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mschrock8's review against another edition
3.0
Roe went through a lot in this one and solved it in the end.
Borrowed on Hoopla through JCPL.
Listening length six hr, 30 min
Borrowed on Hoopla through JCPL.
Listening length six hr, 30 min
jenlynnhill's review against another edition
2.0
I liked this one the least out of the series so far. I liked that you find out a bit more about Martin, but the whole story felt really choppy and anti-climatic.
peppermintbat's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ghutter05's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
The series is getting even better. Roe is beginning to remind me of Gunny Rose, in her no-nonsense practicality. I'm enjoying what I guess is now a nostalgic look back at pre-cell-phone-and-internet small town life.
aubreysmith9412's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
In the throes of a whirlwind romance, Aurora, or Roe as her friends and family know her, was ready to start the adventure of a lifetime - marriage to a man she barely knew. While their romance started quite spicy, I couldn't but feel that a fair amount of emotional investment was missing. Roe was incredibly smitten very quickly, but Martin seemed to keep his cards very close to his chest. And that didn't really sit well with me. Neither did the fact that she ignored her friends and family when they tried to talk to her about their concerns in regards to Martin. Overall, not really a romance I'm super in favor of, but really, I'm not reading this series for the romance (as lacklustre as it may be).
And with my misgivings out of the way, onto the real reason I wanted to read this book, and this series as a whole - the mystery. The Julius House had a reputation in the small Georgia town of Lawrenceton. The Julius family suddenly disappeared, never to be heard from again, and now Martin has gifted this very house to Roe.
Getting to the heart of the mystery honestly took too many winding turns for my liking. Not in the "there were twists and turns" sort of way, but more in the way that other aspects of the book seemed to distract from the mystery of the Julius House. Winding around these things took time, and honestly left me feeling like I just wanted the book to end, mystery be damned. (I feel like a lot of these things could have been resolved had Roe and Martin gotten to know each other better, or had Martin not been a secretive, manipulative ass, but I digress.)
By the time the mystery is unravelled, I was relieved it was over. Had I not been so frustrated with the rest of the goings on, I most likely could have appreciated the twists, and the turns, and the, quite honestly, convoluted solution to the mystery of the missing Julius family.
After all that, I will say it's high time I took a break from Aurora Teagarden, and her mysteries. Whether I come back to them or not is also a mystery.
And with my misgivings out of the way, onto the real reason I wanted to read this book, and this series as a whole - the mystery. The Julius House had a reputation in the small Georgia town of Lawrenceton. The Julius family suddenly disappeared, never to be heard from again, and now Martin has gifted this very house to Roe.
Getting to the heart of the mystery honestly took too many winding turns for my liking. Not in the "there were twists and turns" sort of way, but more in the way that other aspects of the book seemed to distract from the mystery of the Julius House. Winding around these things took time, and honestly left me feeling like I just wanted the book to end, mystery be damned. (I feel like a lot of these things could have been resolved had Roe and Martin gotten to know each other better, or had Martin not been a secretive, manipulative ass, but I digress.)
By the time the mystery is unravelled, I was relieved it was over. Had I not been so frustrated with the rest of the goings on, I most likely could have appreciated the twists, and the turns, and the, quite honestly, convoluted solution to the mystery of the missing Julius family.
After all that, I will say it's high time I took a break from Aurora Teagarden, and her mysteries. Whether I come back to them or not is also a mystery.
cheesygiraffe's review against another edition
4.0
Roe is married to the love of her life, Martin. He buys her a house that's a mystery because the previous owners went missing. Something else is going on with Martin and he's not telling Roe. Now she's got body guards and doesn't know why. The mystery was great. I figured it out but not where they were "hidden". Sad to find out that Martin isn't a good guy but he isn't a bad guy either. Poor Roe.
mlcreads's review against another edition
3.0
Aurora gets her dream come true when she marries Martin but she can't help but get herself mixed up in a murder mystery. The previous owners of her house went missing 6 years ago and Aurora is determined to find out what happened. She also finds out secrets about Martin that she needs to deal with.
quinnreads2's review against another edition
4.0
Family Matters
If I were to compare, I'd have to say that I like this version more than the Hallmark version. The relationship with Martin may be moving fast but they have real-world complications, even if they aren't exactly in the realm of everyday, and I like how they attack them.
As for the mystery, the disappearance of the Julius family years earlier has new life breathed into it when Roe is gifted their former home. Oh, it turns out that it's the gift that keeps on giving.
If I were to compare, I'd have to say that I like this version more than the Hallmark version. The relationship with Martin may be moving fast but they have real-world complications, even if they aren't exactly in the realm of everyday, and I like how they attack them.
As for the mystery, the disappearance of the Julius family years earlier has new life breathed into it when Roe is gifted their former home. Oh, it turns out that it's the gift that keeps on giving.
dizzybell06's review against another edition
3.0
This was not one of my favorites in the series. It was very far fetched and a little boring at times. I definitely preferred the movie over this book the storyline is told much better and the main characters are more likable.
seachell1's review against another edition
2.0
Just ok. Story kind of ridiculous. Characters not real likeable. I own the next in the series. Not sure if I'll continue though.