Member Reviews
I loved this story. It was fast paced and very well written. I thought the plot was clever and I loved the way it all came together. I will be seeking more of this author’s work.
Many thanks to Montlake Romance and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is my type of romance novel; it seems like more of a crime drama with the romance subtly scattered throughout. I think it achieves a great balance in this way.
The book has a few different storylines happening at the same time, but it's done in a way that's very easy to follow. Deputy Thayne Blackwood is a Navy SEAL who has returned home temporarily to help out while his father, the Sheriff, is dealing with medical issues. Special Agent Riley Lambert is a profiler for the FBI who helps track down serial killers, and has also been trying to locate her sister, who was abducted from their home 15 years prior. Thayne and Riley have had weekly phone "dates" for the past year, after a chance meeting in Thayne's hometown. But now, Thayne's sister has been abducted, and he calls on Riley for her help and expertise find out what happened to her, and hopefully return her home safely. This novel definitely kept me on the edge of my seat with plenty of twists to keep it from being too predictable (though, admittedly, it was a tad predictable in some spots), and it definitely tugged at my emotions quite a few times as well. Like I said, the romance is pretty subtle throughout the novel; it's there, but it doesn't overwhelm the main plot.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Forgotten Secrets." It's been a while since I've read a book that I had a hard time putting down, but I finished this one in only three sittings! Much thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review.
Pretty decent! I really liked the characters and writing style
My feelings were all over the place as I read this book. The first 20% I felt that the author was trying too hard to create an air of suspense. I felt like I was being battered over the head by all these words strung together that just weren't taking me where I needed to be. Note to author: often less is more. You could have gotten where you were going and created far more atmosphere with a lot fewer words. Or a better selection of words.
After the 25% mark I really started to get into the plot. I loved the character of Helen Blackwood, Thayne's grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer's. She was the highlight, the bright spot in this book. The author is obviously compassionate and has a deep understanding of this subject after witnessing her mother's battle with the disease. I would respectfully like to suggest that she writes a book with that being the central theme. If the way she treated the subject here is any indication, it would be a winner.
FBI Special Agent Riley Lambert appears to be a strong, confident profiler who excels at her job and is able to see the world through the eyes of the most depraved mind. The real Riley Lambert is a vulnerable woman whose 12 year old sister was snatched in front of her. She has never forgiven herself, nor has her family forgiven her.
Now her lover Thayne's sister has been kidnapped and he calls on Riley to help find her.
The bulk of the book was good, but it all fell to pieces again at the end with the romantic thread of the plot taking over in a very predictable fashion. For me, it would have been a far better read and would have earned another star had it finished without the final few chapters. This would have also provided a good lead into the next book, this being the first of a series that I won't be reading.
Thank you to Montlake Romance via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Forgotten Secrets for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.