Tribute
by Nora Roberts
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Book Reviews of Tribute
Book Review: Child Star Comes Home
Summary: 4 Stars
From Hollywood to the Shenandoah Valley, Cilla McGowan, former child star, returns to her former movie star grandmother, Janet Hardy's, "Little Farm" in Virgina. All too soon she finds out that someone holds a vendetta against her now deceased grandmother and is taking it out on Cilla. She has returned "home" to pay tribute to her grandmother's old and battered farm and make it her own. Having a background in flipping houses, Cilla sees this old house and its surrounding property being restored and making it her own, however, someone else wants her back in Hollywood. Nora once again weaves a beautiful and suspenseful story. The description of the "Little Farm" and the work that Cilla puts into it is so clearly visualized to the reader, that you can almost see the home being restored. The climax to the mystery will take you by surprise, however, the book keeps moving from the very beginning, never slacking, as our heroine has flashbacks and dreams of her famous grandmother and days gone by. Ford Sawyer, her graphic artist neighbor and Cilla McGowan are an intriguing duo. I really enjoyed Cilla's mom, Dilly, and her Beverly Hills drama; it brought some very well-done comic relief to a serious story. Cilla's bonding with her estranged father was nothing less than heartwarming and played out in a very realistic manner. "Tribute" is a compliment to Nora Roberts and a gift to her readers.Book Review: Favorite character in the book: Spock the dog!
Summary: 4 Stars
I finally was able to get my hands on a copy of this book from the library because I was too anxious to wait for the paperback and I refuse to buy hardback books.
Although it was a little slow in the beginning, I think the build up of Cilla's everyday monotony was what Ms. Roberts was trying to get at - that Cilla was so far removed from her Hollywood days and spent her new life doing the ordinary things with some sabotage thrown in. What did irritate me some was that Ford Sawyer wasn't even really a part of the meat of the story until a third of the way into the book. Once he and Cilla started growing on each other though, there was definitely a lot of chemistry between them and I loved how Ford was her rock whether she wanted him to be or not.
I felt the ending was too abrupt - after 430 pages, having the the big showdown the way it did felt stilted to me. The why was explained, but it really felt rushed to me and it would have been nice to find out the fallout of what happened at the end.
Overall though, with characters like Cilla, Ford, Matt, Gavin, Steve, and of course Spock the dog (who really steals the scenes), I think this book was a good effort from Ms. Roberts.
Book Review: Why do some writers produce en masse and sacrifice quality?
Summary: 1 Stars
Who would be to blame for a book like this? The writer? The editor? Both? Surely, more time could have been spent on editing this book, making the language tighter and getting rid of some of the long-winded dialogue. It has always puzzled me that the great NR is able to produce, without fail, book after book after book of bestsellers that pop up but then disappear quickly. Are these books bestsellers because of high volume orders from bookstores or because of lots of sales? I just wish, this great writer would now catch a well-deserved breath, get her creative bearings back and start afresh. And choose quality over quantity.
I won't recap what others in the 1 to 3 star ratings categories have said about Tribute. I agree with all of them. I also agree that this is an excellent book to check out from your local library. Save your $$$ for something that actually pays off in the end (...like an extra little contribution to your retirement fund - but I digress).
...and why Stephen King's quote on the back cover, saying: "NR is cool." Yes, she is (really!!!!). But...what does this have to do with the book. The readers who pay their hard-earned $$$ to buy NR's books are cool.
Book Review: Robotic Love Story
Summary: 2 Stars
Nora Roberts has been my favorite author for over 15 years and I am so sadly disappointed that her recent novels have not been up to par with her earlier works. I fell in love with her books for many reasons including the depth of her characters, the passion and love between the h/h that seemed to jump off the pages well as the engaging story lines. Tribute had absolutely none of these qualities. What really concerned me is the lack of passion between the h/h. It seemed as if Cilla would much rather slap on another coat of paint than to spend any quality time with the hero (he was so unforgettable I can't even remember his name right now). Nora used to described the characters' feelings for one another in a way that left no doubt in your mind that they were in love and should be together. In this novel, the characters merely stated they were attracted and in love but it came across as superficial and unbelievable because the writing did not back it up.
I don't know what's going on with Nora but I strongly recommend that she take a break and write no new novels until she gets her mojo back. She is truly an excellent writer and her latest novels are hurting her credibility.
Book Review: A Step in the Right Direction
Summary: 4 Stars
It seems that Nora Roberts "might" be getting back to normal with this newest book. Tribute is a straightforward romance with a small mystery built-in. It stays away from the supernatural (mostly), the demonic/spellcasting, and Ireland. Thankfully, Roberts has offered a mainstream book worth reading - which, in my opinion, she hasn't in quite some time. The story is that Cilla McGowan has returned to her roots in Virginia after spending many years under the spotlight in Hollywood. She is drawn to the land in Virginia and the restoration of a farmhouse that has been in her family for decades. Across the road is her sexy, but very nerdy, neighbor, Ford Sawyer. Ford, and the story, is very easygoing and Roberts does a nice job of introducing us to some neighborhood residents and offering a look back at Cilla's life. As she repairs the farmhouse she also repairs rifts in her family, and follows the mystery of her aunt's alleged suicide. The mystery isn't terribly engaging but it didn't matter, because I was contented to read about Ford and Cilla and their burgeoning relationship. I'd recommend the book, especially for fans who've wanted a return to the 'old' Nora Roberts.