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heabooknerd's review
4.0
I was quickly sucked into SHELTER IN PLACE and it had everything I love from Nora Roberts. This one falls into her saga type books where the reader goes through years with the characters as they grow and change. In fact, Simone and Reed don't even meet each other until almost 50% of the way in but I never felt bothered by that. It was fascinating to see how both were affected by the shooting and how it shaped their lives along with others who were at the mall. I actually would have loved even more tidbits into their lives before we got to the present day. There were several characters that we follow in the book and each one really helped build the main story surrounding Simone and Knox. Easily one of the best characters was CiCi who would just light up the page every time.
Reed was your typical Nora Roberts hero, he's charming, smart, dedicated, and completely in love with the heroine from the first time he sees her. As a long time fan of Roberts' heroes, I enjoyed every second and practically lost my heart with the addition of an adorable dog, Barney. Reed was the perfect match for Simone as he helped her come out of her shell, find relief from her guilt, and accept her for exactly who she was. Simone has always moved to the beat of her own drum and that's made things tough with her more traditional family but CiCi has always been her solace and encouraged her love of art. Of all the DownEast survivors, Simone has probably struggled the most with moving on so we see a lot of her grappling with the past.
I can't lie, reading this one was a bit tough considering all the shootings featured in the news. But I felt like any author, Roberts can and did pull off writing about this topic. Her more recent books have all been heavier and darker in content but her writing is as strong as ever. I was absolutely creeped out -- in the best way possible -- by the killer in this book. If there's one thing Nora Roberts has always done well it's writing a truly villainous character. I would highly recommend this book to any fan of Roberts' newer books or anyone who loves suspense romance. It's a long read at over 400 pages but well worth the time!
Content Warning: On page active shooter in a mall
Reed was your typical Nora Roberts hero, he's charming, smart, dedicated, and completely in love with the heroine from the first time he sees her. As a long time fan of Roberts' heroes, I enjoyed every second and practically lost my heart with the addition of an adorable dog, Barney. Reed was the perfect match for Simone as he helped her come out of her shell, find relief from her guilt, and accept her for exactly who she was. Simone has always moved to the beat of her own drum and that's made things tough with her more traditional family but CiCi has always been her solace and encouraged her love of art. Of all the DownEast survivors, Simone has probably struggled the most with moving on so we see a lot of her grappling with the past.
I can't lie, reading this one was a bit tough considering all the shootings featured in the news. But I felt like any author, Roberts can and did pull off writing about this topic. Her more recent books have all been heavier and darker in content but her writing is as strong as ever. I was absolutely creeped out -- in the best way possible -- by the killer in this book. If there's one thing Nora Roberts has always done well it's writing a truly villainous character. I would highly recommend this book to any fan of Roberts' newer books or anyone who loves suspense romance. It's a long read at over 400 pages but well worth the time!
Content Warning: On page active shooter in a mall
zasou_reads's review
4.5
This romantic suspense was heavier on the investigation side, but I still very much enjoyed it. A bit long winded, but entertaining.
chrissy5624's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
addieray's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ashleyg81's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jadec97's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
debbiecollectsbooks's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book although it seemed to take me forever to read it. I have not read Nora Roberts in a while and was surprised to find out , the book did not read like Nora Roberts at the beginning. By the middle of the book it was truly recognizable as Nora Roberts, surprises , romance, intrigue. Enjoyable read, I would recommend this to others.
book_concierge's review
2.0
2.5**
From the book jacket: It was a typical summer evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine – until the shooting began. For eight minutes the chaos and carnage spread – eight minutes that transformed the lives of everyone in its wake. Some had their futures stolen from then, while others would discover their true calling. But for one person, it would be the start of a far more calculated plan, one that would force the survivors to face an even greater test in the years to come.
My reactions
Well that blurb is certainly full of hyperbole. Roberts, best known as a romance writer, turns her attention to the thriller genre, and she fills it will all the stereotypical characters of that genre. A seemingly fragile, but really strong-as-steel heroine. A big, strong, handsome hero cop who will save the day. A devious, brilliant psychopath intent on killing as many people as possible.
An eccentric, “just a little bit psychic” grandmother full of new-age advice to heal the soul. (And in case you didn’t pick up on this key trait, Roberts reminds us of Cici’s “little bit psychic” talent about every other time she appears in the novel … and she appears OFTEN.)
She fills out the plot with a lot of soul searching as Simone becomes an artist, scenes of her close friendship with a girl who shared the horror at the mall, and some family drama between the heroine and her bratty sister Natalie. Talk about a bridezilla! Of course, one key event (and the love of a good man) will repair this sisterly bond practically overnight. It’s a side plot that is totally unnecessary to the main story line. In fact, Roberts (or her editor) could have cut about 150 pages of this book and still had the basic plot.
There wasn’t much suspense as I could see the end coming practically from the beginning of the novel. Still, it was a pretty fast read and mostly held my attention.
From the book jacket: It was a typical summer evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine – until the shooting began. For eight minutes the chaos and carnage spread – eight minutes that transformed the lives of everyone in its wake. Some had their futures stolen from then, while others would discover their true calling. But for one person, it would be the start of a far more calculated plan, one that would force the survivors to face an even greater test in the years to come.
My reactions
Well that blurb is certainly full of hyperbole. Roberts, best known as a romance writer, turns her attention to the thriller genre, and she fills it will all the stereotypical characters of that genre. A seemingly fragile, but really strong-as-steel heroine. A big, strong, handsome hero cop who will save the day. A devious, brilliant psychopath intent on killing as many people as possible.
An eccentric, “just a little bit psychic” grandmother full of new-age advice to heal the soul. (And in case you didn’t pick up on this key trait, Roberts reminds us of Cici’s “little bit psychic” talent about every other time she appears in the novel … and she appears OFTEN.)
She fills out the plot with a lot of soul searching as Simone becomes an artist, scenes of her close friendship with a girl who shared the horror at the mall, and some family drama between the heroine and her bratty sister Natalie. Talk about a bridezilla! Of course, one key event (and the love of a good man) will repair this sisterly bond practically overnight. It’s a side plot that is totally unnecessary to the main story line. In fact, Roberts (or her editor) could have cut about 150 pages of this book and still had the basic plot.
There wasn’t much suspense as I could see the end coming practically from the beginning of the novel. Still, it was a pretty fast read and mostly held my attention.
nicolecaprice53's review
2.0
Great premise, poor execution. It read like a Hallmark movie. I was put off by Reed flirting with Simone’s grandmother for the whole book, and the ending was anticlimactic. Took me 6 months to finish because I couldn’t get into it.