Daugiau niekada

Romantic Suspense #24

by Karen Rose, Ignė Norvaišaitė-Aleliūnienė (Translator)

Įtemptoje antroje Sakramento serijos dalyje K. Rose pasakoja apie Mersę Kalahan - moterį, kadaise ištrūkusią iš kulto gniaužtų. Tačiau po daugelio metų ilgi kulto čiuptuvai vėl jos gviešiasi...

Praėjo septyniolika metų, kai Mersė Kalahan paskutinį kartą matė Efraimą Bartoną - vieną žiauraus Edeno kulto, kuriame ji užaugo, vyresniųjų. Nuo smurto ir siaubo ji pabėgo, bet praeitis jauną moterį vis dar persekioja.

Kai jos brolis Gideonas aptinka naujus kulto pėdsakus, Mersė atvyksta į Sakramentą su juo susitikti. Čia ji susipažįsta su artimiausiu Gideono draugu Rafu Sokolovu, žmogžudysčių tyrimo skyriaus detektyvu. Rafas pateikia merginai drąsų pasiūlymą: susekti Efraimą ir priversti jį už viską sumokėti.

O Efraimas, tiek metų laikęs Mersę mirusia, staiga sužino, kad ji gyva. Jis padarys bet ką, kad sugrąžintų merginą į Edeną - gyvą arba mirusią.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Mystery, Fiction

624 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2020

About the author

OFFICIAL 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.

Reviews

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
Devoted fans of romantic-suspense writer Karen Rose will love this latest addition to her series.

With the help of her mother, Mercy Callahan escaped a dangerous cult years ago. Now she returns to California to patch things up with her brother Gideon and his friend Rafe.

And just like clock-work, the past seems to be catching up with her. To be specific, her “betrothed” from the cult has no intention of just let her walk away.

Full of action and of course romance, Karen Rose fills in all the necessary background you’ll need should you choose to jump into this series at this point.

Though it’s lengthy at well over 500 pages, no worries… the pace is fast and the pages fly by.

Already looking forward to reading more from this author!

A buddy read with Susanne!

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

[Susanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

You Can Run, But You Most Certainly Can’t Hide!

Mercy Callahan escaped a cult years ago. Unfortunately for her, the trauma remains. If only that was the worst of it. Now, Ephraim Burton, the leader of the cult is on the hunt, he wants Mercy back and he intends to get her by any means necessary.

Reunited with her brother Gideon and the Sokolov family who took Gideon in as their own, when he escaped the cult, Mercy finds something she didn’t expect an attraction to Rafe Sokolov, Gideon’s best friend and the man who saved her life a few months prior. Though Mercy wants nothing more than to take down Ephraim, she also wants more from life.

“Say No More” is an extremely suspenseful storyline with a myriad of characters that centered around family. Truth be told, that’s what I enjoyed most about this book: Family. For me, the Sokolovs were the highlight - how they always took care of their own and everyone else, regardless of the danger involved.

“Say No More” by Karen Rose is the sequel to “Say You’re Sorry” involving Mercy and her brother Gideon (who was the main character in “Say You’re Sorry.”). This novel is characterized as a romantic suspense, though thankfully this book was lighter on the romance than its predecessor, which is something I appreciated. While I personally enjoyed “Say You’re Sorry” a tad more than the sequel, I enjoyed this and think fans of the series will too! 3.5 Stars.

This was yet another buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc.

Published on Goodreads on 2.7.21.

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

SAY NO MORE (Romantic Suspense #24, Sacramento #2) by Karen Rose is the second book in the Sacramento romantic suspense series. I loved the first book “Say You’re Sorry” so I was very excited to get book #2 and it did not disappoint. It is just as action packed, intense and suspenseful with another great H/h pair.

Mercy Callahan escaped a cult seventeen years ago and has moved on with her life. She still feared that Ephriam, who took her as his wife at the age of twelve and abused her, would never give up looking for her. She did not know that the man who killed her mother and almost killed her told Ephraim she was dead.

During the FBI hunt for a serial killer, Mercy and her brother, Gideon reconnect and Mercy meets his closest friend, Rafe Sokolov. Mercy has returned to Sacramento to apologize to Gideon for running away after being saved from the serial killer and see if her feelings for Rafe are real. While at the airport, Mercy is almost abducted by Ephriam who has discovered she is alive and her death faked.

Mercy and Rafe are determined to find and uncover the cult’s secrets as Ephriam leaves a trail of dead bodies and will do anything to take Mercy back to the cult dead or alive.

Karen Rose always writes longer books that go in depth into the hero and heroine and their personal connections with an action filled and suspenseful plot that weaves everything together into a great romantic suspense read. I was looking forward to reading more about Mercy after meeting her in the first book. She had misunderstandings that needed to be revealed. Her character has been through so much and yet she still has the capacity to trust and love. Rafe has had his own personal loses and it let him understand Mercy better than anyone else. The romance builds very slowly due to Mercy’s abuse, but you know it is going to be strong and solid by the HEA. All the secondary characters are as fully fleshed as the H/h and even with the different and large family units on both ends of the country, it is never confusing. You can read this book as a standalone, but I believe you will enjoy it more if you read “Say You’re Sorry” first.

This book has everything I look for in a romantic suspense. I know I will get action, suspense, unexpected plot twists and an H/h I will fall in love with. I am always excited to get a new story from this author to catch up with all the families and the previous main characters.

I highly recommend this romantic suspense and the Sacramento series!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK



I didn't think it was possible for this author to make me love her writing more than I already do but that's what happened while reading Say No more. This book was so captivating and it quickly became one of my favorites from Ms. Rose. The story followed Mercy and Rafe, who we met in the first book Say You're Sorry, and it also continued the storyline of the Eden cult that we learned of in the previous book. Even though this was a continuation of what we already learned it felt like a brand new story and we really got to dig deeper into Mercy's past and what growing up in Eden was like for her.

Mercy as a character was amazing for me and I loved her from start. When I was first introduced to her in the last book she was a little standoffish but I could tell she had a very interesting story to tell and I was right. She broke my heart at times but her determination and strength that had her pushing through all the hard moments made me admire her and I loved that she learned to lean on others for support to get through everything.

There seems to be a new trend with Ms. Rose and doing some heavier romance storylines, which I'm certainly not mad at. Mercy and Rafe were great together and their story together blended perfectly with the craziness and suspense that was going on around them.

Overall, this is definitely a recommended read. Even though most of the previous story is recapped and I don't think anyone starting with this book would be too confused I do think Say You're Sorry should be read before starting this one. Also there's a little bonus for any OG Karen Rose fans and we get to see an old character make an appearance which had me more than a little giddy.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mercy and her brother Gideon were raised in a commune their mother was duped into joining when she had no where else to go. Their childhood was isolated and filled with lies about the outside world. Even worse they were abused and barely escaped with their lives. Mercy’s tormentor, Ephraim Burton, her “husband” forced upon her at the age of twelve, thought she died in an escape attempt, but now Ephraim knows she’s alive and he’s hell bent on getting her back to the commune. Both to prove that one of the members lied about Mercy’s death and to punish her for the audacity to leave!

Fortunately, Mercy has Rafe Solokov, a Sacramento Homicide Detective, in her corner. Mercy can’t stop thinking about Rafe, but the investigation into Eden and the thought of dredging up the past sent her running back home to New Orleans (in the previous book). Rafe for his part thinks he scared Mercy off with a kiss, but his hopes for more are ignited again when he hears she’s returning to Sacramento.

I wanted to castrate Ephraim with a rusty butter knife! Yes, yes, I do realize he’s a fictional character, but seriously, this guy was evil! Most of the book is spent trying to stay one step ahead of this monster, evade his attempts to abduct or murder Mercy and her friends as he wreaks havoc on the city of Sacramento. Determined and ruthless, I have to say this guy scared me!

I was sad that Mercy and Gideon suffered at the hands of these charlatans, masking as tools of god, when they were nothing of the sort! More like tools of the devil preying on vulnerable people. It’s sad that there are actual cults like this in the world, which makes Say No More an even more chilling tale. I’m so happy Mercy wasn’t one of those TSTL heroines, reckless, and frustrating! Mercy wanted to nail Ephraim and the players at Eden, but she made sure she had help and protection while doing so.

Say No More was an action-packed thriller with a side of spicy romance. I was captivated and on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next! The whole Solokov family provided a great cast of secondary characters. Fierce, loyal, and there for support! I loved that both Mercy and Rafe had a solid base of friends and family to battle for them or cheer them on when they could do no more.

Mercy’s story began in the last book with her brother Gideon’s story, and while I don’t think you necessarily need to read the previous book, it does provide background for Mercy and Rafe’s story that you’d miss otherwise.

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really long story. Plenty of suspense, drama, and best of all, sweet love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think I said it several times as I was writing my notes during the review process – this book is massive. It’s almost like it is three stories in one when you look at the page count.

Not that I’m complaining. But fair warning, it’s also a huge time investment.

The author has an intricate, complex story to tell. One that is intriguing and a bit violent. The story surrounds members and ex members of a cult. There’s a lot that happens.

The author does an excellent job keeping the interest high throughout the story. There is a lot going on because there’s also a lot of conversation and many, many characters to keep track of and follow their involvement too.

But there’s also a lot of action in the story and plot itself. Constant movement. A lot of thrills including violent action and crime. Intense moments that can heighten the pulse. Flip those pages faster, especially from the last half on.

But surrounding that we have a romance building. Delicate and tentative, but we get to watch it grow throughout the book. Until it becomes strong and solid to stand many tests.

Rose wraps it all up with a surprising twist at the end that doesn’t really leave us hanging but keeps the door open for more to come.

Overall, the story has a lot of action, drama, romance, but also it tends to be filled with a bit more chatter making it a little tough sometimes.

Definitely intriguing, intense, and captivating with that romantic suspense element for a nice blend to the senses. This series is creepy and twisted in many ways, but Rose balances it nicely with awesome character development and tenderness too.

* copy received for review consideration
https://amidlifewife.com/say-no-more-...

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced, steamy, romantic suspense novel. It is a thriller with mystery and intrigue. It has diverse, likable, and engaging characters and a strong family dynamic whose warmth compensates for the heart-wrenching subject matter. It is the second entry in Ms. Rose's outstanding Sacramento series, and can be enjoyed as a stand alone, but is best read in order. I am looking forward to reading Tom and Liza's story with great anticipation. I have read every one of Ms. Rose's amazing novels, and she never disappoints her readers!

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, this follow up to the first book in this Sacramento series really delivered! Off the bat, please be aware of strong content warnings for sexual assault, child abuse, and abusive religious figures. This book does not pull its punches, so you will want to be in the right headspace if any of those content items are hard for you. That said, I appreciate how frankly these books tackle those topics & how that is integrated into the plot and into the characterization. The pacing in these books is pretty unique: there is a LOT of hanging around and talking, punctuated by intense action scenes. This works for me, but I could see that not being for everyone, and I do think you need to have read at least the prior book in the series, or else these "hang out" scenes with unfamiliar characters will not be enjoyable. I personally preferred the trope combo & overall tension in the first book, but this was similarly thrilling.
Still, all in all, I really enjoyed this as a cult related thriller & I'm excited to see what happens next in the investigation!!

[Jurgita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patiko. Tik per daug buvo nuolat žliumbiančių vyrų - ne tas žodis kaip erzino

[Helen Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the much anticipated follow up to “Say You’re Sorry”. Because this is a trilogy, it’s necessary to read “Say You’re Sorry” before this book in order to understand and follow the overarching plot. That said, I read the first book years ago before it was released, and my memories of what had happened were hazy.  Karen Rose does an excellent job of explaining what had happened in the first book without it feeling like too much of an info dump.

There are several character perspectives in this book, which is one of the things that makes Karen Rose’s romantic suspense novels so darn compelling. We get Mercy and Rafe’s POVs, but we also get an additional three. We get to follow Mercy’s “husband” from the cult who is tracking her down and leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. There’s the point of view of a teenage reporter who is convinced that Mercy’s story needs to be told and that he’s the one who needs to tell it. And then, there’s the point of view of a Mercy and Gideon’s stepfather--who’s still in the cult, but he is beginning to realize that it isn’t the safe haven he’d thought it was, and he’s realized that he needs to get his daughter out--before it’s too late.

This book is compelling, and so much more than just a romance.  This is a make or break it for Karen Rose’s books. Sure, there’s a romance, but it’s on the sidelines from the action.  If you want the focus to be on Mercy and Rafe’s budding relationship, then this isn’t quite the book for you. Sure, we get that in the book, but there is so much more going on.  

The story is thrilling and has a few twists along the way, though there aren’t any major surprises in the plot. That said, I’m very eager for the final instalment in the trilogy, because it isn’t entirely clear what will happen next. (I also have absolutely no idea who the couple will be! This is driving me nuts. In the first book, it was obvious that Mercy would be getting together with Rafe. For the third book, I can’t even pinpoint who one half of the couple will be.)

I do have one complaint about this book, which is the same complaint that I had in the first one in this trilogy. I recently read an older book by her (“You Can’t Hide”), and it was thrilling from cover to cover. In this trilogy, I’ve noticed that there is a lot of talking, exposition, and quite frankly, repetition. Even in the action scenes, it feels like they need to be heavily edited down for pacing. This 630 page book could have easily been only 500 pages, maybe even 400.  Even some of the thrilling scenes--like when we’re following Ephraim as he tracks Mercy and kills people that get in his way (and even some people who are just around, minding their own business. Ephraim’s a monster!), I felt that some of these scenes started to feel repetitive. He’s killing, I got it. 

That said, Karen Rose has created another fabulous book to get lost in, filled with dynamic side character and intriguing subplots that make her romantic suspense novels more complex and rewarding than most. 

*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ebook to review*

This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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[Anne OK · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW POSTED AUGUST 26, 2020

Karen Rose started the Sacramento Series out with a powerhouse introduction in Say You’re Sorry and, once again, she is at her best. The second installment is every bit as good as the first – maybe even better.

Heads up to those who need a trigger warning!! This is a searing story of murder and mayhem that includes severe abuse and damaged people, but also points to their resilience, strength and survival.

If you’re familiar with Rose’s romantic suspense, you know that she writes explicit and graphically detailed brutal and tragic storylines. Say No More doesn’t detour from this pattern and meets each nightmarish torment with its own excruciating intensity. And the author never lets up from start to finish as the body count rises. Readers can always expect endless surprises – both disturbing and mind-bending – with chilling twists and turns that promise you’ll be guessing throughout to the very end.

On the brighter side, the heart of this story is steeped in family, friendship and love. And I loved being thrown back into the Sokolov family mix – such a great diversity of wonderfully drawn characters. And it's this big happy family that brings some balance to an otherwise dark storyline. I'm still imagining all those luscious meals that Mrs. S cooks for the entire bunch -- even packing up leftovers to send home with her grown "babes." Even with a more-than-satisfactory completion of Rafe and Mercy's love story, it won’t be the end of this couple or the Sokolov family adventures.

I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Pastor’s cult and the secrets still untold within the gates of Eden. I’m keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that Rose has plans for Tom Hunter, the son of Caroline in her first romantic suspense, Don’t Tell, to be the featured hero of the third book. Tom is a character who has intrigued and haunted me from years ago when he was first introduced as a young boy named Robbie. It was certainly a welcomed surprise when he showed up in Sacramento all grown up, sporting an FBI badge and assigned to the Eden cult case.

An unexpected and unwelcomed surprise from this seasoned author was the number of minor and easily fixable editing problems. Too many slip-ups that coulda-shoulda-woulda been easily fixable with a final deep proofread. Can’t remember ever encountering this problem in any of Ms. Rose’s other books – and I have them all! She'll get a pass this time -- but I hope it doesn't become a habit.

Even though this book can easily be read as a standalone, I think you’ll appreciate it much more by reading the first installment in this new series where the cult arc begins.

And now let the agonizing year-long countdown begin for the next installment in the addictive and thrilling “Sacramento Series.”

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a happy camper with this one. I hate cults, abuse of young girls and heroines who can't move beyond their past. Mercy has really good reasons for all her problems, I get that. But, she was a little b---- to her brother, Gideon, without knowing what really happened. She really wounded him and I'm mad about that and I don't know if I can forgive that. Rafe fell in love with her when he rescued her from a serial killer in "Say You're Sorry, but when he tried to get close, she ran. I've seen very little in this book to change my original opinion of Mercy, but Karen Rose does an excellent job of putting lipstick on a pig, so to speak. I am really, really looking forward to the next book which I hope will be the end of Eden and all the secrets there, and be Tom Hunter's book, please, please, please. No heroine can do him justice, so I'm likely to be vastly disappointed. Anyway . . . so-so romance, little mystery, some suspense, a little disappointing to me, but Karen Rose fans will like it.

Mercy Callahan is a survivor on not only a year of sexual abuse in the cult Eden, but also of being kidnapped by a serial killer and a whole lot more. A lot for a woman only 26 years old. When she was married to Ephraim Burton at the age od 12 she suffered unimaginable abuse for a year before her mother got her out and was killed in the process. She knows she has a lot of problems, but she is, above all, a survivor and she knows she left things badly with both her brother, Gideon, but also with Rafe Sokolov, who was injured trying to rescue her. So, she pulls on her big girl pants and goes back to Sacramento to try and make things right. She no more than steps off the airplane when her worst nightmare becomes reality.

Rafe knew Mercy's history with the cult, but he was helpless to resist the strong attraction he feels for her. He has one thing in his favor - a large, loving family. They took Gideon in and they will do the same for Mercy. He really wants the chance to see where this all will go.

Together they will track down Ephraim and give Mercy the closure she needs on that dark chapter of her life. But they need more than a little help and everyone around them is in danger until Ephraim is found. But, Ephraim isn't the only Eden cult member who has an interest in Mercy and there is a lot more at stake that reacquiring the one that got away.

[Eglė Eglė · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visai neblogas detektyvas. Buvo įdomu daugiau sužinoti apie patį kultą ir jo vidų. O ir Amosas, šiek tiek žinomas iš pirmosios dalies, įnešė į istoriją naujų vėjų. Tik šiek tiek erzino nuolat verkiantys vyrai. Na aš nieko prieš juos neturiu, bet čia jie ašarojo dėl kiekvieno šūdniekio, lyg hormonų užvaldyta nėščioji 😅

[Terri Wino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh. It pains me to say it, because I usually love Karen Rose's books, but Say No More wasn't just the book title -- it was something I wish the author would have done about 300 pages into the book. The hardback I read was 629 pages, and it felt like half of those pages were spent rehashing the events in the first book of the Sacramento series.

Despite the size of this book, and as much as I liked the characters of Mercy and Rafe, I felt like nothing really happened in this book. The one part I loved about this book was the appearance of Tom Hunter, the son of a couple from one of Karen Rose's earlier books. I do absolutely love how this author incorporates characters from previous books into the present entry in a series, and it's even better when they cross over from a different city's series.

Every book from an author can't be a reader's favorite, but that doesn't mean I won't read their next book. There still remains an unresolved thread that was in both this and the previous Sacramento book, so I look forward to the resolution in, hopefully, the next book.

Say No More was okay, but definitely not one of my favorites from this author.

[BeccaJBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say no more is the 24th in the Karen Rose romantic suspense series, but 2nd in the new Sacremento series. I’ve read every one before this and so when I got a chance to read this early I was so happy. Karen Rose is one of my favourite authors and I buy everything she publishes. This was no exception to her fabulous record.

In the previous book, Say you’re sorry, we met Mercy Callaghan, as the sister of Gideon Reynolds. We only briefly got to hear her story and this new book was the continuation of that story.

Mercy and Gideon were members of a cult called Eden and managed to escape, 13 years apart. Once reunited mercy has to deal with her guilt at having felt anger toward Gideon for the mistaken belief that he left her and her mother in Eden as he was lazy and ran away because he didn’t want to work. He was in fact abused and nearly killed so had to escape.
This book confronts these feelings of misplaced resentment, grief at the shared loss of their mother, reluctance to visit old memories and anger at the betrayal of people they believed were good.

Karen Rose writes her books so well, it is very detailed and the book comes in at over 500 pages. My only criticism of this book is that there was a lot of information to take in and a lot of bits to remember that if you hadn’t read the previous story you may not have followed as well.

My favourite thing about Karen Rose books in that they include so many faces from previous books. The Sokolov’s are a firm favourite of mine and I love to read about their tight knit family and how much they love each other and welcome people into their home. Linking all the books together through these beloved characters makes them so special and leaves me wanting to go back and read them all again.

I 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for thrills, suspense, romance, Cults and drama. Not for the faint hearted, there is some gore and some raunchy sex scenes, but it wouldn’t be a Karen Rose romantic suspense without it!

https://thebeautifulbookbreak.com

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say No More by Karen Roseis the second in the Sacramento romantic suspense series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Berkley Publishing, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.  Note that the delay in my review was the fact that NetGalley did not mention that this was part of a series, so I had to locate and read the first book prior to attempting this one.


Series Information:

Gideon and his sister Mercy grew up in a cult called Eden.  At the age of 13 the boys went into "Special Training".   At the age of 12, the girls were married.  Their mother, Selena (known as Rhoda in the cult), got Gideon out just before they would have killed him.  She eventually got Mercy out too, but Selena  lost her life during the escape, and Mercy was left for dead.  Mercy blamed Gideon for leaving them behind, as she had never been told the truth.  Now Gideon is with the FBI, and Mercy works in a DNA Lab for the New Orleans Police Department.  They are trying to mend their relationship, and they are both still searching for Eden.



My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Mercy returns to California to try and make peace with both Gideon and Rafe.  There is so much she must tell her brother.  The lies must stop.  But as she and her friend Farrah arrive at the airport, so does her "husband" from the cult...Ephraim.  The man who abused Mercy for so long is determined to take her back to Eden.  He doesn't care how many people end up dead in the process.

With Ephraim after Mercy, no one is safe, and Rafe's family are all on high alert.  Although Rafe is on disability from the bullet he took when Mercy was being hunted by a serial killer, he has continued to work behind the scenes in efforts to find the present location of the cult.  So have the FBI. They seem to be making some progress.

Jeffrey Bunker is 16 years old, and is already in college, taking journalism courses.  He is writing a paper on victim abuse, and specifically Mercy Callahan,  who had almost died at the hands of  a serial killer a few months ago.  But as he delves deeper, he is finding things that make Mercy look bad, and although he questions them,  his editor insists on publishing.  Things are about to get even more complicated for Mercy.


My Opinions:   

I must admit that I have been enjoying this series (much to my chagrin).  Romantic suspense is not really my cup of tea, but these books have such an interesting plot, that I am determined to finish the series.  I sort of skim the romance part.

I have read a number of cult-related books, but most have been non-fiction.  This book may not be true, but the power and abuse shown in this "Eden", could easily be seen as true.  The author did good research.

There are a lot of characters in the series, and with each book, more seem to be added.  There is an ever-growing family surrounding Gideon and Mercy, and each has depth.  I am wondering if we will learn more about John and that group in the near future.

The book was told from different perspectives (including that of Ephraim), and this method kept things straight.  It worked well.

Anyway, the book was entertaining, (if a little long), and the action was steady.  I would definitely recommend reading these books in order.  I can't believe it, but I can't wait for the next in the series.


For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say No More follows Say You're Sorry, the first book in the Sacramento series. In the first book readers met Gideon, who escaped a dangerous cult when he was a teen. It is now years later, and in this book we meet Mercy Callahan, Gideon's sister. They both escaped the cult back then. Well, there is a dangerous cult member who will stop at nothing when he discovers that Mercy is alive and well. In keeping Mercy safe, she is brought back into contact with Gideon, but also with Gideon's very good friend, Rafe Sokolov.

This history is clearly explained for readers who haven't read the first in the series. However, I do think readers would benefit by reading the first book before taking this one one. This book focuses on Mercy, but also on Ephraim Burton, leader of the cult. Ephraim hurt many people over the years, including Mercy. Now Ephraim is intent on finding her again, leaving a trail of bodies at every turn.

Mercy doesn't back down when given the opportunity to stop Ephraim once and for all, no matter the danger. She never stopped rooting around for ways to end the cult, and this makes Ephraim none too happy. Rafe agrees to help Mercy in her search, and vows to keep her safe. Meanwhile the pair have an undeniable chemistry.

I was touched by Mercy and Gideon's reunion. It was very sad to see why they were pulled apart, but gratifying to see them together again. Another impressive thing to me in this story was Rafe's attraction and attention to Daisy. He knew she was fractured, and while their feelings grew for each other, Rafe's caring and patience was remarkable.

While readers are getting to know more about Daisy and Rafe, as well as his large family, they also get to see the very dark side of Ephraim and how relentless and brutal he is. I love how this book was written, and found it to be a much stronger read than the first in the series. I think it was because of the cult connection, which while being painful to read about, was equally rewarding to see that so many people escaped.

I hope this series continues, because both Mercy and Rafe have a lot of people that love them, and those very ones were often mentioned in this book. So, as a greedy reader, I am asking for more. Kudos to Karen Rose for writing such an intense and addictive story.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Sunshineandbooks1410 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besser als der erste Band. Mega emotional, musste schon ein paar Tränchen verdrücken. Endet aber mit einem bösen, bösen Cliffhanger...

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 5 out of 5]

#1 Say You're Sorry: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars

*

5 stars!

*

Surely Goodness and Mercy.

Say No More was such a good read! The book followed along the previous novel's general story arc regarding the cult, but this time with different characters as the protagonists--Mercy and Rafe. They were both such wonderful narrative voices and I loved loved loved how well developed and complex they were.

Karen Rose has such a knack for writing well developed mystery stories. The plot progression here was fantastic the way things slowly came together was so well done. Some aspects of the mystery were already familiar to us because of the previous book, but Rose did such a wonderful job at expanding that universe and making this a bigger and way more complex puzzle.

I also loved just how real the characters were and how Rose wrote pretty much all of the relationships. They weren't without struggles--Mercy and Gideon's scenes broke my heart--but it was so lovely to read about friends and family coming together like that and supporting each other. The way the characters dealt with and Rose decided to address sexual assault and abuse in the novel was also so so well done and touching.

And the romance! The open support and respect Mercy and Rafe showed to each other was so beautiful. I loved how they checked and respected each other's boundaries and talked things out and were always willing to help each other. The light steamy scenes between them were also so important in the context of Mercy's past experiences and I was so happy with how Rose wrote that.

The ending was a tiny bit rushed, though, but I did love how it all came together! The final few chapters gave us quite a few big twists and revelations that make me really curious to see what direction the series will go in the next installment. I recommend this to anyone looking for engrossing new mystery stories with a wide range of characters and the best found families!

*

Series: #2 in the Sacramento series.
POV: Told mostly from Mercy and Rafe's POVs.
Content Warnings: Rape. Childhood sexual abuse. Forced marriage. Physical abuse.
Steam: Light steam!
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA: For now, yes!
Up Next: TBA.

[Liber_Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in Sacramento series. This follows Mercy's story.
I absolutely loved it. Probably a little more than the first book.

While book one sort of followed two mysteries/backstories, I was glad that this one was strictly focused on Eden (you'll know if you read the book).

This series is my first romantic suspense series. And I am really enjoying it.

Mercy: She has suffered A LOT in her life. In the beginning, I really really hated her for hiding what she hid from her brother, Gideon (hero of the first book). But it also made sense. And I was glad that she understood her mistakes. Her character grows so much, and she becomes so much stronger than before.

Rafe: After reading two books from Karen Rose, I'm starting to realize the kind of men Karen Rose writes. They're sort of very emotionally available alpha men. They're like "I need to protect you" but they'll as easily cry for the heroine's sufferings. I am in love with Rafe's family too. So supportive. SO funny. Especially Mama Sokolav. Love her.

Relationship/Love: Very instalove. Both the books. I guess the suspense plot is so important that the author has no time for developing relationships. But this is where I cut the 1 star. I really need some build up and falling into that special connection. But having said that, their relationship was really good. They were so supportive and understanding with each other. Also, there were two steamy scenes but what a scene..!!

Villain: Man, I hated this guy. He was a sick, disgusting piece of trash. And he got what was coming to him.

Side Characters: These books have quite extensive set of side characters. And they're not just props. They each have a part to play, and they really blend well into the story.

Overall, I was absolutely hooked to the story. Yes, it could've been a little shorter, but that was fine. It really helped me get lost in their world.

Can't wait for Book 3.

[Joy Novel Thoughts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for Say No More since I finished reading Say You're Sorry and it was just as good as I anticipated! This is not a quick read, in fact it's probably the longest book I've read all year around 500 pages, but even with it being so long I devoured it in a matter of days.

The intensity and the almost jump scares are what make this book so hard to put down. Every chapter has you longing for more, and wanting to unravel that next secret. Our killer is viscous and I lost count of how many people he killed just trying to get to Mercy.

When I was working on my must read summer suspense list earlier this year I knew without a doubt that this would be a must read, and I was proven 100% correct. If you have any inkling that you want some more murder in your life, then you need to take a chance on this series! I have no doubt that you will be satisfied.

There was more romance in Say No More than the first book, which I had a love and hate relationship with because they would be doing the deed and I would get all itchy that they would get killed in the middle of a romp, and I'm over here yelling in my head, "THERE IS A CRAZY KILLER AFTER YOU! WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING!!!

It was worth it though, because you could feel their connection and not just with them but with Mercy's friend and family group that surrounded her. They took protecting her to heart and it showed which made things even more difficult when things took exceptionally violent turns.

I think I've said all I can say without giving anything away, so take me word for it. Say No More is the romantic suspense of 2020 that will light you up and have you ready to take down a horrid cult led by the most evil of men!

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say No More is the second book in the Sacramento series, and it does feel like the story continues from that first book. Nevertheless, the author does give enough information that I didn't feel lost as I was reading even though I haven't read that first book. Now, I don't know if the first book is as long as this one, but the length surprised me. In a time when most are looking for instant gratification, this is one very long book. A very long book that is surprisingly light on any lags in the story, which says a lot about the author's talent for storytelling. There is a lot going on as well as quite a few characters to keep track of, but the further into the book I got, the easier it was to keep up with who was doing what. The story does have some violence and it touches on some touch subject matter, but any time a cult is involved in the plot, I kind of expect things to be dark. What it all boils down to is that this one held my interest from start to finish, and while it may be my first read by Karen Rose, it will not be my last.

[Paris (kerbytejas) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, but I believe it's a bit long - the story could have been trimmed without losing feelings, or overall plot.

[Gizella Tóth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, oh my, where is the next one?

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karen Rose can grab you by the throat of your emotions, give you thrills and chills as you go into some gritty, dangerous places with the investigation teams, and invite you to fall in love with her complex characters with each new installment. I was excited to discover this was Gideon's story and a little wary about it also being Mercy's, and rightly so, but well worth it.

Say No More is the twenty-fourth of the overall Romantic Suspense series, but second in the books focused in Sacramento. It probably could be read standalone in a pinch, but definitely works best read after Say You're Sorry, at least.

Say No More opens with a fragile Mercy returning to Sacramento after fleeing the city six weeks before in the aftermath of a serial killer being caught and that kiss from Rafe. Running with no word to her brother, Gideon, and Rafe, was a cowardly and wrong thing to do and it didn't even help. Her work in the forensic lab is distracted to the point of making significant errors and she's put on leave so she determines to make things right with the brother she held hate and blame for all these years and the man who stirred her up with scary emotions particularly since he took a bullet for her. She needs to help Gideon find Eden and end what goes on there and find the strength to face it all including growing feelings for Rafe.

Unfortunately, her name came up in a TV interview that gets seen by the wrong person. Brother Ephraim from the Eden Cult spots Mercy and knows that dragging her back to Eden will kill two birds with one stone. She can help the cops identify him and she is his big chance in the power struggle for leadership of the cult after the Pastor passes on. DJ, the other main contender swore he killed Mercy and Ephraim can catch him in his lie by producing Mercy. While the FBI hunts him, he is hunting her and he doesn't care how many necks he needs to snap or bullets he needs to fire to get what he wants.

Other narrative threads weave through these and all eventually intersect for a big ending that leaves room for more work from the group of law enforcement people in Sacramento.

Generally, I am not one for darker stories, but there has always been something about Karen Rose's writing that pulled me in and keeps me there- willing to walk the dingy alleys, shadowy streets, and dark places with those who are real heroes both the ones who survive terrible odds and those who serve and protect because yes, these stories offer both of those viewpoints.

Mercy is both a survivor and a member of the law enforcement community. My heart ached through her story and those of others who were abused in the Eden cult. Her panic attacks and withdrawals inside herself left me feeling helpless and scared for her though I was glad her best friend came along with her for support. Eden was a heinous place run by evil people and it fired me up to see the group led by Gideon and Mercy going after the place. It isn't just a cult and the leaders aren't benign religious types as they slowly discover. I was stressing out and getting pretty emotional at times as things came out or happened. I'll offer a trigger warning to those who struggle to read about abuse or violence associated with it.

As usual, the author did her due diligence with the backdrop of the story whether it was cult practices, abuse victim/survivor behavior, police procedures, and even the local setting. It all makes for a well-layered story.

The action-suspense plot offers several points of view including the villains which adds tension. I had to set the book aside a few times when it got intense (I'm not a tough, hard-core thriller reader, keep in mind), but it was still an amazing read with a few breath-taking aha moments.

I enjoy the level of romance that is in each book that balances with the suspense. I felt this one had a little more focus on Rafe and Mercy's slowly-progressing relationship than past books. And, it got a little spicier. I thought it made sense because their romance was also an indicator of healing taking place when Mercy could get to a place where they could be in bed together without sending her into a panic. Rafe was so patient and gentle with her and supported her as she worked and struggled with the demons inside. Mercy was good for Rafe, too. He wanted to get back to work at the police department and be a part of things instead of on leave and an invalid. She was smart and loyal, had her own skills that she could bring to the table besides her past experience with the cult. They were a great match.

Rafe's large, supportive Russian family and the larger circle of friends including Tom from Chicago (hopefully he gets his book next) were so wonderful. I loved them from the moment they appeared in Gideon and Daisy's book.

All in all, it was another absorbing, gut-wrenching, and abso-fabulous romantic suspense that I can breeze through the hefty amount of pages without noticing for the most part. If you like your romantic suspense girtty and action-packed while still getting sensational character and romance development give these a go.

My thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another nerve racking read, but oh so good! Onto to the conclusion.

[Elke Eelbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deel 2 in deze reeks was opnieuw razend spannend. Je leest wel best de boeken kn volgorde want er komen veel’personages in voor en ze komen ook in de 3 delen telkens terug.
Zoals we gewoon zijn van deze schrijster een mix van spanning en romantiek met een open einde want deel 3 komt er nog aan.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen Rose is the author of thick, intensely layered, & sexy romantic suspense books, so when Berkley invited me to join a Blog Blitz for her latest release, Say No More, I internally did 🤸🏻‍♀️ 🤸🏻‍♀️.

After being forced to take a short leave from her job with the Louisiana PD Mercy Callahan is returning to California to tell her biological brother Gideon something he should know about their family.

Raised in a cult named Eden where people live off the land, some of the people there are mauled by “wolves” if they go off-land, & girls like Mercy are forced to “marry” at 12, Mercy and Gideon have had trouble re-connecting & dealing with their past trauma (shared & separate) in the outside world 13 years after Mercy’s escape.

But while in the airport Mercy is almost kidnapped by Ephraim, the man she was “married” to at 12. He has his own reasons for wanting to return her to Eden & he’s willing to murder almost anyone to do it.

While I enjoyed SNM & found a lot to appreciate about it, I do want to be clear that this is not a light read. The opening itself—which focuses on Mercy’s escape from Eden as a teen—is very disturbing & violent. There are references made to rape (child & adult, the latter of which happens on the page in the Prologue), lots of murders, & a plot line that revolves around a video of college age Mercy being sexually assaulted after she was drugged.

Plus there are so many other things Ephraim does in this book to try to capture Mercy, and honestly, I started to feel like it was too much for the heroine to have to go through.

And while it’s engaging to see a mystery unfold from multiple perspectives, there are times the disjointed narration momentarily took me out of the story, or when certain characters started to feel like they were taking on too much prominence. (I’m talking about you, Jeffy.)

But as always Rose writes mystery adeptly, moving all these pieces around the board & managing a behemoth of a book like a wizard. The story of the siblings is so emotional & Rose boldly explores their feelings, portraying Mercy’s complicated view of the brother she was told abandoned her & their mother.

For this romance reader, Mercy’s relationship with Detective Rafe Sokolov is satisfying & adds more lightness to a story that gets pretty dark. Their dynamic is sensual but I also didn’t doubt their emotional intimacy.

In the end, this was a 3.5⭐️ for me. It was an enjoyable read that got even better for me the deeper I got into the story & I’m glad to see Mercy get the Happy Ending she deserves.
​
Say No More is available now. Thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

[missy · Rating 1 out of 5]

... what in the actual hell am I reading? I am currently at 40% and am genuinely unsure if I'll be able to finish this heap. This is one of those books that is causing me to question my previous judgment, because I've read this entire series and I remember genuinely enjoying the other books, but now I'm wondering if they were all AWFUL?! I don't think they were, but maybe??!

Every character in this book is speaking with the same voice, and that voice is stupid and doesn't make much sense. The gaps in logic are gargantuan, the dialogue is unnatural and repetitive. I currently feel like I'm stuck in a weird, horrible, amateur play centered around Irina Sokolov, which, like, WHY?

The villain, Ephraim, makes no sense whatsoever, even though there was already a foundation for him, his overall character feels like a badly cobbled together bunch of bad guy traits. A drug-dealer/quasi-cult leader with some pedophilia peppered in. It would all be so much more compelling if he was an actual true believer, a real zealot. Instead he's simply money-driven which is completely boring. He also has super fucking random bouts of sympathy that I'm baffled by.

While we're on the subject of Ephraim, I need to address the master-class in horrible writing that is his scene with Regina. Dear lord, it's a full cringe. This woman we aren't properly introduced to has it all figured out, and then just gracelessly throws it in the face of a man she knows to be dangerous. That = death, duh.

Oh and this random teenage journalist? Again, whattt?? First of all, who at a university would take a random-ass 16 year old seriously and give him an interview? No one. He vacillates between being a whiney brat with no moral compass & a good little citizen who cares about respecting victims and his mother's good opinion. He's an utter idiot who we are supposed to believe graduated years early because he's so smart. Hm. No.

It seems that Karen Rose has forgotten how to write both romance and suspense. First of all, there's nooooo romance in town. None. Nada. And as far as suspense goes, she's throwing her cards on the table with all the subtlety of a bulldozer.

It's not just the characterization that is so horrendous, it's every single conversation. All of it feels like it's written by someone who has never written a damn book before. It just plain sucks.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

I really enjoy 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.  Say No More continues the story in Sacramento.  Say You're Sorry was the first Sacramento book and #22 in the series.  It featured Gideon, who escaped from a cult, paired him with Daisy, his sister Mercy,  and his best friend Rafe, who is from a large family.

Now we get Rafe's story, along with Gideon's sister, Mercy, who also escaped the cult.  I was so happy to see Gideon and Daisy, and Rafe along with his big family.  Mercy also brought along her best friend, Farrah from New Orleans.  In Say No More,  Mercy and Daisy are kidnapped by a serial killer. Gideon is an FBI agent. Rafe is a homicide detective.  Mercy comes back to Sacramento to deal with unresolved feelings about her brother.

Unfortunately, the publicity from the serial killer brought Mercy into the spotlight and now the cult people are after her. More than one of the cult "brothers" is more than willing to kill anyone in his way.  Mercy and Gideon face a search for them, as they also try to keep all their loved ones safe. We learn much more about the cult and their family history.

This author does an excellent job of developing her world and building characters with realistic emotions and growth.  Rafe and Mercy are both facing emotional issues and change in their lives. They are such good people but it is so hard to let yourself be vulnerable and honest.

I would not jump into this in the middle of the series. One could start at the beginning of a city since those stories connect well, and they seem to be labelled on Goodreads. For example, Say No More is only the second book in the Sacramento series.  There are cool connections though. Tom Hunter who is a newer FBI agent came from Chicago and we know his family there. I bet Tom is the focus of the next Sacramento book. Some of the cult is still out there.

I really enjoy the action and strategy used by both the good guys and the criminals.  I was naturally horrified by these cult types. They mask their money greed and sexual depravity in religion and give religion a bad name.  There is plenty of action and a tender romance. As dark as they stories are, it is comforting to see criminals captured and a happily ever after.


Excerpt (from Chapter 2):
Amos Terrill rubbed his thumb over the lines of the script he’d just carved into the lid of the hope chest. He was almost finished with it, this special project on which he’d been laboring for the past five months, mostly in secret. He’d made countless hope chests, coffee tables, kitchen cabinets, armoires, and jewelry boxes over the thirty years he’d lived in Eden. All of them had been gifts for the membership or items to be sold to bring money into the community coffers.

This was the first time he’d ever made something for himself. Something he didn’t intend to share with anyone.

No one except his Abigail. His heart.

A splinter caught at his thumb and he pulled it out, sucking at the small wound before returning to his task. He could sand the hope chest later. He didn’t have much more time to himself. Everyone knew he stopped working at suppertime, and then people would start dropping by.

Amos, can you fix this? Amos, a minute of your time? Amos, need a pair of strong hands to help with… It didn’t matter what. It was all the same after thirty years.

He picked up the detail blade, his favorite of all of his carving tools. He’d brought it with him to Eden, when he was young and full of hope, ready to change the world.

Now he knew the truth and every day had become a struggle, each harder than the day before.

He had to stay positive. Had to keep smiling. Had to stay patient. Had to nod and pleasantly reply that all was well when he was greeted in passing.

In other words, he had to lie.

He finished carving the last word and took a look at his work. It had become something of a trademark, a personal signature he’d added to all the larger pieces of cabinetry he created.

The words were carved in a scrolling, old‑fashioned script: Surely Goodness And Mercy Shall Follow Me All The Days Of My Life. Psalms 23:6. Anyone in the community would think it simply a beautiful Bible verse, one that matched the song that used to be in his heart.

But it wasn’t. It was a tribute. Penance, even. His way of trying to make it up to a beautiful little girl whom he’d failed. So utterly.

Mercy. He thought of her often, especially after the birth of his Abigail, whose name meant father’s joy . As with most things in his life, Abigail’s birth had been bittersweet, losing her mother just minutes after they’d held their baby for the first time.

He’d thought he’d lose them both. Like he’d lost his first family. Mercy. Gideon. Rhoda. Dammit, Rhoda, I’m so sorry. You tried to tell me, but I wouldn’t listen.

He hadn’t wanted to listen.