I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
Legacy
by
Nora Roberts
romantic suspense in a Kindle edition that was published by St. Martin's Press on May 25, 2021 and has 435 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Irish Hearts, Montana Sky, Carnal Innocence, Playing the Odds, Second Nature, One Summer, Nora Robert, Serena * Caine, Daniel * Ian, Rebellion, Alan * Grant, The Witness, The Search, Time and Again, Shadow Spell, Blood Magick, The Next Always, The Last Boyfriend, The Perfect Hope, Irish Rebel, Year One, Of Blood and Bone
A standalone cozy, romantic suspense novel about two women, a mother and a daughter, who seize the world and make it their own.
My Take
If you like a tale about a strong woman, women really, who play to their strengths and make a success of themselves with a supportive cast, get Legacy.
Roberts uses a global subjective point-of-view as we hear from a number of characters in Legacy, and Adrian’s perspective is the one that dominates.
A story about a girl growing up, incorporating her mother’s fitness interests, and emulating the business success of her mother and yet growing with empathy and support for those around her. This was such a treat to read. I loved how Adrian was realistic, played to her strengths, and included the people around her and made them her family.
It’s also a story that grows up with Adrian and her friends. Adrian’s joy in being with her grandparents on their farm is catching. I also love that Adrian’s friends go on to careers they love. I love that the parents pay attention to their kids and get them involved. That Popi is the most incredible man. I love that the kids are real, that sisters are dopey and brothers are poopy. There’s also Lina’s — and Adrian’s — reactions to Adrian staying home by herself at sixteen, lol. As for the dad-fear of shopping trips, *more laughter*. The, to them, everyday of their lives is so sweet — and so real, lol.
It was so much fun reading how Lina’s and then Adrian’s businesses evolved, how dedicated Adrian was, and yes, I was envious of their love for exercise and nutrition. No one would ever accuse me of this!
I love how Adrian thinks. She’s all business, thinking up angles, wanting to encourage people to be fit, asking everyday people to be in her fitness videos, and taking time to be with friends. My one caveat is how anyone can follow Adrian’s instructions! I’d have to study for quite awhile to get up to speed. Still, she is inspirational.
Lina is not a mom in the everyday sense — good thing Mimi is around. It’s wonderful how Adrian can look back, as an adult, and better understand her mom’s choices.
Insanity runs through this, especially with that professor. Lina told him that she wants nothing from him, and yet he’s hitting her, going after her.
”If a man hits once, he’s probably going to hit you again, and again.”
There is no “probably” about it. If he/she hits you, get out.
Adrian is so much older in her thinking, and I appreciate her point about writing a letter makes it personal whereas an email isn’t. I also appreciated her taking a stand when she’s sixteen and the plans she has for while her mother is touring. She knows what she wants, and she isn’t afraid to go after it.
A secondary story is about Raylan. Roberts mentions him a bit along the way until he gets married, then Roberts expands into his married life and the business he’s building. I’m enjoying reading about the nuts-and-bolts of building the comics and the storylines.
Jasper, oh man, he falls in love with Sadie, and Roberts cracks me up with their courtship.
I do wish Roberts had expanded on that “friendly correspondence” and not just mentioned it later in the book. Just as I wish Roberts had expanded on the relationship Adrian’s friends had with Popi and Nonna.
What Popi wants to do with the old, derelict schoolhouse just shows you how giving the Rizzos are. It’s a generosity reflected in their friends.
I was impressed by Adrian’s attention to detail with Raylan’s latest graphic novel. As for those love scenes . . . sigh . . . too beautifully written.
And there’s that hypocrisy again. It’s okay for the male to cheat. It’s all the fault of the women. Nor do I feel sorry for Nikki. She deserves what she gets for what she refuses to do.
You make time for the ones you love. Yeah, it’s the School’s Out for Summer Dance Party!!
The Story
Adrian Rizzo was seven when she met her father for the first time. That was the day he nearly killed her — before her mother, Lina, stepped in.
It’s a detached sort of life with a mother constantly traveling, and Adrian is lucky to have Mimi in her life. Still Mom has inspired Adrian, who is determined to create her own line of yoga and workout videos. And she’s just as cool-headed and ambitious as her mother.
But while Lina dismisses the death threats that Adrian starts getting as a routine part of her daughter’s growing celebrity, Adrian can’t help but find the vicious rhymes unsettling. Year after year, they keep arriving — the postmarks changing, but the menacing tone the same.
The Characters
Adrian Rizzo is a young and famous fitness instructor, emulating her mother, Lina Rizzo, who founded Yoga Baby to support her and her daughter. Barkley is Adrian’s stuffed dog. Ever Fit is Mom’s company’s flagship gym. Later, Adrian will adopt Sadie, a Newfoundland.
Mimi, Lina’s college friend and her administrative assistant, is Adrian’s other “mother”. Later, Mimi marries Isaac and has two kids, Jacob and Natalie. Harry Reese is Lina’s publicist; Marshall Tucker is his partner. They’ll have two children, Hunter and Cybill. Meredith. Ben and George are doormen at Lina’s New York penthouse.
Hector Sung, Teesha Kirk, and Loren Moorhead (his sister is “Princess” Rosalind) are new friends Adrian meets at her new school. About Time is Adrian’s first production with her new business venture, New Generation.
Teesha marries Monroe Grant, a successful songwriter, and they have the most precocious son, Phineas. That boy cracked me up with his approach to the new baby! As for Phinville. Wow! I want Roberts to write a follow-up following Phin, lol. Thaddeus will be Phin’s new brother. Hector marries Sylvie.
Mandy and Charlene will be involved in the production end of high school shows. Kevin and Cliff are some of the student participants.
Traveler’s Creek, Maryland, is . . .
. . . where Lina grew up, but was never home for her. Popi and Nonna (Dom and Sophia) are Lina’s parents who run an Italian restaurant, Rizzo’s, and live on a fantastic farm. Tom and Jerry are Popi and Nonna’s dogs. Lina’s grandparents had retired to Florida and started another Rizzo’s.
Matt Weaver is the quarterback whom Lina dated in high school. Mark Wicker is a contractor who employs his brother, Paul, and Derrick. Mark has two kids, Charlie and Rich. Bill is a barber. Mrs Pinsky is the neighbor for whom Raylan used to mow the lawn. Ms Grimes is the postmistress. Wayne was a brief date. Allyson is a biology teacher.
We first meet Raylan Wells, a.k.a. Midway Man, when he’s ten and already an amazing artist with a fascination for graphic novels. His sister, Maya, is seven. Abandoned, his mother, Jan, has to get a job. Cassie is one of Maya’s friends. Raylan’s friends include Mick, Nate, and Spencer. As children, Raylan and Maya, had a cat and a dog, Miss Priss and Jimbo.
Lorilee Winthrop teaches art and becomes Raylan’s fiancée then wife and mother. They’ll have two children, Bradley and Mariah, a.k.a. Princess Mo, who is quite the fashionista. Lorilee thinks she was critiquing Vogue while in the womb. Jasper is their dog. Mrs Howley is their neighbor in New York. Later Cissie will be Mo’s best friend.
Raylan’s partnered with Bick and Jonah in Triquetra Comics, a graphic novel publishing company. Crystal and JoJo are some of their employees. No One (his alter ego is Cameron Quincy) is the character that launched the company with his sidekick characters, Violet Queen and Snow Raven. Mr Suave is the villain. Lee Marley will be a new, inspired heroine, True Angel. Grievous will be her nemesis. They’ll be followed by The Front Guard and Cobalt Flame. Bick is partnered with Pats, and they’ll have a child, Callie Rose; Sherri was their midwife.
Maya marries Joe Abbott, and they have two children, Collin and Quinn Marie.
Barry works at Rizzo’s. He has a younger sister, Kayla, who’s majoring in interior design. Bob-Ray has been the assistant manager at Rizzo’s. Maxie is Barry’s ex-girlfriend. Mrs Fricker owns Crafty Arts and is planning to retire.
Suzanne is married to Bill McInerny, a math teacher. Caroline and Rob Keyler are some of Mrs Wells’ students. Jamie Hanson is another student.
Law Enforcement
In Georgetown, Detectives Riley and Cannon investigate the inciting incident. In Richmond, Detective Robert Morestead and Lola Deeks are with Major Crimes. Detectives Bower and Wochowski are with MPD. Special Agent Marlene Krebs is with the FBI.
Rachael McNee, a former cop, is now a private investigator. She was briefly Mrs Salina Mathias with Senator Charles Mathias her brother. She’s married to Ethan, and they have two kids, Maggie (Kiki is a friend) and Sam. Sergeant Mooney is Rach’s uncle. Dennis Brown is a sleazy reporter. Cat Club Cards is a one-woman operation started up by Mrs Linney. Dr Stringer performs surgery.
Margaret West; Stella Clancy owned a bar in New Orleans; Tracie Potter is a successful reporter; Jessica Kingsley, née Peters, married Pastor Robert Kingsley; Alice McGuire, née Wendell; and, Jayne Arlo all play a part.
Dr Jon Bennett is a professor at Georgetown University who teaches English literature. He and his wife, Catherine, had two children: Nikki, who now works for Ardaro Consultants, and Jonathan Jr, “JJ”.
The Cover and Title
The cover is bright with the author’s name at the top in that orange with a white outline against a bright blue autumn sky above an idyllic view of a lazy creek flowing under a covered red bridge in the background with trees framing the bridge, their leaves turning, on either side of the creek. There’s a testimonial in black under the author’s name. The title is at bottom in white with a black outline.
The title is all about Adrian’s admirable family Legacy.
