jenjn79’s Comments (group member since May 05, 2008)

jenjn79’s comments from the Nora Roberts Groupies group.

Hmmm, interesting. I've got kinda polar views on that.

I'm all for author following where their muse takes them (with a couple exceptions where an author seemed to purposefully go against reader expectations) but it is their art and they need to go where they want. So kudos to Nora for following where inspiration took her.

At the same time, as a reader, I don't find myself anticipating the new trilogy at all. We read what we enjoy....for me that is straight up romance in some form or another (plain contemporary, romatic suspense, erotic romance, etc). It's my escape after the daily stress of life. I've tried reading other genres and they just don't hold my attention - I've been a third of the way through an autobiography by a fav musician for about a year now. And there are a couple fav romance authors who have gone more the chick lit route lately with no HEA or minimal background romance that I had no interest in reading. It's just a matter of what appeals to us as readers.

So on two levels I find myself unintrigued but this turn for Nora. First the lack of a focus on romance. For me personally as a reader, I want/need that HEA at the end. I've held off on reading series' that didn't give an HEA in the first book until all books were released. Once I actually returned a book when something seemed off in the first few pages so I skipped to end and found a really bizarre unsatifying finish.

And secondly, the focus on a sort of sci fi/fantasy storyline. Full on sci fi/fantasy has just never really appealed to me. I still haven't read the Guardian trilogy because of the heavy focus in that area. I don't mind a casual fantasy theme like in Three Sisters or Dream trilogy but the ones with a full on fantasy theme have always been hard for me to get through. I've read them because they were Nora but after I'm done I set them aside whereas other series I love to reread.

So yeah, at this point I don't think I'll read it. I have no criticism for Nora for changing it up. It's her writing. It's her art. But at the same time while I love many many Nora books I don't know that I can force myself to read something I know doesn't appeal to me. Am I disappointed by the change? Yes. I love her series....I've reread many of them numerous times. But it is what it is. I'll probably wait and read some reviews to see what others think of the new trilogy.

Here's a new question for everyone:

So, I've been sitting here doing some updates to my Nora Roberts shelf here on Goodreads and looking at all the books of hers I've read. There's so many that I would just love to go grab off my shelf and read again (some for the umpteenth time).

Whether it's some of the standalone romantic suspenses, the Chesapeake Bay Saga, Three Sisters Island, the MacGregors, the Stanislaskis, the original Silhouette Irish books...I would just love to read them all again.

I can't think of any other author whose books just keep drawing me back. There are a few other books that are all time favs that I've read more than once and plan to read again, but no other author has so many books I just want to pick back up and jump back into that world.

So what is it about Nora Roberts's books that keeps us coming back for more? Whether it be picking up a new release or rereading an old fav.

Your thoughts?

(I don't have my answer yet. I'm still thinking about it)

I finished my reread. I just adore this book. I'm always sad when I get to the end and don't have more to read. I almost feel like I could flip right back to the beginning and start over again.

And one of the problems I always have when I reread a fav NR book is that it makes me want to pull out another of my favs to read. Which I'm currently debating with myself about. I would so love to reread another NR fav (probably either True Betrayals or Birthright), but I've got so many new books I should be reading. *sigh*...wonder which side will win ;)

I'm currently 132 pages into my reread. And even though I've reread this book more times than I can count I'm still sucked into it. This is such a fantastically done story. Right now I'm settling into bed for some quality reading time with Emma, Michael and Devastation.

I have this one out, waiting for me to reread it (again). As best I can remember, it's the first NR book I read and remains one of my very favorites. I was recently giving a coworker some NR recs and it made me want to read this one again. Which is good timing since every year on my birthday I pick out one of my favorite books to reread. Looks like it'll be this one this year.

Welcome to the group, Melissa!

Feel free to jump into any of the discussions or to post on older topics...topics here are never dead so they're always open for new comments :)

I just happened to notice, as I was checking something out, that the group just celebrated it's 4th birthday here on Goodreads. I created this group on May 5, 2008.

Now, 4 years later, the group is still going strong, currently with 823 members. Thank you to all of you for making this group a great place to talk about one of our favorite authors.

So, Happy Birthday to the NR Group :)

This happened right before I started getting back into reading, but I've heard about it a bit. And I have to admit I've never read a Janey Dailey book and when I see them in stores I give them a little sneer (haven't bought/read Cassie Edwards either). There's no excuse for plagiarism in my mind. As someone who has done some amateur writing, I know how hard I worked to put a story together and if someone were just just use their mouse to copy and paste I would be seriously upset. They are taking the hard work I did, the words I pulled out from inside from self, and with a few clicks of a mouse, claiming them as their own. That's not excusable. And if even after being proven guilty, you still refuse to accept responsibility, then that's even worse.

2010's

2010
Fantasy in Death (Feb 2010)
Savor the Moment (April 2010)
The Search (July 2010)
Happy Ever After (Nov 2010)
Indulgence in Death (Nov 2010)
Possession in Death (The Other Side) (Nov 2010)
2011
Treachery in Death (Feb 2011)
Chasing Fire (April 2011)
New York to Dallas (Sept 2011)
Chaos in Death (The Unquiet) (Oct 2011)
The Next Always (Nov 2011)
2012
Celebrity in Death (Feb 2012)
The Witness (April 2012)
The Last Boyfriend (May 2012)
Delusion in Death (Sept 2012)
The Perfect Hope (Nov 2012)

My first instincta while back when I thought about this question was to say that I wish there had been of the MacGregor series. But when I think more about it, I'm kinda glad the MacGregor series ended where it did. I love the character of Daniel MacGregor. I think he's one of the best, most enduring characters I've come across in all the romance books I've read. And he was getting quite old by The Perfect Neighbor. You knew that if the series continued Daniel would eventually have to pass on and I just didn't want to read that. I like being left with the image of him in my head still being the matchmaking busybody that he was.

So...then if I had to pick...tough choice. Either more books in the Stanislaki series (especially about the brother who was a baseball player). Or more of the Chesapeake Bay Saga. I'm still disappointed that we didn't get Aubrey's story.

What book or series that Nora has written do you wish there was a sequel to?

My review's here: [LINK]

It's pretty generic and shouldn't spoil anything for those of you who don't want too many spoilers.

Just finished. Enjoyed the book a great deal. I definitely think its one of her better books of the last few single titles. One I can definitely imagine reading again. I'll post a link to my review as soon as I write it.

I'm currently on page 325 and I am really enjoying the book. I think it's got a different tone than the last bunch of books. I'm tempted to say its more in line with some of her older stuff but I'm undecided on that as yet. But so far I have no complaints at all.

I love the show Bones. Been watching since the beginning and Elizabeth is very like Brennan. There's actually a specific line that is very close to something Brennan said on the show. So far it doesn't bother me. Brennan is a very interesting character and though she is based on a book character it's not a character type I've come across before in romance books.

Just finished the first chunk of the book - the section labeled Elizabeth - and I have to admit I'm very intrigued. I really like the set up. And if the rest of the book follows suit I think this has the potential to be a great book. I think so far it's got a different vibe than her most recent single title releases.

I'm only on page 29 so far...but has anyone else noticed the similarity between the heroine, Elizabeth, and Temperance Brennan from the show Bones?

I just bought the hardcover at Wal-Mart for $19.56 (I think it was). Ridiculous. I don't remember hardcovers being this expensive before.

Nevertheless, I can't wait to start reading. I've got to write reviews for the last 2 books I read then I plan to start reading. And as luck would have it, I get out of work early tonight so I'll have some good reading time.

It's almost release day! Can't wait!

This topic will be for discussing the book with spoilers. Anything you want to discuss is open for this topic...who dunnit, etc. Feel free to join in, but beware that reading this topic could spoil things for the book!

**********

Nora Roberts



Elizabeth Fitch's short-lived teenage rebellion began with L'Oreal Pure Black, a pair of scissors, and a fake ID. It ended in blood...

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she works at home designing sophisticated security systems. Her own security is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing.

Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.

The mystery of Abigail Lowery intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. Her sharp, logical mind, her secretive nature, her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, even if he doesn't know what - and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

Accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, Gleason is about to walk into the sights of very powerful and dangerous men. And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

This is a harder question to answer than I thought. I think because there is so much variance among the books Nora writes. The single titles are different than the Series books, and the Silhouette stuff is different from both. Even among the types there's a lot of differences. Her early single titles are a little edgier, I think, and the newer ones are more low key, more detail oriented. The series range from family centered romance dramas, to paranormal stuff, etc. So it's hard to pick one book to say "This is Nora!" because she writes such a wide variety of stuff.

But, if I had to choose...single title wise, I keep coming back to the book Birthright. It's got a bit of everything that makes a book an NR book. A sexy romance with two dynamic characters, an interesting subject with excellent detail, but not so much you're overwhelmed, a great suspense plot that is just edgy enough, family drama, and the inclusion of a side romance that is interesting but not dominating. It's not my favorite NR book, but it's one that I think is a good representation of what she can write.

On a series front, I have to agree that the Chesapeake Bay Saga, and Sea Swept (Cam's book) is the perfect representation of her series work. It's got an amazing family dynamic, fantastic characters, an engaging plot, lots of emotion. Just a fantastic book all around.