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River Road
It’s been thirteen years since Lucy Sheridan was in Summer River. The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue.
Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.
A lot has changed in thirteen years. Lucy now works for a private investigation firm as a forensic genealogist, while Mason has quit the police force to run a successful security firm with his brother—though he still knows his way around a wrench when he fills in at his uncle’s local hardware store. Even Summer River has changed, from a sleepy farm town into a trendy upscale spot in California’s wine country. But Mason is still a protector at heart, a serious (and seriously attractive) man. And when he and Lucy make a shocking discovery inside Sara’s house, and some of Tristan’s old friends start acting suspicious, Mason’s quietly fierce instincts kick into gear. He saved Lucy once, and he’ll save her again. But this time, she insists on playing a role in her own rescue . . .
Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.
A lot has changed in thirteen years. Lucy now works for a private investigation firm as a forensic genealogist, while Mason has quit the police force to run a successful security firm with his brother—though he still knows his way around a wrench when he fills in at his uncle’s local hardware store. Even Summer River has changed, from a sleepy farm town into a trendy upscale spot in California’s wine country. But Mason is still a protector at heart, a serious (and seriously attractive) man. And when he and Lucy make a shocking discovery inside Sara’s house, and some of Tristan’s old friends start acting suspicious, Mason’s quietly fierce instincts kick into gear. He saved Lucy once, and he’ll save her again. But this time, she insists on playing a role in her own rescue . . .
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2014
1024 people are currently reading
4430 people want to read
About the author
Jayne Ann Krentz
401 books7,169 followersThe author of over 50 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 856 reviews
January 20, 2024
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, romantic suspense novel. It has a likable female protagonist who has an interesting profession, a protective male protagonist, murder, mystery, suspense, twists and turns and a satisfying conclusion. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Ms. Amanda Leigh Cobb, has a lovely voice and does a wonderful job depicting the characters and their personalities.
June 16, 2014
I had such a hard time getting through this book! When I read the summary it sounded pretty interesting and I've read at least one other book by this author so I thought I'd like it.....but no such luck.
I just found the whole story to be boring and predictable - and yet that still wasn't the thing that bothered me most about this book. It was the actual writing that drove me crazy! Every conversation in this book was so damn proper that it ended up sounding fake and stilted to me.
What I mean by this is that the author didn't write the dialogue in a way that a real person would speak - it was all 'could not' and 'should not' and so on instead of 'couldn't' or 'shouldn't' (the way a normal person actually talks). I constantly found myself stopping mid-sentence and rereading it so that it would sound more natural to me, but that got really old, really fast. This may not bother some people, but when I read a book I want the characters to feel real and these ones just didn't.
On top of that, it really annoyed me how she would use the same phrases over and over again. Some examples are 'wine-country casual', 'a drug deal gone bad', and worst of all 'don't mess with Mason Fletcher'. There's no way that literally every person in this book would use the exact same phrasing when talking about Brinker's disappearance - there are a number of ways a person can say 'drug deal gone bad' without using those words, but apparently this author couldn't think up anything else.
It's actually funny that this was a problem for me in this book because the other book I've read by her was one of her 'Jayne Castle' novels and that books drove me nuts by using the term 'jelly ice' constantly. It's clear to me now that no matter how interesting the plot of her books might be (which in my opinion is not very interesting) I still wouldn't like them because her writing style just irritates me.
I know some people really love this author so obviously this review is strictly my opinion, but this is the last Jayne Ann Krentz book that I'll be buying.
I just found the whole story to be boring and predictable - and yet that still wasn't the thing that bothered me most about this book. It was the actual writing that drove me crazy! Every conversation in this book was so damn proper that it ended up sounding fake and stilted to me.
What I mean by this is that the author didn't write the dialogue in a way that a real person would speak - it was all 'could not' and 'should not' and so on instead of 'couldn't' or 'shouldn't' (the way a normal person actually talks). I constantly found myself stopping mid-sentence and rereading it so that it would sound more natural to me, but that got really old, really fast. This may not bother some people, but when I read a book I want the characters to feel real and these ones just didn't.
On top of that, it really annoyed me how she would use the same phrases over and over again. Some examples are 'wine-country casual', 'a drug deal gone bad', and worst of all 'don't mess with Mason Fletcher'. There's no way that literally every person in this book would use the exact same phrasing when talking about Brinker's disappearance - there are a number of ways a person can say 'drug deal gone bad' without using those words, but apparently this author couldn't think up anything else.
It's actually funny that this was a problem for me in this book because the other book I've read by her was one of her 'Jayne Castle' novels and that books drove me nuts by using the term 'jelly ice' constantly. It's clear to me now that no matter how interesting the plot of her books might be (which in my opinion is not very interesting) I still wouldn't like them because her writing style just irritates me.
I know some people really love this author so obviously this review is strictly my opinion, but this is the last Jayne Ann Krentz book that I'll be buying.
June 11, 2025
I was looking for an enjoyable light reading time and that’s exactly what you get with Jayne A. Krentz’s River Road. A solid suspense coupled with a nice romance. I liked Lucy and Mason, and thought they were good together. Krentz’s has the knack for this type of story, however I thought it wasn’t her best effort and I suspect a forgettable experience. If you like JAK’s work and are looking for a fun, no-stress reading this is the book for you.
January 7, 2018
The last time Mason saw Lucy was when he rescued her from an evil trap. It was a vivid memory for both if them for different reasons. Mason was worried about Lucy and determined to protect her. Lucy was mortified when her crush went into white knight mode and rescued her. He was oblivious to her feelings and somehow that made it worse.
Lucy leaves town. Threats are made. The Evil Mastermind goes missing. Everybody has a theory about the suspect.
But Lucy is back after thirteen years and she may have walked into trouble again. Will Mason be able to save her?
“Ever wonder who rescues a professional guardian angel when he gets into trouble?”
I liked it when Lucy looked beyond Mason's protective nature. She sensed a hidden vulnerability in him that others missed.
“It looks like we accidentally closed the only known cold case in the history of Summer River,” she said.
“You never know what you’re going to find when you start down the DIY remodeling road.”
She blinked, brows crinkling in a frown. “That is probably a very inappropriate remark.”
“Probably.”
“So why do I want to laugh?”
“Don’t worry, it’s a nervous reaction.”
Lucy and Mason have a lot in common. Both are investigators, suspicious, practical, self aware, persistent with a sharp sense of humor.
She is a forensic investigator, he deals with cold cases.
They know their issues and own them completely.
Must be something about being back in Summer River,” Lucy said. “Brings out my suspicious side.”
“Yeah, mine, too,” Mason admitted.
Deke looked at him. “Hell, you’ve been suspicious your whole life.”
Investigations are usually tricky. But it is a diiferent mess altogether when you are investigating in a small town. Gossip, grudges, old secrets to hide, people to protect is a tiny part of what our detective duo go through.
Matters are complicated when Lucy has to deal with her sudden inheritance. Her stay is extended and the danger increases.
My favorite supporting character was Uncle Deke. He was strong, funny, larger than life and reliable.
Lucy and Mason were perfect for each other. After thirteen years apart they knew what they were looking for and what they missed. They had shared history and bonding over a murder mystery was the whipped cream on the chocolate brownie.
Mason doesn't treat Lucy like a kid and respects that she is an independent female. Lucy relaxes around Mason and discovers a good thing worth fighting for. Through trial and error they learn and respect each others boundaries.
Lucy leaves town. Threats are made. The Evil Mastermind goes missing. Everybody has a theory about the suspect.
But Lucy is back after thirteen years and she may have walked into trouble again. Will Mason be able to save her?
“Ever wonder who rescues a professional guardian angel when he gets into trouble?”
I liked it when Lucy looked beyond Mason's protective nature. She sensed a hidden vulnerability in him that others missed.
“It looks like we accidentally closed the only known cold case in the history of Summer River,” she said.
“You never know what you’re going to find when you start down the DIY remodeling road.”
She blinked, brows crinkling in a frown. “That is probably a very inappropriate remark.”
“Probably.”
“So why do I want to laugh?”
“Don’t worry, it’s a nervous reaction.”
Lucy and Mason have a lot in common. Both are investigators, suspicious, practical, self aware, persistent with a sharp sense of humor.
She is a forensic investigator, he deals with cold cases.
They know their issues and own them completely.
Must be something about being back in Summer River,” Lucy said. “Brings out my suspicious side.”
“Yeah, mine, too,” Mason admitted.
Deke looked at him. “Hell, you’ve been suspicious your whole life.”
Investigations are usually tricky. But it is a diiferent mess altogether when you are investigating in a small town. Gossip, grudges, old secrets to hide, people to protect is a tiny part of what our detective duo go through.
Matters are complicated when Lucy has to deal with her sudden inheritance. Her stay is extended and the danger increases.
My favorite supporting character was Uncle Deke. He was strong, funny, larger than life and reliable.
Lucy and Mason were perfect for each other. After thirteen years apart they knew what they were looking for and what they missed. They had shared history and bonding over a murder mystery was the whipped cream on the chocolate brownie.
Mason doesn't treat Lucy like a kid and respects that she is an independent female. Lucy relaxes around Mason and discovers a good thing worth fighting for. Through trial and error they learn and respect each others boundaries.
December 16, 2025
Not as thrillery
Having read Smoke in Mirrors by this authors recently, I admit I thought this would be more thrillery (some cover-judging also occurred 🙈)
The thriller part of the story wasn't
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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Having read Smoke in Mirrors by this authors recently, I admit I thought this would be more thrillery (some cover-judging also occurred 🙈)
The thriller part of the story wasn't
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━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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November 12, 2013
I am a long time fan of Jayne Ann Krentz, and this book is a good example of why she is a must read author for me. This book had just the right balance of romance and suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next, and I fell in love with the main characters, Lucy and Mason, right away. Lucy has returned to Summer River, where she often visited as a teenager, to settle her aunt's estate. She is unaware of sinister events that occurred as a result of her last visit thirteen years ago, and is soon caught up in a completely unexpected web of danger. Security expert Mason Fletcher has always been protective of Lucy, and as his feelings for her intensify, he is determined to keep her safe. I loved seeing the relationship between Lucy and Mason develop, and the storyline was both entertaining and suspenseful.
October 20, 2018
4.5 stars!
It could have been a 5 stars book if it ended with a different killer... Not the one I expected to be, which took me by surprise (not a nice surprise tho).
The love story was beautiful, Mason was such a perfect man and Lucy was smart... so they deserved each other.
In the end, I’m glad Queen was a good guy. And that’s it, I guess.
It could have been a 5 stars book if it ended with a different killer... Not the one I expected to be, which took me by surprise (not a nice surprise tho).
The love story was beautiful, Mason was such a perfect man and Lucy was smart... so they deserved each other.
In the end, I’m glad Queen was a good guy. And that’s it, I guess.
January 12, 2014
3 Stars
I am big fan of Jayne Ann Krentz, she is one my author on my auto buy list since i started reading and she was the second author i ever read after Sandra Brown but lately her books let me down, big time. I am not sure why but they not seem to be as they were or maybe i just discovered so many amazing authors lately and i am more picky cause i read so much.
Lately her books seems to be more of a mystery romance than her old type of writing with almost no heat at all. I might be wrong for judging a book like this but a book with out sex scenes almost non existing it's not quite a romance book. As far as i remember now they were only 2 or 3 sex scenes and they weren't very long and not that intense.
The story in general was a good one, the writing flawless as per usual and faced paced. You didn't had time to get bored while reading the book cause all the time something new was happening. Unfortunately after 100 pages i realized who was the killer and i had nothing to look forward to.
I liked the chemistry between Lucy and Mason and their banter. Was quite hilarious at some points.
Overall the book was a good read but wasn't something special and def i didn't enjoyed it as much as her other books.
I am big fan of Jayne Ann Krentz, she is one my author on my auto buy list since i started reading and she was the second author i ever read after Sandra Brown but lately her books let me down, big time. I am not sure why but they not seem to be as they were or maybe i just discovered so many amazing authors lately and i am more picky cause i read so much.
Lately her books seems to be more of a mystery romance than her old type of writing with almost no heat at all. I might be wrong for judging a book like this but a book with out sex scenes almost non existing it's not quite a romance book. As far as i remember now they were only 2 or 3 sex scenes and they weren't very long and not that intense.
The story in general was a good one, the writing flawless as per usual and faced paced. You didn't had time to get bored while reading the book cause all the time something new was happening. Unfortunately after 100 pages i realized who was the killer and i had nothing to look forward to.
I liked the chemistry between Lucy and Mason and their banter. Was quite hilarious at some points.
Overall the book was a good read but wasn't something special and def i didn't enjoyed it as much as her other books.
June 20, 2017
This was a quick read although I wasn't pulled into the story as much as I wanted to be. There were a few points where it felt like I had read it before - one person dies and then it turns out another person is missing. This is a common thread that all on it's own wouldn't make it seem like a re-read. What really made me feel like it was too familiar were the two MCs. I had flashbacks to other novels by Ms. Krentz. Both MCs were described and talked like a lot of her other books' MCs. It was like I knew in advance how they were going to react and mentally describe each other.
A few of the items that I noted:
Why do all of Ms. Krentz's heroines see a therapist who place all the blame of situations on the heroine? Due to the same bad advice they keep getting, I suspect they all all seeing the same therapist.
The heroines always have viewpoints that have to expound on to nauseam.
Why is it the victims never call the police? In this book, they don't call the police because they don't have a shred of proof, but there is evidence that something occurred. It's the job of the police to investigate.
I definitely appreciated the "Go ask Alice." line that took me back to White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane.
So for me it was a 3 star, but I do think fans of Ms. Krentz will like it.
A few of the items that I noted:
Why do all of Ms. Krentz's heroines see a therapist who place all the blame of situations on the heroine? Due to the same bad advice they keep getting, I suspect they all all seeing the same therapist.
The heroines always have viewpoints that have to expound on to nauseam.
Why is it the victims never call the police? In this book, they don't call the police because they don't have a shred of proof, but there is evidence that something occurred. It's the job of the police to investigate.
I definitely appreciated the "Go ask Alice." line that took me back to White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane.
So for me it was a 3 star, but I do think fans of Ms. Krentz will like it.
January 7, 2016
Lucy Sheridan visited her aunt during the summer 13 years before and now she is back in Summer River after the death of her aunt. She encounters Mason Fletcher. A man she now realizes saved her from a terrible situation. Mason Fletcher is in town for reasons of his own. Together they are discovering that there are many secrets that people would love to stay secret.
I enjoyed this romantic suspense by Jayne Ann Krentz. I think the romance and suspense was balanced nicely. The characters were likable and the mystery was good. I never guessed the whodunit correctly during the reading.
I enjoyed this romantic suspense by Jayne Ann Krentz. I think the romance and suspense was balanced nicely. The characters were likable and the mystery was good. I never guessed the whodunit correctly during the reading.
January 11, 2014
Originally published at Reading Reality
I enjoyed reading River Road so much that it was surprisingly difficult to crystallize my thoughts into a review!
One utterly marvelous thing is that this is a stand-alone story, and sometimes those feel rare. As well as this one weaves past and present, it is complete within the very tight confines of itself; we have the beginning, middle and end wrapped up. No cliffhanger, no next book, no loose ends.
And this was definitely one of those “I couldn’t put it down” sort of suspense stories. Every element in both the past and the present mattered, and both the revelations about the past and the attacks in the present kept on coming. The suspense drove the story to the point where I couldn’t turn pages fast enough.
But there’s still a love story that takes its time to develop in the present. One of the things that makes that love story “sing” is that it is also a second chance at love story. In the case of the past influencing the present, in the "way back", he was her first crush, but as adults, that three-year age gap is immaterial.
There are two stories in River Road. One is about the past haunting the present. Thirteen years ago Lucy Sheridan’s Aunt Sara murdered Tristan Brinker and bricked his body up inside her fireplace. After Sara’s death, Lucy and Mason Fletcher re-open Sara’s terrible “do-it-yourself” job on that fireplace and discover Tristan’s body; along with evidence indicating that the young man was the “Scorecard Rapist” who police had been unable to capture thirteen years ago.
On the long ago night that opens the story, when Mason Fletcher rescues Lucy from one of Tristan’s famous beach parties at Summer River, Lucy had been Tristan’s next intended victim. Instead, Mason gets Lucy out of the party, Sara gets Lucy out of town, and Sara puts Tristan out of everyone’s misery.
Thirteen years later, Sara and her domestic partner Mary are killed in a car accident on a lonely road, and after the body is discovered in the fireplace, Lucy suddenly isn’t so certain that the “accident” was accidental; especially after an arsonist dies while setting her aunt’s house ablaze and she discovers that she has inherited either money or trouble as the result of not Sara’s, but Mary’s shares in a local investment firm.
And it all relates to the people who were the other victims of Tristan Brinker and that long-ago summer.
Escape Rating A+: I could not put this down, to the point that I was carrying the book around with me so I could get in a few more pages...just a few more paragraphs…
River Road is an absolutely terrific romantic suspense story, with a definite emphasis on the suspense. Krentz did a marvelous job of continually interweaving the past with the present, all the while making the old case both relevant to the present investigation but not taking the reader’s focus on the present-day skullduggery. Of which there was plenty.
The suspense plot was edge-of-the seat tense in this story. Every puzzle piece fit neatly into the ones we had already seen, and yet, I still didn’t know whodunnit until the very end. I had some ideas that some people didn’t exactly have clean hands, but not who the real evildoers were.
And there is one stand up and cheer moment as the story concludes, you’ll be surprised about that, too.
But there’s also a slowly developing love story between Lucy and Mason, and it’s just right. In the prologue, he’s an adult, just barely, and she isn’t quite yet. He’s protective and too much for her, and she knows it. As adults, they are equal. He’s still overprotective, but she doesn’t let him be. They need something from each other. And they need to solve the mystery, because they were both part of what happened in the past, and they are both targets in the present. But their caution makes the romance burn slow and hot.
Excellently well done all the way around. If you enjoy romantic suspense, you’ll love River Road.
I enjoyed reading River Road so much that it was surprisingly difficult to crystallize my thoughts into a review!
One utterly marvelous thing is that this is a stand-alone story, and sometimes those feel rare. As well as this one weaves past and present, it is complete within the very tight confines of itself; we have the beginning, middle and end wrapped up. No cliffhanger, no next book, no loose ends.
And this was definitely one of those “I couldn’t put it down” sort of suspense stories. Every element in both the past and the present mattered, and both the revelations about the past and the attacks in the present kept on coming. The suspense drove the story to the point where I couldn’t turn pages fast enough.
But there’s still a love story that takes its time to develop in the present. One of the things that makes that love story “sing” is that it is also a second chance at love story. In the case of the past influencing the present, in the "way back", he was her first crush, but as adults, that three-year age gap is immaterial.
There are two stories in River Road. One is about the past haunting the present. Thirteen years ago Lucy Sheridan’s Aunt Sara murdered Tristan Brinker and bricked his body up inside her fireplace. After Sara’s death, Lucy and Mason Fletcher re-open Sara’s terrible “do-it-yourself” job on that fireplace and discover Tristan’s body; along with evidence indicating that the young man was the “Scorecard Rapist” who police had been unable to capture thirteen years ago.
On the long ago night that opens the story, when Mason Fletcher rescues Lucy from one of Tristan’s famous beach parties at Summer River, Lucy had been Tristan’s next intended victim. Instead, Mason gets Lucy out of the party, Sara gets Lucy out of town, and Sara puts Tristan out of everyone’s misery.
Thirteen years later, Sara and her domestic partner Mary are killed in a car accident on a lonely road, and after the body is discovered in the fireplace, Lucy suddenly isn’t so certain that the “accident” was accidental; especially after an arsonist dies while setting her aunt’s house ablaze and she discovers that she has inherited either money or trouble as the result of not Sara’s, but Mary’s shares in a local investment firm.
And it all relates to the people who were the other victims of Tristan Brinker and that long-ago summer.
Escape Rating A+: I could not put this down, to the point that I was carrying the book around with me so I could get in a few more pages...just a few more paragraphs…
River Road is an absolutely terrific romantic suspense story, with a definite emphasis on the suspense. Krentz did a marvelous job of continually interweaving the past with the present, all the while making the old case both relevant to the present investigation but not taking the reader’s focus on the present-day skullduggery. Of which there was plenty.
The suspense plot was edge-of-the seat tense in this story. Every puzzle piece fit neatly into the ones we had already seen, and yet, I still didn’t know whodunnit until the very end. I had some ideas that some people didn’t exactly have clean hands, but not who the real evildoers were.
And there is one stand up and cheer moment as the story concludes, you’ll be surprised about that, too.
But there’s also a slowly developing love story between Lucy and Mason, and it’s just right. In the prologue, he’s an adult, just barely, and she isn’t quite yet. He’s protective and too much for her, and she knows it. As adults, they are equal. He’s still overprotective, but she doesn’t let him be. They need something from each other. And they need to solve the mystery, because they were both part of what happened in the past, and they are both targets in the present. But their caution makes the romance burn slow and hot.
Excellently well done all the way around. If you enjoy romantic suspense, you’ll love River Road.
February 26, 2022
This story was Jayne Ann Krentz at her romantic suspense best. The characters were amazingly life-like. Well, except for the fact that, if men life Mason Fletcher exist, they are staying well away from me.
The story begins with a prequel. Lucy Sheridan, age 16, is being hauled away from a wild party by her crush, the responsible and mature 19-year-old Mason Fletcher. She leaves town the next day and doesn't return to Summer River for thirteen years. What Lucy doesn't know is that she has been targeted by Tristan Brinker who wants her to star in his latest rape video and Mason saves her from that fate.
Now, Lucy is grown up and working as a forensic genealogist. She works for a private investigation firm and finds lost heirs. She is a successful woman in all areas of her life except her romantic life. She has dumped her fiance after finding him in bed with another woman. Her therapist tells her she has commitment issues. She is currently trying to find Mr. Right by using an online matchmaking service.
She has returned to Summer River to settle her aunt's estate. Her beloved Aunt Sara and her partner Mary Colfax recently died in an automobile accident. Lucy has inherited her aunt's estate and some shares in Colfax Inc. from Mary. She is being urged to sell Sara's house and land to turn it into a vineyard and she is being wooed by various Colfax family members who want those share back, too.
Mason Fletcher has returned to Summer River too. He has established a successful private investigation business specializing in cold crimes with his younger brother Aaron. But when a case goes wrong, he heads for home to rethink his life. He is working in his uncle's hardware store when Lucy comes in for light bulbs. An offer to help her with some home improvements lead to the discovery of Tristan Brinker's body bricked up in her aunt's fireplace which starts a chain of events that combine the past and the present.
I loved that both characters were strong people and that, in the course of their falling in love, they didn't have misunderstandings that hurt each other. I also liked the way Krentz wove events and characters from the past into the mystery. She also managed to surprise me when she revealed the villains of the story. I really enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. For me, it was a compelling page-turner.
The story begins with a prequel. Lucy Sheridan, age 16, is being hauled away from a wild party by her crush, the responsible and mature 19-year-old Mason Fletcher. She leaves town the next day and doesn't return to Summer River for thirteen years. What Lucy doesn't know is that she has been targeted by Tristan Brinker who wants her to star in his latest rape video and Mason saves her from that fate.
Now, Lucy is grown up and working as a forensic genealogist. She works for a private investigation firm and finds lost heirs. She is a successful woman in all areas of her life except her romantic life. She has dumped her fiance after finding him in bed with another woman. Her therapist tells her she has commitment issues. She is currently trying to find Mr. Right by using an online matchmaking service.
She has returned to Summer River to settle her aunt's estate. Her beloved Aunt Sara and her partner Mary Colfax recently died in an automobile accident. Lucy has inherited her aunt's estate and some shares in Colfax Inc. from Mary. She is being urged to sell Sara's house and land to turn it into a vineyard and she is being wooed by various Colfax family members who want those share back, too.
Mason Fletcher has returned to Summer River too. He has established a successful private investigation business specializing in cold crimes with his younger brother Aaron. But when a case goes wrong, he heads for home to rethink his life. He is working in his uncle's hardware store when Lucy comes in for light bulbs. An offer to help her with some home improvements lead to the discovery of Tristan Brinker's body bricked up in her aunt's fireplace which starts a chain of events that combine the past and the present.
I loved that both characters were strong people and that, in the course of their falling in love, they didn't have misunderstandings that hurt each other. I also liked the way Krentz wove events and characters from the past into the mystery. She also managed to surprise me when she revealed the villains of the story. I really enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. For me, it was a compelling page-turner.
August 6, 2016
Let me say upfront that I love JAK books, under whichever name she writes.
However, River Road takes us down some familiar avenues; there is always more than one villain; the young H/h having a short crush before being separated for years (Canyons of Night 2011); the middle aged women living together (presumably as lesbians, though its never made clear in black & white)(Deception 1993);the fight in the winery with the h throwing wine bottles to defend herself (Witchcraft 1985); the H solves cold cases (Light in Shadow 2003 & Truth or Dare 2003). I'm sure there are more, these are just the ones that sprang to mind.
Lucy & Mason whilst having a strong attraction don't fall into insta-love which is refreshing, but you can see them moving towards each other. They also don't try to solve the case/s by themselves, but involve others and the Sheriff where appropriate.
One point I'm still wondering about is why the sociopath Brinker was so scared of Lucy's aunt Sara. As the story progresses it is made clear that he is, but no explanation is ever given.
I did figure out who the bad guys were fairly early but then I've been reading JAK for 35 yrs and am very familiar with her style.
Another smoothly written, fun and enjoyable read by JAK.
However, River Road takes us down some familiar avenues; there is always more than one villain; the young H/h having a short crush before being separated for years (Canyons of Night 2011); the middle aged women living together (presumably as lesbians, though its never made clear in black & white)(Deception 1993);the fight in the winery with the h throwing wine bottles to defend herself (Witchcraft 1985); the H solves cold cases (Light in Shadow 2003 & Truth or Dare 2003). I'm sure there are more, these are just the ones that sprang to mind.
Lucy & Mason whilst having a strong attraction don't fall into insta-love which is refreshing, but you can see them moving towards each other. They also don't try to solve the case/s by themselves, but involve others and the Sheriff where appropriate.
One point I'm still wondering about is why the sociopath Brinker was so scared of Lucy's aunt Sara. As the story progresses it is made clear that he is, but no explanation is ever given.
I did figure out who the bad guys were fairly early but then I've been reading JAK for 35 yrs and am very familiar with her style.
Another smoothly written, fun and enjoyable read by JAK.
July 5, 2018
I like this author a lot. However, she is not perfect.
Once again, she falls into the "villain speech". As always, at the end of the book we have the bad guy giving a completely unnatural speech about how they did it, why, and what they are going to do next.
Other books I read by this author fall into this trope too. The thing is I liked some of her other books more than I liked this one. In those books I could forgive the villain speech because I had had a great time reading them. In this one... not so much.
I liked this one but with that trope at the end it ended up being kind of meh.
Loved the romance, though.
Once again, she falls into the "villain speech". As always, at the end of the book we have the bad guy giving a completely unnatural speech about how they did it, why, and what they are going to do next.
Other books I read by this author fall into this trope too. The thing is I liked some of her other books more than I liked this one. In those books I could forgive the villain speech because I had had a great time reading them. In this one... not so much.
I liked this one but with that trope at the end it ended up being kind of meh.
Loved the romance, though.
June 14, 2015
If you're a fan of Jayne Ann Krentz’s books then you know that for the past few years she’s woven a mixture of the paranormal into her contemporary novels including her historical and futuristic novels. I was a bit unsure if I’d enjoy RIVER ROAD because as much I liked her Arcane series, I was tired of reading about the paranormal. There’s been a lot of talk about Krentz’s return to romance (just plain old fashioned romance) and it’s refreshing to see her return to her roots.
Thirteen years ago, Lucy Sheridan was a teenage girl spending the summer at her aunt’s house and crushing on Mason Fletcher. Unfortunately, Mason never saw Lucy as more than a kid and when he escorts her from a party she’s attending she’s embarrassed that he thinks she can’t take care of herself. Over the years Lucy didn’t think about Mason and when she returns to Summer River she didn’t expect to run into him. Mason is surprised to see Lucy and even more so that she’s grown up. He has his own reasons for being back in Summer River and little does he know the events of that night thirteen years ago will be the talk of the town. When a body is found in Lucy’s aunt’s house all fingers point to her aunt as the culprit and suddenly, Lucy doesn’t believe her aunt’s death was an accident. With Mason’s help Lucy decides to investigate her aunt’s death and the deeper they dig, the more they find things aren’t as they seem.
As for character development, we have strong characters. Krentz is known for writing strong female characters who aren’t afraid to do things on their own and Lucy is no different. I had a hard time warming up to Lucy. I think it had to do with the way she wanted people to view her instead of who she really was. With Mason she’s able to let go and be herself and when she’s with him, I really liked her then. As for Mason, he’s a bit of a mystery. We know he’s protective of Lucy and values her opinion so much so that he does end up going into law enforcement as she had suggested. He’s also been hurt, first as a child with no one wanting him and his brother after the death of his parents and he’s trying to come to terms with the end of marriage. Krentz isn’t one of those authors that tells us everything about the hero and slowly we get details regarding why Mason is back in town and I really liked getting to know him.
I liked RIVER ROAD and as I stated, it was refreshing to read! There were some ties to her use of the paranormal with Lucy’s aunt and I thought for a moment that Krentz was going to go in that direction but she surprised me. If I have one small compliant is that the mystery surrounding the death of Tristan. Krentz doesn’t come out and say exactly x did it because of y and we have to take things for face value and make an assumption as to why. In the end, the two people behind the string of incidents just left me wanting more. We aren’t shown why, but rather just given a summary of events and readers aren’t given that sense of accomplishment at figuring out the mystery and unmasking our villains. Instead we have to take things for face value and believe that what Mason and Lucy tell us is exactly what happened.
If you’re looking for a full fledged romantic suspense novel, this isn’t it. Devoted fans of Jayne Ann Krentz may be a bit disappointed with RIVER ROAD, but overall, I do believe they’ll still enjoy aspects of it.
This review and more are posted at Literary, etc.
Thirteen years ago, Lucy Sheridan was a teenage girl spending the summer at her aunt’s house and crushing on Mason Fletcher. Unfortunately, Mason never saw Lucy as more than a kid and when he escorts her from a party she’s attending she’s embarrassed that he thinks she can’t take care of herself. Over the years Lucy didn’t think about Mason and when she returns to Summer River she didn’t expect to run into him. Mason is surprised to see Lucy and even more so that she’s grown up. He has his own reasons for being back in Summer River and little does he know the events of that night thirteen years ago will be the talk of the town. When a body is found in Lucy’s aunt’s house all fingers point to her aunt as the culprit and suddenly, Lucy doesn’t believe her aunt’s death was an accident. With Mason’s help Lucy decides to investigate her aunt’s death and the deeper they dig, the more they find things aren’t as they seem.
As for character development, we have strong characters. Krentz is known for writing strong female characters who aren’t afraid to do things on their own and Lucy is no different. I had a hard time warming up to Lucy. I think it had to do with the way she wanted people to view her instead of who she really was. With Mason she’s able to let go and be herself and when she’s with him, I really liked her then. As for Mason, he’s a bit of a mystery. We know he’s protective of Lucy and values her opinion so much so that he does end up going into law enforcement as she had suggested. He’s also been hurt, first as a child with no one wanting him and his brother after the death of his parents and he’s trying to come to terms with the end of marriage. Krentz isn’t one of those authors that tells us everything about the hero and slowly we get details regarding why Mason is back in town and I really liked getting to know him.
I liked RIVER ROAD and as I stated, it was refreshing to read! There were some ties to her use of the paranormal with Lucy’s aunt and I thought for a moment that Krentz was going to go in that direction but she surprised me. If I have one small compliant is that the mystery surrounding the death of Tristan. Krentz doesn’t come out and say exactly x did it because of y and we have to take things for face value and make an assumption as to why. In the end, the two people behind the string of incidents just left me wanting more. We aren’t shown why, but rather just given a summary of events and readers aren’t given that sense of accomplishment at figuring out the mystery and unmasking our villains. Instead we have to take things for face value and believe that what Mason and Lucy tell us is exactly what happened.
If you’re looking for a full fledged romantic suspense novel, this isn’t it. Devoted fans of Jayne Ann Krentz may be a bit disappointed with RIVER ROAD, but overall, I do believe they’ll still enjoy aspects of it.
This review and more are posted at Literary, etc.
November 26, 2023
This is only my second Jayne Ann Krentz book. I didn't much care for my first and in starting this one I had high hopes that it was better. It is, but not by much. I really hate it when a book telegraphs it's plot points like a blinking neon sign. The plot was interesting and the setting in Napa region of Northern California was great, but there were a lot of little things that were missing and by being missing called attention to the holes in the plot. The resolution and wrap up tied things up way to neatly for events that took place 13 years apart.
Lucy is back in Summer River to settle her Aunt Sara's estate. Sara and her life companion, Mary, were killed in an auto accident. Lucy reconnects with Mason, her teen heartthrob, at his uncle's hardware store. It's been 13 years, and little Lucy is all grown up and looking real good. Mason helps Lucy with a project and starts a chain of events that drives the plot. Lucy and Mason find their way to each other and solve a few mysteries along the way.
Lucy is back in Summer River to settle her Aunt Sara's estate. Sara and her life companion, Mary, were killed in an auto accident. Lucy reconnects with Mason, her teen heartthrob, at his uncle's hardware store. It's been 13 years, and little Lucy is all grown up and looking real good. Mason helps Lucy with a project and starts a chain of events that drives the plot. Lucy and Mason find their way to each other and solve a few mysteries along the way.
July 18, 2015
One of her weaker stories, but not too bad.
August 12, 2020
3 1/2
Enjoyed it, it seems I like her normal RS a touch more than her 'fake' PNRs :)
Enjoyed it, it seems I like her normal RS a touch more than her 'fake' PNRs :)
December 29, 2019
River Road was chosen for a bit of light reading as travelling and family commitments are consuming major chunks of my time this Xmas season. And Jayne Ann Krentz books has always delivered the goods. River Road however didn't excite me as much maybe coz of the numerous breaks in my reading time.
Lucy is not a local in Summer River, she's visiting her aunt Sarah when she's targeted by the rich and pampered Tristan Brinker. Her secret crush Mason Fletcher however spoils the night and dashes in a white knight mode and takes her away from the party. 13 yrs later, Aunt Sara is dead in an accident and Mason and Lucy are both back in Summer River. Mason is a successful private investigator while Lucy is forensic genealogist and as such the deaths of Sara and her friend Mary becomes suspicious to them and soon a body also tumbles out of fireplace in Sara's house. Things become dicey especially coz of the Colfax shares that Lucy inherits but it is coveted by the whole family of Colfax, each of them with their own agenda and plotting.
Summer River was easy and engaging to read but the story lacked the thrill factor for me. Deke, Mason's uncle was my favorite character and the love that develops between Lucy and Mason was heart-warming.
Lucy is not a local in Summer River, she's visiting her aunt Sarah when she's targeted by the rich and pampered Tristan Brinker. Her secret crush Mason Fletcher however spoils the night and dashes in a white knight mode and takes her away from the party. 13 yrs later, Aunt Sara is dead in an accident and Mason and Lucy are both back in Summer River. Mason is a successful private investigator while Lucy is forensic genealogist and as such the deaths of Sara and her friend Mary becomes suspicious to them and soon a body also tumbles out of fireplace in Sara's house. Things become dicey especially coz of the Colfax shares that Lucy inherits but it is coveted by the whole family of Colfax, each of them with their own agenda and plotting.
Summer River was easy and engaging to read but the story lacked the thrill factor for me. Deke, Mason's uncle was my favorite character and the love that develops between Lucy and Mason was heart-warming.
May 7, 2024
Тази история беше малко по-добре от последната, която четох от авторката (НЕ СЕ ДОВЕРЯВАЙ НА НИКОГО). Героите бяха по-адекватни, по-логични... Историята също беше малко по-достоверна... Но нещо кардинално липсваше, за да ми хареса наистина!...
July 26, 2015
River Road
4 Stars
As an innocent 16 year old, Lucy Sheridan was rescued from a wild party by Mason Fletcher, the older boy who always made her pulse beat faster. Now, Lucy returns to Summer River and realizes not only that her attraction to Mason is still going strong, but there was more to the events of that night thirteen years ago. When the body of Summer River’s resident sociopath is discovered in the house of Lucy’s late aunt, she and Mason set out to discover the truth. But someone is just as determined to stop them at any cost …
A light read with likable characters and an engaging romance. Nevertheless, the suspense plot is rather predictable.
Lucy and Mason have great chemistry and the slow built up to their relationship makes it all the more satisfying when they do ultimately give in to their attraction. Mason has a mile wide overprotective streak and there are moments when he seems on the verge of jerk territory, but manages to avoid this pitfall by realizing that Lucy is strong, intelligent and quite capable of dealing with whatever comes along as evinced by the action packed finale.
The suspense and romance are well balanced yet the mystery is rather obvious and it is easy to guess the identity of the villain at one specific moment of the story when it becomes evident that it couldn’t be anyone else. The motive is a bit more complex and not all that plausible and there are one or two points that remain unexplained, but these do not detract from the overall effect.
All in all, a well written and entertaining read recommended for fans of JAKs books.
4 Stars
As an innocent 16 year old, Lucy Sheridan was rescued from a wild party by Mason Fletcher, the older boy who always made her pulse beat faster. Now, Lucy returns to Summer River and realizes not only that her attraction to Mason is still going strong, but there was more to the events of that night thirteen years ago. When the body of Summer River’s resident sociopath is discovered in the house of Lucy’s late aunt, she and Mason set out to discover the truth. But someone is just as determined to stop them at any cost …
A light read with likable characters and an engaging romance. Nevertheless, the suspense plot is rather predictable.
Lucy and Mason have great chemistry and the slow built up to their relationship makes it all the more satisfying when they do ultimately give in to their attraction. Mason has a mile wide overprotective streak and there are moments when he seems on the verge of jerk territory, but manages to avoid this pitfall by realizing that Lucy is strong, intelligent and quite capable of dealing with whatever comes along as evinced by the action packed finale.
The suspense and romance are well balanced yet the mystery is rather obvious and it is easy to guess the identity of the villain at one specific moment of the story when it becomes evident that it couldn’t be anyone else. The motive is a bit more complex and not all that plausible and there are one or two points that remain unexplained, but these do not detract from the overall effect.
All in all, a well written and entertaining read recommended for fans of JAKs books.
September 26, 2016
Ms. Krentz at her finest - this latest romantic suspense is a page turning. I enjoyed this book thoroughly. In this book, Sara and Mason are memorable. Their past and present are entwined. What I liked about the character development in this one is that Mason isn't as domineering as some of Ms. Krentz's male characters. He is a partner to Sara without coming across as too weak or too asshat like. From Sara's perspective, it is clear he feels he is too dominating, but from my perspective, he's just right. He does what is needed to keep a girl safe. A girl who could have made a big mistake.
The suspense in this story is pretty good. It tries to keep a reader off balance with the "who dunnit". I enjoyed this part even if I did figure out pretty quickly. I didn't think it was a surprise at the end but who knows, others may have found it to be surprising. Ms. Krentz always does a great job of setting up the mystery and laying the clues.
What I enjoyed most about this book is Sara and Mason's chemistry. I liked how they interacted then and now. I enjoyed the big reveals of Sara's past and how sometimes, looking back in the past, there is a new perspective as a more experienced adult. This is a well written romantic suspense that I recommend to all.
The suspense in this story is pretty good. It tries to keep a reader off balance with the "who dunnit". I enjoyed this part even if I did figure out pretty quickly. I didn't think it was a surprise at the end but who knows, others may have found it to be surprising. Ms. Krentz always does a great job of setting up the mystery and laying the clues.
What I enjoyed most about this book is Sara and Mason's chemistry. I liked how they interacted then and now. I enjoyed the big reveals of Sara's past and how sometimes, looking back in the past, there is a new perspective as a more experienced adult. This is a well written romantic suspense that I recommend to all.
February 7, 2014
It was nice to get away from the sillyness of her paranormals back to straight contemporary romance, but ultimately I felt about the same reading reaction as I do with those. Her people are nice and likeable, but the plot was kind of silly/melodramatic/improbable. I did enjoy the setting.
One problem for me was all of the names are genericly random and I couldn't be bothered to keep straight who the characters were. When I can't remember the hero's name after almost finishing the book, or pick him out of the crowd, then characterization is lacking. Main characters (at the very least) need to have something memorable about them besides generic tall/dark/handsome/lustworthy and bland. By that, I mean a name needs to trigger a picture in the reader's mind so that the character stands out as individual. When a name has no more personality than 2 words randomly chosen from a phone book, then the author has a problem--and so do I.
I didn't find the mystery very believable, or the villain's motive probable.
But this was a pleasant enough read and I can be way too picky, so don't let me talk you out of reading this.
One problem for me was all of the names are genericly random and I couldn't be bothered to keep straight who the characters were. When I can't remember the hero's name after almost finishing the book, or pick him out of the crowd, then characterization is lacking. Main characters (at the very least) need to have something memorable about them besides generic tall/dark/handsome/lustworthy and bland. By that, I mean a name needs to trigger a picture in the reader's mind so that the character stands out as individual. When a name has no more personality than 2 words randomly chosen from a phone book, then the author has a problem--and so do I.
I didn't find the mystery very believable, or the villain's motive probable.
But this was a pleasant enough read and I can be way too picky, so don't let me talk you out of reading this.
May 10, 2017
Re-read in OCT 2016. Thirteen years ago Lucy visited her aunt Sara at her home in Summer River and had to be rescued by Mason Fletcher. Aunt Sara dies in an automobile accident and leaves her entire estate to Lucy. Lucy arrives to sell the land and house not knowing that her life is in danger.
River Road ¬was¬¬ an outstanding read and would have been a five-star read had Recorded Books made a better choice in storyteller. Amanda Leigh Cobb, storyteller, could not do voices and often forgot which voice belonged to which character.
What I liked about River Road was how author Krentz kept us guessing who the killer was until the end.
River Road ¬was¬¬ an outstanding read and would have been a five-star read had Recorded Books made a better choice in storyteller. Amanda Leigh Cobb, storyteller, could not do voices and often forgot which voice belonged to which character.
What I liked about River Road was how author Krentz kept us guessing who the killer was until the end.
August 28, 2015
When Lucy returns to take care of her aunt´s will she gets caught up in something that started years earlier.
Mason never forgot the summer Lucy spent in Summer River, and now that she´s back, he´s ready to reacquaint himself with her.
When danger starts lurking, they join forces to get through this mystery.
Contemporary romance, suspense and smutty fluff in a great combo.
Listened to the audioversion and the narrator was great.
Mason never forgot the summer Lucy spent in Summer River, and now that she´s back, he´s ready to reacquaint himself with her.
When danger starts lurking, they join forces to get through this mystery.
Contemporary romance, suspense and smutty fluff in a great combo.
Listened to the audioversion and the narrator was great.
June 4, 2014
3.75 Stars~~~This was a good, solid romantic suspense read. It's so obvious that Krentz is a seasoned author. The story line was strong and distinct. The past was revealed in a seamless way to power the current plot. I really liked Mason and Lucy's characters...Mason, especially. The bad guy/s weren't readily apparent until the end. I did pick up on things before the reveal, but that's because I was told by someone else that it was a surprising twist.
August 8, 2015
I'm always excited to read a new JAK book and it was nice to see one without a paranormal aspect for a change. As always a great read.
I do like that Lucy and Mason didn't try and solve the case on their own, when appropriate they brought in help. I also enjoyed watching their relationship grow. I really enjoyed Deke
I do like that Lucy and Mason didn't try and solve the case on their own, when appropriate they brought in help. I also enjoyed watching their relationship grow. I really enjoyed Deke
December 30, 2014
A very nice contemporary romance with a great mystery story. Jayne Ann Krentz never fails to disappoint. The romantic bit was nice, but the suspense/murder story really kept my interest. I really wanted to know whodunnit. The ending had a twist I should've expected but didn't
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