Review: Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose

Yay, I managed to complete this review!! Woohoo! Because obviously, I didn't manage to write a few posts ahead of time this week-end ^_^; I tried and tried on Saturday, but it just wouldn't come. Then, on Sunday, it was curling the whole day. We lost both our games by a very big margin (14-2 and 10-4, yikes!), but I don't care because I played really well and totally out-curl my opponent :) And there was more curling yesterday evening... We have an in-club event going on the whole week and I'm going to try to share it with you in a post soon. In a few short words: it was fun, I curl okay, we won and therefore are moving on! Yay!

Okay, now back to books :) I'm really glad to have the review for Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose up today since it's the North American release day! I got the UK edition of Did You Miss Me? which came out back in November and was planning to have my review up during the holidays. However, with the impromptu trip to Europe, I got behind on my reviews.... but isn't perfect that my review ends up being posted on the North American release date? Funny how things have a tendency to work out well :) In any case, hope you enjoy the review!


Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose

published by Headline in November 2012/New American Library in February 2013

Baltimore prosecutor Daphne Montgomery pulled herself out of a damaged past to build a solid life for herself and her son. But after she helps to convict a killer, her confidence is shattered once again by the news that her son has been kidnapped.

Daphne believes it’s connected to the recent high-profile trial, and at first FBI special agent Joseph Carter agrees. But together they find the reality to be even more troubling, and it runs deeper than Daphne fears. With her son’s life in jeopardy, she must unlock a dreadful secret about her past—and confront a truth that will change everything for those closest to her. And, if she survives, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Baltimore, Book #3

The Story: Life has not been easy on Daphne Montgomery. She went through a traumatic event as a child which resulted in her father walking away. Then, she got pregnant at the age of 15 and for the next dozen years, became a trophy wife, trying to please her husband and mother-in-law. She finally got a divorce, but at the same time, learned that she had breast cancer... However, she survived and persisted and finally achieved her dream of becoming a prosecutor. She is currently in the midst of her first big, mediatic trial... and life is about to throw her another curve.

When Daphne's son Ford disappears, she believes the White supremacists that she is prosecuting are behind it... and so does FBI special agent Joseph Carter. However, when he learns that Daphne was also a victim of kidnapping as a child, Joseph wonders what are the odds that mother and child are both victims and starts believing this is a lot more personal. Either way, Joseph has a personal stake in this investigation as Ford is Joseph's father's employee and his crush on Daphne is the reason he is back in Baltimore.

My Opinion: There are a few authors whom I love unconditionally and who are on my forever auto-buy authors list and Karen Rose is one of them :) I love, love, love her books and can't get enough of them. So it'll come as no surprise that I was thrilled when I found out the release date for Did You Miss Me? - two in a year, awesome! - and that I highly enjoyed it :)

At first, when I read the blurb of Did You Miss Me?, I was surprised that Daphne and Joseph were the H/H as I was expecting Clay and Stevie's book, but I quickly recovered and was quite excited because I liked the glimpses we got from them in  No One Left to Tell :) As it turned out, there was a lot more to Daphne and Joseph than meet the eye. Both had quite a tragic past, one that still haunt them and definitively shaped who've they become. Honestly, I felt that both pasts were a bit over the top... especially in the case of Daphne - just so much happened! You start wondering if life can dish out even more at her? ^_^; I think Ms Rose could have cut back a bit, but there's no doubt she had achieved creating an interesting and different heroine. Reading Did You Miss Me?, I admired Daphne for her strength, her determination, her courage and accomplishing her dreams. And I liked the realistic side of her, the one that was a bit egoistical and worried how the truth would have repercussions on her career. As for Joseph, I think I'd have liked more development in his character. In the case of Daphne, all the past had a hand in creating the woman she is today, but she is comfortable with whom she's become and for the most part, has dealt with her issues. In contrast, Joseph hasn't and that's why he's been staying away from his family. What happened to him plunged him in a dark place and it's upon meeting Daphne that he's gradually getting back in the light. The unrequited feelings and crush between Joseph and Daphne worked and made the romance believable. However, I feel it was a bit too simple an excuse for Joseph to emerge from his dark place. To want to, yes, but to completely do it... That's another story and that's why I wished for a bit more development, fleshing it out more... Then again, given the timeline of the story, it was impossible. And as I said about the romance, it was believable. Joseph and Daphne have been dancing around one another for month and really just needed something to bring them together for them to confess their feelings.

As usual, the suspense in Did You Miss Me? was well-done :) The book is action-packed, edge-of-the-seat exciting and the villain was so very smart. He planned it well and seriously, it'd be scary to have such a vendetta against you ^_^; Overall, I thought the plotline was pretty tight and Ms Rose built the anticipation and revelations well. My only complaint and it's quite minor is the timeline. As usual, it's very short and it feels to me like it should be longer. I know there's 24 hours in a day and under such circumstances, people don't sleep... but nonetheless, I find it hard to believe that everything happened in such a short time-frame. I'd like her to either extend it or make it less jam-packed ^_^; Although I have to say, what Ms Rose does well is show us that even during important investigations, normal life continues... time doesn't stop and there are things that go on...

For fans of Clay and Stevie who were disappointed that this wasn't their book, you'll still want to read Did You Miss Me? because things happen in their relationship. I can't figure out if it's progress given the circumstances, but there is an acknowledgement of their feelings and what could be and it's clear Ms Rose is setting up for their book :) In addition to Clay and Stevie, there's a full cast of secondary characters that are making their appearances in Did You Miss Me? Some are new such as Ford and Novak, a colleague of Joseph; others we get to meet again such as Alec. One thing I can say is that all of them are interesting and have potential... and I love, love Ford!! Seriously, Ms Rose has a knack at writing likable young adult characters and I hope that along with Tom, Ford gets his own book :)

My Grade: B+. Honestly, I don't now how objective I am when it comes to Karen Rose books ^_^; To me though, Did You Miss Me? was another solid romantic suspense novel. Good suspense, nice romance, interesting characters... but a bit too much going on which is why I'm not giving it a higher grade.

Review: No One Left to Tell by Karen Rose

Had the day off yesterday :) It was so nice to sit back and relax :) I went out to lunch with my parents and sister. I also read, blogged and watched curling. What better ways to spend the week-end? The field this year at the nationals is really strong as well, so the games are really tight :) Now, everything would be perfect if I had a couple of books to read and stop wondering what to read next! If everything goes well though, I'll be getting some new releases at the end of the week and my wish will become true LOL.

All right, I'm off to bed :) Enjoy this review! :) I really enjoyed the book and I hope it comes through the review :) Also, don't forget to vote for the next Week-End's Minis! The poll is on the sidebar :)


No One Left to Tell by Karen Rose

published by Headline in January 2012 in UK/June 2012 in US

A woman is dead and her fiance is serving a life sentence for a murder he didn't commit. Now PI Paige Holden holds the only piece of evidence that could see him freed, and she cannot take it to the police. With the help of disarming state attorney, Grayson Smith, Paige is determined to avenge the murdered woman and set an innocent man free. But Paige has only scratched the surface of a cover-up far deadlier than she could ever imagine. A string of mysterious deaths of women with a shared past sets Paige on the trail of a ruthless killer. The problem is, the killer's on her trail too...

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Baltimore, Book #2 - but loosely connected to all her books

The Story: Readers met Paige Holden in Silent Scream, as one of Olivia's best friend. Since then, Paige has been assaulted and has witnessed a friend's murder. Shaken, the karate master has moved to Baltimore for a fresh start and is now working towards becoming a licensed PI.

While walking her protector dog, Paige is almost run over by a minivan. The driver is Elena Munos, Paige's cleaning lady and also a client whom Paige was working a pro bono case for. Six years ago, a young woman was killed during a party at the estate of retired State Senator James McCloud and the gardener Ramon Munos, Elena's husband, was found guilty of the crime. All these years, Ramon has claimed to be innocent... and before dying, Elena hands to Paige a USB key containing the evidence to clear her husband. Not knowing whom to trust with the evidence, Paige decides to check out the prosecutor on the case, Assistant State's Attorney, Grayson Smith. However, it soon becomes clear that someone wants the evidence to disappear and as a result, Paige has become a target.

Grayson Smith is proud to have one of the better conviction rates in the state's attorney's office, but more importantly, he believes in his job and the system. As such, he is shaken by the death of Elena, especially since she has come to him not long ago to ask for a new trial for her husband. Grayson starts to wonder if he convicted an innocent man... and if he did, he intends to rectify the mistake. Even it comes at the cost of his job and threatens to reveal some big secrets about his past.

Obviously, it won't be a simple case, but as Paige and Grayson investigate, they quickly realize they've stumbled across something way bigger than they expected...

My Opinion: Okay, it's no secret on this blog that I love, love, love Ms Rose's books! :) You know how Nora Roberts is known as La Nora? Well for me, Karen Rose is the Queen of RS :) I simply devour her books. With No One Left to Tell, I told myself I should savor the book, take my time. What did I do instead? Stay up till 2am to read as much as possible LOL. And let me tell you, it's been a while since I've been this engrossed in a book :)

There is just something about Ms Rose's writing that works for me. It's the perfect blend of interesting and likable characters, good suspense and fast pacing and No One Left to Tell was no exception. I was really engrossed by the storyline and suspense in this book, I liked how the case was more than meet the eye. Ms Rose has a knack for complex stories and cases and as always, did a great job at connecting all the elements. Also No One Left to Tell was quite a thick book and Ms Rose really made good use of the number of pages. There was moments in the storyline when it was quieter, when it didn't feel as thrilling, but it was in no way draggy or boring.

Something else I enjoy about Ms Rose's books is that she dares. She's not afraid of writing about dirty cops and bribery, but at the same time, she always shows the two sides of the coin. She shows us cops dedicated to their jobs, prosecutors who believe in the system... Also, she shows us shades of grey. For example, you couldn't help but feel for Silas, one of the villains. He did bad things and some of the circumstances were his own faults, but he did what he had for his family. It doesn't make it right, but... All of this makes for a good balance of things and adds to the realistic feeling. Another thing that made the storyline real was the addition of technology. The fact that the video went up on Youtube almost before the crime was over, that everyone has cell phones that can take videos... the texting. It added to the storyline and makes you realize how hard it is to keep a secret nowadays, but also how more complicated some people's jobs are ^_^;

Finally, I want to talk about the characters. I loved Paige and Grayson characters. They were great people, very genuine, determined and brave. They both had heavy back stories, which sometimes may seem too much, but it wasn't because of the way they were introduced. Instead, it added layers and depth to their characters :) I liked how Paige didn't miraculously recover from the events that made her leave Minneapolis, but also how she didn't lie to herself or others by saying she was okay. She was still affected, but she coped at best she could. She didn't let others push her around... and she was patient with herself. She knew when she'd be ready, she'd resume karate and get back to a more normal self. I also liked that she wasn't too stubborn with the investigation. I think too often, heroines in romantic suspense act rashly or do something readers consider TSTL and you wonder why? Oh why? In this case, Paige had good reasons not to go to the police with the evidence... but she didn't plan to investigate solo. She reached out and that was smart. Grayson was another great hero from Ms Rose. Liked I mention earlier, he's dedicated about the job... but it's more. He cares and believes and that makes him a man of integrity and an interesting character. I also liked how protective he was of his family and found his situation very interesting. He's a man that you'd want at your back during and he was there for Paige :)

Speaking of Grayson and Paige, I really liked their chemistry and the romance. It's hard to make a romance work sometimes when the timeline of the story is so short. However, in No One Left to Tell, there was a connection between Paige and Grayson, one that was felt as soon as they met that made the romance believable. Perhaps it's because Grayson saved Paige's life, but the chemistry was undeniable :) I also liked the pacing at which the romance progressed. Paige and Grayson didn't job into bed right away. They acknowledged the attraction and also discussed what they wanted out of a relationship. I guess that's another reason why the romance worked, because despite the short period they knew each other, they communicated :) In any case, I enjoyed the moments they spent together and the romance.

All in all, I really enjoyed and loved No One Left to Tell and will definitively re-read it soon :) I have to say, I was surprised that Clay didn't have a more prominent role in the storyline, given he'll be the hero in the next book. At the same time, it might have been a good decision, so Clay wouldn't steal the spotlight LOL. I did have one little niggle with the plot, but I don't want to address it in the review, because it'd be too much of a spoiler. However, it was a really small issue and didn't affect my enjoyment of the book at all :)

My Grade: A. Once again, Ms Rose delivers a great book with a solid plot, good suspense and pacing and satisfactory romance. Fans of Ms Rose and of romantic suspense will definitively enjoy this book. And if you haven't read Ms Rose yet, what are you waiting for? :)

Review: You Belong to Me by Karen Rose

Sometimes, I think reviewing is like biking or jogging. First, it's something that you never forget how to. Second, the first few steps are always the hardest LOL. Seriously, sometimes it's so hard ^_^; but I made it! So enjoy :)


You Belong to Me by Karen Rose

published by Headline Book Publishing in January 2011

When forensic pathologist Lucy Trask stumbles across a mutilated body by the chess tables in her local Baltimore park, its face so badly damaged it is unrecognisable, her sole concern is that it might be her old school teacher Mr. Pugh. When the corpse is identified, Lucy is shocked to discover that the victim is actually another man from her past. Who killed him and why his skin is burnt with the number '1' is unclear but it's evident that someone is demanding Lucy's attention. The discovery of a second branded body raises worrying questions: how many more lives may be at risk before the killer's final message is revealed? And can Lucy solve the killer's gruesome puzzle before their thirst for revenge is complete?

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: TBA

The Story: In You Belong to Me, forensic pathologist Lucy Trask discovering a body during her morning jog and mistaking it for Mr. Pugh, her high school teacher and good friend, due to the clothing. Quickly, the police - JD Fitzpatrick and Stevie Mazzetti - figures out that Lucy was meant to find the body and that she is somehow involved into this case. This is only confirmed when the heart is left in her car. How is she involved? Who is the killer? Those are the questions the homicide detectives hope that she will help answering.

JD Fitzpatrick is at a crossroad in his life. He lost his wife a couple of years ago, has just recently changed from Vice to Homicide and has been trying to sell his house for months. He is ready to move on, but is not sure in what direction. When he meets Lucy on the case, JD immediately feels something. They have shared a moment in the past, a connection... and now, attraction. For his future, JD is determined not to let Lucy come to harm, but it is something difficult to accomplish when a killer is after her.

My Opinion: It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Ms Rose... and the love continues :) When I heard that You Belong to Me was coming out in hardcover in the UK 6 months before the US release, I knew right away there was no way I was going to wait. No way. So I did the sensible thing: I pre-ordered the book from Amazon.co.uk LOL, and waited for it to be shipped :) And it was totally worth it!! :)

In You Belong to Me, Ms Rose brings us to Baltimore and introduces us to a new cast of characters. I really like how Ms Rose has different settings and casts of characters and that her books are loosely connected. It definitively gives her room to play, but also keeps everything new and fresh for the readers. There is no sequel baiting feeling and the process/character growth seem more natural as there is no pressure to get their book. At the same time, we get to re-visit and catch glimpse of old characters :) It's really well-balanced and the suspense/police work is what connects all this books rather than relationships.

LOL, but I'm getting side-tracked. The H/H of You Belong to Me are Lucy and JD. By the way, I would have loved to find out what JD stood for! Overall, I liked both characters a lot. Really, you can't help but admire Lucy because she's so strong. I loved her sense of loyalty and it makes sense that she values the people who helped her go through so much. At the same time, she's also a very caring person and that's not easy to be... because it can bring you heartaches, caring for people who do not deserve it, but you can't help it. While reading, Lucy's secrecy about her other life bothered me a bit, because her other passion is nothing to be ashamed of... but then, the more I thought of it, the more I understood why she was doing it. Lucy was definitively a very complex character and very contrasting a the same time. I think it'd be good for her if she could blend her two lives together. I liked JD's character, but I think he could have been developed a tad more, just so I could understand him better. He has a past - being a sniper, losing his best friend, feeling guilty for his wife's death, etc. However, at times, it felt more like a list of things than his own character. I think the main reason I feel this way was because Lucy was really central in You Belong to Me, the whole suspense revolving around her... because of that, we came to learn events that shaped Lucy, made her who she was today. On the other hand, JD's character was very much about the moment, his protectiveness, feelings, attraction to Lucy. I mean, I like that man, he's a great guy, an awesome guy... Who wouldn't crack for a man who buys a little girl a kindergarten's graduation? It's just that I wanted to know him better, understand him a little better.

With romantic suspense novels, the balance between the suspense and romance is pretty crucial... and also very hard to reach. I thought Ms Rose did a great job given the book. Yes, it could have used a little bit more romance, I would have loved more "normal" scenes between Lucy and JD... but at the same time, given the timeline of the book - 2 days - then yes, I'm happy with the romance we got. And it was actually pretty well-written and believable. I loved that Lucy and JD had a connection prior this case and I think that the moment they shared at the morgue, over a little girl's body, is something unforgettable for either of them. They didn't know each other, never really spoke to each other... but that connection made what they had and felt believable :) Plus this time, we got an epilogue that wrapped it up nicely :)

As for the suspense, well it was well done as usual. With such a short timeline, things were happening one after another and that was great for the pacing. The murders, the killer were classic Karen Rose's style which means a complex killer and some gory scenes. The killer was really scary and how he plans thing... Gosh. I really liked how everything came together, was linked. It makes me realize that they are really bad people out there, jerks and people without conscience. Also that everything has two sides, can be good, but can also be bad. Parents, small town, law enforcement... That good intentions can be used for bad purposes... Some really scary stuff when you start thinking about it ^_^;

A reader on Goodreads felt that Ms Rose wasn't bringing anything new with this story and she doesn't. However, I don't think it took away from You Belong to Me. I mean, romantic suspense as a genre is hard to play around with.... especially with Ms Rose's style that focuses on the investigation. As long as she continues the way she is, writing good characters, intense murder investigations and a nice romance, Ms Rose will be the Queen of RS for me and I actually don't want her to change :)

My Grade: A-. Once again, I feel that Ms Rose has delivered :) You Belong to Me was a fast-paced, intense romantic suspense with good and solid characters as well as a nice touch of romance. I hope that she'll return to Baltimore in the future, because I like this cast of characters and they had some interesting dynamics going on :)