Review: The Obsession

Author: Nora Roberts
Series: Standalone
Released: April 14th 2016
Publisher: Piatkus
Length: 452 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: Book Depository

She changed her name. She changed her life. But someone won't let her go. The brand-new novel of love, drama and hope from legendary Nora Roberts.

Naomi Carson is a survivor. As a child, her family was torn apart by a shocking crime. It could have destroyed her, but Naomi has grown up strong, with a passion for photography that has taken her all around the world.

Now, at last, she has decided to put down roots. The beautiful old house on Point Bluff needs work, but Naomi has new friends in town who are willing to help, including Xander Keaton - gorgeous, infuriating and determined to win her heart.

But as Naomi plans for the future, her past is catching up with her. Someone in town knows her terrifying secret - and won't let her forget it. As her new home is rocked by violence, Naomi must discover her persecutor's identity, before it's too late.

"A gripping thriller of love, hope and betrayal by Nora Roberts, the world’s greatest storyteller." That sentence is a direct quote from the back cover of Roberts’ new bestseller, The Obsession. After reading it more or less in one sitting (all 450 pages of sheer awesomeness), I feel that it pretty much tells you everything you need to know about Nora’s latest release. Nora Roberts IS the world’s greatest storyteller, proven by the fact that over the last 20 years or so, an average of 13 NR books were sold every minute. Every minute! And some of them are my very own treasures.

The opening chapters of The Obsession take us through Naomi Bowes’ childhood, the trauma of discovering her deacon father is a serial killer and saving a girl from his horrible cellar. It’s clear from the very beginning that Naomi isn’t an average child – the strength she shows as a mere 11-year-old promises a heroine like no other. And you should know by now that Nora Roberts always delivers on her promises. I adored Naomi and her wonderful little family (by which I mean the uncles who adopted her and her younger brother). I loved their dynamic and their sincerity, their endless support and kindness. It provided excellent balance to Naomi’s usual standoffishness and her anti-social tendencies. It gave us a chance to see her as someone warm and loving from the start, even before Xander and the dog came along to change things for her.

As for Xander, Nora sure knows how to write them! Rough and decisive, but also kind, he never treated Naomi like something delicate and fragile. From their first encounter, he admired her strength and independence, and he knew how to both give her space and be there when he was needed.

Apparently, Nora’s type of romantic suspense works for me like a charm because honestly, this is the most fun I’ve had in ages. I always feel that way with her non-paranormal books, but this one was just a step above average. She showed perfectly how difficult it is to live for the sins of your father, how the society doesn’t see such people for who they are or what they do. Instead they see only the crime, the horror, and what was left behind. Naomi had a hard time trusting anyone, which I understood, but it was so wonderful to see her accepting people for the first time. The only downside is that I guessed the stalker/killer pretty early on, but even that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of this book. So here’s my heartfelt recommendation: read this. You know you want to.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.