Keeper of the Bride

By: Tess Gerritsen

Narrated by: Montana Chase

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

After Nina Cormier was jilted at the altar, the empty church exploded. Then someone tried to run Nina off the road, and she realized someone wanted her dead--but who? That's what Detective Sam Navarro needs to find out...fast.

With a nightmare unfolding around them, Sam and Nina decipher the stunning truth. Now they're at the mercy of a brilliant madman who plays for keeps.

©1996 Tess Gerritsen (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Meh - generally interesting but predictable

I enjoyed most of this book. It’s reasonably well written and the facts presented by the author are believable. How ever, I did not find any reader issues as described in the other reviews. The character studies are presented with a little of bit of Mexican culture; they were interesting and more would have made the characters stronger. As for the remainder characters are given tasks with no clear purpose or point. In general, the parents are awful; the main characters are often used as a convenient way to advance the plot. And I’m afraid that I bypassed prior reviews in advance of the purchase. This book gets lost in a morass of particular situations, the romance gets lost and the reader must suspend belief that seems ludicrous. I don’t want to reveal too much as the author deserves your unbiased attention as the story comes forward. So, it was an OK read, could have used more character development and backstory for the characters. And I purchased this without appropriate due diligence. Alternatively (same author) Rizzoli and Iles are still among my favorite detectives and I’m looking forward to the next release.

I've grown accustomed to her flaws

This is my 12th book by TS. For me, reading one of her books is like listening to an old friend. Some of my old friends don't tell the best stories, but I still am comfortable with them. TS is not the greatest story teller, yet I feel comfortable with her.

TS started her career writing romance, but was not too successful with it. Now that she has hit the big time, she is going back to it. I discovered her when she was writing medical thrillers and she usually had some weird aspect to her story. In Harvest she had afterbirth, with an eye and it was living. Then her Rizzoli series got picked up by TBS Or USA? And now she is famous.

This book is mostly romance. Of the few romance I have read I like this best, but that is not saying much. It is just not my thing. Do not try to figure the mystery out in this as no clues are given to you in order to do so. Nina the female lead starts out with one of the worst days ever, her fiance leaves her standing at the alter, the church gets blown up and somebody tries to kill her. Later she falls in love with a cop, seduces him and tells him it is just one night, don't worry about anything else. The next morning she sinks her claws in him and tries to own him. He tells her no, but she doesn't listen. This may not seem right, but is so typical. I also did not care for the transformation of the bad guy. At the beginning he is suppose to be smart and crafty, but then he cracks up and gets sloppy. So, sloppy it is almost stupid.

If your not into romance, then listen or read Life Support, Gravity, The Surgeon, Ice Cold or The Apprentice. All great TS books.

Narrator is just ok, can't do male voices well at all.

Good, but not the best by Tess Gerritsen.

What did you love best about Keeper of the Bride?

The story.

Any additional comments?

I felt like the book was not finished. There was a story line left hanging.

fast paced worth listening to

Tess is a great writer her books grab you from the first sentence and keep you listening to the end -- this book was no exception but rather what I have come to expect from her. the characters are down to earth and you get the feeling that you could know them, live next to them, or meet someone just like them in a chance encounter. Not always the happy ending keeps this book real and interesting. Worth listening to.I'm sure she will become one of your favorites as she has mine since the first book of hers I read.

A bit disappointed

What did you like best about Keeper of the Bride? What did you like least?

The storyline had some promise, but it seemed to be mingled with a sappy love story that overwhelmed the story line at times. There was also some fairly unbelievable behavior, like how people in the story react to death, betrayal, etc., and this detracted from the story and caused confusion about the characters.

Has Keeper of the Bride turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, but I will watch for reviews about this kind of suspense/romance style of storyline in the future (I think I saw one before I downloaded this book on my phone).

What would have made this romance irresistible?

More realistic interactions between the two main characters. Too much of the romantic aspect was highly predictable and unnecessary. This part of the storyline was not believeable and made me tune out on several sections. For instance, would a veteran cop who (in the beginning) barely knows this woman really insult her mother and comment on how badly she raised her daughter?

Explosive Suspense and Romance

A beautiful bride, a missing groom, attempts on her life and one cop who tries to save he before its too late!

I like Tess Gerritson's work. This book I enjoyed. The dejected bride is left at the church, even her family leaves her there alone. She doesn't want anyone to see her shame.

Trying to piece together how her life could be spiraling out of control, she sits in front of the church on the steps. Getting an offer for a lift home, she barely gets into the car and they are rocked by an explosion.

Gun shots, car chases, an ice cold killer and a handsome cop are now in her life.

Not like her later novels, this is simple

Love the later novels, this is more romance than I like. Too simple for me, not a thriller or intriguing as her other or later novels, that I give high marks.

My least favorite Tess Gerritsen

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Compared to other TG books, this plot was thin and hard to believe. Overall - disappointing.

Not what I have come to expect from Tess Gerritsen

Until now, Tess Gerritsen was, for me, equivalent to "edge of your seat" thrillers and characters full of personality. The Harvest, Gravity, wonderful medical thrillers. Her Jane Rizzoli in The Surgeon... superb. And now, this book that had me repeating "oh please" as I hit the forward button to bypass the unbelievable nonsensical musings of the two main characters. I actually had to go back and make sure that this was a book by the same Tess Gerritsen that I had come to enjoy so much reading; in short, if you are a Tess Gerritsen fan, don't bother with this book, you will be very disappointed.

Thin…very thin

No more Tess Gerritson for me; no substance here. Do yourself a favor and try something else.