By – Nora Roberts
Hideaway is a wonderful novel! Nora Roberts has scored again with this latest release, a multi generational and lavishly layered family adventure highlighting Caitlyn Sullivan, as of now at age ten an accomplished actor in her own privilege with a presence and mind that is shocking at a particularly youthful age. Cate, as she is called by the family, is the victim of a messed up kidnapping. Messed up because she’s more intelligent than her kidnappers, who grabbed her out of the tree where she planned to hide up in the round of hide-and-seek she and her cousins were playing at the life celebration of her late extraordinary granddad.
She figures out how to escape by tying bed sheets to bring down herself from a two story window to drop the remainder of the way and take off going through the forested areas before her captors returned. Cate runs aimlessly during the night until she staggers onto a homestead house with a light in the window sparkling like a signal, directing her to safety. Finding the front entryway opened, she slips into the kitchen, gets an apple off the counter and attempts to hide when twelve year old Dillon Cooper chooses to strike the fridge for some extra seared chicken. His family is astounded by the account of her ordeal.
Then starts a story of family treachery by the individual that society says ought to consistently, consistently put us first and shield us from outside damage. Yet, through it all, her dad, grandparents and other relatives were there, keeping an eye out for her and giving a valiant effort to make her have a sense of security once more. First in Ireland, back to L.A., then living in the overall obscurity of New York City and lastly back home to Big Sur. A genuine homecoming where Cate has discovered her voice, or voices that her calling requires. She’s glad to have reconnected with Dillon and his family and she’s content with her life. Until the insidious that had formed and concealed such a large amount of her reality raised its terrible head and again compromised her tranquillity and quietness.
As quite a while Nora Roberts fan I’m enchanted to see her dialogue return to a smoother, less sharp and cutting style than her last couple of books displayed. The plot is perplexing and interesting however the pacing is somewhat plodding for the primary portion of the story. I’ve named Roberts the Queen of Romance yet “Hideaway” doesn’t generally hit the romantic mark. It’s actually even more a romantic spine chiller with the romantic determinedly calm. All things considered, the story is rich with characters and backstories that brace and reinforce the familial bonds that guide Cate and the Sullivan group through the ages.
