What do you think?
Rate this book
Romantic Suspense #2
Have You Seen Her?
One by one, young girls are being murdered. Now a killer has a different victim in his sights. HAVE YOU SEEN HER is an unforgettable thriller, part of bestselling author Karen Rose's Raleigh series.
Young girls are disappearing from their beds at night. Each one pretty with long dark hair. Each one found brutally murdered.
Special Agent Steven Thatcher knows that a serial killer is at work. Finding the murderer is his sole focus but it doesn't help that his teenage son, Brad, is behaving strangely.
Jenna Marshall is determined find out why Brad, her star pupil, has gone off the rails. But when she meets Steven, the watching murderer immediately turns his attention to her.
He craves Jenna. Can Steven find the killer before it's too late?
Young girls are disappearing from their beds at night. Each one pretty with long dark hair. Each one found brutally murdered.
Special Agent Steven Thatcher knows that a serial killer is at work. Finding the murderer is his sole focus but it doesn't help that his teenage son, Brad, is behaving strangely.
Jenna Marshall is determined find out why Brad, her star pupil, has gone off the rails. But when she meets Steven, the watching murderer immediately turns his attention to her.
He craves Jenna. Can Steven find the killer before it's too late?
464 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2004
327 people are currently reading
4,453 people want to read
About the author
Karen Rose
58 books5,268 followersOFFICIAL WEBSITE:
www.karenrosebooks.com
Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”
Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her seventeenth novel, ALONE IN THE DARK, will be released in 2016.
Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!
Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.
A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, her two daughters, two dogs, and a cat.
www.karenrosebooks.com
Internationally bestselling, RITA-award winning, author Karen Rose was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. She met her husband, Martin, on a blind date when they were seventeen and after they both graduated from the University of Maryland, (Karen with a degree in Chemical Engineering) they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen worked as an engineer for a large consumer goods company, earning two patents, but as Karen says, “scenes were roiling in my head and I couldn't concentrate on my job so I started writing them down. I started out writing for fun, and soon found I was hooked.”
Her debut suspense novel, DON'T TELL, was released in July, 2003. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels and two novellas. Her seventeenth novel, ALONE IN THE DARK, will be released in 2016.
Karen's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, London's Sunday Times, and Germany's der Spiegel (#1), and the Irish Times, as well as lists in South Africa (#1) and Australia!
Her novels, I'M WATCHING YOU and SILENT SCREAM, received the Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best Romantic Suspense for 2005 and 2011. Five of her other books have been RITA finalists. To date, her books have been translated into twenty-four languages.
A former high school teacher of chemistry and physics, Karen lives in Florida with her husband of more than twenty years, her two daughters, two dogs, and a cat.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 554 reviews
April 6, 2015
This was the second book by Ms. Rose I read, after Don't Tell inspired me to acquire the entire "series" of her books.
Unfortunately this story doesn't hold the candle to Don't Tell. Though the suspense part was wonderful, thrilling, chilling, intriguing, and keeping the reader on the edge of the seat, the characterization and all those little sideline stories bothered me.
First, the hero and his mentality annoyed me. He was all over the place with the heroine, trusting her one moment, "hating" her the next...And then expected her to forgive him. I know, I know, his behavior was explained, and I got it, really, I did, but still, Ms. Rose went a little over the top with the jerk.
Second, the hero's oldest son and his sudden change of behavior...And as much sudden change back. The author offered a plausible explanation, but I felt the issue was never really resolved. And it just took too much space in the story for something that in the end didn't lead to anything.
Third, the heroine and her idiosyncrasies. She kept accusing everybody of not getting over her deceased fiancé, but still she kept his ring, and his car...And then accusing the hero of not trusting her (which was true), yet her behavior suggested she didn't trust him either.
Too many issues marring an otherwise wonderful thriller. I really wished Ms. Rose would cut back on the "main characters" and focused on the killer more. I never thought I'd say this, but I felt this book needed more explicit details and gore. Go figure. Anything to keep my mind off the erratic behavior and mentality of the two leads.
Unfortunately this story doesn't hold the candle to Don't Tell. Though the suspense part was wonderful, thrilling, chilling, intriguing, and keeping the reader on the edge of the seat, the characterization and all those little sideline stories bothered me.
First, the hero and his mentality annoyed me. He was all over the place with the heroine, trusting her one moment, "hating" her the next...And then expected her to forgive him. I know, I know, his behavior was explained, and I got it, really, I did, but still, Ms. Rose went a little over the top with the jerk.
Second, the hero's oldest son and his sudden change of behavior...And as much sudden change back. The author offered a plausible explanation, but I felt the issue was never really resolved. And it just took too much space in the story for something that in the end didn't lead to anything.
Third, the heroine and her idiosyncrasies. She kept accusing everybody of not getting over her deceased fiancé, but still she kept his ring, and his car...And then accusing the hero of not trusting her (which was true), yet her behavior suggested she didn't trust him either.
Too many issues marring an otherwise wonderful thriller. I really wished Ms. Rose would cut back on the "main characters" and focused on the killer more. I never thought I'd say this, but I felt this book needed more explicit details and gore. Go figure. Anything to keep my mind off the erratic behavior and mentality of the two leads.
November 10, 2024
This was much better than the first one and that is saying something because I already liked that one A LOT. I liked the mystery. It kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat the whole time. My heartbeat still haven't return back to normal. I love this series and I'm glad I still have like 10 more books to devour.
September 7, 2022
Not as good as the first one but still enjoyed it. Was good to learn more about Thatcher's family.
Four stars.
Four stars.
February 2, 2018
I have only read a handful of books by KR, but this one blew me away! I read this so slow because I didn't wanna miss one sentence. This book is now one of my favorite suspense books. The crimes are a bit gory, so if you have a weak stomach this is not for you. Steven began to grate my nerves with his personal indecisions but I still adored him. I loved Jenna's character...very smart and brave. Neil needs to stop trying to steal other men's girlfriends. I recommend this book for anyone who loves a good suspense/mystery/crime book!!
November 5, 2016
"And the message is?"
"Don't get into cars with strangers and monsters don't always have fangs"
Karen Rose is such an amazing author, her slow plot build up, character perspectives, romance and mystery pull you right in, making for an amazing read. Her sex scenes are super smokey, burning hot with lust, love and need. Each book is linked, there are characters we've met before and i honestly find it really exciting reading more about a character even if the book is no longer based on them. I never pick the killer out, its always the least suspected person committing the murder or crimes, even though sometimes the evidence points to someone and im sitting there thinking i know whats going on, in reality i have absolutely no idea, Karen Rose mindfucks the shit out of the reader like that. I cannot believe i only discovered her awesomeness this year, what have i been doing with my life guys?!
Special Agent Steven Thatcher is in charge of finding the sadistic serial killer who is luring teen cheerleaders out of their beds at night, abducting them, sexually assaulting them, shaving their heads then finally killing them and displaying their bodies in a wooded clearing.
The killer is slowly building up his confidence and starts taunting detective Thatcher trying to prove he is smarter than them and unstoppable.
Steven has more on his mind than just this sick serial killer, being a widowed father to three boys is hard enough and now his son Brad has started acting strangely, he is detached from the family, lacking personal hygiene and sits in his room brooding.
When Brad's grades start slipping his teacher Jenna Marshall decides to contact his father and try to get an understanding of why the bright star pupil she knew is turning into a failing mess before her eyes. After failing a star Quarterback and getting into a row with the students father about passing him anyway so he can play football, Jenna's now become a target to sick games but is this the serial killer, or an angry students revenge? having her tires slashed, classroom destroyed- she has no intention of backing down.
Still haunted by his youngests son's abduction a few years back; Things take a turn for the worst, stumping investigators when their newest victim is found dismembered, Steven's need for this killer to be punished grows knowing himself how the parents of these teenage girls must feel, he puts everything into finding the sick person behind there brutal attacks, taunting the killer back via press conference, but at what cost? The killer is watching, waiting for his perfect moment to strike but how close is he really? And who will be his next target?
My favorite character in this novel was Jenna Marshall, she is a strong independant women with a black belt in karate. With two german shepherds to keep her company after the tragic death of her fiance, who she still mourns for, Jenna is struggling with control on her life. She keeps contact with her deceased fiance's family and her best friend is another teacher at the school she works for, High Point High School. Not only is she smart, strong and brave but she has care and compassion for others, often helping at a hospice , volunteering or forming close bonds with her students.
If you're looking for a well written multiple perspective mindfuck murder mystery, and dont mind a bit of romance to balance things out. This book is for you, Karen Rose is for you. All her books not just this one. She has me hooked guys! I'm still hunting down the remainder of her books, but i'll get there. Karen i will devour your awesome novels one at a time, loving every single bit of them.
Recommended for : Murder Mystery/ Romance
November 18, 2020
This author really does know how to write gripping thrillers and the suspense part of this book was very well done. I loved that I was wrong about who the killer was (that almost never happens to me) and I loved the twist of it.
August 9, 2008
Have You Seen Her? was a riveting romantic suspense novel. It is the second book in the series, and the hero, Steven Thatcher, also appeared in the previous novel,Don't Tell. I enjoyed the way that the relationship developed between the hero and heroine, Jenna Marshall, and even though Steven Thatcher made serious mistakes in his interactions with Jenna, it wasn't difficult to sympathize with him due to insecurities caused by his past. I thought that the hero and heroine were both wonderful characters, and I was rooting for them all of the way. This book had an engrossing storyline and included some great secondary characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am adding Karen Rose to my list of favorite romantic suspense authors.
Steven Thatcher, Special Agent for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, is investigating the disappearance of a local high school cheerleader when she is found dead. Soon, a second young cheerleader vanishes, and Steven is afraid that a vicious serial killer is stalking young women. As Steven becomes submerged in the investigation, he still has problems to deal with at home. A widower with three boys, Steven has series worries with two of his children. Seven year old Nicky was kidnapped from his bed during the previous book, and his emotional suffering has taken away his spontaneity and joy. Seventeen year old Brad has gone from a polite, wonderful student to a surly, unkempt teenager failing his classes in a month's time. Steven is contacted by Dr. Jenna Marshall, Brad's concerned chemistry teacher. As soon as they meet, the two are attracted, but neither wants a relationship. As circumstances cause them to continue to meet, they are unable to deny their awareness and feelings for one another. As they try to carefully explore the possibility of a relationship, Steven's past causes him to misjudge Jenna's actions on several occasions. At the same time, Jenna is being terrorized for failing a high school football player, and Steven's lack of faith in her leaves her in greater danger. Steven knows that he loves Jenna and that her caring is improving the lives of his beloved sons. If Steven wants to have a future with Jenna, he must deal with the issues in his past while he races to find a serial killer whose actions are escalating.
I thought that this was a great book! The hero was flawed, but very likeable. The heroine had survived heartbreak in her past also, and she was very caring and compassionate. If you enjoy intense, page turning suspense with a touching romance included, you will enjoy this book. I would suggest reading Don't Tell prior to this book so that you will have a better understanding and appreciation for the hero. I loved the first two books in this series, and am ready to delve right into the next one.
Steven Thatcher, Special Agent for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, is investigating the disappearance of a local high school cheerleader when she is found dead. Soon, a second young cheerleader vanishes, and Steven is afraid that a vicious serial killer is stalking young women. As Steven becomes submerged in the investigation, he still has problems to deal with at home. A widower with three boys, Steven has series worries with two of his children. Seven year old Nicky was kidnapped from his bed during the previous book, and his emotional suffering has taken away his spontaneity and joy. Seventeen year old Brad has gone from a polite, wonderful student to a surly, unkempt teenager failing his classes in a month's time. Steven is contacted by Dr. Jenna Marshall, Brad's concerned chemistry teacher. As soon as they meet, the two are attracted, but neither wants a relationship. As circumstances cause them to continue to meet, they are unable to deny their awareness and feelings for one another. As they try to carefully explore the possibility of a relationship, Steven's past causes him to misjudge Jenna's actions on several occasions. At the same time, Jenna is being terrorized for failing a high school football player, and Steven's lack of faith in her leaves her in greater danger. Steven knows that he loves Jenna and that her caring is improving the lives of his beloved sons. If Steven wants to have a future with Jenna, he must deal with the issues in his past while he races to find a serial killer whose actions are escalating.
I thought that this was a great book! The hero was flawed, but very likeable. The heroine had survived heartbreak in her past also, and she was very caring and compassionate. If you enjoy intense, page turning suspense with a touching romance included, you will enjoy this book. I would suggest reading Don't Tell prior to this book so that you will have a better understanding and appreciation for the hero. I loved the first two books in this series, and am ready to delve right into the next one.
March 15, 2013
Uggghh
I shouldn’t have read this right after the first. I think this one was worse – mainly because you can no longer say ‘well it’s a first book’…
You know who the killer is the very first time you meet him, but then I thought no it can’t be – too obvious, so I kept reading hoping to be wrong. I wasn’t.
The romance was farfetched, both Jenna and Steven have had absolutely no interest in anyone else – for years - and then they are both ready spend eternity together within 5 seconds of meeting each other. Of course Jenna is perfect - the only person in the whole wide world who can get through to Nicky, and though he has been parenting by himself for years and she has no kids – only she can solve the parenting problem Steven is having with Brad. Neil sleeping for the first time in years after he saw her face… it’s a little over the top.
Though I know teens can be a little quick to react, the Brad situation was unrealistic – he isn’t bathing, failing classes, hates his dad which all seems like a very extreme reaction but then he’s over it and completely fine in no time – again a little extreme.
People are always throwing their head back and laughing in her books – and over something not at all funny. I know it’s a minor detail but it bugs me. And ‘the place where her body wept for him’ – really? As in the first book some of the romance scenes just made me cringe.
I think this could have used one more proof read.
It seems word of the day while writing this one must have been rueful…
She reached for one of the shoes, holding it up for a rueful inspection
Instead he made his mouth smile ruefully
Mike smiled ruefully
Jenna smiled ruefully
She gave a rueful wince
She smiled ruefully
“Because I am trying to sleep,” she said ruefully
He murmured ruefully
Steven’s smile was more rueful than anything else
I know I must be missing something as these books seem to have great ratings, clearly they aren’t for me.
I shouldn’t have read this right after the first. I think this one was worse – mainly because you can no longer say ‘well it’s a first book’…
You know who the killer is the very first time you meet him, but then I thought no it can’t be – too obvious, so I kept reading hoping to be wrong. I wasn’t.
The romance was farfetched, both Jenna and Steven have had absolutely no interest in anyone else – for years - and then they are both ready spend eternity together within 5 seconds of meeting each other. Of course Jenna is perfect - the only person in the whole wide world who can get through to Nicky, and though he has been parenting by himself for years and she has no kids – only she can solve the parenting problem Steven is having with Brad. Neil sleeping for the first time in years after he saw her face… it’s a little over the top.
Though I know teens can be a little quick to react, the Brad situation was unrealistic – he isn’t bathing, failing classes, hates his dad which all seems like a very extreme reaction but then he’s over it and completely fine in no time – again a little extreme.
People are always throwing their head back and laughing in her books – and over something not at all funny. I know it’s a minor detail but it bugs me. And ‘the place where her body wept for him’ – really? As in the first book some of the romance scenes just made me cringe.
I think this could have used one more proof read.
It seems word of the day while writing this one must have been rueful…
She reached for one of the shoes, holding it up for a rueful inspection
Instead he made his mouth smile ruefully
Mike smiled ruefully
Jenna smiled ruefully
She gave a rueful wince
She smiled ruefully
“Because I am trying to sleep,” she said ruefully
He murmured ruefully
Steven’s smile was more rueful than anything else
I know I must be missing something as these books seem to have great ratings, clearly they aren’t for me.
November 11, 2014
Special Agent Steven Thatcher and his family are still recovering from his son's abduction six months ago during one of his cases when he lands another case involving a missing teenager. He soon realizes he's dealing with a serial killer when a second teenage girl goes missing. Meanwhile, he's trying to deal with his problems at home as his oldest son has had a personality change and is failing chemistry. When Steven meets with his teacher, Jenna Marshall, there is plenty chemistry to go around.
Jenna Marshall is having her own issues as she's failing the star quarterback, which gets him benched. His father and teammates seek vengeance by vandalizing her car and classroom. She and Steven are trying to explore their feelings in the midst of his career demands and her challenges with the vandalism. The two issues eventually converge as the attacks on her property escalate to her personally.
The mystery involving the serial killer has a limited number of suspects but it still was a challenging case with a few red herrings thrown in the mix. The crimes were pretty gruesome and heartbreaking as the victims were only 16 years old. I was able to figure out the killer about halfway through but continued to challenge my choice almost to the end. This is a very suspenseful story with just the right balance of romance. Steven and Jenna are sympathetic characters who seem well suited for each other. His children and Aunt Helen also provide some much needed comic relief to the story.
This is another winning book by Karen Rose with all elements working brilliantly in tandem. It's well written with good dialogue and I plan to continue the series.
Jenna Marshall is having her own issues as she's failing the star quarterback, which gets him benched. His father and teammates seek vengeance by vandalizing her car and classroom. She and Steven are trying to explore their feelings in the midst of his career demands and her challenges with the vandalism. The two issues eventually converge as the attacks on her property escalate to her personally.
The mystery involving the serial killer has a limited number of suspects but it still was a challenging case with a few red herrings thrown in the mix. The crimes were pretty gruesome and heartbreaking as the victims were only 16 years old. I was able to figure out the killer about halfway through but continued to challenge my choice almost to the end. This is a very suspenseful story with just the right balance of romance. Steven and Jenna are sympathetic characters who seem well suited for each other. His children and Aunt Helen also provide some much needed comic relief to the story.
This is another winning book by Karen Rose with all elements working brilliantly in tandem. It's well written with good dialogue and I plan to continue the series.
May 5, 2022
REVIEW OF RE-LISTEN; MAY 3, 2022
Narrator: Robert G Slade
I've been slowly making my way through Karen Rose's books. I'd stop following her publications yyears ago and only resumed recently, listening to some of the later books and was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed them. Most of them, though I don't intend to listen to her two latest as they involve cults. That's so yesterday, been there done that and they bore me as much as organ harvesting and child/human trafficking themes.
I had to laugh when I read my 2008 review of HYSH below. I did NOT feel the same way about Steven at all this time round! It's like I've been reading different books. I actually liked Steven in 2022 and have absolutely no recollection of him being whiny or having baggage. The story, however, failed to engage me and I ended up DNF'ing it halfway through. Perhaps if I stick it out I might see the Steven I saw back in 2008. On second thoughts, why would I want to do that!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK: JULY 2008
I can't give Have You Seen Her the same accolades as I've given the other Rose books, minus Nothing To Fear.
First, Steven Thatcher is a wimp, his whining and hanging on to his baggage made him the most unattractive man I've come across in a romance. That he was the hero truly made this book a loser. Special Agent, Neil, deserved the girl, not Thatcher, and Jenna should have stuck to her conclusion that Thatcher would always be suspicious of any man who so much as spoke to her. I just couldn't see how Jenna could have her HEA with a man like that. Each time Steven went into his childish knee-jerk reaction, I was willing Jenna to forget the guy and look at Neil instead.
I was also disappointed over how dumb the police were not to guess who the real killer was. All I can say is that I'm so glad I didn't read this book first when I decided to try Karen Rose. It would have put me off completely and I'd have missed the not-to-be-missed books of the two Reagan brothers.
Narrator: Robert G Slade
I've been slowly making my way through Karen Rose's books. I'd stop following her publications yyears ago and only resumed recently, listening to some of the later books and was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed them. Most of them, though I don't intend to listen to her two latest as they involve cults. That's so yesterday, been there done that and they bore me as much as organ harvesting and child/human trafficking themes.
I had to laugh when I read my 2008 review of HYSH below. I did NOT feel the same way about Steven at all this time round! It's like I've been reading different books. I actually liked Steven in 2022 and have absolutely no recollection of him being whiny or having baggage. The story, however, failed to engage me and I ended up DNF'ing it halfway through. Perhaps if I stick it out I might see the Steven I saw back in 2008. On second thoughts, why would I want to do that!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK: JULY 2008
I can't give Have You Seen Her the same accolades as I've given the other Rose books, minus Nothing To Fear.
First, Steven Thatcher is a wimp, his whining and hanging on to his baggage made him the most unattractive man I've come across in a romance. That he was the hero truly made this book a loser. Special Agent, Neil, deserved the girl, not Thatcher, and Jenna should have stuck to her conclusion that Thatcher would always be suspicious of any man who so much as spoke to her. I just couldn't see how Jenna could have her HEA with a man like that. Each time Steven went into his childish knee-jerk reaction, I was willing Jenna to forget the guy and look at Neil instead.
I was also disappointed over how dumb the police were not to guess who the real killer was. All I can say is that I'm so glad I didn't read this book first when I decided to try Karen Rose. It would have put me off completely and I'd have missed the not-to-be-missed books of the two Reagan brothers.
November 20, 2021
4⭐=Good
Now if I was rating this halfway through, I'd have given it a 3.5...quite good. From halfway onwards, it picked up pace rapidly and I thoroughly enjoyed.
All the characters were well rounded and I could picture them all in my mind's eye.
I enjoyed the romantic element working alongside the police investigation.
Now if I was rating this halfway through, I'd have given it a 3.5...quite good. From halfway onwards, it picked up pace rapidly and I thoroughly enjoyed.
All the characters were well rounded and I could picture them all in my mind's eye.
I enjoyed the romantic element working alongside the police investigation.
August 20, 2009
4 stars – Romantic Suspense
This was my second read by author Karen Rose, and it's a very good romantic suspense; but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as her first book, Don't Tell. The plot is tightly drawn, the villain is uber creepy, scary, and sadistic, the heroine, teacher Jenna Marshall, is spunky and endearing, and the suspense is edgy and intense, but the hero, Special Agent Steven Thatcher, who played a key role in Don't Tell, really got on my nerves in this one.
Steven’s treatment of Jenna really pissed me off at times, and she was waaay more accepting and forgiving of his behavior than I would have been. I understand the fact that he's under considerable, agonizing stress raising three boys as a widower and working on a high profile, gruesome serial killer case, but she was nothing but helpful with his kids, caring, supportive, nurturing, and genuine. He constantly lashed out at her and acted like a jealous, petulant jerk 90% of the time, and there were a couple of times that I thought she would have been within her rights to slap him good. And call me shallow, but the description of his looks didn’t quite scream “Tall, Dark, and Handsome” to me, so that coupled with his less than stellar treatment of such a lovable heroine, and I was really put off. He eventually sees the error of his ways, vows to do better, and shows her tenderness, but he's definitely not one of my favorite romantic heroes.
Still, Have You Seen Her? is a good romantic suspense read, and I’m very impressed with this author. I’ll definitely continue reading the rest of the series by Karen Rose. 4 stars!
This was my second read by author Karen Rose, and it's a very good romantic suspense; but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as her first book, Don't Tell. The plot is tightly drawn, the villain is uber creepy, scary, and sadistic, the heroine, teacher Jenna Marshall, is spunky and endearing, and the suspense is edgy and intense, but the hero, Special Agent Steven Thatcher, who played a key role in Don't Tell, really got on my nerves in this one.
Steven’s treatment of Jenna really pissed me off at times, and she was waaay more accepting and forgiving of his behavior than I would have been. I understand the fact that he's under considerable, agonizing stress raising three boys as a widower and working on a high profile, gruesome serial killer case, but she was nothing but helpful with his kids, caring, supportive, nurturing, and genuine. He constantly lashed out at her and acted like a jealous, petulant jerk 90% of the time, and there were a couple of times that I thought she would have been within her rights to slap him good. And call me shallow, but the description of his looks didn’t quite scream “Tall, Dark, and Handsome” to me, so that coupled with his less than stellar treatment of such a lovable heroine, and I was really put off. He eventually sees the error of his ways, vows to do better, and shows her tenderness, but he's definitely not one of my favorite romantic heroes.
Still, Have You Seen Her? is a good romantic suspense read, and I’m very impressed with this author. I’ll definitely continue reading the rest of the series by Karen Rose. 4 stars!
February 16, 2016
Suspense, Romance and Humor. Three for three in this book. Even though the suspense is a serial killer (not my favorite baddie) and the romance is two people trying to sever ties to the past and move on (lots of baggage here), the humor makes everything not so morose.
Jenna is a high school teacher who loves her work and her students. When Brad had a personality change and his grades tank she calls his father Steven, a SBI agent. They literally smack up against each other and it's love at first sight, sort of. Both carry scars from the past but can't deny the instant attraction they have.
Some stream of consciousness thoughts as I make my way through this book:
I'm on page 43 and I have rarely seen a book that starts as hot as this one end up at less that a five star read. I will wait until I finish the book to for a full review, but, the start is really, really good.
Now on page 113. This is a five star read. The scene between Matt, Aunt Helen and the yearbook is just priceless.
I love Jenna since we are both Rocky Road gals. "Vanilla wasn't even worth the trouble. She wasn't even sure how it got in her freezer."
The mystery suspense of this plot centers on a serial killer who murdered four girls and got off on a technicality. He surfaces three years later across the country in Raleigh, NC and more girls die. Steven is the agent in charge and between his very troubled son, Brad, the demanding case and his feelings for Jenna, he has a lot going on and Jenna is in the middle of it all.
Jenna is a high school teacher who loves her work and her students. When Brad had a personality change and his grades tank she calls his father Steven, a SBI agent. They literally smack up against each other and it's love at first sight, sort of. Both carry scars from the past but can't deny the instant attraction they have.
Some stream of consciousness thoughts as I make my way through this book:
I'm on page 43 and I have rarely seen a book that starts as hot as this one end up at less that a five star read. I will wait until I finish the book to for a full review, but, the start is really, really good.
Now on page 113. This is a five star read. The scene between Matt, Aunt Helen and the yearbook is just priceless.
I love Jenna since we are both Rocky Road gals. "Vanilla wasn't even worth the trouble. She wasn't even sure how it got in her freezer."
The mystery suspense of this plot centers on a serial killer who murdered four girls and got off on a technicality. He surfaces three years later across the country in Raleigh, NC and more girls die. Steven is the agent in charge and between his very troubled son, Brad, the demanding case and his feelings for Jenna, he has a lot going on and Jenna is in the middle of it all.
March 30, 2020
Another review under quarantine! Oh my, how productive am I!
This is my second Karen Rose book, the first one being the first of this series, and I've got to say I like her style. She's very different from Karin Slaughter, whose books I've read most recently, but I nonetheless like her writing.
Her books seem to be the perfect mix between romance and crime, but I'd certainly wouldn't call it thriller, which is what I like. There's suspense, but sprinkled throughout the book and very little of it. For me, the romance is the predominant part of the book, and that's in deterrent of the crime, suspense and mystery.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed her book, it was nice to know another writer who works similarly than the authors I like, and I'll continue to read her stories.
This is my second Karen Rose book, the first one being the first of this series, and I've got to say I like her style. She's very different from Karin Slaughter, whose books I've read most recently, but I nonetheless like her writing.
Her books seem to be the perfect mix between romance and crime, but I'd certainly wouldn't call it thriller, which is what I like. There's suspense, but sprinkled throughout the book and very little of it. For me, the romance is the predominant part of the book, and that's in deterrent of the crime, suspense and mystery.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed her book, it was nice to know another writer who works similarly than the authors I like, and I'll continue to read her stories.
December 5, 2018
First read : 2011
Second read : 2018
Have you seen her? is the second in the romantic suspense series that currently stands at 21 books. (22 - Say you're sorry - is out in 2019).
If you know me, you know I love Karen Rose novels. She is one of my go to authors for thrills and gore, but also a great story line. HYSH? is no exception. Here's what it is about...
Steven Thatcher is a special agent in charge of finding a murderer. He is hunting a serial killer with a penchant for taking young cheerleaders, murdering, mutilating and dumping them for the police to find.
He also has a tumultuous family life to deal with, including three troubled sons, and a matchmaking aunt. Nicky, his youngest, was taken by a murderer in Rose's first book, Don't tell. He is afraid of sleeping in his own bed, he won't smile anymore, and most heartbreaking of all, he won't hug his father. Brad is Steven's eldest, a teenager with a serious attitude problem. He resents his father, he's stopped trying with his school work and he is letting his life go to ruin.
Steven can't see a light at the end of the dark, hopeless tunnel that is his home situation, until he meets Jenna. Jenna is Brad's teacher and brings his failing grades to the attention of is father, because it is so out of character for him. Sparks fly, and before we know it Jenna and Steven are doing all kinds of ice cream related naughtiness.
Jenna is having trouble of her own, in the form of a failing football player, whom she has flunked and thus removed from the football team. He and his friends are tormenting Jenna, trying to get him back on the team.
Can Steven catch the killer before he takes another girl? Can he keep the woman he has fallen for? Will Nicky ever be back to the carefree child he should be? Why is Brad so angry?
I raced through this. It was as good as I remember it being the first time round. Karen writes in an easy, relaxed way. It's not difficult to read, the plot was excellently mapped out, and I found myself wanting to read a bit more each time I went to put it down of an evening.
I didn't like Neil much, although he isn't a bad guy, he was just not my cup of tea, and I was constantly rolling my eyes every time he pined for the girl he couldn't have. GET OVER IT!!!
Helen is an excellent character. and Steven is lucky to have her. Her cooking sounds divine and she's a funny one. I loved meeting the characters we were introduced to in the first novel. It is a sign of things to come, as more and more people get added to the KR universe. I'm excited to get back to them.
There is plenty of sex and violence in this book. Not for the faint hearted: drugs, mental illness, murder, rape, kidnap. Oh there's romance too. :)
I would recommend this as one of my favs - even though I say that about every KR book!
Enjoy!
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
Second read : 2018
Have you seen her? is the second in the romantic suspense series that currently stands at 21 books. (22 - Say you're sorry - is out in 2019).
If you know me, you know I love Karen Rose novels. She is one of my go to authors for thrills and gore, but also a great story line. HYSH? is no exception. Here's what it is about...
Steven Thatcher is a special agent in charge of finding a murderer. He is hunting a serial killer with a penchant for taking young cheerleaders, murdering, mutilating and dumping them for the police to find.
He also has a tumultuous family life to deal with, including three troubled sons, and a matchmaking aunt. Nicky, his youngest, was taken by a murderer in Rose's first book, Don't tell. He is afraid of sleeping in his own bed, he won't smile anymore, and most heartbreaking of all, he won't hug his father. Brad is Steven's eldest, a teenager with a serious attitude problem. He resents his father, he's stopped trying with his school work and he is letting his life go to ruin.
Steven can't see a light at the end of the dark, hopeless tunnel that is his home situation, until he meets Jenna. Jenna is Brad's teacher and brings his failing grades to the attention of is father, because it is so out of character for him. Sparks fly, and before we know it Jenna and Steven are doing all kinds of ice cream related naughtiness.
Jenna is having trouble of her own, in the form of a failing football player, whom she has flunked and thus removed from the football team. He and his friends are tormenting Jenna, trying to get him back on the team.
Can Steven catch the killer before he takes another girl? Can he keep the woman he has fallen for? Will Nicky ever be back to the carefree child he should be? Why is Brad so angry?
I raced through this. It was as good as I remember it being the first time round. Karen writes in an easy, relaxed way. It's not difficult to read, the plot was excellently mapped out, and I found myself wanting to read a bit more each time I went to put it down of an evening.
I didn't like Neil much, although he isn't a bad guy, he was just not my cup of tea, and I was constantly rolling my eyes every time he pined for the girl he couldn't have. GET OVER IT!!!
Helen is an excellent character. and Steven is lucky to have her. Her cooking sounds divine and she's a funny one. I loved meeting the characters we were introduced to in the first novel. It is a sign of things to come, as more and more people get added to the KR universe. I'm excited to get back to them.
There is plenty of sex and violence in this book. Not for the faint hearted: drugs, mental illness, murder, rape, kidnap. Oh there's romance too. :)
I would recommend this as one of my favs - even though I say that about every KR book!
Enjoy!
www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com
September 9, 2020
The crime side of this story was brilliant and really kept me gripped, I couldn’t predict it BUT the additional link in of the love story between Steven and his sons teacher was way too predictable and distracting to the story
Serial killer stalking a town and killing dark haired cheerleaders is evading capture. Meanwhile investigator Steven Thatcher is trying to catch the killer but also distracted by his son who is behaving differently and also his sons teacher, Jenna, who is trying to help him find out what is wrong with Brad
Serial killer stalking a town and killing dark haired cheerleaders is evading capture. Meanwhile investigator Steven Thatcher is trying to catch the killer but also distracted by his son who is behaving differently and also his sons teacher, Jenna, who is trying to help him find out what is wrong with Brad
August 26, 2021
Special Agent Steven Thatcher is on the hunt for a serial killer and at the same time trying to raise his 3 sons. When his teenage son, Brad, start to behave strangely, his teacher, Jenna Marshall, is determined to find out why Brad, her star pupil, has gone off the rails. Now the watching serial killer turns his attention on Jenna...
As with other Karen Rose books, there's lot of scary moments and intricate plot that keeps your attention. I didn't like the way Steven was sometimes acting like a jerk.
February 22, 2018
Have You Seen Her? is book two of Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. When a young girl's body founded in a clearing and another girl's body couple days later, Special Agent Steven Thatcher started to think that there is a serial killer on the lose. However, Special Agent Steven Thatcher had other worries when his eldest son teacher Dr Jenna Marshall called him with about Brad deteriorating school work. From their first meeting, they felt the chemistry between them. The readers of Have You Seen Her? will follow the twists and turned in the murder investigation and the romance between Special Agent Steven Thatcher and Dr Jenna Marshall.
Have You Seen Her? was the second book I have read of Karen Rose and I enjoyed reading it. I love the way, Karen Rose provided the twists and turned between her characters especially Special Agent Steven Thatcher and Dr Jenna Marshall. Have You Seen Her? was well written and researched by Karen Rose. I like the way, Karen Rose, describes her plots and settings that engaged me from the first page.
The readers of Have You Seen Her? will learn that you need to communicate with family and friends or you lose their trust. Also, the readers of Have You Seen Her? will see the consequences of mental illness that not probably treated.
I recommend this book.
Have You Seen Her? was the second book I have read of Karen Rose and I enjoyed reading it. I love the way, Karen Rose provided the twists and turned between her characters especially Special Agent Steven Thatcher and Dr Jenna Marshall. Have You Seen Her? was well written and researched by Karen Rose. I like the way, Karen Rose, describes her plots and settings that engaged me from the first page.
The readers of Have You Seen Her? will learn that you need to communicate with family and friends or you lose their trust. Also, the readers of Have You Seen Her? will see the consequences of mental illness that not probably treated.
I recommend this book.
March 4, 2022
I had never heard of Karen Rose until I picked this book up recently. It had everything and more. It's one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. From likeable characters to a superb story, there wasn't much I could fault on this brilliant read.
May 14, 2019
The story of Special Agent Steven Thatcher, whom we met in the previous book, and Jenna Marshall, his eldest son's science teacher.
Steven is leading an investigation on a serial killer who is targeting teenage girls and as if that wasn't enough to worry about, his youngest boy, Nicky, is still not quite himself after getting abducted in the previous book, while Brad, his seventeen year old son, seems to be going through a bad phase as well and has started failing his classes.
Jenna, who is also worried about Brad when he fails a second test in a row, calls in his father, half-prepared for a bad scene like the one she's had with the quarterback's dad when he got suspended from the team for failing her class.
The two meet in less than ideal circumstances and while neither of them is looking for a relationship, the attraction between them is undeniable and they end up tentatively dating.
Another very engaging story that will hopefully be one of many to come. The series continues with I'm Watching You.
Previous book review:
✦ Don't Tell (Romantic Suspense, #1; Chicago, #1)
Steven is leading an investigation on a serial killer who is targeting teenage girls and as if that wasn't enough to worry about, his youngest boy, Nicky, is still not quite himself after getting abducted in the previous book, while Brad, his seventeen year old son, seems to be going through a bad phase as well and has started failing his classes.
Jenna, who is also worried about Brad when he fails a second test in a row, calls in his father, half-prepared for a bad scene like the one she's had with the quarterback's dad when he got suspended from the team for failing her class.
The two meet in less than ideal circumstances and while neither of them is looking for a relationship, the attraction between them is undeniable and they end up tentatively dating.
Another very engaging story that will hopefully be one of many to come. The series continues with I'm Watching You.
Previous book review:
✦ Don't Tell (Romantic Suspense, #1; Chicago, #1)
September 24, 2021
Have You Seen Her?
4 Stars
Synopsis
Investigating the horrific murder of a teenage cheerleader and coping with his traumatized 7 year old, Special Agent Steven Thatcher has his hands full. But things can always get worse and they do when another dead girl is found and Steven's eldest son, Brad, starts failing in school. Brad's teacher, Jenna Marshall reaches out to help, and she and Steven realize they have more in common than their concern for Brad. As they grow closer, however, so does the killer who seems to have turned his sights on Jenna.
Review
Even better than the first book.
The serial killer plot is well done with some excellent twists and turns although a careful reader will find it very easy to identify the culprit.
The romance is compelling mostly due to the amazing chemistry between Steven and Jenna. This makes their relationship believable despite the relatively short time span. Given his history, Steven is an extremely vulnerable hero, which may explain his trust issues and reservations where it comes to accepting Jenna wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, his jealousy can be annoying at times. Jenna is my favorite type of heroine, caring and sympathetic but also holds her own against hesitant policemen and diabolical serial killers.
A couple of issues are left open which mar the overall reading experience, such as Brad's sudden return to his affable self after being a typical obnoxious teen for half the story, and the dubious resolution of the vandalism subplot.
Nevertheless, Have You Seen Her? is a well-written and exciting thriller with just the right about of suspense and romance.
4 Stars
Synopsis
Investigating the horrific murder of a teenage cheerleader and coping with his traumatized 7 year old, Special Agent Steven Thatcher has his hands full. But things can always get worse and they do when another dead girl is found and Steven's eldest son, Brad, starts failing in school. Brad's teacher, Jenna Marshall reaches out to help, and she and Steven realize they have more in common than their concern for Brad. As they grow closer, however, so does the killer who seems to have turned his sights on Jenna.
Review
Even better than the first book.
The serial killer plot is well done with some excellent twists and turns although a careful reader will find it very easy to identify the culprit.
The romance is compelling mostly due to the amazing chemistry between Steven and Jenna. This makes their relationship believable despite the relatively short time span. Given his history, Steven is an extremely vulnerable hero, which may explain his trust issues and reservations where it comes to accepting Jenna wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, his jealousy can be annoying at times. Jenna is my favorite type of heroine, caring and sympathetic but also holds her own against hesitant policemen and diabolical serial killers.
A couple of issues are left open which mar the overall reading experience, such as Brad's sudden return to his affable self after being a typical obnoxious teen for half the story, and the dubious resolution of the vandalism subplot.
Nevertheless, Have You Seen Her? is a well-written and exciting thriller with just the right about of suspense and romance.
January 14, 2016
Special Agent Steven Thatcher returns on a new case. He is hunting a serial killer who abducts teenage girls. In addition to stress on the job , he has to deal with his home life which is falling apart. His oldest son Brad has become uncommunicative, and failing at school, his youngest Nick continues with issues from his abduction 6 months earlier, and his aunt continues her meddling matchmaking ways. He meets Jenna, Brad's chemistry teacher when she calls him to discuss his grades. They have instant chemistry but love doesn't come easily for them. Jenna has her own professional and personal issues to overcome. The lack of support on the job for Jenna by her boss was very unsettling to me. There was a lot going on in this book, but my favorite part was the relationships between all the characters. Jenna and Steven's kids, Steven and Father Mike, Jenna and her girlfriend, Jenna and her nosy neighbor. Steven and his team. I would have read a book about all of them even without a serial killer on the loose. I enjoyed this and hope these characters pop up again in future books. 5 stars.
November 17, 2018
4.5 Stars
"Special Agent Steven Thatcher has a lot on his hands. Not only is there a serial killer on the loose, stalking area high schools, but Steven's teenage son Brad is suddenly acting up and failing in school. His schoolteacher, Jenna Marshall, is also worried about Brad. As their conversations about the troubled teen increased and grow more intimate, Jenna and Steven soon find they're falling for each other, though they tread cautiously as both carry hidden wounds of their own. Their situation turns even more dangerous when Jenna finds herself on the twisted path of the serial killer Steven is investigating." (From Amazon)
LOVED this novel as Jenna and Stephen are great characters and have wonderful chemistry...and loved the chemistry between Jenna and Stephen's aunt and boys. I would definitely read this novel again in the future and would recommend this to romantic suspense and suspense readers.
"Special Agent Steven Thatcher has a lot on his hands. Not only is there a serial killer on the loose, stalking area high schools, but Steven's teenage son Brad is suddenly acting up and failing in school. His schoolteacher, Jenna Marshall, is also worried about Brad. As their conversations about the troubled teen increased and grow more intimate, Jenna and Steven soon find they're falling for each other, though they tread cautiously as both carry hidden wounds of their own. Their situation turns even more dangerous when Jenna finds herself on the twisted path of the serial killer Steven is investigating." (From Amazon)
LOVED this novel as Jenna and Stephen are great characters and have wonderful chemistry...and loved the chemistry between Jenna and Stephen's aunt and boys. I would definitely read this novel again in the future and would recommend this to romantic suspense and suspense readers.
December 8, 2019
4 stars for this one. Most of the reviews that I read say that this is not one of the best Karen Rose books, and I have to agree with that. I think this is most because of the main character who had pretty much stupid behavior towards the main heroine. I think the book would have been much better if it was more about the killer, his acts, motives, thoughts and more police procedural. I think that in this one missed the feeling of danger, tension that we can feel in her later books as well as in the fist book of this series ''Don't tell''. The family moments with the children of the main character could have been more emotional.
Overall the book is ok so if you enjoy murder mysteries mixed with mature romance characters and lots of interesting supporting characters, you will enjoy ''Have you seen Her?'' by Karen Rose!
Overall the book is ok so if you enjoy murder mysteries mixed with mature romance characters and lots of interesting supporting characters, you will enjoy ''Have you seen Her?'' by Karen Rose!
September 19, 2012
I would have enjoyed this book a whole lot more if she'd concentrated more on the plot and less on the (badly written) burning loins.
August 10, 2023
DNF @ 23%/ 7 chapters/ 4 hours in
I tried to be forgiving because this is an older book, but wow I just can't.
Steven as a romance lead is horrible. He says he has no time for his sons who obviously need him and he doesn't make time. He also hasn't hired a nanny so his travel-loving aunt is stuck raising his sons (essentially) although she should just tell him to hire a nanny instead of throwing wife-candidates at him ESPECIALLY since he is determined not to marry again. Steven is also super quick to judge what type of woman Jenna is. One day of knowing her and she is immediately a marriage possibility for him thus sending his life into chaos.
Jenna... 4 hours in and we barely get any time with her. She's a saint and perfect and loves her students, but outside of school I don't know much about her.
I was also hoping for more time spent on the mystery and not Steven's "woe is me" angst or people telling him he needs to get married again for the sake of his boys -- which again, product of its time.
The thing is, I could totally keep listening to this audiobook, it isn't horrible and the narration is pretty good. Quality is good. What is bad is I keep rolling my eyes at how outdated everything is socially. So, this is a "me" problem.
I tried to be forgiving because this is an older book, but wow I just can't.
Steven as a romance lead is horrible. He says he has no time for his sons who obviously need him and he doesn't make time. He also hasn't hired a nanny so his travel-loving aunt is stuck raising his sons (essentially) although she should just tell him to hire a nanny instead of throwing wife-candidates at him ESPECIALLY since he is determined not to marry again. Steven is also super quick to judge what type of woman Jenna is. One day of knowing her and she is immediately a marriage possibility for him thus sending his life into chaos.
Jenna... 4 hours in and we barely get any time with her. She's a saint and perfect and loves her students, but outside of school I don't know much about her.
I was also hoping for more time spent on the mystery and not Steven's "woe is me" angst or people telling him he needs to get married again for the sake of his boys -- which again, product of its time.
The thing is, I could totally keep listening to this audiobook, it isn't horrible and the narration is pretty good. Quality is good. What is bad is I keep rolling my eyes at how outdated everything is socially. So, this is a "me" problem.
February 15, 2019
Wieder ein tolles Buch der Autorin.
August 19, 2022
Could have been so good, but it lost me. I skimmed through many chapters and still did not miss anything.
Narration was average.
Narration was average.
February 3, 2019
Second book in this series and all I can think is it has not improved.
I like romantic suspense, but for me there are 2 requirements: 1) the suspense / action must be believable and authentic; and 2) the romance needs to be a seamless part of the story. I feel that this novel fails in both areas.
As a suspense / action novel, there were too many places where I shook my head, too many places that I just went "nope". I think the big nope occurred when the author placed the second detective (Neil Davies) from Seattle into the mix. I can understand that Neil served two purposes - both to advance the mystery and the jealousy line of the romance. However, when a cop from another jurisdiction comes to the other side of the country, do I think that he would be deterred by a brushoff at at soccer game? Why is he even introducing himself to the lead investigator at a soccer game? He couldn't figure out where the office was? There's a line where Neil swears that "This time he'd do it by the book. This time he'd do it right." But he DOESN'T...he conducts an independent out-of-jurisdiction investigation that ends up delaying and even obscuring critical evidence. WTF. This is where the author lost me - I want something that at least looks like she's ever read anything about how investigations work and is not just making it up to fit the storyline.
Then there's the romance. There was some good chemistry between Steven and Jenna. But...it's another insta-romance. I can't see going from zero to mother-of-my children in 2 weeks. ESPECIALLY with the trust issues that Steven has. Jenna is a little more understandable - she lost her fiancee and is still working through her grief. Yes, wearing his ring (albeit on her thumb) might be a little over the top. But staying in touch with his family, driving the classic car he restored - those don't seem too bizarre. Steven, on the other hand, is more annoying. I can understand his reluctance to trust given the circumstances of his wife's death. But he keeps jumping to conclusions and then promising to do better - without ever working on those issues. I liked them when they were "on" but when they were "off" ...they were really off.
Finally the supporting cast. The villains were cardboard - and it didn't take much thought to figure this out. Adam's family was a bit of comic relief - I did like them. Their concern for Jenna - despite the fact that she never actually married their son - was touching and real. Steven's family was kind of fun, too, especially his Aunt Helen. I did have some issues with the drama concerning his oldest son. I figured out what had driven his behavior here and again it seemed like the resolution for this was way too pat. Teenage problems are rarely dealt with so simply or easily.
Overall this was a quick read. It did hold the reader's attention. If you can place your brain on hold while you read the parts that make no sense....it might even be good. One more to improve or I'm done with this series.
Quote that I liked:
...I am an expert on the fragility of time. It passes, Steven. You can't stop it. You always think you're going to have another day to make things right, to say the things you should have said, to do the things you should have done. But sometimes time and life don't cooperate and another day never comes.
I like romantic suspense, but for me there are 2 requirements: 1) the suspense / action must be believable and authentic; and 2) the romance needs to be a seamless part of the story. I feel that this novel fails in both areas.
As a suspense / action novel, there were too many places where I shook my head, too many places that I just went "nope". I think the big nope occurred when the author placed the second detective (Neil Davies) from Seattle into the mix. I can understand that Neil served two purposes - both to advance the mystery and the jealousy line of the romance. However, when a cop from another jurisdiction comes to the other side of the country, do I think that he would be deterred by a brushoff at at soccer game? Why is he even introducing himself to the lead investigator at a soccer game? He couldn't figure out where the office was? There's a line where Neil swears that "This time he'd do it by the book. This time he'd do it right." But he DOESN'T...he conducts an independent out-of-jurisdiction investigation that ends up delaying and even obscuring critical evidence. WTF. This is where the author lost me - I want something that at least looks like she's ever read anything about how investigations work and is not just making it up to fit the storyline.
Then there's the romance. There was some good chemistry between Steven and Jenna. But...it's another insta-romance. I can't see going from zero to mother-of-my children in 2 weeks. ESPECIALLY with the trust issues that Steven has. Jenna is a little more understandable - she lost her fiancee and is still working through her grief. Yes, wearing his ring (albeit on her thumb) might be a little over the top. But staying in touch with his family, driving the classic car he restored - those don't seem too bizarre. Steven, on the other hand, is more annoying. I can understand his reluctance to trust given the circumstances of his wife's death. But he keeps jumping to conclusions and then promising to do better - without ever working on those issues. I liked them when they were "on" but when they were "off" ...they were really off.
Finally the supporting cast. The villains were cardboard - and it didn't take much thought to figure this out. Adam's family was a bit of comic relief - I did like them. Their concern for Jenna - despite the fact that she never actually married their son - was touching and real. Steven's family was kind of fun, too, especially his Aunt Helen. I did have some issues with the drama concerning his oldest son. I figured out what had driven his behavior here and again it seemed like the resolution for this was way too pat. Teenage problems are rarely dealt with so simply or easily.
Overall this was a quick read. It did hold the reader's attention. If you can place your brain on hold while you read the parts that make no sense....it might even be good. One more to improve or I'm done with this series.
Quote that I liked:
...I am an expert on the fragility of time. It passes, Steven. You can't stop it. You always think you're going to have another day to make things right, to say the things you should have said, to do the things you should have done. But sometimes time and life don't cooperate and another day never comes.
August 25, 2021
We briefly met Agent Thatcher in the previous book and as a mother, it was so good to see how little Nicky Thatcher and his family were dealing with the aftermath. Once again, I found myself feeling every emotion that the characters were feeling which made me very invested. In Steven, we see that it isn't just single women who struggle with juggling children with a personal life and work. There were some truly beautiful moments in this book and I often found myself reaching for the tissues.
Another excellent book by Karen Rose. 📚📚📚📚📚
Another excellent book by Karen Rose. 📚📚📚📚📚
Displaying 1 - 30 of 554 reviews