Nikki’s review of Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento, Book 1) by Karen Rose
Romantic Suspense published by Berkley 12 Feb 19
If you’ve been thinking about trying Karen Rose but find the sheer length of her various series overwhelming, now is the time to give her a shot! Say You’re Sorry begins a new series and although all her series are tangentially related to one another, there’s no need to read anything else before starting this one.
Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has tried hard to put his past behind him. He escaped the violence of his cult upbringing when he was just thirteen, and since then routine and discipline have been his way of making sense of the world. But when a petite blonde woman crashes into his life, he begins to realize that a little bit of chaos might not be so bad.
Daisy Dawson has had more than her fair share of pain too—but she’s done being a victim. Daisy’s determined to explore every new experience she can—including getting to know the dark and serious FBI investigator she meets when she fights off a masked attacker one night.
It soon becomes clear that Daisy’s attack was just the beginning. Now the bloodied bodies of young women are showing up all over California, and, as Gideon tries to find the killer, it’s clear that Daisy is in more danger than they ever realized.
Rose’s novels are romantic suspense and they average out to a 50/50 romance/suspense mix. That said, some are heavier on suspense, some are heavier on romance. Because this is the first novel in a new series, there’s a good deal of “setup,” but it doesn’t get in the way of the fast-moving plot or the developing romance. As we watch, Daisy and Gideon’s relationship isn’t built so much as recognized. Not quite insta-love (which would drive me crazy), but each of them recognizes almost immediately that there is something special about the other person. That bond develops with little interpersonal friction.
Because so much of the conflict in this novel is external, this particular book seems better developed as a thriller than a romance—probably 70/30—and I am hoping to see Daisy and Gideon’s relationship develop further when they become secondary characters in further books in the series. Because there will be more. There are secondary characters aplenty in Say You’re Sorry, and every one is given just enough page time to make a reader want to explore more of their lives.
Say You’re Sorry has two thriller plots. The first is the serial killer narrative, the man who attacks Daisy at the beginning of the novel and sets everything in motion. The second is Gideon’s backstory and that one remains unresolved at the end of the novel and will likely be an over-arching question for the whole series. As often happens to me, I found it more compelling than the simpler “whodunit” and will definitely be coming back when Rose’s next book releases to read the next set of clues!
Grade: B+
Summary:
There is a serial killer on the loose, preying on vulnerable women. The only identifiable mark the killer leaves are letters—sometimes one, sometimes two—all carved into the torsos of his victims. Together they spell “Sydney.”
When he grabs Daisy Dawson, he believes he has found his next victim. But despite her small stature, she fights back with an expertise that quickly frees her. Before fleeing the scene, Daisy also manages to grab what proves to be crucial evidence: a necklace from around the killer’s neck.
The necklace is more than a trivial item—it is a link to a cold case that Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has been tracking for seventeen years. With Daisy’s help, Gideon finally has the opportunity to get closer to the truth than ever before.
But they might not get the chance, as the serial killer has a new target: Gideon and Daisy.
No excerpt available.
