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Birthright
When five-thousand-year-old human bones are found at a construction site in the small town of Woodsboro, the news draws archaeologist Callie Dunbrook out of her sabbatical and into a whirlwind of adventure, danger, and romance.
While overseeing the dig, she must try to make sense of a cloud of death and misfortune that hangs over the project-fueling rumors that the site is cursed. And she must cope with the presence of her irritating-but irresistible-ex-husband, Jake. Furthermore, when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she is forced to question her own past as well.
A rich, thrilling, suspenseful tale, Birthright follows an inspiring heroine, an intriguing hero, and a cast of fascinating characters whose intertwined lives remind us that there is much more going on under the surface than meets the eye.
While overseeing the dig, she must try to make sense of a cloud of death and misfortune that hangs over the project-fueling rumors that the site is cursed. And she must cope with the presence of her irritating-but irresistible-ex-husband, Jake. Furthermore, when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she is forced to question her own past as well.
A rich, thrilling, suspenseful tale, Birthright follows an inspiring heroine, an intriguing hero, and a cast of fascinating characters whose intertwined lives remind us that there is much more going on under the surface than meets the eye.
Mass Market Paperback
First published March 31, 2003
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About the author
Nora Roberts
1,217 books60k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,217 reviews
May 26, 2025
I forgot how much I love this book!!
This is such a comfort read for me. I can't explain why, but this book calms my mind.
I'll never get tired of rereading it, it has saved me from so many book slumps!
This is such a comfort read for me. I can't explain why, but this book calms my mind.
I'll never get tired of rereading it, it has saved me from so many book slumps!
May 7, 2017
This is another one of my favorite Nora Roberts books, which I say about most of the books of hers that I review. But with her having written so many, it makes sense to have a lot of favorites. Regardless, this is a favorite, though I know more than a few fans didn't care for this one. I enjoyed it a lot, though, for several different reasons.
Birthright is a story that starts out in the past with a young mother, Suzanne Cullen, taking her young son Doug and her infant daughter Jessica to see Santa at the mall. When Doug gets upset, she turns her back for a moment, and when she turns back, Jessica is gone. The story then shifts thirty years to the present where a construction crew is prepping a site for a development when bones are found. Tests indicate they are thousands of years old and archaeologists Callie Dunbrook is brought in to excavate the site. In her kitchen several miles away, Suzanne Cullen is doing some baking when she sees and interview with Callie on the TV and is struck dumb. Callie has a striking similarity to herself. Suzanne knows in her heart that she has finally found the daughter stolen from her so long ago. But when she goes to see Callie, Callie tells her that she wasn't adopted. Or so she thought. Turned out, her parents had kept a huge secret from her. Now Callie's life is thrown upside down by secrets and lies suddenly coming to light. If that's not bad enough, the anthropologist called into work with her at the site is none other than her ex-husband, Jacob Graystone. They'd had a blazing hot romance, gotten married and it had all fallen apart because of lack of communication and lack of trust. Now they are together again, and both have to face the fact that they both still love each other. And to make matters even more complicated, someone apparently doesn't like Callie poking into her past because people are ending up dead and there is a serious threat to her life. What started out a simple archaeological dig turned into so much more.
One of my favorite parts of this story is the whole archaeology/dig site thing. I was and anthropology minor in college so I find the subject fascinating. I liked reading about all the stuff Callie and Jake were doing on the site and all that. Roberts did a great job with that part of the story.
Aside from that, I really liked Callie and Jake. Callie's a little bit of an atypical heroine in that she's kind of bitchy and sarcastic, brutally honest, pretty much a total tomboy and not always the nicest person around. Which you'd think would make it hard to like her, but I found it more refreshing than anything else. And at heart she's a good person, she just goes her own way. Jake is pretty much her perfect match because he can give as good as he gets. They've got a great chemistry together. I loved how Roberts wrote their relationship together. At first they kind of circle each other as you'd expect 2 exes to do. But then you get to see them grow and change, work through what went wrong with their relationship and work to make it right this time around. You could really feel the love between them. And one of my favorite parts of the book is the thing at the very end, when Jake reveals an interesting tidbit to Callie - I won't say what. I thought it was the perfect way to seal their relationship and it was rather amusing.
Another plus on the romance side of the story is the secondary relationship between Lana Campbell (town lawyer) and Doug Cullen (Callie's birth brother). It's rather amusing to read. Lana kinda steamrolls Doug, who has no idea what hit him. But it's sweet to and a nice addition to the story.
There's also a great emotional level to the story as Callie tries to reconcile her past and her present. How she tries to deal with the fact that she now has two families. You really get a feel for how difficult it all is for her, knowing how much Suzanne wants her daughter back but Callie feeling so disconnected from her. Roberts wrote that part of the story very realistically.
On the suspense-plot front, two thumbs up. This part of the story focuses on Callie trying to figure out who kidnapped her and why all those years ago. And who, in the present, is trying to stop her from finding the answers. It's a very twisting and turning plot that was well-written and well thought out. And it definitely kept me in the story.
So on the whole, I loved all the different parts of this book. And nothing comes to mind as something I didn't like. I pretty much just enjoyed it all. If you like romantic suspense books, or are a Nora Roberts fan, then this is definitely a book I'd recommend.
Birthright is a story that starts out in the past with a young mother, Suzanne Cullen, taking her young son Doug and her infant daughter Jessica to see Santa at the mall. When Doug gets upset, she turns her back for a moment, and when she turns back, Jessica is gone. The story then shifts thirty years to the present where a construction crew is prepping a site for a development when bones are found. Tests indicate they are thousands of years old and archaeologists Callie Dunbrook is brought in to excavate the site. In her kitchen several miles away, Suzanne Cullen is doing some baking when she sees and interview with Callie on the TV and is struck dumb. Callie has a striking similarity to herself. Suzanne knows in her heart that she has finally found the daughter stolen from her so long ago. But when she goes to see Callie, Callie tells her that she wasn't adopted. Or so she thought. Turned out, her parents had kept a huge secret from her. Now Callie's life is thrown upside down by secrets and lies suddenly coming to light. If that's not bad enough, the anthropologist called into work with her at the site is none other than her ex-husband, Jacob Graystone. They'd had a blazing hot romance, gotten married and it had all fallen apart because of lack of communication and lack of trust. Now they are together again, and both have to face the fact that they both still love each other. And to make matters even more complicated, someone apparently doesn't like Callie poking into her past because people are ending up dead and there is a serious threat to her life. What started out a simple archaeological dig turned into so much more.
One of my favorite parts of this story is the whole archaeology/dig site thing. I was and anthropology minor in college so I find the subject fascinating. I liked reading about all the stuff Callie and Jake were doing on the site and all that. Roberts did a great job with that part of the story.
Aside from that, I really liked Callie and Jake. Callie's a little bit of an atypical heroine in that she's kind of bitchy and sarcastic, brutally honest, pretty much a total tomboy and not always the nicest person around. Which you'd think would make it hard to like her, but I found it more refreshing than anything else. And at heart she's a good person, she just goes her own way. Jake is pretty much her perfect match because he can give as good as he gets. They've got a great chemistry together. I loved how Roberts wrote their relationship together. At first they kind of circle each other as you'd expect 2 exes to do. But then you get to see them grow and change, work through what went wrong with their relationship and work to make it right this time around. You could really feel the love between them. And one of my favorite parts of the book is the thing at the very end, when Jake reveals an interesting tidbit to Callie - I won't say what. I thought it was the perfect way to seal their relationship and it was rather amusing.
Another plus on the romance side of the story is the secondary relationship between Lana Campbell (town lawyer) and Doug Cullen (Callie's birth brother). It's rather amusing to read. Lana kinda steamrolls Doug, who has no idea what hit him. But it's sweet to and a nice addition to the story.
There's also a great emotional level to the story as Callie tries to reconcile her past and her present. How she tries to deal with the fact that she now has two families. You really get a feel for how difficult it all is for her, knowing how much Suzanne wants her daughter back but Callie feeling so disconnected from her. Roberts wrote that part of the story very realistically.
On the suspense-plot front, two thumbs up. This part of the story focuses on Callie trying to figure out who kidnapped her and why all those years ago. And who, in the present, is trying to stop her from finding the answers. It's a very twisting and turning plot that was well-written and well thought out. And it definitely kept me in the story.
So on the whole, I loved all the different parts of this book. And nothing comes to mind as something I didn't like. I pretty much just enjoyed it all. If you like romantic suspense books, or are a Nora Roberts fan, then this is definitely a book I'd recommend.
April 30, 2022
I knew that twist in the end was coming!
God, this is another stellar work from Nora Roberts. I legit can't stop myself from reading her books now. They're so freaking readable.
The subject in this though, again, every parent's nightmare. It almost costed me a few tears here and there. It didn't exactly made md to sob uncontrollably like Cry No More but it was closed there. It was, tbh, a huge mess.
The archaeological part? Amazing. I love when books show you this different professions and stick to it, convincing us the reader, that yeah this what the characters work for in their life. Admittedly, I haven't had the greatest luck in finding ones that I like.
God, this is another stellar work from Nora Roberts. I legit can't stop myself from reading her books now. They're so freaking readable.
The subject in this though, again, every parent's nightmare. It almost costed me a few tears here and there. It didn't exactly made md to sob uncontrollably like Cry No More but it was closed there. It was, tbh, a huge mess.
The archaeological part? Amazing. I love when books show you this different professions and stick to it, convincing us the reader, that yeah this what the characters work for in their life. Admittedly, I haven't had the greatest luck in finding ones that I like.
January 21, 2024
I definitely recommend checking out the audio for this book! I do want to say I expected a plot heavy on the archeology, but that's really only the backdrop for a larger mystery surrounding the heroine and her past. But I had a lot of fun with this! The end definitely got very dramatic and so fun. The romance was fine, but not my favorite of her romances. I was kept entertained and definitely intrigued until the end!
October 24, 2016
Siempre me cuesta puntuar a Nora. No sé si peco por defecto o por exceso. Por defecto porque escribe realmente bien, hila bien las tramas policiales, tiene a unos protagonistas fuertes e independientes (pero de verdad, no fingidos, no de los que diez capítulos después son todo comportamientos dóciles y pavos en nombre del amor...). Por exceso porque siempre me quedo con ganas de que me emocione mucho más, de que me crea a pies juntillas que ellos son tal para cual.
Creo que, ésta es una de las pocas novelas en las que ambas cosas están equilibradas: misterio e investigación y romances (varios).
Leyéndola, viendo todo el engranaje que pone en marcha hasta llegar a la palabra fin, una piensa que a ver cómo no va a ser una de las reinas de la romántica...
Creo que, ésta es una de las pocas novelas en las que ambas cosas están equilibradas: misterio e investigación y romances (varios).
Leyéndola, viendo todo el engranaje que pone en marcha hasta llegar a la palabra fin, una piensa que a ver cómo no va a ser una de las reinas de la romántica...
January 28, 2015
Rating Clarification: 3.5 stars
I did enjoy it but I felt like the ending fell a bit flat. I would have liked it that we saw what happened with both of the families.
I did enjoy it but I felt like the ending fell a bit flat. I would have liked it that we saw what happened with both of the families.
February 3, 2017
Me ha parecido una buena historia y me ha mantenido enganchada hasta el final.
Un suceso familiar trágico y una excavación te envuelven en una intriga que me han enganchado desde el minuto 1. La trama de intriga y la historia de amor, están perfectamente hiladas y no quitan protagonismo la una a la otra en ningún momento.
Callie y Luke, los dos protagonistas me han gustado mucho. Dos personalidades fuertes, reputados arqueólogos y ex-pareja.El reencuentro está servido y su historia me ha encantado, la manera en la que evolucionan las cosas entre ellos. Sus tira y afloja, la tensión entre ellos me ha mantenido pegada al libro. Jake es de esos personajes que gustan por su tranquilidad, sus diálogos chispeantes y hasta me han gustado sus explicaciones sobre antropología.
Me han gustado mucho también los secundarios Lana y Doug, con una historia preciosa.
Todos los secundarios tienen su qué, no me ha sobrado ninguno. Ves cómo afecta una tragedia familiar a cada uno de los miembros de esa familia.
No ha decaído en ningún momento y creo que está muy bien ligados misterio y romance.
Un suceso familiar trágico y una excavación te envuelven en una intriga que me han enganchado desde el minuto 1. La trama de intriga y la historia de amor, están perfectamente hiladas y no quitan protagonismo la una a la otra en ningún momento.
Callie y Luke, los dos protagonistas me han gustado mucho. Dos personalidades fuertes, reputados arqueólogos y ex-pareja.El reencuentro está servido y su historia me ha encantado, la manera en la que evolucionan las cosas entre ellos. Sus tira y afloja, la tensión entre ellos me ha mantenido pegada al libro. Jake es de esos personajes que gustan por su tranquilidad, sus diálogos chispeantes y hasta me han gustado sus explicaciones sobre antropología.
Me han gustado mucho también los secundarios Lana y Doug, con una historia preciosa.
Todos los secundarios tienen su qué, no me ha sobrado ninguno. Ves cómo afecta una tragedia familiar a cada uno de los miembros de esa familia.
No ha decaído en ningún momento y creo que está muy bien ligados misterio y romance.
March 5, 2024
I just dig hanging out with the characters Nora Roberts creates and pretending like I could have a cool job.
July 9, 2017
4 Estrellas. No es el primer libro que leo de Nora Robert, pero sí el primero de sus novelas largas de suspense, y la verdad es que he quedado muy satisfecha. Es de éstas novelas que te tienen enganchada desde las primeras páginas, cuya intriga se mantiene hasta el final.
Callie es una joven arqueóloga a la que asignan una excavación de un poblado indio en un pacífico pueblo de Maryland. Pero no sólo habrá problemas con el propietario de la tierra, si no con la cruzada particular que le viene encima: descubrir sus orígenes. Hasta donde sabe, es la hija única de un matrimonio feliz de mediana edad y bien avenido, económica y socialmente. Días después de su llegada al asentamiento, se presenta una mujer en su motel diciéndola que es su madre, y que ella es su hija a la que raptaron con apenas tres meses.
Ésta revelación la convertirá en su cruzada personal, y no parará hasta que los responsables paguen por lo que le hicieron. Ella sabe quién es y quienes son sus padres, pero la situación de su recién descubierta familia merece saber la verdad sobre lo que sucedió.
La novela nos adentra en el tema de los niños robados, y cómo éstos fueron raptados y vendidos a nuevas familias infértiles a cambio de una elevada suma. Ha sido un tema muy interesante, y creo que Nora Robert ha sabido explicarlo y tratarlo muy bien. En el libro no se habla de grandes tragedias, me ha parecido una historia realista y sensata.
En cuanto al romance, diré que es el fallo del libro. No se desarrolla mucho, pero tampoco es muy sentido, en realidad no es lo importante de la historia, si no que queda relegado a un segundo plano. Callie y Jake están divorciados, sufrieron una serie de altercados en su matrimonio para los que ninguno de los dos estaba preparado. Cuando Callie llega a su nuevo proyecto, lo que menos espera es encontrarse a su ex marido, antropólogo de profesión, en el equipo. Verse de nuevo creará una serie de conflictos, pero en el fondo nunca se han olvidado el uno al otro, de modo que tenemos una historia de segundas oportunidades. El fallo que le he visto es que creo que no he llegado a conocer a los protagonistas, ellos sí se conocían y tienen su propia opinión sobre el otro, pero no he llegado a empatizar con su romance.
En cambio, sí le doy mi visto bueno al romance secundario. Doug y Lana son unos personajes heridos por las circunstancias de su vida, pero muy íntegros y fuertes, que empiezan desde cero un romance dulce y entrañable, que por ser secundario me ha sabido a poco, pero ha complementado la falta del primero.
Como conclusión, es una muy buena historia, que sabe enganchar desde el principio y ha tocado un tema muy sensible, pero muy bien trabajado, con unos personajes fuertes que han creado una intriga muy bien llevada. No será el único libro que lea de suspense de Nora Robert.
Callie es una joven arqueóloga a la que asignan una excavación de un poblado indio en un pacífico pueblo de Maryland. Pero no sólo habrá problemas con el propietario de la tierra, si no con la cruzada particular que le viene encima: descubrir sus orígenes. Hasta donde sabe, es la hija única de un matrimonio feliz de mediana edad y bien avenido, económica y socialmente. Días después de su llegada al asentamiento, se presenta una mujer en su motel diciéndola que es su madre, y que ella es su hija a la que raptaron con apenas tres meses.
Ésta revelación la convertirá en su cruzada personal, y no parará hasta que los responsables paguen por lo que le hicieron. Ella sabe quién es y quienes son sus padres, pero la situación de su recién descubierta familia merece saber la verdad sobre lo que sucedió.
La novela nos adentra en el tema de los niños robados, y cómo éstos fueron raptados y vendidos a nuevas familias infértiles a cambio de una elevada suma. Ha sido un tema muy interesante, y creo que Nora Robert ha sabido explicarlo y tratarlo muy bien. En el libro no se habla de grandes tragedias, me ha parecido una historia realista y sensata.
En cuanto al romance, diré que es el fallo del libro. No se desarrolla mucho, pero tampoco es muy sentido, en realidad no es lo importante de la historia, si no que queda relegado a un segundo plano. Callie y Jake están divorciados, sufrieron una serie de altercados en su matrimonio para los que ninguno de los dos estaba preparado. Cuando Callie llega a su nuevo proyecto, lo que menos espera es encontrarse a su ex marido, antropólogo de profesión, en el equipo. Verse de nuevo creará una serie de conflictos, pero en el fondo nunca se han olvidado el uno al otro, de modo que tenemos una historia de segundas oportunidades. El fallo que le he visto es que creo que no he llegado a conocer a los protagonistas, ellos sí se conocían y tienen su propia opinión sobre el otro, pero no he llegado a empatizar con su romance.
En cambio, sí le doy mi visto bueno al romance secundario. Doug y Lana son unos personajes heridos por las circunstancias de su vida, pero muy íntegros y fuertes, que empiezan desde cero un romance dulce y entrañable, que por ser secundario me ha sabido a poco, pero ha complementado la falta del primero.
Como conclusión, es una muy buena historia, que sabe enganchar desde el principio y ha tocado un tema muy sensible, pero muy bien trabajado, con unos personajes fuertes que han creado una intriga muy bien llevada. No será el único libro que lea de suspense de Nora Robert.
June 30, 2017
No puedo ponerle menos estrellas porque Nora me ha enamorado con su pluma, no se si soy yo la única pero su forma de narrar, el estilo que usa se me hizo similar al de Susan EIzabeth Phillips, entonces como no disfrutarla?
Me encantó!! Es primera vez que la leo y me ha sorprendido muchísimo! Después de postergar tanto sus novelas que tanto me intrigaban al fin le he dado su oportunidad y que bonita sensación me ha dejado.
Es una tremenda escritora, su pluma me ha encantado y además de la grandiosa documentación que nos regala en el libro me ha encantado como fue entretejiendo la historia poco a poco, sin apuros. Personalmente me encantan las historias que tienen ese toque de credibilidad tanto en su tema principal y su desarrollo como en el romance entre los personajes (es algo que tomo mucho en cuenta al momento de catalogar un libro) me encantan cuando las autoras crean historias que te convencen. Y este lo ha hecho. El romance entre todos los personajes aquí me ha gustado mucho, la genialidad de Nora en crear sus personalidades y diálogos (Pero qué diálogos!!!!) entre los protas me ha fascinado. Jake y Callie, que pareja mas peculiar!! Pero que hermoso como poco a poco ellos logran darse su segunda oportunidad como poco a poco se vuelven a enamorar es todo un descubrimiento..
En fin una historia que me ha encantado solo por el hecho de los personajes que Nora les ha dado vida aquí. Una preciosidad. Para aquellas que son madres estoy 100% que esta historia no les será indiferente y es probable que la puedan llegar a sentirla el triple de lo que la he sentido yo.
Me encantó!! Es primera vez que la leo y me ha sorprendido muchísimo! Después de postergar tanto sus novelas que tanto me intrigaban al fin le he dado su oportunidad y que bonita sensación me ha dejado.
Es una tremenda escritora, su pluma me ha encantado y además de la grandiosa documentación que nos regala en el libro me ha encantado como fue entretejiendo la historia poco a poco, sin apuros. Personalmente me encantan las historias que tienen ese toque de credibilidad tanto en su tema principal y su desarrollo como en el romance entre los personajes (es algo que tomo mucho en cuenta al momento de catalogar un libro) me encantan cuando las autoras crean historias que te convencen. Y este lo ha hecho. El romance entre todos los personajes aquí me ha gustado mucho, la genialidad de Nora en crear sus personalidades y diálogos (Pero qué diálogos!!!!) entre los protas me ha fascinado. Jake y Callie, que pareja mas peculiar!! Pero que hermoso como poco a poco ellos logran darse su segunda oportunidad como poco a poco se vuelven a enamorar es todo un descubrimiento..
En fin una historia que me ha encantado solo por el hecho de los personajes que Nora les ha dado vida aquí. Una preciosidad. Para aquellas que son madres estoy 100% que esta historia no les será indiferente y es probable que la puedan llegar a sentirla el triple de lo que la he sentido yo.
August 5, 2019
3.5
La parte del suspense está muy conseguida, tanto la parte de la excavación como la parte del pasado de Callie
No tengo ninguna queja tampoco con el estilo de la autora, consigue engancharte con una trama consistente
Mi gran problema ha sido la pareja protagonista, no los he visto, mucha química y atracción, y una relación demasiado basada en el sexo. Es la impresión que me ha dado. Una relación de segundas oportunidades. Y creo que a la autora le ha pasado lo mismo, que no sabía muy bien qué hacer y, quizás por eso, le ha robado tanto protagonismo la segunda pareja y, si me apuras, me ha dejado con ganas de más de la tercera
Una novela muy narrativa, muy recomendable, pero si buscáis, como yo, un buen romance, esta no es una opción
La parte del suspense está muy conseguida, tanto la parte de la excavación como la parte del pasado de Callie
No tengo ninguna queja tampoco con el estilo de la autora, consigue engancharte con una trama consistente
Mi gran problema ha sido la pareja protagonista, no los he visto, mucha química y atracción, y una relación demasiado basada en el sexo. Es la impresión que me ha dado. Una relación de segundas oportunidades. Y creo que a la autora le ha pasado lo mismo, que no sabía muy bien qué hacer y, quizás por eso, le ha robado tanto protagonismo la segunda pareja y, si me apuras, me ha dejado con ganas de más de la tercera
Una novela muy narrativa, muy recomendable, pero si buscáis, como yo, un buen romance, esta no es una opción
August 26, 2022
Reread2021 - 3.5 ⭐️ from 4 🌟 (read it over 10 years ago and re-read many time since.). I might’ve given it 5 🌟 when I first read it.
This is one of my favs from this author.
I wish the book focused more on the couples relationship, the cheating misunderstanding, and the break down of their marriage. This could’ve been a angsty book, but it wasn’t.
Story is 30% about the MCs relationship, and 70% about the secondary characters, h adoption and mystery/suspense.
This is one of my favs from this author.
I wish the book focused more on the couples relationship, the cheating misunderstanding, and the break down of their marriage. This could’ve been a angsty book, but it wasn’t.
Story is 30% about the MCs relationship, and 70% about the secondary characters, h adoption and mystery/suspense.
August 4, 2012
This book became one of my favorite Nora Roberts books. Roberts explores multiple sides of the kidnapped child and depicts all those conflicting feelings so well! Unfortunately, I left this review too long and have forgotten much of what I wanted to be sure to say about it.
Quick summary based on my unreliable memory: the villains were a bit one-dimensional when it all comes together. That said, it kept me guessing throughout and not in a cheap way, either. I loved the exploration of Callie and Jake's past relationship and how they needed to learn to be friends as well as lovers. Jake's journey was particularly poignant as he works out how to be strong for Callie and still able to yield when necessary. Excellent relationship dynamics, there, and true to how I understand building a real marriage works.
A note about Steamy: Again, my memory of this is vague so it didn't really stand out one way or another. I'm thinking that puts it on the low end of Roberts' steamy scale.
Quick summary based on my unreliable memory: the villains were a bit one-dimensional when it all comes together. That said, it kept me guessing throughout and not in a cheap way, either. I loved the exploration of Callie and Jake's past relationship and how they needed to learn to be friends as well as lovers. Jake's journey was particularly poignant as he works out how to be strong for Callie and still able to yield when necessary. Excellent relationship dynamics, there, and true to how I understand building a real marriage works.
A note about Steamy: Again, my memory of this is vague so it didn't really stand out one way or another. I'm thinking that puts it on the low end of Roberts' steamy scale.
August 26, 2016
Author: Nora Roberts
First published: 2003
Length: 494 pages
Setting: Contemporary, mostly at an archaeological site on Antietam Creek, near Woodsboro, Maryland.
Sex: Explicit. Infrequent. Between more than one couple.
Hero: Anthropologist
Heroine: Archaeologist.
Trigger: Child kidnapping. No abuse.
One of Roberts’ long romantic-suspense books, heavy on the story, light on the romance. Enjoyable enough for what it is.
Basically, Roberts gives us a riff on fate and circles and how what happened yesterday, happens today and will happen tomorrow is all one big thing. And on how it’s all connected.
“’It’s just weird, just one more strange connection. I pick a lawyer who’s got a thing going with my birth brother. I cop what could be one of the most important projects of my career. First my ex-husband gets hauled into it, then I find out I was born almost within spitting distance of where I’m working. My biological mother happens to be the driving force behind my favourite chocolate chip cookies and person or persons unknown throw murder and mayhem into the mix. Any one of these factors would be strange. But put them all together and -‘
“’A clusterfuck’ p.259, loc.5345
Which is kinda interesting. And the history bit is curious.
But…
The romances are very rapid. The forgiveness required between Callie and Jake, the acceptance between Suzanne and Jay. And the moving on for Lana and Doug.
There are lots of characters and I struggled to keep them straight. They would turn up for a little bit and then disappear, only to reappear at some vaguely significant moment.
And where the hell are the FBI in all this? A child goes missing 30 years before and there’s a nationwide hunt. Which Callie’s adoptive birth parents apparently miss but we’ll ignore that… When the child turns up, when you are 100% convinced it is your long lost baby, you don’t immediately ring the FBI? You don’t say “You can close the case now. She’s alive. Hurrah! and I told you so.”? Really? Or that the media wouldn't be all over it.
The book has too many aspects that beggar belief.
Yet it was still a readable Nora Roberts.
2.5 stars. Rounded down.
References:
Author: http://www.noraroberts.com/book-detai...
(ISBN 978-0-7481-2166-3)
-CR-
First published: 2003
Length: 494 pages
Setting: Contemporary, mostly at an archaeological site on Antietam Creek, near Woodsboro, Maryland.
Sex: Explicit. Infrequent. Between more than one couple.
Hero: Anthropologist
Heroine: Archaeologist.
Trigger: Child kidnapping. No abuse.
One of Roberts’ long romantic-suspense books, heavy on the story, light on the romance. Enjoyable enough for what it is.
Basically, Roberts gives us a riff on fate and circles and how what happened yesterday, happens today and will happen tomorrow is all one big thing. And on how it’s all connected.
“’It’s just weird, just one more strange connection. I pick a lawyer who’s got a thing going with my birth brother. I cop what could be one of the most important projects of my career. First my ex-husband gets hauled into it, then I find out I was born almost within spitting distance of where I’m working. My biological mother happens to be the driving force behind my favourite chocolate chip cookies and person or persons unknown throw murder and mayhem into the mix. Any one of these factors would be strange. But put them all together and -‘
“’A clusterfuck’ p.259, loc.5345
Which is kinda interesting. And the history bit is curious.
But…
The romances are very rapid. The forgiveness required between Callie and Jake, the acceptance between Suzanne and Jay. And the moving on for Lana and Doug.
There are lots of characters and I struggled to keep them straight. They would turn up for a little bit and then disappear, only to reappear at some vaguely significant moment.
And where the hell are the FBI in all this? A child goes missing 30 years before and there’s a nationwide hunt. Which Callie’s adoptive birth parents apparently miss but we’ll ignore that… When the child turns up, when you are 100% convinced it is your long lost baby, you don’t immediately ring the FBI? You don’t say “You can close the case now. She’s alive. Hurrah! and I told you so.”? Really? Or that the media wouldn't be all over it.
The book has too many aspects that beggar belief.
Yet it was still a readable Nora Roberts.
2.5 stars. Rounded down.
References:
Author: http://www.noraroberts.com/book-detai...
(ISBN 978-0-7481-2166-3)
-CR-
August 26, 2013
Another great book by Nora Roberts - definitely my favorite romance author. I never tire of reading her books over and over again....something always gets me to pull her books out and start again!!!
Birthright gives us yet another great heroine, Callie Dunbrook, an archaeologist, who arrives in a small town to study humans bones that are believed to be buried in what is suspected, sacred ground.
She's a very interesting character and so is her ex-husband, Jake Dunbrook, also an archaeologist, who joins her to assist with the dig.
There are so many plots and twists, one which is really sad. Someone in the town believes that Callie is her daughter, who had been snatched away when she was a baby and never found.
This sub-plot is so heartbreaking. Imagining someone's pain at losing a child and never knowing what had happened to her.
The investigation into the kidnapping of the baby is resolved in a very believable way.
The secondary characters are very engaging..from the old man who owns an old bookstore, to the women claiming to be Callie's mother and her perhaps brother...their feelings and thoughts are so real and you find yourself totally immersed in their lives.
Lovely story.
Birthright gives us yet another great heroine, Callie Dunbrook, an archaeologist, who arrives in a small town to study humans bones that are believed to be buried in what is suspected, sacred ground.
She's a very interesting character and so is her ex-husband, Jake Dunbrook, also an archaeologist, who joins her to assist with the dig.
There are so many plots and twists, one which is really sad. Someone in the town believes that Callie is her daughter, who had been snatched away when she was a baby and never found.
This sub-plot is so heartbreaking. Imagining someone's pain at losing a child and never knowing what had happened to her.
The investigation into the kidnapping of the baby is resolved in a very believable way.
The secondary characters are very engaging..from the old man who owns an old bookstore, to the women claiming to be Callie's mother and her perhaps brother...their feelings and thoughts are so real and you find yourself totally immersed in their lives.
Lovely story.
August 6, 2017
This is Nora at her suspenseful best. A series of circumstances brings a young archeologist into a turmoil. Since I don't want to give anything away and I don't want to repeat the synopsis I will just say that if you are sensitive to child abduction, even if it turns out ok, skip this one. Otherwise...enjoy a brilliant book by the incomparable Nora.
November 27, 2011
What I love about Nora Roberts is her focus on connections and relationships, whether they are families, lovers, friends, whatever. It's absolutely central to every story. In her trilogies, there are always 6 main characters: 3 men, 3 women. Obviously, they will pair up, but there are also deeper connections made within the group. The conflict or mystery of the plot will not get solved until all the characters work together, and there's always a part of the story that each pair works on together. There is no hero riding in on a white stallion to save the damsel in distress. There are no shrinking violets, but the women aren't anti-male help either. They have to meet in the middle and use their own unique abilities to work everything out.
Birthright isn't a trilogy, but the same rules apply. Jake and Callie join with Doug and Lana to not only protect the archeology dig, but each other from an unknown threat. (OMG, that sounds like such a cliche! Sorry, y'all.)
From the beginning, you know that a baby has been kidnapped, which will be central to the story. It sets up not only a rich plot, but a serious emotional roller coaster. If you're feeling particularly emo, my advice would be to wait it out. It's not a sad story, but I did spent a good portion doing my best impression of a puddle.
Random fact that had me fangirling: One of the main male characters was named Douglas Edward Cullen. Yup, right there on page one. Pubished before Twilight too. Fun coincidence, huh? I thought it was prety funny.
Birthright isn't a trilogy, but the same rules apply. Jake and Callie join with Doug and Lana to not only protect the archeology dig, but each other from an unknown threat. (OMG, that sounds like such a cliche! Sorry, y'all.)
From the beginning, you know that a baby has been kidnapped, which will be central to the story. It sets up not only a rich plot, but a serious emotional roller coaster. If you're feeling particularly emo, my advice would be to wait it out. It's not a sad story, but I did spent a good portion doing my best impression of a puddle.
Random fact that had me fangirling: One of the main male characters was named Douglas Edward Cullen. Yup, right there on page one. Pubished before Twilight too. Fun coincidence, huh? I thought it was prety funny.
January 14, 2012
Callie Dunbrooke is called to Woodsboro, Maryland after a skull is found by a real estate developer while clearing a site. She's an archaeologist and quickly determines the skull is a major find. Things get complicated when her ex-husband, Jake Grayson, is assigned to her excavation team and the developer gets aggressive about his work site being taken over. Vandalism escalates to things more sinister and Callie is also confronted with some surprises involving her family.
Jake and Callie's relationship is complicated and fiery. Their marriage ended a year before because of communication breakdowns and it's obvious they're not over each other. Jake is even more endearing as he is committed to doing things differently to win Callie back and, in the process of doing so, wins the hearts of readers. His support of Callie when she's dealt some pretty emotional personal blows was unwavering and done in a way that best suited her needs. Roberts does her typical great job of crafting a compelling hero but falls a bit short with Callie, who comes across as difficult and insensitive instead of the competent, self-assured woman that you'd imagine she is in actuality. It was one of the issues for me with this story and I found myself overcompensating to make the romance work.
There were actually three relationships involved in this story, which made it even more interesting and engaging. Additionally, the subplot involving Callie's personal background added quite a bit of tension and substance. Lastly, the mystery surrounding the sinister events at the dig site provided more layers to this complicated story. The complexities of the relationships were at the forefront and Roberts struck the right balance between them and they converged seamlessly. While I learned about the archaelogical process, I didn't feel overwhelmed by it and it provided a good backdrop for the story.
I really liked this book and its emphasis on characters, relationships and family. The personal trauma the characters faced were heartbreaking and their reactions were realistically drawn. I liked the people in the story, even Callie, in spite of the flaws in how she was characterized. It's an extremely interesting book and is now one of my favorites.
Jake and Callie's relationship is complicated and fiery. Their marriage ended a year before because of communication breakdowns and it's obvious they're not over each other. Jake is even more endearing as he is committed to doing things differently to win Callie back and, in the process of doing so, wins the hearts of readers. His support of Callie when she's dealt some pretty emotional personal blows was unwavering and done in a way that best suited her needs. Roberts does her typical great job of crafting a compelling hero but falls a bit short with Callie, who comes across as difficult and insensitive instead of the competent, self-assured woman that you'd imagine she is in actuality. It was one of the issues for me with this story and I found myself overcompensating to make the romance work.
There were actually three relationships involved in this story, which made it even more interesting and engaging. Additionally, the subplot involving Callie's personal background added quite a bit of tension and substance. Lastly, the mystery surrounding the sinister events at the dig site provided more layers to this complicated story. The complexities of the relationships were at the forefront and Roberts struck the right balance between them and they converged seamlessly. While I learned about the archaelogical process, I didn't feel overwhelmed by it and it provided a good backdrop for the story.
I really liked this book and its emphasis on characters, relationships and family. The personal trauma the characters faced were heartbreaking and their reactions were realistically drawn. I liked the people in the story, even Callie, in spite of the flaws in how she was characterized. It's an extremely interesting book and is now one of my favorites.
January 11, 2026
I disagree with myself on this second read. I don’t think the mystery fizzled, at all. Yes, it seems she did all the investigating, but that’s because there wasn’t time for the law to pitch in…
<4
Really good romance, great characters, intriguing plot. The mystery though fizzled terribly. Such a story deserved good, believable, 'normal' evil. You know, that kind of evil that makes this story unfortunately true-life.
I wanted much more from the suspense side, such a story (again) would bring down the FBI and droves of press. Here everything was left to archeologists... Not even the sheriff pitched in. :)
Still a very good read.
<4
Really good romance, great characters, intriguing plot. The mystery though fizzled terribly. Such a story deserved good, believable, 'normal' evil. You know, that kind of evil that makes this story unfortunately true-life.
I wanted much more from the suspense side, such a story (again) would bring down the FBI and droves of press. Here everything was left to archeologists... Not even the sheriff pitched in. :)
Still a very good read.
November 15, 2017
Por fin he terminado esta novela. Que no está mal, pero no la considero romántica. Es un thriller de intriga con historias de amor de por medio, pero a mi entender no es una historia de amor en sí misma. De hecho, las partes de parejitas me las pasaba rápido al leer, y no digamos las escenas de sexo. Y esto es porque no es lo más interesante de la trama, sino lo que menos. Que una está deseando saber quién es el malo de la película. Si mientras tanto se lían o se deslían es lo de menos, porque tampoco es que sean relaciones que interesen mucho. Que sí, que si segundas oportunidades, que si blablablá, pero pesa más la intriga, así que se lee mejor como novela con tintes policíacos que como historia romántica. Otro RITA que no entiendo, y no por calidad, sino por contenido. Un teleflín entretenido sin más. A mí no me han llegado las historias de las parejas, son más que predecibles. Le voy a dar tres estrellas como libro en sí, pero insisto en que no he leído una novela romántica. Anda que no hay historias de otros géneros con relaciones entre los protagonistas y no son catalogadas dentro de la romántica...
May 29, 2017
3,5 estrellas para esta entretenida novela, más de corte narrativo que romántico, en la que la autora nos presenta una historia de búsqueda de la verdad sobre algo que ocurrió hace más de 25 años y que marcó la vida de muchas personas. Sí tenemos historia (historias realmente) de amor, pero no es el eje principal de la novela.
Es la primera novela que leo de esta autora y me ha gustado su manejo de la historia, que me ha recordado al estilo de otras autoras estadounidenses que escriben romántica. Supongo que tienen algo en común a la hora de construir la trama, de llevarla desde el comienzo hasta el final, y a la manera de relacionarse los personajes. Me ha sorprendido la falta de intensidad romántica.
Pronto opinión completa en el blog
Es la primera novela que leo de esta autora y me ha gustado su manejo de la historia, que me ha recordado al estilo de otras autoras estadounidenses que escriben romántica. Supongo que tienen algo en común a la hora de construir la trama, de llevarla desde el comienzo hasta el final, y a la manera de relacionarse los personajes. Me ha sorprendido la falta de intensidad romántica.
Pronto opinión completa en el blog
January 31, 2017
#Retorita
En primer lugar, estoy muy contenta que me haya gustado este libro y además he disfrutado. Esta escritora la tenía tirria (bueno todavía andaré con pies de plomo con ella).
Ha sido una lectura rápida en algunos aspectos, en otros se me ha hecho un tanto pesado, ya que repetía muchas cosas, y siempre de los mismo. Sé que era para recalcar algunos asuntos, pero me ha sobrado.
La intriga durante todo el libro ha sido gran parte responsable de que le dé las cuatro estrellas, he de ser sincera, ésta mujer es muy buena en lo suyo, y lo que es del Cesar......
Por otro lado, las relaciones de pareja que aparecen aquí han estado muyyy bien. Diferentes todas, con su forma de llevar una relación. Ha sido muy bonito como cada pareja se ha enfrentado cada una a sus problemas, como han ido avanzando, intentando mejorar y llegar a buen término. Una, intentando suavizar su tremenda pasión y hacerla más sosegada, para así poder estar juntos. Otra ha sido fantástica, como han planteado su deseo, atracción y finalmente su amor, con una naturalidad maravillosa. Y otra, donde ha debido de pasar tiempo y sucesos, para dar un giro y volverse a mirar a los ojos y verse de otra forma.
También me ha gustado como ha planteado, un hecho durísimo para una familia, y nos ha dado las formas tanta dispares en que cada uno se ha enfrentado a ello. Y por último, ese suceso, a mí personalmente me da en la fibra sensible, al ser madre me he involucrado muchísimo en ello, y sinceramente sufro mucho cuando hay de por medio niños.
En primer lugar, estoy muy contenta que me haya gustado este libro y además he disfrutado. Esta escritora la tenía tirria (bueno todavía andaré con pies de plomo con ella).
Ha sido una lectura rápida en algunos aspectos, en otros se me ha hecho un tanto pesado, ya que repetía muchas cosas, y siempre de los mismo. Sé que era para recalcar algunos asuntos, pero me ha sobrado.
La intriga durante todo el libro ha sido gran parte responsable de que le dé las cuatro estrellas, he de ser sincera, ésta mujer es muy buena en lo suyo, y lo que es del Cesar......
Por otro lado, las relaciones de pareja que aparecen aquí han estado muyyy bien. Diferentes todas, con su forma de llevar una relación. Ha sido muy bonito como cada pareja se ha enfrentado cada una a sus problemas, como han ido avanzando, intentando mejorar y llegar a buen término. Una, intentando suavizar su tremenda pasión y hacerla más sosegada, para así poder estar juntos. Otra ha sido fantástica, como han planteado su deseo, atracción y finalmente su amor, con una naturalidad maravillosa. Y otra, donde ha debido de pasar tiempo y sucesos, para dar un giro y volverse a mirar a los ojos y verse de otra forma.
También me ha gustado como ha planteado, un hecho durísimo para una familia, y nos ha dado las formas tanta dispares en que cada uno se ha enfrentado a ello. Y por último, ese suceso, a mí personalmente me da en la fibra sensible, al ser madre me he involucrado muchísimo en ello, y sinceramente sufro mucho cuando hay de por medio niños.
January 27, 2016
Apparently Seconal is to Nora Roberts as arsenic is to Agatha Christie.
More relevantly, this book has good people: Callie, who's a uniquely peppery, brilliant, confused professional; Jake, who's as smart and compelling; Doug, who's a quiet, fabulous supporting character; and Lana, who's mostly a stereotype but who has the greatest kid. There are both moms - and then there's the wackiest, conspiracy-est, most convoluted string of crimes I've read in a long while. (And keep in mind that I just read The Villa this past weekend.) And it comes with a very far-fetched conclusion, too.
Massively detailed interconnected plots are interesting as a mental exercise, but I don't much like reading them. There's too much story, and too much symmetry, and it's too big and widespread to be believable.
More relevantly, this book has good people: Callie, who's a uniquely peppery, brilliant, confused professional; Jake, who's as smart and compelling; Doug, who's a quiet, fabulous supporting character; and Lana, who's mostly a stereotype but who has the greatest kid. There are both moms - and then there's the wackiest, conspiracy-est, most convoluted string of crimes I've read in a long while. (And keep in mind that I just read The Villa this past weekend.) And it comes with a very far-fetched conclusion, too.
Massively detailed interconnected plots are interesting as a mental exercise, but I don't much like reading them. There's too much story, and too much symmetry, and it's too big and widespread to be believable.
October 17, 2019
Ok, I usually like NR books, but this one...somehow didn't workout for me. The book got me tired,finished it and was glad when I did. The plotline had potential and sounded really good but I found it slow, the mystery was not something special for me neither the villain (the real reason behind the murders was so farfetched it didn't make any sense neither did the end of the story), I didn't like the two main characters and there was too much pointless conversation between them, endless whining and hand-wringing. It had some emotional parts but I think it could have been more.
August 13, 2017
So much detail.
I just couldn't make myself care. Ultimately that's what it came down to. Regardless of how things turned out I didn't care.
I just couldn't make myself care. Ultimately that's what it came down to. Regardless of how things turned out I didn't care.
May 28, 2019
Somewhat better than a 3.5 star book, but not exactly what I wanted to read. Still, it was entertaining nonetheless!
August 29, 2015
Good story. Kept my interest. Audiobook narrator was fabulous.
I had a few quibbles: Things dragged and were repetitive when the mother talked about her grief and angst over her baby’s kidnapping. Heroine was stupid to chase a bad guy with a gun when her only weapon was a can of insecticide spray. I wanted to see how the bad guy was able to get victims tied up in the final scene. It was hard to believe.
But still, I enjoyed it. There is mystery about who kidnapped the baby. There is suspense and murder. There are two romances happening. There is a happy ending.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Bernadette Quigley was fabulous. She does so many voices differently and well. And her voices for men were sexy. And no annoying breaths. She used good recording equipment. I will look for other books she narrates.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 16 hrs. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words but rarely used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: about 6. Setting: current day mostly western Maryland plus other US locations. Book copyright: 2003. Genre: romantic suspense.
I had a few quibbles: Things dragged and were repetitive when the mother talked about her grief and angst over her baby’s kidnapping. Heroine was stupid to chase a bad guy with a gun when her only weapon was a can of insecticide spray. I wanted to see how the bad guy was able to get victims tied up in the final scene. It was hard to believe.
But still, I enjoyed it. There is mystery about who kidnapped the baby. There is suspense and murder. There are two romances happening. There is a happy ending.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Bernadette Quigley was fabulous. She does so many voices differently and well. And her voices for men were sexy. And no annoying breaths. She used good recording equipment. I will look for other books she narrates.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 16 hrs. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words but rarely used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: about 6. Setting: current day mostly western Maryland plus other US locations. Book copyright: 2003. Genre: romantic suspense.
April 15, 2020
One of Roberts' better stand-alone novels. Likeable characters, interesting plot twists.
2018 - Somehow it's not quite a 4-star book. Some really improbable bits (can't describe - spoilers). A couple of the characters are nearly too nice to be real, but I wouldn't call them Mary-Sue types; they do have flaws and they're discussed in the story.
Still, a decent read, some interesting info about archaeology without getting technical, and the devious bad people who kidnap and sell babies get theirs.
2018 - Somehow it's not quite a 4-star book. Some really improbable bits (can't describe - spoilers). A couple of the characters are nearly too nice to be real, but I wouldn't call them Mary-Sue types; they do have flaws and they're discussed in the story.
Still, a decent read, some interesting info about archaeology without getting technical, and the devious bad people who kidnap and sell babies get theirs.
February 2, 2021
Interesting story ... second chance romance for married and divorced H and h ...
Both H and h are snarky people with lots of attitude so they clash
There are 2 interesting back stories going on ... and I got a bit tired ... there seemed to be so many shenanigans going on right to the end and I was just waiting for the ending ...
Both H and h are snarky people with lots of attitude so they clash
There are 2 interesting back stories going on ... and I got a bit tired ... there seemed to be so many shenanigans going on right to the end and I was just waiting for the ending ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2017
Second time around and still loved it...review to come...
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