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Worth the Risk: Partners / The Art of Deception
Partners
Matthew Bates had wanted Laurel Armand for years, but he was her professional nemesis, and the sultry Southern belle has always kept him at a safe distance. But when the rival reporters are forced to work together on a case of murder and madness down in steamy New Orleans, the sparks fly. Determined to get their story, Matt and Laurel find themselves in the path of a deranged killer, putting love and life on the line!
The Art of Deception
Supposedly he had come to her father's estate looking for respite. But was handsome Adam Haines really the man he pretended to be? Kirby Fairchild couldn't be sure. What she did know was that as the days and nights wore on, the attraction she felt for him was building, whether she'd wanted it to or not. Was she in danger of falling hard for a stranger who was even more practiced in the art of deception than she was?
Matthew Bates had wanted Laurel Armand for years, but he was her professional nemesis, and the sultry Southern belle has always kept him at a safe distance. But when the rival reporters are forced to work together on a case of murder and madness down in steamy New Orleans, the sparks fly. Determined to get their story, Matt and Laurel find themselves in the path of a deranged killer, putting love and life on the line!
The Art of Deception
Supposedly he had come to her father's estate looking for respite. But was handsome Adam Haines really the man he pretended to be? Kirby Fairchild couldn't be sure. What she did know was that as the days and nights wore on, the attraction she felt for him was building, whether she'd wanted it to or not. Was she in danger of falling hard for a stranger who was even more practiced in the art of deception than she was?
472 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
27 people are currently reading
1057 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,212 books59.9k followersNora 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 20, 2011
Picked this up at the dollar book store. The good thing about Roberts is that she is so prolific and I can often find her books used for a very good price. I picked this one up on a whim. Gotta love getting two stories for the price of one.
The first story was alright. The main characters had good chemistry though it seemed a bit odd that Matt had avoided pursuing Laurel for a year and then suddenly decided that the middle of an investigation was the right time to go about it. And even though she professed to dislike him, she quickly fell in love with him. Still - not a bad read.
Second story I didn't like as much. The characters seemed a bit forced and Kirby and her father was a little too eccentric to take seriously at times.
The first story was alright. The main characters had good chemistry though it seemed a bit odd that Matt had avoided pursuing Laurel for a year and then suddenly decided that the middle of an investigation was the right time to go about it. And even though she professed to dislike him, she quickly fell in love with him. Still - not a bad read.
Second story I didn't like as much. The characters seemed a bit forced and Kirby and her father was a little too eccentric to take seriously at times.
February 16, 2018
I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated!
It was given to me by a friend who loves these
romance fictions and especially the ones by
Nora Roberts.
My friend said "I know these are not your
types of books, but..."
It was a gift and so I said "thanks" and read it.
Partners is the first book in a two book binding.
It is well written, taut, flows well and the sexual
tension between Laurel and Matthew is real and
not contrived the way these situations sometimes
are in some romance novels.
The well timed teasing and verbal thrust and
parry between these highly ambitious and
accomplished professional rivals was always
respectful and never denigrating.
They will make excellent life partners if they
can always remember that couples are not
doormats for each other ...
It was given to me by a friend who loves these
romance fictions and especially the ones by
Nora Roberts.
My friend said "I know these are not your
types of books, but..."
It was a gift and so I said "thanks" and read it.
Partners is the first book in a two book binding.
It is well written, taut, flows well and the sexual
tension between Laurel and Matthew is real and
not contrived the way these situations sometimes
are in some romance novels.
The well timed teasing and verbal thrust and
parry between these highly ambitious and
accomplished professional rivals was always
respectful and never denigrating.
They will make excellent life partners if they
can always remember that couples are not
doormats for each other ...
March 5, 2019
It’s the first book of Nora Roberts I’ve read... and I get the fuzz around her. She is a very very good writer. She has the ability to transport you into the story, make you feel everything, and just love every character in the book. What I enjoyed the most about this one is that there are two stories in it and they are quite different from each other, I found the female characters very relatable and interesting strong male leads. The plot was captivating and overall it was a very fun read for my vacations.
I am looking forward to reading more of her.
I am looking forward to reading more of her.
August 4, 2010
This book was actually two books in one. The first set in sultry Lousianna with a crazy murderous family - great stuff. The second story took me into the word of art and art forgery, an interesting walk indeed. A fun vacation read.
October 15, 2023
A 2 in 1 book. #1 Partners - Matthew Bates and Laurel Armand both reporters for The New Orleans Herald. They are rivals both trying to outdo each other, then they are thrown together on a murder investigation and have to become partners in the news quest and somehow in the love quest too. #2 The Art of Deception - Adam Haines is undercover trying to locate a missing painting. He shows up at Kirby Fairchild's home looking for a quiet place to paint. He becomes fascinated with Kirby and soon falls in love. Now, he walks a fine line between his work and his love. Both of these stories were well written and take you along page after page. Enjoyed them both.
October 19, 2018
"Partners" is the first book in the duet and it is one of my favorites. Mysterious disappearances, spooky swamp, society reporter vs the crime reporter, and lots of snappy banter are excellent reasons to read and enjoy this book.
The Art of Deception" has an art-theft mystery theme, attempted murder, and romance to recommend it. Kirby does sculpture, while her father is the "greatest living artist" of the era--he also dabbles in crooked art. The mystery involves a Rembrandt and an attractive investigator who is an artist in his own right. Classic Nora Roberts, who can resist?
The Art of Deception" has an art-theft mystery theme, attempted murder, and romance to recommend it. Kirby does sculpture, while her father is the "greatest living artist" of the era--he also dabbles in crooked art. The mystery involves a Rembrandt and an attractive investigator who is an artist in his own right. Classic Nora Roberts, who can resist?
March 24, 2019
Partners is about two reporters who come across a story of a missing second wife of wealthy guy. Matt and Laurel have to figure out if this is a case of a missing wife or a murdered wife like her sister thinks it is. They follow leads to figure it out will it lead them to the first wife who went missing years earlier. Art of Deception is the second which is about Kirby and her father. When Adam comes to their mansion to supposedly work on his art is that really what he is there for or is there something else. They were both good reads and I enjoyed them both.
March 27, 2020
I liked these two stories for the distraction of time. They passed time.
Rarely do I not finish a book..I hope to always find something..a little treasure of sorts..to redeem some of the time spent reading!!
Much to my surprise..I found a little something at the end of the second story here...
Quote:
"You can't blame a tree for reaching for the sun or another for rotting from within. We make our own choices and we're each responsible for them. Blame and credit belong to the individual. You haven't the right to claim either from someone else."
Thank you for that..Nora Roberts.
Rarely do I not finish a book..I hope to always find something..a little treasure of sorts..to redeem some of the time spent reading!!
Much to my surprise..I found a little something at the end of the second story here...
Quote:
"You can't blame a tree for reaching for the sun or another for rotting from within. We make our own choices and we're each responsible for them. Blame and credit belong to the individual. You haven't the right to claim either from someone else."
Thank you for that..Nora Roberts.
June 29, 2021
Book 1 Partners..... was the better of the two . There was a mystery and the usual suspects. I just never quite understood why he fell in love with her picture... just because she is so darn beautiful???
Book 2... The Art of Deception was hard for me to get thru and I love her writing. Again there was a mystery but a weak one and really never explained why he liked occasionally working for the insurance industry ... just to help out a cousin and the over the top rich people and eccentric artists.... oh well
Book 2... The Art of Deception was hard for me to get thru and I love her writing. Again there was a mystery but a weak one and really never explained why he liked occasionally working for the insurance industry ... just to help out a cousin and the over the top rich people and eccentric artists.... oh well
September 23, 2021
This is another fantastic bind up edition of Nora Roberts containing two wonderful stories by the talented storyteller Nora Roberts from my library.
In Partners Laurel and Matt are reporters they have a strong competitive rivalry going on that doesn’t stem from professionally but Personally Laurel has been fighting her attraction to Matt for over a year since he started working for her fathers paper and is gradually getting more attracted to him, since he’s determined to annoy her constantly so her attention is on him what she doesn’t know is that he has yearned for her for years ever since he was her brother Curt’s college roommate and saw a photograph of her and fell in love with her instantly. The whole year he has gradually building up to let her know how much he’s attracted to her he’s wanted her for so long and is determined to win, but things get a little complicated when they have to share a story of a young woman’s mysterious death Anne Trulane the second wife of Louis Laurels childhood crush in his family home the oak heritage . As they start digging someone isn’t happy about this and begins threatening Laurels life, first a copperhead snake dead gifted to her in a box, she’s knocked out at the swamp while investigating clearly someone doesn’t want the truth to come out especially since it points to Louis. Ten years ago his wife Eliza and his younger brother Charles ran off together, his second wife Anne physically resembled his first wife was kept on the property in isolation with just him, was he concerned she would run off with another man us that why she turned up dead. As Laurel and Matt dig deeper the shocking truth emerges. Marion Trulane the older sister of Louis and Charles is the killer for greed and jealousy. She wasn’t happy that as the oldest she watched her father gift Louis the house and Louis who was going to Will Eliza the house since he loved her so much she killed her by leading her to the swamp at gunpoint, but her brother Charles saw her and tried to stop only for her to kill him too, staging it to look like they ran away together but disposing of their belongings in the quicksand unfortunately what she didn’t expect was for Matt or Laurel to dig deeper into Eliza and Charles finances and see that neither of them have touched their inheritances including Elizas fifty thousand dollars, Marion growing mad over the years believed Anne was Eliza and was tormenting her so she killed her too, she tries to kill Laurel for digging to deep but luckily Matt saves her and Lois gets his closure. This was a fantastic story to read, a well written mystery how horrifying the twist that Charles own sister was his killer and that she was willing to make it look like his was dishonourable to get with his brothers wife making him be hated by Louis, truly a horrifying twist all because Marion was greedy that the house wasn’t given to her as she is the eldest sibling. Absolutely enjoyable book to read I loved the fact that Matt had loved Laurel for years since seeing her photograph on Curts desk in their college dorm room. A perfect book to read if one is looking for a good mystery and romance.
In the art of deception Adam Haines is recruited by his cousin Henry McIntyre to visit the artist Phillip Fairchild and investigate him and locate a Rembrandt painting for the insurance company. The job was simple or so he thought until he meets Phillip’s daughter Kirby Fairchild and as he gets to know the Fairchilds he ends up really liking them and their crazy tendencies even the cat owning the dog, and Kirby arguing with the cat craziness. He feels torn and guilty doing the job as he begins falling in love with Kirby especially when Kirby opens up to him about her father and Harriets business deal with selling counterfeit paintings making him wish he could come clean too. But if that isn’t complicated enough a dangerous situation is brewing which shocking betrayals involved. Stuart Kirbys cheating ex fiancée is involved with the stolen Rembrandt painting because he’s broke but what surprises Kirby is his accomplice Melanie her closest friend and Harriets daughter, Melly hates Kirby she’s been jealous of her, she too is broke and wants money and is hateful Enough to kill Kirby luckily she defends herself and Melanie is wounded. The shocking twist was that all of this including the insurance company was an elaborate rouse. Harriet overheard Stuart talking to someone in the phone to steal the Rembrandt painting and heard Stuart mention Fairchilds name about getting a fake made so she goes to Phillip and they hatch a plan to catch not just Stuart but his accomplice which involved Harriet getting the insurance company to look into Fairchild on purpose as part of their plan unfortunately for them they didn’t involve Kirby and she nearly got killed because of it and neither expected Stuart’s partner to be Harriets daughter Melanie shocking everyone involved and if that isn’t a blow to Kirby she then discovers Adam has lied to her to the whole time heartbroken and fed up with being used by Stuart, by Melanie and by Adam she closed herself emotionally but Adam is in love with her, he wants marriage, children a shared dream with Kirby he just has to get her to forgive him and prove how much he loves her luckily this wonderfully written story does have a happy ending. I loved the characters and the quirky and eccentric personalities. This was a enjoyable and entertaining book to read
In Partners Laurel and Matt are reporters they have a strong competitive rivalry going on that doesn’t stem from professionally but Personally Laurel has been fighting her attraction to Matt for over a year since he started working for her fathers paper and is gradually getting more attracted to him, since he’s determined to annoy her constantly so her attention is on him what she doesn’t know is that he has yearned for her for years ever since he was her brother Curt’s college roommate and saw a photograph of her and fell in love with her instantly. The whole year he has gradually building up to let her know how much he’s attracted to her he’s wanted her for so long and is determined to win, but things get a little complicated when they have to share a story of a young woman’s mysterious death Anne Trulane the second wife of Louis Laurels childhood crush in his family home the oak heritage . As they start digging someone isn’t happy about this and begins threatening Laurels life, first a copperhead snake dead gifted to her in a box, she’s knocked out at the swamp while investigating clearly someone doesn’t want the truth to come out especially since it points to Louis. Ten years ago his wife Eliza and his younger brother Charles ran off together, his second wife Anne physically resembled his first wife was kept on the property in isolation with just him, was he concerned she would run off with another man us that why she turned up dead. As Laurel and Matt dig deeper the shocking truth emerges. Marion Trulane the older sister of Louis and Charles is the killer for greed and jealousy. She wasn’t happy that as the oldest she watched her father gift Louis the house and Louis who was going to Will Eliza the house since he loved her so much she killed her by leading her to the swamp at gunpoint, but her brother Charles saw her and tried to stop only for her to kill him too, staging it to look like they ran away together but disposing of their belongings in the quicksand unfortunately what she didn’t expect was for Matt or Laurel to dig deeper into Eliza and Charles finances and see that neither of them have touched their inheritances including Elizas fifty thousand dollars, Marion growing mad over the years believed Anne was Eliza and was tormenting her so she killed her too, she tries to kill Laurel for digging to deep but luckily Matt saves her and Lois gets his closure. This was a fantastic story to read, a well written mystery how horrifying the twist that Charles own sister was his killer and that she was willing to make it look like his was dishonourable to get with his brothers wife making him be hated by Louis, truly a horrifying twist all because Marion was greedy that the house wasn’t given to her as she is the eldest sibling. Absolutely enjoyable book to read I loved the fact that Matt had loved Laurel for years since seeing her photograph on Curts desk in their college dorm room. A perfect book to read if one is looking for a good mystery and romance.
In the art of deception Adam Haines is recruited by his cousin Henry McIntyre to visit the artist Phillip Fairchild and investigate him and locate a Rembrandt painting for the insurance company. The job was simple or so he thought until he meets Phillip’s daughter Kirby Fairchild and as he gets to know the Fairchilds he ends up really liking them and their crazy tendencies even the cat owning the dog, and Kirby arguing with the cat craziness. He feels torn and guilty doing the job as he begins falling in love with Kirby especially when Kirby opens up to him about her father and Harriets business deal with selling counterfeit paintings making him wish he could come clean too. But if that isn’t complicated enough a dangerous situation is brewing which shocking betrayals involved. Stuart Kirbys cheating ex fiancée is involved with the stolen Rembrandt painting because he’s broke but what surprises Kirby is his accomplice Melanie her closest friend and Harriets daughter, Melly hates Kirby she’s been jealous of her, she too is broke and wants money and is hateful Enough to kill Kirby luckily she defends herself and Melanie is wounded. The shocking twist was that all of this including the insurance company was an elaborate rouse. Harriet overheard Stuart talking to someone in the phone to steal the Rembrandt painting and heard Stuart mention Fairchilds name about getting a fake made so she goes to Phillip and they hatch a plan to catch not just Stuart but his accomplice which involved Harriet getting the insurance company to look into Fairchild on purpose as part of their plan unfortunately for them they didn’t involve Kirby and she nearly got killed because of it and neither expected Stuart’s partner to be Harriets daughter Melanie shocking everyone involved and if that isn’t a blow to Kirby she then discovers Adam has lied to her to the whole time heartbroken and fed up with being used by Stuart, by Melanie and by Adam she closed herself emotionally but Adam is in love with her, he wants marriage, children a shared dream with Kirby he just has to get her to forgive him and prove how much he loves her luckily this wonderfully written story does have a happy ending. I loved the characters and the quirky and eccentric personalities. This was a enjoyable and entertaining book to read
July 12, 2019
This book, tho released in 2018, is actually made up of two short novels by this author that were previously published in the mid eighties. It shows! The writing is nowhere near what her later novels are like, and because of the brevity, everything in the stories feels rushed and doesn't ring true at all. The mysteries weren't badly done, so that was one saving point. I wouldn't waste my time tho. Read her later writings instead!
July 1, 2020
The first Nora Roberts book I've ever read. MEH. Don't know if I'd read more.
Didn't realize this was an anthology when I got it at the book swap. Read Partners. It was good. I liked the dynamic between the main characters and the murder mystery really is what kept me hooked. But I didn't like the writing style enough to go on and read Art of Deception.
Didn't realize this was an anthology when I got it at the book swap. Read Partners. It was good. I liked the dynamic between the main characters and the murder mystery really is what kept me hooked. But I didn't like the writing style enough to go on and read Art of Deception.
September 20, 2024
i’ve never been more happy for a book to end. i feel bad that i didn’t like it but wow. the first one wasn’t my favorite but it was readable. the second one was just bad. so much weird stuff in these books too. he punched her in the face. the first book he literally said he wanted to get her drunk and have his way with her. i know it was a different time but that’s just weird.
August 5, 2023
The first story in this novel was great, perfect amount of romance, suspense, and thriller. Was very pleased with the ending of both stories but the second one was a little hard to understand throughout the beginning.
February 17, 2025
I hated this book from start to finish, but I’m not one to stop reading a book once I’ve started. I honestly can’t remember much from either story. I’m just glad it’s over. Robert writing style has turn much too “old school” for me.
April 19, 2025
I thought this was a pretty good read, I never read the first books but it didn't seem to make a difference. I did enjoy " The Art of Deception" more I like the family the dad, the house staff , and the relationship between the dad and daughter.
Thank you
PJV
Thank you
PJV
May 9, 2017
I always enjoy Nora Roberts books. I was not disappointed with this selection.
November 14, 2017
loved the first story, the last one was kinda boring
February 4, 2018
I enjoyed both of these, The Art of Deception a little more than Partners. What can I say? I love silly Nora.
February 20, 2018
2 fun & easy reads.
February 28, 2018
It was okay - Some of her books were better. Not going to stop me from reading more of Nora's books.
October 26, 2018
Two stories in one. Both follow the same formula. I thought the second with the painters would not but alas it did.
December 3, 2018
Thank god that's done
December 7, 2018
Audiobooks were okay for listening to in the car. A bit dated and too much of the fainting heroine in both books, but okay overall.
January 2, 2019
Like Nora Roberts as a guilty pleasure read. This book was actually 2 in one. Have to say not a fan of either.
October 25, 2020
Easy reading
library
July 30, 20210
May 17, 2023
Loved the first one. Took a while to get into the second one.
July 31, 2024
Partnerzy czy rywalem przeczytałem w jedne dzień nie mogłam się od książki oderwać natomiast przez sztukę mistyfikacji nie mogłam przebrnąć
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