Nora Roberts thriller/romances tend to be hit or miss for me, and this one, while quick-paced and engaging enough, was mostly a miss for me, unfortunately.

Morgan was a pretty standard main character for Nora, and Rozwell was a pretty standard antagonist for Nora. I think that's the one drawback I find with NR's writing is that, particularly for those two character types, you can interchange them from a good chunk of her collection and aside from the names and hairstyles, not notice much of a difference. Morgan was forgettable. Rozwell was evil and used the word "bitch" too much.

I liked Miles as a love interest through a good chunk of the book, although the build-up of the relationship didn't work for me, in terms of pacing. The beginning of the relationship felt shoehorned in. And by the end of the book, I was over him. He became pushy in a way that didn't sit right with me in the context of the book. The proposal scene was...probably my least favorite proposal I've ever read from this author. She usually nails them, but that one left me cold.

The plot was intriguing enough. But the pacing, again, felt strange. Deeply uneven. A full quarter of the book is dedicated to Morgan building her life in Maryland with Nina. A quarter of the book, on something the reader knows from the blurb isn't going to last. And then once she moves to Vermont, we never hear from a single one of those characters again, except a single passing reference to a phone call Morgan has with Nina's boyfriend. If the book was a solid thriller with minimal focus on romance, this would have made more sense, but when you have now left yourself with only 3/4 of a book in which to build your character a whole new life, start a new job, meet new people, reconnect with family, and start a romance...things are bound to go wonky. And they did.

After how delighted I was with the last NR reads I picked up, this one was a let-down. Eminently readable, as all of NR's books are, but ultimately forgettable.

Nora Roberts just wrote a psychological thriller due to be published in May 2023. If this doesn’t change your mind about how dangerous social media is and how much identity theft can ruin one’s life, I don’t know what will. Being that it’s 448 pages long, it had me on the edge of my seat into the wee hours of the night. Morgan Albright’s bff has been murdered and she’s afraid she’s next so she relocates to a different state. She moves in with her family and gets a job as bartender manager. Will this psychopath be after her next? What about her family? The FBI get involved and they find out he’s killing women all over the US and getting rich on their identities. Talk about scary!!!! Sadly, I found myself skimming through the last 20% of the book. She just put so much extra stuff in there, I found myself bored part of the time until the ending. For that reason, I’m giving this 4 stars … otherwise I would’ve given it 5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

What a frightening, terrifying, and engrossing read. Morgan Nash Albright is a young woman, who is trying to fulfil her list of goals. House – check, Savings – check, New car – check, she is working towards opening up her own bar. When she meets Luke Hudson, as he calls himself, a smooth, engaging, very nice guy who also happens to be a serial killer. Not only a serial killer but one that takes over the identity of his victims and robs them of everything – their bank accounts, their savings, their credit, their lives. When Luke comes for Morgan, he unwittingly makes a mistake which causes him to kill her best friend, Nina. He still destroys Morgan financially and sees her as the cause of his bad luck streak, so he begins plotting to kill Morgan, but first, he will psychologically torture her.

I’ve read Nora Roberts before and she is a wonderful storyteller. Her stories engage you so that you don’t want to put the book down. This story is just as engaging and terrifying. The thought of a person so sinister, not only do they financially destroy everything you have ever done but they kill you on top of it. A person who has tech skills, is a psychopath, narcissistic and can charm most people, that is a deadly scary combination. Nora does a fabulous job of describing this character and it terrified me. I love the interaction between the characters, Morgan’s family and the Jameson family makes me want to move to Vermont and join the families. Nora paints a picture with her books, a world that is believable, authentic and a place most would want to visit except for that whole serial killer part. Don’t miss this book, it will grab you, entertain you and terrify you but you’ll like.

Morgan at the beginning lives a totally regimented life coupled with schedules, finances and timing. It is no wonder that in the midst of her exhaustion she falls for someone like Gavin who caters to her likes and desires. What I found so fascinating is how a sociopath that so willingly changes his identity and life so carefully crafted the methodology that he killed these gender neutral women names to ruin them financially and personally. I was so glad that Morgan met Miles and had the support of her ladies. This book was certainly suspenseful and interesting how a person could destroy another one but certainly a great read.

I really loved this book. it is Nora Roberts so i expected the romance but it was really well done. Very much a slow burn. The main character, Morgan, is very focused and always striving for better. I loved all the spreadsheets and very clear way she works to make her life better. She was an Army brat so has no real roots but wants to have her place in the world. Unfortunately she met the wrong guy and her life is a shambles. A lessor woman would just give up. Morgan pulls up her boots and starts again. Love her. Gavin is just a really bad guy who will not stop until she is dead. He blames her for his luck changing and now the FBI is hunting him. ALL HER FAULT! Great suspense and new partner and life gets better. You will love this book. Nora Roberts always delivers.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of Identity by Nora Roberts published by St Martin's Press
I was thrilled to be approved for this ARC
Thank you Nora for this amazing read, no skimming this story, I read every word!
I connected quickly with the characters, laughed with them, felt the heartache of losing a friend, the thrill of meeting a new guy, the enjoyment of flowers blooming in a garden, the joy of a happy ending.
This story is well written, I liked the plot and storyline. Characters well introduced and described and likeable (or not). I could picture each one of them.
I liked the direction the story took, Morgan on her own, whole career and life in front of her, tragedy happens and she has to start over, she doesn't let herself stay deflated, moves on, back to family and comfort and makes her way. The threat is still out there and she has her moments of weakness but overcomes and does what she needs to to be a stronger person. She won't let him take away her enjoyment of family, work, love.
I loved the dynamic between Morgan and Miles and how their relationship developed.
The story line of Morgan, finding herself again after her world gets rocked, her relationships with people, she has such a great personality, she finds love, frienship, makes commitments, yet there is the unexpected threat lingering in the background, as a reader you know it's there, just waiting for him to reappear and wreak havoc.
There was just enough drama, tension, on the edge of your seat waiting for the enevitable to happen
I've read alot of Nora Roberts books and I'd have to say is one of my favorites. A must read if you love her books.

This book was awesome! Suspenseful each page, so you had to keep reading! Characters, places & events described wonderful keeping you wanting more. Hated it ended! Will read more by this author.

Morgan who grew up in a Military family is very careful to be successful and save money. She moves East and purchases a home and gets a roommate Nina. When working in a bar, she strikes up a conversation with a customer who comes to her house for a friendly dinner. Things soon turn deadly and Morgan's life is turned upside down. This book grabbed me on page 1, kept me interested, I couldn't wait to see what happens. Love Nora Robert's books, you cannot go wrong. And this book, oh my goodness all that happens when your identity is stolen - yikes.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved that it hooked me in and kept it moving throughout the story. Without spoiling details, the way this book weaves in a mystery/thriller into a love story is just perfect. You don’t ever really feel like you’re reading a flat one genre typed booked. It was well rounded and developed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I do not have enough stars for this book. Nora Roberts is the Queen of storytelling. Morgan Nash Albright has been through such a horrific crime and keeps putting one step in front of the other, never quitting. Her pain and her grief sends her running home and a chance to rebuild her family, make new friendships and just maybe find the love of a lifetime. A must read!

Identity
By Nora Roberts
Pub Date May 23
St. Martins Press
Romantic Suspense
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley
For the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Another great book by a great author,
4 stars

I didn’t love this book. It wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t for me. It has a really interesting premise, and I imagine if you have enjoyed previous books by Nora Roberts, you’ll probably enjoy this one. For me, the writing style was too formal compared to what I’m used to, and I was never able to fully immerse myself in the story. It started out really promising in the beginning, and then it just dragged on. I liked the setting Morgan landed in when she had to find her fresh start, landing with family in a small town and working in a resort lodge owned by another solid family. It had promise and there were good things, but the book was entirely too long. Admittedly, I ended up skimming from about 75% to 95% up to the final conclusion. I enjoyed some of the characters, but definitely could’ve done with less time in the mind of the villain.

I wish this book had delivered more for me on what felt like a lot of promising, exciting potential. It didn’t work for me, but it probably will for Nora Roberts fans.

Nora Roberts has blended romance and suspense with sprinkles of humor in a perfect blend throughout this book.
Morgan finds her best friend after she was murder and as if that is not enough she then has her identity stolen. How will Morgan rebuild her life after all that has happened to her and knowing that she is the target for a murderer? Things get intense in this book, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book!

I'm a big fan of Nora Roberts and enjoy reading her standalones, trilogies, and the In Death series she writes as JD. Robb. However, I was disappointed by this forthcoming novel. The main reason is that I dislike mysteries that reveal the killer at the beginning of the book. I also found this too slow paced.

At the start, Morgan Albright, a young woman who moved around a lot during her childhood because her father was in the military, purchases a home with a friend and starts to set down roots for herself. She works at a construction company and also bartends at night to help save money to fix up and maintain the house. Just as things are going well, Morgan meets a man at the bar who she begins to date and invites him over for dinner with her roommate, Nina, and Nina's boyfriend. During dinner, her date excuses himself to use her bathroom. A few days later, Nina comes down with a cold and stays home from her job. Morgan arrives home after bartending to find Nina dead. That's just the beginning of the horror, as she also discovers her bank accounts have been compromised, her identity stolen, and the man she was attracted to is a serial killer.

As the book progresses, Morgan is forced to give up the house and her jobs in Maryland and move to Vermont with her mother and grandmother. She fears that Nina's killer, who was after her and stole her identity, will find her and murder her, too.

There's a long build up before Morgan's fears are realized. Along the way, she learns important things about her mother and grandmother, gets a job at a family-owned bar, falls in love with a member of the family, and learns to protect herself by taking self-defense lessons.

I felt this book was more a romance than a mystery. It was well written, and I found the last few chapters exciting. Overall, I would recommend this to other readers of Roberts who don't mind knowing the killer beforehand or a story that takes long to unwind.

I had not read many novels by Nora Roberts before I read Nightwork and I enjoyed it so much I decided to read Identity. I really enjoy the mystery mixed with romance. I love how the wonderful characters especially the strong women were developed..

When Morgan's identity is stolen she loses everything and we see how she rebuilds her life and becomes stronger.

The dynamic between Morgan and Miles was so entertaining.

I look forward to reading other Nora Roberts books in the future. I have become a fan.

Thank you Net Galley for letting me read it before publication

What an absolutely captivating and at times bone chilling psychological thriller by the bestselling Nora Roberts.
A story about a person’s identity and what can happen when that is stolen away. The characters in this book are unforgettable and the relationships between them are both complicated and at the same time simple. I could not stop reading this book once I started. The roller coaster of emotions and this could happen to anyone realization was all brought together in a great book. A story of trust, betrayal and learning to love and trust again. Thank you to the publisher for my requested copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Nora Roberts stand alone novels are always the highlight of my spring & this book doesn’t disappoint.

I really enjoyed how we were reading from both the protagonist & antagonist view points, within their thoughts as one grows emotionally & the other crumbles.

Although you know who the love interest will be from the moment he is introduced, I enjoyed the development of their relationship.

This is one I will be re-reading.

This was actually a 4.5. A pretty perfect Nora Roberts “escape from reality for a bit” novel. Enjoyed the settings and characters and the plot.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885098

Identity by Nora Roberts is an absolutely phenomenal book, with multiple layers to it that take you from chilling to heartwarming and everything in between.
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.
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.
As a person who has watched a loved one endure the theft of their identity, and rise to the challenge of dealing with the violation and its effects, this book hit home. And that was before it became clear just how evil the identity thief in this book truly was.
This book is not just a non-stop thrill ride. It is a portrait of strength, of the importance of family and friends, and even a romance.
I highly recommend it, and am grateful to have received an ARC of #Identity from #NetGalley.

Morgan is ready to take on the world. She is set on a path to a new business and a home of her own with a great friend /roommate. While working 2 jobs to make her dreams a reality, along comes a transient fellow who checks all the boxes for nice guy. Until one day he doesn't. He takes her friend, her home, her dreams and her money and disappears. The debts he runs up in her name send her packing back home to mom and grandma and that is where she learns just how strong she can be.

Your heart breaks for Morgan and you cheer for her wins as she grows stronger thanks to family and to her new relationship with the Jameson family. I loved the character of her grandma. She is all spirit and spunk and stole the show for me in this one.

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.

I am a big fan of Nora's romances. Reading this thriller was a nice change and kept my interest throughout. One thing is for sure. Regardless of whether Nora is writing a romance, a fantasy or a thriller, she delivers an amazing and engrossing story. She is one of my all time favorite authors for this very reason.