Don't Tell was a very touching, emotional book. It was one of the better romantic suspense books that I have read lately. It was the first Karen Rose book I have experienced, but I can tell that this will be another series that will be a must read for me. This is a great story, even though there's a whiff of the love-at-first-sight syndrome between Max and Caroline but the events that occur as their relationship develops more than compensate for their beginnings. Their trials and challenges are extremely realistic for two people that don't know each other very well. The police investigation is gritty and well researched. Much of the story is based in North Carolina and the author did her homework in representing the geography of the state. Mary Grace Winters had to get out. Get out of a miserable, fear-filled existence at the hands of her physically and mentally abusive husband. She had to get out of it not only for herself but for her son. She can’t go to the police since that’s where her husband works. So she does the next best thing: she makes a run for it. And that’s how Caroline Stewart is born. Suspense, Romance and Humor. Three for three in this book. Even though the suspense is a serial killer (not my favorite baddie) and the romance is two people trying to sever ties to the past and move on (lots of baggage here), the humor makes everything not so morose. If you like your hanky-panky on the sweat-inducing side, this is the book for you. I almost thought I wasn’t going to make it because the sexual tension in this book was so intense. And that’s just the tension part. The hanky-part broke my air conditioning, it was so hot. This is not a book to be read in public because even though the cover isn’t very conspicuous in screaming “I’m a romance novel, bitches!”, the sex scenes will have you squirming and feeling mighty uncomfortable, as if the casual stranger walking by would be able to read your thoughts inside your head whilst you’re reading this book.

this book is another hit. The story unfolds with a twist... which makes one realise how a good author can wind a reader around her/his finger. A most enjoyable read and hard to put down'The killer is slowly building up his confidence and starts taunting detective Thatcher trying to prove he is smarter than them and unstoppable. Other people act out of character too. A long-time cop freaks out when his son is kidnapped and acts very stupidly, in ways that any cop would know in his very bones would only endanger his son. The police act out of character--they allow civilians, including a 14 year old boy, to talk to suspects, go to a hostage situation without any cops even there yet.

Karen Rose has masterfully written a riveting story involving domestic violence and the triumph of the human spirit. Caroline isn't the only one in the story to rise above her circumstances. Max is recovering from a life altering and devastating accident from twelve years ago. Dana, Caroline's best friend and manager of a women's shelter, came out of an abusive marriage. The lead investigator, Steven Thatcher, is raising three sons on his own following the death of his wife. All are involved in the culmination of the confrontation with Rob. Special Agent Steven Thatcher knows that a serial killer is at work. Finding the murderer is his sole focus but it doesn't help that his teenage son, Brad, is behaving strangely.Gabe Hebert saw the toll that working for the NOPD took on his dad and decided instead to make a name for himself as one of the best young chefs in the French Quarter. But when his father’s death is ruled a suicide after a deliberately botched investigation by his former captain, Gabe knows his dad stumbled onto a truth that someone wants silenced. The romance isn't the main focus of this book but I thought it was nicely balanced with the suspense. I was mostly interested in the suspense anyway so I didn't mind. We know who the bad guy is from the very beginning so this isn't a who-dunit but more of a when-are-they-going-to-catch-him type of book. Our hero and heroine are blissfully going about their lives, tentatively beginning a new relationship while never knowing that the psycho husband is closing in on them. You pray that he will be caught soon because the body count in this book is really high. Anytime Winters was front and center I felt like he was this unstoppable Angel of Death. He just kept circling tighter and tighter around Caroline and I was breathlessly awaiting the moment when he would strike. Part of my unease about this book was knowing that Max was physically unable to protect her. Of course this is fiction and the good guys must triumph but it definitely made it more interesting in an edge-of-your-seat sort of way. Max wasn't some ex-soldier or FBI agent who knew how to save the day. He was a handicapped history professor and while he was certainly willing to put himself in harms way for Caroline and her son, when push came to shove, he had a bad leg. This leaves most of the hope for Caroline's survival on her own shoulders and I loved that. I loved reading about her facing her husband again, thwarting him even and challenging his dominion over her. I loved it. As this is my first time listening to Michael Ferraiuolo, I did not know what to expect. I am pleased to say he did a great job. He had a huge cast of characters, varying emotions working with and he handled it quite well. I had no difficulty figuring the voices as he spoke distinctly. I would listen to more of his work. I can't give Have You Seen Her the same accolades as I've given the other Rose books, minus Nothing To Fear.

Public prosecutor J.P. “Kaj” Cardozo has only lived in New Orleans for six months, and he’s already working on a high-profile celebrity sexual assault case that’s made headlines all over the country. But when his son becomes the target of a kidnapping attempt as a threat to Kaj, he is desperate to keep him safe and turns to a private investigative firm famous for their protection services. I will definitely read more from this author in the future. There are plenty of books there to choose from. The romance is compelling mostly due to the amazing chemistry between Steven and Jenna. This makes their relationship believable despite the relatively short time span. Given his history, Steven is an extremely vulnerable hero, which may explain his trust issues and reservations where it comes to accepting Jenna wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, his jealousy can be annoying at times. Jenna is my favorite type of heroine, caring and sympathetic but also holds her own against hesitant policemen and diabolical serial killers.

The serial killer plot is well done with some excellent twists and turns although a careful reader will find it very easy to identify the culprit. This was my second read by author Karen Rose, and it's a very good romantic suspense; but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as her first book, Don't Tell. The plot is tightly drawn, the villain is uber creepy, scary, and sadistic, the heroine, teacher Jenna Marshall, is spunky and endearing, and the suspense is edgy and intense, but the hero, Special Agent Steven Thatcher, who played a key role in Don't Tell, really got on my nerves in this one. For decades, Eden has remained hidden in the remote wilds of the Pacific Northwest, “Pastor” keeping his cult's followers in thrall for his personal profit and sexual pleasures. But the Founding Elders are splintering, and Pastor's surrogate son DJ is scheming to make it all his own. Is it feeling a little hot in here? I think it’s a little hot in here. Could it be ‘cause it’s hot as Satan’s oven outside?