I usually LOVE anything by Karen Rose, but I was disappointed in this specific work. This is the second book in the series, but I felt like there wasn’t a lot of character growth from the first story and the characters spend a lot of time not communicating. I did enjoy the mystery itself, I just had hoped for more character growth before the last chapter of the book.

After devouring Cold-Blooded Liar last year where Kit and Sam are introduced, I was eager to see what came next for them and what new case with a gritty, intense tone would be introduced. Karen Rose has long since become one of my top go-to authors for the thriller romance and police procedural genres.

Cheater is the second installment of the San Diego Case Files and part of the greater over-arcing Romantic Suspense series. Now, I did read the first book, but I felt the way Cheater was written with plenty of explanation for what happened previously (of the non-spoilery kind) that it could easily be picked up as a standalone.

As I stated in my opening thoughts, I go to Karen Rose books for a gritty suspenseful police procedural with some sizzling romancing on the side. I noticed in Cold-Blooded Liar that there was some deviation from all that. Oh sure, it was a riveting suspense, but the romance was more a hint than actuality. And, that didn’t move further along in Cheater nor did the case get as dark and gritty as the author’s norm. All that to say, the San Diego Case Files are a bit of something different so expectations must be altered if one is to enjoy it.

The murder at a high-end nursing home several months after the Cold-Blooded Liar case brings Kit and her partner detecting into Dr. Sam’s sphere once again. He works and volunteers with the elderly now. Kit and Sam are uncomfortable around each other because Kit is denying her feelings still, and Sam isn’t sure what do with his feelings in the mean time. after the last book, I really didn’t want a long book full of Kit’s emotional stagnation and her issues because she was a foster kid (no, I’m not being insensitive – Kit is being overly sensitive, or rather fearful with little reason by pushing Sam away, and it bugs me).

Most of the book put the romance off to the side and focused on the case. I really enjoy how much Karen Rose puts into making the police procedural side and the law enforcement world really come alive and feel authentic even while the plot paces forward without the need for info dumps. It’s all so organic and I can follow along with the investigation team as if I were there. That said, for the first time, I did feel the page count at times and was impatient for things to get going (there are moments of going over the same ground) and the early part of the book rehashed more than necessary with what came before.

But, for all that, I was into getting to end with all the puzzle pieces in place to show the whole picture. Perhaps because this was about the vulnerable elderly, I did feel outrage at them being the victims and being victimized. Kit was a fab detective, and I enjoyed seeing her work one end while Sam used his inside track to help on the case from a different angle. This wrapped up strong and felt complete with some series plot threads regarding Sam’s foster sister’s cold case and the relationship left for the next installment.

In summary, I was glad to have read this one, but wouldn’t recommend it as a book for first-timers to Karen Rose. The series is loaded with a good balance of romantic suspense, but Cheater is definitely a middle of a series book with mostly suspense. Instead reach for the first in the overall series or for the first of the San Diego Case Files.

DNF at 30%.

Boring. Boring. Boring.

I don't know what happened. I really enjoyed the first book. I was so excited to see where Rose was going to take Kit and Sam. Now I'm left so disappointed at how lifeless this book felt, compared to Cold Blooded Liar. Absolutely no chemistry, at least not from what I experienced. And from what I can tell from skimming and other reviews, this doesn't change.

If I'm being straight, this didn't even feel like a Karen Rose book.

1 Star because I have no choice but to rate on here.

This is my first time reading a Karen Rose book, I swear it was so good.

I couldn't put this down. It was a wild ride of thrills and surprises that had me glued to the pages.

In the end, I found this story to be a captivating and thrilling rollercoaster ride with dynamic characters that had me hooked from start to finish.. I can't wait to dive into the next installment and see where the story leads, and I really want to read her other books.

Thank you to Berkeley and the author for allowing me to arc read this book in exchange for my honest review

Ms. Rose has never failed to captivate me with a story, and this book is no different. Previously introduced to Kit McKittrick and Sam Reeves in Cold Blooded Liar we now get to learn even more about them in this second installment of the San Diego series. I really enjoyed them as characters and seeing how they worked together, even while avoiding one another. They kept the book really fun I thought, and gave a nice little break in between murder, thievery, and suspense.

Speaking of murder, as always I loved the mystery and trying to figure out the whodunit. I can honestly say I was surprised by a few turn of events that happened in this book and I enjoyed those moments so much. I'm excited to get another mystery from Ms. Rose and even more so to see Sam and Kit together again.

Karen Rose was a new-to-me author with Quarter to Midnight, and after reading that book, I wondered what rock I’d been living under to have missed her books. As a die-hard romantic suspense junkie, it was right up my alley and left me wanting more from her. So, it’s no surprise I dove headlong into this brand-new series from a new favorite author. This book is not technically a standalone title, picking up on the relationship between Kit and Sam, but if you don’t desire the complexities of their pasts, you can pick up the series with this book and not be too lost. However, I highly recommend Cold Blooded Liar (a five-star read for me).

What I liked about the book: the twisted, intriguing, and intricate plot that kept me guessing far into it, as well as the well-developed characters and world-building. Where Sam seemed to be a weak character at the beginning of the series, he’s everyone’s rock in this book. Despite everything in their pasts, family and friends mean everything to Sam and Kit, and they continue to inspire love and loyalty from those whose lives they touch.

What I didn’t like about this book: um… Yeah, I got nothing here. This book was a read-it-as-fast-as-possible, unputdownable page-turner full of twists and spine-tingling goodness. It left me wanting even more from these characters, so suffice it to say, I am very much looking forward to what comes next.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I'll be the first to say that while I love all her books, the first one in this series didn't hit quite the same for me as her others. This is Karen Rose's first attempt at a slow burn romance over several books, and I wasn't expecting that in book one, which didn't make me love it as much as usual. This second book though? It hit, for sure.

Kit and Sam end up in each other's orbit once again when she investigates a murder at a retirement village that Sam has very close ties to, and this story? Wow. It was emotional as hell and the characters in this knocked it out of the park. I want a grandma like the ladies in this book. If they could adopt me, that would be great. I laughed out loud several times and am excited for their appearance in future stories.

I enjoyed this so much and I can't wait to see what happens next with Kit and Sam!

I really enjoyed this! I absolutely loved Cold Blooded Liar so this was a great part 2 to Sam and Kit. Their romance may not be the main focus of the story but I still loved them so much. I can't wait to see what's in store for them in the future. Especially Kit's family.. her parents have to be the sweetest humans in the world. 🥰

In regard to the crimes, I was a bit shocked as to who the culprit was! Of course it all made sense by the end but I was not expecting that at all.

Loved this book - great mystery and it kept me guessing until the end!
I plan to go back and read the 1st in the series to get caught up, and looking forward to the next installment.

One note was the amount of the value of the coins - 14 million was a little over the top. And at that value to have them stored in a nursing home? Definitely too far fetched for an otherwise stellar book.

I loved the tenseness of Kit and Sam's relationship. I love that it wasn't wrapped up neatly at the end of the book - kept you coming back for more. Liked all the characters, and loved the storyline of Frankie's wife and son.

The San Diego Case Files #2
⭐️5

Tropes:
💚 Suspense with Sprinkling of Romance
💚 Police Procedural
💚 Thriller
💚 Dual POV

💭 My thoughts: Detective Kit is called to the scene with her partner Detective Conner to solve the murder of a resident of Shady Oaks Retirement Village. Which just so happens to be where criminal psychologist Dr. Sam; volunteers his time to play the piano for the residents. Sam is who Kit has successfully avoided because she knows she can’t have him. Yet, Sam hasn’t given up hope. He is determined to keep his distance and wait for Kit to show him that she is ready for the support and love he can offer her.
Kit and Conner find out just how corrupt the retirement housing system is in this thriller that seems to have more secrets than residents. Sam is there to lend a hand when needed but when Kit starts to realize that she can’t ignore what her heart wants anymore; would it be too late before the killer strikes again?
I absolutely devoured this novel and loved every second of it! Kit is a rough around the edges cop who hides a heart of gold behind a stern exterior. She is a role model not only to her adoptive family but to rough kids on the streets who are not used to someone caring like she does. Sam knows Kit is afraid and doesn’t want to spook her; so he tries to keep his distance and play it cool; all the while, his feelings for Kit remain steadfast and only grow as the list of suspects slowly starts dwindling. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves Criminal Minds and strong female leads!

This was written really well, and although I don’t read the first book (regretting that I should have!) I still was able to follow along. Also as a lawyer (and former criminal lawyer) so refreshing to see a procedural more correct thriller !!! I’m excited to read more by her, she’s addicting and love the romance mixed in with thriller

3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reading copy!

SYNOPSIS -- While Shady Oaks Retirement Village is used to death, it isn't used to finding one of its residents stabbed to death and his room ransacked. Enter: Detective Katherine "Kit" McKittrick. 6 months after solving a high-profile serial killer case, she's motivated and ready to solve something totally different. What she isn't ready for, however, is the appearance of Dr. Sam Reeves, psychologist, volunteer at Shady Oaks and Kit's love interest (much to her dismay). Sam, on the other hand, is excited to work closely to Kit and offer his expertise as both criminal profiler and long time friend of many Shady Oaks residents. Between the two of them and the rest of SDPD, can they solve the case before more of Shady Oak's residents are put into early graves?

This was a great second installment into the San Diego series! A classic police procedural with some action, great supporting characters and a little bit of romance. I love Kit, even though she's so infuriating sometimes! The tension between her and Sam is so fun; I have loved Dr. Reeves from book 1 and I love the way he doesn't pressure Kit in any way. I think their dynamic adds sooo much to these books, and, while I love the mysteries, I also read them for this budding relationship! The elderly characters were so dynamic and added a fun, heartfelt aspect to the story. The foster angle of this book is really unique and sweet, too. The McKittricks are so heartwarming.

My biggest qualm with this book, similar to that with the first in the series, is that they're just TOO LONG. Sometimes it feels like Karen Rose doesn't trust us, as readers, to read between the lines or draw any sort of conclusion for ourselves. Every breath the characters take (okay, that's a little dramatic) is spelled out for us. This book could probably be 25% shorter and have just as dynamic of a story, if not one that is more fast paced. Did I still read the whole thing? Yes. Will I read more of Kit and Sam? Also yes. But I wish these books were parsed down just a bit.

Overall, this was a solid police procedural with a decent mystery, some fun twists and great characters!

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"It's okay to feel, Kit."
"No, it's really not. I won't be able to do my job if I feel too much."

But when do you stop feeling everything and cheat yourself out of a life? Homicide Detective Katherine "Kit" McKittrick has had a life of violence and hardship and now she fights for those who can't fight for themselves, in the intensely detailed Cheater by, master of the romance suspense thriller, author Karen Rose.

We first met Kit in book one of The San Diego Case Files series, Cold Blooded Liar (check out my review on that brilliant thriller), now in Cheater it's 6 months after the headline serial killer case. So why hasn't she returned psychologist and police advisor Sam Reeves calls? "Dr.Sam...he liked her...it terrified her."

Kit responds to a shocking murder in a retirement home and is blindsided to see Sam there calming the upset residents. It turns out the victim was a retired decorated cop and all bets are off to find the killer. But then another resident dies suspiciously, employees are missing, vile people are cheating the elderly out of their savings but, worse, there's a killer cheating people out of their lives.

Each chapter starts like a police procedural with place and time but there's so much emotion, action and honest dialogue that it feels personal at times. Though adrenaline fueled, there's still time for family, the cutest gossipy retirees and cuddles with Kit's fur baby Snickerdoodle. Then there's Sam's pooch, Siggy, short for Sigmund Freud, who is the real hero of this awesome thriller.

A quick note to this gifted writer. The ending left me with a smile...perfect! Please don't cheat me out of a full sexy romance for Kit and Sam in Book 3...which I need ASAP!

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

When a murder happens in a retirement community Detective Kit McKittrick and Dr. Sam Reeves must work together to find the killer. Kit’s been avoiding Sam for the last six months when it seemed like they had a connection, thinking she had little to offer him, but this case has thrown them together again to untangle the many threads in this mystery. Kit can’t avoid Sam anymore with his personal connection to the murder victim and he’s been assigned to assist with the case as the SDPD’s resident psychologist. Kit and her partner Connor, as well as Sam have a lot to uncover.

Kit is a likeable character, and she has a wonderful support system with her adoptive parents, good people who seem to gather all those that need a helping hand. I love Sam! He’s patient with a big heart.

Cheater mixes crime procedure and the personal aspects of the main characters, their extended friends, family, and co-workers. Many of the characters appear again, building on the foundation set in the first book. Sam and Kit’s romance is slow going and one I’m rooting for.

Thank you @berkleypub for my digital copy and @prhaudio for the audio version. My thoughts are my own.
#penguinrandomhousepartner

I really enjoyed book one (𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙇𝙞𝙖𝙧) in Karen Rose’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘰 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 series, so I was excited to receive a digital copy of book two.

In this police procedural, Detective Kitt McKittrick investigates a murder in an upscale retirement home. To her surprise, she encounters Dr. Sam Reeves who volunteers at the facility. (Sam is the former murder suspect Kit found herself strangely attracted to in book one!) Kit has been avoiding Sam in the six months since they apprehended a serial killer, but Sam’s expertise proves to be invaluable to the SDPD and Kit is forced to work with him again! However, she is determined to keep things professional between them.

I enjoyed the retirement home setting, and the secondary characters in this novel. The main female character, Kit, has some hang ups and she is not my favorite character. Though her attraction to Sam is still there, she keeps him at arm’s length, and the romance in this one is basically nonexistent. While the murders pile up, the investigation moves along at a slow pace, with lots of conversation, giving this story a cozy mystery vibe.

I preferred the print version over the audio. Though I normally enjoy Hillary Huber, I don’t think she is the right voice for Kit.

I enjoyed this suspense novel that's a police procedural, but almost felt like a cozy mystery as well. The characters are interesting and I loved the nursing home setting. Kit's background is fascinating and I love the relationship she has with her found family. There wasn't much romance, but the twists and turns of the plot kept my interest high and the story moving right along. I'm curious as to whether or not the romance will be explored in future books. The audiobook is a great way to read this one and the narrator does an excellent job.

I didn’t read the first book in the series and that may play some role in my less than stellar love of this book, but I can say that at no point did I feel like I was lost or that I couldn’t go on without having read it despite this being the continuation of Kit and Sam’s story started in Cold Blooded Liar. I was sadly also expecting a lot more romance than was delivered, as this ended up being about 90% police procedures and maybe 10% romance and I think it may even be more like 95/5. Sam and Kit actually are not very often together which I guess was supposed to up the romance factor because they miss each other, but it came off kinda cheesy and childish. Sam is a police profiler, Clark Kent type guy, who spends his spare time playing piano for the retired people at the old folks home which is where the murder takes place. All the folks in the retirements home try and help solve the crime and yet there's not a lot happening somehow.
A bit predictable and not what I had hoped for but I’m sure loads will enjoy.
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review

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.

4.5 hearts

I love the Romantic Suspense series. I've read them all. I started the series with the first Cincinnati book, with Faith and Deacon. It was actually #16 overall. Then I went back and read the previous 15 books. I would not jump into this in the middle of a series. One could start at the beginning of a city since those stories connect well, and they seem to be labelled on Goodreads.


Cheater is the second in the San Diego stories. This city is a different style of story than all the others. The first book, Cold Blooded Liar, really had no romance. The main characters are Kit McKittrick, a homicide detective and Sam Reeves, a therapist. Sam does some work with profiling for the department. He also does a lot of volunteering in nursing homes.

Kit grew up in the foster system until as a teenager she came to the McKittricks and was adopted. Her impetus to become a police officer started when her sister Wren was murdered. Her background makes her a bit prickly to trust anyone but Sam is willing to wait for her. They end up working together more now and become more friendly. Kit and Sam are on a very slow burn romance.

The investigation centers on murders and thefts at a nursing home. The first victim was a retired homicide lieutenant who Kit met once. Frank, was a decorated and much respected detective. He also had a strong group of friends at the nursing home. Kit and her partner, Connor, are smart and capable in their search for evidence. There are really too many bad actors at the nursing home! It gets dangerous as they narrow down to those responsible.

In the background, the McKittricks continue to support children and foster them. Kit brings in a group of new fosters who connect with Rita, one of their current kids. Rita lost her mother and admires Kit as a person and her profession. I look forward to the continued personal growth of Kit and all her relationships.

Karen Rose's Cheater is the second installment in the author's The San Diego Case Files, and the 29th in the author's Romantic Suspense world. The author and publisher are actually releasing two books a year that are set in San Diego and New Orleans. This series follows two main characters: Homicide Detective Ki McKittrick and Dr. Sam Reeves who is a criminal psychologist. For the record, I did not read Cold Blooded Liar which was the first installment in this series, and the story where Kit and Sam first meet. Hopefully, I will soon.

Kit lost her sister Wren to a killer when she was 16. A failure that still haunts her to this day. Kit still searches for Wren's killer hoping to find answers to a decades-old cold case. Kit was taken in by Harlan and Betty McKittrick who 6 months ago, took in another young girl named Rita who discovered her mother's dead body. Kit loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she's not solving crimes with the SDPD, she's assisting her foster sister Akiko with her charter fishing business, scuba diving, or playing with her poodle.

Which brings me to the story itself. Death is not an unfamiliar visitor to Shady Oaks Retirement Village, which provides San Diego’s premier elderly support from independent retiree housing to full-time hospice care. But when 85-year-old Franklin Delano Flynn's body is found brutally stabbed and his apartment ransacked, it’s clear there’s someone deadly in their community. Kit and her partner of six months Detective Connor Robinson quickly discover that Shady Oaks is full of skeleton-riddled closets, and most tenants prefer to keep their doors firmly closed to the SDPD.

Unfortunately for the facility, the murder victim was a highly respected former Homicide Lieutenant before he retired 30 years ago. Fortunately for the victim, Kit is a rising star in the department, and she has a reputation as someone who gets the job done. To make matters worse, a second resident is soon found dead, and more bodies will likely be found unless Kit and her team identify and stop the cold-blooded killer. Meanwhile, Dr. Sam Reeves, who works as a profiler for the SPD, is a longtime volunteer at the facility where he honors his late grandfather's memory by playing the piano for the residents.

Because of all the time he spends here, Sam knows all the residents, especially the old man who dared Sam to play a hard rock song he loved. So it shouldn’t be such a surprise when Kit crosses paths with him during her investigation after she’d avoided the criminal psychologist—and the emotions he evokes—for the last six months. Sam’s rapport within the retirement village proves vital to the case, and the pair find themselves working together once again—much to Kit’s dismay. But she is determined to apprehend the shadow of death lurking around Shady Oaks, especially since he knew the victim, and equally determined to ignore the feelings she’s developing for a certain psychologist.

Although this is supposed to be a romantic suspense, it is the mystery itself that is so compelling to the point where you can guess who the killer is, but you will have to wait to find out if you are correct or not. The slow-burn romance between Kit and Sam is something that weighs heavily on the entire story. The two are like planets circling each other because Kit is giving him, and her attraction to him, a wide berth because she doesn’t believe she’s what someone as kind as Sam needs. There is hope that the author will eventually get these two together, but we shall see.

I didn’t read the first book in this series and while I’d have liked to know Sam and Kit’s history, I don’t think I missed too much. Karen Rose did a good job of filling in the reader without re-hashing all of the details, so this book reads like a stand along mystery. I will be picking up that first book and catching up though because I really enjoyed this story and their connection. I was also really surprised at the intricacies in the mystery. Whereas I did guess the killer, it did take me a little while and the journey was completely enjoyable.

Karen Rose did a great job of giving these characters depth and building their back story. I loved Kit’s history of being in a foster home and how she had that soft spot for kids who lived on the street. It added a lot to explain her stand offishnes and made the impact of her building trust with Sam that much greater.

If you like light mysteries with great characters, I think Cheater was an interesting and entertaining read. It is not a romance, but there is a bit of romantic suspense built into the story. There is also a bit of humor and a lot of emotion. This was a well rounded story and I enjoyed it a lot.