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Say You're Sorry

(Morgan Dane #1)

Melinda Leigh (Goodreads Author)

4.03 · Rating details · 80,909 ratings · 2,885 reviews

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

In a new series from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh, former prosecutor Morgan Dane faces the most personal—and deadly—case of her lifetime.

After the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by family, she’s finally found peace and a pro ...more

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Paperback, 329 pages

Published May 16th 2017 by Montlake Romance

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· 80,909 ratings · 2,885 reviews

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May 25, 2017 Tracy *To the point Reviews* rated it did not like it

Shelves: bah-humbug, poof-already-forgot-it

As I read this book, many things occurred to me.

1. I remembered that i am due for a cleaning at the dentist.
2. I wanted to try a strawberry shortcake recipe I saw on Create TV.
3. I also need an oil change... I think.
4. Baking soda. My fridge needs a new box of baking soda!

Oops, I'm reading this murder mystery! Or I am supposed to be. And its just not holding my interest. It's just not interesting enough. It's like chicken with no seasoning. Or tequila without lemon. Sex without an orgasm. You ca ...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Nazanin rated it liked it

Shelves: thriller, suspense, 2017

3 Slow Stars

After two years grieving for her husband’s death, Morgan decided it’s time to get back to being her old self. She is a thirty-three-year-old assistant district attorney. Her first case after two years is the murder of her occasional baby sitter (Tessa, eighteen-year-old). For this case she uses Lance’s help. Lance was a former police officer but after a bullet on his leg, he joined to a PI firm. Morgan and Lance knew each other since high school. And They have some feelings toward ea ...more

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Jul 12, 2018 Joey R. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 Stars —I decided to read “Say You’re Sorry”by Melinda Leigh after noticing she had most of the top ranked books in the Kindle Unlimited store. After reading Leigh for the first time, I now understand why she is so popular. The book is written through the eyes of several different characters and Leigh does an excellent job of making you care for the two main characters (the Lawyer—private detective duo, Morgan and Lance). They have a very flirtatious relationship and banter a lot —- reminding ...more

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Apr 27, 2018 Theresa Alan rated it liked it

This novel eventually has some decent twists – clues uncovered by prosecutor Morgan and private eye Lance.

When Morgan returns home to a small town after the death of her husband, she’s about to take a promising job when a beloved neighborhood girl turns up brutally murdered and the seemingly nice boy Morgan has known for years is accused of her death. Morgan volunteers to defend him because she can’t believe Nick did it. In doing so, she is potentially destroying her career and she is definitel ...more

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May 24, 2017 Tulay rated it liked it · review of another edition

Suspenseful story.

One girl murdered and one missing. Good supporting family and some with lots of troubles. Also renewed relationship starting. Action, suspense, thrills of lawyer and two private investigators. More like 2.5 stars for me.

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Sep 27, 2018 Lisa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: legal-fiction

Morgan Dane has returned home to Scarlet Falls with her 3 daughters Ava 6, Mia 5 & young baby Sophie after her husband John was killed in Iraq an IED exploded killing him. Morgan takes on a job as a prosecutor as her family went into law enforcement. She works with Logan Kruger an ex cop now PI they are looking into the death of Tessa a well loved girl who was much loved by the townsfolk, but when Nick Zabrowski was arrested for her murder Morgan is flabbergasted , she doesn't think Nick would k ...more

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May 11, 2017 Melanie rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-print, netgalley, romantic-suspense, signed

4.5 Stars!

Say You’re Sorry was a fantastic start to the Morgan Dane series, with wonderful characters and a compelling mystery that kept me guessing right until the very end.

After losing her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane has returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls to raise her three girls with the help of her family. Say You’re Sorry picks up two years after Morgan returned home as she plans to get back to work by starting a job at the DA’s office. However, Morgan’s life is thrown into chaos 4.5 Stars!

Say You’re Sorry was a fantastic start to the Morgan Dane series, with wonderful characters and a compelling mystery that kept me guessing right until the very end.

After losing her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane has returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls to raise her three girls with the help of her family. Say You’re Sorry picks up two years after Morgan returned home as she plans to get back to work by starting a job at the DA’s office. However, Morgan’s life is thrown into chaos when her babysitter is murdered and her neighbor’s son is accused of the crime. Believing Nick to be innocent, Morgan agrees to take on the case at the request of her neighbor. With the help of an old friend turned private eye, Morgan begins her investigation and aims to prove her neighbor is innocent and the real killer is still at large.

Morgan is an incredibly strong character and really brave despite the difficulties she's facing while defending Nick's case. She also has a great sense of loyalty for those she cares about. I love how much she cares about her family and that even when she's busy with the case, she finds time to be with her daughters. Lance has had a difficult few months recovering from being shot while he was still on the police force. As a private detective, he has more freedom when it comes to his work, but he misses being on the force. Through his work as a P.I. he gets to work with Morgan, whom he has known since high school. I really enjoyed their working relationship, as well as the introduction of something more in their private life. I feel the two fit together very well and I'm excited to see where things go between them in future books.

The mystery surrounding Tessa's death was intriguing. There were several suspects over the course of the book which led to constant twists and turns. I suspected several people, but never actually the person who was the killer. Getting chapters inside the killer's head gave great insight into how twisted the killer really was. I also enjoyed how the author wove several other small scandals/mysteries into the story.

I read this book without reading the connecting series, Scarlet Falls, but had no issues understanding who everyone was and how they were all connected to each other. The author does a great job at making this its own series while including little Easter eggs for those familiar with the prior series. For being a romantic suspense book, Say You’re Sorry is more on the thriller/mystery end, but there are enough elements of romance that seem to imply that may take more of a center role in future books.

Overall, Say You’re Sorry was a fun read with a ton of action and a compelling mystery. I’m excited for more books to come out in this series as I really enjoyed these characters and the setting. I will definitely be checking out the connecting series, Scarlet Falls, soon.

**I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.** ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 CD {Boulder Blvd} rated it it was amazing

Shelves: strong-heroine, s-bv-library, favorites, stalk-this-author, romantic-suspense, look-4-next-bk, awesome-hero, thriller-suspense-mystery, 2nd-chance-love

Morgan Dane is a widow with young kids living with her father and a troubled young woman she has pulled into her home. Her husband was killed in Iraq two years ago and she hasn't really been able to pull herself out of her grieve and move on with her life. She has just accepted a job with District Attorney's office and is trying to move forward. But before her job can start, she is pulled into looking for a girl, Tessa, who had babysat her young children. The grandparents can't find her and are Morgan Dane is a widow with young kids living with her father and a troubled young woman she has pulled into her home. Her husband was killed in Iraq two years ago and she hasn't really been able to pull herself out of her grieve and move on with her life. She has just accepted a job with District Attorney's office and is trying to move forward. But before her job can start, she is pulled into looking for a girl, Tessa, who had babysat her young children. The grandparents can't find her and are getting nervous. Asking her friend Lance Kruger to help look for her, they discover her body in a teen hangout area.

The police identify her neighbor Nick as the killer. She knows Nick. He plays chess with her father, her kids adore him and she doesn't want to believe he's guilty. Nick's dad doesn't have a lot of money, is working to mortgage his house for Nick's defense and asks Morgan for help.

Putting her new job on the line, she teams up with Lance to prove Nick's innocence and find the real killer. Lance is a great guy. Previously injured with the police department, he is now working as a PI. Morgan and Lance also dated in high school, so there is a lot of friendship and history between them. Lance is not an OTT alpha hero (thank goodness)! He sacrifices for those he cares about. And he cares about Morgan. The romance is a very believable and a slow burn.

The plot is really well paced as Morgan and Lance search for the killer of Tessa and try to prove the innocence of Nick. I don't want to give anything away, but it really pulled me in. You get a little bit of the killer's perspective (definitely a very sick individual) which adds to the overall suspense of the book.

Say You're Sorry by Melinda Leigh is an excellent start to the new Morgan Dane series and now my favorite book written by her. For me it was a true 5 star read and once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The second book in the series comes out in September and it's definitely on my wish list.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for an ARC of this book. ...more

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May 27, 2017 Anita rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, mystery-thriller-suspense

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Solid mystery and the great start to a new series. The relationship between Morgan and Lance is sweet and Lance may be my new favorite Hero. I mean what woman can possibly resist a man who loves his mother with all her problems, loves her kids and plays the piano and sings to her? I'll add in blond, buff and hot, but, really isn't that just overkill?

Morgan Dane lost her warrior ...more

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Jan 31, 2018 Mo rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars

I have read a few other books by this author and quite enjoyed them. This one wasn't bad. Seemed to drag a bit. Romance is not high on the agenda here and it could have been. But maybe in the next in the series.

Ok, it's an old picture, but you get my drift ...

...more

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May 26, 2017 Linda Strong rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-2017, read-in-2017

Former Prosecutor Morgan Dane and her three young daughters have returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls, following the death of her husband while serving our country in Iraq.

Now that she's near family and old friends, and with the promise of working with the District Attorney, she feels she's finally ready to put her grief aside and start her life again.

All goes well until her teenage babysitter is found murdered. The accused is her neighbor's son, Nick, who is just a few years older than the Former Prosecutor Morgan Dane and her three young daughters have returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls, following the death of her husband while serving our country in Iraq.

Now that she's near family and old friends, and with the promise of working with the District Attorney, she feels she's finally ready to put her grief aside and start her life again.

All goes well until her teenage babysitter is found murdered. The accused is her neighbor's son, Nick, who is just a few years older than the sitter. Nick was a frequent visitor in Morgan's home, entertaining her daughters, playing chess or checkers with her father. Nick's father begs for help for him and Morgan agrees. Deep down, Morgan just cannot accept that Nick could murder anyone.

Her decision turns her neighbors and friends against her and she loses the lucrative job before she even begins putting together a defense for Nick. Needing an investigator, she turns to her friend Lane Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye. Morgan and Lance are going to have to battle the community, the cops, the DA.

As they systematically interview and question the girl's friends and family, they learn that just about every teenager in town knows something they aren't sharing. Meanwhile more evidence is stacking up against Nick.

Never a dull moment in this book! I really enjoyed how law enforcement worked with a private eye... just a touch of distrust on both sides, especially as the police looked in one direction only and never considered anyone else a suspect. There's an attraction between Morgan and Lance, she's a bit hesitant, he's determined not to scare her away.

There's a little bit of everything here .... a sadistic killer, a young murder victim who argued with her grandparents the very last time they saw her, a young man accused of a brutal crime, who only wants to continue helping his father with a landscaping business, a friend of the victim who seems to be in hiding... but from what?

Many thanks to the author / Montlake Romance / Netgalley for the digital copy of this romantic suspense. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
...more

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May 11, 2017 Carrie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Morgan Dane has returned home to Scarlet Falls with her three young girls after the devastating loss of her husband in the military. She's agreed to take a job as a prosecutor following in her family's footsteps of putting away the bad guys until her neighbors son is arrested for murder.

When Tessa was found raped and murdered the whole town wants justice but Morgan just has a gut feeling that there is no way Nick could have committed this crime having known both of them. Morgan decides to help ...more

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Apr 19, 2017 MariLou Schuman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had the extreme privilege of reading an Advanced Release copy of this wonderful new series by one of my favorite authors - Melinda Leigh!
Morgan Dane is a widowed single mom with three young children, who abandons her new job, before it starts, with the Scarlet Falls District Attorney's office, to defend a young neighbor accused of the brutal murder of his girlfriend.
Joining her in her investigation is her friend, ex-cop turned private investigator Lance Kruger.
It was great reconnecting with ch ...more

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Sep 04, 2018 Kylie H rated it really liked it

Shelves: great-read, crime

This is the first book in the 'Morgan Dane' series and I really enjoyed it. Morgan is a lawyer who has returned to her home town to take up a job with the DA's office. She is a widow with three young daughters and lives with her grandfather who raised her.
Just before commencing her new job Nick, a neighbour is accused of the brutal rape and murder of a local girl. Morgan opts to ditch her new job and take on the defence of Nick. In doing this is she throwing away her career? Is she ostracising h ...more

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May 18, 2017 Book Lover rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is my first book by this author and I loved it! Great start to a series!

Morgan Dane is a widowed mother of three girls. Her husband was killed in the line of duty and she is still mourning 2 years later. She moved back to Scarlet Falls to live with her grandfather. She hasn’t worked outside the home since her husband was killed. She finally decides it’s time to re-enter the work force. She is an attorney and has agreed to go to work for the District Attorney’s office.

She receives a phone c This is my first book by this author and I loved it! Great start to a series!

Morgan Dane is a widowed mother of three girls. Her husband was killed in the line of duty and she is still mourning 2 years later. She moved back to Scarlet Falls to live with her grandfather. She hasn’t worked outside the home since her husband was killed. She finally decides it’s time to re-enter the work force. She is an attorney and has agreed to go to work for the District Attorney’s office.

She receives a phone call late at night from the grandparents of a young girl who baby sits occasionally for her stating she is missing. Morgan calls Lance Kruger, an old high school boyfriend, whom she has become good friends with since her return to Scarlet Falls. Lance is currently working as a PI while on medical leave from the police department due to a gunshot wound to his thigh. They discover the girl’s brutally murdered body.

When Nick, her 20 year old neighbor, and friend of the family, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Morgan agrees to represent him pro bono. This ends her job with the DA’s office before it even began. She goes to the PI office Lance works for to ask for their help.

Morgan and Lance work well together. Morgan is still dealing with her past while trying to move forward. Lance is dealing with the loss of a job that defined him and trying to figure out his future. He’s been interested in Morgan for a while, but knows she’s not ready for a relationship, so has resolved himself to the friend zone. Plus, he’s dealing with a mom who has mental health issues. Lance comes across as a stand up guy with unquestionable integrity, honesty and a big heart. Morgan shares those qualities. I loved that there was no histrionics, immature meltdowns, or ridiculous outbursts between Morgan and Lance.

I never saw the killer coming! This rarely happens for me, so I was impressed! This book is a real page turner.

There is also a great cast of supporting characters as well. Grandpa is a real sweetheart and very encouraging to Morgan. Morgan’s girls are good kids. Her youngest is a bit of a spitfire! Lincoln Sharp is a retired detective and owner of the PI firm where Lance works. He is a father figure for Lance and another stand up guy.

There isn’t much romance to this romantic suspense. However, the ending has me hoping there’s more to come in the following books! I’m very happy to have discovered this author. I will be watching for the next book in this series!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley.
...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, kindle-unlimited

4.5
This was a tough listen in some parts. But the fact that I cared about the injustices happening to fictional characters says a lot of good things about this author.
The story was fluid and kept me on my toes. It's more mystery/suspense than romance. But that's fine with me.
I didn't figure out who done it with absolute conviction. He (not a spoiler) was among my list of suspects, but I hadn't settled on him. This is a good thing.
I look forward to more in this series. Hell, there is a relations ...more

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Sep 10, 2018 Carla Johnson-Hicks rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, romance, netgalley, audio, adult-fiction

Say You’re Sorry was a fantastic start to the Morgan Dane series. I have not read the Scarlet Falls series that was published before this, so some of the connections were not clear at the beginning of the book, but it did not diminish the enjoyment I had while listening to this book. The narration was well done with a lot of expression that added to my enjoyment of the story.

After losing her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane has returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls to raise her three girls with Say You’re Sorry was a fantastic start to the Morgan Dane series. I have not read the Scarlet Falls series that was published before this, so some of the connections were not clear at the beginning of the book, but it did not diminish the enjoyment I had while listening to this book. The narration was well done with a lot of expression that added to my enjoyment of the story.

After losing her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane has returned to her hometown of Scarlet Falls to raise her three girls with the help of her family. This story picks up two years after Morgan returned home. She has been offered a job working at the DA's office when her life is thrown into chaos. Her young neighbour has been accused of murdering her old babysitter. The family can not afford a top notch lawyer, and on impulse, Morgan offers to take his case pro bono. She is sure that he is innocent. Recruiting an old boyfriend and ex-cop, who is now working as a PI, they begin their investigation to prove Nick innocent. The only way to do that is to find the real killer.

Morgan is an incredibly strong and brave character, in fact some may think she is rash and impulsive. She also has a great sense of loyalty for those she cares about which is how she ends up involved in this case at all. I love that, as busy as she is, she still makes sure she spends quality time with her daughters. Lance is dealing with his own issues. He was shot while still working on the police force and even though he enjoys the leeway he has working as a PI, he misses his prior job. I really enjoyed the working relationship Morgan and Lance have. They feed off each other well and Lance is very protective of Morgan. I will be watching to see if they develop a romantic relationship as this series moves forward.

The mystery surrounding Tessa's death and the disappearance of another girl was intriguing. There were several suspects over the course of the book which led to constant twists and turns. Each of these suspects often revealed another secret in Scarlet Falls. I suspected several people, but never actually the person figured out the killer until just prior to the reveal. Some other readers thought the book was slow, but I felt the pace was just right. I listened to it in one day and didn't want to take any breaks, as I was pulled right into the story. This book is listed as a Romantic Suspense, but I think it was more Suspense Mystery, as I mentioned earlier, perhaps the romance is yet to come. I recommend this story to Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, or Romantic Suspense lovers. If you have kindle unlimited, the audio version of this book is available for members right now as I write this review. ...more

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Jul 03, 2018 Jules rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, mystery, thriller, kindle-unlimited, romance

It took me a little while to get into Say You're Sorry, but I ended up really enjoying this mystery thriller romance.

I borrowed this in audiobook format through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.

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Jan 23, 2020 Rebecca rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-reads, romantic-suspense, tough-heroines, good-guys-are-best

I enjoyed this one. It was a little predictable, but the author did a wonderful job of balancing real criminal justice procedures and entertainment value. I'll definitely continue with the series.

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May 11, 2017 "Avonna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley

Check out all of my reviews at: http://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

I am so excited that Melinda Leigh is writing a spin-off of her wonderful Scarlet Falls trilogy. SAY YOU”RE SORRY (Morgan Dane #1) takes me back to one of my favorite fictional cities.

Morgan Dane returns home to Scarlet Falls with her three young daughters after the death of her military husband in the Middle East. Living with her grandfather and a teenager rescued in a previous Scarlet Falls book, two years has passed and Morgan d Check out all of my reviews at: http://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

I am so excited that Melinda Leigh is writing a spin-off of her wonderful Scarlet Falls trilogy. SAY YOU”RE SORRY (Morgan Dane #1) takes me back to one of my favorite fictional cities.

Morgan Dane returns home to Scarlet Falls with her three young daughters after the death of her military husband in the Middle East. Living with her grandfather and a teenager rescued in a previous Scarlet Falls book, two years has passed and Morgan decides to return to work as an ADA. She wants to start moving forward at least professionally with her life.

Lance Kruger was an SFPD officer, but is currently training to be a private investigator while recovering from a gunshot wound. His mentor, Lincoln Sharp started his own P.I. agency after retiring from the SFPD. Lincoln is more than just the ex-detective who worked Lance’s missing father’s case, he has been a father figure and an enormous help with Lance’s mother.

When Morgan’s sometimes babysitter, Tessa is found raped and violently murdered, the blame falls on her boyfriend, Nick. Nick is Morgan’s young neighbor who plays chess with her grandfather and reads to her girls. Even though the evidence is strong, Morgan just cannot believe Nick is guilty. Morgan turns down her ADA job and decides to not only defend Nick against false charges, but to find the real killer with the help of Lance and Lincoln.

This book takes off and keeps a fast pace throughout. With multiple suspects there are many unexpected twists and turns in the plot. As you turn the pages to find justice for Tessa, many other small town secrets become unearthed. You also follow the story through both Morgan’s and Lance’s points-of-views, with some internal insights from the killer and Nick’s time in lock-up. I loved the multiple views because they pull you into the head and intense emotions of each character in every situation.

I was happy to learn from the author that there are at least four more proposed books for this series and Morgan will continue being the main character. This book has the beginnings of a new romance for Morgan with Lance and I am looking forward to its progression. I love a series that not only gives me great thrills and/or mysteries, but I get to follow a couple that I want to succeed in love.

I am looking forward to the next book and a return to all of these great characters!

Thank you very much to Montlake Romance, Melinda Leigh and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
...more

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Jun 16, 2017 Under the Covers Book Blog rated it really liked it

I am still relatively new to the thriller genre, I like to dip my toe in every now and then, however, in this book Melinda Leigh has tempted me to belly flop right in. Say You're Sorry captivated me from page one as you witness the murder first hand, after that, it wasn't a want, it was a need; I needed to keep reading and find out the full story.

Morgan Dane is our main character, she's been widowed for two years and has 3 adorable small children, who she parents with the help of her father. ...more

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Oct 11, 2018 Debby rated it really liked it

Shelves: authors-k-l, a-series-reads, a-ku-google

I’ve become fond of Melinda Leigh’s novels, especially the novellas and her collaboration with Kendra Elliott.

Say You’re Sorry is a very nice and interesting start to ML’s Morgan Dane series. The story is about Morgan Dane, who is trying to get a handle of her life. She is hired as an assistant district attorney and comes from a line of cops in her family. Two years earlier, she’d lost her husband in Iraq to violence, as well as her father. She is a widow raising three young children with her m ...more

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Jun 08, 2020 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, romance-contemporary, romantic-suspense, military-law-enforcement, new-to-me-author, part-of-a-series, rec-from-gr-friend

I’m always on the lookout for a new author to enjoy and this book was a pleasant surprise in the romantic suspense category. The feel of it put me in mind of Maggie Shayne writing.
I enjoyed the characters and the mystery.

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Apr 13, 2017 Dísir rated it it was amazing

Shelves: suspense-thriller, kickass-heroine, kickass-hero, romantic-suspense, contemporary-romance, mystery-crime, arc, netgalley

As a huge fan of Leigh’s Scarlet Falls series, I was so thrilled to learn about this spin-off and even more excited to revisit Lance and Morgan, both of whom were said to have a brief history in Stella and Mac’s story. But Melinda Leigh is an author I can always count on for fantastic reads and ‘Say You’re Sorry’ more than lives up to this billing. But I love Leigh’s heroines and heroes for so many reasons: they use their smarts and wits and intelligence to get ahead (sometimes without even need As a huge fan of Leigh’s Scarlet Falls series, I was so thrilled to learn about this spin-off and even more excited to revisit Lance and Morgan, both of whom were said to have a brief history in Stella and Mac’s story. But Melinda Leigh is an author I can always count on for fantastic reads and ‘Say You’re Sorry’ more than lives up to this billing. But I love Leigh’s heroines and heroes for so many reasons: they use their smarts and wits and intelligence to get ahead (sometimes without even needing to fire a gun), they generally don’t have immature meltdowns that are out of character and aren’t afraid to admit their uncertainty and doubts even when cornered. The all-round maturity certainly helps.

‘Say You’re Sorry’ introduces us to Morgan Dane, a district attorney whose life was blown wide open when her husband died during his deployment, leaving her to sort herself out back home with 3 young children. But the fragility and vulnerability never quite go away no matter how much she convinces herself that the time to move on has arrived, up until a case convinces her to do what’s right rather than what’s convenient.

Leigh ratchets up the tension from the start and very much like every episode of a TV crime series, begins the show with the panicked pants of a potential victim who flees an unknown killer, who surprisingly, acts uncontrollably because of his own self-preservation instincts. But what looks like a simple teenage case of murder unearths a whole load of secrets and several twists that I didn’t see coming, which made the ride more exciting.

I liked both Morgan and Lance together, and loved their partnership which seems to bode very well for the next few books that Leigh has in mind. Morgan’s strong sense of justice appealed to me deeply, especially when it came to her determination to see a falsely-accused teenager out of jail for a crime he didn’t commit while tanking her career in the process. Lance’s solid character was as well, a perfect complement for Morgan's. His broken dreams have left him a position where he hasn’t been able to be anything other than the police officer he once was, but there’s a sense of untouchable integrity and dignity about him that makes him quite a shining example of what a romantic hero should be.

’Say You’re Sorry’ is however, more focused on the suspense than romance, heavy with the potential of Morgan/Lance which sort of remains unfulfilled by the end of the book, but I’m hoping there’re more to come that will deepen this relationship between the both of them. I’m still vacillating between feeling a little cheated out of hot and heavy times and satisfied because justice is finally served, but as long as Leigh delivers these in the next few books, I’d be happy as a clam.

*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind)
...more

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Aug 17, 2018 Anna's Herding Cats rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-finish, audiobook, private-detective, 2018-try-something-new, mystery, known-each-other-forever, lawyer, investigator, melinda-leigh, chris-dukehart

Well that was good.

The Gist: Morgan's babysitter has been brutally murdered. And the boy next door has been accused of the crime. Morgan, though, is certain he's not guilty and decides to defend him in court even if it's the unpopular opinion. Now she just has to prove he's innocent.

The Story:

I enjoyed the mystery. The storyline bops around for different points of view-- Morgan, the boy accused and the killer-- as the crime is investigated and days go by. It was a good mystery. Kept me interes ...more

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Apr 28, 2017 Bec rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, book-magic-reviews, book-magic-2017-top-picks, april-2017-recommendations

After taking a couple of years off work to spend time with her daughters after her husband was killed in Iraq, Morgan Dane is ready to return to work as a prosecutor. Except before she even gets started in her new job, tragedy strikes in the small town of Scarlet Falls. Even worse, the crime is being pinned on someone Morgan believes is innocent and she's determined to do whatever it takes to see the right person bought to justice. Will she succeed or will she face a tough, uphill battle that co
After taking a couple of years off work to spend time with her daughters after her husband was killed in Iraq, Morgan Dane is ready to return to work as a prosecutor. Except before she even gets started in her new job, tragedy strikes in the small town of Scarlet Falls. Even worse, the crime is being pinned on someone Morgan believes is innocent and she's determined to do whatever it takes to see the right person bought to justice. Will she succeed or will she face a tough, uphill battle that could turn deadly at any time?

What a highly entertaining, fast-paced, gripping read Ms. Leigh has penned in this book, encompassing well-written dialogue that kept me enthralled from start to finish; a plot with lots of twists and turns that kept surprising me and had me determined to discover what would come next; and two main characters that were determined to do what was right in seeking justice for the victim no matter how dangerous things became. The way this story started had me on the edge-of-my seat and drew me into the story immediately with what was happening, as it's palpable that any number of people could be a suspect. What would happen to whoever was in trouble? Would they be saved?

As for the dialogue, it was told from several characters points-of-view and was intense due to the main characters back stories and all that they go through to prove Morgan's client is innocent. Going head-to-head with several secondary characters that are either extremely dangerous or very influential in the community should concern Morgan, but no matter what threats or scrutiny she faces, she remains loyal to her job and strong and brave in her determination to seek the truth when everyone is determined to prosecute her client just so their jobs are secure. But what I liked most about Morgan is that she didn't back down, especially when things became more and more dangerous for her, Lance and her client.

While Lance, he's been through a lot in past months with having to give up working as a cop. It wasn't easy, but he's overcome it to become a very good private investigator. Moreover, I liked that he was willing to help Morgan, even though he wasn't as certain as the heroine was about her client's innocence. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was how protective he was of the heroine and how they wouldn't give up until they discovered the truth.

Overall, Ms. Leigh has delivered an incredible read in this book where the suspense and growing relationship between Lance and Morgan made this story a real page turner. The way this story ended was a tad alarming because of the situation Morgan finds herself in, but I liked that Morgan was finally able to move on from her past and the death of her husband. And lastly, I'm looking forward to more of this series because of the main and secondary characters, especially Lance's mom, a bright woman with a serious medical condition that makes Lance continually worry about her; and Sharp, Lance's boss and a man that is determined to make everyone a health nut. The moments where he was trying to convince Morgan what was good for her had me amused. I would highly recommend Say You're Sorry by Melinda Leigh, if you enjoy romantic suspense or books by authors Kendra Elliot, Mary Burton, Rita Herron or Nancy Bush.
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May 20, 2017 Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-romance, kiddie-winks, genre-thriller, kindle-unlimited, best-of-the-best-2017

I am still relatively new to the thriller genre, I like to dip my toe in every now and then, however, in this book Melinda Leigh has tempted me to belly flop right in. Say You’re Sorry captivated me from page one as you witness the murder first hand, after that, it wasn’t a want, it was a need; I needed to keep reading and find out the full story.

Morgan Dane is our main character, she’s been widowed for two years and has 3 adorable small children, who she parents with the help of her father. ...more

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Jun 14, 2017 Tanya rated it it was ok

So look, I haven't read anything by Melinda Leigh before and I was lucky enough to score a copy from Net Galley. Awesome, right?

Except, it's kinda not.

I'm sorry. I really wanted to like this. But I just couldn't.

For me, it was just too OTT. Everyone's just carrying so much baggage it's a wonder they ever set foot out the front door. We have Morgan, who's a widow with three kids, but she has her grandfather and a former drug addict now acting as a live in nanny to help raise her kids. Then we hav ...more

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Sep 22, 2017 Vikki Vaught rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My Musings

Wow, another fantastic book by Ms. Leigh. Really enjoyed this one. Great characters and amazing plot. Can't wait to read more books from this talented author.Happy ☺reading 📚!

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Jun 14, 2020 hima ☾ rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction-contemporary, 2020-reviewed, kindle-unlimited-free, copaganda-baby, age-adult, fiction-mystery-thriller-horror, 2020, will-not-finish-series, milquetoast

morgan dane has returned to her hometown of scarlet falls; she's finally healing after losing her husband, with a promising prosecutor job in sight. but when the neighbor's son—a close family friend—is accused of murder, morgan realizes she can't let him go down for something she's sure he didn't do. with the help of lance kruger—a former cop turned private investigator—morgan sets out to find what really happened to tessa.

◦ turns out it's really hard to write a review for a book that just neve ...more

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About Melinda Leigh

Melinda Leigh

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#1 Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker who learned that writing books is way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. Since then, she has garnered numerous writing accolades, including two RITA® Award nominations and an induct ...more

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Quotes from Say You're Sorry

“Change is scary. You’re going to be all right. You’re tough.” — 3 likes

“They will.” Sharp sighed. “Morgan really broke his wrist?” “She did.” Unable to sit still, Lance got up and paced the floor in front of Sharp’s desk. “I don’t know why everything she does always comes as a surprise. Her father and grandfather were both cops. Her sister is a detective. Her brother is NYPD SWAT.” “The pearls and heels throw you off.” — 1 likes

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