I was super surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The thriller genre is a new avenue fir me and I have to say I’m now officially a fan of these stories that also have a romantic subplot. Think of this as SILENCE OF THE LAMBS but with a love story. It’s creepy and somewhat graphic—seriously a bit bloody, so if you’re squeamish be careful—with well drawn characters and a compelling storyline.

All of the characters felt super real with fleshed out backstories, fully realized personalities and distinct motivations. Even the villain was believable. While a horror and a menace, his backstory was so super sad and rather hard to read. He wasn’t just a caricature, but a wounded human who’d had such evil done to him. The love interest also had a tragic backstory but he took his pain and became a cop. The parallel between these two men was interesting.

I highly recommend!!

Book #1 in the new Sacramento series by Karen Rose. Say You’re Sorry is an action-packed, romantic suspense, not a genre I am used to reading, but the complex plot about a serial killer on the loose will captivate you in just the first chapter.

The main character is Daisy Jones, a radio host, who is assaulted by a disguised man in an alley. She bravely escapes the attack, tearing a locket from his neck which reveals an engraved name and symbol that connects FBI agent Gideon Reynolds, who is now assigned to protect Daisy and help cover the case.

Daisy and Gideon’s chemistry throughout the book is very well written. As they become close, Gideon begins to open up about his past, revealing more and more clues about the mysterious locket and why it might be in the killer’s possession.

I found the parts written from the serial killer’s perspective to be quite disturbing, but adding to the suspense as he goes on a mission to find Daisy, harming anyone in his way to get to her.

The book is long, although necessarily long due to the intricate plot and swarms of information. I found the action and suspense to be totally film-worthy, while quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

If you like crime-fiction and romance rolled into a one, do pick up this book.

Thank you to #Berkleypub and #netgalley for my free e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the blurb and the cover. They both made me want to read the story and got my interest going.
I enjoyed the authors writing style. She is able to connect multiple POVs and storylines together to create 1 deep story.

I didn’t feel the chemistry between Gideon and Daisy so reading their chapters was awkward.
The killer who after reading a few chapters of his POV, you realise has had a horrible upbringing and he lost his evil killer vibe. He became like a child that was acting out. His POVs became confusing because he switched from so many emotions.

There was a bit of repetitiveness in the story, characters would repeat situations that had happened to other characters so it would get boring.
I enjoyed the story overall. I love the whole cult storyline. I look forward to reading more of the authors books.

Karen Rose has been on my list of auto-buy authors for the past several years. I don't even look at the synopses of her upcoming releases before pre-ordering them. I trust her that much, and Say You're Sorry, the first book in an all-new series, is yet another example of why I firmly believe no one writes romantic suspense like Karen Rose.

Our heroine is Daisy Dawson who readers of Ms. Rose's Baltimore series may remember is the stepsister of Taylor Dawson. We got glimpses of what was going on with her in some of the Baltimore books, and I was quite intrigued by her character, so I was over the moon when I realized she was getting her own book. Things haven't been easy for her. She's trying hard to stay sober, despite the fact that many of the people in her life seem all too ready to believe she'll fall off the wagon at the tiniest of provocations. In hopes of distancing herself from people who doubt her ability to maintain her sobriety, Daisy moves to Sacramento and starts over.

When the story opens, Daisy has been in Sacramento for a year or so, and things are going well. She's made some friends, and she's also gotten involved with a local AA group. She's even been matched with a service dog to help keep her anxiety levels down, so her outlook on life is far more positive than it's been for quite some time.

One evening, Daisy and a friend of hers are walking home from an AA meeting when a masked man attempts to assault Daisy. Fortunately, she has had quite a bit of self-defense training, so she's able to fight off her attacker. She's obviously quite shaken up by what happened, so she reaches out to a family friend who works for the Sacramento Police Department.

Special agent Gideon Reynolds tries hard not to think about his past. Growing up as part of a cult left him open to quite a bit of horrible abuse as a child, and it hasn't been easy for him to get past it. Fortunately, life in Sacramento has been good for Gideon, and it seems like he might finally be able to heal. But when his friend Rafe asks for Gideon's help tracking down the man who attempted to assault Daisy, it soon becomes clear to Gideon that what happened to Daisy could have links to the cult in which he grew up. Now, Gideon is forced to face his demons head on if he is to have any hope of keeping Daisy safe and bringing a sadistic killer to justice.

It's clear from the first time they meet that Gideon and Daisy are attracted to one another, but since they both have their fair share of emotional baggage, they're both determined not to act on those feelings. This, of course, is much easier said than done, and it doesn't take long before they give into their mutual attraction. In some ways, this felt a bit like insta-love, but Ms. Rose was able to make me buy into it, due in no small part to the fantastic chemistry between the pair. The sexual tension they share practically sizzles, and I found myself really pulling for them to make things work as a couple.

If you've read any of Ms. Rose's previous works, you know she doesn't pull any punches when it comes to violence. Say You're Sorry is no exception, so be prepared for quite a few graphic descriptions of violent acts, especially when you're reading the chapters from the killer's point of view. I have a pretty strong stomach when it comes to things like this, so I wasn't put off by the descriptions, but I know that won't be every reader's experience.

There's something very special about the way Ms. Rose portrays the various relationships between her characters. Ties of family and friendship are strong, making her characters the kind of people I'd love to hang out with in real life. Reading scenes between Daisy and Rafe's family gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, and the same thing happened when Daisy and her father strove to work out their differences. The romance and the suspense are the key plot elements here, but there's a thread of unconditional love and support that flows through the story as well, and this is part of what sets Ms. Rose's books apart from the rest of the romantic suspense out there.

At well over 600 pages, this is a book that could be intimidating to some readers, but please don't let its size deter you. The author has a way of making every word count. There's always something going on that will make you want to keep turning the pages, and if you're anything like me, you'll end up quite surprised to realize you've reached the end.

The romance and the mystery are wrapped up at the end of this book, but there's a lot of room for future books in this series. There are several characters I'd love to see find their own HEAs, so I'll be waiting with bated breath for the next installment to be released.

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The night Daisy was attacked changed her life forever. She met Gideon, a FBI agent with a significant past that puts him directly on the case, and she is now on the run from a deranged serial killer. Gideon has never been one to love, especially after escaping Eden, a cult society that was horrific in nature. Now he has to keep Daisy safe, or risk losing everything.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Say You're Sorry is a fast paced thriller that kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened next. It reminded me of a season of Criminal Minds, and since that is one of my favorite shows, I'm not complaining.

I really liked that Gideon and Daisy kind of switched traditional roles. In this story, Daisy is the strong, stubborn type that is perfectly capable of saving the day. Gideon is troubled, and doesn't mind showing his emotions and letting Daisy help heal him. I did feel like we learned more about the killer than some of the other characters, but you will feel something for him whether it's horror, sorrow, or contempt.

This book was EXTREMLY long, and I didn't feel like it needed to be. There are a lot of parts that seemed there just to be there, or to link things in ways that weren't necessary. My biggest issue with this book is that it is a little disjointed. You have two main mystery/thriller storylines going on that don't really intersect past the first few chapters. I know she did this to be able to continue on into a series, but <spoiler> the locket and Eden didn't go at all with the killer storyline. </spoiler> Both were operating more in their own little universes, and I wish we had just focused on one or the other. Especially with the book being 600+ pages.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was my first Karen Rose, and I will more than likely be continuing with the series.

The author has managed to throw everything but the kitchen sink into this book. Cults, pedophilia, torture, sadism, serial killer, sex, kidnapping, romance, alcoholism, PTSD, survivalists, isolationism, gory details, evil women, evil men, beautiful woman, handsome hunk, more sex, police procedural, dogs, murders, child brides, estranged siblings, FBI . . . oh, and did I mention sex? Phew! I have to admit the story was intriguing but so way over the top with sensationalism! I have read many psychological thrillers and even some erotica, but I have never quite seen the whole shebang thrown together this way. My intro, apparently, to Romantic Suspense.

I am a fan of Karen Rose and usually find her romantic suspense stories to be a fast-paced, easy read. However, I struggled with this book- I didn't really like either of the characters and I wasn't invested enough in their story to want to get to the end. I also hate when characters instantly fall in love and have a relationship after only a few hours of knowing each other. This title was a miss for me.

What a ride. this is not a stand alone but it could definitely be read on it's own. The serial killer and the FBI Special Agent Gideon Reynolds along with Daisy Dawson, the victim were great characters. The sex part was unnecessary and clumsy. If the book had just been the thriller i'd have given it 5 stars (which I don't do very often). I love that that Daisy is such a strong intelligent female. Not backing down and very capable of taking care of herself. I will be starting the series from book one of the Romantic Suspense series as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

I started this book but did not finish it. For a book that is over 600 pages it has to be very good to grab my attention. This one was not that interesting and really dragged. Not a particularly novel theme and I did not find the characters interesting.. I think if it was shorter and the story was tightened up I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I like Daisy and Brutus but was not impressed by the other characters.

Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose is the 1st book in her new Sacramento series. Upon discovering Karen Rose a couple of years ago, I have enjoyed reading her books, and now with Say You’re Sorry being the first in a new series, I was excited to be able to start from scratch. Say You’re Sorry is another one of her exciting, action-packed and intense romance suspense thrillers, which once again kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

We meet Daisy Dawson at the start, as she and her friend Trish are coming back from an AA meeting. Daisy is attacked from behind, and because of her training as a teenager by her father, she was able to escape. We remember Daisy from a previous series, as she was a sister of the heroine. Trish calls Rafe, her neighbor and friend to help, as he is a detective. When Rafe looks at a necklace that Daisy ripped off of the attacker, he recognizes it.

Special Agent Gideon Reynolds, our hero, gets a call from his friend Rafe. The necklace recovered brings back horrible memories of his childhood, when he suffered the violence of a cult, as well as his escape. Gideon managed to build a life, especially being part of Rafe’s family; but he has not been able to let go of the past, as his mother and sister were left behind. For seventeen years, Gideon has unsuccessfully tried to find where the cult is, even getting the FBI and other organizations to help his research to no avail. Until he meets Daisy, and sees the necklace which was a duplicate of the cult design.

In a short period, they will discover that a serial killer is killing women, and Gideon will be assigned to the case to protect Daisy. We also get the POV of the evil villain, who is a crazed scary monster. What makes this book so captivating is how it revolves around a vile serial killer, a background of a dangerous cult, and a sweet romance.

What follows is an intriguing, intense, suspenseful and at times mind-boggling story that had us holding our breaths throughout. There were a number of twists revolving around a killer continually torturing his victims or seeing the horrors of Gideon’s past and knowing how badly the members were treated; we were totally captivated by this story.

Gideon was a great hero, determined to protect Daisy, whom he was beginning to fall hard for, as well as search for information to find that cult and save others. Daisy was a fantastic heroine, who learned to take care of herself from a PTSD father who always trained his children to be able to fight or able to shoot guns. She also was strong enough stop drinking and join AA, which she has been sober for many years. Daisy too fell hard for Gideon and they made a great team. I also loved the amazing group of family and friends, who were always there for both Daisy and Gideon.

Say You’re Sorry is an intense thriller from start to finish, with non- stop action all the way. As I have said before, Karen Rose never fails to give a fantastic well written thriller that is intense, always on the edge, with fantastic characters, evil villains and a wonderful couple you care for. If you love suspense, with a touch of romance and a thriller all the way, then look no further then Karen Rose.

Another great book by Karen Rose! Much awaited story, full character development and creeeepy bad guys. Classic Rose!

The minute I read the blurb to Karen Rose's Say You're Sorry I knew I needed to read this book right away. I absolutely love romantic suspense and the combination of spine tingling suspense and sizzling romance was amazing! This story was engrossing and gripping and had me on the edge of my seat! I was so completely consumed by Daisy and Gideon's story I did not want to stop reading!

Without giving any spoilers, this story came out of nowhere for me! I was rocked by the nonstop adrenaline rushes and the addicting storyline. Daisy and Gideon's hunt for a serial killer leads them down a path into Gideon's past where secrets and lies begin to unravel themselves in a shocking fashion.

I was obsessed with this story and could not read it fast enough! I look forward to reading more from this author and books in this series in the future!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula

When Daisy Dawson is assaulted by a man with a stocking over his face after her AA meeting she grabs a locket off of his neck before getting away. This catches the attention of FBI agent Gideon Reynolds as the locket is connected to a case in his past.Now Agent Reynolds is assigned to the protect Daisy Dawson and is working against time to figure out how these cases are connected before the suspect claims another victim.

Say You’re Sorry is a fast-paced, romantic suspense ,highly entertaining read that kept me completely engrossed. Great characters, lots of twists and turns made it difficult to put down when started . A fantastic start to a new series

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

The blurb for this story gives a good description of this story. What it leaves out is the emotional flavor and the personalities of the main characters.

Daisy Dawson is attacked on her way from an AA meeting. She is in her mid-twenties and has been sober for eight years. She suffers panic attacks and has a service dog who manages to keep her from spiraling out of control. She has named her tiny purse dog Brutus.

When she was a pre-teen her father gathered up the family - Daisy, her two sisters, his second wife and her daughter - and took them to an isolated location to keep them safe from his wife's ex-husband. There he taught them to take care of themselves. The oldest daughter rebelled, ran away, and died of a drug overdose. As the second wife was dying, she confessed that she had lied about her ex and essentially kidnapped her daughter to keep her from him. Daisy is still angry at her father for uprooting their lives.

Gideon Reynolds also has a troubled past. When he was a young child, his mother got involved with a cult that advocated forced marriages as soon as a young girl turned twelve and welded a locket around her neck which claimed ownership of her. Boys at thirteen were considered men and began apprenticeships which also included pedophilia. Gideon was nearly beaten to death after he objected and killed the man who was trying to rape him. His mother helped him escape but returned to protect his younger sister Mercy.

He has never given up trying to find this settlement called Eden but has not been able to locate it since it relocates frequently. His sister Mercy escaped at thirteen after being abused by her "husband" also with her mother's help. Gideon, then seventeen, managed to find her but she was so traumatized that she wanted nothing to do with him. At the time of the story seventeen years later, he hasn't seen her for a couple of years and knows nothing about her current life.

The villain of the story is a serial killer who was abused by his stepmother ever since he was twelve and still is being abused by her at twenty-eight. He has managed to kidnap and kill a number of women from around the US. He brings them home to his "guest room" - a sound-proofed room in his basement where he tortures and kills them. His situation was almost enough to make me feel sorry for him but for the way he chose to mask his pain.

The book also introduces a number of characters who are just aching for stories of their own. The Sokolov family includes Karl and Irina - the parents - who were friends of Daisy's father until he disappeared with his family, Sasha and Rafe - two of Karl and Irina's children, who are good friends with Daisy and Gideon. Rafe and Gideon have been friends since they met in middle school and the Sokolovs have adopted him into their family.

This was a long story at over 600 pages but it had enough action and enough romance to carry that length.

I have read all the other books by Karen Rose so I looked forward to reading this one. I was not disappointed. I personally loved the strong woman protagonist. She took care of herself while still being able to relate to the love interest. I also loved that the man followed orders (doesn't happen too often) given by his FBI supervisor so he did not interfere with the case. I look forward to seeing other books in this series. I hope Rafe and Mercy will have one soon.

So this is a scorching bit of romantic suspense.

While I was a little bit skeeved that our hero and heroine knew each other for like three days before they were totally in lurv, I still liked both of them. They were each kind of damaged, but that damage turned them into the perfect pair of badasses.

Our mystery was a good one. Our villain is multi-faceted. You’ll never feel sorry for him, but the author does a good job of making him much more complex than you might expect.

A beach read to be sure, but one that you’ll read at breakneck speed!

This was a pleasure.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Karen Rose scores a perfect 10 with Say You're Sorry! I couldn't turn pages quickly enough!

A bubbly recovering alcoholic fends off a seemingly random mugger, and comes away with an odd souvenir. Her LEO landlord answers the call for service, recognizes the souvenir and makes a call to an old friend. Enter a hot FBI agent who also recognizes the souvenir.

The unlikely pair team up to find the owner of the trinket; the symbol of a person who has escaped the physical and mental torture of a patriarchal religion. During the search, related attacks reveal a likely serial killer with a rising body count.

The psychological twists, combined with a romance becoming steamier by the day, create a compelling novel that grabs you and won't let go!

I highly recommend this title, and I would suggest it for any mystery lover. It would also appeal to lovers of psychological thrillers and steamy romances.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

Title : Say You're Sorry
Series : Sacramento #1
Author:Karen Rose
pages: 624
genre: romance suspese
Netgalley Arc

Book synopsis
Introducing the first book in the new pulse-pounding Sacramento series from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.

FBI Special Agent Gideon Reynolds did not have a conventional upbringing. Raised in a cult in Northern California, his mother smuggled him out when he was thirteen, and he never saw her again. It is not a bit of history he is keen on sharing, but being guarded has not gotten him any closer to what he really wants: a family.

Daisy Dawson lived a sheltered childhood. Her father, a former military man, believed that the woman he loved and her daughter were being hunted, so he took extreme measures to keep his family safe. But despite his best efforts, Daisy is done being scared. New to Sacramento, she is ready to jump headfirst into life--until she is attacked one night.

Gideon is caught unawares by Daisy, who is unlike any victim he has ever met. But the attacker is far from finished, and tracking him will threaten to pull Gideon back to the world he fought so hard to leave...

My thoughts
rating 5 stars
would I read more by this author ? yes
more of this series ? a big yes
This is the first time I've ever read anything by Karen Rose and I can't believe I've never ever read anything from her until now, and after this book I will be looking into more of her books, it was everything I was hopping it would be , no take that back it was more then I hopped it to be, once I started to read I couldn't and didn't want to stop reading it , its even thing I look for in a suspense romance which is a story that is driven equally and simultaneously by the threat of danger and the promise of a romance but that romance doesn't take anything away from the story and that its not to fast or to slow. And that I can get lost in it just as much as I can the story , and the characters Daisy and Gideon i loved them , love how they seem to bring the best out of each other , how they made me laugh, in fact I loved all the characters except for the killer but even while i disliked him ,i felt sorry for him . Love how you get the back story of Gideon and Daisy and even that doesn't take anything away from the story it helps bring the characters more to life , with that said I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review Say You're Sorry in change for my honest opinion and I can't wait to read more of this series .

Consistently impressive romantic suspense author Karen Rose kicks off a new series, and readers are going to love it!
When Daisy Dawson is attacked and almost kidnapped, she is able to fight her way free of her armed assailant, escaping with plenty of bruises, and a locket she tore off the stranger’s neck. This unusual keepsake ties into an investigation that has haunted FBI agent Gideon Reynolds for years. Initially drawn together by their determination to bring the perpetrator to justice, the romantic spark that ignites between them strengthens their bond as well.
Daisy and Gideon both have interesting and complex family backgrounds, and plenty of current issues that they are dealing with at the same time. They are nuanced characters that develop a swift but believable connection that frequently steams up the pages and provides a great balance with the tightly plotted investigation of the perfectly evil villain they are tracking. At over 600 pages, you’ll be surprised at how quickly the pages fly, and how eagerly you’ll be anticipating more from this new series.

While I'm sure there are going to be plenty of people who enjoy this well-written book, it was a little over the edge for me. I wasn't comfortable with the violence or the subject matter.