There are certain books that come along at the perfect time, exactly when you’re needing a pick-me-up, and The Witness was one of those books for me. I told my friend, Megan: @themoodymama.reads, I was in dire need of a five-star read. I was starting to feel one of the worst book slumps I’ve ever experienced, even questioning if I enjoyed reading anymore. Most of my reads were feeling tedious and trite. Megan told me about her favorite book and luckily my library had a copy on hand. I went in the next day and read the first chapter in the library, then I immediately came home and finished 100 pages. I was hooked from the very beginning.

BLURB:

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems — and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail’s reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something — and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

With a quirky, unforgettable heroine and a pulse-pounding plotline, Nora Roberts presents a riveting new read that cements her place as today’s most reliably entertaining thriller — and will leave people hungering for more.

There’s something wonderful about a book that is able to suck you in from the moment your eyes meet the first page, a book that is on your mind constantly, begging you to finish it, while somehow making you want to savor it along the way. The Witness is a hefty book, the hardcover is nearly 500 pages, but it was the type of story that still didn’t feel long enough. I adored the setting, the characters, and the story so much, I could’ve crawled into the book and lived there myself. I still don’t want to let it go!

It’s hard to pin down my favorite thing about this book, my first read by Nora Roberts if you don’t count a J.D. Robb book many years ago. Every single character in this book, from the most secondary to the leading lady were fleshed out in the most human of ways. I felt as if I knew the characters as real people, like they were friends who held a place in my heart. I was rooting for Elizabeth to spread her wings and defy her oppressive mother, I grew to love John in just a few pages, Abigail was powerful and somehow fragile at the same time, and Brooks sat on the other side of the scale balancing the story with his wit and charm. I’m in awe of every detail!

One of the standout aspects of this story was one of the character’s implied autistic tendencies. It was something I came to admire about this character, but as I was reading, I was fervently hoping there wouldn’t be a diagnosis or label slapped on her. There’s something about the label in stories that seems to cheapen the character’s lovable traits. Thankfully, as I hoped, there was never a specific diagnosis added. We simply accepted her as she was, fell in love with her quirks and nuances, and left it at that. It was absolutely refreshing!

Somehow, days after finishing, I still feel at a loss for words over this incredible story. There were so many layers to it, a simple review can’t sum it up. There was action, humor, mystery, and excitement, and at the core of it all, there was a heartwarming love story I couldn’t get enough of. Overall, this story encompassed a beautiful account of life and hope. I’m so thankful Megan encouraged me to read this book at the time I needed to find my love of reading again. It was the perfect choice and a book that will live in my heart and mind for years to come!

Rating: 5 stars

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