Oh My Goodness!! What a great story! Morgan has planted roots after a childhood of military house shuffling. Gavin is a con artist who had intended on taking advantage of Morgan, stealing her assets and identity, but killed her roommate Nina instead. FBI is tracking him and coming close but not close enough to catching him. Morgan heads home to her mother and grandmother and meets Miles Jameson at her new job. He has deep roots and is part of the family business where Morgan works. Great drama, character building, and the resolution was awesome! I almost wish this was a series, I'd love to go back and see how they are faring after everything was resolved. I couldn't put the book down and only stopped reading when I absolutely had to! Love reading anything by Nora Roberts!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

I had only read one other book by this author and it was really good so I was super excited when asked if I wanted to read and review this one. I will say this there is murder in the book and the author details everyone to the T so it is graphic and may be disturbing for some readers. The book is broken into three sections and the first two sections were really good it has you on the edge of you seat waiting to see what happens next and where the author is taking you. I really liked Nina, Sam and Morgan they were like the three amigos and created there only little family. I loved the Jamesons and Morgans mom and Grandma they all had hearts of gold and did so much for each other and their community. Nell was so fun to read about as well she was a no nonsense women and nothing or no one was going to get one over on her. Miles was very reserved and I thought for sure there was more to the story with him but I just never came out.With the last part of the book which was my least favorite. I felt like the author chose in this portion to show her disgust for religion and for a certain political party, I felt both of these could have been left out of the book and really had no grounds for the story and the story would have been just fine without it. I like to read to get way from Politics so its frustrating to find it in a story that it just doesn't need to be whether your on the right or left it gets old and I would just not rather read about it. Overall the story was good, just proceed with caution if murder and sex bother you, this may not be the book for you.

Thank you St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC of Identity in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Nora Roberts. I love her writing as Nora Roberts and JD Robb and know that I will immediately get sucked into her books. Unfortunately, I did not feel that with Identity. I felt that it was drawn out and a little too unbelievable. The FBI knows that there is a serial Killer, but doesn’t let the public know? They only release his picture and identity to certain police forces? I did love the idea of it, but it was just a little too out there for my taste. I also felt like they were giving Morgan way too much credit for getting away, when she didn’t do anything at all. A situation arose that changed his plans.

I am glad to say that this is the first Nora Roberts book that just didn’t wow me. And I will continue to look forward to her further books.

I love the way Nora Roberts writes, her stories are always full of mystery, they are thrilling and emotional in all the right places, and even if they aren't always super action-packed they suck me in and keep me on the edge of my seat through the entire book. The characters have these wonderful relationships between family and friends and the couples always make me so want to swoon with how perfect they are for each other.

Morgan has been dealt a devastating blow, a sick man has targeted her and not only taken everything of value she has but also killed her best friend. The man is still after her and is determined to ruin her life in every way possible before he kills her. Morgan decides to go to Vermont where her mother and grandmother live and figure out a way to start over and survive if the killer comes for her.

I loved Morgan's relationship with her family, and how she went about reclaiming her life, I also loved how her relationship with Mick played out they are kind of sort of friends who are interested in each other, but when she first sees his house and becomes immediately obsessed with his turrets and his adorable dog Howl, their relationship really takes off. The thriller part is spot on, we get some chapters from the killer's pov, which really highlights his psychology and how determined he is to go after Morgan. But Morgan is as prepared as she can be and she isn't willing to let this guy take everything from her again.

Morgan Albright is living her best life. She works a lot at her two jobs, but she loves them both. Her roommate and best friend brings joy and flowers into her life. She's finally settled and put down the roots she's always wanted. Until everything comes crashing down around her. Trusting the wrong person left her carefully planned life in ruins, and her best friend murdered.
She thought it was a simple break-in until the FBI tells her everything is so much more complicated. Nina wasn't the target. She was. A random guy she met at work is actually a con artist and psychotic killer. He's got a type, and Morgan fits it to the tee. Gavin won't stop until his loose end is tied up.
Trying to put her life back together after losing everything and returning home feels like a failure. Yet everyday Morgan takes the next step towards rebuilding and living her new life in Vermont. She's blessed with a wonderful grandmother and mother who only want her to be safe and happy. And Miles Jameson, the eldest son in the family that owns the resort she works at. The attraction is undeniable, and finding happiness in each other is the best way to move on. Despite the happiness, the lurking knowledge that a killer still has Morgan in his sights, but forwarned is a tool none of the others had.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Identity by Nora Roberts is a fast-paced thriller and a heartwarming romance all in one excellent package. When a sociopathic psychopath sets his sights on Morgan, a local bartender and office manager for a construction company, neither of them could have foreseen how this routine con and kill would turn out, and it was incredibly compelling to read.

Bullet Point Review:

Nora Roberts' books have been in my life for a long time, and out of all of them (excluding the fantasy novels), this is the best romantic thriller I have read from her. I was invested. I didn't want to put it down. And I was more than satisfied with the ending.

I loved how authentic this story felt despite the serial killer angle. I don't think there was a moment when I said "don't" to any of the characters because they were doing something foolish. It played out slowly and methodically, as you would imagine it would happen.

I loved the family theme. Morgan's family consisting of her mom and grandmother, is so great and empowering. I couldn't understand why Morgan initially moved so far away from them. And I loved her romantic interest, Miles' family, and the interconnection with Morgan's family. The family bonds are so strong and so heartwarming; I just knew they could defeat any evil that comes their way.

And, of course, I loved all the fast-paced thrills, chills, and spills as the bad guy thwarted the FBI at every turn, changed his identity, and struck again and again. He seemed unstoppable, and nothing makes the pages turn faster than an unbeatable foe.

Morgan is the main character and typically the focus of the story. She is independent, determined, frugal, and yet admirable and relatable.

The narration is in the third person but primarily focuses on Morgan. It does switch away for some chapters so the reader can glimpse the bad guy and the FBI agents chasing him, adding to the thrills.

The thriller scenes are fast-paced, though the romance and character development scenes are slower. I grew frustrated with how many slower-paced scenes there were. They could have been cut back without losing all the crucial aspects.

The story starts outside Baltimore, MD, and then moves to the mountain resort town of Westridge, Vermont. The settings were well utilized, and the resort was absolutely breathtaking.

Read, if you like
Romantic thrillers with equal bits of both
Strong family themes
A place that changes depending on what's going on in the story

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After Morgan's identity is stolen and her world irrevocably altered, she returns to Vermont and moves in with her mother and grandmother. There, she begins rebuilding her life and meets Miles, grandson of the owners of the resort where she works. Even though she's happy and finding family and love, the threat of her past is never far behind.

I enjoyed this story - full of suspense and love. I rolled my eyes at some of the dialogue and grew impatient with overly-detailed chapters about Morgan's interests (houses and creating decorations and unique home accents), but it was worth the read.

Identity by Nora Roberts is another great read and one you can't put down. From the very first page this book had you sitting on the edge of your seat. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review. Morgan Albright settled in Baltimore after moving with her parents, as her father was in the Army. Morgan worked 2 jobs and was driven. During the day she worked as a Manager for a family owned construction company and at night she was a bartender and has a dream of opening her own bar. Morgan finds a roommate and now friend, Nina, to help with the mortgage. Nina helps Morgan have a dinner party and what could go wrong. Morgan's life is now shattered and is turned upside down. Morgan returns home to live with her mother and grandmother. So many people, too many lately, can relate to have your identity stolen. Thankfully most people don't go thru what Morgan has gone through. This is such a wonderful suspenseful thriller and love story. Very Enjoyable and a Must Read.

Ok, i literally screamed when I found I got this copy through NetGalley. I am a huge fan of Mrs. Nora Roberts. I’ve been reading her books since 2004 and I’ve never stopped. I’ll stop whenever I’m reading to pick up any she puts out.

This was such a crazy and eye opening reading experience. Our heroine was a hard worker who was taken advantage of and she lost so much because of one decision. I felt for her so much going through the process that ended up having her move and start all over again. It didn’t keep her down though and I loved her mom and grandma being her rock and showing her life will go on and to keep fighting! She had such a wonderful cheer squad backing her up.
Now our hero. I wasn’t sold on him at first but who doesn’t love a broody businessman that doesn’t gossip and is so tight lipped at first I thought a crow bar wouldn’t have gotten him to talk, but he has layers and he showed himself opening up in small ways that I thought and felt spoke volumes to our heroine. ( telling her she wasn’t slow when a customer complained) or that she had a good attitude when a customer gave a fuss about food. It’s those little things that I think show the most value. The progress of their relationship was the best! Plus add his family and their personalities it was great! I loved they had weekly meetings that entailed food and business plus fun. Nobody was judging anyone and they would listen. The hero’s grandmother was my favorite as she was no nonsense but fun and loved taking chances.
When everything started piecing together about our bad guy no one held back protecting our heroine and just wanted to be there for her. You know how it goes it was a epic ending and a lot of growth and relating to each character’s. It’s one of My favorite things about her books. Nora has a way to get you to jump in her books and feel like you know the characters. I’m so thrilled I got to read this and I thank you again for the opportunity!

I couldn’t put this down. There was more suspense than I expected, but it was a pleasant surprise. I think all women have a fear of this scenario happening. I have recommended it multiple times. The story sucks you in, and has you on the edge of your seat.

Morgan Albright had a home and life she loved and a roommate who was like a sister to her. Everything was going perfectly and the former Army brat was putting down the roots she so desperately yearned for. Then a monster took it all. The seemingly charming IT guy Morgan had started seeing turned out to be psychopath Gavin Rozwell. He stole her identity and murdered Nina, but Morgan survived. Retreating to Vermont, Morgan moves in with her mother and grandmother to start rebuilding her life. This time she meets another man, one as genuine and kind as Rozwell was false and cruel. But Rozwell is still out there, and Morgan is the one that got away from him…

Identity is an engaging romantic suspense that is classic Nora Roberts. Morgan is a heroine who is easy to root for. She’s smart, strong, and a survivor. She’s not perfect, not invulnerable – Rozwell proves that – but she doesn’t break even in her darkest moments. She goes through a nightmare and still doesn’t lose herself. I enjoyed watching Morgan find her new dream, her new life in Vermont. I loved watching her claim her life, whether it was working behind the bar, making home improvements, or building new relationships.

One of those relationships is with Miles Jameson. His family owns the local resort where Morgan gets a job managing the bar. Miles has deep roots in the area and the resort is very much a family business with each member playing to their strengths. I loved his relationships with his family and how Morgan became a part of all that. He and Morgan have good chemistry and it was easy to fall into their romance. They went from mutual attraction to something much deeper in an organic way. Roberts lets the story breathe, allows everything time to grow and develop without ever slowing the pace of the book.

The characters – both main and supporting – all shine in Identity. Roberts brought the world to life so well that I hated to put the book down. The hunt for Rozwell was compelling but never overshadowed Morgan and Miles or the life they were building. In other words, Roberts perfectly balanced the romance with the suspense. This book was addictive pure and simple and everything about it worked for me. Identity entertained from the first page to the last and I cannot wait to re-read it.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! I am a huge Nora Roberts' fan, and I was pumped to receive this arc.

I enjoyed this one a lot!! Nora's more recent work has been hit or miss for me, and honestly, I've questioned whether she is even writing her books anymore because of the drastic change in tone and writing style in her more recent work. That being said, this book has more of a vintage Nora feel. The characters pulled me in, I was invested in the romance, and I HATED the villain in this one!

This book felt very real to me, and honestly, it has made me a little scared to bring any strange man home after everyone the big baddie did in this story! Not going to lie, the only other Nora book that gave me that same feeling was the one about the mall shooting. I was engaged, invested, and a little scared as I read this one.

I liked that the male love interest was a no-frills, what you see is what you get kind of man...that really worked for me in this story! 😉 And Morgan was just everything!

Overall, two thumbs way way up!

Rating: 4⭐️

This book was so amazing and so good that I did not want it to end. Nora Roberts is a master storyteller. I literally had to force myself to put it down to get things done, then I realized it I was reading so fast, I slowed myself down to make it last longer! The story and the characters are so compelling. I simply adored the relationship between Morgan and "her ladies"!!! Howl was a scene stealer, and the Jameson family dynamics were so fun. Love the close-knit community and families. Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC!!!

4⭐️ fun thriller with a hint of a romance story. I just love how Nora Roberts writes her heroines and all her supporting side characters. This love interest left a little something to be desired. He was a little too blunt and no nonsense for my taste. I also found myself getting confused quite a bit with the dialogue. A lot of the times I wasn’t sure who was speaking or whose POV we were looking through.

Enjoyed this and would highly recommend.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Nora Roberts new novel Identity. I started reading her books about 15 years ago and she is hit or miss for me. In her latest one she absolutely knock it out of the park. I loved the character of Morgan who is smart, strong and takes no crap from anyone, especially a serial killer. Congrats to Ms. Roberts for other great romantic thriller. I will continue reading anything she puts out.

The suspense and atmosphere of this story was palpable and engaging at first, and then it seemed to become lost in confusing dialogue, lengthy descriptions, and a long and drawn out waiting period before we reached the conclusion.

I found the chapters with the antagonist to be the most interesting portions of the book. I am a huge fan of Roberts writing as J.D. Robb. Her "In Death" series is immaculate I could see some of that here in the first four chapters and when we are in the perspective of the antagonist. Unfortunately, I did not find Morgan nor Miles to be that interesting, and the romance fell completely flat for me.

Roberts is a prolific writer and because of her extensive collection there is a greater chance that some books will work for me and some won't. In this case, this book did not work for me, but it is receiving a lot of high praise from others. I would recommend trying it for yourself and see if it hits the spot.

I read and reviewed an advanced eARC of this book thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All honest opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book: IDENTITY
Author: Nora Roberts
Source:  NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: May 23, 2023

I wish I could give this book six stars - it’s that good. Identity by Nora Roberts will be a SUMMER SMASH read for 2023. Her book is one of the most well-rounded and detailed, with great backup characters and a well-organized plot. ENTERTAINING is the hallmark of Ms. Roberts, and this book should get an award for suspense, serial killer chills, love, awesome Mom and Grandma, resilience, female power, intelligence, scare, strength, and a slow build—etc…etc. I could go on about this book for an hour. IT IS A PERFECT SUMMER READ. Hell, it’s a perfect read any time of the year.  It has a sweet romance (maybe more than one) and a scary AF killer. Ms. Roberts knows how to build suspense, and I was hooked. When a bad guy is coming for you, and the FBI can’t catch him, you might freak out. I did. READ THIS BOOK. #thriller #mystery #womensfiction #romance #life #murder #resilience #badluck #goodluck #startingover #family #love #hate #fight #brokern #survivor @stmartinspress @Netgalley @norarobertsauthor #5star #Vermont
🔪
I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to St. Martins Press and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub. Date: May 23, 2023.
🔪
The publication date is next week, May 23, 2023.
🔪
#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader

Nora Roberts never fails to deliver romance suspense novels that are highly engaging with just the right blend of romance and suspense. Identity is another fantastic example of this author's highly entertaining story telling ability as she pens a standalone story incorporating the high tech crime of identity theft into an intriguing plot line that includes murder.

Former army brat Morgan Albright is living in a neighborhood near Baltimore, Maryland. She works a day job as an office manager and a night shift as a bartender with dreams of one day owning her own bar. Her roommate, Nina Ramos, is a great friend who encourages Morgan to put herself out there and meet someone. The two decide to host a dinner party, and Morgan invites the new mysterious guy she's been chatting up at the bar. Things are looking up until the day she comes home from work to find her cash, jewelry and car missing . . . and Nina, who had stayed home from work sick, dead. Soon, Morgan's assets are depleted, and it's clear the thief has stolen her identity. It's also clear that Nina wasn't the intended target - Morgan was. And the killer doesn't intend to let her get away. Morgan moves to Vermont and starts her life over, but just when she thinks the nightmare is behind her, the killer surfaces again with taunts and threats to come for Morgan. The FBI are always one step behind him . . . can they catch him before he gets to Morgan?

Readers will learn very early on in the story who the con artist/murderer is, but it in no way diminishes the suspense in Identity. The story centers around Morgan rebuilding her life in her old home with her mother and grandmother as she settles into a new romantic relationship with Miles Jameson. Tension builds steadily, driven by the repeated threats from the murderer toward Morgan. She, as well as readers, knows he'll come for her. The anticipation of when, not if, he'll strike sets a dire tone of impending doom and an increasing pace as he draws closer. Characters are brilliantly developed, believable with great debt and complexity.

Roberts is a master at delivering well-written, highly entertaining stories that are hard to put down with strong, capable heroines and handsome, respectful heroes. The inclusion of family in this story showcases Morgan connection to her roots even as she rebuilds her life and learns to trust herself and another man again. Strong threads of family, friendship, love, loss, grief and resilience are strong and flawlessly woven throughout. Fans of romance suspense will enjoy Identity as will readers of suspense thrillers. Highly recommended.

Leave it up to Nora to bring us something good!! I loved this book, we meet Morgan who is an army kid, and now that she’s older she wants to set her own roots, and be stable. But all of that changes in a drastic way, when her best friend and roommate gets killed. The man who she was slowly getting to know is really a scammer and a serial killer. Now she’s in her moms childhood home with her mom and grandma about to start again, and I am telling you this warmed my heart. In true Nora Roberts style, she brings the most amazing characters, so loving, and accepting. While Morgan is trying to lay roots and finally be stabled, she meets Miles, and the connection between the families was so heartwarming. I wouldn’t put the book down, totally worth the read.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I love everything Nora Roberts writes, and this is no exception. This thriller is such a wild ride. The identity in the title speaks to identity theft and also to finding oneself.

After moving around as an army brat, Morgan is determined to set down roots and follow her life plan. But then a man steals her identity and everything she has built. She moves to live with her mother and grandmother while determining how to move forward.

I especially appreciated the three generations of women, Morgan with her mom and grandmother. The characters are phenomenal, and I loved seeing their interactions.

This book had me looking over my shoulder, feeling worried for myself. It's rare that a thriller sucks me in that deeply, but that's part of the power of Nora Roberts' writing. And of course, there's a really sweet romance as well.

I went into this without reading the synopsis. (With a Nora Roberts book, there's no question I would read and enjoy it.) I recommend doing that as it made the beginning parts even more of a rush. But the synopsis doesn't spoil too much of the book if you prefer reading them.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.