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Vengeance in Texas #1
A Widow's Guilty Secret
"Watch over my baby."
As the mother of a newborn, Suzy Burris is accustomed to sleepless nights. But tonight, she's waiting up for her husband, Peter, to tell him she wants a divorce. Instead, she learns he's been murdered. And the sexy detective who's just delivered the shocking news is asking questions indicating she's a suspect.
When Detective Nick Jeffries left Houston for the sleepy town of Vengeance, Texas, he hoped to leave behind the city's grisly homicides. The latest triple murder to hit his desk nixes that idea. Being attracted to the widow of one of the victims is the last thing he needs. But when Suzy and her baby are threatened, he'll risk all to keep them from a killer's crosshairs….
As the mother of a newborn, Suzy Burris is accustomed to sleepless nights. But tonight, she's waiting up for her husband, Peter, to tell him she wants a divorce. Instead, she learns he's been murdered. And the sexy detective who's just delivered the shocking news is asking questions indicating she's a suspect.
When Detective Nick Jeffries left Houston for the sleepy town of Vengeance, Texas, he hoped to leave behind the city's grisly homicides. The latest triple murder to hit his desk nixes that idea. Being attracted to the widow of one of the victims is the last thing he needs. But when Suzy and her baby are threatened, he'll risk all to keep them from a killer's crosshairs….
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 18, 2012
19 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Marie Ferrarella
1,230 books276 followersMarie Rydzynski-Ferrarella
aka Marie Charles, Marie Michael, Marie Nicole, Marie Ferrarella
Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York.
Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress.
Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today.
After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says.
In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.
aka Marie Charles, Marie Michael, Marie Nicole, Marie Ferrarella
Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York.
Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress.
Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today.
After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says.
In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.
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June 28, 2016
He realized that he was attracted to this women, DEEPLY attracted. Moreover, it wasn't just her delicate looks that had hooked and reeled him in, it was her underlying vulnerability, which he could see she tried to cover up at all costs.
But the very existence of that vulnerability awakened his dormant protective streak, a streak he had thought he'd successfully laid to rest more than a few years ago.
Okay, this book is horrible. Let's break it down.
Even though romantic suspense should be both romantic and suspenseful, Harlequin usually fails on both counts which is why I usually avoid this line of Harlequin. These Harlequins are especially bad because BOTH the 'good guys' - cops, FBI, whatever - and the bad guys are incredibly stupid. If you, the reader, who is neither a cop nor a criminal, is outthinking these suckers, it's bad. And it's REALLY bad. In trying to do both romance and suspense, this line succeeds at neither.
In this book, we start off with one set of characters in the prologue - social justice activist and professor Melinda Grayson getting kidnapped and her ex-husband, billionaire oil baron Gabe Dawson. But the actual book is about Nick Jeffries and Suzy Burris.
Suzy is waiting for her philandering husband to get home. She is going to tell him she wants a divorce. She had a baby two months ago to try and fix her marriage, but it didn't work (seldom does) and she's fed up with her cheating husband.
The baby was supposed to have been that light, and his conception and subsequent birth clearly was a tactic that had misfired.
The baby had been a mistake.
Not that she didn't love Andy more than she'd ever thought humanly possible, but as far as his being the miracle that would heal and save their marriage, well, that just wasn't going to happen.
She didn't even love her husband. She just married him for... no real reason.
When he'd asked her to marry him, she'd accepted because she'd hoped that her own feelings would grow somewhere along the line and turn into the kind of love that was the foundation of every strong marriage.
She'd said "I do" praying that would somehow trigger the everlasting love she'd secretly always dreamed about.
When the doorbell rings she opens it but instead of Peter it's Detective Nick Jeffries telling her her husband has just been found murdered.
This is one of the most boring books I've ever read. Also, everyone in it is an idiot. There's absolutely no character development, and what little I saw of Nick and Suzy was not really making me happy.
He's pissed and bitter because his ex-wife aborted their baby without telling him.
Suzy is described as under 100 pounds. She wears four-inch heels while at home, alone, taking care of her infant son. I mean... what? WHAT? Also, she loves cooking and is "amazing" and "magic" at laundry and getting out stains. This combination (heel-wearing domestic goddess) sends Nick Jeffries into paroxysms of lust.
He had a razor-sharp mind when it came to solving crimes. Common everyday things, though, like cooking or doing laundry, turned out to be far more of a challenge for him than he was happy about.
She's always fainting when Nick tells her horrible stuff about her husband and he's always catching her.
He caught himself thinking that for a woman who'd given birth two months ago, she certainly had regained one hell of a figure. That in turn made him wonder what kind of fool the sheriff must have been, to go tomcatting around when he had THAT waiting for him at home.
That's not what cheating is about, you moron. Men married to super-hot women still cheat, it has nothing to do with how "hot" your partner is, and everything about power and entitlement and thrills.
Suzy's husband has been dead less than 24 hours. He's not even cold yet and Suzy and Nick are making eyes at each other. I realize her husband was a piece of trash, but COME ON.
The heroes also do incredibly moronic things. For instance, a man calls and threatens to slit Suzy and her baby's throat. Less than an hour later Suzy has left the baby with her sister and is going to the bank with Nick to investigate shit. I can't even imagine a woman who'd leave her infant at home literally an hour after getting a death threat on him. And I've known some pretty shitty mothers. Why on earth couldn't they take the baby with them to the bank? Answer: Because the baby needs to be kidnapped and the author makes her heroes idiots to make this happen. THEN, when Suzy finds out about her baby and sister being kidnapped, she's all
"This is my family," she told him as she drew away and stood her ground. "It's up to me to find them." She lifted her chin defiantly. "This isn't your fight."
Ummmm.... he's a COP. A COP. Are you going to get your sister and baby back without the help of the POLICE?!?!! And what do you expect him to do, just say, "Okay" and leave?!?!?!
THEN, they have sex. Yes... her husband died two days ago, her sister and baby have been kidnapped, and she's having SEX with some guy she met yesterday. I mean, what?!?!!? What the fuck?!!?!?
I'm just baffled. Even after she gets the kid back - she checks him for injuries and holds him - then hands him off to her sister so she and Nick can talk about love and kiss and stuff. I mean, you wouldn't be able to pry that kid out of my hands if I had been through what this woman had been through, but she's all la-dee-dah.
The villain is also a complete and utter moron but I won't go into it. It's too stupid.
Mr. Detective is also a moron. And a shitty cop who doesn't do his fucking job.
Everyone is a moron.
How's the sex, Carmen?
You have to be joking. This is Marie Ferrarella we're talking about here. And their having sex RIGHT AFTER HER SISTER AND BABY HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED AND ARE STILL MISSING. Excerpt under the spoiler tag.
I don't know, there's just nothing sexy or even remotely interesting about this.
Tl;dr - This is my fault for picking up a Marie Ferrarella book again. She's never done anything for me. But this is a series penned by different authors and she just happened to be the first in the lineup.
Boring, full of morons, frustrating. Do not read.
"We're in this thing together, and I intend to help find them and bring your sister and your baby back home whether you want my help or not."...
"Of course I want you," she responded with feeling, then realized a crucial word was missing and corrected herself. "I mean, of course I want your HELP." And then she tried to salvage the moment - and disarm it as well - by saying, "For one thing, your gun's bigger."
But it was too late. Both of them were aware of her slip of the tongue and what it meant when she'd told him she wanted him.
Just as he wanted her.
This, Nick realized, would be one tricky high-wire act to negotiate.
^^ You've got to be kidding me with this shit. Horrible writing.
P.S. Ferrarella cannot leave behind the "force feeding" she puts in every book.
"I don't think I can keep anything down."
"But you'll give it a good try," he said in a voice that told her she really had no choice in the matter.
Fuck you, Nick. This isn't as bad as the shit that goes down in Real Vintage Maverick, but it's angering me.
P.P.S. That fucker leaves her after a night of sex to wake up in a cold bed. He does leave a note, but I'm angry with him.
But the very existence of that vulnerability awakened his dormant protective streak, a streak he had thought he'd successfully laid to rest more than a few years ago.
Okay, this book is horrible. Let's break it down.
Even though romantic suspense should be both romantic and suspenseful, Harlequin usually fails on both counts which is why I usually avoid this line of Harlequin. These Harlequins are especially bad because BOTH the 'good guys' - cops, FBI, whatever - and the bad guys are incredibly stupid. If you, the reader, who is neither a cop nor a criminal, is outthinking these suckers, it's bad. And it's REALLY bad. In trying to do both romance and suspense, this line succeeds at neither.
In this book, we start off with one set of characters in the prologue - social justice activist and professor Melinda Grayson getting kidnapped and her ex-husband, billionaire oil baron Gabe Dawson. But the actual book is about Nick Jeffries and Suzy Burris.
Suzy is waiting for her philandering husband to get home. She is going to tell him she wants a divorce. She had a baby two months ago to try and fix her marriage, but it didn't work (seldom does) and she's fed up with her cheating husband.
The baby was supposed to have been that light, and his conception and subsequent birth clearly was a tactic that had misfired.
The baby had been a mistake.
Not that she didn't love Andy more than she'd ever thought humanly possible, but as far as his being the miracle that would heal and save their marriage, well, that just wasn't going to happen.
She didn't even love her husband. She just married him for... no real reason.
When he'd asked her to marry him, she'd accepted because she'd hoped that her own feelings would grow somewhere along the line and turn into the kind of love that was the foundation of every strong marriage.
She'd said "I do" praying that would somehow trigger the everlasting love she'd secretly always dreamed about.
When the doorbell rings she opens it but instead of Peter it's Detective Nick Jeffries telling her her husband has just been found murdered.
This is one of the most boring books I've ever read. Also, everyone in it is an idiot. There's absolutely no character development, and what little I saw of Nick and Suzy was not really making me happy.
He's pissed and bitter because his ex-wife aborted their baby without telling him.
Suzy is described as under 100 pounds. She wears four-inch heels while at home, alone, taking care of her infant son. I mean... what? WHAT? Also, she loves cooking and is "amazing" and "magic" at laundry and getting out stains. This combination (heel-wearing domestic goddess) sends Nick Jeffries into paroxysms of lust.
He had a razor-sharp mind when it came to solving crimes. Common everyday things, though, like cooking or doing laundry, turned out to be far more of a challenge for him than he was happy about.
She's always fainting when Nick tells her horrible stuff about her husband and he's always catching her.
He caught himself thinking that for a woman who'd given birth two months ago, she certainly had regained one hell of a figure. That in turn made him wonder what kind of fool the sheriff must have been, to go tomcatting around when he had THAT waiting for him at home.
That's not what cheating is about, you moron. Men married to super-hot women still cheat, it has nothing to do with how "hot" your partner is, and everything about power and entitlement and thrills.
Suzy's husband has been dead less than 24 hours. He's not even cold yet and Suzy and Nick are making eyes at each other. I realize her husband was a piece of trash, but COME ON.
The heroes also do incredibly moronic things. For instance, a man calls and threatens to slit Suzy and her baby's throat. Less than an hour later Suzy has left the baby with her sister and is going to the bank with Nick to investigate shit. I can't even imagine a woman who'd leave her infant at home literally an hour after getting a death threat on him. And I've known some pretty shitty mothers. Why on earth couldn't they take the baby with them to the bank? Answer: Because the baby needs to be kidnapped and the author makes her heroes idiots to make this happen. THEN, when Suzy finds out about her baby and sister being kidnapped, she's all
"This is my family," she told him as she drew away and stood her ground. "It's up to me to find them." She lifted her chin defiantly. "This isn't your fight."
Ummmm.... he's a COP. A COP. Are you going to get your sister and baby back without the help of the POLICE?!?!! And what do you expect him to do, just say, "Okay" and leave?!?!?!
THEN, they have sex. Yes... her husband died two days ago, her sister and baby have been kidnapped, and she's having SEX with some guy she met yesterday. I mean, what?!?!!? What the fuck?!!?!?
I'm just baffled. Even after she gets the kid back - she checks him for injuries and holds him - then hands him off to her sister so she and Nick can talk about love and kiss and stuff. I mean, you wouldn't be able to pry that kid out of my hands if I had been through what this woman had been through, but she's all la-dee-dah.
The villain is also a complete and utter moron but I won't go into it. It's too stupid.
Mr. Detective is also a moron. And a shitty cop who doesn't do his fucking job.
Everyone is a moron.
How's the sex, Carmen?
You have to be joking. This is Marie Ferrarella we're talking about here. And their having sex RIGHT AFTER HER SISTER AND BABY HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED AND ARE STILL MISSING. Excerpt under the spoiler tag.
I don't know, there's just nothing sexy or even remotely interesting about this.
Tl;dr - This is my fault for picking up a Marie Ferrarella book again. She's never done anything for me. But this is a series penned by different authors and she just happened to be the first in the lineup.
Boring, full of morons, frustrating. Do not read.
"We're in this thing together, and I intend to help find them and bring your sister and your baby back home whether you want my help or not."...
"Of course I want you," she responded with feeling, then realized a crucial word was missing and corrected herself. "I mean, of course I want your HELP." And then she tried to salvage the moment - and disarm it as well - by saying, "For one thing, your gun's bigger."
But it was too late. Both of them were aware of her slip of the tongue and what it meant when she'd told him she wanted him.
Just as he wanted her.
This, Nick realized, would be one tricky high-wire act to negotiate.
^^ You've got to be kidding me with this shit. Horrible writing.
P.S. Ferrarella cannot leave behind the "force feeding" she puts in every book.
"I don't think I can keep anything down."
"But you'll give it a good try," he said in a voice that told her she really had no choice in the matter.
Fuck you, Nick. This isn't as bad as the shit that goes down in Real Vintage Maverick, but it's angering me.
P.P.S. That fucker leaves her after a night of sex to wake up in a cold bed. He does leave a note, but I'm angry with him.
November 22, 2015
Very good book. There was some very intense emotion and action in this book. Eve came home to the ranch after an attack left her disfigured. Now she's pretty much hiding out afraid of peoples' reactions if they see what she looks like now. Thanks to the recent threats against her she has hired JP to protect her. At first she doesn't let him see her either, but he soon wins her trust. I really liked the way she was able to open up to him. She was also surprised by JP's reaction when he did see her and it went a long way toward making her trust him. That trust also added to the stronger feelings she was developing for him. Eve's feelings for him also gave her the courage to come out into the light and face the people who worked for her and then to go back to LA and face her future there. JP's last FBI mission had ended badly and now that he is working for himself he is determined that nothing will happen to her on his watch. When he is attacked his first night on the ranch and further attacks on him and Eve happen he knows the danger is intensifying. He also knows that he is feeling more for her than is wise, but he can't stop it. I loved the way that he saw past her surface damage to the person she was underneath and was able to show her how strong she was. He also knew that they had a connection that she was going to be devastated by when he finally gets around to telling her. There were some interesting twists to the events in the book, some of which I suspected and a couple I didn't.
December 12, 2018
Suzy Burris has had enough of her husbands deceptions. Now with a young child to take care of, she is ready to proceed with divorce. That all changes when Detective Nick Jeffries shows up on her doorstep letting her know that her husband has been murdered.
A potential suspect, Nick knows he should not have feelings for Suzy but as the clues lead to somewhere else he acts on his feelings. Will Suzy feel the same?
This one was okay, I think it was hard to wrap your head around a romance between these two under the circumstances. Had potential though.
A potential suspect, Nick knows he should not have feelings for Suzy but as the clues lead to somewhere else he acts on his feelings. Will Suzy feel the same?
This one was okay, I think it was hard to wrap your head around a romance between these two under the circumstances. Had potential though.
December 31, 2012
Widow's Guilty Secret by Marie Ferrarella
3 STARS
A Widow's Guilty Secret(Vengeance In Texas)
I don't know if this is first book in the series. But I think it is.
In the Prologue Professor Melinda Grayson is kidnapped. Then we hear in a few sentences later in the book mentioned about her is all.
Then this story is about a Suzy Burris brand new mother of two months waiting for her husband Peter the Sheriff to come home because she wants a divorce. Suzy thinks her cheating on her, keeping secrets, hardly talking or sharing anything with her.
In the quiet town of Vengeance three dead bodies each buried in thier own grave have been murdered. One body is the Sheriff, another a Senator & a third man. each have a card with liar on it in thier pockets.
Nick Jeffries has moved to this small town after working in Houston. He gets to tell the Sheriff's wife that she is now a widow. He interviews her at her house.
I felt like I was missing a lot and maybe I missed a book I know that the next book in the series is written by a different author.
I just have a tough time with Suzy. She just gets told her husband is murdered and the next day is feeding the detective two meals. Some other things happen that I don;t want to give away the book but she sleeps with Nick. It just was hard for me to believe that they were acting like that at that time.
Nick sleeping with a murdered Sheriff's wife just days later. Just could not buy the story. I know when I was told my husband was dead it was a stressful time.
I usually really like Marie's books and will continue to read her work. Maybe with the next book in the series it will all tie in better.
Thier are some love scenes,funny scenes and was cop's gag scene.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review by Netgalley.
Publisher: Harlequin (December 18, 2012) 288 pages ISBN-10: 0373278063
3 STARS
A Widow's Guilty Secret(Vengeance In Texas)
I don't know if this is first book in the series. But I think it is.
In the Prologue Professor Melinda Grayson is kidnapped. Then we hear in a few sentences later in the book mentioned about her is all.
Then this story is about a Suzy Burris brand new mother of two months waiting for her husband Peter the Sheriff to come home because she wants a divorce. Suzy thinks her cheating on her, keeping secrets, hardly talking or sharing anything with her.
In the quiet town of Vengeance three dead bodies each buried in thier own grave have been murdered. One body is the Sheriff, another a Senator & a third man. each have a card with liar on it in thier pockets.
Nick Jeffries has moved to this small town after working in Houston. He gets to tell the Sheriff's wife that she is now a widow. He interviews her at her house.
I felt like I was missing a lot and maybe I missed a book I know that the next book in the series is written by a different author.
I just have a tough time with Suzy. She just gets told her husband is murdered and the next day is feeding the detective two meals. Some other things happen that I don;t want to give away the book but she sleeps with Nick. It just was hard for me to believe that they were acting like that at that time.
Nick sleeping with a murdered Sheriff's wife just days later. Just could not buy the story. I know when I was told my husband was dead it was a stressful time.
I usually really like Marie's books and will continue to read her work. Maybe with the next book in the series it will all tie in better.
Thier are some love scenes,funny scenes and was cop's gag scene.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review by Netgalley.
Publisher: Harlequin (December 18, 2012) 288 pages ISBN-10: 0373278063
September 17, 2019
This is one of the best books I’ve read. It's the second time I've read it, and loved it this time, as much as I did the first time I read it. Suzy’s husband was found in a shallow grave. Detective Nick came to tell her the news. He was the lead detective on the case, trying to find out who killed Suzy’s husband who was the sheriff of the small town. This book was emotional, heartwarming, and funny in parts. It also had action that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the steamy parts of the story. I also loved Nick's since of humor.
Sample from Chapter 12.
Panic ripped through Suzy as she stifled the involuntary cry that rose to her lips. She was out of the car before Nick could stop her and she ran to the house. The door wasn’t locked. “Suzy, wait!” Nick called after her angrily, his gun already drawn. “damn it, Listen to me,” He shouted at her, fear getting the better of him. He sprinted from the car to the house. Catching up to her, he grabbed Suzy by the arm and stopped her in her tracks before she could cross the threshold. There was no telling if the killer was inside, waiting for her. “Getting yourself killed isn’t going to help anyone,” Nick snapped. She didn’t care about her own safety. It was her baby and her sister she was worried about. “Lori!” Suzy shouted. “Lori, are you there? Answer me!” The only answer was the echo of silence.
Sample from Chapter 12.
Panic ripped through Suzy as she stifled the involuntary cry that rose to her lips. She was out of the car before Nick could stop her and she ran to the house. The door wasn’t locked. “Suzy, wait!” Nick called after her angrily, his gun already drawn. “damn it, Listen to me,” He shouted at her, fear getting the better of him. He sprinted from the car to the house. Catching up to her, he grabbed Suzy by the arm and stopped her in her tracks before she could cross the threshold. There was no telling if the killer was inside, waiting for her. “Getting yourself killed isn’t going to help anyone,” Nick snapped. She didn’t care about her own safety. It was her baby and her sister she was worried about. “Lori!” Suzy shouted. “Lori, are you there? Answer me!” The only answer was the echo of silence.
January 13, 2013
Grrr! Another book with a continuing storyline. Not all issues were addressed in the book and so I felt it was unfinished. The story itself was okay but not very believable. Suzy Burris is a new mother and wants a divorce from her sheriff husband who she suspects is messing around on her. Enter Detective Nick Jeffries who has come to inform her that her husband is dead. There is mention of a woman being kidnapped but I haven't figured out how she plays a part in the story. Too many unanswered questions.
October 12, 2014
I thought there would a bit of suspense and not all the story lines were resolved. Clearly meant to be a continuing series. It was just an okay read.
Read
March 31, 2022Just started..seems interesting
May 20, 2024
Murder divorce kidnapping love
When they came to tell Suzy her husband was dead. Nick knew she wasn't telling them everything.
A very good story with too many loose ends
When they came to tell Suzy her husband was dead. Nick knew she wasn't telling them everything.
A very good story with too many loose ends
December 12, 2012
A Widow’s Guilty Secret
By Marie Ferrarella
★★
Suzie Burris is waiting for her husband to get home so she can ask for a divorce. Having agreed to have a child to try to connect with each other she is now the new mother of a two month old baby and has had enough of her philandering husband. As Suzie is anxiously waiting for her husband Detective Nick Jeffries shows up to inform her that her husband has been murdered.
I usually like what Harlequin releases, this is one of those instances where it was a miss for me. Granted Marie Ferrerella is a great author, she does a wonderful job in bringing her story fully to life. The problem is the story itself. First off you have a woman who has just given birth and whose husband has just been murdered but she is constantly taking off and leaving her two month old son with her sister. Then you take into account that this is a romance novel and she will inevitably fall in love with the detective, again I see what the author is trying to say that the marriage has been over for a while but her husband died what a few hours ago and she is falling for someone else? I think that if the author had switched Suzie and her sister Lori characters with each other she would have had a much better novel. The third problem I have follows the not so subtle:
**Spoiler Alert**
The absolutely biggest problem I had was when as you may have predicted her son and sister are kidnapped. And what does a grieving widow whose child is in danger do? You guessed it, have passionate sex with the man who is supposed to be working on her husband’s case. Wait what?
**End Spoiler Alert**
Unfortunately I did not like this book which is rare from me as I said I usually like what Harlequin puts out there, this one was just too much. There’s drama then there is “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
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By Marie Ferrarella
★★
Suzie Burris is waiting for her husband to get home so she can ask for a divorce. Having agreed to have a child to try to connect with each other she is now the new mother of a two month old baby and has had enough of her philandering husband. As Suzie is anxiously waiting for her husband Detective Nick Jeffries shows up to inform her that her husband has been murdered.
I usually like what Harlequin releases, this is one of those instances where it was a miss for me. Granted Marie Ferrerella is a great author, she does a wonderful job in bringing her story fully to life. The problem is the story itself. First off you have a woman who has just given birth and whose husband has just been murdered but she is constantly taking off and leaving her two month old son with her sister. Then you take into account that this is a romance novel and she will inevitably fall in love with the detective, again I see what the author is trying to say that the marriage has been over for a while but her husband died what a few hours ago and she is falling for someone else? I think that if the author had switched Suzie and her sister Lori characters with each other she would have had a much better novel. The third problem I have follows the not so subtle:
**Spoiler Alert**
The absolutely biggest problem I had was when as you may have predicted her son and sister are kidnapped. And what does a grieving widow whose child is in danger do? You guessed it, have passionate sex with the man who is supposed to be working on her husband’s case. Wait what?
**End Spoiler Alert**
Unfortunately I did not like this book which is rare from me as I said I usually like what Harlequin puts out there, this one was just too much. There’s drama then there is “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
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January 31, 2013
*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I was disappointed with this book. When I read its synopsis I expected an exciting romantic thriller but the truth is... it's not that exciting. I mean, we do have the troubled hero, the police detective with a sad past and the helpless heroine whose world crumbles down, but I just could not engage with the characters or the story.
Suzy came across as someone with very little personality, that went around life on the whim of other people. She didn't love her husband and didn't really wanted to marry him but did it anyway when he asked her. Then she knew the marriage was not going well but went along with his idea of having a baby. And it just seemed like too much of a match made in heaven for Nick to get a wife and a son all at once.
Plus there's some problems of continuity with the story. One example (but there's more): one scene where Suzy has to leave the house undetected she decides to escape through the back and then get in a cab but on the next chapter she's in her car.
Another thing I didn't get was the title cause this widow had no secrets, guilty or otherwise... Her dead husband was the one with the secrets!
Then there's the fact that we don't get full closure, since we don't get to know who's behind the murders and even the why is not fully explained. And there's the kidnapping victim whose faith is also left unexplained. But since this is the first in a series, and I already saw that the next one will focus on the third murder victim, I'm expecting all will be revealed then.
A fast and easy read that had potencial to achieve much more but sadly just doesn't really reach it.
I was disappointed with this book. When I read its synopsis I expected an exciting romantic thriller but the truth is... it's not that exciting. I mean, we do have the troubled hero, the police detective with a sad past and the helpless heroine whose world crumbles down, but I just could not engage with the characters or the story.
Suzy came across as someone with very little personality, that went around life on the whim of other people. She didn't love her husband and didn't really wanted to marry him but did it anyway when he asked her. Then she knew the marriage was not going well but went along with his idea of having a baby. And it just seemed like too much of a match made in heaven for Nick to get a wife and a son all at once.
Plus there's some problems of continuity with the story. One example (but there's more): one scene where Suzy has to leave the house undetected she decides to escape through the back and then get in a cab but on the next chapter she's in her car.
Another thing I didn't get was the title cause this widow had no secrets, guilty or otherwise... Her dead husband was the one with the secrets!
Then there's the fact that we don't get full closure, since we don't get to know who's behind the murders and even the why is not fully explained. And there's the kidnapping victim whose faith is also left unexplained. But since this is the first in a series, and I already saw that the next one will focus on the third murder victim, I'm expecting all will be revealed then.
A fast and easy read that had potencial to achieve much more but sadly just doesn't really reach it.
January 27, 2013
This book is a mystery romance genre and tell the story of Suzy whom on the night her husband’s body was found decided to ask for divorce, found herself looking at the messenger of bad news, the detective; Nick, who went to her house to convey the news. She questioned herself for her lack of empathy and sadness in hearing the bad news. That is understandably given her decision to ask for divorce. What is questionable is the way she attracted to Nick and vice versa.
The plot is rather short but given the opportunity for it to develop, i think it will definitely be a good story to read. I m not sure whether this book is a standalone or part of a series, because there was no ending to the mystery that the characters are involved in. Overall, i would have given this book a 4 stars but in view that the mysteries surrounding the kidnapping of a professor and the threesome murders remained unsolved, i have to give only 3 stars for the story of Suzy and Nick
The plot is rather short but given the opportunity for it to develop, i think it will definitely be a good story to read. I m not sure whether this book is a standalone or part of a series, because there was no ending to the mystery that the characters are involved in. Overall, i would have given this book a 4 stars but in view that the mysteries surrounding the kidnapping of a professor and the threesome murders remained unsolved, i have to give only 3 stars for the story of Suzy and Nick
January 1, 2013
This was not a book to start the new year on - it lacked credibility,the plot was so thin as to be pitiable and I'm wondering why I wasted my time. A murder of a Senator, a County Sheriff and a third person, with the FBI called in and a lone detective and the sheriff's widow do all the searching and sleuthing? The FBI never even goes to the Sheriff’s home? Come on! Rings so far off center a 10 year old would find it lacking…particularly after the cop put outside the widow’s house is killed and still this case isn’t swarming with cops and FBI. Really!?! Unreal and soooo unbelievable! One should be able to rate books below 1 star, because this book definitely belonged in the minus range.
January 10, 2013
Reviewed at HarlequinJunkie.com
A Widow’s Guilty Secret is a gripping tale that is wrought with tension and suspense.
Suzy Burris has been unhappy in her marriage for a while. She believes her husband has been cheating on her, and when he is late getting home one night, she is determined to tell him she wants a divorce. The last thing Suzy expects is to get a knock at the door telling her that her husband has been murdered. Suzy, while trying to feel some remorse for her dead husband, is surprised to find that all she feels is guilt for her lack of emotion. Read More
A Widow’s Guilty Secret is a gripping tale that is wrought with tension and suspense.
Suzy Burris has been unhappy in her marriage for a while. She believes her husband has been cheating on her, and when he is late getting home one night, she is determined to tell him she wants a divorce. The last thing Suzy expects is to get a knock at the door telling her that her husband has been murdered. Suzy, while trying to feel some remorse for her dead husband, is surprised to find that all she feels is guilt for her lack of emotion. Read More
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December 29, 2014Miniseries: Vengeance in Texas
Category: Suspense
Category: Suspense
March 23, 2016
Pretty good & moves fast.
April 9, 2013
I am enjoying the series but I can not find book #1, A Rancher's Deadly Affair by Jennifer Morey.
November 11, 2015
The suspension was built up well, but then just poofed away. It just ended without a heroic action or something. Bleh.
June 30, 2016
Loved it!! Just what I needed...
This book was awesome and right on time. A true page-turner. Almost couldn't put it down from the moment I picked it up.
This book was awesome and right on time. A true page-turner. Almost couldn't put it down from the moment I picked it up.
January 1, 2013
An enjoyable romantic suspense! Full review coming soon to the Harlequin Junkie blog.
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