3.5 stars
First..this is a love story. Love for lover; love for family; love for friends; and love for a job.
Second..its a thriller.
The love stuff involves 90% of the story. And the characters are wonderful, warm and faithful.
The dialog is clever, funny and warm.
The thriller part starts out as a surprise, horrible and sad....very sad. But then it sort of is in the background until the exciting but predictable ending.
For readers that enjoy a warm romance with a tiny bit of terror...this book is for you.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nora Roberts never fails to create a cast of characters that I fall so in love with so quickly and they always feel like coming home to fresh baked cookies. Out of all the books I've read so far by Nora Roberts, this one is definitely the most thriller-heavy than romance-driven. I think lovers of true crime and serial killer documentaries will really enjoy this new release of hers.

While 'Identity' doesn't beat out my all time favorite Nora Roberts book, it came so very close. It's definitely in my top three, if not top two favorites from her so far. She wrote Morgan's grandmother in a way that was so close to my own and I will always cherish that about this story. One of my favorite things that Roberts can write into her books, for me, is a dog character. She writes them so perfectly, every time, but I think this one was my favorite dog she's written so far.

'Identity' encapsulates how resilient women are beautifully, not only does the reader get to go through Morgan's challenges she is handed in life but the reader works through what Olivia (Morgan's grandmother) and Audrey (Morgan's mother) battle with seeing their daughter/granddaughter must overcome when she has no choice but to come home to them.

While the romance was more of a sub-plot to the main conflict this time, it was still there and I loved Miles and the dynamic of the Jameson family, in how they function and in how they so quickly took Morgan in as their own to love and protect.

This book made me tear up, smile to myself, laugh out loud and make my heart race. It made me cheer so incredibly hard for Morgan.

I was so incredibly fortunate and am so grateful to have received the arc for 'Identity' and get to read a new favorite book early by one of my most favorite authors.

I have to preface this review with the fact that I am a HUGE lover of Nora Roberts books (pretty sure I've read all of them at this point) and was SUPER excited to be given this opportunity to read this ARC. So excited, in fact, I didn't even bother to read the description and just jumped right into the story. Which, in hindsight I'm really glad I didn't read it because it added an unintended surprise factor for me along the way. Honestly, I think this may be my favorite romantic suspense ever by Nora Roberts because of that reason. I started this book last night and ended up staying up to 2AM because I HAD to finish it to see how it ended! It was that good.

Now, having said all that, these are few of the reasons why I love Nora Roberts' books in general and why you should read this one in particular. First, she is a master at developing characters and relationships within stories. I always feel like when I'm reading her books I either fall completely in love with the characters or want to be BFFs with them. I feel like I'm a part of their family and am invested in their well-being. I also love the inner strength of her characters - they can have the most terrible things happen to them and still manage to get up in the mornings and live life. In Identity, Morgan is a woman who fights fiercely for her independence and even when she gets knocked down and everything is taken from her, she still finds that inner strength to keep going, to keep getting up each day and start again. Morgan discovers she is stronger than she realizes in the face of her perceived failure and in the end is capable of putting down those much desired roots. She also is just such an inspiration character. You just keep rooting for her and wanting for her to make it out of the nightmare she ends up living through.

Second, Nora Roberts just seems to know how to craft the scene and weave details of everyday life into a fascinating story. If she were to literally write about someone who got up each day and went to work and came home and nothing exciting happens, I'd still read it. This book kind of has that feel - Morgan is just living her life when something horrible happens to her and the story becomes how she picks up her life in spite of this awful event (this is a theme that Nora Roberts has written in the past, and each time it's always slightly different and unique, which I love).

Third, the aforementioned "awful event". This is definitely a suspenseful thriller. There is no "whodunit" component - you will know who did the awful deed and why. The suspense is all about the when and the what in this book. When will the awful even rear its ugly head once again? What more awful things will be done and what will Morgan do to respond? Along the lines of character development again, one of the most interesting thing about this book is the dual progression of two characters: the protagonist (Morgan) is evolving and growing stronger while at the same time the antagonist devolving and coming apart. This was beautifully woven into the overall storyline and added to the suspense - when will the antagonist fully come apart and what happens next?

Overall, I loved this book. There is a bit of romance thrown in there (because would it really be a Nora Roberts book without a little romance?? Absolutely not!), but it's not thrown in the story in a way that distracts from it or takes away at all. It actually adds to the growth of Morgan's character and just gives you one more character to love. I cannot wait to buy this book and share it with my friends and family. 100% absolutely recommend if you love a good suspenseful thriller and amazing characters.

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time receiving an ARC of an NR book and here are my thoughts: it's weird to read it before it's had all of its polishing up, but the story still shines. Watching Morgan go through identity theft was terrifying. It's painfully common these days and it's absolutely terrible to see how long it affects someone. The killer was an interesting one, starting off so suave and good at what he does, then slowly devolving into a crazy person. The love story was also sweet. Starting off with a casual "hey I think you're kinda cool" energy and growing from it. And the dog. NR writes such a variety of dogs! The friendships, the family relationships, the love story, all of it are exactly what I've come to expect from my favorite author!

Grabs you right away and keeps you interested. I just felt it had too many details at time. All the details seemed to slow it down at times. The romance between Morgan and Miles was perfect. Not too over the top but very sweet.

I really enjoyed the ending. It wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. I was afraid to read the last chapter because I didn't want find out what he did to Morgan and her family. Very mild and Morgan was the star of the show by using her skills she had.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved how relatable Morgan was throughout this book. Her journey to find herself again after her world was flipped upside down and the downward spiral of the male antagonist makes finding a stopping point impossible. The beginning knocks you off your feet and you feel like you are working yourself back to your feet along with the characters.

I have read Nora Roberts's books for a very long time. I have enjoyed the evolution of her stories from the Harlequin romance-type formula to her trilogies involving magic and supernatural elements. I consider myself to be a superfan. So, I was excited to receive an ARC for her latest thriller, Identity. This is the story of Morgan Albright, a career bartender with a plan to one day own her own bar. She is focused on her goals and putting down roots until a career con man and serial killer poisons her life. Posing as an IT guy in town for a few months while completing a job, Luke is charismatic and romantic and charms Morgan completely, eventually receiving an invite to her home for a dinner party. "Luke" returns a few days later when Morgan is at work and steals money, jewelry, and Morgan's identity before killing her roommate, home sick with a cold. Luke is actually Gavin, a skilled identity theft. With Morgan's name and bank logins, he manages to destroy her financial life, leaving her penniless and forced to sell her home and move to her grandmother's home in Vermont.

After taking time to lick her wounds and recover, Morgan pulls herself up and works on creating a new future managing the bar at an exclusive resort run by the multi-generational Jameson family. She then meets Miles Jameson and develops a friendship that eventually turns into more.

Of course, we can't forget Gavin who can't forget Morgan, the one who got away. His usual routine was to target a blonde woman with an androgynous name, steal all of her assets, and then slowly choke her to death, watching the life leave her eyes. A very self-aware serial killer, he realizes that he targets women that remind him of his mother. Gavin blames his new failures on Morgan and vows to make his way back and finish the job.

This was a very engaging story filled with "mostly" likable characters. It differs a bit from the old school Nora books but that is not a bad thing. It is good that her stories evolve with the times.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've always been a long time fan of Nora Roberts and this book did not disappoint. The book had my hooked from the beginning but I did see the turn it was going to take which made it even better.

Morgan is working two jobs trying to plant sustainability with her life, since she's an army brat, when a guy, Luke, walks into the bar she works at and changes all that, stealing her identity and killing her best friend. From there it just continues and get better. The author takes you down two trails, Morgan now moves back home with her mom and grandma in need of restarting her life she is able to land a job at a resort where she meets Miles and the romance blossoms from there. In the meantime, Luke/Gavin, the con artist in the meantime is upset the "one" got away and makes his trail back to Morgan.

Thought the book had a great amount of romance and thrill in it and felt like you really got to know the characters.

Thank you to Netgallery and the author for the advanced copy of Identity in exchange for my review.

I am positive that I have never read a bad book by Nora Roberts, and the same holds true for this book.

This book is heartwarming and heartbreaking all in one. Part thriller, part romance I really enjoyed the multiview story line from the different characters. They had me cringing and then laughing mix in some steamy romance and amazing family dynamics.

Absolutely one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend! ❤️

Thank you for this early copy 🙏 🙌
#netgalley #identity #noraroberts

I have been reading Nora Roberts books for about twenty years now, so I think it's safe to say that I am a fan!
Before getting into details of this book in particular, I would like to note that I have noticed a bit of a shift in the writing style over the past few books, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. I can't quite put my finger on it, but Nightwork was definitely obvious with how much time we spent with the male main character's (MMC) perspective when we usually are with the female main character (FMC) most of the time. I think this shift has allowed for some more unexpected twists and turns in the books, with stories more fully developed and characters being more multi-dimensional. Whatever it is, I'm enjoying it.

Turning to this book, Identity, I would say I enjoyed it overall, but I felt that the romance aspect was lacking, as compared to previous books. There was a lot more emphasis on the mystery/suspense components of the book and the romance angle felt a bit like a B-plot, rather than the A-plot. Without giving away spoilers, when the FMC, Morgan, and the MMC, Miles, get together, I did not feel like there was much build up to it. I thought there could have been more chemistry between them, some sexual tension, rather than, all of a sudden it's "hey I like you, do you like me? yeah? let's get naked."

Focusing on the rest of the storyline, I thought it was well done. When we first meet Morgan, she's happy working a couple of jobs, living with a friend, pretty sure of her direction in life. Then she is thrown completely off course when her friend/roommate is brutally killed by a guy Morgan was dating who is actually a con artist. The rest of the book is then about how Morgan rebuilds her life, her confidence, deepens her relationships with her mother and grandmother after she moves in with them, while also trying to stay safe because the murderer is out there and has his sights set on Morgan.

Overall a good book. It's not in my top ten of NR books, and that's okay!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an early copy of the book. The opinions provided here are entirely my own.

Identity by Nora Roberts

All I can say is WOW!! This is my first Nora Roberts and I keep asking myself what rock have I been hiding under, LOL!!

A wonderful psychological thriller about a stolen identity.

A definite must read, you wont be able to put it down!!

Rating: 5 Stars!!!!

Release Date: May 23, 2023

I received complimentary ARC copy of this book from its publisher and author (Thank you!! I loved being a part of this book) via NetGalley . This review is my honest opinion, I was in no way required to give a positive review

Wow, another great book by author, Nora Roberts. Identity is due for publication 5/23/23.
Identity is a mix bag... murder suspense, mystery, family drama and romance. It all works. Nora Roberts did her research for this book. It is a slow burn on suspense and romance which kept it interesting.
Morgan was a army brat, as a child she moved around a lot. Now in her mid twenties she is eager to put down roots. She is smart and ambitious, working two jobs, office work for a construction company and evening as a bartender.
Morgan purchased her first home. It is small and in need of updating, but she is thrilled to once be able to plant roots. With the help of her roommate Nina she will be able to save money and work on her home and to save and one day own her on bar.
Morgan meets Luke while working at the bar. After a casual pizza date she plans a dinner party with Luke and roommate Nina and her boyfriend. Life seems to be going great, she has made friends, she's enjoys her jobs, her new home and new boyfriend Luke.
A few days after her successful dinner party. Nina comes down with a bad cold. She tells Morgan she plans to stay home from work and spend the day in bed. When Morgan returns home from work she discovers that her home has been broken in to and Nine has been murdered. Jewelry, cash and her car has been stolen.
Morgan's new boyfriend Luke is actually Gavin. She finds out the FBI have been tracking him and he has a history of targeting a type of women. He is the one that broke in and killed Nina. Gavin cleaned out Morgan's checking account and saving and opened out new credit cards and took out loans in her name.
Morgan makes the decision to sell her home and move to Colorado to live with her mother and grandmother. The FBI reach out to Morgan and let her know Gavin is now leaving pieces of her jewelry at the crime scenes. This is to let Morgan know that Gavin has not forget about her.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Identity and give an honest review.

I jumped at the chance to read a new Nora Roberts suspense book, and I was not disappointed. Morgan has been the victim of identity theft in the worst possible way, and moves home to try to rebuild her life. I really liked this story, and as with all her books, this was well researched and plotted. It was a quick and easy read, an absolute must for anyone.

After a childhood of moving from place to place, Morgan Albright has dreamed of having a stable home and accomplished her dream by getting her degrees and working little by little to achieve them.

Working two jobs, Morgan has a small home with a yard and a dependable new car. By night, she is a bartender at Next Round, and during the day, she works for a family construction firm as the office manager. She took on a roommate, Nina Ramos, who became her best friend.

Morgan doesn't have time to date, but one of the new patrons, Luke Hudson, gets Morgan to meet him for pizza. He's easy to get along with and likable. Unknown to Morgan, Luke has a very dark side.

When Morgan returns home to find her best friend murdered, it looks like a burglary has gone wrong. The news gets worse when the FBI shows up at Morgan's door and informs her who Luke really is. As one bad hit after another continues to come, Morgan sells her dream home and moves back to Vermont with her Grandmother and mother. This nightmare isn't over!

I was immersed in this story from the beginning, Morgan was good at reading people and intelligent, but sometimes what you see is not what you get. Morgan is resilient wanting to get back to work and with the help of her grandmother and proving her capabilities is back to bartending again. Another family-owned business, where they view their staff as family, and when Morgan has more bad news told to her, and fears she'll be let go, but instead finds a wall of protection, help, and a new love interest. Morgan knows things will not be normal as long as Luke still has her in his sights.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via St. Martin's Press and have voluntarily reviewed this book

Nora Roberts does not disappoint with Identity! Morgan is a strong female character who overcomes a traumatic experience and rebuilds her life when her experience easily could have forced her to hide. Through her relationship with her mother and grandmother and her new work family, the story is capped off with her relationship with Miles. Thank you so much for the advanced copy!

Morgan was working hard and saving her money so she could improve her house she bought, and she had a roommate. Morgan comes home from work one day y and finds her roommate Nina murdered. Nina was murdered by Gavin, a fellow Morgan had dated a f few times. She finds that all her money, jewelry, car and personal identity has also been stolen. Loans are taken out in her name, and she defaults on her mortgage and must return to Maine and live with her mother and grandmother and take a job as a bartender at the local resort and fits right in with the family even so far as to date Miles, one of the sons.
In the meantime the FBI is running all over the country trying to capture Gavin, who always has a mark in sight. And when he is done taking everything he can from them, he murders them.

A good mix of fun times, drama, crime and romance.

I was given this book as an early reader and reviewer.

Love her writing style. Like listening to a friend. Love that she stays fresh even after SOOOOO many novels.
I guess it's true, some things get better with age!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Morgan Albright thought her life plan was working out and she’d have a good future. But when a charming man she was falling for stole everything, she had to start over and turns to her mother and aunt for help.

Has all the usual NR go-to’s, but was just a little too convenient for me. There are ways to lock your credit and I think Morgan should have been able to do that.

Nora Roberts is one of the most prolific contemporary authors alive (like James Patterson — both have written over 200 books). Her latest, “Identity,” is a romantic suspense thriller about a con man who victimizes a 25 year old woman, stealing her identity, money, credit, insurance, equity and murdering her best friend.

Morgan Albright begins as a happy, hard working person, happy homeowner with a cute house (and a list of projects she’s budgeting for) and a great roommate to help with the mortgage. At one of her two jobs, as a bartender, she meets smooth and handsome Luke Hudson, who comes in a few times. And after just one pizza date and a small party dinner at her house, he returns during the day to steal her laptop (and her life), but encounters Nina, not Morgan, unexpectedly home sick, and kills her. The FBI contacts Morgan to tell her this guy is a serial killer named Gavin Rozwell who steals identities of women with androgynous first names AND then their lives — presumably murdering the missing victim. She’s the first survivor since he killed Nina by accident.

Overwhelming debt, guilt, and legal entanglements force Morgan to sell her beloved house at a loss and move to small town Vermont where her mother and grandmother live and operate a family business.

I felt so much pain for hardworking, amenable, energetic Morgan, who didn’t deserve what that psychopath Gavin did to her or Nina. And then I was enraged that Gavin Rozwell considered her the “one who got away” and decided to eventually ruin her, her mother and grandmother in Vermont just as Morgan is employed by another fierce granddaughter/mother/grandmother trio. That awful feeling of oncoming dread was pervasive immediately. Where and when would he reappear? How much ruin is he going to afflict again? Will these trios of strong women destroy him instead? (Grandma has already stated she wants to twist his….off, after re-landscaping the surrounding areas in blue). Please, please, please. Of course, Nora Roberts is known for the satisfying romance aspect, so Morgan does get a chance to find someone the polar opposite of the sleazoid con artist. Someone equally enraged about Rozwell and willing to protect her.

Loved this! Morgan was the perfect heroine and Roberts celebrates the main character’s job as a bartender (a female role not usually featured). 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let’s have a lavender margarita and an apricot colada to appreciate this tense thriller and sweet romance!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES The main character, Morgan, has beautiful green eyes. And her evil pursuer, Rozwell, uses green contacts.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO daffodils are blooming in March, and Nina, who works at a garden center, is planting season appropriate pansies in April.

Thank you NetGalley for the early preview of Nora Roberts Identity! This was two of my favorite genres come together, romance and suspense. Morgan is a total hero in this book who just as she begins to feel that she is a capable adult; comes home to her house and finds her best friend and roommate murdered.

Going thru the emotions is one thing, but finding out it was a man you were starting to crush on that wanted to ruin your world is another.

But as much as he ruined her life and made her uproot everything she worked so hard for, it all becomes clear that she is a fighter and he is the one who has been ruined and her life only gets better and so do the people in it.

A wonderful love story with suspense, thrills and a dog!