Family saga and romance story describes this quick read. While predictable in some aspects, it was an entertaining read.

So this is my first Nora and admittedly, it was a bit all over the place. For one, it was way too long and somehow still made the romance feel rushed. I didn’t fully buy the romance and wasn’t particularly invested in it. Still, I loved this book.

Hideaway wasn’t fully a mystery or a thriller or a romance, so it was sort of a genre-defying contemporary but that was fine with me. The few things I didn’t enjoy really didn’t take away any enjoyment of the book for me. I loved Cate and her entire family. Dillon’s family was delightful, too. I loved that Cate’s family had maintained a connection with Dillon’s for so many years. I really enjoyed following Cate throughout the years and seeing her try out different paths to figure out what was right for her. While there were definitely some unnecessary plot points that could have been left out, I wasn’t bothered by any of them. I really loved the Sullivan family’s dynamic, so every time they spent time together it made me happy. They were just so loving and supportive of one another that it made this book a real pick-me-up.

I unfairly assumed this would be a quick and predictable read, but it had a lot more substance than I expected. A lot of reviews have said it’s not one of Nora’s best, so considering how much I enjoyed it, I’m looking forward to reading other work from her!

I’ve been putting of reading this pretty much from the day it came out. I find the idea of Hollywood relatively dull, and I’m a bit too much of a cynic to buy into a love story set there.

Despite that, this was solid.

A bit too long of a build up to get to present day, but Roberts does love a build up.

For 90% of this book I thought I was reading something else on my kindle and then exited out and realized I had clicked on my mom’s book. I ate it up though.

**was received in a giveaway as part of a promotion**

This book was too good to put down! I was lucky enough to win an advance copy, and Nora Roberts never disappoints. The story of decades in the life of Cate through her growth and maturity when faced with those who refuse to do either is powerful. It’s not a likely setting for most of us in our lives, but this reader’s getaway to Sullivan’s Rest, which feels both too idealistic and equally realistic for the lucky few, is so immersive you’ll want to suspend your own reality to stay in the story. Great story, great characters, and amazing imagery in multiple locales. I want more!

Really enjoyed the insight into what life in the spotlight can be like.

Audiobook weekend mystery.

From Book Cover:

Caitlyn Sullivan was already a Hollywood star at nine, but still liked to play hide-and-seek at the family home in Big Sur. It was during one of those games that she disappeared. Cate managed to escape her abductors, and Dillon Cooper found the bloodied, exhausted girl huddled in his ranch house. When the teenager and his family heard her story, they provided refuge, reuniting her with her loved ones. Cate's ordeal, though, was far from over. She would spend years sheltered in Ireland, restlessness growing in her soul, before returning to Los Angeles to restart her life. But two seeds had been planted that long-ago night -- one of great love, and one of a terrible vengeance.

My Review:

The kidnapping and Cate's bravery were well written. The trauma that would follow any victim of violent crime is acknowledged and not gleaned over. However, the years Cate and her father spent in Ireland only merited a sentence or two, though most of her healing would have occurred here and shaped the character she would be for the remainder of the book. I would also liked being privy to the correspondence Cate shared with Dillon's mother. These letters helped forge a bond we see when Cate returns to California. Yet, this too was only given a single sentence. Introducing new characters that end up having a pivotal role over the half-way mark in the book, seemed there to plug a plot hole.

In spite of these issues, the book was worth the read.