Customer Reviews

Carolina Moon

5 star:		(115)
4 star:		(49)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

Once again Nora Roberts visits the south and spinns a marvelous tale. Tory just "knows things," which gets her in trouble with her Bible thumping father. Her only friend understands her,and they have a deep friendhsip as only two young girls can during the summer between childhood and adolesence. This leads to tragedy, and this is where Nora Roberts glows in her writing. Returning home after self-exile, Tory discovers Kincade, and the story takes off from there. She weaves the threads of youthful friends, tragic death, and "knowing things," artfully to grab the reader and wring you dry. This has to be the BEST Nora Roberts book yet. You might want to check out "Carnal Innocence," an earlier work, also with a southern setting, but equally gripping story line.

I don't know how Nora Roberts consistently creates stories and characters that alternately have you laughing and crying, in between being scared to death, but I am so glad that she does.

Tory is one of her best heroines to date and Cade is her match. The love between Tory and her murdered little friend, Hope, is touching, real and tragic as Tory keeps "seeing" Hope's murder over and over. Tory's efforts to deal with Hope's death after almost 20 years and solve her murder, as well as come to terms with her abusive father, is a very compelling read. In addition, there is a great secondary love story for Cade's remaining sister, Faith.

The action and suspense keep building and the identity of the killer is a shock.

Can't wait for her next book. Thank God she is such a quick (and Fabulous) author.

With some authors, you read one book, and you've read them all....the plots are just so similar. Not so with Nora Roberts. Carolina Moon is another wonderful story, with the main character, Tory, bringing a smile to your face with her wit, just after you've grabbed a kleenex to wipe away a tear for what she has endured in her life. Ms. Roberts makes you feel the terror that Tory feels as she unwillingly "sees" things she wishes she didn't. Her characters and storyline are so well developed that you find yourself drawn into the action as if you were there yourself. As with most of her books, I only put it down with great reluctance and almost finished it in one sitting.

Carolina Moon was fascinating with Tory Bodeen's psychic ability adding an spooky quality to the story. When Tory decides to return home to open a store she also decides she will put to rest her tragic past. A past the includes the murder of her best friend and the memories of a brutal father.

There is a romance that develops between Tory and Cade, her deceased best friend's brother. A friendship is also developed between Tory and Faith, her deceased best friend's twin sister.

I was falling in love with the town, feeling like the characters were my friends too, and all around impressed with Robert's technical skill in this novel. Nora Roberts knows how to deliver a great romantic and suspenseful novel. Carolina Moon is no exception!

I've always been able to depend on Nora Roberts for an entertaining story, but her latest works have been top of the line storytelling at it's best. Carolina Moon is a bit more gritty and earthy than some of her prior novels. It's a well rounded read, filled with complex characters and intense plot lines. Tory, the heroine, is quite engaging, not a simpering southern belle, but a deep individual coming to terms with her past as well as looking towards her future. Cade, as the understanding hero of the book, is not just a spoiled rich boy, but a man who tries his best to be a fair person in a climate where right isn't always the most popular course to follow. With supporting characters that are just as interesting as the leads, this book is a can't-put-down kind of story, with nail-biting intensity. It's Nora Roberts at her best!

Tory Bodeen and Hope Lavelle were inseparable eight year olds. When Tory is unable to meet Hope at their special place after a beating from her father, Hope is goes alone and is murdered. Due to her psychic ability, Tory is able to see it as it happens and leads the Lavelle's to Hope. Unfortunately it is too late, and no one believes her about her gift. She hasn't been back for 18 years but is compelled to return because Tory's murder still haunts her.

Cade Lavelle has always had a soft spot for Tory, and was left feeling empty when she left so many years ago. When he tries to get close to Tory, she rebuffs him because her second sight offends most people she comes in contact with. They feel uncomfortable about the secrets that are revealed to her. Cade eventually wins her over with his sexiness and charm. When Hope's killer takes another life, they realize they can't move forward until the past is put to rest.

The characters in this story are so strong and well developed. Tory and Cade are wonderful, but so are the supporting characters like Wade and Faith. The romance is to die for, and the mystery will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very end.

For some reason I didn't like this new book by Nora Roberts. It seems to me that there is not a strong relationship between Cade and Tory. I don't think her characters had as much depth as they usually do in her books. Nora is still my favorite author, but I would suggest her mystery books, by J.D.Robb pseudonym, as a better alternative to Carolina Moon. Witness in Death was just released and it was excellent.

WOW! This book was excellent - I was up until 3:00 AM reading it because I could not put it down. I loved the characters in this novel, especially Faith. The book kept me guessing until the end as to who the killer was (and what a shock it was). A must read!

I couldn't wait for this book to come out and I wasn't disappointed! Nora Roberts sometimes gets accused (sometimes justly so) of making her heroines weak and dependent, but Tory doesn't fit that mold no matter how much she herself feels she may fall apart. Which doesn't mean she doesn't come to need and depend on Cade, the wonderful brother of her childhood friend who comes back into her life. It just means that, having taking control of her life and become her own master, she's finally ready to share that life with someone who's not looking to control it. The relationship between these two was very realistic, very sweet, and a necessary part of Tory's healing process from her abusive childhood. As a murder mystery, there were few real "clues" as to who the killer was, but I did guess halfway through. This didn't diminish my enjoyment, it just made me want to see if I was right. I also noticed the screw-up other readers have mentioned that the author made in terms of the timing of the murders -- I wondered if in editing all the dates got mistaken by 10 years or so. After puzzling over the inconsistencies and then reading the reviews on this website where other people noticed the same thing, I let it go and didn't let it hinder my enjoyment of the book at all. It'll get fixed in the next printing. Lastly, I agree the ending was fairly abrupt. The book definitely could have used an epilogue or something so that the reader would get some payoff and see Tory and Cade happy, Faith restored (pardon the pun), and Progress healed. All in all, an excellent, page-turning story.

Tory Bodeen is blessed or cursed (however one may view it) with the gift of 2nd sight. Just about everyone in town is either afraid of her or fears her. Her best friend, Hope was murdered and Tory sensed her friend's demise. I've read many Nora Robert's books and this one was one of the spookiest. I like the way the author let Tory have conversations with Hope through dreams that didn't appear to be quite dreamy. There was one scene when Tory had fallen asleep while Hope's killer is nearby and Hope warns her. I felt a chill up my spine when Tory pops up out of her sleep like a jack-in-the-box. I liked Cade, too. He was able to empathize with Tory, even though his mother blamed her for Hope's death. He was earnest in his feelings for Tory, even though she's afraid to get close to anyone, thanks to Hope's death and past child abuse. Hope's twin sister even comes around, despite being jealous of Tory and Hope's friendship. If you like reading a story with a good mix of mystery and paranormal, this one's a good bet.