What do you think?
Rate this book
Paper Targets
Everyone knew that Roanne never got angry—until the night she killed her ex-husband and herself.
Roanne, a nice, suburban lady in her sixties who works at a Hallmark shop and volunteers at the Food Bank in Round Rock, Texas, calls her lifelong friend, Connie, confesses to murder, then puts the gun to her own head. Connie, spurred by Roanne’s last words about a lifetime of unspoken rage, sets aside her work as a cozy mystery writer and cupcake shop owner to confront the men who have stolen her dignity while she remained silent, including a bully brother, a rapist, and an ex-spouse. On a journey to reclaim her inner power and to make peace with the loss of her treasured friend, Connie’s mission is to avoid the same tragic path as Roanne, but she takes along a gun, just in case.
Paper Targets, by Patricia Watts, calls us to speak our own narratives, even when it is uncomfortable or risky, and shows us the magnificence of a friendship that transcends time.
Roanne, a nice, suburban lady in her sixties who works at a Hallmark shop and volunteers at the Food Bank in Round Rock, Texas, calls her lifelong friend, Connie, confesses to murder, then puts the gun to her own head. Connie, spurred by Roanne’s last words about a lifetime of unspoken rage, sets aside her work as a cozy mystery writer and cupcake shop owner to confront the men who have stolen her dignity while she remained silent, including a bully brother, a rapist, and an ex-spouse. On a journey to reclaim her inner power and to make peace with the loss of her treasured friend, Connie’s mission is to avoid the same tragic path as Roanne, but she takes along a gun, just in case.
Paper Targets, by Patricia Watts, calls us to speak our own narratives, even when it is uncomfortable or risky, and shows us the magnificence of a friendship that transcends time.
313 pages, Paperback
Published April 4, 2022
2 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Watts
16 books34 followersPatricia Watts worked as a journalist for more than 20 years for newspapers in Texas, Hawaii, and Alaska. Following her news career, she tried her skill as a paralegal and then spent ten years investigating discrimination cases for the Alaska Human Rights Commission. Her novels include: Ghost Light and The Big Empty, crime mysteries co-written with Alaska author Stan Jones; The Frayer, suspense noir; and Watchdogs, a steamy thriller. Her home base is San Diego. She earned her B.A. in journalism at Humboldt State in California. She is the mother of a son and daughter and has eight grandchildren.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 30, 2022
This was a more powerful story than I was expecting. As a woman, I have experienced men's dismissiveness in my career and dealt with those who didn't think I was capable. But I have also been around those that lifted me up in my life and encouraged me to seek more than I ever thought possible.
Connie and Roanne grew up in a time when women were just finding their footing and men took them for granted, diminished them based on looks, and took advantage of them. The #MeToo movement may have started, but that doesn't mean that men will admit to their lecherous pasts and still want to blame the women. Roanne decided that she couldn't do it anymore, which sets Connie on a path to confront her "Paper Targets." The term Paper Targets is addressed earlier in the book when Roanne asks Connie who from her past would be on a target if she was practicing at a gun range. Connie names some people and after Roanne's death, she realizes that she needs to unload some baggage on these men and lighten the load she is carrying. While not all of the men admit to their pasts, it forces Connie to move forward and not allow these to drain her soul.
"...this is not about revenge. so do all these guys deserve to be called out? Doesn't the good they may have done balance out with the pain they caused me in the past? Am I just holding onto grudges and carrying that with me forever?"
"I've been knocked down and beat down and held down, but I found the courage to stand up and speak out and demand validation as a woman. We have rage that needs to be taken seriously, because, if it isn't, it could kill us; it has killed us, you know?"
While not a lighthearted book, it is very moving and might make you think about your own life. I felt for Connie and Roanne, enduring fathers who set them up to fail in their future relationships with their husbands. But at the same time, they could have tipped the scale in the other direction, but without a foundation of parental support, it was hard to make that a reality. I admired Connie for confronting the men from her past and found the scene with her father to be very emotional. That was probably the hardest conversation she had to have with anyone.
This story jumps back and forth in time, allowing us to have a deeper understanding of these women and what their life was like and their relationships with their families. While bleak at times, there is a ray of hope that shines through for those left behind.
This book might just make you think a little bit about your own life and how different situations have impacted the person you have become today. Don't let the past drag you down.
We give this book 5 paws up.
Connie and Roanne grew up in a time when women were just finding their footing and men took them for granted, diminished them based on looks, and took advantage of them. The #MeToo movement may have started, but that doesn't mean that men will admit to their lecherous pasts and still want to blame the women. Roanne decided that she couldn't do it anymore, which sets Connie on a path to confront her "Paper Targets." The term Paper Targets is addressed earlier in the book when Roanne asks Connie who from her past would be on a target if she was practicing at a gun range. Connie names some people and after Roanne's death, she realizes that she needs to unload some baggage on these men and lighten the load she is carrying. While not all of the men admit to their pasts, it forces Connie to move forward and not allow these to drain her soul.
"...this is not about revenge. so do all these guys deserve to be called out? Doesn't the good they may have done balance out with the pain they caused me in the past? Am I just holding onto grudges and carrying that with me forever?"
"I've been knocked down and beat down and held down, but I found the courage to stand up and speak out and demand validation as a woman. We have rage that needs to be taken seriously, because, if it isn't, it could kill us; it has killed us, you know?"
While not a lighthearted book, it is very moving and might make you think about your own life. I felt for Connie and Roanne, enduring fathers who set them up to fail in their future relationships with their husbands. But at the same time, they could have tipped the scale in the other direction, but without a foundation of parental support, it was hard to make that a reality. I admired Connie for confronting the men from her past and found the scene with her father to be very emotional. That was probably the hardest conversation she had to have with anyone.
This story jumps back and forth in time, allowing us to have a deeper understanding of these women and what their life was like and their relationships with their families. While bleak at times, there is a ray of hope that shines through for those left behind.
This book might just make you think a little bit about your own life and how different situations have impacted the person you have become today. Don't let the past drag you down.
We give this book 5 paws up.
July 27, 2022
I love stories where one of the characters is an author. In this story, the main character, Connie, writes cozy mysteries and has had a bit of success that was relatable.
Connie and Roanne have been best friends for over fifty years. They’ve shared everything from heartaches to triumphs, even marrying men who were best friends.
Inseparable is the only word that describes these two women.
Until…
The story opens with a literal bang when Roanne calls Connie, then, while on the phone with her, kills her ex-husband, Johnny, and turns the gun on herself.
Connie is devastated and angry, again very relatable.
Now Connie is on a mission. She has to know what drove her friend to take such drastic and deadly action.
Roanne’s last words, “this is for every Tom, Dick, and Harry…” haunt Connie in waking hours but especially in dreams.
Once she figures it out, Connie embarks on a journey across the country to seek out every man who has ever belittled and disrespected her, starting with her twin brother, Joey. And she buys a gun, which ramps up the tension.
I have to admit I worried a little that she might get herself into serious trouble with that gun. The fact that she keeps it a secret from those closest to her reinforces that thought throughout the story.
With each confrontation, her confidence grows. With each confrontation, the results differ. Some men actually show remorse while others jeer and even turn violent.
I don’t want to leave any spoilers in this review, but the climactic scene between Connie and her ex left me gasping!
The author did a fabulous job of showing the struggles women have had throughout history, with men being dominant. While we’ve come a long way toward equality, the truth is we’ve still got a long way to go. I don’t know that I’d ever be as brave as Connie, but reading the story gave me a boost of confidence.
Also, I love the relationship Connie has with her son and how supportive he is throughout the book. So, in a way, the author is showing the contrast between men and how their actions and attitudes vary.
Paper Targets is the first book I've read by this author, and it was a great introduction to her writing. If you love stories about strong women, this book is for you. It is well-written, the pacing is good, and the storyline is riveting.
Connie and Roanne have been best friends for over fifty years. They’ve shared everything from heartaches to triumphs, even marrying men who were best friends.
Inseparable is the only word that describes these two women.
Until…
The story opens with a literal bang when Roanne calls Connie, then, while on the phone with her, kills her ex-husband, Johnny, and turns the gun on herself.
Connie is devastated and angry, again very relatable.
Now Connie is on a mission. She has to know what drove her friend to take such drastic and deadly action.
Roanne’s last words, “this is for every Tom, Dick, and Harry…” haunt Connie in waking hours but especially in dreams.
Once she figures it out, Connie embarks on a journey across the country to seek out every man who has ever belittled and disrespected her, starting with her twin brother, Joey. And she buys a gun, which ramps up the tension.
I have to admit I worried a little that she might get herself into serious trouble with that gun. The fact that she keeps it a secret from those closest to her reinforces that thought throughout the story.
With each confrontation, her confidence grows. With each confrontation, the results differ. Some men actually show remorse while others jeer and even turn violent.
I don’t want to leave any spoilers in this review, but the climactic scene between Connie and her ex left me gasping!
The author did a fabulous job of showing the struggles women have had throughout history, with men being dominant. While we’ve come a long way toward equality, the truth is we’ve still got a long way to go. I don’t know that I’d ever be as brave as Connie, but reading the story gave me a boost of confidence.
Also, I love the relationship Connie has with her son and how supportive he is throughout the book. So, in a way, the author is showing the contrast between men and how their actions and attitudes vary.
Paper Targets is the first book I've read by this author, and it was a great introduction to her writing. If you love stories about strong women, this book is for you. It is well-written, the pacing is good, and the storyline is riveting.
March 31, 2023
Main character Connie is thrown into a harrowing situation. She is on what will be the last phone call with her very distressed best friend Roanne, and she needs to “get between her and whatever it is that was galloping, like my heartbeat, toward her”. Connie isn’t able to intervene before Roanne chooses to die and the last words they exchange about an anger that builds and builds and ultimately traps, along with Roanne’s plea to “speak up” and not “let them have the final say” weigh on Connie.
Gradually she comes to an understanding of what the intent was behind those words and she sets off on a quest to confront men who have “run their game on her” all her life. She has just bought a gun and we are left wondering if the “paper targets” of the title will become real-life targets. At this point, you might think that this is a linear story about an angry woman seeking closure or perhaps revenge, but Watts shows her skill in the way she continues to draw the reader in, at first due to our desire to find out what happens to Connie, but later it becomes about much more than that. Some fairly complicated questions are raised here (How can it be so shockingly easy to ruin a woman’s reputation, even in the eyes of her own children? Does a good deed erase a fairly terrible previous one? Do modern men understand the extent to which society has favoured them and how their behaviours (like those of women) have been conditioned? What shapes can abuse take? etc.) The reader won’t get bogged down, though - the story moves forward at a steady pace as it asks us these questions.
The satisfying thing about this subtle novel is that it comes full circle: we get to know Connie as the layers of her life story are peeled back; we find joy in her growth, but we also get to know ourselves and our thoughts about some very pertinent societal questions. This novel is subtle and rich and I certainly hope that many - including a few men - will read it.
Gradually she comes to an understanding of what the intent was behind those words and she sets off on a quest to confront men who have “run their game on her” all her life. She has just bought a gun and we are left wondering if the “paper targets” of the title will become real-life targets. At this point, you might think that this is a linear story about an angry woman seeking closure or perhaps revenge, but Watts shows her skill in the way she continues to draw the reader in, at first due to our desire to find out what happens to Connie, but later it becomes about much more than that. Some fairly complicated questions are raised here (How can it be so shockingly easy to ruin a woman’s reputation, even in the eyes of her own children? Does a good deed erase a fairly terrible previous one? Do modern men understand the extent to which society has favoured them and how their behaviours (like those of women) have been conditioned? What shapes can abuse take? etc.) The reader won’t get bogged down, though - the story moves forward at a steady pace as it asks us these questions.
The satisfying thing about this subtle novel is that it comes full circle: we get to know Connie as the layers of her life story are peeled back; we find joy in her growth, but we also get to know ourselves and our thoughts about some very pertinent societal questions. This novel is subtle and rich and I certainly hope that many - including a few men - will read it.
August 7, 2022
This book deals with some difficult subjects: murder, suicide, poor treatment/abuse of women. If these are subjects that cause you distress, please do not read this review.
Paper Targets opens with a bang, literally. Connie and Roanne have been best friends for fifty years. They’ve been through a lot together. So when Roanne decides to end her ex-husband’s life and then her own, she does it with Connie on the line. Before she does, she tells Connie that the anger has trapped her, there was no way out, but that Connie needs to speak up. “Don’t let them have the final say.”
Connie is left floundering without her best friend, but she takes Roanne’s words to heart. She makes it her mission to revisit the men in her life who have talked down to her, taken her for granted, left her feeling “less than.” Former bosses, boyfriends, lovers, her ex-husband, even her deceased father – none of them escape Connie’s speaking up for herself.
The story alternates between past and present events, and each glimpse of the past sheds more light on the present. We see Roanne and Connie growing up, see how they took each unkind word and each slight, whether intended or not. Patricia Watts does an excellent job developing each character, showing how their pasts shaped them and impacted their present relationships.
The cover of this story makes you think this is a lighter story. Maybe a cozy mystery or a rom-com. It is not. It deals with some fairly weighty topics. In fact, the bulk of the story revolves around Connie finding the inner strength to reclaim the parts of herself that men have taken away or squelched over the years. She knew Roanne never did find that strength, never could stand up to the men who would put her down until she had enough and pulled the trigger.
I think most women have experienced, at some point, a man telling them, “You can’t do that, you’re a girl.” Maybe not in those precise words, but in attitude and in action. Any woman who’s ever had that happen, who’s been made to feel like she doesn’t measure up to some arbitrary standard simply because of her gender, will absolutely cheer for Connie. They might even see a little of themselves in Roanne, because at some point, maybe we’ve all thought, “We’re not gonna take it anymore.”
Paper Targets covers challenging subject matter, but it is a worthwhile read. I won’t say I enjoyed it. That sounds too casual. But it is a thought-provoking story, and it will stick with me long after the last page has been turned.
Paper Targets opens with a bang, literally. Connie and Roanne have been best friends for fifty years. They’ve been through a lot together. So when Roanne decides to end her ex-husband’s life and then her own, she does it with Connie on the line. Before she does, she tells Connie that the anger has trapped her, there was no way out, but that Connie needs to speak up. “Don’t let them have the final say.”
Connie is left floundering without her best friend, but she takes Roanne’s words to heart. She makes it her mission to revisit the men in her life who have talked down to her, taken her for granted, left her feeling “less than.” Former bosses, boyfriends, lovers, her ex-husband, even her deceased father – none of them escape Connie’s speaking up for herself.
The story alternates between past and present events, and each glimpse of the past sheds more light on the present. We see Roanne and Connie growing up, see how they took each unkind word and each slight, whether intended or not. Patricia Watts does an excellent job developing each character, showing how their pasts shaped them and impacted their present relationships.
The cover of this story makes you think this is a lighter story. Maybe a cozy mystery or a rom-com. It is not. It deals with some fairly weighty topics. In fact, the bulk of the story revolves around Connie finding the inner strength to reclaim the parts of herself that men have taken away or squelched over the years. She knew Roanne never did find that strength, never could stand up to the men who would put her down until she had enough and pulled the trigger.
I think most women have experienced, at some point, a man telling them, “You can’t do that, you’re a girl.” Maybe not in those precise words, but in attitude and in action. Any woman who’s ever had that happen, who’s been made to feel like she doesn’t measure up to some arbitrary standard simply because of her gender, will absolutely cheer for Connie. They might even see a little of themselves in Roanne, because at some point, maybe we’ve all thought, “We’re not gonna take it anymore.”
Paper Targets covers challenging subject matter, but it is a worthwhile read. I won’t say I enjoyed it. That sounds too casual. But it is a thought-provoking story, and it will stick with me long after the last page has been turned.
July 28, 2022
“And now I guess you’re what, NRA Barbie? It scares me that you may have a false sense of confidence. Do you even know how to handle a gun?"
First, this was not the story I was expecting. Initially, I was kind of anticipating a girly-type story. That’s not what this story is about at all. Second, the cover image is the type of art style that makes you look at it for a long time coming up with your own meanings behind the intended art statement. Plus, the cover art is very Andy Warhol.
The story inside these pages is well-written and thankfully, this is not a girly story. At first, getting into the vibe of the story was a challenge because the book is presented with past background and goes to the present and vice versa. It was not before long that I started picking up on the past chapters connecting to the present story. Those interwoven connections are what keep the story flowing unhindered.
Paper Targets revolves around two best friends who went through everything together only to be separated by death. In the death of a best friend the living friend finds her strength.
Suicide and murder are two tough subjects for anyone to write about. Equally, to those two topics is how women have been treated and are treated to this day by men. Patricia Watts handles these topics with grace and dignity. Things do stack up in our lives, just as they did for her characters of Connie and Roanne. It’s how you handle all those things amassing against you that define you and possibly define others in your life. That’s the essence of Paper Targets one who could not take it anymore and one finding a way through the pain of dealing with all those stacks that she herself had been dealt.
Older women will appreciate this book immensely. Women and girls who have been generally silenced over their lives will deeply appreciate the story within the pages of Paper Targets as well. Maybe, maybe it will help them find their own power to confront their pasts and their futures.
First, this was not the story I was expecting. Initially, I was kind of anticipating a girly-type story. That’s not what this story is about at all. Second, the cover image is the type of art style that makes you look at it for a long time coming up with your own meanings behind the intended art statement. Plus, the cover art is very Andy Warhol.
The story inside these pages is well-written and thankfully, this is not a girly story. At first, getting into the vibe of the story was a challenge because the book is presented with past background and goes to the present and vice versa. It was not before long that I started picking up on the past chapters connecting to the present story. Those interwoven connections are what keep the story flowing unhindered.
Paper Targets revolves around two best friends who went through everything together only to be separated by death. In the death of a best friend the living friend finds her strength.
Suicide and murder are two tough subjects for anyone to write about. Equally, to those two topics is how women have been treated and are treated to this day by men. Patricia Watts handles these topics with grace and dignity. Things do stack up in our lives, just as they did for her characters of Connie and Roanne. It’s how you handle all those things amassing against you that define you and possibly define others in your life. That’s the essence of Paper Targets one who could not take it anymore and one finding a way through the pain of dealing with all those stacks that she herself had been dealt.
Older women will appreciate this book immensely. Women and girls who have been generally silenced over their lives will deeply appreciate the story within the pages of Paper Targets as well. Maybe, maybe it will help them find their own power to confront their pasts and their futures.
July 30, 2022
At first glance, I saw a colorful cover, the fact that the main character was close to my age,and a cozy mystery author who also was part owner in a cupcake shop and I thought – a light beach read. Yuppers that lured me in but what kept me reading was a much more profound read. Existing in the world at about the same time as this character, Connie, was working her way through life gave me a lot of places where I could connect with the character.
The first few chapters were intense with the murder/suicide of the best friend Roanne and her ex-husband. The later happening while on the phone with Connie. I almost stopped reading at this point as I wasn’t sure I could handle it but I am glad that I kept going.
Connie starts a mission to find and confront the men who have wronged her in her life. The purpose of this is left up to the reader to decide but during it, you see the healing happening for Connie.
The story is told in flashbacks between today (after Roanne’s death) and their past. As Connie works her way through her memories, there is a thread of a story involving Zoe, Roanne’s daughter and Zoe’s processing of her loss. Just like real life there is more going on here than just one issue. Each time Connie confronts her past, there is growth and not always what she was expecting. The one that got away leads to reflection but the one she never considered may just be where her future lies.
All in all this was a very good read and not what I was expecting – I do love a surprise!
The first few chapters were intense with the murder/suicide of the best friend Roanne and her ex-husband. The later happening while on the phone with Connie. I almost stopped reading at this point as I wasn’t sure I could handle it but I am glad that I kept going.
Connie starts a mission to find and confront the men who have wronged her in her life. The purpose of this is left up to the reader to decide but during it, you see the healing happening for Connie.
The story is told in flashbacks between today (after Roanne’s death) and their past. As Connie works her way through her memories, there is a thread of a story involving Zoe, Roanne’s daughter and Zoe’s processing of her loss. Just like real life there is more going on here than just one issue. Each time Connie confronts her past, there is growth and not always what she was expecting. The one that got away leads to reflection but the one she never considered may just be where her future lies.
All in all this was a very good read and not what I was expecting – I do love a surprise!
August 4, 2022
Thank you to the author and LSSBT for providing a review copy of Paper Targets.
Paper Targets starts with a bang, literally. Connie gets a call from Roanne, her best friend of fifty years. Roanne admits to killing her ex-husband and then kills herself. Connie is devastated. How did she not see this coming? Her friend’s death sets her on a life-altering path of reflection, confrontation and forgiveness.
The story of Connie and Roanne unfolds in a back-and-forth style, as Connie reflects on their five decades of friendship. In her last words, Roanne rages against the men in her life who held her back, controlled her or diminished her self-worth. Connie realizes she shares similar feelings and sets out to confront the men who have hurt her, physically and emotionally.
I enjoyed this book. I’ll admit to being close in age to Connie and the passages describing her teen-aged years and early twenties resonated with me. More than that, the story really sucked me in, watching these two young girls, with hopes and aspirations, grow up, get married, and eventually lose their grasp on their tattered dreams. I felt deeply sorry for Roanne. Her plight was believable and well written. Connie was a multi-faceted character, and I loved getting to know her and cheer for her as she set out to slay her own personal demons.
I highly recommend this well-written, engaging story to readers of women’s fiction.
May 2, 2022
Insightful travel through the minds of two steadfast friends facing their pasts.
November 11, 2022
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.67.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews