Ford is an artist (Maggie’s role in Night Moves, though she was a singer, not a graphic novelist.) He takes care of Cilla far more than she does him, which makes sense in context, both because of her background and because she’s the one in danger. She’s also leery of getting involved-at least with people, though she’s deeply committed to the house, which belonged to her movie-star grandmother. She’s skilled with tools, strong, competent. Cilla is her own general contractor on the house and does a lot of the physical work herself, from demo to rebuilding the porch. I love the way Roberts plays with gender-role reversal in this book. Cilla is a bundle of contradictions: intelligent and strong, but with inner insecurities springing from deplorable mothering and a childhood spent very much in the public eye. He’s is persistent without being pushy when Cilla says “no,” Ford is willing to wait. Ford is kinder, more laid-back, with a better sense of humor, and above all, more sensitive and patient. To begin with, Ford is so much more likable than Cliff, the gruff “hero” of Night Moves.

The plot of Tribute is reminiscent of Roberts’s earlier Night Moves-celebrity buys and rehabs house in the Blue Ridge, and finds love with her neighbor-but without the aspects I found so problematic in the latter. ReviewĪ satisfying romantic novel with just enough suspense to keep me turning the pages well into the night. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may, like her world-famous grandmother, be cut down in the prime of her life. A cache of unsigned letters found in the attic points to a mysterious romance in her grandmother’s life-and may be the catalyst for a frightening, violent assault. Determined not to carry on the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford’s quirky charm, though she can’t help indulging in a little fantasy.īut it’s reality that holds its share of dangers for Cilla. Plunging into the project with gusto, Cilla’s almost too busy and exhausted to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer. So she comes to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to save the dilapidated farmhouse that once belonged to her grandmother-a legendary actress who died of an overdose more than thirty years ago.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author presents her latest blockbuster novel, the story of a big-screen legend, a small-town scandal and a young woman caught up in the secrets and shadows of both.Ĭilla McGowan, a former child star, has found a more satisfying life restoring homes.

Nora roberts book tribute