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Tribute

3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 · rating details · 12,810 ratings · 711 reviews

The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents her latest blockbuster novel, the story of a big-screen legend, a small-town scandal and a young woman caught up in the secrets and shadows of both.

Cilla McGowan, a former child star, has found a more satisfying life restoring homes. So she comes to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to save the dilapidated farmhouse that once be...more

Hardcover, 392 pages

Published July 8th 2008 by Putnam (first published January 1st 2008)

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Jul 11, 2008 Isis FG rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nora Roberts fans

Recommended to Isis FG by: favorite author

Shelves: author-nora-roberts, info-full, reviewed, genre-romance-suspense, 2008, z2008-july-dec, format-hardcover, stars-4

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,...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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Jun 13, 2008 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: queuemyreview, 2008-reads

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 rollercoas...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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Jul 30, 2008 Christa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

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...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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Apr 16, 2009 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, mystery, romantic-suspense, suspense

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 grandmothe...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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Dec 02, 2008 Lisa Greer rated it 1 of 5 stars

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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Jan 31, 2013 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3 STARS "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...more 3 STARS "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." (From Amazon)

I was not wowed by this novel. While I loved Ford I was not into Cilla and her family. Even though I gave it a low rating it is still worth a read if you love Nora Roberts.(less)

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Aug 15, 2008 Deborah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nora-roberts

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 "find" herself.

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Jan 22, 2013 Phyllis Sommers rated it 3 of 5 stars

A solid Nora Roberts romance novel, not quite as suspenseful as some of her others-- until a major twist near the end of the story. I'd pretty much figured it out early on, however, so it actually wasn't that much of a surprise. Cilla McGowan, child tv and movie star, decides to leave Hollywood and the "business" to return to her grandmother's home in Virgina. Her grandmother, long-deceased Janet Hardy, was an extremely beautiful and famous actress who died way too young, in her late 30s. While...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Kara Jorges rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cilla McGowan has spent her life living in the shadow of her famous movie star grandmother, Janet Hardy. The legendary actress had purchased a small farm in Virginia where she would go to unwind, but it was also the site of glittering parties and the place where she died of an overdose. Now Cilla, herself a former child star, has decided to settle in one place and start her own contracting business flipping houses. The place she has chosen is Janet Hardy’s Little Farm, which is in dire need of a...more Cilla McGowan has spent her life living in the shadow of her famous movie star grandmother, Janet Hardy. The legendary actress had purchased a small farm in Virginia where she would go to unwind, but it was also the site of glittering parties and the place where she died of an overdose. Now Cilla, herself a former child star, has decided to settle in one place and start her own contracting business flipping houses. The place she has chosen is Janet Hardy’s Little Farm, which is in dire need of a rehab. She camps in one of the bedrooms and begins the process of remodeling the once graceful old house. Across the street, in a restored Victorian, is Cilla’s sexy neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer. Ford introduces himself to Cilla when he asks for permission to use her image for a new superhero. Cilla is at first put off, and then intrigued by the idea, and also by Ford himself, and his little dog Spock.

Also intriguing is the hidden cache of old letters Cilla finds in the attic that were written to Janet by an unnamed lover. At first, the letters were full of ardor, which then cooled and turned to anger and disgust. The last one alludes to Janet being pregnant, which is a revelation, as no one had known she was pregnant when she died, presumably by her own hand. It leaves Cilla to wonder if perhaps Janet’s death was helped along by her lover, a theory bolstered somewhat by Cilla’s vivid dreams about Janet in the past. After she carelessly discusses her theories with Ford where any number of workmen could have overheard, Cilla and her home are plagued by vandalism, and her ex-husband, who is a dear friend, is viciously attacked one night in her barn. She has a suspect, a bitter old man whose son was paralyzed in the same accident that took the life of Cilla’s uncle Johnny, Janet’s son, a few months before Janet’s death. Not quite everything fits so neatly with that theory, however, and until Cilla and Ford can figure out who Janet’s mystery lover was, anyone and anything close to Cilla isn’t safe, most especially Cilla herself.

Nora Roberts is a talented author who can write entertaining books of many types, and this time out she has chosen to weave a rich tapestry of a story with an emphasis on home and family, with intrigue driving the story. Cilla’s relationship with Ford, while crackling with sexual electricity, is comfortable and relaxed, and their friends and various family members are an integral part of their lives.

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Oct 01, 2012 Jessa951 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I used to read when i was in school. Once i graduated, i pretty much stopped for good. a couple weeks ago i had to pull an all nighter at work so i found an area with a bunch of books donated for people to read. I came across this one and thought, what the heck? i've got nothing better to do. I started reading and after a few pages i was drawn in like this magnetic force field in the story. it took me a couple days to read, but i didn't want to put it down and i didn't want it to end. Like most...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, life-fiction

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors, like in the top 3. So it's not really a surprise that I loved this book.

It's set in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia (yes, I picked it because it reminded me of home). While I've read tons of her work, this book was somehow different. It was good, definitely. Just different. I'm almost not sure how to categorize it.

There are several different themes going on in Tribute. The main character is Cilla McGowan. She's moved from sunny CA to a family farm...more Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors, like in the top 3. So it's not really a surprise that I loved this book.

It's set in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia (yes, I picked it because it reminded me of home). While I've read tons of her work, this book was somehow different. It was good, definitely. Just different. I'm almost not sure how to categorize it.

There are several different themes going on in Tribute. The main character is Cilla McGowan. She's moved from sunny CA to a family farm in VA she was finally able to buy from her drug addicted dramatic actress mom. The farm was purchased by Cilla's grandmother, Janet. Janet was one of the shining stars of Hollywood in her day (from the descriptions I'm thinking very Marilyn Monroe-ish). She supposedly committed suicide (the drug addiction is apparently hereditary), but Cilla has always wondered if there may have been another person involved. Although she never met Janet, she has always lived in her shadow. Cilla's mom followed in her Janet's footsteps in Hollywood, but was never on the same level. She also pushed Cilla into showbiz, and did her best to give her the same pills she & Janet were addicted too (it was just for stage fright, no big deal). Cilla rebelled and eventually quite acting...a decision her mom never understood or respected.

Cilla moves to VA and rebuilds the farmhouse that her mother let go to ruins. While she's there, she meets this very hot and friendly cartoon author (he does books, but they have cartoons...all very odd). Also, she keeps getting hate messages and break ins that show very clearly that someone wants her to get the hell outta dodge, and quick. Our heroine is obviously not wimpy enough to do this, and there's a big scene at the end where you find out who & why. It's very intriguing, I honestly didn't figure out who the antagonist was until the last 10-15 pages and even then I was in suspense until I found out for sure.

All in all I definitely recommend this book. It has romance and mystery and believable characters...what more can you really ask for?(less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Torimac rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: light-fun

It was a imperfect, formulaic and escapist. The writing wasn't super quality, but it was more than competent. I enjoyed it.
Uncannily, I read "The Fixer Upper" by Mary Kay Andrews, right after I read this one. It was surprising how similar these two books were, while also being very different. Perhaps it's like the difference between peanut butter and oatmeal cookies: they are both sweets, meant for dessert not nutrition, though they have some nutritional value (protein vs fiber), and you can enj...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cilla McGowan is restoring her grandmother's retreat in the Shenandoah Valley. Long hard work since no one has lived there since Cilla's grandmother, glamorous Hollywood actress Janet Hardy, committed suicide 30 years ago. Her sexy neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer, proves to be a big distraction.

Old town scandals and tragedies, secret letters, and a dangerous psycho threatening Cilla's home and her life. All this made for a good read.

I really liked the 2 main characters: their personalitie...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Jennie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading-list

I started this book in January, but it was one of my "read before bed" books, so I didn't get terribly far. Then I went away for 6 weeks, came back and decided it was finally time to finish it. When I saw it in the library, I was a bit surprised because in 2008 I was still reading Nora Roberts books on a regular basis. I suppose this must have come out right after I stopped reading her books besides her In Death series.

This book...it isn't bad. It's typical Nora Roberts -- typical romantic suspe...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first romance novel I ever read was Falling For Rachel by Nora Roberts and for a while I was on a mission to read them all. However, after Montana Sky, I realized that her books had taken a turn. All her characters had started to be the same and they were all rich.

Tribute didn’t have the uber-rich people, though it did have two characters with jobs that allowed them flexible schedules. Cilla McGowan is a former child star turned contractor who has come to Virginia to re-do her grandmother’s...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Misty rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm a Nora Roberts fan, and I've read a lot of her books - this just wasn't one of my favorites.

Cilla McGowan, a former child star, has left her Hollywood life behind for a new start in Virginia, where her deceased grandmother, major movie star Janet Hardy, owned a farm. Cilla purchases the long-neglected farm from her mother and begins renovating it, in hopes of settling there. Along the way, she meets and befriends her neighbor, Ford, a character I thoroughly enjoyed. Ms. Roberts excels in wr...more

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Sep 16, 2010 Ally rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: NR's Fans

Shelves: 2008, 2010, 5-stars

This is the first audiobook I've listened to. I normally prefer reading paperbacks or ebooks. So it was interesting for me to try an audiobook I received as a gift for my silly 7+ hour train journey's back and forth between my home and visiting my family. Getting up at 4am and sitting on two trains for 7+ hours sometimes my eyes are just too tired to actually read so it's been nice to close my eyes and drift away while listening to a lovely book.

Cilla, a former child star, has found a more satis...more This is the first audiobook I've listened to. I normally prefer reading paperbacks or ebooks. So it was interesting for me to try an audiobook I received as a gift for my silly 7+ hour train journey's back and forth between my home and visiting my family. Getting up at 4am and sitting on two trains for 7+ hours sometimes my eyes are just too tired to actually read so it's been nice to close my eyes and drift away while listening to a lovely book.

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.

I first read Tribute back in 2008 in the book form and really loved it so I knew I was safe listening to this great story. The only downside I found with listening to this audiobook is the voice of the narrator. Especially when she was doing different characters voices. I will admit that if I hadn't read this book before I would have gotten lost several times with the storyline when the narrator was changing between Fords voice and Steve's.

I do love this story. I am madly in love with Ford Sawyer. I find him the best character throughout, I enjoyed his enthusiasm, and positive light he shines on everything. I really enjoyed how Ms Roberts made Ford so current with his comments about Shrek, his love of comic books and the X-Men.

Favourite Quote: "Love? It's green kryptonite. It powers out all the rest..."

I enjoyed the little quirks Cilla had, her best friend also being her ex-husband, her relationship with her Mother and her many husbands. Cilla was a beautifully written character and extremely well rounded. I really enjoyed her as the heroine of Tribute. I loved all the other characters in the book from Cilla's father to Spock Fords dog! I thought when you found out who the 'bad guy' was, was brilliant and it really wasn't until the very end when you're dealing with Ford it clicks who the 'bad guy' really was and I was blown away it really was brilliant and written so wonderfully as well.

I did really enjoy the relationship between Ford and Cilla. And how could you not fall in love the Ford's dog Spock?

Overall a brilliant, wonderful book and an enjoyable audiobook! A must read for any contemporary romance fans.(less)

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Jul 02, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Romance Readers

Shelves: contemporary, mystery, romance, suspense, ultimate-reading-list, popular-fiction, crime, fiction, novels

The book listed for Roberts in the romance recommendation guide I was working through is Born in Fire, the first of a trilogy, which I'd tried before. I didn't care for it. The style struck me as clunky--I remember head-hopping among other stylistic nits that drove me crazy. The Irish characters also struck me as cliched stereotypes. However, Robert's not just a very well-regarded author in the genre (and prolific, almost 500 books) she's one of those that made it out of the genre ghetto into th...more

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May 20, 2010 Georgina rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had to drop a star from my usual rating of Ms Roberts' novels with this one.

Although, I applaud the guts and determination of Cilla, I found her irritating. Constant references to her old Hollywood life, eg comparing a real-life situation to a screenplay (and many various others) got old really quickly for me. I just wanted to yell at her. "You wanted to move on, so move on already!"

As with most of Roberts' leading men, I adored Ford, particularly his laid back approach to virtually everything...more

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Oct 25, 2009 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guilty-pleasures

Audio Book #6 of 2009

I've come across this book several times and several times picked it up and put it back down again. But I was looking for something at the library to listen to before a long trip and finally decided to give this a try. I prefer to read books, but when I do listen to a book on CD, I've got to have some fluff. Romances fit nicely into this category as do detective novels...

But anyway. I liked the story. I was kind of surprised that I liked the story... I don't know if it was t...more

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Jun 17, 2009 Michelle (meshe) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookcrossing

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

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Mar 22, 2009 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-read

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 next door who final...more

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May 12, 2013 Lebanesequeen rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ce livre m'a tout de suite attiré l'attention dès que je l'ai vu et le résumé à l'arrière était très convaincant. Alors, j'ai décidé de donner une chance à ce livre et de découvrir Nora Robert qui est une auteure qui semble très populaire ces temps-ci. Après tous les bons commentaires que j'ai entendus sur elle, je m'attendais bien sûr à quelque chose de gros. Malheureusement, j'ai été très déçue.

Le livre contenait 412 pages alors qu'il aurait dù en contenir pas plus que 150-200 au maximum. To...more Ce livre m'a tout de suite attiré l'attention dès que je l'ai vu et le résumé à l'arrière était très convaincant. Alors, j'ai décidé de donner une chance à ce livre et de découvrir Nora Robert qui est une auteure qui semble très populaire ces temps-ci. Après tous les bons commentaires que j'ai entendus sur elle, je m'attendais bien sûr à quelque chose de gros. Malheureusement, j'ai été très déçue.

Le livre contenait 412 pages alors qu'il aurait dù en contenir pas plus que 150-200 au maximum. Tout au long de ma lecture, j'avais l'impression de lire un livre sur la construction. Il y a au moins, sur les 412 pages, 300 qui parlent de la rénovation de Little Farm. Cinquante autres pages qui montrent Ford en train de s'imaginer toutes sortes de scénarios un peu déplacés mettant en scène lui et Cilla, sa voisine d'en face. Le livre était supposé avoir du suspense et une histoire de meurtre/suicide à démêler. Ce sujet a souvent été mis de côté pour parler de Cilla en train de choisir des robinets ou une couleur de peinture pour sa chambre, sa grange, son salon, etc.

Question personnage principal et histoire d'amour, Cilla est une fille un peu bizarre qui sait ce qu'elle veut, mais qui est capable de nous fruster, nous, en tant que lecteurs. On a déjà vu cela dans presque tous les films: la fille qui aime le gars, mais qui ne veut pas précipiter les choses, le gars qui essaye par tous les moyens de sortir avec la fille et quand celle-ci accepte, c'est rendu que c'est lui qui ne veut plus précipiter les choses. Tout cela pour rien, car les lecteurs, n'étant pas stupides, savent qu'ils finiront ensemble un peu plus tard dans le livre. Cette relation a pris beaucoup de place dans le livre alors qu'on pouvait résumer bien des choses.

Les autres personnages avaient presque tous le même caractère et leurs noms se ressemblaient TOUS! Il y avait beaucoup trop de personnes inutiles incluses dans l'histoire. En plus de cela, Nora a choisi d'impliquer les parents de chaque personnage. Je me suis perdue plus de 20 fois en lisant le livre. Pour donner qu'un bref exemple, il y a un père ouvrier qui s'appelle Buddy qui amène son fils travailler avec lui qui s'appelle Dobby. C'est peut-être le contraire, car je suis encore mêlée. À un bout, j'ai laissé faire et j'ai lu l'histoire comme elle venait même si j'oubliais qui était qui. De toute façon, la moitié des personnages ne servaient à rien qu'à remplir des pages et des pages et qui ne font même pas avancer l'histoire.

Ayant déjà lu beaucoup de romans policiers que ce soit ceux de Agatha Christie ou d'un autre auteur non connu, je suis très familière au style d'écriture employé et au contenu d'un livre de suspense. Ce roman ne ressemblait en rien à du suspense ou du policier. Aucune situation ne venait nous laisser à suspecter une personne. Aucune discussion ne nous laissait réfléchir sur le coupable. Rien ne nous laissait imaginer une hypothèse. Cilla ne faisait rien pour faire avancer les choses comme Poirot ou Miss Marple dans leurs enquêtes. Cilla ne faisait que vivre ce qui lui arrivait et la fin du roman fut toute aussi banale que le reste du livre.

La résolution de l'énigme se fit en 2 pages et se solutionna grâce à un coup de chance: un papier qui tombe par terre. Et bien sûr, fin hollywoodienne classique: l'homme vient sauver sa bien-aimée alors qu'elle était sur le point de se faire tuer.

Ce livre ne me donne pas envi de lire autre chose de Nora Roberts, mais je peux la remercier de m'avoir donné quelques conseils de bricolage. Maintenant, je sais quelle couleur pourrait s'agencer avec du chêne ou du noyer. Une étoile sur 5, pas plus.(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Ayu Wirdha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cilla, mantan artis cilik yg ingin berkarir sbg kontraktor mengambil proyek pertamanya yaitu merenovasi rumah pertanian milik neneknya yg jg artis terkenal, Janet Hardy. Rumah itu jg menjadi tempat dimana Janet suicide dan sejak itu terbengkalai selama lebih dr 30 thn.

Selama proses renovasi, meet our hero (Ford) yg tinggal di depan rumah, seorang penulis novel grafis yg ganteng, sedikit nerd tp sangat baik hati yg pd akhirnya membuat Cilla klepek2 jg (no wonder sih).

Gara2 menemukan bbrp love let...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Richard Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ms Roberts follows her tried and true style of the strong but flawed heroine and the strong but somewhat clueless hero. In Tribute Cliia Mc Gowan, a child actress who is no longer in show business has returned to the farm where her superstar grandmother killed herself, or did she? She is now trying to remake herself by buying, repairing and flipping houses, but The Farm she intends to remake to the way it was in her grandmothers day, but someone is not happy with this and is trying to scare her...more

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Jan 06, 2010 Chinablue_25 West Bostedor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good story. I really liked the love interest in this one. I usually do like the men that Nora Roberts writes in her books. I also really liked the main character, Cilla. She was one of these child stars whose grandmother was like a Marilyn Monroe if you will. Legendary, died young from speculated suicide/ deemed accidental drug overdose. Cilla finally gets her mother (who is a nightmare) to sell her her grandmothers farm in Virginia that has been left unattended for decades. Cilla is a somewhat...more

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May 13, 2009 Laura de Leon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, fluff, romantic-suspense

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 ser...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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Apr 14, 2009 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, nora-roberts

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 "middle aged woman boo...more

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Sep 20, 2009 Brandy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm normally a big fan of Nora Roberts, but this was one of my least favorite of all her books. The story was nice enough, but the plot was so drawn out, that by the end of the book when everything had to be wrapped up, the end was just very forcefully dumped into your lap.
This is a love story with a cutting edge of suspense...however, unlike most suspense novels, Roberts doesn't give you enough clues to go on throughout the book to really have a good guess on who the culprit might be.

INFO:
Cilla...more

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Jul 01, 2009 Nikii rated it 3 of 5 stars

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...more

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About Nora Roberts

aka
J.D. Robb
Sarah Hardesty

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sopho...more aka
J.D. Robb
Sarah Hardesty

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year in high school, she transferred to a local public school, where she met Ronald Aufdem-Brinke, her future first husband.

In Augusy 17, 1968, as soon as she had graduated from High School, Eleanor married, against her parents' wishes. The marriage settled in Keedysville, Maryland. Her husband worked at his father's sheet-metal business before joining her parents in their lighting company. While, she worked briefly as a legal secretary. "I could type fast but couldn't spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever," she says now. After their sons, Dan and Jason, were born she stayed home. Calling this her "Earth Mother" years, she spent much of her time doing crafts, including ceramics and sewing her children's clothes. The marriage ended separating, and they obtained the divorce in January 1985.

In February 1979, a blizzard in forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate. During the now famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981 as Nora Roberts, a shortened form of her birth name Eleanor Marie Robertson, because she assumed that all authors had pen names.

Eleanor wrote under the pseudonym Jill March a story for a magazine titled "Melodies of Love".

Eleanor met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Her husband owns and operates a bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland called "Turn the Page Books". Since that time, they've expanded their home, traveled the world.

In 1992, she decided adopted other pseudonym so to publish a futuristic-suspense novels, she first decided to use the pseudonym D.J. MacGregor, but she discovered that this pseudonym was used by another author. In 1995, her first "In Death" serial novel was published under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, the initials "J.D." were taken from her sons, Jason and Dan, while "Robb" is a shortened form of Roberts.

Eleanor has also been known as Sara Hardesty, because when the "Born In" series was released in U.K. it carried that name instead of Nora Roberts. She has since changed publishers.

Eleanor has been plagiarized by another best-selling romance writer, Janet Dailey. The practice came to light after a reader read Nora Roberts' "Sweet Revenge" and Janet Dailey's "Notorious" back-to-back; she noticed several similarities and posted the comparable passages on the Internet. Calling the plagiarism "mind rape," Eleanor sued Janet Daily. In 1997, Janet, admitted to repeatedly plagiarizing from Nora Roberts' work, and that both "Aspen Gold" and "Notorious" lifted heavily from Nora Roberts's work. Both of those novels were pulled from print after Janet's admission. She acknowledged the plagiarism and blamed it on a psychological disorder. In a settlement, Janet paid Eleanor an undisclosed sum, which Eleanor donated to the Literacy Volunteers of America.

A founding member of the Romance Writers of America (R.W.A.), she was the first inductee in the organization's Hall of Fame. She also is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the (less)

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“I guess money can't buy happiness if you shop in the wrong places.” — 59 people liked it

“I find myself fascinated by a man who admits to enjoying fairy tales and uses the word "impinge"- barely misses a beat while indulging in a brief girl-on-girl fantasy. You're a man of layers, Ford."
Me and Shrek, we're onions.” — 50 people liked it

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