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The Obsession  By  cover art

The Obsession

By: Nora Roberts
Narrated by: Shannon McManus
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Publisher's summary

The riveting novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Liar.

“She stood in the deep, dark woods, breath shallow and cold prickling over her skin despite the hot, heavy air. She took a step back, then two, as the urge to run fell over her.”

Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous. No matter how close she gets to happiness, she can’t outrun the sins of Thomas David Bowes.

Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, a rambling old house in need of repair, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the kindly residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up - especially the determined Xander Keaton.

Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But the sins of her father can become an obsession, and, as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away.

©2016 Nora Roberts (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"[Narrator Shannon] McManus gives a moving performance of Naomi's struggles to overcome her horrific past in a psychological thriller listeners won't want to miss." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Obsession

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13,300
  • 4 Stars
    4,294
  • 3 Stars
    1,250
  • 2 Stars
    315
  • 1 Stars
    206
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    12,299
  • 4 Stars
    3,604
  • 3 Stars
    1,048
  • 2 Stars
    264
  • 1 Stars
    189
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    11,685
  • 4 Stars
    3,784
  • 3 Stars
    1,241
  • 2 Stars
    380
  • 1 Stars
    206

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Just FYI

This book is not really about an obsessive stalker/murderer and the struggle to catch him. This book is about a young woman with unlimited money buying and renovating a house, while she takes photos, goes furniture shopping, has un-realistic conversations, and works hard to not get attached to the hunkiest bachelor in town. That is pretty much the whole book right there.
I bought it based on the ratings, but buyer be ware! When a book goes best seller, everybody and their grandmother will give it 5 stars and the rating system goes out the window.

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482 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Starts out promising, slow descent into boring and cliche

The first half of this book was so good! Really interesting premise. After most of the major plot points have been set up, it just peters out. The characters stop being interesting and become sadly one-dimensional and the story becomes incredibly predictable. The romance tilts into him just telling her what to do most of the time. Even though the stalker storyline does add some spice, it too becomes predictable and by the end, you don't care too much what comes of anyone. The narration was fine at the beginning, but eventually becomes a bit too much - too overdone.

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103 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

3 hours about a home remodel ...

The beginning started off great and built up a great story.

The middle lost me. I wish she focused on more details that were important to the story line. Instead the middle was about a detailed home remodel that had little relevance to the overall story.

The end was ok. A little predictable.

This was my first Nora Roberts book and I'm not convinced I would read another.

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85 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Could have been great. Needed a different narrator

What made the experience of listening to The Obsession the most enjoyable?

I have enjoyed countless NR books and generally can't wait to listen to the story. And have listen to many several times. The narration made this less enjoyable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was no emotion. this book screamed emotion in places. It could have been so much better.

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66 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Typical Nora Roberts

I enjoyed this book, it was a good listen but some things were very typical of Nora. Her endings always seem rushed to me. I see her sitting at her computer just hammering out the last chapter in ten minutes so she can call it done. Other than the rushed ending it was easy to figure who the killer was, which is not very typical but I think this book is more about the main characters life with the killer just added for some extra drama. Overall this book is worth a credit and you'll enjoy the story!

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64 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Roberts is back on track

While her recent books have become formulaic, she stepped up and added some zing to this one. Instead of the quick one chapter prelude, that lays the groundwork for current event, she took three or four chapters in the beginning to thoroughly introduce character and important details.
While I did identify the bad guy when he was originally introduced, she kept me guessing til the last few chapters.
I'm back on board the wAgon!

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47 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

NOT MY FAVORITE BUT...

While it took me a couple of listens for me to warm up to this book. I didn't really LOVE it the first time I listened to it but since I usually love Nora I decided to give it another try and then multiple other tries. I like it much better but it is still not my fave. I wish it gave me a bit more at the end.

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39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Nora Roberts'😘😘🤗

Her books stand out in audible format. Some authors are readable, but don't "listen" well. Hers do both. Yes, they are "expectable". But, to me, that's comforting. Like the chair that I read them in and the cup of tea by my side. With her I can still live in a world where the good guys love and work and win. Maybe a little too much landscaping and contracting and interior decorating, but, hey, she is writing what she knows and doing it in an entertaining way.

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39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Edge of your seat suspense and great Love stoy!

I couldn't put it down! It is a rich story that could have been torn from the headlines and thrust into the lives of any community. It is inntense and graphic in parts, but not gratuitously so that it doesn't make sense with the story. (i.e. written with care and strong but not just for shock value).

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Hella no voice

The story is good, slightly predictable but it's a romance novel, so what do you expect. The narrator's voice is Hella annoying.

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23 people found this helpful