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A Breath Away
Their worst nightmare has returned...
Ever since Violet Baker's childhood companion was brutally murdered, she's been plagued with visions of the girl's last hours. Now, on the twentieth anniversary of Darlene's death, Violet's father is found dead, a note beside him confessing to the murder. But something doesn't feel right, and Violet returns to Crow's Landing looking for answers.
Facing the judgmental town as a murderer's daughter is difficult enough, but with the scalding tension between her and Sheriff Grady Monroe, Darlene's half brother, is worse. As the two of them race to unravel the mystery, it quickly becomes clear that Violet is in grave danger...and Grady suddenly knows that he'll do anything to protect her, no matter what the cost...
Ever since Violet Baker's childhood companion was brutally murdered, she's been plagued with visions of the girl's last hours. Now, on the twentieth anniversary of Darlene's death, Violet's father is found dead, a note beside him confessing to the murder. But something doesn't feel right, and Violet returns to Crow's Landing looking for answers.
Facing the judgmental town as a murderer's daughter is difficult enough, but with the scalding tension between her and Sheriff Grady Monroe, Darlene's half brother, is worse. As the two of them race to unravel the mystery, it quickly becomes clear that Violet is in grave danger...and Grady suddenly knows that he'll do anything to protect her, no matter what the cost...
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2005
67 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Rita Herron
322 books950 followersUSA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.
With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.
For more on. Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also find her on www.Facebook/ritaherron.com and Twitter.com/ritaherron.
With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.
For more on. Rita and her titles, visit her at www.ritaherron.com. You can also find her on www.Facebook/ritaherron.com and Twitter.com/ritaherron.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 12, 2016
When Violet was eight years old she had visions of her childhood friend Darlene when Darlene was kidnapped and murdered. Violet has always carried guilt with her since she could not save her friend. Violet's father sent her away with her grandmother to live elsewhere after the murder. Now twenty years later, Violet returns to Crow's Landing after her father's alleged suicide and confession to Darlene's murder. Violet, along with Darlene's half brother Grady, who is now the sheriff, must seek out the truth, especially now that a new series of murders are being committed, and Violet's psychic visions are returning for the first time in twenty years.
The story was alright and different although the romance aspect wasn't very strong for me. The main couple was just okay and lacked chemistry. I thought that the secondary characters were much more interesting. The many strange and questionable characters in town made for a wide pool of suspects. The suspense part of the book was better than the romance, but still it didn't completely grab me.
The story was alright and different although the romance aspect wasn't very strong for me. The main couple was just okay and lacked chemistry. I thought that the secondary characters were much more interesting. The many strange and questionable characters in town made for a wide pool of suspects. The suspense part of the book was better than the romance, but still it didn't completely grab me.
May 31, 2009
Good book, but at the same time there was one issue that irritated and distracted me more than just a little at time. Still a good romantic suspense book, though. Herron knows how to tell a story that's got a solid suspense aspect without neglecting the romance. I've been a fan of hers since I started reading her Harlequin Intrigue books.
In A Breath Away, Violet Baker has been haunted for years by the murder of her best friend when they were children. She and Darlene had had a special connection and Violet had lived her friend's terror with her. Then her father sent her away with her grandmother and Violet thought it was because he felt she was evil with her weird connection to Darlene. She never spoke or saw her father again and she's lived with what happened since that day.
Now the visions and voices are starting again, but this time, young women are dying. Then comes a call saying her father had committed suicide and left a note saying he'd killed young Darlene. Violet doesn't believe it so she finally returns to her hometown...where Darlene's brother is now Sheriff. Grady has spent his life trying to find his sister's killer. Now he finally may know...only the facts aren't adding up. And women are dying in a way that appears to connect them to his sister. He and Violet must team up to find the truth. A task made all that much harder by the attraction that simmers between them.
This book had an interesting storyline, but it was kinda hard to get into. For the simple fact that the basic premise is almost exactly the same as Nora Roberts' Carolina Moon. They have pretty much the exact same setup...two opposite side of the tracks girlhood friends, one having psychic visions of the others violent death then leaving town after, returning years later to face what happened and maybe find the truth, and getting involved with her dead friend's older brother. Except for some minor variances, that's the way both books are setup (Roberts book was written 5 years before this one). And I found it extremely distracting when trying to get into this book. I just kept thinking about how similar they were. It was annoying. But at least the way the plot plays out and the reason behind things was very different.
Despite the irritating similarity issue, Herron does weave a complicated, engaging suspense and a fairly good romance. She keeps you on your toes trying to figure out who is doing what and why. There's no one obvious suspect and the way the clues are laid out, everyone seems guilty. Which makes it interesting in trying to piece together what is going on. And towards the end, I just wanted to keep reading to see how it was all going to play out.
I did wish there were maybe a few less characters. I read this over maybe 3 days and I didn't always remember who was who and their connections and whatnot. It made the story a little over-busy to a certain extent. If I'd read it in a less amount of time, it probably wouldn't have bothered me. But reading in bits in pieces, it was hard to keep everyone straight.
As for the romance...it was about moderately. I liked both the characters and there was good chemistry between them. But it was a little slow in building for me and got side-lined some for the suspense aspect. It was still a pretty sweet romance, though, with a nice HEA.
All in all, this was a solid romantic suspense. If I hadn't read Roberts "Carolina Moon" previously, I probably would have enjoyed this one more cover to cover. But if you like a good romantic suspense, then I'd definitely recommend this book or any other by Herron. She tells a solid, engaging story.
In A Breath Away, Violet Baker has been haunted for years by the murder of her best friend when they were children. She and Darlene had had a special connection and Violet had lived her friend's terror with her. Then her father sent her away with her grandmother and Violet thought it was because he felt she was evil with her weird connection to Darlene. She never spoke or saw her father again and she's lived with what happened since that day.
Now the visions and voices are starting again, but this time, young women are dying. Then comes a call saying her father had committed suicide and left a note saying he'd killed young Darlene. Violet doesn't believe it so she finally returns to her hometown...where Darlene's brother is now Sheriff. Grady has spent his life trying to find his sister's killer. Now he finally may know...only the facts aren't adding up. And women are dying in a way that appears to connect them to his sister. He and Violet must team up to find the truth. A task made all that much harder by the attraction that simmers between them.
This book had an interesting storyline, but it was kinda hard to get into. For the simple fact that the basic premise is almost exactly the same as Nora Roberts' Carolina Moon. They have pretty much the exact same setup...two opposite side of the tracks girlhood friends, one having psychic visions of the others violent death then leaving town after, returning years later to face what happened and maybe find the truth, and getting involved with her dead friend's older brother. Except for some minor variances, that's the way both books are setup (Roberts book was written 5 years before this one). And I found it extremely distracting when trying to get into this book. I just kept thinking about how similar they were. It was annoying. But at least the way the plot plays out and the reason behind things was very different.
Despite the irritating similarity issue, Herron does weave a complicated, engaging suspense and a fairly good romance. She keeps you on your toes trying to figure out who is doing what and why. There's no one obvious suspect and the way the clues are laid out, everyone seems guilty. Which makes it interesting in trying to piece together what is going on. And towards the end, I just wanted to keep reading to see how it was all going to play out.
I did wish there were maybe a few less characters. I read this over maybe 3 days and I didn't always remember who was who and their connections and whatnot. It made the story a little over-busy to a certain extent. If I'd read it in a less amount of time, it probably wouldn't have bothered me. But reading in bits in pieces, it was hard to keep everyone straight.
As for the romance...it was about moderately. I liked both the characters and there was good chemistry between them. But it was a little slow in building for me and got side-lined some for the suspense aspect. It was still a pretty sweet romance, though, with a nice HEA.
All in all, this was a solid romantic suspense. If I hadn't read Roberts "Carolina Moon" previously, I probably would have enjoyed this one more cover to cover. But if you like a good romantic suspense, then I'd definitely recommend this book or any other by Herron. She tells a solid, engaging story.
February 5, 2019
This morning, I finished A Breath Away by Rita Herron, another of my RWA signing books. I had been tempted by it several times in the bookstore because of its cover, which I think is terrific. The cover is perhaps the best part of the book, however.
Violet and Darlene were best friends as children. Darlene was murdered when the girls were eight. Violet had visions about what was happening to Darlene and where her body could be found. Shortly after Darlene's death, Violet's father sent her away to live with her grandmother.
Fast forward 20 years. Violet learns that her father is dead and supposedly committed suicide. Her grandmother wants Violet to return to the town to find out what really happened. Once there, Violet sees Darlene's brother, Grady, for the first time in years. She is attracted to him but thinks he hates her because her father left a note stating that he (her father) was the one who killed Darlene.
The romance in this book is less successful than the suspense plot. Violet feels guilty because Darlene left her house to visit Violet. Violet also feels like she should have stopped the murder. Grady was five years older than the girls and feels equally guilty. His father insisted that Grady should have protected Darlene. Against this backdrop of guilt, it's difficult to believe that the two fall in love.
I also wondered that they would be carrying so much guilt so long after the events. I believed that they would both be changed because of what happened to them, but Violet virtually stopped living. She never had a relationship with a man, and she feels like she doesn't deserve to be happy. I wanted to tell her to find a good therapist, fast.
The story jumps from Grady, to Violet, to at least half a dozen other townspeople. This helped the reader get to know the suspects, but it shifted the focus from Violet and Grady, which added to the unbelievable romance. Plus, you don't get enough of one person to feel like you know him or her. I became frustrated with each changed point of view.
The ending was strong. I was intrigued by the way the suspense story wrapped up--I was thrown off by one of the red herrings--and I thought the romantic ending was appropriate. Make that the very end of the romantic ending. There's another conflict after the danger is past, and it struck me as forced under the circumstances.
So, A Breath Away was an OK read, probably not something I would read again. But I still like the cover.
Violet and Darlene were best friends as children. Darlene was murdered when the girls were eight. Violet had visions about what was happening to Darlene and where her body could be found. Shortly after Darlene's death, Violet's father sent her away to live with her grandmother.
Fast forward 20 years. Violet learns that her father is dead and supposedly committed suicide. Her grandmother wants Violet to return to the town to find out what really happened. Once there, Violet sees Darlene's brother, Grady, for the first time in years. She is attracted to him but thinks he hates her because her father left a note stating that he (her father) was the one who killed Darlene.
The romance in this book is less successful than the suspense plot. Violet feels guilty because Darlene left her house to visit Violet. Violet also feels like she should have stopped the murder. Grady was five years older than the girls and feels equally guilty. His father insisted that Grady should have protected Darlene. Against this backdrop of guilt, it's difficult to believe that the two fall in love.
I also wondered that they would be carrying so much guilt so long after the events. I believed that they would both be changed because of what happened to them, but Violet virtually stopped living. She never had a relationship with a man, and she feels like she doesn't deserve to be happy. I wanted to tell her to find a good therapist, fast.
The story jumps from Grady, to Violet, to at least half a dozen other townspeople. This helped the reader get to know the suspects, but it shifted the focus from Violet and Grady, which added to the unbelievable romance. Plus, you don't get enough of one person to feel like you know him or her. I became frustrated with each changed point of view.
The ending was strong. I was intrigued by the way the suspense story wrapped up--I was thrown off by one of the red herrings--and I thought the romantic ending was appropriate. Make that the very end of the romantic ending. There's another conflict after the danger is past, and it struck me as forced under the circumstances.
So, A Breath Away was an OK read, probably not something I would read again. But I still like the cover.
February 25, 2019
Great mystery and suspense
Buuuut, I hated how the MC female never stood up for herself. I can't respect or relate to a character like that. And this is ANOTHER story about a man who can't commit because of some past emotional trama... It's so old and played out. The mystery was great but the romance felt one sided and strained. I would still recommend this book because of the mystery.
Buuuut, I hated how the MC female never stood up for herself. I can't respect or relate to a character like that. And this is ANOTHER story about a man who can't commit because of some past emotional trama... It's so old and played out. The mystery was great but the romance felt one sided and strained. I would still recommend this book because of the mystery.
January 5, 2020
Wow the mystery was excellent. We never knew or guest who were the villains until the end of the story. That is the style of Rita Herron.
September 22, 2008
Once I got past the uncanny similarity to Nora Roberts' "Carolina Moon", I soon became absorbed in Rita Herron's "A Breath Away".
Not unlike "Carolina Moon", "A Breath Away" tells the tale of two friends with a deep bond and psychic connection. Two girls on different ends of the social spectre but somehow become best friends. This bond is cut tragically short when one is murdered.
Twenty years later on the anniversary of the murder, another woman is killed and left on the church stairs. A serial killer has emerged and he has the surviving friend in her sights.
It's a compelling read and I found I could not put it down. Looking forward to sampling more by Rita Herron.
Not unlike "Carolina Moon", "A Breath Away" tells the tale of two friends with a deep bond and psychic connection. Two girls on different ends of the social spectre but somehow become best friends. This bond is cut tragically short when one is murdered.
Twenty years later on the anniversary of the murder, another woman is killed and left on the church stairs. A serial killer has emerged and he has the surviving friend in her sights.
It's a compelling read and I found I could not put it down. Looking forward to sampling more by Rita Herron.
July 11, 2014
Violet Baker had a strong connection to her friend, Darlene and felt her terror as her friend was kidnapped and murdered. Now 20 years later Violet is returning home after hearing her father committed suicide.
I liked it. It maintained a nice steady pace and kept me glued to the pages to learn the mystery.
I liked it. It maintained a nice steady pace and kept me glued to the pages to learn the mystery.
November 30, 2016
Awesome, suspense filled thriller with a touch of steamy romance. Must read
I love this book. Full of suspects and twists and turns. Not to mention steamy love scenes. I only wish this was a series as there are characters who be awesome to dig into. The main character is a bit self absorbed but very relatable considering her circumstances.
I love this book. Full of suspects and twists and turns. Not to mention steamy love scenes. I only wish this was a series as there are characters who be awesome to dig into. The main character is a bit self absorbed but very relatable considering her circumstances.
March 11, 2009
nice quick easy read.
July 3, 2013
Loved it!! Couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews