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Book Reviews of Tribute

Tribute
Tribute
Author: Nora Roberts
ISBN-13: 9780399154911
ISBN-10: 0399154914
Publication Date: 7/8/2008
Pages: 392
Rating:
  • Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
 350

4.1 stars, based on 350 ratings
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

47 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

rettaliny avatar reviewed Tribute on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I'm not a big Nora Roberts fan. I find her books too formulaic and romances are not my favorite genre. But I do read romances for a change form the thrillers I like and I find Nora Roberts is usually a safe bet for a good read. And she sometimes adds a touch of fantasy and the paranormal to her books so that's a plus for me.

Tribute has a good story about a Hollywood star, her family, mystery about her death and the granddaughter who refurbishes her home in Virginia. The characters in the book are great and the romance hot and very current, not cutesy sweet. Best of all book had a lot of humor.
MELNELYNN avatar reviewed Tribute on + 669 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Cilla McGowen was raised in the spotlight. Her Grandmother was the famous Janet Hardy; a child star turned Hollywood actress and famous singer. Her mother, Dilly, wasn't quite as famous as Janet but managed to stay in the Hollywood spotlight all her life. From a very young age Cilla was thrust in front of the cameras by her mom. She was part of a successful TV show, made a few records, but by the time she was an adult she was pretty much a has-been.

Happy to be out of the public life, Cilla now makes her money flipping houses; it is a labor of love. Finally getting her hands on her famous Grandmothers long neglected farm, Cilla is rehabbing to make herself a home. Questions surround her Grandmothers too early death and as Cilla repairs the house, she seeks answers. But someone doesn't want Cilla around and is making things very difficult for her, her friends and workers. Finding a friend and an unexpected love in her graphic novelist neighbor, Ford Sawyer, Cilla gets some much needed TLC.

This is a lengthy new novel by Nora Roberts, but amazingly enough I flew through 451 pages, easily, I absolutely loved it.

What Nora does better than anyone is create unforgettable and magnificent characters. This book is filled with people who are written so well, you can see them so clearly and you feel like you know them. Every character in this book added something to this story; love, sex, fear, annoyance, growth, laughter, and sadness. You get as invested with the side characters as you do with the main characters. I love that about her work

Cilla is a heroine not without flaws; she's both hard and soft and has been emotionally drained. She's personable and knows her strengths and weaknesses. I found her extremely relatable. Ford was funny, charming and sexy as hell. It took me all about a page to fall for him and his crazy dog.

The story is strong and takes the reader through past and present day at the farm with clever little visits from the Grandmother. Uncovering the secrets of the past and dealing with the danger of the present lead you through a suspenseful and gripping read. I admit I knew whodunit pretty much from the start, but Nora added a little something extra that threw me off and added plenty of surprise at the end.

This book has everything; a solid mystery, a love story, humor and healing. I really enjoyed it. I am also one of those HGTV junkies that enjoy house flipping and rehabbing and I got a total kick out of the demo and rehab of this house. It was fun to watch it change and I had no trouble picturing the results.
lighthouse-lady avatar reviewed Tribute on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is the first Nora Roberts book that I've been excited about reading in a long time, and it did NOT disappoint. I loved it. Like another reviewer, I stayed up way too late and finished the book in a couple of days, simply because I could not put it down.

Cilla is a real, down-to-earth heroine that you can genuinely LIKE. And Ford is delightful. Nora Roberts made him a strong, supportive, sexy, believable hero. He was exactly what Cilla needed every step of the way.

The best romance books, in my opinion, are the ones in which you pull for the heroine and fall in love with the hero. Tribute accomplishes this and then some.
starvinArtist avatar reviewed Tribute on + 58 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I have been a long time fan of Nora Roberts and have to say she doesn't disappoint with "Tribute". From the first page I became invested in the story of Cilla (retired actress who now rehabs houses), as she returns to her roots to live her own life. But while renovating her grandmothers home, strange things begin to happen. The suspense kept me going till the end. Highly recommend.
reviewed Tribute on + 168 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Review of the audio CD: I have to say I didn't really warm up to the narrator. I tried to listen to this audiobook but I stopped. Maybe this is a case where the story is better when you read it, rather than listen to it.
reviewed Tribute on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
When I first starting reading this I thought, "Oh..I'd already read this." But no, I hadn't and even if I had, I'd read it again. It was a thoroughly wonderful true Nora Roberts novel. I loved the lead woman, Cilla, strong as all Roberts' women are. But the lead male was not the usual unattainable, macho man. He was sweet and quirky and just right. As always the mystery intrigue was there. And this time, I didn't figure it out until very late in the book. And only then, it was not a certainty.
Enjoyed this one very much!
reviewed Tribute on + 32 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I've never had a Nora Roberts that I didn't like. I would have liked a little more closure with this books ending. I was almost left with a "so that's it" feeling and that's not normal with a Nora Roberts book. As always its worth it to read and keep on the bookshelf.
reviewed Tribute on + 16 more book reviews
This was a great in true Roberts style. I was afraid I had already read it as I think I have really read them all. What a great surprise! I had missed this one. Make sure you don't.
AmeldaLuicci avatar reviewed Tribute on
Nora Roberts is always a good read.
reviewed Tribute on + 5 more book reviews
Great read. Hard to put down!
reviewed Tribute on + 87 more book reviews
Nora Roberts usually fills her books with romance, suspense, mystery, twists and turns. This story is no exception as she explores relationships of multi-generations in a small town. It's a good read and will keep you guessing until the end.
NonExistence avatar reviewed Tribute on + 239 more book reviews
Have always like Nora Robt's book. She always has a twist,
something different to her stories.
This story is more about the romance, the relationships, interactions.
Yes! there is a mystery to this story just like all her books.
Nora Roberts books are worth reading no matter what. . .
I will now watch the 2hr Special w/Brittany Murphy and Jason Lewis.
The book will be way better but it is fun to watch the Made for TV Movie
aired on Lifetime 01/01/2009.
reviewed Tribute on + 4 more book reviews
Good read
Sue-in-AZ avatar reviewed Tribute on + 108 more book reviews
This was a heart-warming book/love story/mystery all rolled into one.

The main character as well as the supporting characters had some depth. The addition of the ex-husband was a little odd - it would have made more sense if he had stuck around for the whole story.

I loved the Mother/Daughter and Grandmother/Grand-daughter dymanics. And the parent/child theme was repeated throughout the story giving tons of contrast.

The best part is that when they finally solved the mystery, it could have been just about any character in the book responsible for the "events". Just about everyone had a motive.

Good read - I highly recommend.
reviewed Tribute on
I found this book to be fun and exciting as the story progressed.
reviewed Tribute on + 363 more book reviews
Great read
craftygraff avatar reviewed Tribute on + 12 more book reviews
I was tempted to stop reading this book about a third of the way through because it never really picked up speed. It started out steady and continued steady throughout the book (no lows and no highs). I didn't guess who the bad guy was until right before he/she was revealed...yeah, I'm not giving it away! :)
crysd avatar reviewed Tribute on + 10 more book reviews
Tribute was enjoyable because it felt modern and quirky. I love that the main male character is "dorky" and writes comic books, definitely a change! Cilla, the lead character, is a childhood actress who is now flipping the house of her dead grandmother. There is mix of mystery, sadness, family relations, and love all in this book. I felt it dragged on a little at times with certain aspects, and the ending wrapped up too quickly & easily in my opinion.
reviewed Tribute on
Another good one by Nora Roberts. I enjoy her books although you can usually tell where they are going. Still worth the time!
reviewed Tribute on
Don't start reading it when you're busy. Like most other Nora Roberts' books I've read, you just don't want to put it down.
jenel avatar reviewed Tribute on + 60 more book reviews
I truly do enjoy Nora Roberts books. In this book she mixes her mystery writing and romance skills beautifully. I've read and reread this book several times.
jwigg avatar reviewed Tribute on + 39 more book reviews
I liked this one for the mystery.. it was actually a fun ride all the way to the end. The male lead was also interesting to follow. It was a fun, quick read.
stormyinAlabama avatar reviewed Tribute on + 146 more book reviews
Roberts sets her underwhelming latest in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where former child star Cilla McGowan rehabs her famous grandmother's long-neglected farm. Cilla's movie-star grandmother, the Marilyn Monroeâ"like Janet Hardy, who died mysteriously on the farm at age 39, haunts Cilla as she transforms the former hideaway of the rich and famous into habitable living space and tries to resolve whether Janet committed suicide or was murdered. While cleaning out the attic, Cilla unearths a collection of unsigned love letters to Janet from a local suitor, which adds spice to the puzzle of Janet's death. Meanwhile, Cilla's hunky graphic novelist neighbor, Ford Sawyer, provides the requisite sizzle and encourages Cilla to follow her dream of becoming a top-notch building contractorâ"much to the dismay of Cilla's headline-hungry diva mother. Amid the demolition and sheet rocking, Cilla comes up against a disgruntled local, and a series of unnerving threats and occurrences (vandalism, torched Cilla dolls) almost unhinges Cilla. The terror tactics (and the revelation of who is behind them) are half-baked and distract from what's ostensibly a girl meets boy, boy wants girl, girl finally wants boy story.
reviewed Tribute on + 58 more book reviews
I thought this was a great story, fun to read and kept me guessing until the very end. I had no clue and was quite surprised at the ending. The characters were believable and fun to read about. I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone.
reviewed Tribute on + 63 more book reviews
I have never read a Nora Roberts book I didn't like. This one is no exception.
GeniusJen avatar reviewed Tribute on + 5322 more book reviews
I loved TRIBUTE so much that I stayed up late two nights in a row to finish it. Then I was depressed that I had finished it so quickly!

This latest offering from Nora Roberts really does have everything I've come to love in her writing: mystery, romance, great character development, and a truly interesting storyline.

With the added fun additions of flipping houses, hosts of HGTV shows, graphic novelists, actresses and screen legends, and high school English teachers, all branches of career and life are covered.

This really is a book for your keeper shelf. You'll fall in love with Cilla and Ford, you'll agonize over the dual mystery of Janet Hardy's death and the current terror that the main character is facing, and you'll laugh-out-loud at the wonderful chemistry and dialogue between the hero and heroine. I would really like to read more about this couple in the future -- they're just really down-to-earth people that you come to respect and admire by the end of TRIBUTE.

Maybe we can get an update on their lives when Ms. Roberts writes Steve and Shanna's story? (Hint, hint!)
reviewed Tribute on + 31 more book reviews
Standard Nora novel
Always enjoy her characters" conversations
They often thoughtful, witty and fun to read
Glad she always comes back to renovating historical sites
We need that in the USA
FMK
robinmy avatar reviewed Tribute on + 2047 more book reviews
Former Child Star Cilla McGowan couldn't wait to get out of Hollywood and away from her headline-grabbing mother. She moves to Virginia to restore her grandmother's farmhouse. Cilla's grandmother was Hollywood legend Janet Hardy who died from an overdose at this house thirty years ago. The house was left in ruins and Cilla wants to fix it to live in. When next door neighbor, Ford Sawyer, meets Cilla, he believes the beautiful contractor will make things in the neighborhood more interesting. As they begin a relationship, someone vandalizes the work project and threatens Cilla's life. It's up to Ford and Cilla to find out why someone wants her to leave.

This is an enjoyable romantic suspense story by Nora Roberts. Cilla has been working on renovating houses for years and now wants to work on her own. She has the knowledge and the money to get it done, but needs to hire the right people for the job. Ford is a great hero. I loved how he supported Cilla through the vandalism and threats on her life. But my favorite character in this book was Ford's ugly dog, Spock, who reminded me of my brother's dog.

I thought the suspense portions of the story were a little weak and drawn out, but the romance and the interesting backstory of Cilla's grandmother made this book interesting. My rating: 4 Stars.
bluesbaby avatar reviewed Tribute on + 9 more book reviews
Girl conquers adversity finding new friends and a very special someone along the way. As usual, many twists and turns in the plot so it kept me thoroughly entertained. A fun read and just like I expect from Nora Roberts.
reviewed Tribute on
This book is very good. The writing is top notch and keeps you moving through the story effortlessly; more than that, it really hits home for many of us with the restoration of a historic house that has been neglected. Ms. Roberts really did her research on re-habbing!!

The main characters are very believable and definitely people you would like to know.
reviewed Tribute on + 3 more book reviews
The more she writes, the better she gets! This was one that was really hard to put down.
cozysleuth avatar reviewed Tribute on + 153 more book reviews
2009 copy is a very engaging story of remodeling a farmhouse, memories, and ghosts of Cilla's past.
reviewed Tribute on
This is a wonderful read! Just finished reading it. Suspense.... romance.... and a story about starting over.
reviewed Tribute on + 3558 more book reviews
Cilla McGowen was raised in the spotlight. Her Grandmother was the famous Janet Hardy; a child star turned Hollywood actress and famous singer. Her mother, Dilly, wasn't quite as famous as Janet but managed to stay in the Hollywood spotlight all her life. From a very young age Cilla was thrust in front of the cameras by her mom. She was part of a successful TV show, made a few records, but by the time she was an adult she was pretty much a has-been.

Happy to be out of the public life, Cilla now makes her money flipping houses; it is a labor of love. Finally getting her hands on her famous Grandmothers long neglected farm, Cilla is rehabbing to make herself a home. Questions surround her Grandmothers too early death and as Cilla repairs the house, she seeks answers. But someone doesn't want Cilla around and is making things very difficult for her, her friends and workers. Finding a friend and an unexpected love in her graphic novelist neighbor, Ford Sawyer, Cilla gets some much needed TLC.

This is a lengthy new novel by Nora Roberts, but amazingly enough I flew through 451 pages, easily, I absolutely loved it.

What Nora does better than anyone is create unforgettable and magnificent characters. This book is filled with people who are written so well, you can see them so clearly and you feel like you know them. Every character in this book added something to this story; love, sex, fear, annoyance, growth, laughter, and sadness. You get as invested with the side characters as you do with the main characters. I love that about her work

Cilla is a heroine not without flaws; she's both hard and soft and has been emotionally drained. She's personable and knows her strengths and weaknesses.
reviewed Tribute on + 25 more book reviews
Good book
reviewed Tribute on + 58 more book reviews
Easy read!
reviewed Tribute on + 79 more book reviews
several plot twists makes this very difficult to put down
reviewed Tribute on + 988 more book reviews
Virginia's Shenandoah Valley is a long way from Hollywood. And that's exactly how Cilla McGowan wants it. Cilla, a former child star who has found more satisfying work as a restorer of old houses, has come to her grandmother's farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs -- but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla's dreams. And during waking hours, Cilla is haunted by her melodramatic, five-times-married mother, who carried on in the public spotlight and never gave her a chance at a normal childhood. By coming east, rolling up her sleeves, and rehabbing this wreck of a house, Cilla intends to find some kind of normalcy for herself. Plunging into the project with gusto, she's almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer -- but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor (not to mention his delightfully ugly dog, Spock) are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford's quirky charm, but she can't help indulging in a little fantasy. But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died -- and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can't help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. 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
littlepine avatar reviewed Tribute on + 169 more book reviews
Once again I have found a book by Nora Roberts that I really enjoyed.
Excellent book! I would highly recommended it!
reviewed Tribute on + 26 more book reviews
I enjoyed this book,If you enjoy Nora Roberts you will enjoy the book.
reviewed Tribute on + 3 more book reviews
Loved it... suprsed at ending.
reviewed Tribute on + 2 more book reviews
A typical Roberts book. Good reading but with so many, they're getting repetitive.
reviewed Tribute on + 154 more book reviews
good read
stormyinAlabama avatar reviewed Tribute on + 146 more book reviews
Roberts sets her underwhelming latest in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where former child star Cilla McGowan rehabs her famous grandmother's long-neglected farm. Cilla's movie-star grandmother, the Marilyn Monroeâ"like Janet Hardy, who died mysteriously on the farm at age 39, haunts Cilla as she transforms the former hideaway of the rich and famous into habitable living space and tries to resolve whether Janet committed suicide or was murdered. While cleaning out the attic, Cilla unearths a collection of unsigned love letters to Janet from a local suitor, which adds spice to the puzzle of Janet's death. Meanwhile, Cilla's hunky graphic novelist neighbor, Ford Sawyer, provides the requisite sizzle and encourages Cilla to follow her dream of becoming a top-notch building contractorâ"much to the dismay of Cilla's headline-hungry diva mother. Amid the demolition and sheet rocking, Cilla comes up against a disgruntled local, and a series of unnerving threats and occurrences (vandalism, torched Cilla dolls) almost unhinges Cilla. The terror tactics (and the revelation of who is behind them) are half-baked and distract from what's ostensibly a girl meets boy, boy wants girl, girl finally wants boy story.
reviewed Tribute on + 496 more book reviews
A great Nora Roberts read.
reviewed Tribute on + 330 more book reviews
I enjoyed this book very much.
reviewed Tribute on
This book is in brand new condition.