IDENTITY – The Book Diva's Reads

Identity by Nora Roberts
ISBN: 9781250284112 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781250284327 (ebook)
ISBN: 9781250893338 (digital audiobook)
ISBN: 9781250893345 (audiobook on CD)
ASIN: B0BH9BBTZM (Audible audiobook)
ASIN: B0B9KSW9JN (Kindle edition)
Publication date: May 23, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Fiction | Romance | Romantic Suspense | Suspense Thriller

A new thriller about one man’s ice-cold malice, and one woman’s fight to reclaim her life.

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan’s job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who’d been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. “Luke” is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn’t his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan’s nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother’s home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn’t flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn’t forgotten the one who got away.

The latest Nora Roberts release, Identity could be a story ripped from the headlines. Morgan Albright is not only the victim of identity theft and loses much of what she’s worked hard for (a home, a car, savings for a rainy day, and a job that she loves), she also has to deal with the murder of her best friend and roommate, Nina, by a man she was dating. Morgan may have physically walked away from the theft, but her life will never be the same. It is for these reasons that she starts over with a new job in a new location. Although Morgan is making every attempt to start over, the identity thief considers her the one that got away and continues to chip away at her hard-won attempts to rebuild. Will law enforcement be able to locate the thief before he tracks her down and tries to finish his “job” (customize a persona, introduce yourself into a woman’s life, date her, steal the woman’s identity and monies, rack up numerous accounts using said identity, and then kill her)?

If you’ve never experienced identity theft, count your blessings. It is stressful, traumatizing, and doesn’t end with filing reports. The complete upheaval to Morgan Albright’s life due to identity theft was so incredibly realistic, I forgot that I was reading about a fictional person for a bit. Morgan attempts to restart her life in a new location with a new job. She cautions her new employer about her legal difficulties, then finds that they’re incredibly understanding, supportive, and protective. Despite the support emotional support Morgan receives from friends and co-workers, she still has feelings of guilt over Nina’s death due to her actions. Needless to say, Morgan has difficulty trusting her judgment, especially with regard to a new romantic relationship, but she does eventually begin one. A new location, new job, new career, and a new man seem to be all it takes for her identity thief to decide that Morgan’s continued successes at rebuilding her life are why he isn’t having as much “success” with his “job.” I found it to be a fast-paced and wholly engrossing read. I enjoyed the characters (yes, even the bad guy) and the action. The storyline was highly believable and the characters realistic, even with their flaws. I had some seriously strong emotional responses to the stress and trauma Morgan was going through. (I truly felt for Morgan and her situation due to a family member going through a similar ordeal with identity theft, the ongoing reporting issues and trauma, and the emotional fallout from the entire process.) For those of you that love Nora Roberts, I know I don’t have to urge you to grab a copy of Identity to read, but I will anyway. For those of you in the market for a suspenseful read with a bit of romance, I encourage your to grab a copy of Identity. I’ll be getting a copy for the 88-y.o. book diva in my life, aka Mom.

Happy Reading, y’all! ♦

Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy from the publisher via Edelweiss+. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”