Rating: 
Summary: Liked it - Didn't Love it
Review: I have read all of Luanne Rice's books to date and would say that she is one of my favorite authors. I grew up in southern Rhode Island so I am familiar with many of the landmarks that she mentions. As I read, I can envision the scenarios and hear the surf pounding the shore. That being said, I wasn't as crazy about this book as I have been about her others. I don't want to give away the ending, but I thought it was just a little too far-fetched to be believable. However, I did like her development of the characters and the interaction between John and his children. That was real. I guess you can't win them all.
Rating:
Summary: Liked it - Didn't Love it
Review: I have read all of Luanne Rice's books to date and would say that she is one of my favorite authors. I grew up in southern Rhode Island so I am familiar with many of the landmarks that she mentions. As I read, I can envision the scenarios and hear the surf pounding the shore. That being said, I wasn't as crazy about this book as I have been about her others. I don't want to give away the ending, but I thought it was just a little too far-fetched to be believable. However, I did like her development of the characters and the interaction between John and his children. That was real. I guess you can't win them all.
Rating: 
Summary: REALLY ENJOY THIS AUTHOR
Review: I hope Luanne Rice writes a sequel to this book. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wish the ending had more of an explanation. It ended quickly without a "wrap up"; you found out "who" but not "why".
Rating:
Summary: REALLY ENJOY THIS AUTHOR
Review: I hope Luanne Rice writes a sequel to this book. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wish the ending had more of an explanation. It ended quickly without a "wrap up"; you found out "who" but not "why".
Rating:
Summary: REALLY ENJOY THIS AUTHOR
Review: I hope Luanne Rice writes a sequel to this book. As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I wish the ending had more of an explanation. It ended quickly without a "wrap up"; you found out "who" but not "why".
Rating: 
Summary: Her best book yet!
Review: I made the mistake of starting the book while at work. I had all I could do to put it down long enough to drive home and get ready for bed! This is a great departure from her usual story lines, so I think that may be one reason I really dove into it. The other reason, and probably the biggest reason, is that I'm a paralegal and can easily put myself in John O'Rouke's position. However, I didn't expect the book to end the way it did. It was a cool, surprising twist at the end. I'm still trying to decide, though, whether the last chapter was a good ending. I think they might have left a couple chapters out!
Rating:
Summary: A Bit More Graphic
Review: I really enjoyed this book. If you're a fan of CSI, it won't bother you. This book is great, I love the story line. My friends in book club said it was a bit hard for them to handle at times and would not read it home alone. I think it's up to you. It's a good conversation piece, and I found it a quick read.
Rating:
Summary: Finished it in 2 days!
Review: I think this was one of Luanne Rice's best books. It's definitely different from the others I've read, but in a good way. I liked that she wrote a book with some suspense. Kind of a change. She did a good job with the new aspect. She still kept in her trademarks of the East coast & beauty surrounding it as well as the love story & the family story. Great book! She's my new favorite author.
Rating: 
Summary: Mixed Vibes
Review: I've read more of Rice's books than I can recall, but I think this is the first one that prompted me to write a review. Most of her books I've enjoyed but this one was over the top. Hard to find someone in this to really like, maybe Teddy showing a maturity beyond his years. Although John has had time to get over his wife's betrayal and death, learning she was going to leave him anyway, he has his head so inside himself he can't see his kids. Teddy does the best he can for his sister just 3 years younger, but she shows no maturity at all, not enough to even take baths. I agree with others that the ending was just too much and to have it all crammed into the last 3 or 4 pages it was mind boggling. Too bad John didn't wake up and become aware of his surroundings sooner. The story was very slow moving and in all those pages no new territory was covered at all, just more of the same. The only thing that would have topped the ending would have been to have Merrill break out of his high security death row cell. You tell me how John and Katy can find any peace in their minds and hearts to have a life together, is beyond me. They are too damaged and traumatized.
Rating:
Summary: powerful legal romantic thriller
Review: In Connecticut, defense attorney John O'Rourke struggles with his moral dilemma of defending some of society's worse monsters to insure they have a fair trail and the requirements of a single dad raising two youngsters by himself. The townsfolk treat John like a pariah especially with his current case, defending Greg Merrill, the Breakwater Killer. The latest incident is a brick tossed threw his kitchen window that two cops blithely write it off as if John was the criminal. Immediately following the brick incident, Kate Harris arrives at the O'Rourke residence. She wants John to ascertain whether his infamous client killed her sister, who vanished without the body recovered. As Kate helps the O'Rourkes heal from the loss of their mother, she falls in love with the trio. The kids welcome her into their lives, but John is reluctant as he feels guilt over his spouse's cheating while he overly worked on defending the dregs. THE SECRET HOUR is a powerful legal romantic thriller that is at its best when John, living up to the Dershowitz credo that a "good lawyer should want to take the hardest cases, the most unpopular defendants", must defend himself and his children from his neighbors. Readers will feel his strength from the start when John thinks back on an incident at an ice cream parlor with his young daughter involving the condemnation by a senior citizen. The story line is fast-paced yet obvious, but romantic suspense fans and legal thriller buffs will want to read this close look at the toll of defending death row convicts on the personal lives of an attorney and his family. Harriet Klausner
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