Posted in Book Review

The Witness by Nora Roberts

Narrated by Julia Whelan

Teen rebellion should not end in death or running for one’s life. When good girl Elizabeth witnesses the murder of her companions, it is only her quick thinking that allows her to escape.

Armed only with a photographic memory and her high IQ, Elizabeth has to disappear. A dozen years later, Abigail Lowery, a woman of mystery living in a small Ozark town gains the attention of the local Police Chief.

Lowery, a security designer is big on security. She lives alone with a big dog and lots of cameras and fire power. She doesn’t engage with the community. Her home is a fortress and she goes no where without a weapon. Brooks Gleason knows she is scared of something, but he can’t help her if she doesn’t open up.

Fearing the chief is onto her, Abigail considers running again. When she discovers his interest his more personal, she can’t decide what to do, run or make her stand.

As the walls she’s built around her life and heart begin to crumble, Abigail and Brooks face the very real fear that they will be unable to keep each other safe when Abigail once more becomes Elizabeth, the witness.

There is a reason Nora Roberts is Queen of romance. She stays current and relevant to today’s readers. Nora Roberts weaves a spell with her intricate plots and complex characters. The Witness is another example of Ms. Roberts genius and why she still reigns supreme.

Posted in Book Review

The Prince by Katharine Ashe

Happy Release Day, Katharine!

History professor/historical romance author, Katharine Ashe brings the past into the contemporary with an understanding of human nature and historical facts. Her novels are rich in history with a modern relevance.

The Prince is a timeless story of the heart versus dreams and responsibility.

Mr. Kent (The Prince Ziyaeddin of Tabir) is in exile, making his way in the world as a renowned artist. He meets the inexhaustible Libby/Elizabeth Shaw at the devil duke’s home in The Duke and he has never forgotten her.

Dressed as Mr. Smart, Libby sits among the medical students during a public dissection. No one realizes the boy with the wild whiskers isn’t a lad at all. She has accomplished the impossible, a woman in the operating theater in Edinburg. Until she sees Mr. Kent and realizes he recognizes her.

The daughter of a doctor, it is Libby’s dream to become as surgeon but no one will accept a woman as a surgical apprentice. Women aren’t even allowed to study medicine.

Mr. Kent is awaiting the moment when he can return home and free his sister and his country from the people who assassinated his parents.

The Prince is a story about people risking everything to accomplish a dream and forfeiting it all for love. It is a story of friendship, respect and following your heart despite others’ expectations. These extraordinary characters face insurmountable odds.

This is Katharine’s best work so far. These characters are unique yet familiar. As a reader, I’m rooting for Kent and Shaw to get together yet that seems impossible. How can they accomplish their dreams and responsibilities if they give into their desires? The emotional rollercoaster ride brings us closer to this amazing couple and the other characters who support their story.

I’m so thankful for happy endings but it wasn’t the ending I expected.

If you’re a history buff like I am, reading the historical notes Katharine provides for readers is just as much fun as the stories they inspired. It is one of my favorite things about reading her books.