Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is a long way from Hollywood. And that's exactly how Cilla McGowan wants it. Cilla, a former child star who has found more satisfying work as a restorer of old houses, has come to her grandmother's farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs--but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla's dreams. And during waking hours, Cilla is haunted by her melodramatic, five-times-married mother, who carried on in the public spotlight and never gave her a chance at a normal childhood. By coming east, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to find some kind of normalcy for herself. Plunging into the project with gusto, she's almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer--but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor (not to mention his delightfully ugly dog, Spock) are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford's quirky charm, but she can't help indulging in a little fantasy. But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died--and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can't help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may--like her world-famous grandmother-- be cut down in the prime of her life.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review: 3.5 / 5.0
"A Wonderful Romantic Suspense"
"An overall Nora Experience"
"Mediocre"
"Tribute"
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
A Wonderful Romantic Suspense:
Cilla McGowan spent her childhood pretending to be someone she was not. She was a child star in a long running family television show. When the show was cancelled, she picked up other acting jobs, did a few CD's and cameo appearances, but it didn't take Cilla long to realize her acting career was over. With more relief than regret, Cilla tried several alternative careers until she hit upon the one that made her whole. She purchased rundown and forgotten houses, renovated them, and then sold them. She turned... more info
An overall Nora Experience:
I'm not sure what to say about this book, it's definitely Nora Roberts but didn't read like a traditional Nora Romance. The story is based around a former child star named Cila who is trying to come to grips with her new life and leave her old one behind. A romance forms between Cila and Ford. Ford is the nice guy next door type who can be a bit annoying at times. So we have the quintessential free spirit and the puppet falling in love. I can't say there was anything I would point my finger at that I didn't... more info
Mediocre:
A beautiful, emotionally damaged heroine and a sensitive, handsome, talented hero. That about sums it up. Stock characters in a stock book. It was a pleasant way to pass a few hours, but just plain generic. I never understood the connection between Cilla and her grandmother who died before she was born. The bad guys were just sort of thrown into a slow paced story that was basically that of an unfolding love. The end of the book was just tacked on. Why keep a secret for all that time, and then just... more info
Tribute:
The book kept you guessing...and that's good.
I have learned a few things about remodeling.
And flipping a house. The end of the book was great.
A big turn around. Good read.
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