I couldn’t put this down. There was more suspense than I expected, but it was a pleasant surprise. I think all women have a fear of this scenario happening. I have recommended it multiple times. The story sucks you in, and has you on the edge of your seat.

Morgan Albright had a home and life she loved and a roommate who was like a sister to her. Everything was going perfectly and the former Army brat was putting down the roots she so desperately yearned for. Then a monster took it all. The seemingly charming IT guy Morgan had started seeing turned out to be psychopath Gavin Rozwell. He stole her identity and murdered Nina, but Morgan survived. Retreating to Vermont, Morgan moves in with her mother and grandmother to start rebuilding her life. This time she meets another man, one as genuine and kind as Rozwell was false and cruel. But Rozwell is still out there, and Morgan is the one that got away from him…

Identity is an engaging romantic suspense that is classic Nora Roberts. Morgan is a heroine who is easy to root for. She’s smart, strong, and a survivor. She’s not perfect, not invulnerable – Rozwell proves that – but she doesn’t break even in her darkest moments. She goes through a nightmare and still doesn’t lose herself. I enjoyed watching Morgan find her new dream, her new life in Vermont. I loved watching her claim her life, whether it was working behind the bar, making home improvements, or building new relationships.

One of those relationships is with Miles Jameson. His family owns the local resort where Morgan gets a job managing the bar. Miles has deep roots in the area and the resort is very much a family business with each member playing to their strengths. I loved his relationships with his family and how Morgan became a part of all that. He and Morgan have good chemistry and it was easy to fall into their romance. They went from mutual attraction to something much deeper in an organic way. Roberts lets the story breathe, allows everything time to grow and develop without ever slowing the pace of the book.

The characters – both main and supporting – all shine in Identity. Roberts brought the world to life so well that I hated to put the book down. The hunt for Rozwell was compelling but never overshadowed Morgan and Miles or the life they were building. In other words, Roberts perfectly balanced the romance with the suspense. This book was addictive pure and simple and everything about it worked for me. Identity entertained from the first page to the last and I cannot wait to re-read it.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! I am a huge Nora Roberts' fan, and I was pumped to receive this arc.

I enjoyed this one a lot!! Nora's more recent work has been hit or miss for me, and honestly, I've questioned whether she is even writing her books anymore because of the drastic change in tone and writing style in her more recent work. That being said, this book has more of a vintage Nora feel. The characters pulled me in, I was invested in the romance, and I HATED the villain in this one!

This book felt very real to me, and honestly, it has made me a little scared to bring any strange man home after everyone the big baddie did in this story! Not going to lie, the only other Nora book that gave me that same feeling was the one about the mall shooting. I was engaged, invested, and a little scared as I read this one.

I liked that the male love interest was a no-frills, what you see is what you get kind of man...that really worked for me in this story! 😉 And Morgan was just everything!

Overall, two thumbs way way up!

Rating: 4⭐️

This book was so amazing and so good that I did not want it to end. Nora Roberts is a master storyteller. I literally had to force myself to put it down to get things done, then I realized it I was reading so fast, I slowed myself down to make it last longer! The story and the characters are so compelling. I simply adored the relationship between Morgan and "her ladies"!!! Howl was a scene stealer, and the Jameson family dynamics were so fun. Love the close-knit community and families. Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC!!!

4⭐️ fun thriller with a hint of a romance story. I just love how Nora Roberts writes her heroines and all her supporting side characters. This love interest left a little something to be desired. He was a little too blunt and no nonsense for my taste. I also found myself getting confused quite a bit with the dialogue. A lot of the times I wasn’t sure who was speaking or whose POV we were looking through.

Enjoyed this and would highly recommend.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Nora Roberts new novel Identity. I started reading her books about 15 years ago and she is hit or miss for me. In her latest one she absolutely knock it out of the park. I loved the character of Morgan who is smart, strong and takes no crap from anyone, especially a serial killer. Congrats to Ms. Roberts for other great romantic thriller. I will continue reading anything she puts out.

The suspense and atmosphere of this story was palpable and engaging at first, and then it seemed to become lost in confusing dialogue, lengthy descriptions, and a long and drawn out waiting period before we reached the conclusion.

I found the chapters with the antagonist to be the most interesting portions of the book. I am a huge fan of Roberts writing as J.D. Robb. Her "In Death" series is immaculate I could see some of that here in the first four chapters and when we are in the perspective of the antagonist. Unfortunately, I did not find Morgan nor Miles to be that interesting, and the romance fell completely flat for me.

Roberts is a prolific writer and because of her extensive collection there is a greater chance that some books will work for me and some won't. In this case, this book did not work for me, but it is receiving a lot of high praise from others. I would recommend trying it for yourself and see if it hits the spot.

I read and reviewed an advanced eARC of this book thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All honest opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book: IDENTITY
Author: Nora Roberts
Source:  NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: May 23, 2023

I wish I could give this book six stars - it’s that good. Identity by Nora Roberts will be a SUMMER SMASH read for 2023. Her book is one of the most well-rounded and detailed, with great backup characters and a well-organized plot. ENTERTAINING is the hallmark of Ms. Roberts, and this book should get an award for suspense, serial killer chills, love, awesome Mom and Grandma, resilience, female power, intelligence, scare, strength, and a slow build—etc…etc. I could go on about this book for an hour. IT IS A PERFECT SUMMER READ. Hell, it’s a perfect read any time of the year.  It has a sweet romance (maybe more than one) and a scary AF killer. Ms. Roberts knows how to build suspense, and I was hooked. When a bad guy is coming for you, and the FBI can’t catch him, you might freak out. I did. READ THIS BOOK. #thriller #mystery #womensfiction #romance #life #murder #resilience #badluck #goodluck #startingover #family #love #hate #fight #brokern #survivor @stmartinspress @Netgalley @norarobertsauthor #5star #Vermont
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to St. Martins Press and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub. Date: May 23, 2023.
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The publication date is next week, May 23, 2023.
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#book #books #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #reader

Nora Roberts never fails to deliver romance suspense novels that are highly engaging with just the right blend of romance and suspense. Identity is another fantastic example of this author's highly entertaining story telling ability as she pens a standalone story incorporating the high tech crime of identity theft into an intriguing plot line that includes murder.

Former army brat Morgan Albright is living in a neighborhood near Baltimore, Maryland. She works a day job as an office manager and a night shift as a bartender with dreams of one day owning her own bar. Her roommate, Nina Ramos, is a great friend who encourages Morgan to put herself out there and meet someone. The two decide to host a dinner party, and Morgan invites the new mysterious guy she's been chatting up at the bar. Things are looking up until the day she comes home from work to find her cash, jewelry and car missing . . . and Nina, who had stayed home from work sick, dead. Soon, Morgan's assets are depleted, and it's clear the thief has stolen her identity. It's also clear that Nina wasn't the intended target - Morgan was. And the killer doesn't intend to let her get away. Morgan moves to Vermont and starts her life over, but just when she thinks the nightmare is behind her, the killer surfaces again with taunts and threats to come for Morgan. The FBI are always one step behind him . . . can they catch him before he gets to Morgan?

Readers will learn very early on in the story who the con artist/murderer is, but it in no way diminishes the suspense in Identity. The story centers around Morgan rebuilding her life in her old home with her mother and grandmother as she settles into a new romantic relationship with Miles Jameson. Tension builds steadily, driven by the repeated threats from the murderer toward Morgan. She, as well as readers, knows he'll come for her. The anticipation of when, not if, he'll strike sets a dire tone of impending doom and an increasing pace as he draws closer. Characters are brilliantly developed, believable with great debt and complexity.

Roberts is a master at delivering well-written, highly entertaining stories that are hard to put down with strong, capable heroines and handsome, respectful heroes. The inclusion of family in this story showcases Morgan connection to her roots even as she rebuilds her life and learns to trust herself and another man again. Strong threads of family, friendship, love, loss, grief and resilience are strong and flawlessly woven throughout. Fans of romance suspense will enjoy Identity as will readers of suspense thrillers. Highly recommended.

Leave it up to Nora to bring us something good!! I loved this book, we meet Morgan who is an army kid, and now that she’s older she wants to set her own roots, and be stable. But all of that changes in a drastic way, when her best friend and roommate gets killed. The man who she was slowly getting to know is really a scammer and a serial killer. Now she’s in her moms childhood home with her mom and grandma about to start again, and I am telling you this warmed my heart. In true Nora Roberts style, she brings the most amazing characters, so loving, and accepting. While Morgan is trying to lay roots and finally be stabled, she meets Miles, and the connection between the families was so heartwarming. I wouldn’t put the book down, totally worth the read.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I love everything Nora Roberts writes, and this is no exception. This thriller is such a wild ride. The identity in the title speaks to identity theft and also to finding oneself.

After moving around as an army brat, Morgan is determined to set down roots and follow her life plan. But then a man steals her identity and everything she has built. She moves to live with her mother and grandmother while determining how to move forward.

I especially appreciated the three generations of women, Morgan with her mom and grandmother. The characters are phenomenal, and I loved seeing their interactions.

This book had me looking over my shoulder, feeling worried for myself. It's rare that a thriller sucks me in that deeply, but that's part of the power of Nora Roberts' writing. And of course, there's a really sweet romance as well.

I went into this without reading the synopsis. (With a Nora Roberts book, there's no question I would read and enjoy it.) I recommend doing that as it made the beginning parts even more of a rush. But the synopsis doesn't spoil too much of the book if you prefer reading them.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Nora Roberts is a legend, and there's a comfort when you read her books. There's familiarity, but you also know that you will be entertained. It's like eating chocolate cake with a twist. This novel is exactly like that.

In this novel, Identity, Morgan is an extremely independent woman who is trying to put down her roots. She goes through a devastating incident that not only derails her plans but also loses her friend in a very gruesome manner. She is not safe, and she starts rebuilding her life with the help of friends and family.

It's been a while since I read Nora Roberts, and I enjoyed this book. However, it could have been a little shorter. I had to plod along in some parts of the novel because it seemed a bit repetitive. Having said that, no one does the genre of romantic suspense like Nora Roberts.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this book.

4.5

I've read a lot of books by Nora Roberts and I usually like them but her last few were either a hit or miss. But I loved this one a lot.

It starts right off with us getting to know Morgan and her plans which go horribly awry. I loved her journey to find herself again, discovering what she's really looking for. Her mother and grandmother were great characters.
I loved the Jameson family, every single member and that's so lovely to have a large close family.
If I had any complaints it would be the finale of the villain's demise. But overall I enjoyed the book too much to complain about it.

This book wasn't my usual genre and so it wasn't a book for me. And so I will leave it at that.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

This book is classic Nora Roberts. I seriously felt like I was reading one of the novels that first got me into the romance genre. This book was extra special to me for so many reasons but I will summarize by saying this is one of my favorite’s of Nora’s. For other fans, it was on par with Shelter in Place and The Witness. I don’t know if it was the similar vibe or if I just liked it the way I liked those two novels.

Miles is the typical broody, works too much, third generation family business, leading man. Morgan is so many things. She starts as the hard working, knows what she wants and how to get there heroine we all know and love. But when the world is knocked out from under her, she has to dig deep, and yes, retreat home, to settle. But the best part was watching her blossom again. To claim back her life and find that what she thought she wanted might look a little different after all. She has the inner grit and spirit of the best of Nora’s heroines and I honestly would love to meet her in real life.

So how did this one feel so special? My last name is Albright, I’m from Michigan which is mentioned in the book. This is the first ARC I’ve been approved for from Nora Roberts. And she was my very first romance read, probably my first 20 because I read almost exclusively NR before I branched ' out. I blame Nora for my ridiculous expectations of the leading man for my own life LOL.

I received an ARC of this book in return for my honest review. It just so happens, I loved it!

Morgan Albright has always wanted to put down roots. It's something she missed in her formative years while moving from place to place while her father was in the army. Now, she's finally found her place and has her future planned out: Work hard to save enough money to open her own bar. She doesn't have time for dating. But then she meets Luke. In town on business, he stops in the bar Morgan works at and now Morgan begins to think she might be able to make space for other things in life besides work.

But then one day Morgan comes home to find her roommate is dead and her laptop and car are stolen. She learns that the happenstance of meeting Luke was anything but, he's done this before: preying on an unsuspecting woman, gaining their trust before stealing their identities and murdering them. Except this time, Morgan was the one that got away.

While Morgan tries to move on and move forward with rebuilding her life, he'll never let her get away.

Nora Roberts has a very methodical pacing to her stories. The summary of the book clearly lays out what will happen in the beginning, but the rest of the book pulls readers into the everyday lives of the characters. I enjoyed so much seeing Morgan build her life up again even with all the mundanity that may entail. Even when the plotlines border on the familiar, there's just something about the way Nora Roberts crafts the story together that makes me invested. Maybe it's the detail and minutia that has everything feeling so lived in, so familiar, that I just want to curl up and settle in.

It's been a little while since I've read one of Roberts' romance suspense/thrillers. In this case I wish there was a better balance between the suspenseful moments. I thought the story started out very strong, but then the threat - while still very real - almost felt like a side-thought.

I felt like it was interesting how your Identity plays a part in the book. We get to see it in a kind of dual perspective. Morgan has - literally and figuratively - lost her identity. Those things this built to make her who she was and was going to be. She has to rebuild and in a sense build a different side to herself. On the other hand, "Luke" also loses that which makes him who he was when he's unable to complete the cycle he perpetuates. How each of them deals with this change in direction - for better or worse - sets them on the inevitable conclusion that the story drives forward.

There's not much more to say. I think if you've read a Nora Roberts romance suspense book before, you'll enjoy this read as well. I come back to Nora Roberts again and again as like a comfort read. I know what I'll be getting when I turn those pages and I'm always guaranteed to get invested in the story and characters.

I really enjoyed this book! Such a great read and a thriller for sure! I really liked all the characters. I was really shocked at how easily her identity was taken from her. Overall great read but was longer than it needed to be in my opinion.

Identity
Nora Roberts
Narrated by January LaVoy
#2023AudioBookChallenge

Nora Roberts’ latest stand alone is a story within a story, a blend of women’s fiction and suspense. Nora’s protagonist Morgan is amazing, she’s down to earth, honest, reliable and what she endures is horrifically tragic but it’s the fact that she just keeps putting one foot in front of the other that will make the audience root for her while wondering if they would ever be able to endure it. The villain is pure evil and every reader or listener will hope for his demise to be as painful as possible. Then there are Morgan’s ladies, her mom and grandmother who are perfect for their roles as supporters with just enough family drama to add a bit of angst yet the audience will know they are always in Morgan’s corner. The police/FBI role is almost its own tale with interesting, empathic, hardworking agents trying to find this sadistic killer and put an end to his reign of terror and this master storyteller’s savvy way of entwining both plotlines is flawless. Then of course, there is as always, a love story, a slow burner that may catch the audience off guard if they didn’t read the blurb, but with a bit of time and Nora’s wonderful way to weave a tale it will become obvious why Morgan and Miles work. The frightening seemingly never-ending identity theft drama is so authentic and coupled with the bone chilling serial killer case makes this fast paced, intense novel absolutely unputdownable! The read will appeal to a wide audience range, both men and women and the fans of Lisa Gardner or Patricia Cromwell.


Growing up an itinerant Army brat all Morgan Albright ever wanted was roots so after finishing college she made it happen. By working two jobs, as an office manager for a construction company by day and a bartender by night and rooming with her bestie Nina to help pay the bills Morgan is able to buy a small house and start planting those roots. The last thing she’s looking for is love but when Luke, a handsome IT guy who’s only in town temporarily shows interest she may be up for a fling so to find out she and Nina decide to host their first dinner party and invite Luke and Nina’s boyfriend Sam.

Then one night after work Morgan comes home to find the house she loves ransacked and worse Nina the sister of her heart, murdered.

But that’s just the beginning.

Starting with a visit by a couple of FBI agents who tell her a story about a serial killer named Gavin who choses his victims very carefully, murders them, steals their identity then changes disguises and moves on to his next target. Worse Nina isn’t who he was after she was just in the way, Morgan was his real target and when they tell her to check her accounts the nightmare continues when she realizes she has nothing but a sinking hole of debt and seemingly no way to climb out of it.

The last thing Morgan wants is to give up but with little other choice she accepts her mother and grandmother’s offer to move in with them in Vermont. But she makes sure they both know this is only temporarily until she gets back on her feet. Soon she realizes with a job she loves and the support of her ladies she’s starting to plant roots again, then Gavin kills another woman but this time makes it clear he’s not done with Morgan, and the nightmare continues.

Nora Robert’s does not disappoint! Nora is caught up in a murder and identity theft incident . Nora Robert’s truly draws you into the story. I was turning the pages so fast to see what was going to happen next. Sumner is coming, so this will be a perfect beach read! I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I wanted to like this book. It had a great concept and beautiful cover. It started off really good and by chapter 3 I was all in! The problem is I don't think Morgan is that relatable, interesting or likable enough to follow her life in the next state through so many pages. Maybe if Morgan and Sam had blossomed into a relationship, it would have been nice to follow that dynamic. I felt they had chemistry. However, Morgan seemed like an entitled individual who was afforded many opportunities due to her family and family connections. She had people to believe that she worked so hard to get where she was when in reality, she received an inheritance that set up to have a comfy life. Then when she goes back home to live with her mom and grandmother, once again it is through her grandmother's connections that she was able to get her new job and through her grandmother's money that she was able to get a new car and pay off her bills. She loves to say how hard she has worked to achieve all she had but the girl is being fed the silver spoon and owes her career to good old nepotism.

Personally, I preferred the chapters on Gavin, which I found very interesting, but unfortunately, there were not enough. There were way too many chapters on Morgan, and they seemed very long. The reading felt more like a task than one of enjoyment. Morgan just wasn't that interesting to follow her day-to-day life. I kept reading to for Gavin and to found out what he would do and what happed to him.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and Net galley for the opportunity to read this arc for an honest review. Although this book was not for me, it appeals to many of the other Netgalley reviewers, and is likely to appeal to many other avid readers.