Product Description

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is a long way from Hollywood. And that’s exactly how Cilla McGowan wants it. Cilla, a former child star who has found more satisfying work as a restorer of old houses, has come to her grandmother’s farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs—but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla’s dreams. And during waking hours, Cilla is haunted by her melodramatic, five-times-married mother, who carried on in the public spotlight and never gave her a chance at a normal childhood. By coming east, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to find some kind of normalcy for herself.
Plunging into the project with gusto, she’s almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer—but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor (not to mention his delightfully ugly dog, Spock) are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford’s quirky charm, but she can’t help indulging in a little fantasy.
But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died—and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can’t help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may—like her world-famous grandmother— be cut down in the prime of her life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1114 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

From Publishers Weekly
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. (July)
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From AudioFile
Cilla McGowan, former child star and granddaughter of the legendary actress Janet Hardy, moves to her late grandmother's Virginia farm to make a new start and to bring the once famous house back to life. Little does she know that someone in her grandmother's past doesn't want her there to solve old mysteries, and that person will go to any length to drive her out. Jennifer Van Dyck brings all the Southern characters to life: Cilla's handsome love interest, Ford Sawyer, her petulant mother, her latest stepfather, and her hippie ex-husband. The dialogue is witty, the characters interesting, and the story a thriller filled with the unexpected. Most worthwhile. A.C.P. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Review
“Nora Roberts is amazing.”
--Janet Evanovich

Customer Reviews

Wow! One of Nora's best - a must read.

IMO one of the best books NR has ever written. From the moment I read the first sentences I was hooked up in the story and felt like I was actually part of it. The feeling was the same when I first read "Angels Fall" and that's another one of my favs.
The book is acout Cilla McGowan who just recently bought her grandmothers old farm to renovate it and finally build up a home for herself. Cilla's family is not an ordinary one with her grandmother being a famous Hollywood legend who comitted suicide, a mother who tries to step in the old ladies shoes but can't fill them, a father Cilla hasn't met too often and Cilla herself who was pushed in the spotlight buy her ruthless mother but is more interested in finding her own way.
In the present Cilla plans to live in her fathers hometown hoping to get some roots there, a better relationship with her dad and she also plans to start her own business (renovating and selling houses). That's a lot to work on even for a strong woman like Cilla but fortunately for her she has one sexy new neighbour, Ford Sawyer, who is more than willing to help her out whenever he can.
Ford is not you typical alpha hero, he is so much more than that and way better than an alpha. He's always there when Cilla needs his strong shoulder to lean on but he also knows when to step back because Cilla needs to manage a situation by herself. He is also funny, intelligent, in a great shape and has the weirdest dog ever - to make this short, he is perfect for Cilla.
Cilla is not to sure about where her future is going to take her but she can't resist Ford's charm and realizes that he may be a big part of her new life.
All could be perfect if not for one very annyoning mother, an old family enemy and mysteroius events taking place at Cilla's new home which threatens her and her beloved ones.
But with the help of Ford, her father and some old and new friends Cilla is the woman to solve the mysteries surrounding her grandmothers life and death.
This book is so perfect that I already read through it several times and I can recommend it without reservations to everyone who loves a good romance. The main characters are awsome (I love Cilla and Ford, they are one of my favourite couples) and the minor characters (especially Cilla's ex Steve is the hit) are great too. Cilla's new family and her friends are one great group.So all in all Nora did it again and wrote a book that is so special and good that for me there is no doubt why she is the queen of romance.
Hurry, get yourself a copy and read on.
Enjoy.
S.M.

I love Nora Robert's books
This book didn't grab my attention right away like most Nora Robert's books do. The beginning is a little slow, introducing all the characters and building the story on the past. However, it quickly picked up in the middle and surprised me in the end as to who the character was behind the terrorizing of Cilla, and of Janet. I loved the relationship that builds between Ford and Cilla and also between Cilla and her father. Another great book by Nora Roberts!

June Nolen author of In Reverse Time
I bought Tribute in large print which I always look for. Nora Roberts is an outstanding author. There is no question about that.
When Cilla, a child star, returns to her grandmother's home in Virginia, she has left Hollywood and her mother behind to lead a quieter life. She has learned to FLIP houses and is a whiz with tools. She meets Ford, who lives across the street with his dog, a real character, and they become involved. Her grandmother commited suicide in the house. In the attic she finds old letters that point to the fact that her grandmother was pregnant at the time of her death and that the father, possibly someone from the community, didn't want the baby.
I love a mystery and the found letters were a mystery to solve. I personally got lost in all the different characters and how they were related to each other. I stayed confused and had to re-read a lot of the book, back-tracking to find out who was who. I don't believe this is a book I will keep or re-read but I did like the main characters very much.
Not one of Nora Roberts best but enjoyable all the same.