Title: The Search
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Publication date: July 6th, 2010
488 pages
5/5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis
To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life: a quaint house on an island off Seattle’s coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescue. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare.
Several years ago, she was the only survivor of a serial killer — a madman who stalked and abducted young women, strangled them, and left them buried with a red scarf on their bodies. As authorities were closing in on the Red Scarf Killer, he shot and killed Fiona’s cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.
On Orcas Island, Fiona has found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. Yet all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He’s the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon’s house, and he’s at his wit’s end.
To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can’t handle. Simon is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he’s a rugged and intensely private artist, known for creating exquisite furniture. Simon never wanted a puppy, and he most definitely doesn’t want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to the laws of attraction.
As Fiona embarks on training Jaws and as Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona’s life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands.
Review
Properly trained, a man can be a dog’s best friend.
Nora Roberts, The Search
I read The Search for the first time many years ago, while on vacation. I had run out of books to read so I stole one of my mom’s and it was a GREAT DECISION. I loved The Search and when recently at the library I had the urge to seek it out and read again, and it was also a great decision.
Fiona is a dog trainer living on an island off the coast of Washington, trying to escape her past. She trains Search and Rescue dogs, and is quite good at it. You wouldn’t know by looking at her that years ago she was the target of a serial killer, and was the only woman to escape. Now, her past is trying to find her again as a copycat is taunting her with reminders that she is the one that got away. In comes Simon, a man new to the island and new to puppy ownership. Jaws needs some training, and Fiona is the right woman for the job. But is she also the right woman for Simon?
Again, I loved this book. It’s long without seeming long, and it is gripping from start to finish. It is not a stereotypical romance where that is the sole plot and theme of the book, instead the romance is equally weighted with the serial killer and dog training plot lines. This made for a diverse and interesting read that wasn’t focused too closely on her finding a man.
I adore serial killer books, it’s like a guilty pleasure for me. It’s one plot that I will forever love to read. I especially preferred this book because it is in no way a mystery or a thriller. That genre tends to scare me more, which doesn’t lead to an enjoyable reading experience (though I am trying to branch out in that direction). Instead, The Search involves thrilling scenes without being classified as a thriller.
I do also love the romance between Fiona and Simon. It’s not quite hate to love, but more like dislike to love. They don’t exactly get along at first, and they have differences that really grate on each others nerves, but none of that matters in the face of the huge attraction they have for each other. It’s really a no nonsense love affair, without nearly as much dramatics as others. Their differences are actually quite enjoyable and adorable to read, because it’s all small things – not large issues.
Lastly, the dogs. I will ALWAYS be here for books with dogs, especially where they do amazing things like find lost children and hikers. There are so many GOOD DOGGOS in this book and it warms my heart. Basically this book has everything that I love while also being supremely well written. I mean, it’s Nora Roberts. She doesn’t have scads of published books because her writing sucks.
Anyway, thank you for joining me on this rant about The Search. Even if you’re not a huge Adult Romance or Nora Roberts fan, I do still think this book would be worth it to read. I don’t prefer Nora Roberts books as a rule, which is why I feel I can say this.
Happy reading, folks!
Baltimore Bibliophile 