Tribute

April 7, 2008
Roberts sets her underwhelming latest in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where former child star Cilla McGowan rehabs her famous grandmother's long-neglected farm. Cilla's movie-star grandmother, the Marilyn Monroe–like Janet Hardy, who died mysteriously on the farm at age 39, haunts Cilla as she transforms the former hideaway of the rich and famous into habitable living space and tries to resolve whether Janet committed suicide or was murdered. While cleaning out the attic, Cilla unearths a collection of unsigned love letters to Janet from a local suitor, which adds spice to the puzzle of Janet's death. Meanwhile, Cilla's hunky graphic novelist neighbor, Ford Sawyer, provides the requisite sizzle and encourages Cilla to follow her dream of becoming a top-notch building contractor—much to the dismay of Cilla's headline-hungry diva mother. Amid the demolition and sheet rocking, Cilla comes up against a disgruntled local, and a series of unnerving threats and occurrences (vandalism, torched Cilla dolls) almost unhinges Cilla. The terror tactics (and the revelation of who is behind them) are half-baked and distract from what's ostensibly a girl meets boy, boy wants girl, girl finally wants boy story.

April 15, 2008
Cilla McGowan always sold the properties she bought and then rebuilt, but this time Cilla planned on keeping the place for herself. Cilla knew restoring her grandmothers retreat in the Shenandoah Valley would take lots of time, money, and hard work since no one had lived there since Cillas grandmotherglamorous Hollywood actress Janet Hardycommitted suicide 30 years ago. What Cilla hadnt factored into her plans was just how distracting her sexy new neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer, would be. Or that after Cilla discovers a packet of her grandmothers letters, someone in the small town will stop at nothing to keep some secrets buried in the past. Once again the extraordinarily imaginative, prolific, and popular Robertscreates acast of magnetic and superbly nuanced characters and a cleverly orderedplot spiced with subtle suspense and sexy romance.She alsoevinces a dry wit thatserves to enhance the sheer pleasure of her latestcompletely captivating novel of danger and desire.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)