Tribute

by Nora Roberts

book data

1,536 ratings, 3.81 average rating, 303 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		26%
4		36%
3		31%
2		5%
1		0%

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published

July 8th 2008 by Putnam

binding

Hardcover, 451 pages

characters

Cilla McGowan, Ford Sawyer

setting

The United States

isbn

0399154914 (isbn13: 9780399154911)

description

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a long way from Hollywood. And that’s exactly how Cilla McGowan likes ...more

[close] Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a long way from Hollywood. And that’s exactly how Cilla McGowan likes it.

Cilla, a former child star, has found a more satisfying life working with her hands to restore homes from floor to ceiling - and has come here to her grandmother's farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one had been able to save her grandmother, legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a golden voice and 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 ago. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla's dreams. And during her 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 to the East Coast, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to take a shot at finding some kind of normalcy for herself.

Cilla has her work cut out for her - the house, once a place of comfort and simple rural beauty, is long neglected, crumbling, the grounds chocked by weeds. Plunging into the project with gusto, she's almost too busy and exhausted 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 carry on 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 house's cluttered attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters, tied with a faded red ribbon, suggestion that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died - and that the father of her child 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 cruel and 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. [close]

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04/04/08

Isis FG rated it:

bookshelves: 2008, author--nora-roberts, info--full, reviewed, romance--suspense, z2008-july-dec

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Isis FG by: favorite author
recommends it for: Nora Roberts fans

If there'd been an epilogue at the end of the book, I would have given Tribute 4.5 stars probably. Otherwise it was a solid 4-stars. I didn't absolutely and utterly LOVE the book, but I enjoyed it quite a bit (and was rather annoyed that everything seemed to be going wrong this week, keeping me from finishing the book).

Though the book is a romantic suspense, it doesn't have a high-intensity, frenetic feel that you get in other romantic suspense books (such as those by Karen Rose, B...more If there'd been an epilogue at the end of the book, I would have given Tribute 4.5 stars probably. Otherwise it was a solid 4-stars. I didn't absolutely and utterly LOVE the book, but I enjoyed it quite a bit (and was rather annoyed that everything seemed to be going wrong this week, keeping me from finishing the book).

Though the book is a romantic suspense, it doesn't have a high-intensity, frenetic feel that you get in other romantic suspense books (such as those by Karen Rose, Beverly Barton, etc). The suspense is more subtle, less intense because the story is character and romance driven. It's about the people, the past, the relationships. About Cilla trying to make peace with who she is, and who she isn't, and about her trying to find her place in the world after life as a child-star. And it's about the sweet and tender romance that gradually grows between her and Ford. The suspense angle is still there and prominent, but its not exactly the driving force behind the story.

Having said that, one of my favorite parts of this book was the fact that Roberts kept me guessing throughout nearly the entire story as to who the antagonist was. The book was 451 pages and it wasn't until about page 434 that I narrowed it down to 2 people, who shared the same reason for hating Cilla. And it wasn't until page 438 that it became obvious. There were so many possibilities as to who wanted to harm Cilla and Roberts did an excellent job throwing suspicion around. I would lean toward one character then a few pages later change my mind and think it was someone else. Even the reason for why someone was attacking Cilla was left for supposition. If it was that character trying to harm her, then it was for that reason, but if it was the other character, it was for another reason. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. It kept me on my toes and reading carefully to pick up on nuances that might clue me in sooner. And it wasn't until nearly the end that I could finally say "Aha!" It did end up being my number 1 suspect, but until a certain event, I could never say for sure. I love it when books have a well-crafted hidden antagonist. It makes the mind work.

My second favorite part of the book was the character of Ford. He would probably be considered the quintessential Beta Male. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Alpha, but I do love the "good guy" heroes as well. Especially ones with a side of Geek thrown in. And that's what Ford was. A down-to-earth, kind-hearted, geek-ish nice guy. I think Cilla said it best when she called him stable. It's the perfect description for him. That didn't make him a push-over, though. He still had his Alpha Male moments. I just really enjoyed reading about him.

The romance was enjoyable to read. It wasn't a flaming hot romance, though there were moments of heat, it was more sweet and tender than anything. I always like reading romances that have a more natural progression versus the angsty "I don't want to love you" types that are so prevalent in romance novels. When Ford told Cilla he loved her for the first time, I actually sighed. I was really rooting for them to get their happy ending.

Other parts of the book that I liked: some of the witty one-liners, the realistic dialogue, the dream sequences with Cilla and Janet, all the details Roberts put into the restoration of the house...and probably lots of other things. Oh! And the dog, Spock! He absolutely rocked!

What didn't I like? Honestly, nothing comes to mind. There weren't any parts of the book that bugged me. I do wish there had been an epilogue but at least there was a final scene separated from the big finale. It just would have been nice to have an epilogue to show how things settled. But so many romance writers are skipping epilogues these days, so I wasn't surprised that there wasn't one.

I've read some comments that this book is too similar to River's End but I didn't particularly see it. Sure, there is a similarity in the fact that they both deal with a Hollywood icon who died under tragic circumstances, and why it happened. But aside from that, they are very different stories. At least to me. I wouldn't have even thought of the comparison if someone else hadn't mentioned it.

Final thoughts...yet another good book from Roberts. I liked it almost as much as Blue Smoke and more than Angels Fist and High Noon. It's a story I'll want to reread again some day.(less)

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10 comments

06/13/08

Julie (jjmachshev) rated it:

bookshelves: 2008-reads, queuemyreview

Read in June, 2008

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release: July 2008

WOW…just WOW! I just finished Nora Robert's new book "Tribute" and my heart is still racing. I don't know how La Nora does it, but she has written yet another sure-to-be-bestseller that is truly a romantic suspense. The story softly, quietly pulls you in as the hero and heroine become real to you and you begin to feel their excitement, uncertainty, happiness, anxiety, joy, fear, and finally their triumph. It's a s...more Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release: July 2008

WOW…just WOW! I just finished Nora Robert's new book "Tribute" and my heart is still racing. I don't know how La Nora does it, but she has written yet another sure-to-be-bestseller that is truly a romantic suspense. The story softly, quietly pulls you in as the hero and heroine become real to you and you begin to feel their excitement, uncertainty, happiness, anxiety, joy, fear, and finally their triumph. It's a stunning emotional rollercoaster of a ride that you won't want to miss.

Cilla is a former child star, the granddaughter of a Hollywood icon who died tragically at age 49 and the daughter of an actress. She rejected the life of glitz and glamour and now, in her late 20s, after a myriad of false starts, she’s finally found what she needs…renovating her dead grandmother’s farm into a home for herself and a career as a contractor. She doesn’t have time in her schedule for a man or romance even if that handsome guy across the road with the funny dog seems to be growing on her. But it doesn’t take long for her to figure out that at least one person, if not more, have decided she needs to leave, one way or another.

Ford writes and draws very successful graphic novels. He tried the big city lights, but figured out he did his best work back home in rural Virginia. Now he’s got the perfect house, a job he loves, and Spock, an ugly but vastly entertaining and intelligent dog. Then he spots his new neighbor across the way and she inspires a new character for him, interest in her renovation work, and soon she just inspires him period. As the threats against Cilla turn physical, he discovers a possessiveness and protectiveness he’s never known, and a love he didn’t plan on.

You’ll fall a little in love with Ford, and you’ll root for him to ‘get his girl’. The slower pace and small town flavor give a strong sense of change to what Cilla is accustomed to and her gradual acceptance by the community accompanies her growing feelings for Ford. The contrast between the warmth of the secondary characters and the threat of the unknown menace will send tingles down your spine. And the mystery is well done with plenty of available suspects.

As Cilla and Ford explore their relationship, the mystery deepens and the renovation progresses. It’s a very clever and subtle use of symbolism. Both the story and the characters are strong and exquisitely detailed. The dog Spock sometimes steals the show, and becomes just one of the personalities you’ll remember long after this story is done. “Tribute” is another winner by Nora Roberts that has earned a definite spot on my keeper shelf.
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Like this review? yes (6 people liked it)

4 comments

07/09/08

Christa rated it:

bookshelves: library

Read in July, 2008

I am so glad that I read this book! I love so many books, but I honestly can't remember when I have read one that I enjoyed more than Tribute. I found it to be exceptional. It has great writing, wonderful characters, and a good storyline. I found the heroine, Cilla McGowan, to be very likeable, as were several other characters, particularly her father and her ex-husband, but the hero made the book. I have seldom read about a hero that I enjoyed more, and Ford Sawyer has to be the best beta he...more I am so glad that I read this book! I love so many books, but I honestly can't remember when I have read one that I enjoyed more than Tribute. I found it to be exceptional. It has great writing, wonderful characters, and a good storyline. I found the heroine, Cilla McGowan, to be very likeable, as were several other characters, particularly her father and her ex-husband, but the hero made the book. I have seldom read about a hero that I enjoyed more, and Ford Sawyer has to be the best beta hero I have ever encountered in a book. Although the novel is romantic suspense, the suspense doesn't come strongly into evidence until about a third of the way through the book. The first part of the book is spent developing the characters and building their relationships. The book grabbed me and pulled me in from the beginning and was just so enjoyable that I read most of it with a smile.

Janet Hardy was a sensational Hollywood star who had been on the stage since she began with Vaudeville at the age of four. She became addicted to alcohol and drugs at an early age when her mother and agents gave them to her to help her sleep, keep her awake, etc. Janet spends her life yearning for love, and looking for it constantly. She buys a Virginia farm, feeling that it is a place of peace and warmth. She loves to spend time at her farm and holds fabulous parties there. Her life is one that veers between brilliant light and dark shadow. Tragedy strikes her life when her eighteen year old son, Johnnie, drives while intoxicated and perishes in a car crash along with one of his passengers. The other young passenger is paralyzed for life. Janet seems unable to recover from this blow to her life, and she spends quite a bit of time alone on her farm. In 1973, about a year and a half after Johnnie's death, Janet is found dead at the farm at age 39. Her death is ruled as an accidental overdose of pills and alcohol, but many believe it was a suicide. There are also rumors of murders and conspiracy theories.

Thirty-five years later, Cilla McGowan has just purchased her grandmother's beloved farm from her difficult mother, Janet Hardy's daughter. Twenty-eight year old Cilla saw the farm once, several years ago, and she feels drawn to the place. She is determined to take the terribly neglected farm and make it once more into a home of beauty. Cilla has spent the last few years flipping houses on the West Coast, and she has a dream of living in her grandmother's house and running her own business as a contractor. Cilla jumps in and begins to work on the house, doing much of the labor herself. In the attic, Cilla comes across a number of old love letters written to her grandmother, but unsigned. The last letter, written ten days before her grandmother's death, is very bitter, and indicates that this affair with a married man ended badly after resulting in pregnancy. The letter has a threatening tone, and Cilla begins to wonder what this may have had to do with her grandmother's death.

In the meantime, Cilla meets her handsome neighbor, graphic novelist, Ford Sawyer, and his ugly but loveable dog, Spock. Both Ford and Spock are too adorable for Cilla to resist, and even though she doesn't believe she has room in her life for a man, she is soon spending time with them both. Ford is kind, patient, and willing to just spend time with Cilla until she is ready for a more intimate relationship.

Soon Cilla's ex-husband pays a visit and stays to help out with the house. Cilla's father lives nearby, and although she has never really known him, he starts to spend time with her. Cilla is happy with the progress on the house and with the people who are now part of her life, until events indicate that she has an enemy who wishes malice to her and her new home. As Cilla tries to forge a new life for herself, she is suddenly beseiged by threats, vandalism, and acts of violence. Cilla and Ford believe that the current threat to Cilla has a possible connection to the death of her grandmother. While Ford tries to keep Cilla safe from harm and figure out who is behind the sinister acts, she must decide if there is a permanent place for him in her new life.

Tribute kept me thoroughly hooked and entertained. I loved the sweet, touching romance that developed between the hero and heroine. I admired Cilla, but I thought that Ford was incredible. The author portrays him as a handsome, virile, sexy man, but more than a bit of a geek. He has some sweetly endearing traits such as being terrible with tools - he says he saves lives by staying away from them, and he is happy to let Cilla deal with emergencies that require their use. He has always been so adorably dorky that he actually finds it cool to be a police suspect when things first start to go amiss at Cilla's. At the same time, Ford is very protective towards Cilla, and will go to whatever lengths it takes to keep her safe. He is not afraid to let her know how much he loves her, and he makes certain that she knows he will be there for her no matter what. Ford's dog, Spock, was also loveable, with his "happy dances" for food and his imaginary cat chasing. This was just a great, enjoyable read, and I didn't find anything about it that I did not like.

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03/27/09

Gina rated it:

(review of isbn 0515146366)

bookshelves: mystery, own, romantic-suspense, suspense

Read in April, 2009

I was expecting more from NR…

Cilla McGowan, former child star, has grown up a woman who knows what she wants. And when she figures out how to get it, there’s no stopping her. Finally, her grandmother’s house, legendary actress Janet Hardy, is hers, and she wants to restore the old farmhouse that her mother has let fall apart. She dreams of becoming a contractor, ‘flipping’ houses for profit. And she’s well on her way.

And yet, at night, she has dreams - convers...more I was expecting more from NR…

Cilla McGowan, former child star, has grown up a woman who knows what she wants. And when she figures out how to get it, there’s no stopping her. Finally, her grandmother’s house, legendary actress Janet Hardy, is hers, and she wants to restore the old farmhouse that her mother has let fall apart. She dreams of becoming a contractor, ‘flipping’ houses for profit. And she’s well on her way.

And yet, at night, she has dreams - conversations with her long dead grandmother. And while cleaning out the attic, she finds letters written to her grandmother, left unsigned. Could it be real? Was Janet really pregnant before her death thirty years ago? And if so, why wasn’t that included in the autopsy? Cilla’s determined to figure it out.

Ford Sawyer, graphic novelist and neighbor across the road, has been forbidden to hold a power tool, LOL! Family and friends know that he couldn’t fix anything if his life depended on it. And that’s fine with him. He’d rather draw.

When the two finally meet, Cilla likes Ford, but doesn’t want anything to do with him. His charm seems to have power over her, but seeing her the dozen marriages between her mother and grandmother, she refuses to follow into their shoes. And yet, Ford’s subtle pushing hooks her in, and she falls for him. And to Ford, Cilla’s in an amazing woman.

Meanwhile, someone doesn’t want Cilla in town, fixing up the farmhouse. A violent assault on Cilla’s ex-husband/best friend, destruction of property, all attempts to make Cilla leave. But Cilla isn’t having it. The question is, can Cilla and Ford figure out who could hate her so much before the destruction turns to murder?

**I was expecting more.

I really liked Cilla’s determination, and going for what she really wants. The relationship between her and her mother soured my stomach; my mother and I have a best-friend relationship, and I couldn’t imagine going through what Cilla constantly goes through with her mother. I can understand her reluctance toward Ford, but I loved watching the sizzle between them. LOL, the banter couldn’t have been more perfect.

I liked how Ford viewed Cilla, and how he fell for her hard. It’s nice to see the guy admit it first for a change.

I felt really bad for Cilla’s ex-husband, Steve, who ended up nearly killed. And everything was the same old, tired, run-of-the-mill, suspense stuff. The property destruction could have been amped up; frankly, I thought it wasn’t enough. And the dreaming of conversations with her dead grandmother? Overdone and I could have done without some of it.

I was surprised by Cilla’s would-be murderer - yes an no. I was close. And again, that was predictable. The suspense could have been amped up as well.

And the only reason I’m giving this one 4 stars is because of Cilla and Ford. I really liked the two of them together.(less)

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12/02/08

Lisa rated it:

Wow; this woman is a bad writer... at least from the two novels of hers I have read. Of course, she has hundreds of novels in print and is uber famous. ha.

I won't bother with anymore of her novels. They are trite, boring, and lacking in any substance.

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07/24/08

Deborah rated it:

bookshelves: nora-roberts

Read in August, 2008

Wow. Nora has done it again. I loved the characters and the story line was well put together. She even gave the dog an awesome personality. I want a Spock. I was really shocked at the end to find out who was behind it and I did not have an inkling. I loved the rehab aspect since I like watching home decorating shows and I could picture the renovations and the feeling of "home" for Cilla. Ford is the perfect guy and the others characters were exactly what Cilla needed to "fi...more

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06/17/09

Meshe/Michelle rated it:

bookshelves: bookcrossing

Read in June, 2008

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 hou...more

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03/20/09

Cindy rated it:

bookshelves: 2009-read

Read in March, 2009

This book was Nora Roberts at her best I think! She pulled me into the story from the first page.

It is about Cilla, the granddaughter of a movie star, the daughter of a movie star, who was a child star herself. She has turned her back on Hollywood and is into flipping houses when she decides to purchase her grandmother's old farm house from her mother and remodel it. The house has been neglected for years, since her grandmother's apparent suicide. There is a hunky man living nex...more

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05/10/09

Laura rated it:

bookshelves: fluff, romance, romantic-suspense

Read in May, 2009

Sometimes you just need a good, not too challenging read. I find that Nora Roberts is very consistent in delivering these.

Tribute is the story of Cilla (a former child star, descended from a line of celebrities), who has retired from show business to rebuild her grandmother's house. Across the street is Ford Sawyer, famous graphic novelist. They meet. They become friends. Bad things happen to Cilla. They deal with them together. They fall in love. I wouldn't want to give away ...more Sometimes you just need a good, not too challenging read. I find that Nora Roberts is very consistent in delivering these.

Tribute is the story of Cilla (a former child star, descended from a line of celebrities), who has retired from show business to rebuild her grandmother's house. Across the street is Ford Sawyer, famous graphic novelist. They meet. They become friends. Bad things happen to Cilla. They deal with them together. They fall in love. I wouldn't want to give away the ending!

More seriously, it is the story of a woman coming to terms with her past. There are parts that many people would envy-- she is still a celebrity, as is her mother. She is reasonably well off from her childhood work and her ongoing small projects.

She also has things working against her-- a distant relationship with her father, a highly dysfunctional one with her mother. She knows she wants out of Hollywood, but isn't sure what she does want to do, or where she belongs. And beyond that, someone is trying to scare her, maybe even kill her.

I think there are two things that make Nora Roberts books work for me, both of which came through in this novel.

First are the lead characters. I always find them interesting, even if requiring of some suspension of disbelief. I enjoyed being part of Cilla's mental journey, coming to terms with her past, her relationships with her parents, and deciding on what direction she wants to go. Ford is of course a little too perfect, but he's fun that way. They actually develop a friendship, and at no point are the words "I can't live without you" spoken.

Second is the writing itself. Most of the time I don't notice it, which I find an advantage. Occasionally there is a description that I really enjoy. I like the small moments-- the cartoons that Ford draws for Cilla, the dog that chases invisible cats.

The aspect of this book that I'd nitpick is the plethora of supporting characters. I realize there are two reasons for having so many. One is to show an entire town accepting Cilla as one of them. The other is to camouflage the bad guy. Unfortunately, it kept me from getting to know any of them.

I wasn't sure whether to put this book as straight romance or romantic suspense, since the suspense elements don't dominate the book. The four stars were fairly easy to decide on-- I enjoyed the read, and it worked well within my expectations of a romance novel.(less)

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04/11/09

Jess rated it:

bookshelves: 2009, nora-roberts

Read in April, 2009

Okay. Let me start by saying that this is the first Nora Roberts book I have read that was romantic suspense. The only other books I've read by her was her Sign of Seven Trilogy and her Eve Dallas books under her pen name J.D. Robb.

So, I loved this book. I had it sitting in my house, and then I just decided to pick it up and check it out. First of all, it was really damn long so I was a little leery at first, and I must admit to being biased and thinking that Roberts was a "midd...more

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12/05/08

Kim Sasso rated it:

bookshelves: fiction-modern

Read in December, 2008

I pushed through this book just because of the family-history angle in the story line. I can't say I was actually Rewarded for my efforts, but at least the baseline plot was moderately interesting. I didn't solve the Whodunnit part of the story with certainty until near the end when Roberts was annoyingly obvious with the clues played out in dialogue.

Roberts' attempt to create a modern strong woman heroine (she's an expert with power tools!she aced the Contractor licensing test!)was...more

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06/26/09

Nikii rated it:

Read in May, 2009

I didn't plan on reading this book, but I saw it on Lifetime & asked my mum, who has read practically all of Nora Roberts books, if the book was better. She said yes, so I had decided at some point I would read Tribute, along with the other books that had shown on Lifetime of Nora Roberts. Then I got bored in North Carolina visiting someone & went to Wal-Mart, they had it, so I said why not.
I can definitely say that the book is better & I wish there were parts that they had put into the mo...more

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12/31/08

Vannessagrace Vannessagrace rated it:

Nora Roberts books are a hit, a miss, or a near missed for me. Tribute is a near miss. Tribute is about a former child star, Cilla, who turned contractor and went into the business of flipping houses. Cilla’s grandmother Janet, a Hollywood star, died shortly after Janet’s son was killed in an accident. Janet bequested her home in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to Cilla and in that home Cilla finds love letters between Janet and an unknown man. Cilla learns that her grandmother was pregnant w...more

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05/14/09

Angela rated it:

(review of isbn 0515146366)

bookshelves: romance

Read in May, 2009

Every time I go into a Nora Roberts book, I expect to not be very surprised. And this isn't exactly fair of me, because while yes, we're talking romance novels here and the romance genre certainly has a huge list of common tropes, this does not mean Ms. Roberts is necessarily going to use them.

Let me give you an example with Tribute. The instant the heroine's ex-husband showed up, I expected him to be a bastard and/or to get a rivalry going for her affections with the guy she was obv...more Every time I go into a Nora Roberts book, I expect to not be very surprised. And this isn't exactly fair of me, because while yes, we're talking romance novels here and the romance genre certainly has a huge list of common tropes, this does not mean Ms. Roberts is necessarily going to use them.

Let me give you an example with Tribute. The instant the heroine's ex-husband showed up, I expected him to be a bastard and/or to get a rivalry going for her affections with the guy she was obviously interested in. I also expected there to be Angst and Grief Oh Noez(TM) involved in why she was no longer married to said ex-husband. None of these things were the case, and this was delightfully refreshing. The ex-husband is in fact a fairly admirable guy and it's a bit of a shame that he's on camera for the comparatively small amount of time he is.

And that's just one thing I liked about this book overall. Okay, yeah, fine, we're also dealing with the common trope here of Heroine Moves into Small Town and Takes Over Abandoned Family Home, and Then Falls In Love With Next-Door Neighbor. We've all been there done that. But this time around, I gotta say, the next door neighbor was so very much right up my alley that I adored practically every sentence that came out of his mouth. The man is a graphic novelist, and very, very clearly a geek. I don't know if Ms. Roberts is herself geekily inclined, but if she isn't, she's got access to people who are, because she did a fabulous job portraying her geek hero. I actually squeed when the heroine tried to throw him a line about love being like kryptonite to Superman, and he started trying to debate what kind of kryptonite. AND! He owned both classic and new Battlestar Galactica on DVD.

I liked as well that our heroine Cilla, a former child star, is taking on the new career of redesigning houses--and that she does a lot of the physical labor herself. This makes her a very cool contrast to Ford, who, while not scrawny, does not have any particular skill at construction. It's very cool to see her be the dominant one in a skill one would consider traditionally "masculine", and to see him not be threatened by that in the slightest.

Someone is, of course, out to get Cilla--someone who apparently takes very unkindly to her efforts to restore her grandmother's house and to dig up old family history. So there's some good suspense here too, playing off against the developing love story between Cilla and Ford. It's a lesser degree of suspenseful tension than you typically get in a JD Robb novel, but that's okay; this is a less violent scenario, at least up until the very end.

All in all a fun read. Four stars.(less)

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07/25/08

Andrea rated it:

Read in July, 2008

I like books that solve a mystery and draw you into the past. this book has both. a little too mushy at times but still a very entertaining read. I like nora roberts in general but there are other books of hers that were more riveting. still worthwhile if you are a mystery/romance/human interest fan.

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05/06/09

Stacey rated it:

(review of isbn 1423347188)

bookshelves: 2009-books, audio-book

Read in May, 2009

I had huge expectations for Tribute as several people had highly recommended it. But I was disappointed. I felt it had too many characters with minor parts to keep up with. At the end of the book when the bad guy was revealed I found myself thinking, "Now who were they again?" I felt like the only characters NR really developed were Cilla and Ford and although they were the main characters, they weren't the only ones.
The dreams, or whatever they were, with Janet left me confu...more

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03/19/09

Marla rated it:

Read in January, 2009

A romantic suspense set in Virginia's Shenadoah Valley. Cilla McGowan,a former child is renovating her grandmother's long neglected farmhouse. Cilla's grandmother was a movie atar , who died mysteriously on the farm at age 39. It haunts Cilla, when she's getting the house ready to flip, did her grandmother commit suicide or was she murdered. Cilla finds love letters to her grandmother, from a local suitor. Amid the demolition and construction, Cilla comes up against the disgruntled locals, ...more

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04/08/09

Joy rated it:

Read in April, 2009

recommended to Joy by: Lifetime Channel, advertising the "Tribute" movie
recommends it for: many people

Cilla hated performing, but the women of her family started acting early, so she was a washed up ex-star by age 17. The real star of their family was her grandmother Janet Hardy, dead at 39 after a brilliant career. Cilla loves reviving old homes, and her grandmother's old farm is a perfect candidate. A tribute to the woman she sees in her dreams.

It seems someone in their small town is holding Janet's sins against Cilla. If it wasn't for her handsome artist-writer neighbor, she could...more

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12/22/08

Rose rated it:

bookshelves: contemporary, suspense

Read in December, 2008

I must say that I really do enjoy most Nora Roberts' books, (with a few exceptions), but I was hesitant to pick up this book because of the former child star angle (not really my thing). I'm glad I decided to read it, as it was quite enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Ford's character as well as that of his dancing dog, Spock. Unlike some, I really enjoyed the details about the rehabbing that were included -- I liked to visualize the space as it changed, and I think it played an integral part in ...more

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05/07/09

Kitty rated it:

Read in May, 2009

Former child actress with a dysfunctional family decides to leave Hollywood behind and rehab the long-neglected house of her famous grandmother.

Not my all-time favorite Roberts book, but definitely a good one. I really liked the characters. They just really felt like "real" people, and people I'd like to hang out with. The writing had a very comfortable feel to it, like you were laughing right along with the characters. The romance was very sweet (typical Roberts), and ...more

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