Say Goodbye by Karen Rose is a phenomenal suspense thriller. It's thick but fast-paced. Action-packed, excellent dialogue, and the characters hold you in...

Say Goodbye is the third book in Karen Rose’s Sacramento series. It wraps up the three-book arc about the survivors of the abusive Eden cult and their efforts to shut it down. As is usual in Rose’s books, there’s a romance along with the hunt for the criminals. In Say Goodbye, the romance is a friends-to-lovers plot involving FBI Special Agent Tom Hunter and nursing student Liza Barkley. Theirs is one of my favorite romantic threads, but before we get to that, let’s look at the rest of the story. This will be a bit on the vague side. Many of the things I liked most would be spoilers if shared, and I don’t want to ruin anything.

Rose introduced Eden in Say You’re Sorry. In that book, we learned FBI agent Gideon Reynolds had been smuggled out of Eden by his mother when he was thirteen. No one was allowed to leave there. Anyone who escaped was said to have been killed by wild animals, and the Eden leaders provided mangled, unrecognizable bodies to substantiate that. Now, seventeen years later, a necklace involved in a serial killer case offers a new lead to Eden. It also draws him closer to his sister, Mercy Callahan. Their mom smuggled Mercy out years after Gideon left and paid for Mercy’s escape with her life. The siblings found each other but didn’t reconnect emotionally. This first book brings them back together as they rebuild their relationship.

Eden moves to the forefront in the second book, Say No More, as the FBI hunts for its location. The settlement moves from time to time, which makes it harder to find. One of the cult leaders has learned Mercy is still alive, and he wants to drag her back to Eden.

The Sokolovs, a big, affectionate family in Sacramento, took Gideon in after he befriended Rafe Sokolov. They play an important role in all three books. It’s fun to read about loving, loyal families who embrace people not of their blood, like Gideon and Mercy. When Mercy becomes involved with Rafe, that’s just a bonus to them.

The end of Say No More sets up Say Goodbye with a violent confrontation between the FBI and DJ Belmont, a trusted member of Eden who runs errands to the outside world for them. As Say Goodbye opens, DJ is back in Eden and plotting his revenge. The head of the cult, an elderly man known as Pastor, believes Gideon and Mercy are dead, and DJ, the tech expert, will be in deep trouble if Pastor learns otherwise. So he must complete his revenge before that can happen.

We also meet a young, pregnant woman named Hayley and her brother, Graham. They’ve been dragged to Eden by their mother because of Hayley’s pregnancy. She is desperate to escape before her baby is born, in part because there are no medical facilities but mostly because one of the community elders has promised to take her baby for his wife to raise. Graham is very handy with tech and secretly helps her use the computer, which no one beyond Pastor, DJ, and the healer, is supposed to know they have, to send a message to her child’s father. Unfortunately, the young father’s efforts to send help fail for reasons that become important in the story.

Because of DJ’s problems in Say No More, the community has had to relocate. They’re living in primitive conditions with no running water and no reliable food supply. Pastor dispatches DJ for supplies, and he sees this as an opportunity to kill Mercy and Gideon and to feather his nest through his involvement in a criminal gang.

Meanwhile, the FBI is searching for Eden. They’ve recovered information on the past locations but don’t have any leads to its present one. New agent Tom Hunter is the center of the story but not the head of the task force, which leads to problems for him as he pursues his quarry by means his superiors don’t always approve.

Tom is a former NBA star and a computer hacker. His hacking skills are crucial to the investigation, and his background in pro sports figures into the story in an important way in addition to giving his character depth when he deals with fans.

Tom’s close friend, nursing student and decorated former army medic Liza Barkley, offers emotional support and aid to Mercy, Gideon, and the Sokolov family. As Tom and Liza spend time together, however, her old attraction to him increasingly plagues her. Their situation is complicated by his mourning for his fiancée, who was pregnant when she was murdered a little more than a year before the story opens. Liza carries guilt over a former relationship and must come to terms with it while dealing with her attraction to Tom.

I loved the way this friends-to-lovers relationship developed. Liza and Tom’s qualms weren’t about risking their friendship so much as they were about dealing with the past. They’re a couple for whom the timing was never right. Now, when they’re both free, Tom is haunted by loyalty to the woman he would’ve married. Their relationship issues come to a head when Liza makes a decision that brings her into the Eden investigation in a dangerous way.

Rose always writes strong women, but Liza takes that to a higher level that’s very engaging. Her military background makes her choices believable and sympathetic. That’s a vague description but deliberately so. I don’t want to spoil this for anyone.

Back in Eden, Pastor takes a fall on a rocky hillside that causes severe injuries. Although no one in Eden is allowed to go to a hospital, he makes an exception for himself (of course!). DJ takes him and the healer to a clinic recommended by the head of his criminal gang. He considers shooting them on the way because he hates Pastor, but there’s a wrinkle. Eden’s offshore accounts contain over fifty million dollars, and he wants the codes to access them, which Pastor changes regularly. The movement of money and his presence in the clinic offer opportunities to the investigators.

The hunt comes to a head with a violent confrontation on a highway near a ravine. The action is choreographed in a way that’s believable and tense, and the actions of the characters involved are true to the ways they’ve been established earlier.

The resolution to a trilogy, for me, ultimately determines how well I think all three books worked. This resolution was spot on. Rose brings together the storylines of the FBI investigation, Tom and Liza’s relationship, DJ’s quest for revenge, Hayley’s pregnancy, and the fate of Eden in a skillful web. The lead characters from the prior books also contribute to the solution. Nothing comes too easily, which is great. Eden’s fate would not be believable if she had made it simple.

Most of the characters are warm and engaging. The Eden elders, of course, are not, but they are also not cardboard cutouts. They’re layered and complex. The investigation takes intriguing twists and turns in ways that are not predictable, and the action scenes move quickly yet are easy to follow. Then there’s the superb resolution to the trilogy. Say Goodbye delivers on all counts. I highly recommend it.

I love this series! No matter what, Karen Rose continues to deliver a top-notch thriller packed with interesting cases, police (or FBI in this case) procedures, and the exploration of humanity both good as well as bad.

I don't know how Karen Rose continues to keep me on the edge of my seat with every book but she still does. I had no idea what the outcome was going to be and I loved that. I will continue reading her because of this!

I did not realize this was apart of a series, but I figured I could read it anyways. Wrong! I don't know if it was because I missed the first two books or the number of characters in this book alone, but I was lost most of the 30% I actually got through.

Another great installment by Karen Rose! These books are packed with intense reading. You don't want to put it down because you want to see the bad guys get caught.

This is a series and you do need to read them in order. I don't recommend these as a stand alone.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I made a mistake… I didn’t realize that this book was the third in a trilogy… I missed a lot! This book was filled with twists and turns, so I got a little confused but enjoyed the read!

Again, this is totally my bad for not realizing before reading it that this was not a stand-alone book (still not sure how I did this). I enjoyed the writing and the plot, and now I need to read the whole series!

The story started out with promise. There was something about the jumping around with characters that distracted me from the story.

This book was okay. It was great to see the cult dismantled with only the bad guys getting killed; everything about tracking Eden down and dodging DJ and whatnot was an excellent thriller. The romance was pretty blah, though, probably because the leads were pretty blah. I liked Liza well enough but she didn’t seem to have much a personality. Tom was a just fricken idiot, my god. I actually didn’t like him much. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them, so their big sex scene fell flat for me; after the first few minutes made me cringe, I skipped the rest. So yeah, read this for the thriller and action aspects, not the romance. I wonder what’s next for Rose?

I am loving this series from Karen Rose! Say Goodbye might actually be my favorite. Tom and Liza were great characters. I loved seeing Gideon and Mercy again. If you like some romance in your thrillers, pick this up ASAP.

Say Goodbye is the third book in the third book in the Sacramento series. You really need to read books 1 Say You're Sorry and 2 Say No More to really appreciate this novel. If you have read the first two books you don't necessarily need to re-read them as this is come recapping in the first few chapters to remind you of who the characters are and where the team is on the search from the religious cult Eden.

As this is romantic suspense, the relationship that is focused on in this book is between former basketball star turned FBI agent Tom and former Army medic turned nursing student Liza. They are great characters and aren't part of the core Eden escapists so we get a different dynamic with these two. It doesn't mean they don't have their own flaws and past traumas that weigh heavily on the potential romance.

As I mentioned in my review of Say No More, this book is also more focused on the relationship though I do think the Eden investigation was more prominent in Say Goodbye. I enjoy the romantic aspects of a new relationship but I don't care for steamy sex scenes and though I expected them based on the previous books I was still disappointed when the story got to that point and as before I basically skipped over them. Seriously the plot is so good and Rose is such a talented storyteller that then scenes feel like they cheapen the book.

I felt like the suspense was much greater in this book than in book 2, though I don't think either really matches the tension of book 1. In addition to the tension of whether DJ and Paster will finally be found and brought to justice, there is also a ticking clock as Hayley's due date approaches. Will she give birth in a cave, with very little medical help, and see her baby given to another woman?

As the final book in the series, the ending is quite satisfying to the overall plot of finding Eden and finding some sense of justice for Merci, Gideon, Amos, and all the other victims of the cult. Though I'm happy with the Eden storyline ending, I would like to see more of these characters. I would like to see how the relationships between the various characters grow.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Tuesday at 11:30 am - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/09/2-new-suspense-novels-to-read-now.html

'Say Goodbye' was a thrilling ending to a fantastic series. I was tense during most of this story because I really wanted all the psychotic cult leaders brought to justice, but it was also nice to finally read Tom's story.

Tom, who was ridiculous stubborn about his feelings for his best friend Liza and made me want to throw my e-reader, but he made it up in the end. I loved Tom, but Liza was especially loveable in this story. She was so strong and brave and full of kindness and determination to help others, even after enduring tremendous loss and trauma. I was glad when Tom finally got his act together, realizing that he couldn't live without Liza.

I also happy to see the innocent victims of Eden saved and the sick culprits paying for their crimes. My only complaint would be that I was hoping for a longer Epilogue with a more detailed happy ending for all three of the main couples, but a great read overall.

For decades, Eden has controlled, abused, and terrorized its members, but the cult’s days are numbered. FBI Special Agent Tom Hunter is determined of that. With the number of founding elders diminishing and Pastor’s surrogate son seeming to have an agenda all of his own, Tom believes their best shot at bringing them to justice has arrived. But while weakened, Eden remains no less dangerous.

When his best friend, Liza Berkley, insists on utilizing her ex-Army combat medic skills to help crack the case, she becomes an immediate target. Tom suddenly finds himself walking a tight line between his duty to his country and to his heart.

Say Goodbye brings readers to the moment they’ve been waiting for throughout the Sacramento series — Eden’s reckoning. Karen Rose plunges her audience in the deep end and keeps them treading water until the last page. Like Tom, Liza, Gideon, Mercy, and the rest of the gang, the reader feels the suffocating uncertainty and fear of knowing they’re in an enemy’s crosshairs, but not knowing when they’ll strike.

Out of the various leads, Tom is my least favorite. He spent the first fourth of the book struggling to hold back his more-than-platonic feelings for his best friend, fearing the truth would ruin their friendship. When Liza in her straightforward, take-no-prisoners attitude finally brings everything out into the open, Tom freaks out. He spends the next fourth of the book not admitting his feelings because he suddenly doesn’t want to be disloyal to his deceased ex-fiancé. The switch didn’t jibe and came across more as a ploy to prolong the angst because it was too soon for the protagonists to get together.

The novel delivers lots of action and turns, which I look for in suspense. Rose masterfully crafts fast-paced scenes, intriguing characters, and a story that has me wanting to know how everything will conclude. Unfortunately, the novel dragged out too long, making Say Goodbye good rather than unputdownable. The plot didn’t have enough to carry the book through 640 pages, and the events often led in circles rather than forward. I’d speed through portions of the story before it became repetitive, and I’d set it aside several days before returning.

As with all of the author’s books, readers should be prepared for strong language and bedroom scenes — the latter can be easily skipped. Say Goodbye includes potential triggers such as physical and sexual abuse, including to minors.

I recommend the Sacramento series to suspense fans who enjoy plenty of action and don’t mind taking the long way around.

Let me be honest, there were subplots of this book that I absolutely loved. The parts that took place in Eden, for example. Those parts had me captive.

Then there were many subplots that just did nothing for me. And the "romance" element? Definitely not this author's forte. And that romance played a big role in this book. The lackluster writing of the romance aspect ruined much of the book. I felt so annoyed and disconnected because there was no connection between these two characters.

The book as a whole isn't bad. I just think with a seasoned author such as this, there would be less unnecessary filler (which is also a plot killer) and more fire written into the characters to strengthen the book. If I were asked if I liked it, my answer would be it's one of those books where I liked and disliked it at the same time.

This was a solid third installment of the Sacramento romantic suspense series.

I really enjoyed seeing how this book built on the past stories and wrapped everything up.

I really liked Tom and Liza as characters both individually and together.

Overall, super solid.

The opportunity to have the chance to get to know grown up Tom was absolutely amazing! The quick “visits” from past characters was heartwarming. The one thing though that made me sad was when it ended...I hope it’s not the last we see of these characters...

Tom Hunter! Need I say more? Great ending to a trilogy. The storyline ending of Eden was wrapped up well. I didn’t realize this was book number three, so I hurriedly read the first two. Books about cults? I’m in!

Another solid addition to this series - and I do believe that this book is best read in conjunction with the previous books as it is the culmination of the over arcing plot. My favorite is the first book as it balances the romance and the suspense plot more equitably. Overall, happy to recommend to romantic suspense readers.

I absolutely love this author. Firmly planted on my auto-buy list, I have very much been looking forward to this book. I loved every page. Review linked.

This is one twisty journey for the third in the Sacramento Series. It's also one seriously long book, but all three have been, so I kind of expected that. What's really impressive about that is the lack of lags in the story. 600+ pages, and I wasn't tempted to skim even once. Okay, I did want to peek at the end but I'm not a read the ending first person, so straight through it was. There are also a lot of characters to keep up with in all those pages. I did have to stop and think about it a couple of times, but for the most part, the story and characters had me invested enough that I remembered who was doing what. This is romantic suspense, and Karen Rose blends the romance in wonderfully. Tom and Liza are an easy couple to root for even if Tom did make me a little bit nuts at times. Say Goodbye isn't an easy, laid back read by any means, but if you're looking for something to keep you turning those pages while you're laying on the beach this summer, this one will do it. It's dramatic, intense, filled with danger and edge of your seat action, and the author mixes in a romance you can't get enough of.