Tribute

Cilla McGowan spent her childhood pretending to be someone she was not. She was a child star in a long running family television show. When the show was cancelled, she picked up other acting jobs, did a few CD's and cameo appearances, but it didn't take Cilla long to realize her acting career was over. With more relief than regret, Cilla tried several alternative careers until she hit upon the one that made her whole. She purchased rundown and forgotten houses, renovated them, and then sold them. She turned the neglected house back into a home.

The one house that Cilla wanted to renovate and turn back into a home was her grandmother's hideaway in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Janet Hardy was a Hollywood legend. She died by her own hand spending her final days at the farm.

When her mother, a failed wannabe actress, needed money for her latest production, Cilla talked her into selling the Shenandoah farm to her. Cilla needed to come to terms with the past before she could truly look to the future. Renovating her grandmother's home would do it.

While cleaning out the attic, Cilla came across a bundle of love letters kept by her grandmother. Janet had a lover the final year of her life, and the relationship did not end well. Did she really commit suicide or did the Grim Reaper have a little help?

Cilla was not the only one that knew the letters existed. The work site was repeatedly vandalized, workers and friends hurt, and hateful reminders of her years as an actress kept popping up. Cilla would not be intimidated. With her neighbor Ford at her side, they faced the demons of the past and the demons of the present. Cilla came to Shenandoah with plenty of baggage, but in dealing with her problems, she gains both strength and resiliency.

Tribute is both a romance and a suspense. Nora Roberts does a wonderful job of combining the two. It is a wonderful book full of unforgettable characters and a great story line. It's a lengthy novel, but an easy read. I loved it.

I'm not sure what to say about this book, it's definitely Nora Roberts but didn't read like a traditional Nora Romance. The story is based around a former child star named Cila who is trying to come to grips with her new life and leave her old one behind. A romance forms between Cila and Ford. Ford is the nice guy next door type who can be a bit annoying at times. So we have the quintessential free spirit and the puppet falling in love. I can't say there was anything I would point my finger at that I didn't like (I gave it 4-stars) It's just the overall Nora experience wasn't there. But I would vote for Spock as best supporting actor (those who read it know what I mean)

Editor of the highly recommended novel: Fates by Georgiou, Tino Fates (2nd Edition)

A beautiful, emotionally damaged heroine and a sensitive, handsome, talented hero. That about sums it up. Stock characters in a stock book. It was a pleasant way to pass a few hours, but just plain generic.

I never understood the connection between Cilla and her grandmother who died before she was born. The bad guys were just sort of thrown into a slow paced story that was basically that of an unfolding love. The end of the book was just tacked on. Why keep a secret for all that time, and then just blurt it out when somebody asks you. If the female bad person was so crazy, why wouldn't it have been seen before then?

The book was just not really worth it. Roberts is just coasting on her reputation.

The book kept you guessing...and that's good.
I have learned a few things about remodeling.
And flipping a house. The end of the book was great.
A big turn around. Good read.

I passed this book on to another reader because I found it not up to what I usually get from the first chapter of a Nora Roberts book,ie: suspense,a pull to continue reading and interest in characters. Frankly, I wonder ift Ms. Roberts had a silent partner in the writing of this book as it just doesn't reflect the Nora Roberts I have come to look forward to reading for many years. The book starts out dry and tedious. Sorry Ms. Roberts.