A wonderful Woman’s Fiction Romantic Thriller. I became thoroughly immersed in Morgan’s Story of not only survival, but of healing, growth and discovery! Her world turned upside down after an identity theft takes all she’s worked so hard for, all her goals of a well rooted future that were almost within reach, and worse of all killed her best friend. Morgan is forced to seek shelter with the family she felt denied her the roots she desired in her childhood.

And as she decides on her temporary fix to regaining her future, the diligent FBI agents realize this thief was a serial killer and she’s on his list. Really enjoyed this determined FBI team and how they start to peel away his methods, start to unravel his computer skills that rival their best…

Morgan does not become the typical damsel in distress, she becomes informed, puts plans into action for when the other shoe drops, but also continues to live, begins to heal her family relationships, builds her career and friendships. Not to mention a love interest.

He’s difficult but honest, brash but considerate—and undeniably sexy…and he has a dog!
Though her growth and story is the main focus of the book, we see Miles Jameson’s growth as he comes to love her and to appreciate his family bonds more.

As the threat of this Killer becomes more real, Morgan learns that this small town, her family, has taken her in and you can accomplish so much more when you learn to let people in. The way she learned to bloom where you are planted. Loved Morgan and Miles relationship and the strength that comes from family and friends, love of all kinds.

But let me tell you the Antagonist blew me away, too! I found the Villian, a Psychopath/Sociopath, so well written! Not only a terrifying individual, I found his journey, his evolution or devolution, through out the book engrossing. His internal dialogue, observations of the world, people, and himself, so jaw-droppingly entertaining!
He's a Serial Killer! She's the one who got away!

Identity, another great romantic suspense story by Nora Roberts. Morgan Albright, a former army brat, lives near Baltimore. She's working toward her dream of opening her own bar by balancing her day job as office manager at a family-owned construction firm with her night job as a bartender. Nina Ramos, her flatmate, helps pay the mortgage. Morgan loses everything at their first dinner party. Cash, jewels, Morgan's automobile, and Nina are gone. Morgan's name and money are taken again by a scam artist. Morgan attempts to reconstruct her Vermont life once FBI agents arrive. The murderer is becoming reckless and unable to handle life after failing to kill Morgan.

Morgan is competent, resilient, responsible, organized, fast-learning, creative, and resilient. Several individuals influence Morgan. Luke Hudson is confident, engaging, intriguing, and a good listener. Miles Jameson is handsome, direct, friendly, attentive, and respectful. These and other fictional characters have depth and complexity. They were represented realistically.

Murderer is revealed immediately. Since Morgan escaped, this person's return is suspenseful. Readers see Morgan's family reunion and life restoration. The well-plotted novel features suspense, romance, and an action-packed finale. Writing and characters draw readers into the tale. Real-world concerns enriched the story. Family, friendship, murder, bereavement, identity theft, work ethic, and more are themes.

This novel rapidly drew me into Morgan and her friends' life. The author built tension well, and I loved the narrative. She skillfully wove Morgan's life rebuilding and the ever-present danger. I want a series. Romantic suspense fans will appreciate this book.

I really enjoyed this book. There were so many wonderful characters to offset the one bad guy. Also, the small town camaraderie is such a Nora Roberts classic theme and what I love most about her books. In this story, Morgan Albright has to deal with identity theft and the heartbreak and difficulty her life becomes after. When life gets to be too much, family is what you need and that’s exactly what Morgan does. She finds her way back to the family that loves her unconditionally and along the way find love and meet new friends who would become family. I can’t leave this review without mentioning Miles and his dog, Howl. They entered Morgan’s life at the right time to give her that peace, love, and security that she needed.

Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for this ARC.

Happy Pub Day 🥳

Morgan Albright, a former army brad, in her mid-twenties is a hard-working, smart and endearing woman with a social circle who has barely time to date anyone. Then one day, Luke, a tidy, handsome IT nerd walks in the bar where Morgan pulls night shifts to make ends meet. After all, she’s got responsibilities paying off the mortgage of the house she acquired. Nice times follow a casual pizza date when things abruptly turn when Nina, Morgan’s roommate is killed and Morgan is bereft by her identity.

A suspenseful thriller that I read with tension looking for clues in the cleverly laid out twists till I could finally find peace when I finished reading my first novel by Nora Roberts, the best-selling NY author who published 225 novels to date!!

Easy 5-stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I received this Nora Roberts book from St. Martin's Publishing Group via NetGalley. This is my own unsolicited and personal opinion about the thriller.

The bones of the story are so well fleshed out with detail that as I read, I can see what the characters see, smell the fragrance of flowers and coffee, feel the absolute stress that is endured. The characters 'feel real'. The relationships of friends and family are so well written. This reader loves the scenes with Morgan, Audrey and Olivia, such strong women who become more solid in their family bond. The Jensen family is an excellent group too. "Luke' is the handsome nightmare no woman wants to encounter.
Personally, I am uncomfortable with sexual content but that was tastefully included. I'd rate this a 4.9


Language and sexual content

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was thrilled to be offered the chance to read this latest romantic suspense stand-alone from Nora Roberts. I'm a huge fan of her JD Robb books and the small number of her books I have read. I am slowly working on her backlist for me.

The style and tone of this book felt familiar to the JD Robb books. Morgan was easy to like. She worked hard for her goals, was compassionate with others. She exhibited one of my standards - expect nothing, be grateful for everything. Even when she did excellent work for her employers she didn't expect them to like her or anything beyond a paycheck. But she built a group of real friends in Baltimore, a sort of found family. Until her identity was stolen.

Not only was her close friend murdered, but all her accounts were drained with loans being taken out in her name, against her house, new credit cards opened in her name with huge charges. Morgan works hard to pay the debts through her 2 jobs, but finally has to sell her house and move to Vermont to live with her mother and grandmother to start over financially. I don't think I would handle things as well or calmly as Morgan.

So the middle portion of the story finds Morgan working in a new job, a very good job, which is fulfilling. She is living with her Mom and Grams and getting to know them. They are not who she thought and it's a blessing for all three to have this time together. She also finds a romantic relationship. During this time, she gets chilling updates from the FBI periodically. This middle, large portion of the book, was inspiring in her work and character growth, but not much in the way of action. Even the romance was relaxed, friendly and comfortable.

The serial killer, Gavin, has been devolving, blaming Morgan for his bad luck. It's inevitable he will come for her. This caused tension for me throughout the book. The actual attack near the end was bad enough, but I was proud of how Morgan handled herself, as she was prepared. The story feels more like the development of Morgan as she learns to know herself and her family, a bit more than romance. I really enjoyed and recommend Identity.

Morgan Albright is a strong woman with a well thought out plan that she is working hard at two jobs to make real. When her world is destroyed effecting her and the people around her, she doesn't slink away to lick her wounds. She fights back. She joins forces with her even stronger grandmother and her mother, relocating to live with them until she can recover what she had ripped away from her. The plot of identity theft is pertinent for our times. The evil character is realistically written. The book feels too long. There is repetition that could be deleted. I am a Nora Roberts fan, but I do not believe this was her best effort. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, but the opinions here are my own freely given.

Identity is a romantic suspense novel by Nora Roberts. The story follows Morgan Albright, a young woman who is stalked and attacked by a man named Gavin. Gavin is a master of disguise and has stolen Morgan's identity, making it difficult for her to track him down. Morgan is forced to go on the run and enlists the help of Miles, a private investigator, to help her find Gavin and stop him from killing her.

The novel is well-written and suspenseful. Roberts does a great job of creating a sense of urgency and danger as Morgan tries to stay one step ahead of Gavin. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the romance between Morgan and Miles is sweet and believable.

Overall, Identity is a great read for fans of romantic suspense. The story is fast-paced and exciting, and the characters are likable and realistic. If you're looking for a good thriller to curl up with, I highly recommend Identity. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to review this advance copy. Identity is available everywhere you buy books now.

Identity drew me in from the opening pages through to the final word for an intense yet realistic story full of underlying danger. Yet it also showcases the love of family, the strength it takes to recreate one’s life after a tragedy, and the ability to trust in someone again, to place your life in their hands so to speak enough to fall in love… the kind that can last a lifetime. Unfortunately for Morgan, all of that comes with the sense of waiting for the murderer’s next move – and Gavin will keep Morgan (and us) waiting as he baits, waits in the shadows, and plans his ultimate payback.

When Morgan’s roommate is murdered in Morgan’s home her grief turns into fear quite quickly once she realizes that she had brought the murderer into their lives, innocently yes, but still, it was Morgan who invited “Luke” to their housewarming party. That mistake cost Nina her life and plunged Morgan into a madman’s game of payback for having the audacity to survive his plans for her. She’ll return home to Vermont to her mother, and her grandmother’s home while she tries to rebuild her life always looking over her shoulder waiting for Gavin’s next move… and according to the FBI experts, he will make a move. His taunting communications have already proven that.

What she didn’t expect was to meet a man like Miles. Or to begin to trust him enough to allow the attraction she feels to take hold. Finding love while recreating her life wasn’t in the plan. But then fate often has other plans for us.

The danger that Morgan is facing is woven throughout this story. Yet, it’s also a story of renewal, of another chance to create something unexpected out of something so life-changing. Miles is simply adorable in a gruff, at times grumpy way. He’s solid, he’s no-nonsense, and he’s becoming an integral part of Morgan’s life. I loved their slow-burn romance; it made perfect sense for these two people given the circumstances. Morgan is “every woman”, in the sense that she’s as typical as you or me. She’s driven to carve out her own future, she’s determined to take her life back, and she’s not afraid of trusting Miles enough to fall in love with him. The search for Gavin kept me on my toes, and waiting for him to make a move was nerve-wracking in the best meaning of that word.

Nora Roberts is a wordsmith, a storyteller who draws the reader into a world they never thought to enter. I absolutely loved Identity for so many reasons, but mostly for that underlying sense of danger lurking just over Morgan’s shoulder as she goes about living her life, rebuilding what was stolen away from her while discovering a love that will stand by her through anything. Morgan is a strong woman… and it shows.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Morgan Albright finally felt she found her place .. she had a job she loved .. two jobs she loved, owned her own home in a great neighborhood in Baltimore, and had a great roommate. All that is about to disappear when Morgan’s world is crushed, and she becomes a victim to a compulsive con artist, an identity thief, and murderer; a charming man known to her as Luke, she meet while bartending; a man that has perfective the art of stealing someone’s identity, their valuables, draining accounts and then kills .. but there is one twist .. Morgan is the one that got away.

Unable to deal with the memories of living in this city, this home as well as keeping with all debt that keeps mounting Morgan sells her home and moves back to her family home in Vermont to live with her grandmother and mother to try and start to rebuild her life. Even with the support and encouragement of these two women, townsfolk, a new job at the upscale bar Après at the local ski and falling for new man Miles .. Gavin Rozwell is still on the loose and sending her reminders that he has not forgotten her.

Identity really is a story about determination, having faith in yourself to overcome hardships imposed on you; it is about family, friends and finding love you can trust. Yes, there is a bit of a thriller but it rather a secondary to the storyline. I have enjoy many of Nora Robert and Identity started out great but someplace in the middle it just lost momentum .. there was too much about Morgan’s everyday shifts work, testing out new drinks and her workout schedules. While we get this at the end maybe a little more insight about Gavin Rozwell and what the FBI was up to would have been nice.

Thank you, Nora Roberts, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on May 23, 2023.


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Nora Roberts was one of the first authors I really began to read many years ago and she has remained one of the best in her genre because of works like her most recent release, Identity. This romantic suspense novel focuses on Morgan, a woman who has escaped a horrendous fate, although she suffered along the way due to the tragedy she experienced. To rebuild her life, she moves to Vermont to stay with her grandmother and mother, also known as “her ladies”. This trio of women help each other through the darkness that clouds Morgan and helps to bring her back to see the lightness in life.

Miles, one of the family members of the resort that Morgan works at, finds something appealing about the new manager of the resort restaurant and her skills behind the bar are just the tip of the iceberg of the person he is intrigued by. Miles becomes a person for Morgan to lean on and he cares about her more than he wanted to. But when danger presents itself, does he have what it takes to stand by her side? You have to read this story to find out!

Identity was a great story! There was a sweet romance happening, one crazy bad guy, and an awesome build throughout that had me excited while reading. I couldn't wait to see how it all unfolded. This was my first Nora Roberts book and I had no idea what to expect but absolutely enjoyed what I got.

I loved Morgan, this woman had grit! Her will, strength and determination were amazing. She's thrust into an awful situation that was intense. I liked the emotion coming from her as she figures out her next steps. I liked Miles a lot, he was charming and a little bossy, but in a caring way. I enjoyed them coming together, they had a subtle flirting happening though some things felt slightly glossed over. When they finally connect, it was pretty instant. Once they were together, I thought their relationship was sweet, playful, and straightforward. I liked how protective Miles was.

I thought this was a really good romantic suspense story. I would not say it was a thriller at all, it was more light suspense that was understated. As the bad guy devolved and things ratcheted up, it was like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. The story kept luring me in with a fall sense of security, and then bam! something would happen. I thought the build was really good and I kept turning the page because I was always looking forward to what would happen next.

There are a lot of characters and I really enjoyed them. From the Feds to Miles's family, to “her ladies.” I liked the different bonds formed and the healing taking place for Morgan and her family. There are several POVs happening which I liked a lot. Though I did get confused a few times since it was in third person and occasionally the voice would change mid-chapter. I liked the details and thought the pace was steady though it took a while to get to the romance part.

Overall, I thought this was a captivating story with a nice, light suspense element happening and I felt invested the entire time.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for a gifted advance copy! Nora Roberts writes family dynamics so well and weaves romance and mystery throughout the story in a way that will always be comforting to me regardless of my feelings on the book itself. I really loved Morgan's relationship with her mother and grandmother as well as her immediate connection to the Jameson family. Nora wrote a con man and his downward spiral into madness so intricately that I could almost smell the desperation.

The Jameson family dynamic gave me such warm fuzzies and reminded me a lot of the Templetons from The Dream Trilogy (one of my top Nora trilogies ever). I also loved that our main character Morgan is a bartender and makes no apologies for how much this occupation makes her happy and is absolutely her calling. All in all, I enjoyed this standalone romantic suspense.

This is a novel that I have a hard time rating. It is fascinating to see how easy it is to steal an identity and how hard it is to restore it. I like that the story is told from different points of view: Morgan, Miles, and the serial killer. I also like the characters and the romance, but it was an easy book for me to put down. There is a lot of everyday minutiae in the story, which makes the book drag. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

Morgan goes through a lot during this story. She goes from starting to put down roots with plans for her future to having it all ripped away from her (with her identity being stolen and the death of her roommate) to moving back home with her mother and grandmother (who she calls her ladies). While Morgan has felt the need to be independent, she learns that sometimes it is okay to lean on others for help. And along the way she makes some surprising discoveries about her ladies. She also finds love and a new community. While I enjoyed this story, at times it felt a little slow however it did show how easy it is to have your life ruined through identity theft.

Nora Roberts writes a great romantic thriller. I was immediately wrapped up in the safe world of Morgan Albright and was devastated right along with her when her life was stolen and her friend murdered. Rooting for her world to get better, when Morgan meets Miles, while working in his families resort the author gives the reader something solid to hold onto while diverting our attention with brief chapters from the murderers perspective. The back and forth from happiness to uncertainty keeps the reader on the edge of their seat waiting for Morgan’s life to get ripped out from underneath her again. That’s Nora Roberts at her best.

Another thing I love about her novels is that she writes great friendships and families. Morgan’s mom and grandmother are both strong, vibrant women, and models of strength for Morgan to tie herself to. I loved reading their scenes and getting to know these characters that were so loving and loved. Miles too had a great family and their dinners showed Miles off as warmer than his taciturn nature in public represented. Thank goodness. Otherwise I’d have wondered about Morgan’s attraction. He wasn’t surly or anything, he was just a quiet, strong hero. A little harder to like than Morgan, but as a duo they were a good fit.

If you’re like me and you look forward to Nora Roberts romantic suspense novels, I think you’ll enjoy this one. It definitely hits the right notes- danger, heartbreak, and love. You can’t ask for much more than that!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

This story grabs you from the very beginning and I could not put this book down. Morgan works hard for all she has, but when a psychopath, Gavin, enters her life she has no idea until he kills her roommate/best friend. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he steals her identity and puts her in debt by taking out loans, credit cards, etc. in her name. In order to get back on her feet, she goes home to her Mom and Grandma. I loved these two strong women who are wonderful examples of how to live and love life. When Morgan gets a job in a bar in the local long standing hotel, she meets Miles Jameson. As part of the family who owns the hotel, he takes his responsibilities very seriously and keeping Morgan safe is one of them. As they fall in love, Gavin makes it clear he is not finished with Morgan yet. This is a book you just can’t put down! Nora Roberts has done it again with another brilliant story!

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~ George Bernard Shaw ~

Planting roots and making a life for herself, is Morgan Albright’s desire. With a house to her name, two satisfying jobs, friends and family as her support, Morgan is cruising life and enjoying finding herself in the process. A chance encounter with a stranger whom she likes, a normal occurrence of a relationship that she hopes may lead to something more, actually transcends to extremely tragic circumstances. Morgan not only loses her best friend, but also her life as she is stripped off of her life, her goals and her identity.

Identity theft is such a common and devastating occurrence in our current world, and reinventing yourself is no mean task. With the help of her mother and her grandmother, Morgan realizes what happened to her is not what she is, but what she chooses to become now, will be her identity. Creating a new life, takes immense courage and strength and Morgan has that in spades.

“Identity” is a psychological thriller, following Morgan’s struggle to create a new life, staying one step ahead of a pathological killer, having faith to trust and embrace love. Roping in Miles Jameson to support Morgan with her struggle, sparking honesty and love, binding her with relationships, giving her the confidence to believe in planting roots again, is testament of the fact that there are good and kind people in this world.

Any story by Nora Roberts is always topnotch with narration, plot and incorporating intense research. Peppered with witty dialogues, springing a love story amidst danger, developing relationships and giving characters a chance to create themselves, “Identity” is an extraordinary story

Received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been a fan of Nora Robert's books since I was in college. I always enjoy her stories, but some stand out more than others. This is one of those that will stick with me. Morgan is such a strong character who becomes stronger after a nightmare. I love how her relationship with her mom strengthens now that she sees her through the eyes of an adult. Miles is such a great hero and was exactly what Morgan needs. Their romance felt so natural. And I am envious of his family. The book moves quickly and had me pulled in from the first page. This will definitely be one that I read more than once. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Nora Roberts’ new book Identity delivers on all the tropey goodness I’ve learned to love and expect from her work – a scrappy, relatable heroine in Morgan Albright, a gruff yet swoon-worthy, respectful hero in Miles Jameson, lovely and well-fleshed out friends and family members in both the Jamesons and the Nashes, and finally, a happy (if hurried) ever after.

Morgan Albright is a young woman trying to support herself and her fledgling dream of owning and operating her own bar. At the beginning of the book, she’s bought herself a little house that she and her roommate, Nina, are fixing up (along with their yard and garden), and she’s working two jobs to build her savings and her business know-how.

Being a connoisseur of Roberts’ work, I found the book’s infodump of Morgan’s backstory at the beginning unusual and a little perfunctory. It’s heavy with exposition, and the introduction tells us about (rather than demonstrates) the roots Morgan’s planted and the relationships she’s cultivated in her small community outside Baltimore, Maryland.

Having said that, Morgan’s relationship with Nina is given a little breathing room, and this makes a huge difference. We get a good glimpse at their dynamic, which makes Nina’s death as the inciting incident later all the more heartbreaking. Roberts handles her death (and her family’s and Morgan’s resulting grief) delicately and realistically, reminding us again and again of the lasting impact violence has on loved ones and the surrounding community.

Although the practical effects of Nina’s death are handled well, I did find the villain and his modus operandi odd, honestly. As a romance reader, I’m always ready to suspend disbelief, but a serial killer who delights in stealing their victims’ identities first just seemed outlandish and cartoonish every time it appeared. It never quite felt real to me as a threat, and so the stakes never really seemed that high, even through the climax of the book.

What saves the book is the fact that the stakes don’t seem to be about the bad guy at all, but about Morgan reconnecting with her family in Vermont. Morgan deeply wants to belong somewhere after moving from place to place by her military father, who in addition to being an absentee parent was also a pretty terrible spouse.

While Morgan wants to plant roots, she also watched her mother lose her sense of self in a bad relationship, and it’s Morgan’s need to be independent and her lack of understanding what her mother went through that made it difficult for Morgan and her mother to relate to each other. Their journey back to each other was a pleasure to read, as was getting to know Morgan’s spitfire grandmother.

But of course, I’ve saved the best for last: the romance. I always enjoy Roberts’ heroes and Miles is no exception. He’s a little impatient, practical-minded, and nerdy, and I particularly loved his reluctant fall for Morgan (and I especially loved the scene in which he really fell, which I won’t spoil - but it’s a goodie) because that always seems to make the romance more profound for me. I also appreciated the give-and-take between him and Morgan – Miles accommodating her need to be independent and Morgan letting him be the support she needs. Relationships built on mutual trust and respect are the sexiest, after all.

If there is one thing to complain about in the romance, it’s that the happily ever after comes very quickly after the threat is resolved. It’s true that Roberts doesn’t tend to linger after the suspense ends, but I do love an epilogue that is both well-earned and well-paced. Here, it mirrors the introduction: a little too quick and a little perfunctory.

Despite the rushed intro and outro and goofy villain, there’s a reason I rush to pick up every new Nora Roberts release and re-read my old favorites again and again. She’s a master at making me fall in love: with her characters, with the story, and with the experience of settling in and being comforted by a safe and sure read. Identity is absolutely one of those to fall in love with.