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The Hollow (Sign of Seven #2)

4.08 of 5 stars 4.08 · rating details · 15,965 ratings · 666 reviews

In the small village of Hawkins Hollow, three best friends who share the same birthday sneak off into the woods for a sleepover the evening before turning 10. But a night of pre-pubescent celebration turns into a night of horror as their blood brother oath unleashes a three-hundred year curse.

Twenty-one years later, Fox O'Dell and his friends have seen their town plagued b...more

Mass Market Paperback, 318 pages

Published May 6th 2008 by Jove Books (first published January 1st 2008)

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Oct 25, 2011 Dina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

As the second book in the Sign of Seven trilogy, The Hollow continues the battle against the Big Evil that started in Blood Brothers. It helps to read the 1st book before jumping into this one, but you don't really have to because NR does a good job recapping the previous events - and she does it without making it sound like info dumping.

I'm not going to write a plot summary here because, quite frankly, the basic storyline of this book is similar to Blood Brothers's and I've already written a fu...more As the second book in the Sign of Seven trilogy, The Hollow continues the battle against the Big Evil that started in Blood Brothers. It helps to read the 1st book before jumping into this one, but you don't really have to because NR does a good job recapping the previous events - and she does it without making it sound like info dumping.

I'm not going to write a plot summary here because, quite frankly, the basic storyline of this book is similar to Blood Brothers's and I've already written a full review on that one. All the "gang" (Cal, Fox, Gage, Quinn, Layla and Cybil) is still trying to find the key to defeat the evil demon that plays havoc in the otherwise peaceful town of Hawkins Hollow every seven years. The only difference is, we have another main H/h working on their HEA this time: charming small town lawyer Fox O'Dell and annoying (former) big city boutique manager Layla Darnell.

Unfortunately, the romance between Fox and Layla didn't spark my interest. I didn't feel a strong emotional connection between them, which was strange considering the "psychic gift" they shared, and the sexual tension was close to nonexistent. There was no build-up to it: they acknowledge the attraction between them, he says he wants to sleep with her, she replies saying that they need to focus on vanquishing the Big Evil so he shouldn't pressure her, he agrees, yada yada yada, then she changes her mind out of the blue and decides to sleep with him after all. It was all so... unromantic.

I liked Fox well enough, but Layla grated on my nerves big time. I know I complained about Quinn, the heroine in Blood Brothers, being too assertive and I feel like I should be eating crow now. Layla was Quinn's complete opposite, and her I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-my-life attitude bugged me to the point that I wished she had been more like Quinn. NR just went from one extreme to the other when "drawing" them, and neither was very likeable.

As for the suspense/PNR part of the story, it was good but not too thrilling. At times, all they did was sit and talk, talk, talk... until my eyes started to glaze and I had to take a break. Thankfully, the sporadic demon's attacks were entertaining and scary, and kept me from being bored to tears. Overall, the "gang" made some progress in their battle against the Big Evil, but there was no resolution in sight yet - which was expected, considering there's still one more book to go in this trilogy.

All in all, this was just an OK read. It was kind of disappointing because I expected more from it, but it wasn't bad. I feel the next and last book, The Pagan Stone, will be better - not only because Gage and Cybil are more interesting than Fox and Layla, but also because I'll finally find out how the Big Evil will be defeated. Or will he?
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Nov 27, 2008 Isis FG rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Isis FG by: favorite author, continuation of a series

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

Second book in the Sign of Seven trilogy by Nora Roberts. While I still enjoyed this book, I didn't like it as much as the first book. I'd give it a 4, maybe 4.5, stars.

The Hollow continues the tale about six people: Cal, Fox, Gage, Quinn, Layla and Cybil, trying to find a way to beat a centuries old evil that terrorizes the town of Hawkins Hollow for seven days every seven years. The group now knows that this is the time, this is the Seven, that they can beat back the evil. But they must work t...more Second book in the Sign of Seven trilogy by Nora Roberts. While I still enjoyed this book, I didn't like it as much as the first book. I'd give it a 4, maybe 4.5, stars.

The Hollow continues the tale about six people: Cal, Fox, Gage, Quinn, Layla and Cybil, trying to find a way to beat a centuries old evil that terrorizes the town of Hawkins Hollow for seven days every seven years. The group now knows that this is the time, this is the Seven, that they can beat back the evil. But they must work together as a group, and they desperately need to find information about what they need to do. Fox and Layla have to learn to work together and learn how to use their tool of Seeing the present if they want to succeed. For Layla, it's not so simple because not that long ago, she was just a regular working girl. Now she's in a strange place where an ancient evil threatens them all, and where she's suddenly developed sixth sense abilities she never would have believed in before. Fox plans to help her through it, though. For him, it's been a part of his life since he was ten's years old and a simple blood brothers ceremony between him, Cal and Gage released the evil that plagues them.

This was a good book, but like I said, it wasn't as good, for me, as Blood Brothers. For two reasons really. The first being that the books were a bit too similar when it came to the plot and the progression of the plot. They were both basically the group researching and dealing with scattered events instigated by the bad guy. Sure, in the end, they had the task of trying to get the bloodstone back together. But throughout the book, there wasn't really anything to set it apart from the first book. There wasn't quite enough action to show the story progressing. In a way, it was kind of like reading the same story, with different lead characters (Fox and Layla in this one). But don't get me wrong, it wasn't so similar that I was bored or anything. I had no problems getting through the book. I just thought there could have been something a little more to set it apart.

And the second reason...hmm, well I guess it's just that Fox and Layla didn't interest me as much as Cal and Quinn did. Layla annoyed me every now and then. So that set this book a small step below the first one.

Aside from those two things, I'm still enjoying this series. True it has it's similarities to other NR books - battling back an ancient evil a la Three Sisters Island trilogy - but all the details make it its own series. I'm looking forward to reading the last book (and I'm really glad that I waited to read the first two books until the third came out and I could read them all together).(less)

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Jul 02, 2008 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, ebooks

On to book two of Sign of the Seven!

I definitely liked this one better than Book 1, for a couple of reasons. One, I liked Fox as a male lead character better than I liked Caleb. He's a more thoughtful character, in more ways than one; there's the obvious thing about his being telepathic, but also, in general, he's more analytical than Caleb and that worked better for me as a character trait. Also, I was quite charmed that he could juggle. And, dude, he plays the guitar. Automatic swoon points fo...more On to book two of Sign of the Seven!

I definitely liked this one better than Book 1, for a couple of reasons. One, I liked Fox as a male lead character better than I liked Caleb. He's a more thoughtful character, in more ways than one; there's the obvious thing about his being telepathic, but also, in general, he's more analytical than Caleb and that worked better for me as a character trait. Also, I was quite charmed that he could juggle. And, dude, he plays the guitar. Automatic swoon points for a male lead who's a musician, what can I say?

(Though I have to take issue with a couple of the leading ladies asking each other: "Why are guitar players so sexy?" "It's the hands!" Not for me! It's the music.)

Layla as the female lead in this book is not nearly as much of a benevolent bulldozer as Quinn, yet I liked her too. She's more vulnerable, more fragile, and yet she also demonstrated her strength after having to wrestle around with her personal demons in the first bit of the book. She and Fox had some very charming chemistry together as well.

Plot-wise, things do kick up a notch, although we're still building to the main event of the Seven. Our heroes and heroines figure out a few critical background details, even as the Big Bad revs up its own strength and does a pretty decent job going after Fox early in the book and then after all six of the main characters later on. The final scene, where the six of them need to accomplish a specific ritual task to prepare themselves for the forthcoming confrontation, has some suitably powerful description going on.

Though, really--I think Nora's handling of the supernatural elements of this trilogy is more effective when she's not pulling out all the stops. For example, one bit that really stood out for me for how evocative it was is this one: "The demon in a child's form laughed. Then it opened its mouth, wide as a cave, and swallowed itself."

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing how she does indeed gear up for the main event in Book 3--and how Gage and Cybil take their turn at center stage. Gage the rogue, the gambler, the precognitive... I think I'm going to like him too. ;)

For this book, though, four stars.(less)

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May 07, 2008 Julie (jjmachshev) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008-reads

What can I say? I waited at the bookstore today for the clerk to put out this book. Bought the book. Came home, opened the book and didn't stop till I finished. That's right...skipped supper...it was totally worth it. Nora's done it again. I loved the first book, "Blood Brothers" and "The Hollow" kept me riveted. Unfortunately, now I have to wait til December 08 for the final book "The Pagan Stone" to be released. Doubtless I'll be waiting at the bookstore for them to open then too.

The second bo...more

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Apr 18, 2010 Ronda Tutt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Enjoyable read.

One more step is made in finding away to stop the evil madness that happens every 7 years for 7 days. The demon is getting stronger and stronger to the point where he is attacking the six in the group at one time. The demon is using their greatest fears against them in hopes of killing them off one by one or them killing each other. But with the strength of their friendship and love, the demon is loosing the battle.

The romance between Fox and Layla grows through out the story and...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guilty-pleasures

Book #61 of 2011

I think I love Fox. And I think I love Fox's parents. And I didn't even notice the Fox and Layla connection this time!

Book #42 of 2009

4/16/2009 So... once upon a time, we adopted a dog. And her name was Foxy. But I had a dog named Foxy when I was little, so we changed her name to Layla. And... yeah. It makes me chuckle that the main characters' names are Fox and Layla.

This book wasn't as spooky as the first one, in my opinion. Maybe its just because the "Big Evil Bastard", as th...more

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May 19, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: jens-personal-read

I should probably feel bad that I ignored my husband and children for seven straight hours while I read THE HOLLOW, the second book in Nora Roberts' THE SIGN OF SEVEN trilogy.

I don't.

Seriously, once you start in on this story, featuring Fox O'Dell and Layla Darnell, which is even better than the first book, you won't be able to stop reading. Of course, I'll no doubt say that the third book in the series, which doesn't come out until December (the horror!!), is even better than this one, but I'll...more

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Feb 11, 2009 Kelly Moran rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the trilogy, and again, this is a pleasure read and not an official review. I found it slower than the first one, until the middle. It was good. No qualms. It's leading up to the last book very well. She saved the last 2 love interests for the end book. I can't wait to read them.

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May 11, 2008 Shawn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nora_roberts, 2008

I didn't love this book, but I don't hate it either. I was dissapointed in it. I was excited for this book to come out. I really enjoyed the first of the trilogy, Blood Brothers, and had high expectations for this one, but it seemed to fall flat. Maybe I was expecting to much, but this installment just didn't excite me. The ending seemed anticlimatic, like something was missing. I hope in the final book, The Pagan Stone, that we see more action. We are given descriptions of all the stuff that ha...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Aliyyah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: supernatural, romance

I'm always surprised that I read Nora Roberts at all, let alone pretty much everything she's written. But every time I open a new book of hers I remember why. The lyrical, funny, endearing way that she writes. She writes characters that you care about and can laugh with. And I just love the way that she makes the story real and yet giving it that otherworldly touch. She's great at description by not giving too much, but using as many of your senses as possible. This is the second in yet another...more

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Jan 29, 2009 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

The second in Roberts' Sign of Seven trilogy, and a bit stronger than the first. The three emerging couples in the trilogy each embody an aspect of vision: past, present and future. The Hollow represents the second stage of preparation for the showdown between good and evil.

The backstory: three boys, all born on the same date (7/7/77) become blood brothers on their 10th birthday, and unwittingly unleashed a long-buried demon. For seven days chaos and evil reins in Hawkins Hollow, their small Mar...more

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May 07, 2013 Tempo de Ler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Neste 2º livro da trilogia Signo dos Sete, continuamos a acompanhar a batalha de Fox, Caleb e Gage contra o mal ancestral que libertaram acidentalmente há alguns anos atrás, no seu 10º aniversário. A eles, juntaram-se 3 mulheres - Quinn, Layla e Cybil - todas elas descendentes do demónio que deu origem à maldição que assola Hawkins Hollow de 7 em 7 anos…

Mais uma vez Nora Roberts reúne de forma deslumbrante e equilibrada humor, suspense e romance numa história narrada de forma melodiosa e diverti...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Kara Jorges rated it 3 of 5 stars

Nora Roberts’ latest trilogy hits its stride the second time out. While the first in this series felt a lot like a retread of books we’ve read before, this story seems to have a little more individuality going for it. In “Blood Brothers,” the new circle of six is introduced, and Cal and Quinn were paired off. This book is about the love that forms between Fox and Layla, while the six continue to prepare for the upcoming battle with the Big Evil that plagues the small Maryland town of Hawkins Hol...more Nora Roberts’ latest trilogy hits its stride the second time out. While the first in this series felt a lot like a retread of books we’ve read before, this story seems to have a little more individuality going for it. In “Blood Brothers,” the new circle of six is introduced, and Cal and Quinn were paired off. This book is about the love that forms between Fox and Layla, while the six continue to prepare for the upcoming battle with the Big Evil that plagues the small Maryland town of Hawkins Hollow.

Layla came to Hawkins Hollow seemingly on a whim, leaving her job and apartment in New York behind to head for a place she had never been. Almost immediately upon her arrival, strange things begin to happen, and as a result Layla makes friends with Quinn, who had come to town to write about the bizarre happenings every seven years. Layla winds up leaving her job in New York and taking on the temporary position of Fox’s office manager, but it doesn’t seem as if their relationship will remain professional. Not when they feel such a connection. Fox is ready for Layla to leave everything behind and build a life with him, but Layla isn’t so sure she wants him making all her decisions for her. Besides, with what’s about to come in July, she fears there soon may not even be a Hawkins Hollow in which to build a life. The six friends have a battle on their hands against the demon who would destroy the picturesque town, and his antics are escalating. From the moment Layla set foot in Hawkins Hollow, she has had visions and dreams. As time approaches the Seven, the week in July when all hell breaks loose, the demon seems to be gaining more power than ever before, and his tricks become even more dangerous. The six friends find that to beat him at his own game, they must risk performing a dark ritual of their own that could destroy them all.

While generally not offended by books of this type, I didn’t realize until now how much Sunday school stuck with me, because it really bugs me that God does not seem to exist to a single character in this book, yet they continually use God and Jesus as epithets in their speech. It also amuses me that these six characters are so sure of the power they possess amongst themselves that they feel capable of taking on a “demon from hell” without any supernatural assistance, whether from God and angels, or even from witchcraft. They’ve got such a powerful thing going, it defies all religions and beliefs. To quote the cover blurb, “only friendship and family, promise and passion can stop it…” That’s an incredibly silly concept from any spiritual standpoint, and sounds more like platitudes you’d read in a teen magazine. Oddly, though, the silliness of it all made the book more palatable to me.

Though my least favorite, and the least original, of all Nora Roberts’ trilogies, as other readers have said, Nora on a bad day is better than most other writers on a good one. This book was better than the first in this series, and I’m hoping that the third will be a further improvement and round it out nicely in the end.
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Aug 19, 2011 Marion Marchetto rated it 2 of 5 stars

I have read a few of Nora Roberts' trilogies and they have kept my interest. However, when I picked up The Hollow I had no idea that it was even part of a trilogy. (Guess I should have known better.)I started this book three times and put it down while I read something else. I simply got tired of looking at the darn thing so forced myself to read it.

The premise of something evil returning to a small town every seven years should mean the reader is held from page one to the very end. But this re...more

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May 23, 2011 Jenn of Frequent Reader, Infrequent Blogger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, hardcover, review-written, romance-novels

*** NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
I had a much harder time getting into this book than the first. Though it shares that musical tone of the first book, the pacing is much slower and the relationship between Fox and Layla was much more the focus of the book than the happenings with Twisse and the upcoming seven.

While I know the book is a romance and I enjoy the romantic interaction of the the two characters I find I like Roberts work much better when she focuses more on the outside...more *** NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS ***
I had a much harder time getting into this book than the first. Though it shares that musical tone of the first book, the pacing is much slower and the relationship between Fox and Layla was much more the focus of the book than the happenings with Twisse and the upcoming seven.

While I know the book is a romance and I enjoy the romantic interaction of the the two characters I find I like Roberts work much better when she focuses more on the outside plot, that of the the mysterious and paranormal than on just the romance.

The book does distinguish Fox and Layla more as individuals than the last book did. While in the first novel Cal and Fox seemed very similar in commentary and actions this book definitely distinguishes Fox as a separate character with different motivations and actions. He has a very different personality than Cal in this book which was not shown as well in the first books.

Some of the problems I had with this story were one the relationship between Fox and Layla was very slow going, very sensual loves scenes but none of the fast paced excitement in their relationship that Quinn and Cal had. I liked how the previous couple had that perfect mix of slow sensual and hot and racy, but didn't find that in this particular relationship. While I guess it's realistic because every relationship doesn't form or flow in the same way as another I'm a big fan of the unexpected racy heat so when I don't get that in a romance I'm a little disappointed. Also a lot of their relationship seemed like a cat and mouse game with Fox chasing and Layla hiding or running. While he's an easy going sort of character he mostly ran the show in their relationship and it's coming to be.

Layla herself was also a lot of the problem I had with the book because I had a lot of trouble relating to her as a character. I will give Roberts that throughout the book Layla shows a lot of character growth, becoming more courageous and risky, becoming more prepared for the upcoming threat it's hard for me to relate to a character that initially mousy. She's got all that New York Style and flair from the short hair cut to the trendy clothes which tells me from appearance this is going to be a confident, don't mess with me character but then you get to know her and it's more she's pushed into the situation and takes forever to even be sure she wants to be there. In one scene she becomes so frightened by images of snakes appearing in her shower that she passes out. So her appearance says one thing, but her actions say another which just doesn't really work for me as a reader. Her natural response seems to be flight instead of fight which makes me feel as a reader that this character is not at all prepared to face the oncoming threat of the seven. Even with all of her growth in the book and she does make tremendous growth in the book I still have trouble believing that this character is really ready to fight an ageless demon. She tries to organize and compartmentalize everything, and seems to think a battle with a demon can be won with colored coded note cards. This personality trait of hers as well I find a little annoying.

My final issue with the book is the flash back to Carly, a fiancé of Fox's who killed herself during the last seven while she was under possession of the demon. Now the idea of this is really wonderful in that is helps to show why Fox is the way he is, trying to put himself in front of the girl or the others protecting them before himself. It's an excellent idea in that way, but the dreams, the mention of this really personality shaping part of his history doesn't even occur until the middle of the book. It comes out of nowhere. And much of his behavior previous to this being mentioned doesn't really illustrate how this affected him. It shows after she mentioned it but as it's not really a new thing for him in the beginning of the book just new to the reader in the middle it should have been demonstrated throughout the book and mentioned in the prologue when we flash back to a different seven, though not the same seven as when this occurred. The seven we should have seen through Fox was the third seven, the seven where he lost someone so dear to him. Another thing that bothers me about this is the Layla helps to discover that the reason Carly was so susceptible even though she was an outsider is that she was a decedent of the relationship between Hester Deale and Twisse. Okay if she's easy to manipulate because of that why aren't Quinn, Layla and Cybil since they are descendants as well?

I still give the book four stars because one the overall series is a page turner and it does include some scenes, the ones where she deals with the overall rather than the individual that have you unable to put this books down. The ending where they reunite the three piece of the stone into one is definitely much more fulfilling than the ending of the first book where you're left thinking okay? What's next? She also continues to engage in the other characters in the series lives during this book as well. You start to see things heating up between Gage and Cybil through heated arguments and a passionate kiss in the middle of danger. You get the opportunity to join Quinn as she hunts for a wedding dress. There is also an exciting scene where each character is attacked individually simultaneously which leaves you wondering if any of them are ready to face the approaching threat. While not the best book in the series, it's still worth reading, if only to follow the battle between demon and guardian which continues throughout the trilogy.
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Dec 29, 2010 Bronwyn Rykiert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, series

In this second and middle book of the Sign of Seven Trilogy, we learn more about Fox and Layla. Of the three boys, Cal, Fox and Gage, that unleashed an evil on their 10th birthdays 21 years ago, Fox is the one to see the present and "read" people's minds or feelings. Fox is now a lawyer in Hawkins Hollow practicing all types of law from divorces to wills to civil suits and minor criminal defenses. He brings a special compassion and understanding to his clients partly because of his personality a...more

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Oct 18, 2009 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

The time of their shared birthday was nearing (July 7, 1977) and each of them hoped that this would be the one that would end the nightmares that Caleb Hawkins, Fox O'Dell and Gage Turner had been living every 7 years for 7 days since they had made a blood brother pack on their 10th birthday out at the Pagan Stone. Now with the help of Quinn Black (reporter & Cal's fiance), Layla Darnell, and Cybil Kinski (a paranormal researcher) they may finally find the direction that they needed to stop...more

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May 29, 2009 Tracy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: monsters, adventure, audio-assault

The book was fine, entertaining and didn't require an inordinate suspension of disbelief - as long as you are okay with demons manifesting, telepathic/empathic connections, communication with spirits from the past and precognition. (I am.)

If I were to actually pick the book apart there are holes and convenient jumps, but I don't plan to do so. It was an entertaining read from start to finish (skipping over the mushy and melodramatic lovey dovey stuff, of course).

The audiobook reader did an okay...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Joan García rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

En un principio iba a ser mas critico con esta segunda entrega que con la primera debido a que en un primer momento se me hizo mas lento en cuanto al desarrollo de la trama que el primero, no avanzo digamos hasta que encontraron los diarios de Ann, y la relación entre Layla y Fox, también llevo algo mas de tiempo para hacerlos cuajar. Pero ahora que lo he leído al completo, no solo pienso que merece la misma puntuación que el primero sino incluso mas, porque el desarrollo de la trama, sin duda a...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, suspense

This book switched the point of view from Quinn and Cal to Fox and Layla - a refreshing change. Fox's character was much more interesting because of his "natural" upbringing compared to Layla's New York city girl life. Though there was much of the other four main characters in this story, there was a lot of this new couple.

The demon grows stronger and the six friends learn a lot more about themselves, their past and the possibilities of their future in this small town. There are many lessons lea...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Julianne rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is #2 of a Nora Roberts trilogy.

They are in West Virginia or maybe Maryland in modern times, but they are plagued with demons lurking about town, stemming back to events in the 1600's. There are six thirty-somethings, three guys and three gals, trying to do the research to figure out what's going on. Some of it is the history of the town and the area, so they have to find and read through old journals. Then they need to do much genealogical research to find out if each of them might be a d...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Lydia Perversius rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sign-of-7

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “It seems to me it’s most important to go after what you want when there’s madness going on. I’m asking you to think about it. More, I guess I’m asking you to think about something you haven’t yet. Staying. Open the shop, manage my office, found a nudist colony, or take up macrame, I don’t care as long as it makes you happy. But I want you to think about staying, Layla, not just to destroy ancient fucking evil, but to live. To have a life, with me. Put THIS in one of your slots. I’m in love with...more “It seems to me it’s most important to go after what you want when there’s madness going on. I’m asking you to think about it. More, I guess I’m asking you to think about something you haven’t yet. Staying. Open the shop, manage my office, found a nudist colony, or take up macrame, I don’t care as long as it makes you happy. But I want you to think about staying, Layla, not just to destroy ancient fucking evil, but to live. To have a life, with me. Put THIS in one of your slots. I’m in love with you. Completely, absolutely, no-turning-back in love with you. We could build something good, and solid, and real. Something that makes every day count. That’s what I want. So you think about it, and when you know, you tell me what you want.” - Fox O'Dell

Once in a while you come across a couple in a romance novel that is just meant to be. Being a major Nora Roberts fan, I can say without a doubt that I have seen my fair share of such fictional couples. But, like I said, there are times when, even if it's not their time yet, two of the characters just click together, and you know, hands down, they'll take a tumble if not something more.

Fox O'Dell and Layla Darnell of The Hollow were such a couple. The hippie lawyer and the quiet, reserved boutique manager just hit it off from the very first book, and it was easy for them to pick it up a notch in the second. Well, at least for Fox - Layla was really anal when it came to details and all that, something that I couldn't decide whether it would frustrate the man to death, or compliment him as he looked like he needed some serious mothering in his personal life...

The plot concerning the Big Evil Bastard doesn't exactly escalate in this book, if you except the new info the guys hid in the first one, like the whole deal with Carly, Fox's dead ex, and the twist that Ann Hawkins was giving birth to her triplets the very moment Lazarus Twisse and Giles Dent had their showdown. But I guess we can consider it their own personal lull, as they did at the beginning of the book, to charge and regroup, to plot and just find something to take a hold on to in order to have even the slightest idea of what they're supposed to be doing. It would have been easier, though, if Layla wasn't so negative on almost everything new around her, or Gage was more willing and patient to the whole "team theme". Especially Gage. I understand his point, this thing has taken long enough, and they have already entered the countdown phase, but does he have to be so damn rude and pessimistic? Sure, it could be excused, but lashing out on all of them, or saying that Cybil's premonitions were just nightmares wasn't exactly helping either...

There were parts, of course, that were pretty much spooky. Not at the same level they were in the first book. Because by now we're used to Twisse's creepy ways of freaking them out, and it actually comes out as usual and normal. But the part where Fox nearly died from Block's attack (damn you to all nine Hells and back, Derrick Napper!), or when they were all divided and attacked at the same time by their worst fears and nightmares... well, those ones were like horror movie clips, vivid, and altogether terrifying...

Fact is, though, that I laughed more than screamed when reading it. Fox has a way to make everything sound so funny, even when he's angry, and the O'Dell family is adorable. His attachment with his fleeing office manager, Mrs. Hawbaker, and how he kept putting dollars in the F-word jar even when she was gone was sweet, and it was really obvious he would just accept he loved Layla and plan the next step with such a casual manner and attitude. Like Cal, Fox is a man simply born to commit and create a family, but, unlike his pal, he didn't freak out first chance he got, instead he embraced it and just went for it, in his all-optimistic and sunny way. His fights with Layla were extremely "real", like they were a real-life couple, not a fictional one, and his boyish ways of fixing things were cute to the extreme! Also, for some reason I kept picturing Christopher Gorham in his place, and that made him even cuter!

The perk of having his "pride" restored quickly because of his link with everything that's going on at Hawkins Hollow was totally childish on behalf of the writer, I admit, but it brought me to laughing tears, especially when Cybil was acting like a girl who never gets the candy after Layla and Quinn had both tried it out. And the love scene with Fox connecting his mind with Layla? God, talk about super hot, with the possibility of getting burned from the heat!

Personal favorite scene of the book? Cybil running over Twisse's demon dog form with Quinn's car, and being so cool about it! Go, girl! And now that she and Gage are next to play, I wonder how they can handle it, seeing as they're both sworn singles and cynical beyond belief...

Exhausted, content, he walked with her behind the others on a path spattered with moonlight. They’d made magic tonight, he thought. They’d chosen their path, and found their way.
The rest was just details.
(less)

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Mar 12, 2009 Margo Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

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May 28, 2013 Darlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book of three. I really enjoyed it. The story continued with the focus on the demon and how it affects each person differently when it makes an appearance. They learned that it hones in on their personal fears and intensifies that fear-that only they themselves can see because anyone around them is not affected and to them all is normal. This book also focused on the budding relationship between Fox and Layla and how together they can see things from the past as well as what i...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Ana Luisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.b...

Depois da leitura do primeiro volume desta trilogia, a curiosidade de continuar a leitura aumentou. Estava ansiosa pelo momento de pegar neste livro e quando finalmente consegui tê-lo em meu poder, foi literalmente devorado.
Poucas são as pessoas que não conhecem Nora Roberts e, mesmo que não tenham lido nenhum dos seus livros, apenas a referência a seu nome faz despertar a atenção para a conversa que se está a ter. Ela é uma autora que, mesmo mantendo uma...more http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.b...

Depois da leitura do primeiro volume desta trilogia, a curiosidade de continuar a leitura aumentou. Estava ansiosa pelo momento de pegar neste livro e quando finalmente consegui tê-lo em meu poder, foi literalmente devorado.
Poucas são as pessoas que não conhecem Nora Roberts e, mesmo que não tenham lido nenhum dos seus livros, apenas a referência a seu nome faz despertar a atenção para a conversa que se está a ter. Ela é uma autora que, mesmo mantendo uma linha de desenvolvimento semelhante nos seus livros, tem também uma imaginação muito fértil. Escreve romances contemporâneos, policiais e até mesmo romances com temas sobrenaturais. Nora é autora polivalente em relação aos temas que escreve, mas como qualquer ser humano mostra a sua fraqueza quando escreve sobre temas sobrenaturais. Não quero com isto dizer que este livro tem uma qualidade inferir, apenas afirmo que esta temática é o “Calcanhar de Aquiles” para autora. Na verdade esta tem sido uma trilogia que me tem surpreendido pela positiva, estava um pouco receosa com estes livros, mas na verdade acabaram por me fazer lembrar um pouco da Trilogia da Chaves, também escrita por Nora Roberts.
Apesar dos fenómenos sobrenaturais existentes nos livros, estes têm focado mais o romance entre as suas personagens e apresentando uma continuidade entre si, isto é algo que me tem deixado bastante satisfeita por poder acompanhar o desenvolvimento da relação das personagens do livro anterior. Em comparação com o livro anterior, este “Ritual de Amor” apresentou mais desenvolvimentos acerca da história de Twisse e também este se mostrou um pouco mais, trazendo terror e situações complicadas para os três homens e as três mulheres. A história entre Fox e Layla apresenta-se de uma forma um pouco mais inconstante que a anterior devido à personalidade insegura da protagonista feminina, mas assim que ambos se deixam levar por aquilo que sentem, ela começa a desenvolver-se de uma forma mais doce. Em comparação com o livro anterior, este volta a apresentar um desenvolvimento muito bem estruturado e não encontrei nenhum erro de continuidade no mesmo.
Este segundo livro vem aguçar-me a vontade de ler o último livro da trilogia. Ainda nem acredito naquilo que li quando estava próximo o final e por isso as minhas expectativas para ele estão bem altas. Gage sempre me fascinou desde o início da trilogia, o menino rebelde e marcado pelo seu passado. Estou ansiosa por ler a sua história, acredito que este será um livro em que tudo pode acontecer.(less)

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Feb 16, 2011 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fluff

This second book in the trilogy is even better than the first (I hope Roberts can sustain the narrative in the third installment without rushing and taking shortcuts to reach the conclusion). All of the same characters are back, but the plot focuses in on a different couple. The overall mystery of the trilogy - the source/nature/weakness/defeat of the demon/sinister force that affects the town - is explored in further detail but remains unresolved. I found that I really liked the way Roberts bal...more

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Jun 02, 2013 Jessi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, appealing-characteristic-character, appealing-characteristic-story, contemporary, paranormal, part-of-a-series, romance

Layla Darnell isn't sure what she's doing in Hawkins Hollow. One day, she just felt the urge to leave her life at a boutique in New York City and travel to rural Pennsylvania to a town where she's having horrible nightmares, seeing horrible things, and falling for Fox O'Dell, one of the three men responsible for releasing an ancient evil that had been captured three hundred years ago but was let back into the world when three ten-year-old boys swore a blood oath.
Now Layla is working for Fox and...more

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Mar 05, 2010 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, age-adult, paranormal, romance

I'm continuing to read this series despite it being more romance than paranormal thriller... what can I say, I'm a completist.

The second book in this trilogy centers around the pairing of Fox and Layla. Fox, though he certainly has a reason to be reluctant to be in a relationship since the demon of Hawkins Hollow drove his last girlfriend to kill herself seven years ago, is almost irritatingly forward with Layla. He tells her things along the lines of "I want to rip off your clothes and do the...more I'm continuing to read this series despite it being more romance than paranormal thriller... what can I say, I'm a completist.

The second book in this trilogy centers around the pairing of Fox and Layla. Fox, though he certainly has a reason to be reluctant to be in a relationship since the demon of Hawkins Hollow drove his last girlfriend to kill herself seven years ago, is almost irritatingly forward with Layla. He tells her things along the lines of "I want to rip off your clothes and do the nasty with you. Put that in your pipe and smoke it" (this is only a marginal exaggeration of what he actually says in the book). Layla, on the other hand, has never had a serious relationship, and yet is extremely commitment-phobic and reluctant to admit to herself that she's in love with Fox. Along the bumpy road of their romance which begins with a night of endless sex, some weird stuff happens (spiders crawling out of keyboards, snakes crawling out of drains, etc), and the three pairs of soulmates have to figure out how to reform the Blood Stone out of the three pieces each of the men have so they can stop the demon from destroying Hawkins Hollow.

I'm getting pretty irritated with the sexist nature of this book... Quinn (the main character from book #1) is routinely referred to as "the blonde," as in every other character telling Cal, "Hey, nice job with the blonde." The men's conversations also refer to women as "skirts," and they are inexplicably driven to buy a lot of flowers for the ladies.

Around the twentieth time that Fox and Layla have relations, I began to come up with a list of words I despise reading during sex scenes in books. Quiver. Caress. Slick. Moan. Pleasure (as a verb). Cup (as in "cupping her breast"). Nibble. BARF. I really couldn't stand it. Once again, the parts that should have been creepy weren't. It's like all the author's energy went into the sex scenes and she decided that saying spiders climbed out of Fox's keyboard is enough to be scary. No, it isn't. *sigh* Yet being a completist, I'll have to read the last book. (less)

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Dec 12, 2012 Deanna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, hocus-pocus, other-paranormal-beings-and-things, spirited-away, read-2012, reviewed

As I said in my review for the first book in this series (Blood Brothers), I love these characters and this storyline. Fox O'Dell is the main character in this book, along with is counterpart Layla Darnell. Their storyline is a little different to Quinn and Cal's (thank God, it would have been so boring to read the same old romantic plot over and over) and I think in this book, more than the others, there was more plot than romance, which I definitely preferred. I mean, it was obvious that the t...more

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Apr 16, 2010 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, horror, romance, witch

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Memory in Death
by J.D. Robb

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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“Do you see that out there? The strange, unfamiliar light? It's called the sun. Let's go get us a little.” — 34 people liked it

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