Customer Reviews

Riptide

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Carroll's writing in Riptide, but to call this book romantic suspense is like saying Lord of the Rings is a children's story. The only sex in the book is violent and deviant in nature--and I don't mean in a good way--and while there are hints of romance among side characters it certainly isn't enough to warrant the tag of romance. The main character is no protagonist, which, while making her very realistic, also makes it difficult to like her. In other words, she's more of a neutral-tagonist, if there were such a word. I suppose, since the R word was used in the genre tag, that I expected a happy ending. At best this is an "oh good, she survived" ending. More than once I shook the book in anger and frustration; that's a sign of good writing, that I was so involved with the story, but boy, did I want better things for the main character.

This is the second book by Margaret Carroll I've read. I'd call it suspense thriller rather than romance. And what a story! The characters are very believable, the writing is great, and I couldn't put it down. If you're looking for something that'll grab your attention and keep it, this is a good bet. It's a book that doesn't disappoint.

I loved this book and the earlier A Dark Love. This new authors' treatment of suspense merits reading all her works.

This author was new to me...I was looking for a new book to read and came across this one and with the high ratings it received, I figured it would be a good read. Wrong....the characters, especially the main one, left much to be desired. I never really got into any of the various personalities and felt that too much information was left out...Too much violent/deviant sex for my appetite...definitely not a "romance" and neither a "mystery" novel, just a lot of words forming no real story. I found the chapters toward the "ending" to be ridiculous

I've read both of Margaret Carroll's romantic suspense novels, and they were both riveting. However, I really wish she had fleshed out the characters and plotline in Riptide a bit. I was through the book and done long before I wanted to give up the people and the situations they found themselves in. I kind of had a is-that-all moment at the final chapter. Even so, Ms. Carroll presented us with a heroine (?) that wasn't necessarily very lovable, but compelling in her neediness and incredibly poor life choices. I'm looking forward to her next book.

I'd like to read her two previous romance novels, but they are pretty expensive...and there is no paperback edition.

This was the first book I've read by this author - and although I enjoyed it - I think perhaps it should not be described as romantic suspense - but instead suspense-thriller.

Margaret Carroll's latest book is a must-read. She writes suspense that keeps you turning the page, wondering if the wonderfully-flawed heroine would get her life back on track or end up in even more trouble than she could possibly imagine. Margaret provides the reader with a clear picture of all her characters - from Christina Cardiff to the police detectives investigating her husband's death to the people she meets in rehab - you get a good feel of who these people are. The suspense kept me turning the page. I couldn't put it down.

Alcoholic Christina Cardiff enters rehab in an exclusive facility in the Midwest to deal with her drinking problem. Her school age son Tyler is vacationing in France with his paternal grandparents and her spouse Jason fails to accompany her; instead he chose to remain in the Hamptons or Manhattan. She is not sure which. She is there for a few days when she learns her Wall St spouse Jason is dead found in the pool.

Forced out of rehab and back to East Hampton, she returns to alcohol and her lover Daniel Cunningham. As Daniel takes over much of her life, Christina receives a second shocker when the police suspect her of killing her husband. While she tries to remain sober, she also faces a real threat over custody of Tyler.

This is a powerful vivid character study with no engaging protagonists as the cast is hedonistic and selfish. The profound story line looks deep at a self-destructive individual who has plenty going for her yet seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time. With a suspenseful final spin into a deadly RIPTIDE, Margaret Carroll provides the audience with a strong thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Another winner from Margaret Carroll! From the first page to the last, I could not put this one down. The characterization was impeccable and the plot development impressive. This is a well-developed and exciting novel. The story invites us into another world of intrigue and suspense. Once again, I felt like I was right there, with the characters, as they negotiated the impressive worlds they live in. Wonderful story!

I've been following this author for a while and I like her. This is her 4th novel. The first 2 novels were romantic (The Write Match and The True Match), this book was quite a departure from them. Her 3rd novel,"A Dark Love" (an ending you won't soon forget),was her first foray into writing thrillers. This is the 2nd, and I'm glad she branched out. This book was full of twists and turns, which led to an ending I can't get out of my mind. Without graphic sex or love scenes Margaret manages to tell a story that is both sexy and very disturbing, I couldn't get the morality (or lack thereof) behind it out of my head. It reminded me of a scandalous murder that took place in beautiful East Hampton a few years back, where an electrician was convicted of the murder of his mistress' husband. I wonder if the Pelosi murder trial was her inspiration, if so, it was a good one. Though the book has a really nice romantic element(which makes for a hope filled ending, mostly left to the readers imagination)the story itself is quite scary. Sounds like a cliche, but the characters were so vivid I felt the weight of what they were feeling, and then some! Prepare to have sleepless nights if you read this one! We all know someone like this woman!