-y.o. book diva in my life, aka Mom. The Sunday Timesbestselling author’s terrifying new thriller about one man’s ice-cold malice, and one woman’s quest to reclaim her life. On the surface, Identity is the story of an identity thief who turns out to be far more evil than a normal person can imagine, and of his victim who has lost everything at his hands, and has to start over. The grief, anger, and fear that Morgan experiences is raw and emotional, and so aptly portrayed by Roberts that you cannot help but feel everything with her. The ego, hatred, and narcissism of the villain is visceral and uncomfortable, portrayed with a skill that makes you squirm. As well-written and consuming as any Nora Roberts story I’ve ever read—and there have been many— Identity is romantic suspense at its slightly disturbing and engrossing best.The #1 New York Times-bestselling author's terrifying new thriller about one man's ice-cold malice, and one woman's fight to reclaim her life. Morgan finally settled down after a life on the move, her father was on the military. She has a tight plan of what she wants to achieve. She bought her house, pays off mortgage and works two jobs. Her roommate Nina is also her best friend.

St. Martin’s Press and Nora Roberts provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 23, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine. 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. I highly recommend this book who are fans of women's fiction, crime fiction and family generation stories. Who enjoys descriptive writing that you can see, smell and taste the atmosphere. I really enjoyed reading this book it made me want to be a part of the Nash family, have their close relationship, strength and courage I fell in love with both families and I will be remember them as they have a special place in my heart.I once read her proudly state she wrote every word of every one of her books and to that I say, wow what an accomplishment. If she’s paid by the word I wouldn’t be surprised as there are so many conversations, descriptions and superfluous bullshit liberally spread through this entire joke of a book that is the ONLY explanation of why this was so long and drawn out. Also, the woman can’t make a complete sentence if her damn life depended on it. Even the conversations are that scattered. Absolutely no one talks like that outside of a liberal elite think tank. Anyhoo. She relocates to Vermont, where her mother and grandmother live. She starts over. But Luke is not done yet. Morgan is the one who got away…

I also enjoyed the three generations of Jamesons that run the resort. I come from a strong, loving, supportive family myself, one that is remarkably free from conflict and drama, so it was a real pleasure to see that kind of love and mutual respect in both Morgan’s and Miles’s family, instead of the dysfunctional families so common in both fiction and, sadly, in real life. I suspect Nora Roberts has personal experience with the kind of family depicted here; you can see it in some of her other books as well, particularly The Liar and the Inn Boonsboro books. The great characterization and flow of the story held my attention throughout. I can see why she is such a popular author. The last chapters were unputdownable with intense action and a satisfying ending. The love story was definitely of lesser focus than Morgan and her fight to rebuild a life for herself post-trauma, but it needed to be. Miles, the love interest, was likeable enough but I was thankful their budding relationship didn’t overshadow the seriousness of the threats still at hand.IDENTITY by Nora Roberts is a perfectly balanced romantic suspense that I read straight through in one sitting. This is a standalone story featuring a young, vibrant professional bartender who becomes “the one who got away” from an obsessive serial killer who steals his victims’ identities, drains their accounts, strangles them, and then robs all their valuables. Anytime I see January LaVoy listed as the narrator, I’m more than interested. She always makes it seem like there are multiple narrators, skillfully handling a host of characters, delivering an outstanding performance on every level including great storytelling. FYI, she’s tied for the #1 spot on my list of favorite narrators. He's responsible, and grumpy, and magnetic, and full of so much kindness. I don't think either Miles or Morgan realized how lonely they were until they met the other. I don't think they were looking for someone until they recognized each other's hearts. Love that glows when you surround yourself with each other's worlds... well, that's more than just special. Also, I loved that our heroine worked as bartender/manager of a bar, another part of the book that was really well researched and put to paper.