Rating: 
Summary: Romance and Murder together again in another Hoag
Review: Tami Hoag has written another thriller, murder mystery that I couldn't put down. The story begins as the main character, Marilee Jennings, is driving to Montana after she has quit her job as a court stenographer and decided to go to Montana where her friend Lucy MacAdam moved the year before. When she arrives, she discovers Lucy's cabin torn apart and that Lucy has been dead for over a week, the apparent victim of an accidental shooting. Marilee decides to stay so she might learn what really happened to her friend Lucy. J.D. Rafferty, Lucy's neighbor makes her feel most unwelcome in the town and there seems to be a division in the town about the many rich California people who are buying property in New Eden. Marilee finds out that she is Lucy's heir and that she has inherited her small farm. Tami Hoag has, once again, created a rich story set in an attractive town. The tension and developing relationship between Marilee and J.D. Rafferty is intriguing and adds to the mystery of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Sizzling!
Review: Need something to take the chill off these cold winter nights? Snuggle up with a sizzling book by Tami Hoag. Part romance, mostly thriller, Hoag's books combine well-drawn characters, believable dialogue, and page-turning suspense to create can't-put-it-down excitement. And, I've never been able to figure out "whodunit" before the author reveals the culprit!
"DARK PARADISE" is a personal favorite of mine. Set in Montana, it is a story of greed, lust, blackmail, and murder. Marilee Jennings has just ditched her fiance', job, and California lifestyle. Hoping to decompress and regroup, Mari heads to Montana to visit her old friend Lucy. Unfortunately, when she arrives, Lucy is dead. The official ruling is a hunting accident, but too many pieces of the puzzle point to murder. Mari puts herself in danger when she starts poking into the circumstances of Lucy's death. Caught in the increasing hostilities between the new, rich Hollywood types taking over the town and buying up the surrounding land, and the area ranchers fighting to maintain the way of life they've lived for generations, Mari must find a way to make a life for herself in the land she has come to love. But first, she has to survive. Nina M.
Rating: 
Summary: Not her best
Review: In my opinion, this was not Hoag's best work. I found it predictable and the story line weak. I typically enjoy Hoag's work but this was not my favorite.
Rating:
Summary: CLASSIC ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Review: I've been a fan of Tami Hoag's since her Loveswept romance days, and have read nearly everything she has written. Still Waters (a personal favorite of mine) was Ms. Hoag's first foray into romantic suspense. Dark Paradise followed, and with each successive novel, she stepped further away from romance and further into the pschological thrillers she is most known for today. This is important to know if you're considering buying a book by Tami Hoag for the first time. It's easy to be disappointed by making a book selection that isn't your cup of tea, b/c she has written the gamut. Dark Paradise is primarily a romance with elements of suspense and a mystery at the heart of it. It is, in my opinion, a terrific book. I have recommended it to friends who read romance, mysteries and horror -- all have liked it without exception. Marilee, the heroine has arrived in Montana to visit a friend on vacation and take stock of her life. She arrives to find the friend dead, under mysterious circumstances that no one besides her seems to care about. This is the mystery: who really killed Lucy and was it truly an accident? Marilee is a great heroine, smart and plucky and creative without being the slightest bit perfect. You can imagine knowing someone just like her. Her run-ins with the reluctant rancher hero JD (who knew Lucy and doesn't care what happened to her as long as it doesn't affect his ranch or way of life) are classic romance-type exchanges, but they're never pat. That's one hallmark of Ms. Hoag's, no matter what genre she's writing for - the characters rarely take the easy way out. They're too real for that. If you enjoy Ms. Hoag's more edgy and psychological-horror books (ie. Ashes to Ashes), then you may still enjoy Dark Paradise as a precursor, stylistically. If you were a fan of books like Magic and Sarah's Sin, this one will take you down a darker path moving away from romance. I highly recommend this book to most anyone who asks me. It's one of my all-time favorites. Give it a try.
Rating: 
Summary: Romance Novel Masquerading As A Mystery
Review: "Dark Paradise" is the first Tami Hoag book I ever read. I bought it because of the attractive, moody front cover, plus the synopsis on the back didn't sound too bad. Basically, it said Marilee Jennings, an ex-court reporter, left California for New Eden, Montana, to visit her friend (Lucy MacAdam) and remained to uncover the truth of her friend's death. But you wouldn't have guessed that was the plot after reading the book. However, before I start criticizing, let me introduce the main characters. Marilee is the protagonist in "Dark Paradise"; J. D. Rafferty is the rugged cowboy who had shared the late Lucy MacAdam's bed before jumping to Marilee's. It's a common formula Tami Hoag uses in her books: outwardly strong leading lady falls for tough, macho guy. Although I'm not much into romance novels, I'm sure a lot of Hoag's fans enjoy her books for this common thread. Then there's J. D.'s brother Will who's constantly having problems with monogamy, which compels his wife to associate with the Hollywood crowd that has invaded Montana. Among this group is Evan Bryce, a well-to-do man who's interested in Lucy's land and has one unusual relationship with his female cousin (who I kept expecting to be a man because of the repeated references to her manly looks). There are several other nonexistent characters--such as J. D.'s crazy uncle who is a suspect in Lucy's death--, but most of them are easily forgotten and insignificant in the end. "Dark Paradise" is more of a romance book than a mystery. It's almost pointless to try and guess the killer because there's hardly any real suspense. Also, Lucy barely seems important to the story since she's rarely brought up. Several times I forgot why Marilee was remaining in Montana (besides J. D., of course). However, it is well-written and pretty entertaining. Only attempt this book if you like Tami Hoag's romantic suspense and verbosity (500+ pages). If you're looking for a good scare, you might try her other mystery books (Night Sins, Ashes to Ashes).
Rating: 
Summary: Very Disappointing
Review: This book is disappointing, especially after many of Hoag's other books. It goes on and on, and on and on, and nothing happens. I must admit I haven't finished the book yet; I'm on p.329, and nothing has happened, except that Lucy has been killed, which we found out on p.11.
Rating:
Summary: Don't read this on a full stomach...
Review: Middle-aged woman of the world abandons her California digs and drives to Montana. She plans a surprise visit to share her remorse for life with her long-time girl friend that moved there some time ago. However, the girl with a life of never-ending trauma arrives to find her host has been murdered and the locals are strangely silent about the matter. Hoagg thinly attempts to stir up a complicated mêlée of celebrity-studded conspiracy that involves all the Hollywood notoriety her imagination can concoct. This book was entertaining not for the storyline, but for the idea that the author has any talent. The main female character is a bundle of hormonally-imbalanced drama, alternating between total self absorption and self-imposed crisis. Like Hoag's other stories, the main drama queen fights off the advances of some big, strapping lumberjack of a guy because she immediately considers him a threat. Mighty Man seduces her and she falls hopelessly in love. Warning, dear reader: Don't read this on a full stomach. Hoag fails miserably in her attempts to write the way a man thinks, unless he too is a drama queen in lumberjack's tight-fitting jeans and work boots. If a man thought the way she writes, he would certainly carry a purse and hit on all the other lumberjacks. Additionally, this author's imagination has decided that all of Hollywood loves to hang out with each other all over the world, even while on a weekend retreat in the wilds of Montana. Would you spend a weekend with your co-workers if you didn't have to? There are much better things to read.
Rating:
Summary: Murder Mystery and Hot Romance all in One
Review: If you are a past reader of romance stories you will love this one. This is a very intriguing murder mystery with a few hot love scenes thrown in for an added touch. Marilee is about to change her life forever she leaves all behind in California and moves to Montana to visit a girlfriend who will let her hang out to recoup. I love the comment "it started out as a bad hair day and then went downhill" most of us have had that feeling at one time or another. She arrives to find that her friend is dead, though the case is supposed to be open/shut accident Marilee isn't buying it. There is a lot of interesting information and side characters that are developed in this book. I particularly like the interaction between the locals and the "celebrities" and how they clash. I can see this completely in my mind! If you want a good book pick this one up in either audio or paperback!
Rating:
Summary: Great Romance and Mystery
Review: Dark Paradise is a very well thought book. With mystery and romance it makes a great all in one book. Plus I like how the woman in the book, Marilee, never gives up. Plus the cowboy, J.D., isn't so bad himself. Even though he give her a tough time all through the book, you still can't help but love him at the end.
Rating:
Summary: heavy on the romance, but only a few moments of suspense
Review: Marilee Jennings moves to Montana to be with her friend, Lucy. Unfortunately, she discovers her friend was killed in what the sheriff calls a hunting accident. Too many clues lead Marilee to think it wasn't an accident, so she decides to stay and find the truth. She develops a love/hate relationship with a cowboy, who struggles to maintain the purity of the land in the midst of the Hollywood crowd. The rich villain maintains a cast of high power friends and a wacko cousin who immediately gives everybody the creeps. It wasn't too hard to discriminate the good guys from the bad guys. What disappointed me, was the concentration of the romance story at the end, rather than wrapping up the loose ends of the mystery. I never understood the fate of the lawyer. Ms Hoag's writing style is excellent if you like to put a book down for a few days and pick it up later. The story develops very slowly, as she adds an unusual amount of background and description. Much of the description is not necessary for the reader to retain, but rather to just enjoy.
| 
