Identity by Nora Roberts – A Small Town Romance

Identity by Nora Roberts is a romance-cum-mystery as it has elements of both genres. Why does a person become a monster? Or is it something they choose to be? Is it possible for it to be both?

Morgan Albright, a former Army brat, works hard at two jobs as a barman in order to save money for her ambition of one day running her own establishment. Despite her busy life, she is focused on her objectives.

She enjoys living with her closest friend, Nina, and is now scheduling dates for the first time in what seems like a long time.

Morgan’s life is turned upside down by an apparently random incident, forcing her to flee the city and head back to her family’s Vermont home.

She thinks that going back to the little village, where she feels safe, will help her forget the horror of the attack, but sometimes the past just won’t let go—especially if you’re the one who got away, as Morgan quickly finds out.

With 500 million copies of her books in circulation and more than 200 novels to her credit, you can be sure that Nora Roberts is in capable hands when it comes to writing romantic thrillers. You’ll be gripping the pages with this spine-tingling read.

With ease, Roberts takes us inside the head of Morgan Albright, a brilliant, pragmatic, and diligent woman in her mid-twenties. Morgan has a very specific five-year plan that involves creating her own bar, remodelling her kitchen and paying off her mortgage.

Morgan is an accomplished barman who can quickly assess her customers. We sense, along with Morgan, that this may be the start of an early spring romance when newbie IT whiz Luke Hudson sits down and strikes up a conversation.

And that’s where Roberts’ brilliance lies: she skillfully crafts the precise moment when she abruptly upends Morgan’s world and forces her to start over from scratch, all the while lulling you into a false sense of romantic stability.

At the start of the book, Roberts quotes Pubilius Syrus, saying, “It’s a bad plan that can’t be changed.” This is essentially the theme of this incredibly exciting read: plans and their destruction, sometimes due to the worst mishaps, to make place for the new.

The work appropriately delves into the essence of identity. Who are we when identity theft happens? To the dismay of her tormentor, Morgan, joined with her mother and grandmother, grows stronger within herself and, in some ways, achieves unthinkable heights. It’s a great story about recovering your roots and reinventing yourself.

Roberts writes in an elegant but realistic manner. Her descriptions are precise, her dialogue is sympathetic, and she has an unmatched capacity to make you tremble with anticipation of the romantic and suspenseful thrills.

Take hold of this book with both hands and relish the journey. Make a note to yourself to wait a while before throwing a dinner party at your own house and to avoid men wearing cashmere sweaters.

Buying Options Identity by Nora Roberts

More Book Reviews of Nora Roberts

• The Obsession by Nora Roberts – A Small Town Mystery
• Year One by Nora Roberts – A Pandemic Supernatural Thriller