3 hours about a home remodel ...

The beginning started off great and built up a great story.

The middle lost me. I wish she focused on more details that were important to the story line. Instead the middle was about a detailed home remodel that had little relevance to the overall story.

The end was ok. A little predictable.

This was my first Nora Roberts book and I'm not convinced I would read another.

78 people found this helpful

Just FYI

This book is not really about an obsessive stalker/murderer and the struggle to catch him. This book is about a young woman with unlimited money buying and renovating a house, while she takes photos, goes furniture shopping, has un-realistic conversations, and works hard to not get attached to the hunkiest bachelor in town. That is pretty much the whole book right there.
I bought it based on the ratings, but buyer be ware! When a book goes best seller, everybody and their grandmother will give it 5 stars and the rating system goes out the window.

421 people found this helpful

Starts out promising, slow descent into boring and cliche

The first half of this book was so good! Really interesting premise. After most of the major plot points have been set up, it just peters out. The characters stop being interesting and become sadly one-dimensional and the story becomes incredibly predictable. The romance tilts into him just telling her what to do most of the time. Even though the stalker storyline does add some spice, it too becomes predictable and by the end, you don't care too much what comes of anyone. The narration was fine at the beginning, but eventually becomes a bit too much - too overdone.

97 people found this helpful

Some of Naomi's dialogue was too immature for a character who is in her position.

I'd like to see a woman portrayed as a brave character without the high school dialect.

11 people found this helpful

Likeable characters ruined by the narration

Would you try another book from Nora Roberts and/or Shannon McManus?

Nora Roberts, yes. Shannon McManus... not sure

What other book might you compare The Obsession to and why?

No idea. The first part of the book with young Naomi finding out what her father is was well done but after that it kind of became predictable. The baddie was obvious from the get-go, the profiling aspect (which could have been made very interesting) was cliched. I did like the house renovation parts though. And the dog.

Would you be willing to try another one of Shannon McManus’s performances?

It depends but I'd definitely listen to a sample and take note of other reviews before downloading. She did a good job with the female voices but I found the male voices irritating (I think she was going for 'commanding' but her dragging out of the beginning of sentences and over pronouncing was distracting)

What would have made this romance irresistible?

If they'd cut out him always telling her what to do and her yelling "stop telling me what to do".

10 people found this helpful

it's a no

so boring, the whole story is her fixing up her house. I wasted a credit

9 people found this helpful

Typical Nora Roberts

I enjoyed this book, it was a good listen but some things were very typical of Nora. Her endings always seem rushed to me. I see her sitting at her computer just hammering out the last chapter in ten minutes so she can call it done. Other than the rushed ending it was easy to figure who the killer was, which is not very typical but I think this book is more about the main characters life with the killer just added for some extra drama. Overall this book is worth a credit and you'll enjoy the story!

59 people found this helpful

Could have been great. Needed a different narrator

What made the experience of listening to The Obsession the most enjoyable?

I have enjoyed countless NR books and generally can't wait to listen to the story. And have listen to many several times. The narration made this less enjoyable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was no emotion. this book screamed emotion in places. It could have been so much better.

64 people found this helpful

Roberts is back on track

While her recent books have become formulaic, she stepped up and added some zing to this one. Instead of the quick one chapter prelude, that lays the groundwork for current event, she took three or four chapters in the beginning to thoroughly introduce character and important details.
While I did identify the bad guy when he was originally introduced, she kept me guessing til the last few chapters.
I'm back on board the wAgon!

44 people found this helpful

Ehhhhhh...

I bought this book with high hopes that it would be thrilling. It was not. It has a very strong beginning, but then when the lead character becomes an adult, the interactions seem unnaturally happy and fake. Plus, the first 10 hours are filled to the brim with fluff about home renovations. The narrator was almost trying too hard and wound up sounding like a valley girl... not worth the credit.

3 people found this helpful