Member Reviews
It’s been some time since I read a Nora Roberts book. Thank you Net Galley for an advance reader copy. I was not disappointed! I so enjoyed the family relationships and friendships. What made me like the characters more was the multi-generational storylines. I loved ALL the characters, young and old. The mystery behind the letter writer kept me thinking. Recommend.
I am an avid reader...reading around 100 books in a year. This is my very FIRST Nora Roberts book! I am not a huge fan of romance typically so I had never been super drawn to her books. However, after reading this one I realize she is so much more than romance! In this book there was a romantic story lone, but there were also family issues, friendships, and suspense! I lobe thrillers, so this wasn’t expected! I enjoyed Legacy and this won’t be my last Nora Roberts book!
As a big fan of Nora Roberts, I was very excited to be able to read and review "Legacy". I read this book while I was traveling and it was the perfect, quick, airplane read that you don't have to think too hard about. Classic Nora Roberts. I typically enjoy her series that are trilogies because honestly I love getting lost in the worlds and multiple characters over the series, but reading a standalone was very nice. I didn't dislike the main character and her penchant for pushing her health and wellness endeavors on literally every person she met like some other as much as other reviewers. It wasn't ideal but if we're being honest, when reading these types of books we're suspending reality anyway. It was an enjoyable and very quick read. Perfect for a vacation!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Another great story by Nora Roberts. Adrian Rizzo has had drama since she was a little girl went her Father (who she did not know) unexpectedly shows up at her Mother’s house yelling and a fight ensures nearly killing both of them until he falls to his death. Her Mother Lina is a fitness guru and she is taken to her grandparents for the summer and makes friends and develops a crush on her friends brother Raylan. Year later when as a teenager at school in New York she decides to start a fitness career of her own with her friends from school and soon she is building her own empire with the help of her Mother’s publicist Harry. Threatening letters start coming and are turned over to the police but nothing seems to happen. As her career takes off her Mother Lina advises her it comes with the territory but the poet (threatening letter writer) keeps coming. As the years go by Adrian moves back to be home with her Grandfather after her Grandmother passes and her friends soon join her and her childhood crush is back in town widowed and as can be expected romance blooms as the danger of the poet threatens her. Local police, FBI, and a private investigator are investigating as deaths are piling up of other women. The women are eventually linked to her deceased Father. This is a great romantic suspense story.
Do I even need to tell you this book is great. Any book I read by Nora Roberts is fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything bad by her. This book holds its own. Enjoyed reading it and thankful for the advanced copy.
Nora Roberts is at the top of her game with this newest novel features two generations of exercise moguls. Adrian is a wonderfully thought out character, who the reader gets to know over the years. Her extended family grounds her, as well as supports her through the stalking that she experiences as the years go by. Great storytelling.
I love Nora Roberts romantic suspense. With this one I felt like I read 3 books 😅, as this one was broken up into 3 parts. I’ll admit, I didn’t really get into it until part 2, but that didn’t stop me from still enjoying it! It was a very very slow burn and I’m pretty impatient, which is why I only gave it 4 stars. Adrian was such a strong female lead and such a unique match between her and Raylan. Another hit for Roberts! 👏🏻
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC of Legacy. I am new to Nora Roberts so I have nothing to compare the book to. I did think the story moved a little slow but still worth the time to finish. The book had me guessing and I will definitely be digging into some of her other work.
Nora has always been my favorite author! She writes an amazing story, of love, friendship, family, and legacy. Legacy was beautifully written taking us through time and helping us grow with Adrian. Family is who you accept into your circle, and they are the ones that will always be there to see you through. Adrian is introduced as a young girl we meet trying to make her own destiny. As the past catches up to her in the future, she will have to remember she is not alone and always has someone in her corner to help her.
Definitely loved this story, and recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC for an honest review.
Rambling, predictable, and annoying lead
I would like to thank Nora Roberts, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book had three huge marks against it: the narrative rambled, I knew who the culprits would be the moment they were mentioned in the first chapter, and I seriously disliked Adrian, the main character/heroine.
The romance took too long to develop and meant little by the time it did, and the mystery was worse than half-assed, it was downright lazy. One of the laziest mysteries I’ve come across in a very long time, especially from a writer of such repute as Roberts. Little effort was given to a twist. The plot works best if described as women’s fiction, but even at that it was sloppy. Well, more self-indulgent than sloppy; Roberts included details she enjoys writing about but that don’t matter whatsoever to the story. Of most prominent irrelevance was all the talk about home renovation and the like. The character Kayla never needed to exist.
Raylan, the hero–no, honestly he wasn’t more than a love interest, the romance mattered that little–was pretty likeable, and his children were adorable, but I wanted so badly to punch Adrian in her relentlessly happy, arrogant, rich and famous face. She was one of those exercise-obsessed people I despise, always either running, doing yoga, or telling other people they should be running or doing yoga. That’s not health-conscious, that’s endorphin-addicted. The moment she met someone she mentally assessed their physical condition, devised a workout program and meal plan, and proceeded to nag them about it until they gave in to her. She wasn’t also health-obsessed but very nearly. Her Coca Cola habit was what I liked most about her: proof she was bloody human. I would never want to meet her much less have a conversation with her in real life. She would stress me out just by being herself. I almost stopped reading just to get away from her, but managed to finish.
Also, the shifts in POV were sporadic and felt unnecessary. A narrative crutch to try to propel the weak romance and suspense plots.
Overall the novel was a waste of time and it angers me that Roberts has achieved such a cult following that thousands of people consider this well-written.
Although I love second chance romances and I typically enjoy this author. This one fell short for me but I would still read her other books. The character development was lacking and I didn’t have that connect when I was reading.
A maestro of storytelling…
Legacy, Nora Robert’s romance/suspense novel, is everything it’s been promoted to be and more. This contemporary piece of literature has it all: a great cast of characters, swooning romance, heartfelt and poignant moments, and heart-pounding suspense. From the opening pages I was swept away by the intriguing story and confronted with an array of emotions that set the stage for what was to come: “If her childhood had taught her anything, it was to make time for her passion, her responsibilities. And for the ones she loved.”
That is exactly what Adrian Rizzo does as life unfolds. She takes charge of her life and her destiny, developing her own fitness brand and following, all while prioritizing the people in her life. But fame also brings out the crazies in the world, as Adrian understands as once a year she starts receiving threatening poems. While this trend is unsettling, she chooses to never forget the things that make life worth living: “friends, and family, … friends who were family” and love. After the tragic loss of her grandmother, Adrian decides to move back home and live with her aging grandfather, a choice that will fulfill her life in more ways than one. Raylan, Adrian’s first crush and the older brother of her best friend since childhood, has also experienced love and loss in life leading him to also move back home, near family and friends, to raise his two young children. He never expects to be given a second chance at love, yet his reconnection with Adrain blossoms into something wonderful for both of them, “Love isn’t finite…it always makes more room”.
Legacy is an absolutely perfect balance of romance and suspense, light-hearted comradery and moving heartbreak, focused determination and dependence on others, all wrapped up in a well-written piece that is hard to put down. Rarely do I critique the author when reviewing a book, but Nora Roberts truly has a gift for taking all the standard elements of a novel (characters, plotline, timing) and elevating each one into something so memorable and special that I couldn’t help but be in awe of her skill as a writer and storyteller and include that in my impression Legacy. Even with over 200 titles to her credit, her writing is still vibrant, compelling, emotional, and worthy of five + stars.
Who doesn't love a good ole Nora Roberts book on ANY day? Just amazing writing and every single book of hers has kept me hooked. I look forward to reading her whole backlist eventually!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an eARC copy of this book!
While I enjoy Nora Roberts as an author, this one wasn't one of my favorites. Maybe it was the third person POV... or maybe it was the way the book seemed to drag on a bit with the main character's childhood. I didn't hate this book, but it did take me a little bit to get into. I will say this, however: sticking it out until the end was worth it, and I appreciated the resolution (without giving anything away).
I don't think I've ever been disappointed by a Nora Roberts book. She has such a way of weaving intricate tales that somehow never seem too convoluted or complicated. Legacy was no different. Its story grips you from the very first pages, and you'll find yourself racing through the pages to find out what happens next. She also effortlessly combines genres. Is this a romantic suspense? A thriller? Contemporary fiction? Family drama? I would say it easily fits in any or all of these categories. Legacy is a compelling story that will leave you feeling totally satisfied when you finished. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy.
Absolutely stellar novel, with intriguing characters, a really well thought out background for the main players, vivid intense scene setting and truly likeable people. The bad guy was really, really well done and made for a very suspense filled read.
I can name at least seven previous books written by this author that were recycled from to produce this one. Names, places, themes, and plots. Suggestion for Ms Roberts: buy a baby name book to keep by your laptop. Perhaps her editor or advanced readers are not strong enough to point out how heavily she's borrowing from her past work. Unfortunately this is becoming a common issue with a few of her most recent books and especially in the fantasy series she
writes. The main character of Adrian is frankly, boring and predictable. I guessed who the murderer was about four chapters in . The mother and daughter issues are teased at thru the whole book and never quite resolve anything to really enhance the story. The love story is uninspired too.
Definitely not a book I'd recommend.
I usually really love Nora Roberts books, but this one didn't grab me. I enjoyed the characters, but I felt disconnected from the storyline. It was like I had read it before and knew what was going to happen. It's not bad for a quick read but definitely not up to par for Nora Roberts.
Adrian is a strong protagonist who manages to undermine her mother's domination as an adolescent, collaborate with fellow students and create an empire. Her mother, Lina, is consumed by her business. Adrian's most positive memories surround her time with her grandparents and her childhood friends. Marring her success is her experience of meeting her father for the first and only time and annual menacing messages. Lina brushes them off as part of fame, while Adrian continues to turn them over to her manager and share them with Raylan. Only the threat is real and slowly but surely the deaths move closer to Adrian's circle of family and friends.
As with other books by Nora Roberts, the tension will build and then you'll be lulled by Lina's logic, only over time the tension only builds. There are twists and turns that keep you flipping pages late into the night. The character and plot development is well done as expected with a Nora Roberts novel. Fans of her other books will not be disappointed.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
Adrian Rizzo spent a long time in creating a line of yoga and workout videos, following in her mother's footsteps. She and her mother have a contentious relationship, but as long as each stays in their own lane, they can remain affable.
Adrian, as many of those in the public eye, begins receiving death threats. Her mother shrugs it off as being the price you pay for popularity and success.
The vicious notes keep coming .. year after year, postmarks keep changing, but the threat is always the same.
But then the threats escalate and the murders begin.
It's a well-crafted complex plot with many characters. The mother/daughter backstory was informative and set up the events of today quite nicely. The character are solidly drawn and work well together in this fast-paced page turner. Throw in a romance and you have the work we've all come to expect from this author.
Many thanks to the author / St Martin's Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of the Romantic Suspense. Read and reviewed voluntarily. opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.