Identity was a great story! There was a sweet romance happening, one crazy bad guy, and an awesome build throughout that had me excited while reading. I couldn't wait to see how it all unfolded. This was my first Nora Roberts book and I had no idea what to expect but absolutely enjoyed what I got.

I loved Morgan, this woman had grit! Her will, strength and determination were amazing. She's thrust into an awful situation that was intense. I liked the emotion coming from her as she figures out her next steps. I liked Miles a lot, he was charming and a little bossy, but in a caring way. I enjoyed them coming together, they had a subtle flirting happening though some things felt slightly glossed over. When they finally connect, it was pretty instant. Once they were together, I thought their relationship was sweet, playful, and straightforward. I liked how protective Miles was.

I thought this was a really good romantic suspense story. I would not say it was a thriller at all, it was more light suspense that was understated. As the bad guy devolved and things ratcheted up, it was like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. The story kept luring me in with a fall sense of security, and then bam! something would happen. I thought the build was really good and I kept turning the page because I was always looking forward to what would happen next.

There are a lot of characters and I really enjoyed them. From the Feds to Miles's family, to “her ladies.” I liked the different bonds formed and the healing taking place for Morgan and her family. There are several POVs happening which I liked a lot. Though I did get confused a few times since it was in third person and occasionally the voice would change mid-chapter. I liked the details and thought the pace was steady though it took a while to get to the romance part.

Overall, I thought this was a captivating story with a nice, light suspense element happening and I felt invested the entire time.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for a gifted advance copy! Nora Roberts writes family dynamics so well and weaves romance and mystery throughout the story in a way that will always be comforting to me regardless of my feelings on the book itself. I really loved Morgan's relationship with her mother and grandmother as well as her immediate connection to the Jameson family. Nora wrote a con man and his downward spiral into madness so intricately that I could almost smell the desperation.

The Jameson family dynamic gave me such warm fuzzies and reminded me a lot of the Templetons from The Dream Trilogy (one of my top Nora trilogies ever). I also loved that our main character Morgan is a bartender and makes no apologies for how much this occupation makes her happy and is absolutely her calling. All in all, I enjoyed this standalone romantic suspense.

This is a novel that I have a hard time rating. It is fascinating to see how easy it is to steal an identity and how hard it is to restore it. I like that the story is told from different points of view: Morgan, Miles, and the serial killer. I also like the characters and the romance, but it was an easy book for me to put down. There is a lot of everyday minutiae in the story, which makes the book drag. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

Morgan goes through a lot during this story. She goes from starting to put down roots with plans for her future to having it all ripped away from her (with her identity being stolen and the death of her roommate) to moving back home with her mother and grandmother (who she calls her ladies). While Morgan has felt the need to be independent, she learns that sometimes it is okay to lean on others for help. And along the way she makes some surprising discoveries about her ladies. She also finds love and a new community. While I enjoyed this story, at times it felt a little slow however it did show how easy it is to have your life ruined through identity theft.

Nora Roberts writes a great romantic thriller. I was immediately wrapped up in the safe world of Morgan Albright and was devastated right along with her when her life was stolen and her friend murdered. Rooting for her world to get better, when Morgan meets Miles, while working in his families resort the author gives the reader something solid to hold onto while diverting our attention with brief chapters from the murderers perspective. The back and forth from happiness to uncertainty keeps the reader on the edge of their seat waiting for Morgan’s life to get ripped out from underneath her again. That’s Nora Roberts at her best.

Another thing I love about her novels is that she writes great friendships and families. Morgan’s mom and grandmother are both strong, vibrant women, and models of strength for Morgan to tie herself to. I loved reading their scenes and getting to know these characters that were so loving and loved. Miles too had a great family and their dinners showed Miles off as warmer than his taciturn nature in public represented. Thank goodness. Otherwise I’d have wondered about Morgan’s attraction. He wasn’t surly or anything, he was just a quiet, strong hero. A little harder to like than Morgan, but as a duo they were a good fit.

If you’re like me and you look forward to Nora Roberts romantic suspense novels, I think you’ll enjoy this one. It definitely hits the right notes- danger, heartbreak, and love. You can’t ask for much more than that!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

This story grabs you from the very beginning and I could not put this book down. Morgan works hard for all she has, but when a psychopath, Gavin, enters her life she has no idea until he kills her roommate/best friend. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he steals her identity and puts her in debt by taking out loans, credit cards, etc. in her name. In order to get back on her feet, she goes home to her Mom and Grandma. I loved these two strong women who are wonderful examples of how to live and love life. When Morgan gets a job in a bar in the local long standing hotel, she meets Miles Jameson. As part of the family who owns the hotel, he takes his responsibilities very seriously and keeping Morgan safe is one of them. As they fall in love, Gavin makes it clear he is not finished with Morgan yet. This is a book you just can’t put down! Nora Roberts has done it again with another brilliant story!

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~ George Bernard Shaw ~

Planting roots and making a life for herself, is Morgan Albright’s desire. With a house to her name, two satisfying jobs, friends and family as her support, Morgan is cruising life and enjoying finding herself in the process. A chance encounter with a stranger whom she likes, a normal occurrence of a relationship that she hopes may lead to something more, actually transcends to extremely tragic circumstances. Morgan not only loses her best friend, but also her life as she is stripped off of her life, her goals and her identity.

Identity theft is such a common and devastating occurrence in our current world, and reinventing yourself is no mean task. With the help of her mother and her grandmother, Morgan realizes what happened to her is not what she is, but what she chooses to become now, will be her identity. Creating a new life, takes immense courage and strength and Morgan has that in spades.

“Identity” is a psychological thriller, following Morgan’s struggle to create a new life, staying one step ahead of a pathological killer, having faith to trust and embrace love. Roping in Miles Jameson to support Morgan with her struggle, sparking honesty and love, binding her with relationships, giving her the confidence to believe in planting roots again, is testament of the fact that there are good and kind people in this world.

Any story by Nora Roberts is always topnotch with narration, plot and incorporating intense research. Peppered with witty dialogues, springing a love story amidst danger, developing relationships and giving characters a chance to create themselves, “Identity” is an extraordinary story

Received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been a fan of Nora Robert's books since I was in college. I always enjoy her stories, but some stand out more than others. This is one of those that will stick with me. Morgan is such a strong character who becomes stronger after a nightmare. I love how her relationship with her mom strengthens now that she sees her through the eyes of an adult. Miles is such a great hero and was exactly what Morgan needs. Their romance felt so natural. And I am envious of his family. The book moves quickly and had me pulled in from the first page. This will definitely be one that I read more than once. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Nora Roberts’ new book Identity delivers on all the tropey goodness I’ve learned to love and expect from her work – a scrappy, relatable heroine in Morgan Albright, a gruff yet swoon-worthy, respectful hero in Miles Jameson, lovely and well-fleshed out friends and family members in both the Jamesons and the Nashes, and finally, a happy (if hurried) ever after.

Morgan Albright is a young woman trying to support herself and her fledgling dream of owning and operating her own bar. At the beginning of the book, she’s bought herself a little house that she and her roommate, Nina, are fixing up (along with their yard and garden), and she’s working two jobs to build her savings and her business know-how.

Being a connoisseur of Roberts’ work, I found the book’s infodump of Morgan’s backstory at the beginning unusual and a little perfunctory. It’s heavy with exposition, and the introduction tells us about (rather than demonstrates) the roots Morgan’s planted and the relationships she’s cultivated in her small community outside Baltimore, Maryland.

Having said that, Morgan’s relationship with Nina is given a little breathing room, and this makes a huge difference. We get a good glimpse at their dynamic, which makes Nina’s death as the inciting incident later all the more heartbreaking. Roberts handles her death (and her family’s and Morgan’s resulting grief) delicately and realistically, reminding us again and again of the lasting impact violence has on loved ones and the surrounding community.

Although the practical effects of Nina’s death are handled well, I did find the villain and his modus operandi odd, honestly. As a romance reader, I’m always ready to suspend disbelief, but a serial killer who delights in stealing their victims’ identities first just seemed outlandish and cartoonish every time it appeared. It never quite felt real to me as a threat, and so the stakes never really seemed that high, even through the climax of the book.

What saves the book is the fact that the stakes don’t seem to be about the bad guy at all, but about Morgan reconnecting with her family in Vermont. Morgan deeply wants to belong somewhere after moving from place to place by her military father, who in addition to being an absentee parent was also a pretty terrible spouse.

While Morgan wants to plant roots, she also watched her mother lose her sense of self in a bad relationship, and it’s Morgan’s need to be independent and her lack of understanding what her mother went through that made it difficult for Morgan and her mother to relate to each other. Their journey back to each other was a pleasure to read, as was getting to know Morgan’s spitfire grandmother.

But of course, I’ve saved the best for last: the romance. I always enjoy Roberts’ heroes and Miles is no exception. He’s a little impatient, practical-minded, and nerdy, and I particularly loved his reluctant fall for Morgan (and I especially loved the scene in which he really fell, which I won’t spoil - but it’s a goodie) because that always seems to make the romance more profound for me. I also appreciated the give-and-take between him and Morgan – Miles accommodating her need to be independent and Morgan letting him be the support she needs. Relationships built on mutual trust and respect are the sexiest, after all.

If there is one thing to complain about in the romance, it’s that the happily ever after comes very quickly after the threat is resolved. It’s true that Roberts doesn’t tend to linger after the suspense ends, but I do love an epilogue that is both well-earned and well-paced. Here, it mirrors the introduction: a little too quick and a little perfunctory.

Despite the rushed intro and outro and goofy villain, there’s a reason I rush to pick up every new Nora Roberts release and re-read my old favorites again and again. She’s a master at making me fall in love: with her characters, with the story, and with the experience of settling in and being comforted by a safe and sure read. Identity is absolutely one of those to fall in love with.

Book Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
Identity
Author: Nora Roberts
Pub date: May 23, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers/Romance/Women’s Fiction

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors ever. I’m thrilled to give my review.

Morgan, once an Army brat, tired of moving her whole life, has settled into a small house with her roommate and best friend, Nina. She works two jobs, loving both of them.

Everything is going according to her plan, until Luke comes into her life. Little does Morgan know that he’s a con man who targets women like her, ruining lives, stealing identities, and even killing.

Morgan comes home one night to find Nina dead. She’s devastated, grieving, barely able to afford her mortgage and living expenses so decides to move back to her family home with her Mom and Grandmother in Vermont. She begins again, finds meaningful work, friendships, and romance.

The FBI has been investigating Luke, whose real name is Gavin, for years. He’s still out there biding his time and killing, but he can never forget Morgan-the one who got away.

I loved the settings, the three generations of women, and the family owned resort dynamics. There was just the right amount of suspense and romance. Nora has a way of writing that’s believable, immersive, and entertaining. Another great read.

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress @norarobertsauthor for an electronic book ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) in exchange for an honest review.


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Identity by Nora Roberts is one of many books that I’ve read by her. I usually love her books and it saddens me to say, I didn’t love this one. I liked it but I didn’t find myself fully engaged.

What I liked:
Morgan, a very strong character. Her motivations for all of her actions made sense and she felt real.
The villain of the story- he was chilling and a true psychopath. His parts scared me but kept me reading.

What I didn’t like:
Miles- he didn’t feel fully fleshed out and his bossiness and orders didn’t ring funny but more annoying.
The length- It was too long and too many details about the drinks and work places.

It seems almost unfair to review a NR book because, truthfully, I've never loved one I didn't like. 🤣 I will *always* tell you to read NR.

No one does romantic suspense like Nora Roberts. And her characters are always so well-developed that they soon become friends. Morgan is loveable and loyal. The mystery begins when her roommate is murdered by a serial killer whose pattern is to steal his victim’s identity and wipe out her assets before taking her life.

Morgan moves back home to Vermont and finds a wonderful job at a resort. Just as her life is getting back on track, the killer shows up in her life again. This book delves into cyber-crime and identity theft, a reality in our high-tech world.

Much like all of Nora Robert’s novels, this one is full of action, romance, and interesting characters. My favorite parts were the narrative between Morgan and her grandmother. I think I need a pair of those magic earrings!

This is a 400+ page read, but the quick-paced suspense and slow burn of the romance are in perfect balance. Be prepared for fireworks at the end.

If you're a Nora Roberts fan then you will love this book. Her writing is superb. I was fully immersed in this book and had to curve myself to put it down. If you're new to Nora Roberts then this is the perfect book to start it with. I don't think I've ever read a mediocre book by her. Than you to Netgalley and the publisher for he advanced readers copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars
🔥🔥 2 spicy scenes, mild details

My first Nora Roberts books and I really enjoyed it! I’m definitely going to read more by her, she has so many books!!

I really grew to love Morgan. She was such a great main character. She was determined to not let Gavin win and take control of her life. She is a great manager and knows how to work the bar! And her relationship with Miles, so good! I did feel like it kinda came out of know where but it worked for me. Super cute to see them grow together. The epilogue was so sweet.

And Morgan putting her self defense moves to the test when it came down to it?! YES GIRL!! I was like: You take him down!!

But ohmygosh, I was NOT expecting some sections throughout the book from Luke aka Gavin’s POV. That just totally added to the suspense of what was going to happen. That was creepy being in his mind. 😳

Overall, this was a great romantic suspense novel! Give it a try if you like a little bit of romance & mystery in one.

Morgan Albright's childhood was spent moving place to place with her military father. All she's ever dreamt of is putting down roots and now it's her time. She's just bought a house of her own and is working two jobs to make it her dream home and also save money to eventually buy her own bar. At her bar job, she meets charming Luke and after starting a tentative relationship with him she invites him to a dinner party at her home. Just days later, she comes home to a break in, her roommate murdered, and her car gone. It turns out "Luke" is a serial killer who steals his victim's identity and his target was Morgan, not Nina. Now he's taken everything from her and she's forced to move back home to Vermont with her mother and grandmother. She takes a job in a nearby resort bar becoming close to the Jameson family who own and run the resort, especially the big boss Miles Jameson. But the killer hasn't forgotten the one that got away and as the threat looms over her, Miles and his family will do anything to protect her.
This is a great thriller romance from one of my favorite authors. She makes us feel how helpless Morgan was against this skilled identity thief, the terror of knowing he was still after her, the excitement and protection of a new relationship, and the love of family both of and new. The peeks into the serial killer's mind and motivations were chilling and the action at the end was perfection. I was so excited to get an early ARC of this book and it definitely didn't disappoint.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Identity is a masterful slow-burn romantic suspense that builds tension. The multiple points of view provided a captivating perspective, particularly as the story reached its climax. The finale was exceptional, but the epilogue was even more satisfying. This novel is a must-read for those who enjoy a well-crafted and thrilling story.

Nora Roberts has knocked it out of the park again with her psychological thriller Identity. Ripped from the headlines we see everyday and pray these things never happen to us, we meet Morgan Albright who has finally found a place to plant her roots. Brought up as an Army brat, she never felt at home anywhere until now. Just outside Baltimore, she owns her own home and excels at two, very different jobs. Then she meets a smooth stranger who says all the right things. In an instant, her world is turned upside down.

What a nightmare it would be to have your best friend murdered and your identity stolen; everything you have worked for shattered in an instant. The insecurities these actions bring are evident for Morgan in Roberts' writing. The picture is painted as real as it could get. You feel her fear, her grief, and her anger. And of course, her unveiling of the evil that is behind it all could not be any more frightening because it could be so real to any of us.

Roberts has a winner in this stand alone thriller. As you read, you feel the same complacency the main character falls into when she starts over, and then the rush of adrenaline and absolute terror when it all comes back to haunt her. Identity is a winner, if not just for entertainment, but for a lesson learned for many of us.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Identity is the first book I have read by Nora Roberts and I can't wait to read another one. The novel touched on all my favorite genres-romance, family, and thriller. Morgan Albright is a young woman who lives her life according to the goals she has set. She lives in suburban Baltimore until her world is turned upside down by a psychopath she casually dates. She doesn't realize how dangerous he is until it is too late. He plans to murder Morgan, but settles for her roommate. He steals Morgan's savings and identity and becomes fixated on her. Morgan moves to Vermont and rebuilds her life while living with her mother and grandmother. She finds a job she loves and the man of her dreams. However, the FBI warns that the murderer is coming for Morgan as she is his one victim that got away. This novel is a perfect combination-heart warming and thrilling.

Identity is a classic Nora Roberts romantic suspense. With identify thief/serial killer after Morgan Albright this is a thriller as much as a romance. The villain is known early on so the suspense is rather will he can be caught before he goes after Morgan, the first victim he did not get to kill. The reader does get his perspective as well as Morgan’s.

The story has romance but also the rebuilding of family relationships. Morgan does not live in victim mode but makes a new life for herself, learning to defend herself. Living well and graciously is what highlights her true revenge on this vile predator. Still the final showdown is everything I had hoped for in the story.

I did have two issues with this book. The first is some repetition in the story especially as related to Morgan. her mother and grandmother. I don’t ever remember repetitive thoughts in a Roberts story. I have been reading her work in paper way before there was eBooks, so I have read many of her stories. Then there is the inappropriate use of the name Jesus. Once or twice would have been fitting if the character was so upset but it was used many times, so it became a distraction. I guess I was thinking that these professional characters would have had a larger vocabulary than that. These cost the novel a star on an otherwise great story concept and plot.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.