Don't Tell (Romantic Suspense, #1)

Jul 24, 2008 Christa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

Don't Tell was a very touching, emotional book. It was one of the better romantic suspense books that I have read lately. It was the first Karen Rose book I have experienced, but I can tell that this will be another series that will be a must read for me.

Mary Grace Winters was pregnant and married at age fifteen to a violent, abusive man. She sustained numerous injuries at his hand, and after nearly losing her life when he pushes her down the stairs for the second time, she realizes that she wil...more Don't Tell was a very touching, emotional book. It was one of the better romantic suspense books that I have read lately. It was the first Karen Rose book I have experienced, but I can tell that this will be another series that will be a must read for me.

Mary Grace Winters was pregnant and married at age fifteen to a violent, abusive man. She sustained numerous injuries at his hand, and after nearly losing her life when he pushes her down the stairs for the second time, she realizes that she will have to do something drastic to get herself and her son away from the violence. Mary Grace has already tried to go through legal channels to get help, but it is made difficult by the fact that her husband, Rob Winters, is a police officer. Mary Grace's injuries are so severe that it takes her two years to recover enough to take her son, Robbie, and escape. Mary Grace ditches her car in a lake, changes the names of herself and her son, and takes shelter at a women's home in Chicago. Seven years later, she is known as Caroline Stewart, and is a college secretary and soon to be college graduate. After the death of her boss and mentor, she meets the new head of her department, Max Hunter. Max Hunter has also survived great tragedy, and is constantly reminded of it by his physical limitations that require him to use a cane. Max and Caroline are drawn to one another immediately, and are very soon involved in a relationship that both hope will lead to a future together. Before they can find happiness together, they will have to overcome several obstacles. Max will have to come to terms with his present life and realize that he didn't lose everything in his accident, and Caroline will have to find a way to tell Max about her past and that she is still married. As they struggle with their fledgling relationship, Caroline's abusive husband finds her and threatens her existence.

This book was riveting, and I couldn't put it down. Both the hero and heroine were very likeable characters, although both had serious issues to overcome from their pasts. The villian was without conscience and committed some disturbing acts that gave the book a rougher edge than many of the romantic suspense novels I have read. There were several secondary characters that played an important role in the story, and I look forward to seeing some of them again as the series continues.(less)

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Jan 21, 2009 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

This is my first Karen Rose book and by the first page I knew this was going to be riveting. Karen Rose is an excellent storyteller and she keeps everything trim and moving at a lightning fast pace. This was truly an edge-of-your-seat thriller and I enjoyed it immensely. As I was reading this I kept thinking that this would make a hugely successful movie; then I remembered Sleeping With The Enemy. I kept getting flashbacks of the movie and this book mixed up in my head but I tried not to let tha...more This is my first Karen Rose book and by the first page I knew this was going to be riveting. Karen Rose is an excellent storyteller and she keeps everything trim and moving at a lightning fast pace. This was truly an edge-of-your-seat thriller and I enjoyed it immensely. As I was reading this I kept thinking that this would make a hugely successful movie; then I remembered Sleeping With The Enemy. I kept getting flashbacks of the movie and this book mixed up in my head but I tried not to let that bother me and besides, this book was vastly superior.

The romance isn't the main focus of this book but I thought it was nicely balanced with the suspense. I was mostly interested in the suspense anyway so I didn't mind. We know who the bad guy is from the very beginning so this isn't a who-dunit but more of a when-are-they-going-to-catch-him type of book. Our hero and heroine are blissfully going about their lives, tentatively beginning a new relationship while never knowing that the psycho husband is closing in on them. You pray that he will be caught soon because the body count in this book is really high. Anytime Winters was front and center I felt like he was this unstoppable Angel of Death. He just kept circling tighter and tighter around Caroline and I was breathlessly awaiting the moment when he would strike. Part of my unease about this book was knowing that Max was physically unable to protect her. Of course this is fiction and the good guys must triumph but it definitely made it more interesting in an edge-of-your-seat sort of way. Max wasn't some ex-soldier or FBI agent who knew how to save the day. He was a handicapped history professor and while he was certainly willing to put himself in harms way for Caroline and her son, when push came to shove, he had a bad leg. This leaves most of the hope for Caroline's survival on her own shoulders and I loved that. I loved reading about her facing her husband again, thwarting him even and challenging his dominion over her. I loved it.

Without a doubt my favorite character was Caroline's son, Tom Stewart. Caroline and Max were good characters but they were a little too defensive for my tastes. He was a little too quick to feel sorry for himself and she was just a little too blah. While I greatly admire them, Tom is the one who stole my heart. I would love to read his story someday. 4.5 stars. (less)

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Nov 11, 2009 Gina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Gina by: Crystal Craig.

Shelves: own, mini-group-read, action, mystery, romantic-suspense, suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Oh, did I ever love this book! This is my first time reading Karen Rose, and it most certainly will not be the last!

The characters, especially Caroline/Mary Grace - you could feel how she feels, when she stiffens, when she melts, how much she loves her son... As injured as she was, she endured the physical pain/still endures the physical pain, to function, to protect her son. Constantly on her guard, should it ever happen that 'he' finds them.

Robbie: for a 14-year-old, you can tell he grew up...more Oh, did I ever love this book! This is my first time reading Karen Rose, and it most certainly will not be the last!

The characters, especially Caroline/Mary Grace - you could feel how she feels, when she stiffens, when she melts, how much she loves her son... As injured as she was, she endured the physical pain/still endures the physical pain, to function, to protect her son. Constantly on her guard, should it ever happen that 'he' finds them.

Robbie: for a 14-year-old, you can tell he grew up quickly and was more adult than even his own father (the SOB!) He cares for his mother very much and is still wary of Max, even at the end of the book. I hope that Robbie becomes more comfortable with himself and men in general.

Max: I fell for the man right at the beginning. Even though he didn't know about Caroline's past, he was the perfect gentleman through and through, never pushing. The arguments he and Caroline had - I felt bad for both of them, he was still living in his self-pity/self-hate world, and Caroline understood it more than he thought. He needed that 'kick in the pants' she gave him, and I'm glad he finally woke up.

The plot: I knew it was going to be touchy with me. I've seen my best friend through this type of situation and I knew I was going to get into it a little too much, LOL! Oh, I so wanted to jump right in the book and strangle Winters (her 'husband') with my bare hands. I hated him right to the core, and was completely ecstatic when Caroline/Mary Grace finally fought back and took him down. That's exactly what she needed to finally be free of him; divorce wouldn't have been enough. No one has the right to make a woman feel the way Caroline felt, to treat her like garbage, like a child.

In a way, this book reminded me of that movie starring Jennifer Lopez Enough. The plots were a little similar.

I had a hard time putting this book down, watching the relationship between Caroline and Max grow, the friendships she shared, watching Winters get closer and closer to finding his wife and son... A page turner you'll have a hard time putting down.

5-stars, all the way.(less)

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Aug 23, 2011 Steffi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense, part-of-series

I did a quickie review of this book on my blog because someone asked my opinion on it:

Don't Tell is the first book in the Romantic Suspense Series by Karen Rose. Although you can read every book as a standalone, they are related because of reappearing characters in the form of friends, relatives, partners, etc. Personally, I think you can experience and enjoy the books more fully when they are read in order.

In Don't Tell we meet Mary Grace Winters or Caroline Stewart, as she calls herself now, w...more

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Mar 26, 2008 Isis FG rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-romance-suspense, reviewed, info-full, author-karen-rose, stars-5

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

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Dec 08, 2007 Kathrynn rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Romantic Suspense Readers

Shelves: romance-suspense, own, 2007, reviewed, series-karen_rose

This is book #1 of a two parter.

Book #2 is "Nothing to Fear." And Mia Mitchell appears again in "Count to Ten" (as a main character). Also, Lt. Spinelli (sp?) appears in one of this author's books, but I can't remember which. Yet. Really each of the books can be read as stand alones. But, "Don't Tell" and "Nothing to Fear" should be read in order as events that happen in this book are discussed and play a role in the latter.

I didn't care for the two main characters in this book. The suspense is...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-books

Simply breathtaking. It had my heart racing during some parts of the book. It is definately a book to read if you like romance, thrillers.
Will be reading more of Karen Rose books without a doubt.

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Mar 12, 2013 CJC rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked this up with no expectations – it was a good deal on Kobo.

The suspense building was well done even though you know what will happen. Very fast paced.

Some of the scenarios were completely unbelievable which took away from the overall story. The intern secretary was running the department meeting? After 7 years of no dating Caroline is ready to marry a guy she has known for 2 weeks? She is still terrified and a giant guy with a temper doesn’t have her even a little concerned (even if sh...more I picked this up with no expectations – it was a good deal on Kobo.

The suspense building was well done even though you know what will happen. Very fast paced.

Some of the scenarios were completely unbelievable which took away from the overall story. The intern secretary was running the department meeting? After 7 years of no dating Caroline is ready to marry a guy she has known for 2 weeks? She is still terrified and a giant guy with a temper doesn’t have her even a little concerned (even if she thinks he’s hot)? The reaction to the tickets seemed very contrived – we needed to see him get mad and not hit her so that was it. The way Evie just decides to go off with a stranger and tell him every detail of her life was a little odd but then the way she told Rob about Dana annoyed me, why would she have told her last name – why not just ‘my roommate’? Caroline was made out to be pretty much perfect – and the world’s best mother – yet in 8 years she never once saw her child’s bare arm? Most basketball uniforms are either tank tops or short sleeves, and the kid was a start basketball player - she never missed a game so even if he never went swimming, had to take his shirt off at the doctor etc., she would have seen his arm at some point.

Some of the secondary characters were well written and I wanted to know more about them. The main characters though given more attention were not as believable. I did find Max to be too much – I don’t think he would have made it to where he was in his career if he didn’t have some social awareness. Blatantly hitting on the secretary 5 minutes into a new job when sexual harassment lawsuits are a common occurrence, pretending to be gay and giggling about it rather than telling Monika firmly that he is not interested and that he would prefer to keep their relationship strictly professional, losing his mind for winning some tickets rather than graciously accepting (and giving away later) or declining and suggesting another name be drawn, making out with his secretary at his desk – all within 2 weeks, these just do not seem like the actions of a successful department head. At least wait till you are really ‘in there’ before you go showing all the crazy. And some of his dialogue when he was with or talking about Caroline was cringe worthy (but that could just be me).

Rob was also over the top. His evil was too extreme; I think he would have been scarier if he was more likeable. He did so many nasty things it stopped being a shock. This actually worked for me in this case as it made it less real so it didn't get to me. Not saying there aren’t extreme crazies like this out there but it gave some reassurance that there were so many people on the victim’s side, which is usually not the case.

Even though that review makes it seem as if I didn’t enjoy it at all – this was her first book. It kept me reading right till the end, I was looking for a quick, easy read and this fit. I’d read another by this author.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Mimi Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

4 stars

Dark. A very dark Romantic Suspense book. And still very hopeful, too.

Caroline (formerly known as Mary Grace Winters) had escaped her nightmare of an abusive marriage once. Now she's working on getting a degree and supporting herself and her son. It's been seven long years of freedom, and has never been tempted into intimacy by any man. But then she meets the new history professor Max Hunter.

Dramatic break... *cue in spooky music*

And we with Detective Rob Winters, the sociopathic, evil so...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Best Crime Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had never read any Karen Rose novels but a friend of mine mentioned I might like her books.

When it comes to genre I am a little bewildered. The front of the book as well as the jacket information gives the impression that her books are thrillers. Yet her website seems to suggest that she writes `Romantic Suspense' books. After finishing her book I am not sure I would quite call her genre this but can see that she does have a romantic element running through the story.

Having said that this book...more I had never read any Karen Rose novels but a friend of mine mentioned I might like her books.

When it comes to genre I am a little bewildered. The front of the book as well as the jacket information gives the impression that her books are thrillers. Yet her website seems to suggest that she writes `Romantic Suspense' books. After finishing her book I am not sure I would quite call her genre this but can see that she does have a romantic element running through the story.

Having said that this book is far from Chick Lit and the happy and bubbly lives the characters seem to lead. This book is real in all its glory. It's almost real to the point that some people could empathise with the character. This story is based largely on a woman's survival following years of domestic abuse.

Caroline Stewart has created a new life for her and her son and is trying to do the best she can to move on. 9 years after leaving her husband after faking her own death, a new man enters her life and she has all the challenges that a woman in her position is not used to dealing with. The aspect of the book that deals with the nicer side to Caroline's life is refreshing. The reason I say this is that we also see the fear and absolute terror she is subjected to. Karen Rose has hit the nail on the head in terms of balance.

In my opinion, any author that can create a character like Caroline's husband has done a first class job. It has been a long time since I have read a book that raises such hatred in me towards a certain character. Make no mistake, after reading this around a third of the way through, I was already hoping that the husband would wind up dead and in a long and painful manner.

The book takes us through Caroline and her son Tom's life after their awful experiences with Rob, Caroline's husband. Not only that, with the introduction of Max, Caroline's new boss, we see how her son Tom reacts to the presence of a new man around the place. When Caroline's car is found in a lake her husband realises that the chances of Caroline being alive have been upped. He is furious that he `stole' their son away and is determined to find them.

The author picks up the pace considerably with Rob trying to trace Caroline and there are various scenes where he is seen for what he really is, a psychopath with a taste for murder. This book isn't all roses but is a gritty and real thriller that I literally couldn't put down. The author manages to create a fast paced book with the element of `real life' added to the mix. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have already got my next Karen Rose novel ready to read/ (less)

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Oct 12, 2011 ♥ Vonda M. Reid ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Overall Rating: 5 // Action: 4.5 / Emotion: 5 / Romance: 4 / Sensuous: 3.5 / Suspense: 5 // Humor: 16 / Tears: 17

After reading a Karen Rose novel, went out and purchased everything she wrote. Absolutely love her books. She jumped onto "Favorite Authors" List with super-sonic speed.

Karen Rose's debut book, Don't Tell , is a must read for Romantic Suspense readers who like: {1} an amazingly strong heroine; {2} a hunky, flawed, but eventually comes to the rescue hero; {3} emotional and physical att...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, non-series-stand-alone-novels

A Chilling Reminder
She's been hiding for seven years, keeping her son and herself safe from the madman who had brutally abused them and almost killed her. Mary Grace and Robbie Winters are painful memories and Caroline Stewart has done everything in her power to help her and her son Tom do more than survive, but thrive. Seven years after fleeing from a violently abusive spouse and assuming a new identity, Caroline has gotten her GED and is working her way through college, just a semester away fr...more A Chilling Reminder
She's been hiding for seven years, keeping her son and herself safe from the madman who had brutally abused them and almost killed her. Mary Grace and Robbie Winters are painful memories and Caroline Stewart has done everything in her power to help her and her son Tom do more than survive, but thrive. Seven years after fleeing from a violently abusive spouse and assuming a new identity, Caroline has gotten her GED and is working her way through college, just a semester away from her dream of law school. Her son is well loved and safe. And despite recently losing her beloved boss to a surprise heart attack, she's happy in her job as secretary of the head of the history department. When the new department head arrives, she's more than happy, and handsome and very tall Dr. Max Hunter makes the sort of impression Caroline had never had a chance to experience in her long history of neglect and abuse.

Both are scarred, both flawed by circumstance and painful pasts, but their attraction is intense. Caroline's secrets, though, are the sort that kill, and unbeknownst to her, the sadistic misogynist and murderer she married, Rob Winters, has realized that his wife and son aren't missing or dead. Realized that Mary Grace ran from him, stole his son from him. Unbeknownst to Caroline, Winters is cutting a wide swath of death and destruction...and he's coming for her and their son. Nothing will stop him. No one can catch him. And no one will see him coming.

Don't Tell isn't my first romantic suspense by Karen Rose, but it was her first published. It's surely not necessary to read them in order, as they're only loosely connected by reappearing characters, but I thought I'd go back to see how it all started. I'm glad I did. Rose started with a plot that perhaps isn't the most original, but it's well told. An abusive cop husband undermines his abused wife and son and keeps her from any hope of help until she takes her son and disappears. Years later he finds out and, enraged, starts to hunt her down, destroying everything and everyone in his path.

The procession of the plot is a bit formulaic, including the quick-fired romance between Caroline and Max and the reaction of Caroline's son Tom, but there's a certain formula to all romantic suspense, so I wasn't overly bothered by that. Rose's authorial strengths lie not just in the intricate, twisting plots of her novels, but in the depth and dimension of the characters inhabiting the story. She excels in creating sympathetic characters with baggage and flaws, characters who make mistakes and are intrinsically human. Some endearing, some humorous, most a mixture of both. This exceptional talent extends beyond primary characters to the secondary and ancillary set, from heroes and heroines to their families and friends and even to their pets. In so doing, each book is gripping on an emotional level and memorable for it, regardless of specific plots.

In Don't Tell Rose has gone one further and touched on many of the sensitive issues and delicate psychological damages shared by survivors of spousal and parental abuse and carefully folded that into the personalities of Caroline and Tom to the differing degrees required by the plot. Taken to the extreme, the abuse was horrifying, but it served as a reminder and wake up call to women who may find themselves in situations that are in any way similar. Perhaps it breathed hope into just one victim, or reminded one woman or child that abuse can be escaped - should be escaped, or provided one option to someone who was convinced there were none. Perhaps. If so, then it transcended the scope of chilling entertainment.

I hope it did.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.(less)

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Mar 16, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars

For me in a way the 3 star rating is s gift. It's a gift in that this is not a book of the type I read, heavily romantic and so on it's not a book I would have chosen. On the other hand, it's not badly written and it deals with a difficult topic that might bear being looked at more openly.

This is one of my late wife's books. When she passed I moved to a much smaller place and my library has had to be severely pruned. I couldn't bring all my book shelves and the shelves I do have are double loade...more For me in a way the 3 star rating is s gift. It's a gift in that this is not a book of the type I read, heavily romantic and so on it's not a book I would have chosen. On the other hand, it's not badly written and it deals with a difficult topic that might bear being looked at more openly.

This is one of my late wife's books. When she passed I moved to a much smaller place and my library has had to be severely pruned. I couldn't bring all my book shelves and the shelves I do have are double loaded with books shoved into every nook and cranny. So at last I'm looking at books that had been Jeanie's. I don't like to sell, trade, or give away books without at least trying to read them, so among all my other reading I'm making room for some books that I probably wouldn't have read in any other situation.

We were married for 34 years and she passed away almost 2 years ago from compilations arising from a series of strokes (multiple organ failure). When my wife was a child she was abused. I won't go into detail but for her, her mother, and others in the family both physical and psychological abuse had been common.

That is what this book attempts to deal with.

It does push one of my buttons in a way as I am so tired of abusive husband and father stories. The fact that they're out there is undeniable. But please be aware that all husbands and fathers are not abusers and seeing "men" (and most of us who are men hate that the word is used for these creatures) when they see other men abusing family members (or others) most (I hope) men are repulsed. Whether modern women want it or not most of us would stand between you and whatever threatens (yes I know, you don't need a man to protect you, it's not PC and all the other. We're still willing).

So, the book deals with a real problem. Does it do it well? I wouldn't say this is the end all and be all of books (fiction or otherwise) on the subject. But, it's got it's own value. I won't endorse it as a "read" or as a "story" but try it your self. (less)

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Oct 05, 2012 Sweetestsummer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-suspense

OMG this is soooo good, so intense and such a thriller!
Rob is a sicko and wants everything to go his way. He kill without hesitation and is heartless even to this own son.
Caroline/Mary grace had a sad past with her own parents and rob. She totally deserve max and vice versa. Though I hate her at certain parts of the book. I came to understand why she behaved that way.
Max is such a cutie! He is attracted to Caroline right from the start! ^^ however his own self pitying thingy pissed me off at...more

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Nov 16, 2010 Emmi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-contemporary, 2010-reads, genre-romantic-suspense

I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying this, because it seems that everyone loved this book but... I just wasn't feeling it.

Yes, Rose conveys the fear, anguish, and terror a woman must endure in an abusive relationship. She also clearly shows the strength and determination that is needed to get out of such a horrible situation. On those counts, bravo.

My issue with this book was the relationship between Caroline and Max. It comes across as just a lot of "i love you's" and fights with no time in b...more

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Apr 14, 2010 Mojca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense-mystery-adventure-thriller, own, chubby-chunkster-challenge, karen-rose, favorites

She succeeded in escaping her abusive husband, creating a new identity and new life for herself and her son. But just as she's finally feeling safe after seven years, learning to trust again, learning to love, her past is about to come crashing down around her...

This is the first book by Karen Rose that went through my hands, but it certainly won't be the last. I heard only good things about her books and now I have proof they were all true.

This was and amazing story, a full-fledged thriller wit...more She succeeded in escaping her abusive husband, creating a new identity and new life for herself and her son. But just as she's finally feeling safe after seven years, learning to trust again, learning to love, her past is about to come crashing down around her...

This is the first book by Karen Rose that went through my hands, but it certainly won't be the last. I heard only good things about her books and now I have proof they were all true.

This was and amazing story, a full-fledged thriller with enough elements of romance to satisfy even the pickiest of romantic suspense readers.
I found this book hard to put down (unfortunately I do need to sleep from time to time, so I had to take a short break). This is one of those books that grip the reader from the first page, pull her or him into the story, and don't spit her or him out until they're done.

The topic was chilling and more than realistic. The struggle of an abused woman, the courage it takes to pull herself out of the abyss of torment and rise literally out of her own ashes was beautifully done. The author, though sparing the reader a few gory details, didn't sugarcoat the subject, presenting it straightforward, unblinking and unflinching in all its starkness and bleakness.
Though the reader is induced to feel a modicum of pity for the heroine that pity doesn't have the time or momentum to take a life of its own and take over the story, because the author give the heroine enough spine, spunk, stubbornness, and determination for the reader to quickly forget the pity, and admire the heroine instead.

The characters and their actions are realistic and believable, portrayed with a staggering accuracy. Though this is a work of fiction, Ms. Rose portrayed her characters as real people, with real feelings, with real flaws, making real (and sometimes stupid) mistakes, giving the reader ample opportunity to empathize with them, all the while creating interesting and chilling food for thought. Because what happened in this story happens out there every single day. And people, as the people who knew Mary Grace Winters, tend to turn a blind eye to it, grasping at any plausible explanation that might ease their minds.

This truly was an intense, chilling, thrilling roller-coaster ride of a romantic suspense novel with wonderfully developed and wonderfully flawed characters, a twisted beyond measure villain, edge-of-the-razor suspense, nail-biting tension, nice sprinkle of romance, wonderfully paced and amazingly well-written. 10 stars out of 5!(less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Anne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

This was a gift to my from a friend last Christmas (God knows how much thankful I am to that person for choosing this one, although she did say it was only because the cover looked nice.), and this is one of the books that, although unpopular, is a good read and greatly recommended.

Only a few books have the ability to make my heart hammer against my chest because of the sheer tension, and Don't Tell is one of them. I would find myself rapping my fingers restlessly against the table, and I would...more

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Aug 29, 2009 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was satisfactory on many counts:

The villain was evil, brutal, monstrous, and violent. As he intelligently hunted down, threatened, and killed others to find Caroline, it built up a real, scary anticipation for the end.

The romance was believable, sweet, and rewarding. The H/H both brought a lot to the table and helped each other grow (getting over disability issues, residual trust/fear issues). Max is gentle and slow with Caroline, while still making her feel very much wanted. Caroline...more This book was satisfactory on many counts:

The villain was evil, brutal, monstrous, and violent. As he intelligently hunted down, threatened, and killed others to find Caroline, it built up a real, scary anticipation for the end.

The romance was believable, sweet, and rewarding. The H/H both brought a lot to the table and helped each other grow (getting over disability issues, residual trust/fear issues). Max is gentle and slow with Caroline, while still making her feel very much wanted. Caroline is awed at first, but later gives Max a much needed slap up side the head to help him reconnect to a full life and his family.

The abuse angle seemed well researched. Sometimes, I felt detached from Caroline's pain, since it was so horrible; the history painted fell just a few details short of being complete. But, there was still much to tug at the heart strings and admire Caroline/Dana/abused for. I think Rose handled abuse well, especially since it was such a significant part of the book. She didn't shy away from giving characters horrific and very plausible backgrounds. The women often went back to their abusers. The safe house never has enough resources.

The support characters were rich and likable. The son Tom, was a bit too mature for his paper age (14), but admirable. BF Dana and Bro David were great supports for our H/H and entertaining.

The police tracking Winters (the good guys) were ok. They were a bit bland for me.

Unfortunately, everything was pretty good and enjoyable, but not much was Amazing. Nothing really stood out or compelled. Probably a forgettable book.

Spoiler

The final showdown was a big letdown for me. I was happy Caroline got the chance to strike Rob down, but other than that, it was all handled so badly. Bringing 3 civilians and 1 unstable cop along with only 2 real cops? The late back up was a lame excuse to let our characters get their moment to shine. By all rights, a SWAT team should have been sent out to the cabin and a sniper to take out Rob. The civilians, if allowed to come at all, definitely should have been better controlled.

Also, this is silly, but the hair dyeing thing at the end bothered me. You can't just take a box of hair dye and go from dark brown to bright blond in 1.5 hrs. Ugh.(less)

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Aug 07, 2011 Batsap rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, bad-romance

I picked this up for £1, thinking it was an average crime book. Started reading and got to the part where Max is introduced, at which point things began to get a little too Mills & Boon for my tastes. After looking Karen Rose up, I realise now of course that she writes romantic suspense.

Romance novels tend to annoy me. This one was no exception.

Max. The hero. Thinks that no woman can ever fall for him because he walks with a cane. Has he not seen House? Canes are cool. Everyone loves canes....more

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Aug 31, 2012 Ria Lize rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“You had wings. Okay, fine. Now you don’t. I wanted to be a ballerina. But I wouldn’t have had that even if I hadn’t fallen down a flight of stairs and broken my back, spent years of my life fighting to walk again. Know why?"

"Why?" Stunned, he could only mouth the word, unable to find his voice.

"Because I never had enough money to eat. I never had a brother to care about me. I never had a father to love me enough to cry over me. I didn’t have shoes to wear to school, much less ballet slippers...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Jonetta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jonetta by: Lauren

Mary Grace Winters finally found a way to escape her abusive husband and reinvented herself as Caroline Stewart and moved to Chicago with her seven-year old son, now named Tom. For the next seven years, she managed to pull herself up by her bootstraps, with the help of a shelter and a kind employer, and create a happy and productive life. Caroline got her GED and went to work for the head of the history department at a small college. Following the death of the chair, a new history professor, Max...more Mary Grace Winters finally found a way to escape her abusive husband and reinvented herself as Caroline Stewart and moved to Chicago with her seven-year old son, now named Tom. For the next seven years, she managed to pull herself up by her bootstraps, with the help of a shelter and a kind employer, and create a happy and productive life. Caroline got her GED and went to work for the head of the history department at a small college. Following the death of the chair, a new history professor, Max Hunter, was hired and at his first appearance, both he and Caroline established an immediate connection, one that transcended employer/employee relations.

Meanwhile, after seven years, Mary Grace's car was located in a lake in South Carolina, the contents of which cause her husband, Rob, to suspect she's alive. He becomes consumed with finding her but this has also caught the attention of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI),who has always believed Rob murdered his wife and son.

The story transitions between Caroline and Max's developing relationship, the SBI investigation and Rob's hunt for "Mary Grace" and his son. Rob is a sadistic and cruel man who is also a pretty bad cop but a skilled detective. The tension mounts as these three stories begin to intersect and the bodies start to pile up. Your pulse rate will increase as you begin to worry for some of the characters, knowing that there will be an eventual climax between the investigators, Caroline and Rob.

Karen Rose has masterfully written a riveting story involving domestic violence and the triumph of the human spirit. Caroline isn't the only one in the story to rise above her circumstances. Max is recovering from a life altering and devastating accident from twelve years ago. Dana, Caroline's best friend and manager of a women's shelter, came out of an abusive marriage. The lead investigator, Steven Thatcher, is raising three sons on his own following the death of his wife. All are involved in the culmination of the confrontation with Rob.

This is a great story, even though there's a whiff of the love-at-first-sight syndrome between Max and Caroline but the events that occur as their relationship develops more than compensate for their beginnings. Their trials and challenges are extremely realistic for two people that don't know each other very well. The police investigation is gritty and well researched. Much of the story is based in North Carolina and the author did her homework in representing the geography of the state.

This is a must read and I plan to read a lot more from this author.(less)

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Nov 25, 2010 Rebecca T rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, suspense, thriller, family

Well would you look at what I've just found. I read this book years ago on the long flights between Australia and Spain and can remember really enjoying it. However, as per usual with the course of time, I'd forgotten all about it. Another reason for loving GoodReads, I guess.

Karen Rose writes a really good balance between the romance and the suspense/thriller aspects of this novel and her characters are well-rounded and relatable. I mean, what kind of mother wouldn't do all she could to save he...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. WOW! This book was excellent. 'Don't Tell' by Karen Rose is much more than just a romance or an action-packed thriller. It was equal parts both and a damn good read. It had me on the edge of my seat. I was captivated by the love between Caroline and Max and I was repulsed by her heinous husband and the atrocities he commited. It was a moving book and I couldn't put it down.

'Don't Tell' is the story of Mary Grace Winters and her quest to save her son, Robbie, and herself from the clutches of her...more WOW! This book was excellent. 'Don't Tell' by Karen Rose is much more than just a romance or an action-packed thriller. It was equal parts both and a damn good read. It had me on the edge of my seat. I was captivated by the love between Caroline and Max and I was repulsed by her heinous husband and the atrocities he commited. It was a moving book and I couldn't put it down.

'Don't Tell' is the story of Mary Grace Winters and her quest to save her son, Robbie, and herself from the clutches of her hideously abusive husband, Rob. After years of abuse and one particular incident that almost left her paralysed, Mary Grace stages hers and Robbie's deaths in an attempt to finally escape Rob. With the assistance of a secretive women's shelter they escape with new identities and manage to live relatively normal lives for seven years before their past catches up with them.

During the seven years, Caroline (previously Mary Grace) and Tom (aka Robbie) never stopped looking back over their shoulders but as each year passed they grew more comfortable that they'd escaped Rob. Tom was leading a normal teenage life and Caroline had a job she loved and friends that cared for her. Her life got even better when her new boss arrived - the incredibly handsome Max Hunter. From the moment Max lays eyes on Caroline he is smitten and their relationship builds quickly but is not based on sex or frivolity. It's love but it is complex. Max has his own demons from his past and Caroline struggles to reveal her deep, dark secrets, even to the man she loves.

Meanwhile, the car that Mary Grace used to stage her disappearance is recovered from the lake and Rob, being a cop (and there's the kicker) has access to the impounded vehicle and soon puts two and two together and realises that he's been tricked and his wife and son are alive. He's livid and vows to track Mary Grace down and find his son. And he vows to make her pay dearly for taking his son from him.

He is a vicious man and soon his cop buddies (who've been protecting him) realise this and then the chase is on. Can they locate Mary Grace and Robbie before Rob does? And how many innocent people will die as they cross Rob's path? It's scary and full of suspense but countering that is the love between Caroline, Tom and Max. A great book. (less)

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Jul 06, 2008 ElaineY rated it 2 of 5 stars

Max isn't a cop or FBI agent but a history professor. Nevertheless, he's hunky and attractive. Improbable, in my experience, but this is Romantic Suspense Fiction so anything's possible.

I did not like this as much as the other Rose books but it was way better than Have You Seen Her which had the most unattractive hero ever.

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Oct 17, 2011 Hope Frost rated it 4 of 5 stars

Don't Tell had everything you could want from a romantic suspense book. A deep rooted hatred for evil that Caroline must overcome if she ever wishes to find true love. This was almost painful to watch play out. I have a great deal of respect for women in these situations and I feel that Karen Rose, did an amazing job of portraying the very real evil that lives behind closed doors. I loved Caroline's support system and the fact that Dana didn't take ANY crap from Caroline and told her like it is....more

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Jun 11, 2012 Floriane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zwei Frauen - zwei Leben?
Mary Grace Winters wird mit schweren Verletzungen ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert.
Ihr Ehemann ist Polizist und sorgt um ihren Zustand.
Voller Fürsorge und Hingabe kümmert er sich um seine Frau, die offensichtlich depressiv ist und keine Selbstachtung hat. Einige Monate später verschwindet Mary Grace. Manche sagen, sie hätte ihn verlassen, weil er sie betrogen hatte, andere haben ihn im Verdacht, ihr etwas angetan zu haben. Diesen Verdachtsmomenten wird nicht nachgegangen, Ze...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Lígia Bibliomigalhas rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Foi uma leitura que entreteve, que fluiu com algum interesse, mas que não correspondeu totalmente às minhas expectativas, sem, no entanto, me fazer desistir da autora. Contudo, espero que os próximos livros me façam ficar mais agarrada à história do que este, que não primou pela originalidade nem teve grandes reviravoltas. O enredo vai-se desenvolvendo da forma esperada até ao confronto final, nada de surpreendente, portanto.

É um livro sem dúvida para o público feminino, com ênfase na parte româ...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Ila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense-thrillers, contemporary-romance

This book was really well written the characters really came to live and the suspense was the kind that really made me sit on the edge of my chair and bite my nails.

The romance was well done, but i did find my self skipping bits to it to figure out what was happening on the suspense side. The characters were earthy and real and the only point for which I'm skipping a star is the hero whose problems seemed a bit immature (and he seemed immature in facing them) in front of the heroine's. On the o...more

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Mar 05, 2010 Dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Aug 23, 2009 HeiLi rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

What I didn't like about this book was that the author uses the very serious and very real subject of spousal abuse as an excuse to come up with the most blatantly trashy lovel story one could possibly imagine.

She uses every cliché for love stories that is out there: of course the heroine is (naturally) blonde, petite and has blue eyes, of course the hero is tall, dark, handsome and brooding, of course it's love at first sight for both, of course he's a young, good-looking intelligent history p...more

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Don't Tell (Romantic Suspense #1)

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