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Dark Paradise

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 3,872 ratings · 105 reviews

New Eden, Montana, is a piece of heaven on earth where one woman died in her own private hell. Now it’s up to ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings to decipher the puzzle of her best friend’s death. But someone has a stake in silencing her suspicion. Someone with secrets worth killing for—and the power to turn this beautiful haven into a . . .

And as Mari digs deeper beneath N...more

Paperback, 528 pages

Published March 1st 1994 by Bantam (first published 1994)

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Mar 17, 2012 Lainy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Blurb From Goodreads

New Eden, Montana, is a piece of heaven on earth where one woman died in her own private hell. Now it’s up to ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings to decipher the puzzle of her best friend’s death. But someone has a stake in silencing her suspicion. Someone with secrets worth killing for—and the power to turn this beautiful haven into a . . .

And as Mari digs deeper beneath New Eden’s picture-perfect exterior, finding the truth is suddenly no longer a...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Written in 1994, this is a novel of culture clash and murder.
J. D. Rafferty is a 4th generation rancher in Montana contending with the influx of Hollywood types and movers/shakers. Land prices are rising exponentially and so are property taxes. J.D.'s irresponsible half-brother, Will, isn't helping the ranch by nightly drunkenness, trysts with bimbos (while his wife languishes alone), and gambling (and losing).
Enter Marilee Jennings fresh from a breakup and looking to unwind with her friend who...more

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May 21, 2013 Judith rated it 2 of 5 stars

Junk reading. Romantic Suspense.

This novel has all of the usual characters:

A woman in her late twenties, beautiful, has been hurt in the past, etc.

A man in his early thirties, strong, attractive, also hurt in the past, doesn't trust easily.

Villains with no redeeming qualities.

The basic story: Marilee Jennings travels to New Eden, Montana, ready for a fresh start after a bad love affair. She is determined to leave her old life as court reporter behind her, and even brings along her business sui...more Junk reading. Romantic Suspense.

This novel has all of the usual characters:

A woman in her late twenties, beautiful, has been hurt in the past, etc.

A man in his early thirties, strong, attractive, also hurt in the past, doesn't trust easily.

Villains with no redeeming qualities.

The basic story: Marilee Jennings travels to New Eden, Montana, ready for a fresh start after a bad love affair. She is determined to leave her old life as court reporter behind her, and even brings along her business suits to burn ritually. Her friend Lucy owned property outside New Eden, and while communication between the two had been short in the last year or so, Marilee is certain that her unexpected visit will be welcome.

When she arrives she finds that Lucy is dead. She was killed in an apparent hunting accident. Not only that, but her house is trashed, apparently by vandals attracted to a vacant building. It is in this house where Marilee meets J.D. Rafferty. From the start, sparks fly. Usually the reason is trivial, the two jumping at each other's throats for small things.

I am not giving anything away here. We all know how this comes out. Marilee becomes suspicious of the circumstances of Lucy's death but can find nobody who shares her concerns. Even as others are found dead she is still on her own with her suspicions.

To summarize: Marilee and J.D. have a rocky relationship, Marilee puts herself in danger, bad people are everywhere and she does not know who to trust.

One characteristic that is common to this type book is self-denigrating. Marilee is down on herself, thinks she's a failure etc etc. J. D. chastises himself. His brother Will thinks he's useless, and Will's wife Samatha can't understand what anyone sees in her. yada yada. I think if one were to pick any page at random there would be at least one paragraph of "how awful I am" on that page. I am sure that these thoughts constitute a good third of the book's volume. Of course they are the setup for the later changes in relationships. Again, I don't think I am giving anything away. It's all standard stuff. (less)

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Apr 26, 2012 Pa rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: relatively few

This is a story of a court reporter from Sacramento who drives to Montana to visit a friend (and to escape her old life). It is also a story of the modern West and the conflict between the local residents and wealthy invaders from the jet set. There is murder, intrigue, and lots of sex. I have never read a Harlequin romance (and never intend to on purpose); however, this novel appears to be a cross between a suspense story and what I imagine a Harlequin romance (or even a chick porn novel) to be...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Hope rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you remember this is a romance/thriller, you won't be disappointed. Yes, there is love and romance, but more important there is murder and sex! Yes, I said it: SEX. After you go through the shock of losing your best friend and finding the body, of course you want to get it on! LOL I love Tami Hoag and this was the first thing I ever read by her. She's dark, and mysterious, dangerous, possibly even macabre, but she knows how to spice it up... but not too much. Just enough to keep you giggling....more

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Aug 22, 2012 Liz rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008

This book, I'm sorry to say wasn't very good. It was okay at best. Her later writing is much better in my opinion.

Here is my synopsis:

Rude, harsh, cowboy has rapist-like thoughts about his new neighbor. The two hate each other passionately. They end up making out.

He talks tenderly to her, they fight, vowing to never engage again in the best sex they ever had.

The meet again, fight and end up having sex again.

Okay, there was more to the story than that, but it is so annoying to me, that now, I'll...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Agnes (BeaderBubbe) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I finished this book while sitting in the dentist office waiting for hubby....I think if he would have come out early - he would have to wait until I finished....the ending kept me glued to the book because not only did I find out who the killer was....but it was such an explosive ending...I just couldnt put it down.

This book started slowly when Marilee went out west to find her friend and visit awhile after breaking up with her boyfriend. Only when she arrived - Lucy was dead. They blamed the d...more

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Sep 28, 2011 June rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't remember reading anything by this author before - and reading this book didn't convince me that I will read anything by her in the future. Do you ever pick up a paperback book and know just from the picture on the cover that the story is going to be "sappy?" Actually it turned out to not be too bad - still too many sappy parts but there was an actual plot and - even if it seemed to be a stretch - the ending wasn't too bad. A good story for a rainy afternoon if you don't have anywhere els...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Tammy Walton Grant rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, 2011-april, favorites

4.5 stars

Marilee Jennings has spent her whole life as a square peg trying to fit into the round hole created by her family. Always the outcast, she has pitched the job she detests and the fiance she doesn't love, hopped into her car and set out from California to the wilds of Montana. When she arrives she finds out that her friend Lucy is dead, her home has been ransacked, and no one seems to care. She's told that a hunting accident is what killed Lucy and her big-city suspicions are raised. The...more 4.5 stars

Marilee Jennings has spent her whole life as a square peg trying to fit into the round hole created by her family. Always the outcast, she has pitched the job she detests and the fiance she doesn't love, hopped into her car and set out from California to the wilds of Montana. When she arrives she finds out that her friend Lucy is dead, her home has been ransacked, and no one seems to care. She's told that a hunting accident is what killed Lucy and her big-city suspicions are raised. The more she tries to find out what happened to Lucy, the more she discovers that no one is what they seem - least of all her late colleague and drinking buddy.

Remember in the early 90s, when movie stars by the dozens bought big chunks of land out in Montana and North Dakota? I think Ted Turner started it all (followed by Kevin Costner after Dances with Wolves). I'm sure they meant well, raising buffalo and elk, preserving nature - wildlife and the prairie. What they did was drive up the taxes, piss off the locals and mess with more than a century's worth of farming and ranching history.

That's the setting to this excellent book. New money and fancy rich folk set against ranchers and cowboys struggling to maintain their way of life. It draws you in from the first chapter, and doesn't let you go until the last page. I've read this book countless times, and I still couldn't put it down today when I read it.

The romance is believable, the chemisty between J.D. and Marilee is palpable and the love scenes are smoking hot. Hoag certainly writes it like she means it. Her story is full of characters so realistic they practically jump off the page and by the end of the book you feel as though you're right in the thick of it with them. The mystery/suspense is carefully plotted and keeps you guessing almost to the very end. Even if you think you know who did it, odds are you'll be surprised.

It's held up quite well in the 17 years since this book was written -- it's a bit dated with the references to the clothes people were wearing (Bryce wears tight jeans and chambray shirts buttoned halfway down, and Mari favours filmy skirts, boots and tshirts with oversize jean jackets) and Mary Chapin Carpenter figures largely in the music mentioned. I was roughly the same age as the heroine the year the book came out, so rather than notice that the styles have changed, it made me nostalgic for them. Other than that, I barely noticed the lack of cell phones or mp3 players.

I don't normally like cowboys that much, but I LOVED J.D. Rafferty. How I would have loved to have tripped over a man like that in real life. YUM. I identified strongly with Marilee. I liked her, wanted to be her, right down to her wardrobe. Which like I said, is kinda dated, but I loved that look so much in 1994.

I only have one beef and it's with the book business rather than the book itself. Here is my question, to Tami Hoag, Linda Howard and others: Why do romance authors who write perfectly good, steamy, well-developed, compelling, character driven, believable stories, pitch it all to write crime/suspense fiction????? Tami Hoag was one of my favourite authors in the early 90s. She wrote big, meaty, romantic suspense novels with really hot men in them, and women that I could identify with.

Dark Paradise is one of her best.
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Jun 10, 2010 Jill Dunlop rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, paperbackswap

Marilee Jennings is fed up with trying to please everyone but herself. She was a court reporter for several years and she just recently quit her job and broke up with her boyfriend. She wants to take some time to decompress and find out what direction she wants to go with her new life. Her friend Lucy moved out to the small town of New Eden, Montana. Marilee knows Lucy will be supportive of this decision and she leaves California behind with high hopes. When she gets to Montana she discovers tha...more Marilee Jennings is fed up with trying to please everyone but herself. She was a court reporter for several years and she just recently quit her job and broke up with her boyfriend. She wants to take some time to decompress and find out what direction she wants to go with her new life. Her friend Lucy moved out to the small town of New Eden, Montana. Marilee knows Lucy will be supportive of this decision and she leaves California behind with high hopes. When she gets to Montana she discovers that Lucy was killed in a hunting accident and Marilee is her heir. Marilee is shocked by this change of events, to say the least. The longer Mari stays in New Eden, the longer she believes that Lucy was involved with something illegal. Mari is determined to get to the bottom of things.

Dark Paradise is so much more than just a suspense story. It is a story about people learning to deal with the crap life throws at you. To learn how to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going. Hoag knows how to pen realistic and sympathetic characters. She grabs the reader and hooks them into the story with these characters. At certain times the reader is going to be so frustrated and want to throw something at J.D's stubborn head or roll their eyes at Will's childish antics. Great connection with the characters, whether it's a positive or negative reaction is what makes this book such a strong read.

Even though this is a straight suspense, there is quite a bit of romance to it and I was surprised. I wasn't expecting that. Mari and J.D.'s romance unfolds slowly. At first, J.D. is more like an anti-hero. He tries to scare Mari off, mainly because he is attracted to her and doesn't like that he feels attracted to her. Mari stands her ground and doesn't let him bully her. She is the right mixture of spit-fire and vulnerability. I really liked her character. J.D. was harder to like because he is so angry about everything.

Where the story falters a little bit for me is this book comes in at 528 pages. It was a long book with a lot of characters narrating the story. Mari and J.D. spend some time contemplating their feelings for one another and some of it seemed repetitive. Also, there is a secondary romance between Will and Samantha, which I liked very much. After the conclusion to the suspense portion of the story, I wish Hoag would have come back and cleared up a few things with Will and Samantha. Something big happened to them, but their reunion happens off page and it would have been nice for the reader to experience this directly through the characters themselves. Other than that, for fans of suspense, I would definitely recommend Dark Paradise.(less)

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Sep 25, 2009 Ana T. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2009, mysteries-thrillers, traded

It has been a while since I read anything by Tami Hoag but I had this one in the TBR pile so I picked it up, as it seemed an interesting romantic suspense.

I am happy to say that I really enjoyed. The book opens with the crime being committed. You know who the victim is but during that scene, the identity of the killer is not revealed.

We then proceed to get to know the heroine, Marilee, a court reporter who has decided she needed a change in her life and travels to Montana to be with her friend L...more It has been a while since I read anything by Tami Hoag but I had this one in the TBR pile so I picked it up, as it seemed an interesting romantic suspense.

I am happy to say that I really enjoyed. The book opens with the crime being committed. You know who the victim is but during that scene, the identity of the killer is not revealed.

We then proceed to get to know the heroine, Marilee, a court reporter who has decided she needed a change in her life and travels to Montana to be with her friend Lucy. However, when she arrives at Lucy’s home in the mountains she finds the place ransacked and a mysterious and overbearing man who warns her away and tells her that Lucy is dead. Shocked Marilee decides to stay and find out what happened to Lucy.

There are several mysteries surrounding the town but the one about who killed Lucy is apparently solved to everyone’s satisfaction having been labeled a hunting accident. Marilee sees it as ironic the fact that the death of her friend only brought a slap in the wrist to her killer. Surprisingly she is informed that she is Lucy’s heir and the letter she left for her leads her to think that someone may have been behind the accident.

Undecided on what to do with her life and the property Lucy left her while at the same time intrigued by the people she meets Marilee decides to stay in town for a while. She soon develops a relationship with JD Rafferty, the owner of a neighboring ranch who has been feeding Lucy’s animals and keeps thinking of Marilee as just another Lucy. JD wants to buy the property and is determined to fight the Hollywood crowd who has recently invaded Montana leading to the prices going up and the ruin of local ranchers. This is the crowd Lucy ran with, so Marilee is also interested in them and what are they really involved in.

Things are not what they seem and when more people die the tension between the locals and the newcomers rises while at the same time Evan Bryce, the Hollywood tycoon who has been buying land, seems to have found a way to get to Rafferty’s lands through JD’s brother’s wife.

We do know who the bad people are from the beginning, it is more a question of why and how then of who. Marilee and JD are not new as characters in the sense that we have read about the city girl who meets the lonesome cowboy before but I liked how Hoag wrote them and their story worked for me. This is a romantic supense that is very heavy on romance, Rafferty was a bit overbearing and Marilee had to fight for every inch of his heart. Some people might have a problem with him as this feels as an old fashioned romance. I liked how the tension builds near the end when we find out what is really happening and the final confrontation scene. For me it was an interesting and compelling read.

Grade: 4/5
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Feb 14, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hoag

This was the first book I'd ever read by Tami Hoag years ago. It is sexy, scary, detailed, everything that I love in a book. Hoag's style of writing is fantastic for my tastes, I have since read every other book she has written. Some of my other favorites are Lucky's Lady, Still Waters, and Heart of Dixie. I miss her old books like Dark Paradise that are more about romance and not all about lawyers and politicians, but her new stuff is still pretty good.

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Oct 06, 2012 Nell rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book a long time ago, but I swear, I reread it at least once a year. I love this book. Tami Hoag is usually a good author to pick up, but this is my favorite title by her. If you haven't read this book and you like a little romance with your suspense, this is a good who-done-it. I never figured out who the killer was until she revealed who it was. That always makes for a good read to me.

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Jan 25, 2012 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I always love the way Tami Hoag writes. However, this one was a little redundant for me. The feelings of the characters was repeated many times during the book. To the point I was getting annoyed and telling the character to get over it already. However, once into the story the plot did thicken and it was much easier to read. I will still read Tami Hoag, I'm just not sure wabout this particular series.

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Jun 03, 2010 Kitty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Marilee is leaving her old life, boyfriend and career included. She heads off to visit her friend in Montana without notice. Upon arrival, no one is home. Her friend's cabin has been trashed and while she's is calling for her, a man answers, "She's dead". Was it a hunting accident or something more sinister. Of course, there's a recalcitrant love interest during the search...

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Sep 07, 2012 Cyneva rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 STARS

I read this book years ago and at the time thought it was really good; I've since discovered that Hoag's writing has improved since the time of this writing so I didn't like it as much as her later work. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't all that great either. Maybe the narrator didn't help either because that often has a lot to do with how much I like to dislike a novel. This narrator was not good at all.

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Aug 08, 2010 Lu added it

I won't review it, I'll just quote:
"The emotions that fought and tangled like wrestling bears crystallized simply in the music. In just a handful of notes the feelings were expressed more eloquently than she could ever have spoken them. Sweet, sad notes, as poignant as a mourning dove's call, filled the stale air of the room and pierced her skin like tiny daggers."

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Feb 15, 2011 NATUI rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book until I reached the halfway point. The storyline was good, but how many times does Hoag have to tell me that the character is stubborn/lonely/loyal/a misfit? I get it already! I didn't lose my memory from the prior chapter. Or the one before that, either. I would have rated this book much higher if not for the annoying repetition.

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Sep 28, 2011 Tariq rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book a while ago. The setting of the plot and characters evokes interest and the tale is woven well. Romantic scenes are interestingly written. Though the book seems bit lengthier than it should be. Some instants feel repetitive. But some metaphorical comparisons used in the language are noteworthy and amusing. Overall a commendable read.

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Jan 07, 2013 Barbara ★ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: set-in-usa-montana, zzcover-pink, zzcover-purple, romance-suspense, read-2012, climb-that-mountain-high, zzz-cover-water

I liked Marilee Jennings who left her old life in California to hopefully start anew with her friend Lucy MacAdams in Montana. Unfortunately when she arrives, she finds out that Lucy has been accidentally killed doing something very un-Lucy-like. Marilee is positive that Lucy was murdered and sets out to prove it. Unfortunately the bad guys have issues with her snooping into their affairs. Her neighbor and sheriff J.D. Rafferty thinks she's barking up the wrong tree but he desperately wants to g...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Rachel Kovacs rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tami Hoag offers a fun tale of a city girl who wants to start over and a cowboy who can't see past the brim of his hat. Hoag captures the lively West through vivid descriptions and memorable characters. She does a great job developing complex characters who we love to hate and others who we hope will win. Overall, a great story.

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Feb 04, 2013 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

The novel is about Marilee Jennings, a court reporter who inherits the property of her friend Liz MacAdam after she was murdered.Liz knows she is going to be murdered.So she puts her friend Marilee's name as nominee even before her death.

There is more love,hurt and betrayal that wasn't very engaging.The story is not well centered on Liz's death.

There is much story going on between Marilee Jennings and her lover JD rather than finding a clue about her friend's death.Besides that, the novel was ve...more

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May 05, 2010 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, suspense

Marilee Jennings visits her friend Lucy for a few weeks of vacation at New Eden, Montana due to her latest failed love affair and leaving her job as a court reporter. When she arrived at her friend's house, she finds the house vandalized, her friend dead and the natives less than friendly. Marilee suspicious of her friend's death, conducts her own investigation to solve the mystery of her friend's death. She met J.D. Rafferty, her friend's lover and whenever they are together, sparks flies. As M...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Mary rated it 2 of 5 stars

Marilee pays a distant friend a surprise visit only to realize she is dead and has left her everything in her will. The story is slow in many parts and over shadowed by a sexual relationship with a local rancher.

I prefer Tami Hoag's more recent, modern mysteries.

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Oct 10, 2011 Patrice Hoffman rated it 3 of 5 stars

There isn't much to say about this book. After reading so many Tami Hoag books back to back to back... there's a recurring theme. The romance in this one was cheesy and the suspense just isn't there for me. I've given it three stars because the writing is pretty good. A little repetitive but still good. And I have to admit that I do like watching a good Lifetime Network movie every now and again. That's the best way to describe her books: Lifetime Network. Not to say that's bad or anything. I ju...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't usually like Chick-lit but this had an engaging plot and realistic enough characters that won me over. I downloaded it on a whim because it was available immediately from my library's digital collection. I started reading on a business trip and couldn't put it down.

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Jul 09, 2010 Angie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I usually love Tami Hoag books, but I was very dissapointed in this one. It was too naughty for my taste (I probably should have quite reading it, but it is hard for me to put down a book once I start...I know excuses, excuses). I thought the story line was stupid. And the ending...Just not a very good book. Good thing this wasn't the first Hoag book I read or I would probably wouldn't try her again.

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May 21, 2013 Beatriz Barrera rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was just ok when compared to the other books written by this author. It was a different scenery which I enjoyed but it was hard for me to get attached to the characters. It was an easy read and entertaining though.

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Jun 10, 2010 Aldafan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

Got this at a yard sale. A court reporter starts life anew in Montana. She finds the friend who invited her has been killed. Some mystery but alo lots of impromptu sex and some violence. WOn't be looking for her books again.

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Jun 12, 2012 Wendy rated it 1 of 5 stars

I was pretty disappointed with this book. I couldn't get through to page 50. I was skipping through paragraphs only reading the when there was talking. Probably one of the most boring books I have ever read.

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About Tami Hoag

Tami Hoag is the #1 international bestselling author of thirty books. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times bestseller list with Night Sins, and each of her books since has been a bestseller. She lives in Southern California and Florida.

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