The Witness by Nora Roberts

Title: The Witness

Author: Nora Roberts

Genre: Contemporary

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security  systems—and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail’s reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something—and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

There is a reason that 200 books later Nora Roberts is the queen of romance. She knows how to craft a story with a hero and a heroine that make you fall in love with them, and a story that makes complete sense for them.

One of the things I really like about this book is that it starts when Liz is 16 and we get to see what caused Liz to rebel against her mother and set everything in motion. When it then moves to 12 years later her being the way she was made absolute perfect sense, because we saw how she was raised and why and how she went into hiding.

Brooks is one of those perfect Nora heroes. He’s confident and secure in who he is and what he wants. When he moved back home to become the sheriff of his small town he knew that it was time for the next phase in his life. When he meets Abigail he’s at first intrigued and then fascinated with.

The relationship between Abigail and Brooks was a seamless slide into love. While they had their fights (what couple doesn’t) he understands her and only pushes so far into her space, until she accepts him there and then he pushes some more.

The secondary cast of characters help to make this story that much better. Brooks parents and sisters, the other officers in his department, and the people that drive Brooks nuts in his town. They manage to bring another dimension to the story that makes Brooks and Abigail richer characters.

This book is the reason that I love Nora. She creates interesting characters, a plot and story line progression that is very seamless in its progression. As soon as I was done I wanted to start all over again.

Grade: A