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Romantic Suspense #34
The One Who Walked Away
A bounty hunter must outrun her past before it catches up to her in this pulse-pounding new standalone thriller
Bounty hunter Elle Randolph takes on every case she can, in an effort to outrun herself. Three years ago, she was the only one who walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is fueled by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. But her running is over when she’s identified as a person of interest in a murder investigation.
Detective Ronan Clarke, a single dad for fifteen years, has been laser-focused on raising his daughter and serving the people of Mendocino County, California. He’s got everything under control—until a bounty hunter enters his jurisdiction, keeping secrets and bringing murder to his quiet town. The hunter is definitely involved in his current case, but exactly how is his question. Could she be his killer? As he unravels her secrets, he becomes increasingly troubled by what he finds. While Elle is forced to reexamine every painful memory of the life she left behind, Ronan grows more and more sure of her innocence. But can he trust himself to uncover the truth amid their growing attraction?
Bounty hunter Elle Randolph takes on every case she can, in an effort to outrun herself. Three years ago, she was the only one who walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is fueled by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. But her running is over when she’s identified as a person of interest in a murder investigation.
Detective Ronan Clarke, a single dad for fifteen years, has been laser-focused on raising his daughter and serving the people of Mendocino County, California. He’s got everything under control—until a bounty hunter enters his jurisdiction, keeping secrets and bringing murder to his quiet town. The hunter is definitely involved in his current case, but exactly how is his question. Could she be his killer? As he unravels her secrets, he becomes increasingly troubled by what he finds. While Elle is forced to reexamine every painful memory of the life she left behind, Ronan grows more and more sure of her innocence. But can he trust himself to uncover the truth amid their growing attraction?
517 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2026
About the author
Karen Rose
77 books5,627 followersOFFICIAL WEBSITE:
www.karenrosebooks.com
Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”
Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her seventeenth novel, ALONE IN THE DARK, will be released in 2016.
Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!
Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.
A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, her two daughters, two dogs, and a cat.
www.karenrosebooks.com
Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”
Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her seventeenth novel, ALONE IN THE DARK, will be released in 2016.
Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!
Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.
A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, her two daughters, two dogs, and a cat.
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Interesting. This book is a new part of her forever series, "Romantic-Suspense". Karen Rose is an auto read for me and an RS set in NorCal sounds wonderful. Karen Rose has only ever written wonderful books. Plot, Mystery, Romance are all just fantastic. Every. Single. Time. "The One Who Walked Away" is just another hit in a long and fantastic career. Northern California is the place for independent (read that as leave me alone or else) minded individuals. Into this we have a bounty hunter, Elle, with a lot of baggage from her past and a cop, Ronan, who is skeptical about all the secrets she is keeping and wondering just how she was connected to his murder. Trust is hard won for this duo. Suspicions for Ronan that Elle isn't telling him the whole of her involvement and needing to abide by her boss's dictates for Elle. But the attraction is plain for everyone to see and they eventually work together to find the killer.
Elle Randolph is still recovering from the tragic car crash she experienced over three years ago. When the whole Sarasota community turned against her, she fled and has found a new life. She left her life as a Family Law attorney in Florida and moved to San Francisco to take a job with her college friend, Sara, as a bounty hunter. But her new career is not without notoriety, and one capture propelled her into the national headlines. She is now in Mendicino County of Northern California with her boss and partner, Sara, on the trail of a bail jumper who stole jewelry and art from a gallery injuring several people in the process. This capture is not going to be easy due to the remote area.
The quiet life in Mendocino County suits Detective Ronan Clarke who has been a single father for the last fifteen years. Now he has the murder of a popular innkeeper, and two bounty hunters are right in the thick of it all. And they are totally unwilling to share any information with him that might damage their plans to capture their skipper. Sara is adamant in not sharing anything, Elle doesn't see the harm in working with him. Elle has also made Ronan want to get to know her better on a personal level, something that could put his job in danger. But as Ronan delves into the mystery that is Elle, he is very concerned by what he finds and fears that her tragic past may be stalking her and putting the people of his tight knit community at risk. Not only that, but it could also be dangerous for Elle and that Ronan cannot accept and will do everything he can to protect her.
My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Elle Randolph is still recovering from the tragic car crash she experienced over three years ago. When the whole Sarasota community turned against her, she fled and has found a new life. She left her life as a Family Law attorney in Florida and moved to San Francisco to take a job with her college friend, Sara, as a bounty hunter. But her new career is not without notoriety, and one capture propelled her into the national headlines. She is now in Mendicino County of Northern California with her boss and partner, Sara, on the trail of a bail jumper who stole jewelry and art from a gallery injuring several people in the process. This capture is not going to be easy due to the remote area.
The quiet life in Mendocino County suits Detective Ronan Clarke who has been a single father for the last fifteen years. Now he has the murder of a popular innkeeper, and two bounty hunters are right in the thick of it all. And they are totally unwilling to share any information with him that might damage their plans to capture their skipper. Sara is adamant in not sharing anything, Elle doesn't see the harm in working with him. Elle has also made Ronan want to get to know her better on a personal level, something that could put his job in danger. But as Ronan delves into the mystery that is Elle, he is very concerned by what he finds and fears that her tragic past may be stalking her and putting the people of his tight knit community at risk. Not only that, but it could also be dangerous for Elle and that Ronan cannot accept and will do everything he can to protect her.
My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
August 10, 2026
🥳 Happy publication day (8/11/26) a day early so I don’t forget!
8/10: 4⭐️’s
Elle Randolph, current bounty hunter, former lawyer, is in Mendocino county with her boss, Sara, on a job to bring in a man on the run.
While they are looking for this man, a well loved Inn owner is found murdered. Elle and Sara had just stayed at the Inn. Detective Ronan meets Elle when these two cases cross paths. When Elle starts to look like a person of interest for the Inn Owners murder, Ronan doesn’t believe it.
As things unfold it seems that there is much much more going on than anyone ever imagined.
I really enjoyed this book. I don’t want to give too much away, though the blurbs give much more away than I do.
I had a couple guesses early on and then deviated a little from one of them to come up with my 3rd guess and…turns out #3 was right. This is one of those times where I was thrilled I figured it out a bit ahead of time and not at all disappointed that I did!! It did nothing to take away from the book when I found out I was correct. I was quite delighted with myself!
For those who love some steaminess with their thrills, there’s a little bit of that thrown in there too!
There are several supporting characters that brought humor and fun and friendship into this book.
You would think that for someone who is so picky with narrators that the read-aloud option might drive me nuts, but there are one or two voices that don’t and I am so appreciative when read-aloud is an option.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating and thoughts posted: 3/7/26
Publishing date: August 11, 2026
Reposted for publication day a day early: 8/10/26
8/10: 4⭐️’s
Elle Randolph, current bounty hunter, former lawyer, is in Mendocino county with her boss, Sara, on a job to bring in a man on the run.
While they are looking for this man, a well loved Inn owner is found murdered. Elle and Sara had just stayed at the Inn. Detective Ronan meets Elle when these two cases cross paths. When Elle starts to look like a person of interest for the Inn Owners murder, Ronan doesn’t believe it.
As things unfold it seems that there is much much more going on than anyone ever imagined.
I really enjoyed this book. I don’t want to give too much away, though the blurbs give much more away than I do.
I had a couple guesses early on and then deviated a little from one of them to come up with my 3rd guess and…turns out #3 was right. This is one of those times where I was thrilled I figured it out a bit ahead of time and not at all disappointed that I did!! It did nothing to take away from the book when I found out I was correct. I was quite delighted with myself!
For those who love some steaminess with their thrills, there’s a little bit of that thrown in there too!
There are several supporting characters that brought humor and fun and friendship into this book.
You would think that for someone who is so picky with narrators that the read-aloud option might drive me nuts, but there are one or two voices that don’t and I am so appreciative when read-aloud is an option.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating and thoughts posted: 3/7/26
Publishing date: August 11, 2026
Reposted for publication day a day early: 8/10/26
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5* rounded up)
First things first: if you know Karen Rose, you know she has a very long-running Romantic Suspense series and this one is book no. 34. The good news is that this story starts a new arc, so you don’t need to read all the previous books to jump in.
Tbh … I really enjoyed this book.
I feel like the balance between romance and suspense worked really well for me.
I liked both main characters a lot. Elle is still dealing with the aftermath of the accident that killed her husband and two others, even though she was cleared of any wrongdoing. That guilt still follows her and you can feel it in how she throws herself into work. I wished she had more confidence in herself, after all she is a survivor.
Ronan was also great. Single, awesome dad, serious detective, trying very hard to stay professional… and sometimes failing a little when it comes to Elle (hihi :D:D).
The investigation itself kept me interested. I’ll admit I guessed the culprit fairly early, but that didn’t really ruin the experience for me because I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded. I also appreciated that the investigation felt thoughtful and realistic; people weren’t just immediately pointing fingers at Elle.
Compared to the thrillers I usually read, this one is a bit more on the chill side. The violence and murder elements are present but not extremely graphic or intense, which fit my mood perfectly when I picked this up.
Romance, murder, investigation, a little stalking and good character dynamics? Yes, please. ^^
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
First things first: if you know Karen Rose, you know she has a very long-running Romantic Suspense series and this one is book no. 34. The good news is that this story starts a new arc, so you don’t need to read all the previous books to jump in.
Tbh … I really enjoyed this book.
I feel like the balance between romance and suspense worked really well for me.
I liked both main characters a lot. Elle is still dealing with the aftermath of the accident that killed her husband and two others, even though she was cleared of any wrongdoing. That guilt still follows her and you can feel it in how she throws herself into work. I wished she had more confidence in herself, after all she is a survivor.
Ronan was also great. Single, awesome dad, serious detective, trying very hard to stay professional… and sometimes failing a little when it comes to Elle (hihi :D:D).
The investigation itself kept me interested. I’ll admit I guessed the culprit fairly early, but that didn’t really ruin the experience for me because I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded. I also appreciated that the investigation felt thoughtful and realistic; people weren’t just immediately pointing fingers at Elle.
Compared to the thrillers I usually read, this one is a bit more on the chill side. The violence and murder elements are present but not extremely graphic or intense, which fit my mood perfectly when I picked this up.
Romance, murder, investigation, a little stalking and good character dynamics? Yes, please. ^^
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.
https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...
April 9, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this novel.
I'm convinced that Karen Rose has never written a bad novel or had a reveal that didn't blow me away. In true Karen Rose fashion, this book is no exception and it had me on the edge of my seat for the entire 500+ pages. Elle's story is heartbreaking and then ultimately full of hope, and the emotional depiction of her experiences is so vulnerably authentic. Romantic suspense readers take note, no one does it better than Karen. You don't want to miss out on this one, pick it up on release day!
I'm convinced that Karen Rose has never written a bad novel or had a reveal that didn't blow me away. In true Karen Rose fashion, this book is no exception and it had me on the edge of my seat for the entire 500+ pages. Elle's story is heartbreaking and then ultimately full of hope, and the emotional depiction of her experiences is so vulnerably authentic. Romantic suspense readers take note, no one does it better than Karen. You don't want to miss out on this one, pick it up on release day!
August 14, 2026
She may have walked away....
but the ghosts still haunt her.
Elle is a fantastic character, she is far stronger than she believes and her huge heart will steal yours as she constantly tries to put others before herself. But she does have secrets and it's those secrets that frustrate Ronan and ultimately they may just cost her everything. She has no idea who has targeted her and when they finally unravel the past.... it's her worst nightmare. I listened to this on Audible, the narrators are great and the plot will keep you guessing.
but the ghosts still haunt her.
Elle is a fantastic character, she is far stronger than she believes and her huge heart will steal yours as she constantly tries to put others before herself. But she does have secrets and it's those secrets that frustrate Ronan and ultimately they may just cost her everything. She has no idea who has targeted her and when they finally unravel the past.... it's her worst nightmare. I listened to this on Audible, the narrators are great and the plot will keep you guessing.
August 11, 2026
I loved this story filled with lots of suspense, romance and some great action. I loved Elle and Ronan and Sara. I loved all the twists and turns as Ronan and Elle find who is killing people around Elle. I enjoyed that Elle figures out what she is going to finally do with her life. I received a copy of the book and gave an honest opinion.
August 13, 2026
New author for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced and I raced thru it to get to the end to put all the pieces together. A thriller with romance tucked inside, 4.5 for sure!
August 15, 2026
Review to come.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Thrilling, Character-Driven Masterclass in Romantic Suspense
Karen Rose returns with The One Who Walked Away, a deeply atmospheric and gripping romantic suspense novel that hits the ideal balance between an intricate murder mystery and a heartfelt, slow-burn romance. Though technically the 34th installment in Rose’s long-running universe, it marks the beginning of a fresh narrative arc, making it the absolute perfect jumping-on point for new readers and long-time fans alike.
"Sometimes the hardest person to outrun is yourself."
That was the feeling I was left with after finishing The One Who Walked Away. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Headline for providing an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review!
The Story
Former lawyer turned bounty hunter Elle Randolph is a woman running from her past. Three years ago, she was the sole survivor of a devastating car crash that claimed the lives of her husband and two others. Cleared of any legal fault, she’s nevertheless consumed by survivor's guilt, burying herself in relentless work to avoid her own painful memories.
When her latest fugitive recovery job takes her and her boss to quiet Mendocino County, California, trouble follows right on their heels. A beloved local innkeeper is found murdered, and because Elle and her boss were among the last people to stay at the inn, Elle suddenly finds herself tagged as a primary person of interest.
Enter Detective Ronan Clarke: a laser-focused single dad who has spent fifteen years dedicated to raising his daughter and keeping his coastal community safe. Ronan is used to having everything under control, but Elle’s arrival, along with her tangled web of secrets, throws his quiet jurisdiction into chaos. While professional duty demands he investigate her, his instincts tell him she’s innocent. As forced collaboration turns into undeniable attraction, both Ronan and Elle must navigate an escalating trail of danger to catch the real killer before Elle's past catches up to her for good.
Why This Thriller Stands Out.
1. Layered, Grounded Characters: Elle is a fiercely empathetic and tenacious protagonist whose vulnerability makes her immensely relatable. Watching her learn to step out from under the shadow of her trauma is just as compelling as the mystery itself. Meanwhile, Ronan is everything you want in a romantic suspense lead: protective, analytical, deeply respectful, and effortlessly charming as a dedicated single father.
2. Smart, Procedural Pacing: Rather than relying on over-the-top, relentless gore, Rose crafts a thoughtful, realistic investigation set against the isolated, moody backdrop of the Northern California wilderness. The tension builds organically through smart detective work, escalating threats, and the emotional walls coming down between the leads.
3. Rewarding Mystery & Great Dynamics: While eagle-eyed thriller fans might piece together the culprit's identity early on, the journey to the reveal is immensely satisfying. The clever plot threads, sharp dialogue, and a delightful supporting cast who bring genuine humor, warmth, and friendship to balance the darker themes of domestic violence and revenge keep the pages turning effortlessly.
My Verdict. 4.5
Overall, The One Who Walked Away is an engaging blend of romantic suspense, police procedural, and emotional healing. It delivers compelling characters, an intriguing mystery, and enough romance to satisfy both suspense and romance readers. Even as book thirty-four in Karen Rose's romantic suspense world, it works wonderfully as a standalone and makes me excited to read more of her books. It is a richly detailed, emotional, and satisfying suspense novel about trauma, survival, and allowing yourself to find love after loss. If you crave a murder mystery with great chemistry, solid police work, and characters you’ll genuinely root for, put this at the top of your late-summer reading list!
Karen Rose returns with The One Who Walked Away, a deeply atmospheric and gripping romantic suspense novel that hits the ideal balance between an intricate murder mystery and a heartfelt, slow-burn romance. Though technically the 34th installment in Rose’s long-running universe, it marks the beginning of a fresh narrative arc, making it the absolute perfect jumping-on point for new readers and long-time fans alike.
"Sometimes the hardest person to outrun is yourself."
That was the feeling I was left with after finishing The One Who Walked Away. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Headline for providing an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review!
The Story
Former lawyer turned bounty hunter Elle Randolph is a woman running from her past. Three years ago, she was the sole survivor of a devastating car crash that claimed the lives of her husband and two others. Cleared of any legal fault, she’s nevertheless consumed by survivor's guilt, burying herself in relentless work to avoid her own painful memories.
When her latest fugitive recovery job takes her and her boss to quiet Mendocino County, California, trouble follows right on their heels. A beloved local innkeeper is found murdered, and because Elle and her boss were among the last people to stay at the inn, Elle suddenly finds herself tagged as a primary person of interest.
Enter Detective Ronan Clarke: a laser-focused single dad who has spent fifteen years dedicated to raising his daughter and keeping his coastal community safe. Ronan is used to having everything under control, but Elle’s arrival, along with her tangled web of secrets, throws his quiet jurisdiction into chaos. While professional duty demands he investigate her, his instincts tell him she’s innocent. As forced collaboration turns into undeniable attraction, both Ronan and Elle must navigate an escalating trail of danger to catch the real killer before Elle's past catches up to her for good.
Why This Thriller Stands Out.
1. Layered, Grounded Characters: Elle is a fiercely empathetic and tenacious protagonist whose vulnerability makes her immensely relatable. Watching her learn to step out from under the shadow of her trauma is just as compelling as the mystery itself. Meanwhile, Ronan is everything you want in a romantic suspense lead: protective, analytical, deeply respectful, and effortlessly charming as a dedicated single father.
2. Smart, Procedural Pacing: Rather than relying on over-the-top, relentless gore, Rose crafts a thoughtful, realistic investigation set against the isolated, moody backdrop of the Northern California wilderness. The tension builds organically through smart detective work, escalating threats, and the emotional walls coming down between the leads.
3. Rewarding Mystery & Great Dynamics: While eagle-eyed thriller fans might piece together the culprit's identity early on, the journey to the reveal is immensely satisfying. The clever plot threads, sharp dialogue, and a delightful supporting cast who bring genuine humor, warmth, and friendship to balance the darker themes of domestic violence and revenge keep the pages turning effortlessly.
My Verdict. 4.5
Overall, The One Who Walked Away is an engaging blend of romantic suspense, police procedural, and emotional healing. It delivers compelling characters, an intriguing mystery, and enough romance to satisfy both suspense and romance readers. Even as book thirty-four in Karen Rose's romantic suspense world, it works wonderfully as a standalone and makes me excited to read more of her books. It is a richly detailed, emotional, and satisfying suspense novel about trauma, survival, and allowing yourself to find love after loss. If you crave a murder mystery with great chemistry, solid police work, and characters you’ll genuinely root for, put this at the top of your late-summer reading list!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I have not previously read anything in this series or anything at all by Karen Rose. And it's safe to say I never will again.
Wow, was this the worst book I've read in a long time. I almost DNFed at least 5 times, starting around 30%. This book is full of juvenile, shallow writing, that made me continuously roll my eyes and groan.
The dialogue is robotic, cliche, simplistic tropes repeated over and over. The characters make no sense whatsoever—every single character in this book speaks and behaves completely randomly, with no justification at all, like AI is choosing it's own adventure on pushing the plot along. People coming to conclusions that they have zero evidence for, have no grounding in reality, and are just some harebrained 'AHA! I think I figured it out!' random idea that turns out to be just exactly correct. It's utter nonsense.
For example, a very common type of dialogue is:
Person A: I don't like when you do this.
Person B: But I just MUST do it anyway.
A: (arguing words)
B: Oh okay, nevermind, you're right, I'll completely give up on the thing I care about.
Or:
(MMC/Detective walks into hotel, with FMC)
Det. to hotel desk clerk: Your employee is dead.
Clerk: OMG, she did it! That lady your standing with. She's the reason our whole town is murdered.
Det.: She's not a suspect.
Clerk: I don't care, I hate her.
FMC: (weeping) It's my fault! I'm the reason everyone is dead! (she's also a victim, but didn't die, and the murderer is mad she didn't die)
WHAT.
I mean ... WHAT. TF. Dialogue like this is tiring, pointless, and is in no way compelling.
Now repeat ad nauseum. Same problem applies to the alleged romantic relationship between FMC & MMC. They met for the first time, immediately have some cliche "I'm supposed to hate you" thoughts, then five minutes later it's love at first sight.
GROAN. EYEROLL. Whatever.
If this book is described anywhere as "romance" or "romantic" suspense, do not believe them. There's none of that.
Now let's get to the mystery part. It was never a mystery. I figured it out at the beginning.
But we waste another 300 pages of nonsense and robotic prose to get to a completely bland and uninspired ending. Not to mention, there's a serial killer dropping over a dozen bodies, operating across state lines, connecting many multiple previously-unconnected murders across so many jurisdictions, including drug trafficking crimes ... and I'm supposed to believe that two sheriff deputies are in charge of this whole case, and no one has called the FBI, or DEA, or literally anyone else more appropriate than this completely inept local cop?
There was not a single character in this book that I cared about. I wouldn't even blink if they all just fell off the bluffs into the water and drowned. Not a single character—primary, secondary, tertiary—that was compelling in any way.
Okay, there's a dog and it's probably fine.
None of this book makes sense, it was a chore to read, and I'd have thrown the book at the wall if it weren't electronic.
I truly don't understand how anyone can give this above 3*. Is it sunk cost bias? Are these people who've read the previous 33 books and just can't admit that this author is a waste of time?
I was close to giving this 2*, or maybe even 3*, because despite the author's inability to, well, write on any successful professional level, I thought there was maybe an interesting plot idea in there somewhere. But the further I read, the more that idea dissolved.
Just ... YIKES.
Apologies to Freida McFadden, because when I thought she was the worst at this, apparently it's only because I didn't know Karen Rose existed.
I have not previously read anything in this series or anything at all by Karen Rose. And it's safe to say I never will again.
Wow, was this the worst book I've read in a long time. I almost DNFed at least 5 times, starting around 30%. This book is full of juvenile, shallow writing, that made me continuously roll my eyes and groan.
The dialogue is robotic, cliche, simplistic tropes repeated over and over. The characters make no sense whatsoever—every single character in this book speaks and behaves completely randomly, with no justification at all, like AI is choosing it's own adventure on pushing the plot along. People coming to conclusions that they have zero evidence for, have no grounding in reality, and are just some harebrained 'AHA! I think I figured it out!' random idea that turns out to be just exactly correct. It's utter nonsense.
For example, a very common type of dialogue is:
Person A: I don't like when you do this.
Person B: But I just MUST do it anyway.
A: (arguing words)
B: Oh okay, nevermind, you're right, I'll completely give up on the thing I care about.
Or:
(MMC/Detective walks into hotel, with FMC)
Det. to hotel desk clerk: Your employee is dead.
Clerk: OMG, she did it! That lady your standing with. She's the reason our whole town is murdered.
Det.: She's not a suspect.
Clerk: I don't care, I hate her.
FMC: (weeping) It's my fault! I'm the reason everyone is dead! (she's also a victim, but didn't die, and the murderer is mad she didn't die)
WHAT.
I mean ... WHAT. TF. Dialogue like this is tiring, pointless, and is in no way compelling.
Now repeat ad nauseum. Same problem applies to the alleged romantic relationship between FMC & MMC. They met for the first time, immediately have some cliche "I'm supposed to hate you" thoughts, then five minutes later it's love at first sight.
GROAN. EYEROLL. Whatever.
If this book is described anywhere as "romance" or "romantic" suspense, do not believe them. There's none of that.
Now let's get to the mystery part. It was never a mystery. I figured it out at the beginning.
But we waste another 300 pages of nonsense and robotic prose to get to a completely bland and uninspired ending. Not to mention, there's a serial killer dropping over a dozen bodies, operating across state lines, connecting many multiple previously-unconnected murders across so many jurisdictions, including drug trafficking crimes ... and I'm supposed to believe that two sheriff deputies are in charge of this whole case, and no one has called the FBI, or DEA, or literally anyone else more appropriate than this completely inept local cop?
There was not a single character in this book that I cared about. I wouldn't even blink if they all just fell off the bluffs into the water and drowned. Not a single character—primary, secondary, tertiary—that was compelling in any way.
Okay, there's a dog and it's probably fine.
None of this book makes sense, it was a chore to read, and I'd have thrown the book at the wall if it weren't electronic.
I truly don't understand how anyone can give this above 3*. Is it sunk cost bias? Are these people who've read the previous 33 books and just can't admit that this author is a waste of time?
I was close to giving this 2*, or maybe even 3*, because despite the author's inability to, well, write on any successful professional level, I thought there was maybe an interesting plot idea in there somewhere. But the further I read, the more that idea dissolved.
Just ... YIKES.
Apologies to Freida McFadden, because when I thought she was the worst at this, apparently it's only because I didn't know Karen Rose existed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book thirty-four in the romantic suspense thriller series by Karen Rose,
The One Who Walked Away,
features fugitive recovery agent Elle Randolph and Mendocino County, California Sheriff’s Detective Ronan Clarke. Elle takes on every case she can. Three years ago, she was the only one what walked away from a car crash that killed her husband and two others. Although she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she is motivated by guilt and dedicated to solving other people’s problems. Ronan has been a single dad for fifteen years. He’s focused on raising here and serving the people in his county. Then Elle enters his jurisdiction with secrets and bringing murder to his community. Could she be his killer?
Elle is guilt-driven and uses work to escape her traumatic memories. She’s protective of others; especially of victims of domestic violence. She is suspicious of others and prefers to keep her secrets rather than sharing. She’s also smart, empathetic, and tenacious. Ronan is focused, analytical, dutiful, protective, analytical, and open-minded. The fugitive is volatile, dangerous, and predatory.
This novel focuses on a slow-burn dynamic between Elle and Ronan during a hunt for a fugitive and several murders. Add to this, distrust followed by forced collaboration and an escalating set of crimes and you get a suspenseful novel with great characterization. The isolation in the wilderness tends to mirror the emotional isolation of both Elle and Ronan.
The novel is atmospheric and full of tension. While it is slightly slower-paced, it didn’t feel like it. This was a thrilling tale with several themes. They include murder, fugitives, the burden of survival and trauma, first impressions, friendship, control, family, revenge, and romance.
Once again, the author pulled me into the novel immediately, grabbed my interest, and built on the story from there. The writing is fluid and the book did not feel like it was greater than 500 pages long. There are a few surprises and twists along the way and a few action scenes. There are a few dark points in the story and multiple mentions of domestic violence. Much of the plot involves the investigation itself and the relationships of the characters, but there are also significant danger, tension, and suspense, making for a well-plotted story. The ends are tied up nicely, but the main antagonist was too easy to discern for this reader.
Overall, this is a suspenseful, intriguing, dramatic and entertaining novel with characters that had great chemistry, a splendid setting, and a story that kept me turning the pages rapidly. It also pulls on the heartstrings and on the reader’s emotions at times. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. I can’t wait to read my next book by Karen Rose.
Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 11, 2026.
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My 4.39 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Elle is guilt-driven and uses work to escape her traumatic memories. She’s protective of others; especially of victims of domestic violence. She is suspicious of others and prefers to keep her secrets rather than sharing. She’s also smart, empathetic, and tenacious. Ronan is focused, analytical, dutiful, protective, analytical, and open-minded. The fugitive is volatile, dangerous, and predatory.
This novel focuses on a slow-burn dynamic between Elle and Ronan during a hunt for a fugitive and several murders. Add to this, distrust followed by forced collaboration and an escalating set of crimes and you get a suspenseful novel with great characterization. The isolation in the wilderness tends to mirror the emotional isolation of both Elle and Ronan.
The novel is atmospheric and full of tension. While it is slightly slower-paced, it didn’t feel like it. This was a thrilling tale with several themes. They include murder, fugitives, the burden of survival and trauma, first impressions, friendship, control, family, revenge, and romance.
Once again, the author pulled me into the novel immediately, grabbed my interest, and built on the story from there. The writing is fluid and the book did not feel like it was greater than 500 pages long. There are a few surprises and twists along the way and a few action scenes. There are a few dark points in the story and multiple mentions of domestic violence. Much of the plot involves the investigation itself and the relationships of the characters, but there are also significant danger, tension, and suspense, making for a well-plotted story. The ends are tied up nicely, but the main antagonist was too easy to discern for this reader.
Overall, this is a suspenseful, intriguing, dramatic and entertaining novel with characters that had great chemistry, a splendid setting, and a story that kept me turning the pages rapidly. It also pulls on the heartstrings and on the reader’s emotions at times. Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. I can’t wait to read my next book by Karen Rose.
Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for August 11, 2026.
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My 4.39 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you’re a Karen Rose fan, you’ll find The One Who Walked Away another solid entry in her canon. Yes, it’s the start of a new series with new characters in a new location, but it runs along her usual romantic suspense lines, giving something akin to “comfort read” assurances to her readers. After all, it’s #34 and she’s got the formula down. You know the good guys will be okay, the main couple will end up together, and one of the supporting characters will become the lead in the next book. No surprises, but sometimes that’s exactly what you feel like reading.
What you’ll recognize in TOWWA: characters who possess a strong sense of justice, whether they’re law enforcement professionals or not; a slow-burn romance between the main characters; a likeable supporting cast; some action scenes, some police procedural scenes; violent, unredeemable villain(s); and finally, a satisfying denouement. You can always expect a storyline—whether major or minor—with a domestic abuse theme. Could be someone investigating and bringing down a trafficking ring, or a character in an abusive relationship, or an abused child, or running a victims’ shelter, or training protection animals, or helping victims escape, or assisting with legal aid, or… the list goes on. Without being preachy or condescending, she sends a vital, worthy, crucial and possibly life-saving message.
In this book, the MCs are bounty hunter, former family law attorney, and former abused spouse Elle Randolph and single dad Detective Ronan Clarke, who collide when she and her partner turn up in his jurisdiction chasing a dangerous skip. Then the first local is murdered, then another, and the hunt for the bad guy becomes exponentially more urgent and dangerous. But is he The Big Bad? Don't be silly, this is 500+ pages, folks. I think it dragged on way too long and the body count is unnecessarily high. Sadly, other inconsistencies, lapses in logic, and the lack of common sense and/or street smarts caused some major eye-rolling. For instance, after so many locals are murdered in quick succession in this small, tight-knit community, everyone just gets over it and welcomes the FMC with open arms? It’s hard to suspend disbelief to that degree.
As stated, I’m a long-time fan and maybe that’s my problem. I knew the villain’s identity very early on—the first time they were mentioned, actually—so there was no suspense to hold my attention. The main characters aren’t terribly interesting beyond they’re both decent, attractive, empathetic people, and I didn’t buy their chemistry. To me, there’s nothing very compelling here, but I know a lot of other readers will surely like it, especially if they haven’t read the other 30+ books. As stated, nothing groundbreaking, but a solid addition to the Karen Rose collection.
It’s 3.5-stars rounded up from me.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.
What you’ll recognize in TOWWA: characters who possess a strong sense of justice, whether they’re law enforcement professionals or not; a slow-burn romance between the main characters; a likeable supporting cast; some action scenes, some police procedural scenes; violent, unredeemable villain(s); and finally, a satisfying denouement. You can always expect a storyline—whether major or minor—with a domestic abuse theme. Could be someone investigating and bringing down a trafficking ring, or a character in an abusive relationship, or an abused child, or running a victims’ shelter, or training protection animals, or helping victims escape, or assisting with legal aid, or… the list goes on. Without being preachy or condescending, she sends a vital, worthy, crucial and possibly life-saving message.
In this book, the MCs are bounty hunter, former family law attorney, and former abused spouse Elle Randolph and single dad Detective Ronan Clarke, who collide when she and her partner turn up in his jurisdiction chasing a dangerous skip. Then the first local is murdered, then another, and the hunt for the bad guy becomes exponentially more urgent and dangerous. But is he The Big Bad? Don't be silly, this is 500+ pages, folks. I think it dragged on way too long and the body count is unnecessarily high. Sadly, other inconsistencies, lapses in logic, and the lack of common sense and/or street smarts caused some major eye-rolling. For instance, after so many locals are murdered in quick succession in this small, tight-knit community, everyone just gets over it and welcomes the FMC with open arms? It’s hard to suspend disbelief to that degree.
As stated, I’m a long-time fan and maybe that’s my problem. I knew the villain’s identity very early on—the first time they were mentioned, actually—so there was no suspense to hold my attention. The main characters aren’t terribly interesting beyond they’re both decent, attractive, empathetic people, and I didn’t buy their chemistry. To me, there’s nothing very compelling here, but I know a lot of other readers will surely like it, especially if they haven’t read the other 30+ books. As stated, nothing groundbreaking, but a solid addition to the Karen Rose collection.
It’s 3.5-stars rounded up from me.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a great romantic suspense novel. It's part of the author's Romantic Suspense universe, but it completely stands on its own and can be enjoyed no matter how many of the others you have or haven't read. (This is #34, I only read two of the others so far.)
The female main character, Elle Randolph, is a family lawyer turned bounty hunter after a personal tragedy, and her latest fugitive recovery job takes her into the jurisdiction of Detective Ronan Clarke. They initially butt heads, especially because Elle's boss and best friend Sara does not like cooperating with the cops, but aside from that tension there's also the growing sexual kind of tension between Elle and Ronan, who are attracted to each other almost from the start.
I found both main characters very likeable and their relationship was sweet. I was rooting for them the entire time. But there's also some great relationships aside from the romance - Elle's close friendship with Sara, Sara's wife Felicity, and their lawyer friend Alexis was heartwarming. I love reading about a tight-knit, supportive group of friends. Likewise, Ronan's relationship with his adult daughter Penny was such a joy to read. These are all people I could imagine wanting to hang out with - you know, when there isn't a serial killer on the loose killing people left and right.
The suspense part of this romantic suspense kept me turning pages way past my bedtime, even if the killer's motivation and the lengths to which they went sometimes seemed a little over the top. (And I'm not sure it needed quite this many dead bodies - one shock after the other - to get the point across.)
If you're familiar with Karen Rose's Romantic Suspense series, you know they follow many different main characters and are set all over the US - this one is set in Mendocino County, and I think it's the first to be set in this area. If there are going to be more of them, following any of the secondary characters from this, I'd definitely be interested in picking them up. (Though I have to admit that every time one of the chapter headers with date, time and location info reminded me of the setting, I got the old song stuck in my head. "Mendocino" playing on a loop in my brain almost the entire time I was reading this wasn't exactly my favorite part of the reading experience LOL.)
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys the romantic suspense genre. It was nicely balanced between the romance aspects and the suspense aspects.
Thank you to the publisher, Headline, for providing a review copy via NetGalley. This review reflects my honest opinion.
The female main character, Elle Randolph, is a family lawyer turned bounty hunter after a personal tragedy, and her latest fugitive recovery job takes her into the jurisdiction of Detective Ronan Clarke. They initially butt heads, especially because Elle's boss and best friend Sara does not like cooperating with the cops, but aside from that tension there's also the growing sexual kind of tension between Elle and Ronan, who are attracted to each other almost from the start.
I found both main characters very likeable and their relationship was sweet. I was rooting for them the entire time. But there's also some great relationships aside from the romance - Elle's close friendship with Sara, Sara's wife Felicity, and their lawyer friend Alexis was heartwarming. I love reading about a tight-knit, supportive group of friends. Likewise, Ronan's relationship with his adult daughter Penny was such a joy to read. These are all people I could imagine wanting to hang out with - you know, when there isn't a serial killer on the loose killing people left and right.
The suspense part of this romantic suspense kept me turning pages way past my bedtime, even if the killer's motivation and the lengths to which they went sometimes seemed a little over the top. (And I'm not sure it needed quite this many dead bodies - one shock after the other - to get the point across.)
If you're familiar with Karen Rose's Romantic Suspense series, you know they follow many different main characters and are set all over the US - this one is set in Mendocino County, and I think it's the first to be set in this area. If there are going to be more of them, following any of the secondary characters from this, I'd definitely be interested in picking them up. (Though I have to admit that every time one of the chapter headers with date, time and location info reminded me of the setting, I got the old song stuck in my head. "Mendocino" playing on a loop in my brain almost the entire time I was reading this wasn't exactly my favorite part of the reading experience LOL.)
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys the romantic suspense genre. It was nicely balanced between the romance aspects and the suspense aspects.
Thank you to the publisher, Headline, for providing a review copy via NetGalley. This review reflects my honest opinion.
August 12, 2026
2.75⭐️
I was looking forward to reading this book. The premise of a bounty hunter involved in a murder and a detective trying to solve it while questioning whether he can trust her intrigued me. I’ve been wanting to dabble more in romantic suspense, and this one sounded right up my alley, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.
Elle was a family lawyer who changed professions and became a bounty hunter after her husband’s death. She wanted to start a new life and leave all the bad memories behind. What she didn’t expect was how unfulfilled her new job made her. She wasn’t someone used to breaking rules and catching perpetrators. I did like that Elle was willing to stick to her morals, but I also agreed with the way her partner, Sara, chose to handle certain situations. But there were times she was a frustrating character to root for because of her indecision and judgments. She was also a bit naive, and many people pointed it out to her. Her constant guilt was repetitive. Of course she would feel guilty, and she had moments when she felt it strongly, but it kept coming up, and I wished it were dialed down.
When it comes to the romance, there was no chemistry. It was instant infatuation and “can’t stop thinking about them” feelings when they literally just met. Ronan would go all out trying to clear Elle’s involvement in the crimes being committed, which made it feel like he was more concerned with finding her innocent than solving the case, and I really didn’t like that. I don’t like when professional and personal feelings blur. They get in the way of the investigation, and it sometimes feels like her safety is more important than trying to get closure for other people who are also depending on them. He was too quick to defend her, even though he had just met her and knew nothing about her, and other people had valid reasons to doubt that she might not be who she was because of what happened around her. He became too obsessed with wanting to protect her and be with her intimately, and caused me not to care for their romance, which was a bummer.
There was so much happening with the investigation, especially with the bigger side plot and too many murders, that it started to feel ridiculous. I started losing interest a third of the way. It didn’t help that the writing wasn’t for me. It felt too robotic and matter-of-fact. There was some inner monologue that I also found cringy.
Obviously this wasn’t for me, but it looks like others enjoy it based on the author’s ratings and reviews, so maybe try it if you’re still curious.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.
I was looking forward to reading this book. The premise of a bounty hunter involved in a murder and a detective trying to solve it while questioning whether he can trust her intrigued me. I’ve been wanting to dabble more in romantic suspense, and this one sounded right up my alley, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.
Elle was a family lawyer who changed professions and became a bounty hunter after her husband’s death. She wanted to start a new life and leave all the bad memories behind. What she didn’t expect was how unfulfilled her new job made her. She wasn’t someone used to breaking rules and catching perpetrators. I did like that Elle was willing to stick to her morals, but I also agreed with the way her partner, Sara, chose to handle certain situations. But there were times she was a frustrating character to root for because of her indecision and judgments. She was also a bit naive, and many people pointed it out to her. Her constant guilt was repetitive. Of course she would feel guilty, and she had moments when she felt it strongly, but it kept coming up, and I wished it were dialed down.
When it comes to the romance, there was no chemistry. It was instant infatuation and “can’t stop thinking about them” feelings when they literally just met. Ronan would go all out trying to clear Elle’s involvement in the crimes being committed, which made it feel like he was more concerned with finding her innocent than solving the case, and I really didn’t like that. I don’t like when professional and personal feelings blur. They get in the way of the investigation, and it sometimes feels like her safety is more important than trying to get closure for other people who are also depending on them. He was too quick to defend her, even though he had just met her and knew nothing about her, and other people had valid reasons to doubt that she might not be who she was because of what happened around her. He became too obsessed with wanting to protect her and be with her intimately, and caused me not to care for their romance, which was a bummer.
There was so much happening with the investigation, especially with the bigger side plot and too many murders, that it started to feel ridiculous. I started losing interest a third of the way. It didn’t help that the writing wasn’t for me. It felt too robotic and matter-of-fact. There was some inner monologue that I also found cringy.
Obviously this wasn’t for me, but it looks like others enjoy it based on the author’s ratings and reviews, so maybe try it if you’re still curious.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.
August 13, 2026
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
The One Who Walked Away is #36 but doesn't seem to be attached to one of the other series or cities. The setting is in California. It could be read as a standalone. It's a long book but Karen Rose does such a great job with world building and characters and plot it reads quickly.
Elle grew up in Florida and went to law school in California and made some life long friends there. When her patience with her abusive husband has come to an end, she leaves Florida for California. She takes a job with one of her college friends as a bounty hunter.
While in this smaller town watching for a bail jumper who visited his grandparent's place here, she ends up connecting with other women in the domestic violence circle. She has offered her services pro bono to women in these tough circumstances.
Then the bodies start dropping, people they have talked to in trying to locate the bail jumper. That's how she gets on Ronan's radar. In spite of her boss not wanting her to talk to cops, she shares what she can with Ronan and they start talking regularly. Pretty soon they connect the serial killer to Elle and that she is being stalked.
Karen Rose writes characters who are smart, compassionate and realistic. Elle and Ronan both did their best, and risked themselves, to save other lives. It's a journey of growth for Elle from her history in domestic violence, to her time as a bounty hunter and learning what she really wants in life.
Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
I love the Romantic Suspense series. I've read them all. I started the series with the first Cincinnati book, with Faith and Deacon. It was actually #16 overall. Then I went back and read the previous 15 books. I would not jump into this in the middle of a series. One could start at the beginning of a city since those stories connect well, and they seem to be labelled on Goodreads.
The One Who Walked Away is #36 but doesn't seem to be attached to one of the other series or cities. The setting is in California. It could be read as a standalone. It's a long book but Karen Rose does such a great job with world building and characters and plot it reads quickly.
Elle grew up in Florida and went to law school in California and made some life long friends there. When her patience with her abusive husband has come to an end, she leaves Florida for California. She takes a job with one of her college friends as a bounty hunter.
While in this smaller town watching for a bail jumper who visited his grandparent's place here, she ends up connecting with other women in the domestic violence circle. She has offered her services pro bono to women in these tough circumstances.
Then the bodies start dropping, people they have talked to in trying to locate the bail jumper. That's how she gets on Ronan's radar. In spite of her boss not wanting her to talk to cops, she shares what she can with Ronan and they start talking regularly. Pretty soon they connect the serial killer to Elle and that she is being stalked.
Karen Rose writes characters who are smart, compassionate and realistic. Elle and Ronan both did their best, and risked themselves, to save other lives. It's a journey of growth for Elle from her history in domestic violence, to her time as a bounty hunter and learning what she really wants in life.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
She was the only one who walked away from a terrible accident, killing three others. Would it have never happened if she had only walked away from her abusive husband sooner?
In bestselling author Karen Rose's latest murder mystery, The One Who Walked Away, Elle Randolph, a former attorney turned bounty hunter finds herself as the center of a serial killer's obsession. As the body count increases, she must rethink her work and life choices to help find the killer before another innocent is murdered.
Ronan Clarke, a Mendocino police detective has little patience for bounty hunters. Especially when they are hunting a skip through his jurisdiction. Yet in meeting Elle Randolph, he finds he may have a soft spot for a troubled soul. After spending the last 15 years raising his daughter as a single dad, the smart, troubled bounty hunter reignites his desire for more than his daughter and his job. But is falling for her the right thing to do when a serial killer that is somehow connected to her is attacking his community?
Rose's novel, The One Who Walked Away, is a fast paced mystery full of intrigue and emotion. Rose entices the reader to ponder topics including survivor's guilt and victim's ownership of responsibility for events outside of their control. As a reader I was surprised when I found myself stepping into her heroine's role, which illustrates how well written and developed her characters are. I empathized with Elle, understanding her misguided feelings of responsibility for other's actions. I felt anxiety when the tension of the plot tightened, and joy when the final event concluded.
I believe one of the highest praises for an author is when the reader looks for additional titles they have written upon finishing the book. I felt this way at the end of Roses's story, The One Who Walked Away. I was impressed with her book and now I am anxious to read more of her work. I rate The One Who Walked Away with four stars.
The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose is scheduled to be published August 11, 2026 by Berkley Publishing Group. I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose for the Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheOneWhoWalkedAway
In bestselling author Karen Rose's latest murder mystery, The One Who Walked Away, Elle Randolph, a former attorney turned bounty hunter finds herself as the center of a serial killer's obsession. As the body count increases, she must rethink her work and life choices to help find the killer before another innocent is murdered.
Ronan Clarke, a Mendocino police detective has little patience for bounty hunters. Especially when they are hunting a skip through his jurisdiction. Yet in meeting Elle Randolph, he finds he may have a soft spot for a troubled soul. After spending the last 15 years raising his daughter as a single dad, the smart, troubled bounty hunter reignites his desire for more than his daughter and his job. But is falling for her the right thing to do when a serial killer that is somehow connected to her is attacking his community?
Rose's novel, The One Who Walked Away, is a fast paced mystery full of intrigue and emotion. Rose entices the reader to ponder topics including survivor's guilt and victim's ownership of responsibility for events outside of their control. As a reader I was surprised when I found myself stepping into her heroine's role, which illustrates how well written and developed her characters are. I empathized with Elle, understanding her misguided feelings of responsibility for other's actions. I felt anxiety when the tension of the plot tightened, and joy when the final event concluded.
I believe one of the highest praises for an author is when the reader looks for additional titles they have written upon finishing the book. I felt this way at the end of Roses's story, The One Who Walked Away. I was impressed with her book and now I am anxious to read more of her work. I rate The One Who Walked Away with four stars.
The One Who Walked Away by Karen Rose is scheduled to be published August 11, 2026 by Berkley Publishing Group. I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose for the Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheOneWhoWalkedAway
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5* Didn't see this coming - hints and red herrings that good and that seamlessly embedded, that I had a mouth-drop moment when the penny dropped.
I thought this would be a typical 'wronged woman finds herself and finds the love of a good man' type of tale. Well, it was, but the love part came late and thankfully didn't have either the male lead thinking with his little head, or the female lead thinking with her hormones. Yes, there was an attraction but once burnt, twice shy - for both of them, believably, and their ages (mid-to-late 30s) - meant that they took things slow, without TSTL moments like having sex whilst the killer was on a spree.
The bounty hunting - fugitive retrieval - aspect was well done, believable and interesting. It made for a solid tale that brought the female lead into the male lead's vicinity, allowing them to cooperate, especially once the killer upped his speed. The identity of the killer was kept really well, but threw another red herring into the tale once a discovery was made.
I didn't see the killer coming but they - not spoilering here - were well done. It was sad what they went through, but despite that, their brain felt more than just scrambled from that incident. There was a malevolence and an utter lack of conscience that made them chilling. Their plotting, their planning, their patience, and the collusion of someone who should've known and done better, all made for an excellent race against time.
Elle had some great friends who were there for her during the tale, despite a clash of what was, in her eyes, black and white, and in Sara's, shades of grey with permissible holding back. I'm glad their friendship survived, and I'm glad that when a life event forced Sara back home, kick-butt lawyer Alexis came to the rescue, literally and figuratively.
The side characters were decent. The many who were killed seemed mostly decent, too. There was some real community spirit in the cop's town, that eventually embraced Elle after initially rejecting her, which was understandable - she was at one point the harbinger of death.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Headline for my reading pleasure.
I thought this would be a typical 'wronged woman finds herself and finds the love of a good man' type of tale. Well, it was, but the love part came late and thankfully didn't have either the male lead thinking with his little head, or the female lead thinking with her hormones. Yes, there was an attraction but once burnt, twice shy - for both of them, believably, and their ages (mid-to-late 30s) - meant that they took things slow, without TSTL moments like having sex whilst the killer was on a spree.
The bounty hunting - fugitive retrieval - aspect was well done, believable and interesting. It made for a solid tale that brought the female lead into the male lead's vicinity, allowing them to cooperate, especially once the killer upped his speed. The identity of the killer was kept really well, but threw another red herring into the tale once a discovery was made.
I didn't see the killer coming but they - not spoilering here - were well done. It was sad what they went through, but despite that, their brain felt more than just scrambled from that incident. There was a malevolence and an utter lack of conscience that made them chilling. Their plotting, their planning, their patience, and the collusion of someone who should've known and done better, all made for an excellent race against time.
Elle had some great friends who were there for her during the tale, despite a clash of what was, in her eyes, black and white, and in Sara's, shades of grey with permissible holding back. I'm glad their friendship survived, and I'm glad that when a life event forced Sara back home, kick-butt lawyer Alexis came to the rescue, literally and figuratively.
The side characters were decent. The many who were killed seemed mostly decent, too. There was some real community spirit in the cop's town, that eventually embraced Elle after initially rejecting her, which was understandable - she was at one point the harbinger of death.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Headline for my reading pleasure.
August 12, 2026
Thank you so much to PRH Audio for this audiobook, these honest opinions are all my own.
Elle's life is literally turned upside down with an accident and this was all when she was getting ready to leave an awful relationship. I am not going to lie this was hard to read because I feel this is probably more common than one would think. The information I was getting was infuriating to imagine, she must have felt so helpless and alone. So when Elle decides to become a bounty hunter I loved how she was taking her life by the horns and taking back her control.
Her relationship with her partner I appreciated and loved hearing them talk, even though it was work, I could feel the love between them went far beyond that. Even though they often avoided hard topics. I am such a sucker for a romantic suspense and if that is all I could read, I would be okay with that and this one is up there.
Ronan was just trying to get by in a chilltown when Elle arrives. One thing I adored was how she trusted him before anyone else did. The girls do not have a good relationship with cops, mostly because if they get the bad guy first, then the girls do not get their payout. Here lies the dilemma.
We do continuously revisit the accident that got Elle where she is today, and again that brought out so much frustration with what happened to her. I loved the family dynamic with Ronan and his daughter. I do believe I was able to figure some stuff out but that did not deter from the enjoyment of the story.
The narrators were great, I love the female and am familiar with her, but the male narrator really stole the show. I loved how sometimes it would be like listening to a true crime podcast. Really added to the affect.
I would definitely recommend this one.
꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂
~ 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙝 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝. 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨.
⚫️ 𝙃𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.
Elle's life is literally turned upside down with an accident and this was all when she was getting ready to leave an awful relationship. I am not going to lie this was hard to read because I feel this is probably more common than one would think. The information I was getting was infuriating to imagine, she must have felt so helpless and alone. So when Elle decides to become a bounty hunter I loved how she was taking her life by the horns and taking back her control.
Her relationship with her partner I appreciated and loved hearing them talk, even though it was work, I could feel the love between them went far beyond that. Even though they often avoided hard topics. I am such a sucker for a romantic suspense and if that is all I could read, I would be okay with that and this one is up there.
Ronan was just trying to get by in a chilltown when Elle arrives. One thing I adored was how she trusted him before anyone else did. The girls do not have a good relationship with cops, mostly because if they get the bad guy first, then the girls do not get their payout. Here lies the dilemma.
We do continuously revisit the accident that got Elle where she is today, and again that brought out so much frustration with what happened to her. I loved the family dynamic with Ronan and his daughter. I do believe I was able to figure some stuff out but that did not deter from the enjoyment of the story.
The narrators were great, I love the female and am familiar with her, but the male narrator really stole the show. I loved how sometimes it would be like listening to a true crime podcast. Really added to the affect.
I would definitely recommend this one.
꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂
~ 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙝 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝. 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨.
⚫️ 𝙃𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 stars. I first discovered Karen Rose's books last year, and it has absolutely been a love affair, at least on my end. I've not read everything, but I can confidently say that I've read a significant amount of Rose's backlist. Which is why The One Who Walked Away really surprised me-- because it felt different from the Karen Rose books I've read before. Often with her books, we get multi-POV, which can include the POV of the bad guy. You typically don't necessarily know who the bad guy is or how things will play out, but the POV is there. That wasn't the case in The One Who Walked Away, and maybe because I didn't have that POV, I honestly felt like I was solving the crime right there with the MCs-- which I liked. Another major difference? Rose often writes several books in the same location, with each book featuring a different couple (or several books following the same couple, as in the San Diego series). I can't see that happening here. The book takes place in a smaller town and most of the secondary characters were already coupled up, and if I'm honest-- not terribly memorable. With respect to the bad guy him or herself, idk how I feel. Rose has given us some pretty twisted characters with super high stakes scenes. And although the evil-doer here was totally a prolific killer, if felt a little less high stakes. Is this my favorite from Rose? No. But I'm still beyond happy I read it-- in one day mind you, which is a testament as to how much I truly enjoyed this and didn't want to put it down. And all in all, I can't wait to read what Rose writes next, because I can 100% say that she is officially an auto-buy/read author for me. If you haven't read her books before, I'd say they're kind of a cross between Nora Roberts and Karen Slaughter, and if that description doesn't make you want to read her books, I don't know what will. Thank you so much to Berkley and netgalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a review of an ARC provided by NetGalley via Berkley Publishing Group.
4⭐️
I have read several of Karen Rose’s books and, while this may not be my favorite, it is still a good read. We follow Elle Randolph, fresh out of a traumatic car accident caused by her now dead abusive husband, who changes her career and location to bounty hunting in California from being a lawyer in Florida. Elle is partnered up with her best friend and boss, Sara, as they are on the hunt for a man that stole art and shot two people. Along the way, a murder occurs and we come across detective Ronan Clarke, who quickly suspects Elle and Sara of being the cause of the murder. Several more murders happen and it is obvious they are all related in some manner to Elle.
The action didn’t get going until about half way into the book and I had a pretty good guess who the murderer was and the reasons why he was doing what he was doing. While the first half took a while to get into, the second half flew by with everything that was happening. While I knew Elle and Ronan would be an item, nothing really happened between them until the end of the book, due to the fact he was working her case and neither one wanted to jeopardize each other’s positions.
I liked Elle - she had obviously been through a lot and she was pretty brave to make a total career change as well as moving across the country away from her family. I had issues with Sara and how she treated Elle, but she was forgiven in the end. Ronan was tough guy but oh so soft for Elle and I loved the scenes with his daughter, Penny, as it gave him a bit little more depth to his character.
Overall, it was a good book and I would recommend to anyone who likes a good romantic suspense. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book!
4⭐️
I have read several of Karen Rose’s books and, while this may not be my favorite, it is still a good read. We follow Elle Randolph, fresh out of a traumatic car accident caused by her now dead abusive husband, who changes her career and location to bounty hunting in California from being a lawyer in Florida. Elle is partnered up with her best friend and boss, Sara, as they are on the hunt for a man that stole art and shot two people. Along the way, a murder occurs and we come across detective Ronan Clarke, who quickly suspects Elle and Sara of being the cause of the murder. Several more murders happen and it is obvious they are all related in some manner to Elle.
The action didn’t get going until about half way into the book and I had a pretty good guess who the murderer was and the reasons why he was doing what he was doing. While the first half took a while to get into, the second half flew by with everything that was happening. While I knew Elle and Ronan would be an item, nothing really happened between them until the end of the book, due to the fact he was working her case and neither one wanted to jeopardize each other’s positions.
I liked Elle - she had obviously been through a lot and she was pretty brave to make a total career change as well as moving across the country away from her family. I had issues with Sara and how she treated Elle, but she was forgiven in the end. Ronan was tough guy but oh so soft for Elle and I loved the scenes with his daughter, Penny, as it gave him a bit little more depth to his character.
Overall, it was a good book and I would recommend to anyone who likes a good romantic suspense. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The One Who Walked Away Karen Rose
5 stars
Another great book, this time a stand-alone
I really do not know how Karen Rose keeps on producing so many excellent books. I have not managed to read them all but always make sure I get any new ones that appear on Net Galley as well as catching up with ones I have missed.
This book is a stand-alone story so would be perfect for a newcomer to the Author's books. I am sure they will be hooked!
This time the main character is Elle Randolph, an ex-lawyer who has become a bounty hunter with her best friend Sara. 3 years previously when married to Todd, an abusive drunk, she had been driving him home when he caused an accident in which both him and another couple had been killed. Although it was not Elle's fault the community where she lived in Florida had blamed her and she had fled to California. However when her latest job takes her to a remote place called Mendocino County everyone that her and Sara question ends up getting murdered. It is obvious that some one is trying to frame Elle and Detective Ronan Clarke is assigned to the case, however he soon realises that he is strongly attracted to Elle but is unable to do anything due to his involvement in the case.
Although, in this case, the actual culprit was quite easy to guess the plot is intriguing as it is built up gradually and I enjoyed the slow-burning romance between Elle and Ronan. In previous books I think sometimes the romance has been a bit too over the top but in this book the characters are very well-defined and made me feel very sympathetic to them. It also creates a very believable story of a small place and how prejudices can be built without any real reason.
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and just hope that Ms Rose keeps on writing!
Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
As a massive Karen Rose fan, I've read every single book she has ever put out and I do enjoy all of them. I'm not sure if this was the start of a new series, as we have a new location with new characters, or a standalone in Northern California, but it was interesting, for sure!
Elle restarted her life as a bounty hunter after being the only one to walk away from a car crash that killed her alcoholic abusive husband and two other people, because she needed a new start away from all the guilt. But while she's chasing a fugitive, people in the community start to die, and she has to work pretty closely with Ronan, the detective assigned to the case.
Their growing relationship, and her growing faith in herself, was something I really enjoyed from the beginning. I loved Ronan as a main character, and I would love to see more of him in the future.
In the interest of complete honesty, though, I will say this book and the one before it (the most recent San Diego Files book), have felt like a departure from Karen Rose's typical writing. I haven't been able to feel as connected, and I'm not sure if that's just a me problem or what, but this and the last book haven't been my favorites. I still enjoyed the story, but I do greatly miss how she would write chapters from the bad guys POV, and I feel as though we haven't gotten much of that lately.
Regardless, I have all the intention to continue reading these books and she's still one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what comes next!
As a massive Karen Rose fan, I've read every single book she has ever put out and I do enjoy all of them. I'm not sure if this was the start of a new series, as we have a new location with new characters, or a standalone in Northern California, but it was interesting, for sure!
Elle restarted her life as a bounty hunter after being the only one to walk away from a car crash that killed her alcoholic abusive husband and two other people, because she needed a new start away from all the guilt. But while she's chasing a fugitive, people in the community start to die, and she has to work pretty closely with Ronan, the detective assigned to the case.
Their growing relationship, and her growing faith in herself, was something I really enjoyed from the beginning. I loved Ronan as a main character, and I would love to see more of him in the future.
In the interest of complete honesty, though, I will say this book and the one before it (the most recent San Diego Files book), have felt like a departure from Karen Rose's typical writing. I haven't been able to feel as connected, and I'm not sure if that's just a me problem or what, but this and the last book haven't been my favorites. I still enjoyed the story, but I do greatly miss how she would write chapters from the bad guys POV, and I feel as though we haven't gotten much of that lately.
Regardless, I have all the intention to continue reading these books and she's still one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what comes next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
★★★★½
A gripping, character-driven romantic suspense
The One Who Walked Away is another compelling read from Karen Rose, blending an intriguing murder investigation with emotional depth, simmering romance and characters carrying complicated pasts.
Bounty hunter Elle Randolph is a strong but deeply wounded protagonist. Still burdened by guilt over the car accident that killed her abusive husband and two others, she throws herself into tracking fugitives as a way of avoiding her own pain. When a murder places Elle and her boss, Sara, under suspicion, she is forced to work alongside local detective Ronan Clarke while confronting memories she has spent years trying to outrun.
I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Elle and Ronan. Their relationship develops through suspicion, reluctant cooperation and gradually earned trust rather than feeling rushed or forced. Ronan’s devotion to his daughter also adds warmth to his character and gives the story a strong emotional foundation beyond the central romance.
The mystery is layered and kept me invested, with enough secrets, danger and shifting suspicions to maintain the tension throughout. At over 500 pages, there were moments when the pacing felt slightly slower than necessary, which is the only reason this was not quite a full five-star read for me. However, the characters were interesting enough that I was always eager to keep reading.
Suspenseful, emotional and absorbing, The One Who Walked Away is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy complex heroines, protective detectives, slow-building romance and mysteries in which everyone seems to be hiding something.
A gripping, character-driven romantic suspense
The One Who Walked Away is another compelling read from Karen Rose, blending an intriguing murder investigation with emotional depth, simmering romance and characters carrying complicated pasts.
Bounty hunter Elle Randolph is a strong but deeply wounded protagonist. Still burdened by guilt over the car accident that killed her abusive husband and two others, she throws herself into tracking fugitives as a way of avoiding her own pain. When a murder places Elle and her boss, Sara, under suspicion, she is forced to work alongside local detective Ronan Clarke while confronting memories she has spent years trying to outrun.
I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Elle and Ronan. Their relationship develops through suspicion, reluctant cooperation and gradually earned trust rather than feeling rushed or forced. Ronan’s devotion to his daughter also adds warmth to his character and gives the story a strong emotional foundation beyond the central romance.
The mystery is layered and kept me invested, with enough secrets, danger and shifting suspicions to maintain the tension throughout. At over 500 pages, there were moments when the pacing felt slightly slower than necessary, which is the only reason this was not quite a full five-star read for me. However, the characters were interesting enough that I was always eager to keep reading.
Suspenseful, emotional and absorbing, The One Who Walked Away is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy complex heroines, protective detectives, slow-building romance and mysteries in which everyone seems to be hiding something.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I always enjoy Karen Rose’s romantic suspense novels and “The One Who Walked Away” was right up there with the best.
Elle Randolph is a “bounty hunter”: who is in pursuit of a runaway fugitive along with her boss and friend, Sara.
However the “jumper” is hard to find and when people start to die after talking to Elle and Sara, Elle becomes a suspect. Detective Ronan Clarke suspects the ladies are not telling him everything and it soon becomes clear he is right! Elle has a difficult back story which she is trying to escape and is also conflicted about revealing too much information about the fugitive they are chasing. As the murders mount up, Ronan realises he is beginning to have feelings for Elle but can she be trusted?
I really enjoyed the fast paced nature of this book as well as the smouldering romance between the two main characters. The small town setting was well, described, a place where everyone knows everyone else- even the local cops have connections to the victims making the desire to solve the crimes all the more compelling.
Karen Rose certainly knows how to portray sympathetic characters- I really felt for Elle and her predicament and the description of Ronan definitely made him sound like the sort of person I would like to meet! His daughter, Penny seemed well brought up and old beyond her years showing what a good single father Ronan had been- another positive aspect of to his character!
I definitely recommend this book to Karen Rose fans and for those of you who haven’t read her books why not give this one a try?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Elle Randolph is a “bounty hunter”: who is in pursuit of a runaway fugitive along with her boss and friend, Sara.
However the “jumper” is hard to find and when people start to die after talking to Elle and Sara, Elle becomes a suspect. Detective Ronan Clarke suspects the ladies are not telling him everything and it soon becomes clear he is right! Elle has a difficult back story which she is trying to escape and is also conflicted about revealing too much information about the fugitive they are chasing. As the murders mount up, Ronan realises he is beginning to have feelings for Elle but can she be trusted?
I really enjoyed the fast paced nature of this book as well as the smouldering romance between the two main characters. The small town setting was well, described, a place where everyone knows everyone else- even the local cops have connections to the victims making the desire to solve the crimes all the more compelling.
Karen Rose certainly knows how to portray sympathetic characters- I really felt for Elle and her predicament and the description of Ronan definitely made him sound like the sort of person I would like to meet! His daughter, Penny seemed well brought up and old beyond her years showing what a good single father Ronan had been- another positive aspect of to his character!
I definitely recommend this book to Karen Rose fans and for those of you who haven’t read her books why not give this one a try?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
THE ONE WHO WALKED AWAY
Karen Rose
Publishes 8/11/26
⭐️⭐️💫
Thanks to @netgalley, @berkleypublishinggroup, and @karenrosebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⸻
After surviving the car crash that killed her husband and two others, bounty hunter Elle Randolph has spent years trying to bury her guilt. When she’s named a person of interest in a murder investigation, Detective Ronan Clarke must decide whether she’s a killer or the next victim.
⸻
This was my first Karen Rose book, and I was excited because the premise sounded right up my alley. A bounty hunter accused of murder, survivor’s guilt, and a detective who doesn’t know if he can trust her seemed like the perfect setup for an emotional, twist-filled suspense novel.
Unfortunately, it never quite came together for me. The pacing was much slower than I expected, and the many side plots and backstories often pushed the central mystery into the background. Instead of feeling eager to pick it back up, I found my attention wandering. If this hadn’t been an ARC, I probably would have DNF’d it.
I liked Elle and Ronan individually, especially Ronan as a devoted single dad, but I never fully connected with their relationship. The ending wrapped things up well enough, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the slow middle. I can absolutely see this working for readers who enjoy slower, character-driven romantic suspense, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
———
✅ What Worked
• Interesting premise
• Emotional backstory
• Likeable main characters
• Strong ending
❌ What Didn’t Work
• Very slow pacing
• Too many side plots
• Not enough suspense
• Romance fell flat
• Could have been shorter
THE ONE WHO WALKED AWAY
Karen Rose
Publishes 8/11/26
⭐️⭐️💫
Thanks to @netgalley, @berkleypublishinggroup, and @karenrosebooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⸻
After surviving the car crash that killed her husband and two others, bounty hunter Elle Randolph has spent years trying to bury her guilt. When she’s named a person of interest in a murder investigation, Detective Ronan Clarke must decide whether she’s a killer or the next victim.
⸻
This was my first Karen Rose book, and I was excited because the premise sounded right up my alley. A bounty hunter accused of murder, survivor’s guilt, and a detective who doesn’t know if he can trust her seemed like the perfect setup for an emotional, twist-filled suspense novel.
Unfortunately, it never quite came together for me. The pacing was much slower than I expected, and the many side plots and backstories often pushed the central mystery into the background. Instead of feeling eager to pick it back up, I found my attention wandering. If this hadn’t been an ARC, I probably would have DNF’d it.
I liked Elle and Ronan individually, especially Ronan as a devoted single dad, but I never fully connected with their relationship. The ending wrapped things up well enough, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the slow middle. I can absolutely see this working for readers who enjoy slower, character-driven romantic suspense, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.
———
✅ What Worked
• Interesting premise
• Emotional backstory
• Likeable main characters
• Strong ending
❌ What Didn’t Work
• Very slow pacing
• Too many side plots
• Not enough suspense
• Romance fell flat
• Could have been shorter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Escaping from an abusive marriage did not happen the way Elle Randolph imagined it would. Now widowed, Elle is a busy bounty hunter who doesn’t shy away from dangerous cases. Outrunning not only her past but also the harsh and critical judgment of others is something that never strays far from her mind. So, becoming a person of interest in a murder investigation is definitely not what she expected. Even so, Elle remains focused on her current case, and part of that means determining whether she can trust the police - especially one police officer in particular, Detective Ronan Clarke.
Elle doesn’t work alone. She is part of a small bounty-hunting operation run by Sara, who is both her boss and her friend. Sara’s experiences have taught her not to trust the police, and she becomes increasingly unsettled as Elle grows closer to Ronan. But Elle has more than just a murder investigation to worry about. As she works to clear her name, she also can’t help but think about her future. She once had a successful career as a lawyer, and she often finds herself questioning her decision to leave that life behind.
Meanwhile, several murders begin to look as though they could be connected, forcing Elle to dig deeper despite the very real danger surrounding her. Fortunately, she and Ronan soon realize that if they are going to work together, they will have to learn to trust each other.
Built on suspense, The One Who Walked Away delivers plenty of action while also weaving in the growing feelings between Elle and Ronan. Karen Rose keeps the tension high as the mystery unfolds, making this an engaging addition to her impressive body of work.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Elle doesn’t work alone. She is part of a small bounty-hunting operation run by Sara, who is both her boss and her friend. Sara’s experiences have taught her not to trust the police, and she becomes increasingly unsettled as Elle grows closer to Ronan. But Elle has more than just a murder investigation to worry about. As she works to clear her name, she also can’t help but think about her future. She once had a successful career as a lawyer, and she often finds herself questioning her decision to leave that life behind.
Meanwhile, several murders begin to look as though they could be connected, forcing Elle to dig deeper despite the very real danger surrounding her. Fortunately, she and Ronan soon realize that if they are going to work together, they will have to learn to trust each other.
Built on suspense, The One Who Walked Away delivers plenty of action while also weaving in the growing feelings between Elle and Ronan. Karen Rose keeps the tension high as the mystery unfolds, making this an engaging addition to her impressive body of work.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the thirty-fourth book in Karen Rose’s Romantic Suspense series. It’s a stand alone read about a bounty hunter trying to escape her past who gets entangled in a murder mystery and possibly a new love.
Elle Randolph, a bounty hunter, is now living in Northern California taking on every case she can to keep from thinking about her past. Almost four years ago she was on a car accident in which her soon-to-be ex-husband was killed along with two others. Finally cleared of wrongdoing, she is racked with guilt and moved away. Now in a new life, she and her boss are soon identified as persons of interest in a murder investigation which Detective Ronan Clarke, a single hunky dad, is heading up the investigation. He’s incredibly suspicious of Elle but as they team up to find out who’s behind a series of murders, Ronan becomes convinced of her innocence and wondering if there is a future with Elle.
Karen Rose is a phenomenal suspense writer. I hadn’t read one of her books in a while, so it was nice to make her acquaintance again. This book is taut in timing and explosive in suspense especially when Ronan and Elle are trying to find the killer. Lots of twists but lots of good character development too. The romance is woven in nicely and not overdone because the mystery I think is the heart of the book.
This is a book for lovers of mystery-romances which rely heavily on the mystery but take time to develop characters looking for connection.
My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me access to this ARC.
Elle Randolph, a bounty hunter, is now living in Northern California taking on every case she can to keep from thinking about her past. Almost four years ago she was on a car accident in which her soon-to-be ex-husband was killed along with two others. Finally cleared of wrongdoing, she is racked with guilt and moved away. Now in a new life, she and her boss are soon identified as persons of interest in a murder investigation which Detective Ronan Clarke, a single hunky dad, is heading up the investigation. He’s incredibly suspicious of Elle but as they team up to find out who’s behind a series of murders, Ronan becomes convinced of her innocence and wondering if there is a future with Elle.
Karen Rose is a phenomenal suspense writer. I hadn’t read one of her books in a while, so it was nice to make her acquaintance again. This book is taut in timing and explosive in suspense especially when Ronan and Elle are trying to find the killer. Lots of twists but lots of good character development too. The romance is woven in nicely and not overdone because the mystery I think is the heart of the book.
This is a book for lovers of mystery-romances which rely heavily on the mystery but take time to develop characters looking for connection.
My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Number 34 in the authors Romantic Suspense Series although this is a completely new standalone (maybe new short series?) so no back reading to do! Now let me say from the off that if like me you don’t read romance don’t let this put you off as romance is really quite a small, albeit important, part of this excellent book. The main protagonist Elle Randolph is in her 30’s, a family lawyer and survivor of a fatal car crash, which happened when her abusive husband attacked her in the car, leaving him and two others dead.
Briefly, after moving from Florida to San Francisco Elle started her new life working with a close friend, Sara, as a Bounty Hunter. They are near Mendocino County, California tracking down a skipper (person who skipped bail) wanted for theft and assault. Meanwhile, in Mendocino Detective Ronan Clarke has been called to an hotel where the owner has been found murdered. It is also happens to be where Elle and Sara are staying and Elle soon becomes the main suspect.
Elle is a brilliant character and the interaction between her, Sarah and her wife Felicity and Ronan was so well done . In fact all the relationships are so good to read. A tense thriller with danger at every turn and nobody in the town seems safe from the killer. Suspense levels were high and the killer was well hidden, I’m usually pretty good at sussing them out but not this time. An absorbing, electric and exceptionally good read with a great balance between the romance and the suspense.
Briefly, after moving from Florida to San Francisco Elle started her new life working with a close friend, Sara, as a Bounty Hunter. They are near Mendocino County, California tracking down a skipper (person who skipped bail) wanted for theft and assault. Meanwhile, in Mendocino Detective Ronan Clarke has been called to an hotel where the owner has been found murdered. It is also happens to be where Elle and Sara are staying and Elle soon becomes the main suspect.
Elle is a brilliant character and the interaction between her, Sarah and her wife Felicity and Ronan was so well done . In fact all the relationships are so good to read. A tense thriller with danger at every turn and nobody in the town seems safe from the killer. Suspense levels were high and the killer was well hidden, I’m usually pretty good at sussing them out but not this time. An absorbing, electric and exceptionally good read with a great balance between the romance and the suspense.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I'd never read a romantic suspense novel before, so I really didn't know what to expect with this one. Turns out, I had a really good time with it. It had plenty of suspense, a romance that never overshadowed the mystery, and a cast of characters I enjoyed getting to know.
The thing that impressed me most was how quickly it pulled me in. I actually picked this up just to read the first chapter while I was in the middle of another book, and then I couldn't stop thinking about it until I got back to it. That's always a good sign.
I also want to mention that even though Goodreads lists this as Romantic Suspense #34, this is absolutely a standalone. I never once felt like I was missing anything, and now I'm interested in checking out more of Karen Rose's books.
The mystery kept me guessing right up until the end. I never figured out who the killer was, and I always appreciate a book that can surprise me. My only hesitation was the length. At just over 500 pages, I thought it could have been a little tighter in places. There were a few sections that felt a bit more drawn out than they needed to be, and I think trimming some of that would have kept the pacing as strong as that fantastic opening. That said, I was still invested in seeing how everything came together.
This ended up being a 3.75-star read for me, rounded up to 4. And yes, I'd probably read Karen Rose again... especially if the next one clocks in under 400 pages.
Thank you to Berkley for the complimentary advance copy. All opinions are my own.
The thing that impressed me most was how quickly it pulled me in. I actually picked this up just to read the first chapter while I was in the middle of another book, and then I couldn't stop thinking about it until I got back to it. That's always a good sign.
I also want to mention that even though Goodreads lists this as Romantic Suspense #34, this is absolutely a standalone. I never once felt like I was missing anything, and now I'm interested in checking out more of Karen Rose's books.
The mystery kept me guessing right up until the end. I never figured out who the killer was, and I always appreciate a book that can surprise me. My only hesitation was the length. At just over 500 pages, I thought it could have been a little tighter in places. There were a few sections that felt a bit more drawn out than they needed to be, and I think trimming some of that would have kept the pacing as strong as that fantastic opening. That said, I was still invested in seeing how everything came together.
This ended up being a 3.75-star read for me, rounded up to 4. And yes, I'd probably read Karen Rose again... especially if the next one clocks in under 400 pages.
Thank you to Berkley for the complimentary advance copy. All opinions are my own.
July 30, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The one who walked away by Karen Rose.
This was my first Karen Rose novel, and it certainly won’t be my last. If this is the standard to expect, I can see why she has such a loyal following.
I was drawn in straight away by Elle Randolph. As a bounty hunter still carrying the weight of surviving the car crash that killed her husband, she’s a complex and believable character whose guilt drives so many of her decisions. When she becomes a person of interest in a murder investigation, the story quickly gathers pace. Detective Ronan Clarke was another character I really liked. His calm, thoughtful approach balanced Elle’s guarded nature well, and I enjoyed watching the trust between them slowly develop as they worked to uncover the truth.
What stood out most for me was the character development. Everyone felt fully rounded, with believable backstories that shaped their personalities, skills and relationships. Rather than simply moving the plot along, the cast felt like people with lives beyond the page, which made me much more invested in what happened to them.
The mystery itself kept me guessing, with plenty of twists, strong pacing and enough emotional depth to balance the suspense. I also appreciated how the romance developed naturally without overshadowing the investigation.
A really enjoyable start to a new series with memorable characters and a compelling plot. I’ll definitely be going back to read more from Karen Rose.
This was my first Karen Rose novel, and it certainly won’t be my last. If this is the standard to expect, I can see why she has such a loyal following.
I was drawn in straight away by Elle Randolph. As a bounty hunter still carrying the weight of surviving the car crash that killed her husband, she’s a complex and believable character whose guilt drives so many of her decisions. When she becomes a person of interest in a murder investigation, the story quickly gathers pace. Detective Ronan Clarke was another character I really liked. His calm, thoughtful approach balanced Elle’s guarded nature well, and I enjoyed watching the trust between them slowly develop as they worked to uncover the truth.
What stood out most for me was the character development. Everyone felt fully rounded, with believable backstories that shaped their personalities, skills and relationships. Rather than simply moving the plot along, the cast felt like people with lives beyond the page, which made me much more invested in what happened to them.
The mystery itself kept me guessing, with plenty of twists, strong pacing and enough emotional depth to balance the suspense. I also appreciated how the romance developed naturally without overshadowing the investigation.
A really enjoyable start to a new series with memorable characters and a compelling plot. I’ll definitely be going back to read more from Karen Rose.
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