This was a good suspense/thriller from Nora Roberts. It was light on the romance but the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat.

I forgot how much I love Nora Roberts. I used to read her books all the time but haven’t picked one up in at least 10 years. I’m asking myself WHY?!? This one was so good. It immediately grabbed my attention and held it until the very end. Morgan Nash grew up an army brat. All she has ever really wanted is to settle down and grow some roots. She has a plan and a budget and she is working toward her goals. Then she crosses paths with a con man/serial killer. He steals her identity and leaves her broke but doesn’t succeed in taking her life. She is “the one that got away” and he just can’t have that. Morgan returns to Vermont to stay with her mother and grandmother and wait for him to finish what he started.

The story is a mix of suspense and romance. It lulls a bit in places but it’s never boring. There were no plot twists but they aren’t needed. The slow climb to the climax creates so much anticipation that you just keep turning pages. The character development is amazing. There is a clear delineation between the protagonist and the antagonist which produces the appropriate emotions when reading their parts. You get strong female characters, sweet and sensitive male characters, and a seriously depraved, psychopathic antagonist. This one really had everything that I was looking for in a romantic, suspense novel. This one did not disappoint!

Have been reading Nora Roberts for many years and yet again, she does not disappoint. Romance and suspense are woven into the fabric of this novel and TBH it was near impossible to put down. The characters in this book were pretty amazing, as they always are in her books; and the story never stopped twisting and turning. As Nora Roberts has evolved herself she has evolved in her writing. Not too many authors I can thank for romance, suspense, mystery, and thrills all in one place.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nora Roberts, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy of "Identity".

"Identity" is a gripping thriller that instantly grabbed my attention. Nora Roberts masterfully weaves together elements of mystery, romance, and psychological tension.

It explores the psychology of manipulation and the vulnerability of trust. Nora Roberts delves into the mind of a cold-hearted con artist, highlighting the chilling tactics used to exploit and deceive others. This aspect of the story is both fascinating and disturbing, and it raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of trust and the lengths people will go to in order to protect themselves.

With its well-crafted suspense, engaging characters, and thought-provoking themes, this book left me eagerly anticipating Nora Robert's next book. I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

I loved this book!!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved the mix between romance and suspense. It’s a griping story about identity theft and how devastating it can be but it’s also about courage, perseverance, and the importance of love and support of friends and family. I loved how the main character, Morgan, went to live with her mother and grandmother in order to get her life back together. And I loved how Morgan wins in the end!
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

“Karma’s not just a bitch, she’s a righteous bitch”

The plot was really great and I think that the slower flow worked great. The book takes place over a year plus which I applaud. It always used to drive me crazy when romance books had the hero and heroine fall for each other in like a week and then pivot to an epilogue like 3 months later and the heroine is pregnant. It makes sense in terms of what Morgan goes through why this had to be a slower burn romance.

I'm entirely shocked that I have yet to read a Nora Roberts book in all my years of reading, until now. And now, I want to immediately go back and devour every single one of her books. Identity is truly a sweeping saga of redemption, survival, romance, suspense, and family.

Identity follows the story of Morgan Albright who is the subject of a brutal crime where her best friend is murdered during a dinner party by the man she is currently seeing. He then completely upends her life forcing her to move back to Vermont to be with her mother and grandmother and start over. As she rebuilds her life, the man who ruined her life heads out on the run determined to find Morgan and end what he intended to start.

I honestly couldn't put this book down. It was truly a beautiful story and I loved every minute of it.

Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

4.5*
Nora Roberts is such a fantastic writer, no matter the genre. I love her romance novels, whether contemporary or supernatural or somewhere in between, but I also really enjoy her romantic suspense/thrillers. And Identity tops that list. It was an engaging, suspenseful, thrilling read.
This story held me captive and I couldn't put it down. Morgan went through so much, it was hard to imagine, but also not. It's scary how something like this could happen to a person.
I liked seeing her growth over the course of the book, her strength really came through. She's someone you'd be happy to have in your corner.

Identity was just an all around winner.

Loved this one!!! This was a perfect blend of suspense and romance with a slow, dripping build-up!
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.
Thank you Netgalley, Nora Roberts and St.
Martins Press for letting me read "Identity" in exchange for an honest review.

While this was not my favorite of Roberts’ romantic suspense books (that is still Shelter in Place) I did enjoy reading this novel. There were a few parts that were unrealistic and hard to get past as someone who has a background in the financial industry (how did he use the same card in her name months after the identity theft was discovered??? - it would have been closed and reissued with a different number). Also, this book felt like it had some parts where the suspense was missing for long stretches. Not bad, just not what I was expecting. However, I did really enjoy the romance and having the bulk of the story set at a family resort business. I also enjoyed the focus on the importance of family (both blood relatives and the family you make). While this book may have been a bit different from what I was expecting, I still enjoyed reading it and never wanted to put it down to return to the real world.

Another Nora classic- I much prefer this author’s romantic suspense novels rather than her forays into fantasy. This volume feels very current and is frightening to think about how easy it is for someone to steal one’s identity.

Forever a Nora Roberts fan and I can always turn to her novels. Thank you for the ARC!
This was such a great read! The tension and suspense were high. Loved Morgan's characters and reading her journey through this nightmare. Enjoyed the relationship with her Mother and Grandmother, all very strong women leaning on one another was just great to read.
Whenever we get the villain’s POV, the way Nora describes him and his thoughts never fails to make my skin crawl.
Morgan and Miles's romance was swoon-worthy in the way of how well they mesh, it was great to read.

Nora Roberts brings readers another wonderful romantic suspense novel, Identity . Former army brat Morgan Albright has settled in a neighborhood near Baltimore, Maryland. Her day job as an office manager for a family-owned construction company and her night job as a bartender are helping her get closer to her goal of owning her own bar. She purchased a house and has a friend and housemate, Nina Ramos, who helps with the mortgage payment. However, after their first dinner party, Morgan’s life is shattered. Cash and jewelry are missing, Morgan’s car is gone, and Nina is dead. It soon becomes apparent that a con artist has also stolen Morgan’s identity and assets, and this isn’t his first time. FBI agents arrive, and Morgan struggles to rebuild her life in Vermont. Meanwhile, the killer is getting reckless and failing to cope with life due to his failure to kill Morgan.

Morgan is capable, resilient, a person who makes plans and works towards them, responsible, organized, a fast learner, and creative. Several characters have an impact on Morgan. Luke Hudson is friendly, interesting, a good listener, and confident. Miles Jameson is attractive, blunt, kind, considerate, and respects and values others. These characters, as well as several others in the novel, are well defined with depth and complex traits. They were portrayed in a way that brought them to life.

Readers quickly learn who the murderer is. The suspense is around when this individual will come after Morgan again since she is the one who got away. Meanwhile readers are treated to Morgan’s reconnection with her family and the rebuilding of her life. The book has a good mix of suspense and romance as well as an action-filled ending and is well-plotted. Readers are quickly pulled into the story line with fluid writing and great characterization that grabbed and held my attention and kept me engaged. The real-world issues added depth to the narrative. Themes include family, friendship, murder, grief, work ethic, identity theft, and much more.

Overall, this was a story that quickly pulled me into the narrative and the lives of Morgan and those around her. While the pacing isn’t as brisk as some romantic suspense novels, the author did a great job of building suspense throughout the story and I enjoyed the journey. She is a superb storyteller that intermingled the ever-present threat that was looming over Morgan and the rebuilding of her life. I would love to see this become a series. Readers of romantic suspense will likely enjoy this novel.

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author's terrifying new thriller about one man's ice-cold malice, and one woman's fight to reclaim her life.

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan's job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who'd been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. "Luke" is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn't his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan's nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother's home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn't flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn't forgotten the one who got away.
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Nora Roberts has been on fire lately with her stand-alone romantic suspense, and this book is no exception. I was sent an electronic advanced copy of this from the publisher via NetGalley, and I was beyond thrilled. I was captured immediately by the main character, Morgan, and her story, and I eagerly followed it from the first page to the last. Roberts's strong character development, ability to bring her readers right into the setting, and expert crafting of a storyline, which makes her such a beloved author, is evident throughout this novel, and it is a can't-miss for anyone who is a fan of her work. I give this an enthusiastic five stars and wish that I could read it again for the first time.

This book brought together so many things - the lasting and horrible effect of of identity theft, murder, family, romance and more. And yet none of these parts felt rushed.

I really loved the main character Morgan - her drive and organization, her desire to put down roots, and her friendships. When her world is shattered, she is devastated and broken - but the way she picked up the pieces and moved on - and the beautiful things that happened - made this a wonderful book! My other favorite characters were Morgan's mother, grandmother, and the dog Howl.

Morgan Albright has her identity stolen. She ends up back into her hometown in Vermont living with her mother and grandmother. She finds a new job in the field she is familiar with.
This is a must read. It would make a great book to take on vacation. It will definitely keep your attention.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher St. Martin's Press

Nora has done it again. I loved the story, the main character, the suspense, and the villain. As always Nora delivers an enjoyable read that I hesitate to start because I know I'll want more when it's done.

Every year I look forward to the next Nora Roberts book. I love how she weaves family, friendships, romance and suspense into a compelling story.

This book does not disappoint. Roberts introduces the antagonist and protagonist early on in the book. The suspense builds as their lives intersect and change both of them.
This is one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of this book.

Morgan’s life shifted after she trusted the wrong man. A man that killed her best friend and stole everything from her. A man that forced her to flee and go into hiding. Morgan is tired of hiding, and she is trying to reclaim her life back. She meets a new guy, Miles, and though is nothing like the last guy, she is still hesitant to move forward. Not to mention that she still has to watch her back because the guy who wants to hurt her is still seeking his chance.

Normally, reading a book by Ms. Roberts is always good. I rarely get any doozies. In this case, the story caused me to straddle the fence. Initially, Identity starts off very strong. We get a sense of who Morgan is. We understand her drive and her need to succeed. After one bad decision, her life is diverted. From there, I still expect the story to continue with the same pacing, but it slows down.

Morgan reconnects with her family, and everything stalls for me. The story no longer felt like a suspense novel. We know who the culprit is, so there is no guessing. It also didn’t quite feel like a romance novel. This is a weird case of not executing the perfect romantic suspense novel. The connection with the main MCs felt off as there is no real build-up to their romance.

I have to admit a part of my hesitation with this book came from me reading it versus listening to it. I tend to listen to all of the author’s books instead of reading them. With everything going on in the story, I had to pause and question if I didn’t fully connect with the book because I was reading it instead of listening.

I did like that the formula in which the author tells a story didn’t change. Some may say she is a bit formulaic, and I would agree, but she has a method that works. I love getting caught up in the family dynamic as well.

While this may not have been my favorite by Nora Roberts, I will continue to read her novels.

~ Samantha

I haven't read a Nora Roberts book in such a long time. I picked up Identity as part of a buddy read. Identity had a really good blend of romance and mystery that I enjoyed. Morgan is on the run from a serial killer but is determined to not let it stop her from living her life. Morgan was very verbose. It did turn me off a little. However, The Jameson family was fantastic. I'd love some spin offs about them.