Where The Heart Is: From This Day / Her Mother's Keeper

by Nora Roberts

From This Day

B.J. Clark despised him. As the manager of the Lakeside Inn, she could only feel contempt for Taylor Reynolds, the man who had bought the hotel. His reputation for transforming lovely hotels into modern resorts preceded him. But when Taylor arrives, B.J.'s loyalties become divided between the hotel and staff and the hot, torrid kisses that she and Taylor share.

Her Mother's Keeper

Gwen may have left Louisiana a starry-eyed innocent, but now she's returned successful and accomplished.

And with enough sense to deal with her mother's maddening boarder, Luke Powers. But once Gwen meets Luke - a man reputed to be an expert in both words and women - her composure disappears. Now she has stars in her eyes but isn't so innocent.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Chick Lit, M F Romance

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Reviews

[Katherine P · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so dated it was almost unreadable. The stories were just plain boring, the men went beyond overbearing to arrogant jerks and the women needed to develop a spine. In the first section the hero actually tells the heroine "You're sweet if kind of slow". He also continuously humiliates her in public. The guy in the 2nd section wasn't quite as bad but still wasn't a winner. Will not read early Roberts again. This was just painful.

[Farhina ↯↯ The Wanderer Of Inked Adventures]

BOOK-TUBE-THON Day 2: Read a book in one day!!
Finished the 1/2 novels in this book and yeaph it still counts because well this is a bind up!!! And i really dont wanna read the other one because hated so much about the mc and hero ugh! This have never happened to me before with Nora Roberts books sigh

[Mark Vinet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gender roles and attitudes are a bit outdated but Nora is a splendid writer.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the second book (Her Mother's Keeper)in this collection more than the first (From This Day). There is a subtle theme (which i didn't realize until the end) of intentions which is different from some of the other themes Nora Roberts writes with. The quality and clarity of the actual writing is stunning and inspiring. The storyline and characters are good (as always). There is an element of suspense and imagination and the perfect amount of questions (answered and unanswered) and room for open minded creativity.
I enjoyed these books as I do with all Nora Roberts. From This Day is simpler, yet has a beautiful and romantic ending! Her Mother's Keeper is beautiful and romantic and has some comic relief.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is always a pleasure to go back and re-read an older Nora Roberts book with chauvanistic, masterful heroes, and spunky virgins, but I prefer her more recent novels.

[Laurissa Yip · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read a couple older Nora Roberts before and was able to let some of the relationship dynamics go as a recognition that it was "of the time." With this one though, I just could not let it go. Everything about the men were giant red flags. Taylor was controlling, forceful, and literally would not take no for an answer. Consent = non existent.

If you are a hard core Nora Roberts fan you may get some enjoyment from this but if not, I would avoid at all costs. If you have never read Nora Roberts before, do NOT let this be the one you read. She really grew as an author and adapted to the times so read anything by her after 2010 and you will have a much better idea of her writer and whether or not it is for you.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light read with 2 stories and both of the stories are love stories in the light way. The first is "From this Day" and is the story of B.J.Clark, the manager of Lakeside Inn. A quaint, vintage inn sounding like a Bed and Breakfast. She loves the atmosphere and does like change. A new owner comes in with massive ideas for change. They fall in love. In "Her Mother's Keeper" , Gwen is a successful business woman from New York that journies back Louisiana to break up her thought of her mother's affair with Luke. They fall in love and the story follows the events.

[Baige · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never thought I could dislike a Nora book so thoroughly, yet here we are. This was an awful, awful book. I don’t even have time to list all of the things that were problematic about it. Here’s a brief list of the high(low)lights: rape, sexual harassment, pedophilia, and a girl who keeps hooking up with a guy whom she thinks is having an affair with her mom. I don’t have a fancy word for that. It’s just f*ed up.

[JoAnn M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for Her Mother’s Keeper only; I had previously read From this Day. Gwen returns home to New Orleans after 2 years of starting her career in New York, because all her mother can talk about is her younger boarder, Luke. Trouble is, Gwen’s finding him irresistible, too. I thought Gwen was a flibbertigibbet, and Luke was a pompous jerk. It’s just as well that they might end up with each other.

[Connie Moser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both of the stories reminded me of a Hallmark movie, but i enjoy Hallmark movies and liked the book also.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick reads and predictable but entertaining. Funny how these would be impacted by the Me Too movement most of the story line would have to be changed.

[Sue Perkinson Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two great romances

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

[Shannahbranham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two pretty good stories

[Lorraine Madigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stories in one and I adored them both! There were a little old fashioned but I would recommend both of these stories.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two stories were very good !

[Susan Davidson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two short stories that I can't really say I enjoyed.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both stories were well written, I just couldn't emotionally connect with the characters.

[Leea McCollum · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Nora Roberts, but this book was a big disappointment. Don't waste your time. The women in these stories are appalling to me. In the first, for example, the woman falls in love with a man who is absolutely horrible to her, demeaning, and "takes" her whenever he wants her. She wants nothing to do with him and tells him no over and over, yet every time he touches her, she changes her mind and wants him?! It's just wrong on so many levels and if a man did what he does in real life, he'd be arrested!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first story is about bj clark and taylor reynolds. taylor is the new inn owner and bj is the manager and she is torn between her hotel and her attraction to taylor.

the other story is about gwen and luke when she misinterprets the relationship between her mother and luke but it is funny and to not always judge a book by its cover

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two for the price of one!
Book 1 was about the stunning Lakeside Inn run by a young female manager. The Inn is purchased by a large corporate body who want to modernise the establishment much to the dismay of locals.

Book 2 is a come home to mamma storyline however mum has gone quite mad and has a hot boarder who draws in the returning daughter.

[Rachel Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me, first time I have read a Nora Roberts book and I wasn’t a fan of the writing. This was two short stories in one, I found both of them very similar girl meets boy, boy is controlling and doesn’t tell the girl how he really feels but leads her on.

I know there are a lot of Nora Roberts fans out there but I’m not one of them I’m afraid.

[kaoyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has two short stories in it. Some of it is intriguing, but it pushed the bounds of believability for me. These stories make falling in love with the handsome hero sound so easy. I just didn't buy it.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fine. I normally love Nora Roberts' books but these were just ok. It was a shame that these two stories were put together as the plots were almost identical just with different characters/locations. This won't be a keeper for me.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two slightly dated Nora Roberts stories from the early 90's. You can see where she has improved from the early years but still worth the read.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

These were written in the 80's, so, the men were a little to macho for my taste.

[GoldenjoyBazyll · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has 2 stories in one book. Both stories were rather disappointing as they both had helpless and needy feamale characters who bow down to men who take what they want. Not my cup of tea.

[Daisy Paradise · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like it soooooooooooooo much specially the second novel

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. Bad. I love Nora Roberts and was searching for books by her I hadn't read. Over the years, Roberts has obviously improved and come into her own as a novelist.

[Kimberly Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can never go wrong with Nora Roberts!