Romance Lovers for the Challenge-Impaired discussion

Buried by Kendra Elliot

Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a desperate Michael calls upon the sole survivor of the tragedy, Chris Jacobs, hoping he will finally break his silence.

Constant fear of being found by his kidnapper has driven Chris into hiding. The only lead Michael has is Chris’s sister, Jamie. Strong and impenetrable, she’s capable of burrowing deep into Michael’s heart. As they race to find Chris, Michael and Jamie somehow find each other among the decades of wreckage. But locating Chris may not be so easy. Now grown, his scars go far deeper than skin.

In Buried, the next thrilling Bone Secrets novel from bestselling author Kendra Elliot, a damaged hero digs deep into his terrifying past…and unearths a chance at love for the future.

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As always expect spoilers!

Reserved.

I'm in

I'm in as well.

I'll be reading this one too.

I have about an hour left on another audio, I'll start this one as soon as I finish the other one.

Going to find my copy

I'm on chapter 5
It's good, I can't guess what's going on :D

I'm starting chapter 2

The prologue was really good. At first, I thought (view spoiler)[the POV was that of a grown man, but it was a boy... poor kid! (hide spoiler)]

Lauren wrote: "I'm starting chapter 2

The prologue was really good. At first, I thought [spoilers removed]"

Yes I thought the same. (view spoiler)[ I was worried for the little girl at first, I thought she'd be killed at first. (hide spoiler)]

ShoSho wrote: "Yes I thought the same. [ I was worried for the little girl at first, I thought she'd be killed at first. (hide spoiler)] "

Yes, it reminded me a bit too much of that scene in ConAir with Steve Buscemi and the little girl. *shudder*

chapter 6
(view spoiler)[
EEppp What Chris was thinking about them being led out by the kidnapper one by one, thinking they are getting freed.... that was horrible (hide spoiler)]

You know I thought Michael would end up with that woman he met in book #1.

I'm on chapter 10
(view spoiler)[
This villain is really the worst type. (hide spoiler)]

ShoSho wrote: "You know I thought Michael would end up with that woman he met in book #1."

It's been a while since I read book #1 and can't remember another woman. I only recall his obsession with Lacey, which is obviously waning in this book because of Jamie.

Comments up to chapter 6 (including):

This case is simply horrific - (view spoiler)[those poor children and I feel so badly for Chris. Being the only survivor must be devastating. (hide spoiler)]

Michael and Jamie - (view spoiler)[I like their dynamic so far. The really are very much alike. Being the sibling of one of the victims has had a profound effect on their lives.

I also like the intensity of their attraction despite the obvious conflict between them. (hide spoiler)]

Lacey - (view spoiler)[Why is she always hugging and touching Michael? She is in a relationship with Jack!

What is it with Kendra Elliot's heroines being so touchy with men other than the hero? Brynn did this in book #2 as well. I hope Jamie doesn't! (hide spoiler)]

Michael's parent- (view spoiler)[While they are obviously devoted to each other, they are really cold as parents, and I don't think this happened after Daniel's disappearance.

The Korean man is a red herring. Why would he kill a busload of kids to get one?

The kidney thing is a bit obvious - Cecilia Brody needs a kidney and Daniel might still be alive to give her one? This feels contrived... (hide spoiler)]

There are a few things that I don't fully understand yet:

1. How did the police find the burial site with the children's bodies? It is not clear from the first chapter.

2. Who is (view spoiler)[Brian's mother? If Chris is a recluse then how did he meet a woman and have a child with her? And where is she? This whole situation concerns me! (hide spoiler)]

3. Why didn't(view spoiler)[the unidentified man know about the bodies in the pit? It seems to suggest that he isn't the Ghostman, but might be covering up for him, and didn't know that he killed adults as well as children. (hide spoiler)]

4. If (view spoiler)[the Ghostman killed both the children and the adults, why did he switch? It goes against the usual serial killer/pedophile MO? - It makes me think that there might be two killers.... (hide spoiler)]

Lauren wrote: "ShoSho wrote: "You know I thought Michael would end up with that woman he met in book #1."

It's been a while since I read book #1 and can't remember another woman. I only recall his obsession with..."


She was the one who had a horse ranch and let him in the cult grounds. She was a young widow.

Lauren wrote: "Comments up to chapter 6 (including):

This case is simply horrific - [spoilers removed]

Michael and Jamie - I like their dynamic so far. The really are very much alike. Being the sibling of one o..."

In a couple of chapters you'll get the answers to many of your questions. I'm in the middle of chapter 10.
Romance (view spoiler)[
It's going oretty good so far, they were attracted to each other and there's lust. I hope the author can show their growing love better than the previous books. (hide spoiler)]

Lacey (view spoiler)[ it's sisterly on her side but not on his side.
And you are Lacey and Brynn were very touchy feely with everyone.

(hide spoiler)]
Parents and Daniel (view spoiler)[
I think his mother is OK it's the dad that's not close to Michael. I think Daniel had been his favorite and Michael had filled Daniel's place in their father's eyes.
The Korean and the God fearing man the senator came up with are both red herring.
I'm suspicious of their uncle. He might be Geralds emplyer.
I thought of the possibility that Daniel was alive. But where has he been in the last 20 years?
(hide spoiler)]
1. I don't think it was stated how it was found.
2.you'll find out soon.
3. I don't think(view spoiler)[he cared about how Gerard did it. He never asked. He must be politician or someone with some power to have access to his criminal record. (hide spoiler)]
4. I think in chapter 9 you get the killer's pov.

I'm on chapter 14
(view spoiler)[
At this point I'm pretty sure Daniel is dead too. He probably was killed while running away with Chris, that's why his body is not with the others.
"The boss" probably knows some of the things his lackey has done but probably not the extent of his perversion. If I'm correct and the boss is powerful man Gerard can be liability for him and he wouldn't have kept him on payroll if he knew it all.(view spoiler)[
I'm on the edge of my sit ,chewing my nails and listening:D (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17
(view spoiler)[
WTF????????????????????????????????????????? How is that even possible? The parents couldn't tell he wasn't their son?????????????????? (hide spoiler)]

I'm done how far are you?

I'm on chapter 9 - will post comments after chapter 10

Comments up to chapter 10:

The Boss - I think you are right, ShoSho. (view spoiler)[The boss is Michael's uncle Philip, the governor. I wonder why he would want his nephew kidnapped or killed though? Perhaps he needed public sympathy to get elected? Also, I wonder if Michael was actually the target, but Ghostman took Daniel because Michael didn't go on the field trip? (hide spoiler)]

Daniel - (view spoiler)[I've changed my mind and think he is dead after all. He and Chris escaped together, but he must have died before they could get help (hide spoiler)]

Elena - (view spoiler)[Well, that put my mind at ease. However, it is all so contrived with her drug dealer siblings unless it is a setup for a later book with Chris (hide spoiler)]

Gerald - (view spoiler)[OK, it makes sense now. The younger children were not his victims of choice but collateral damage. What a sick twisted mind!!

I keep seeing Paul Bettany in the Da Vinci code when picturing Gerald as I think he is supposed to be an albino? (hide spoiler)]

The romance is much better in this one than the first two books.

Chapter 14:

The police (view spoiler)[are closing in on Gerald. I wonder if they will catch him alive and he'll spill the beans on the Boss or whether Chris will tell them what he learned from Daniel. I'm betting on the later (hide spoiler)]

The senator's stalker was the (view spoiler)[scapegoat the Boss was talking about but he didn't know the guy died. It's gonna come back to bite him (hide spoiler)]

The police(view spoiler)[
I really enjoyed the police procedure. They were actually smart about it (unlike many other RS books) and followed a logical path to get to his identity. (hide spoiler)]

ShoSho wrote: "The police
I really enjoyed the police procedure.."

Agreed. The procedural aspects are very well done.

Chapter 17:

Wow! (view spoiler)[I was not expecting Chris to actually be Daniel. That is an excellent twist and just knocked up my rating of the book.

As to how the parents didn't recognize him, he was gone for two years and kids faces can change quite a bit at that age. Also,
he was thinner, bruised and scarred to the extent that he needed plastic surgery, so it's understandable that they would accept it if Daniel said he was Chris. (hide spoiler)]

I've finished and enjoyed it more than the first two.

The (view spoiler)[showdown at the end was very good, but the last chapter is just a little too pat and contrived for me. (hide spoiler)]

Lauren wrote: "Chapter 17:

Wow! .."
I didn't see that coming at all, it's a little hard for me to believe but the whole book was so good that I'm going to forgive that :)

Lauren wrote: "I've finished and enjoyed it more than the first two.

The [spoilers removed]"

Exactly what you predicted happened with the mother.
Overall it was a great RS book.

ShoSho wrote: "I didn't see that coming at all, it's a little hard for me to believe but the whole book was so good that I'm going to forgive that :) "

Yes, there were a few plot points that required some suspension of disbelief, but overall, it was really good.