Mercy Callahan thought she’d escaped the cult decades ago, but its long fingers are reaching out for her again in this electrifying novel in the Sacramento series by New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.Seventeen years ago. That was the last time Mercy Callahan saw Ephraim Burton, the leader of the twisted Eden cult where she was raised. But even though she escaped the abuse and terror, … escaped the abuse and terror, they continue to haunt her.
When her brother Gideon discovers new evidence of the cult’s–and their victims’–whereabouts, Mercy goes to Sacramento to reconnect with him. There, she meets Gideon’s closest friend–homicide detective Rafe Sokolov. From Rafe, she receives an offer she never knew she needed: to track down Ephraim and make him pay for everything.
But Ephraim, who had thought Mercy long dead, discovers she is in fact alive and that she is digging around for the cult’s secrets. And now he’ll do anything to take her back to Eden–dead or alive.
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SAY NO MORE (Romantic Suspense #24, Sacramento #2) by Karen Rose is the second book in the Sacramento romantic suspense series. I loved the first book “Say You’re Sorry” so I was very excited to get book #2 and it did not disappoint. It is just as action packed, intense and suspenseful with another great H/h pair.
Mercy Callahan escaped a cult seventeen years ago and has moved on with her life. She still feared that Ephriam, who took her as his wife at the age of twelve and abused her, would never give up looking for her. She did not know that the man who killed her mother and almost killed her told Ephraim she was dead.
During the FBI hunt for a serial killer, Mercy and her brother, Gideon reconnect and Mercy meets his closest friend, Rafe Sokolov. Mercy has returned to Sacramento to apologize to Gideon for running away after being saved from the serial killer and see if her feelings for Rafe are real. While at the airport, Mercy is almost abducted by Ephriam who has discovered she is alive and her death faked.
Mercy and Rafe are determined to find and uncover the cult’s secrets as Ephriam leaves a trail of dead bodies and will do anything to take Mercy back to the cult dead or alive.
Karen Rose always writes longer books that go in depth into the hero and heroine and their personal connections with an action filled and suspenseful plot that weaves everything together into a great romantic suspense read. I was looking forward to reading more about Mercy after meeting her in the first book. She had misunderstandings that needed to be revealed. Her character has been through so much and yet she still has the capacity to trust and love. Rafe has had his own personal loses and it let him understand Mercy better than anyone else. The romance builds very slowly due to Mercy’s abuse, but you know it is going to be strong and solid by the HEA. All the secondary characters are as fully fleshed as the H/h and even with the different and large family units on both ends of the country, it is never confusing. You can read this book as a standalone, but I believe you will enjoy it more if you read “Say You’re Sorry” first.
This book has everything I look for in a romantic suspense. I know I will get action, suspense, unexpected plot twists and an H/h I will fall in love with. I am always excited to get a new story from this author to catch up with all the families and the previous main characters.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and the Sacramento series!
The horror continues…
This book continues where the Sacramento book one finished, we knew from this book that Mercy had suffered more than one trauma, but we had no idea just how horrific and long lasting that trauma was. Unfortunately her worst nightmare has realised she is not dead as he thought, and will stop at nothing to reclaim her.
He leaves a trail of devastation and dead bodies in his wake as he stalks Mercy, Rafe and Gideon but the longer they evade him, the more mistakes he makes and the more secrets about Eden are uncovered, secrets that send chills down your spine.
This is a slightly slower pace than other Karen Rose books, there is also a little less mystery as it is almost a continuation of the previous plot, so as an ongoing thread we already have a certain amount of background and we know just how depraved Eden’s leaders are.
I really enjoyed the slightly different pace, the closure we get for both Gideon and Mercy and I love that we get to catch up with Tom Hunter again too…love the crossovers we get in these series!
Karen Rose has another thriller that will keep you up late! Great cast of characters and very twisty plot.
SAY NO MORE is a taut, tightly wound tension filled thriller that you will not be able to put down, and leaves you yearning for more in the series.
5 stars
What to write? If you like suspense, romance, evil villains, and a story that will make you smile, (sometimes) this book is for you. Be prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat. There were times when I stopped reading because I was afraid of what was going to happen next. I will say this though, I have never read a book where the men wasn’t afraid to show their feelings. They cried a lot. There are several points of view. Now about the book.
Mercedes escaped from a cult many years ago. Mercy and her best friend go to California for her to see her brother. She has some things to confess and wants to do it face to face. While leaving the airport, she is almost kidnapped by the man ( Ephraim ) whom she was married off to when she was a young girl. Rafe was a cop but was shot saving Mercy a couple of months ago from a serial killer. He is also Mercy’s brothers best friend and saves her again at the airport. Ephraim wants Mercy back to prove that she’s still alive. Everyone is hunting him, he has left bodies everywhere he goes. Rafe will do everything in his power to protect Mercy but Ephraim is determined to get her, no matter who gets in his way.
If it doesn’t make sense, I’m sorry but I didn’t want to give too much away.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *
Mercy didn’t want to be a part of the plan for finding Eden. Both Mercy and her brother Gideon might have escaped, but Mercy is still stuck in a PTSD she can’t escape from while Gideon is trying to hunt the cult down to prevent more innocence from being ripped away.
When her “husband” comes back to take her to Eden, she realizes she needs to help in the search. She can’t live the rest of her life looking over her shoulder or hearing the news of someone else’s death at the hands of a monster. Helping Rafe and giving him more information to work with might get them closer to the cult.
Revealing her secrets to her brother will be a good start in fixing her relationship with him. It might also lead them to discover where the cult was, or where they moved.
Too many lives were ruined in the name of the Eden community. They have to put an end to this cult before they move to a new location and the victims of Eden pay the price.
I’m not sure which one I love more, this book or Say You’re Sorry. Both are brilliantly written and constructed. It’s like trying to fit the perfect puzzle pieces together to figure out what in the world will you find in the entire picture. A few pieces we found out in Say You’re Sorry made more sense in this book. Like why Mercy hated Gideon or why she still has the locket. Will Rafe and Mercy get together?
Everything about this book is intriguing. I’d love to see if the side characters have books of their own, like Tom Hunter and the other siblings. Each character pulls you more to the story, making you wonder if they will lay a part in finding the cult or moving the story forward.
There were a few scenes that felt the same as the ones in Say You’re Sorry, the same mistakes characters made in the first one happened in this one too. It’s just I got annoyed when the same mistake happened when they should’ve known better after what happened in the first book. Still, there’s nothing to hate about this book.
I recommend this to all mystery and suspense lovers. You get all those along with romance, murder, cults, and overcoming trauma. Karen Rose has set my standards high for suspenseful reads. This series has now become a favorite of mine and it’s all thanks to a friend who recommended it to me.
A page-turner thrill ride from beginning to end.
Say No More was a gripping, intense, and thrilling story that had me riveted from beginning to end. There was a fantastic build with amazing details filled with twists and turns that had me holding my breath, captivated. I am officially a Karen Rose fan!
**This book has adult themes and trigger warnings of physical violence and sexual abuse**
**This book has adult themes and trigger warnings of physical violence and sexual abuse**
This was a hard book to get through. I mean, the story had me engaged but the things that Mercy and her family has gone through at the hands of this cult…. just tore my heart out. I wept and grieved right along side Mercy, her brother and the rest of the characters affected by the events in the book.
I’ll definitely continue reading the series because I enjoy Ms. Rose’s writing, but a lot of the content in the book is hard to get through and may not be the right book for some readers.
**Net Galley provided in exchange for an honest review**
Oh wow! Another amazing story by Karen Rose. Lots of suspense, family, relationships and loss. The story was over 600 pages and I needed to savor every page. I can’t wait for her next story! The last three of hers were all 5 star reads!
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced, steamy, romantic suspense novel. It is a thriller with mystery and intrigue. It has diverse, likable, and engaging characters and a strong family dynamic whose warmth compensates for the heart-wrenching subject matter. It is the second entry in Ms. Rose’s outstanding Sacramento series, and can be enjoyed as a stand alone, but it is best read in order. I am looking forward to reading Tom and Liza’ story with great anticipation. I have read every one of Ms. Rose’s amazing novels, and she never disappoints her readers!
This is yet another series that I am glad I was able to jump on when the first book released so I am not a ton of books behind. I am now obsessed with all the things that surround this series.
The first book was good. It had its moments where it lost my attention, but good overall. This book had ALL of my attention from the start. I don’t know if I’ve ever read such a long book with so much rapt attention.
I won’t lie. There are some parts in this book that made my throat close. It’s not fluff, that’s for sure. It delves deep into some serious stuff when it comes to the cult that this series follows. I was so engrossed and invested in this story and the characters, the rest of everything just seemed to fade away. I was lost in this book world, not caring if I was pulled out.
If you’re looking for a series that will give you all kinds of feels, good and bad, and keep you wanting more and more, I suggest giving this one a shot. Just remember, this isn’t a fluff series, and it does need to be read in order.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Say No More
Sacramento Series #2
By: Karen Rose
REVIEW
Say No More is part of Karen Rose’s Sacramento Series and is the follow up to Say You’re Sorry. While you could read this book as a standalone, reading the series would give you a much better sense of the overall picture and character development. Also of note, Say No More is dark and potentially disturbing/triggering at times. Read at your discretion.
If Karen Rose was aiming to get my attention, she did from the first page. I tend to lose track of time when I’m reading, and that was the case here. I think this story is more romance than suspense and action. There is the building of a relationship between Mercy and Rafe, and some steamy moments, that take time. I, however, would have liked more suspense and action in relation to Eden instead of romance. Mercy is psychologically damaged, but at least she wants and pursues justice, rather than cowering like some characters do.
It’s a sad fact that places like Eden actually exist. Men masquerading as God and taking advantage of culpability and children is nothing but evil. This fictional story shines a light on a very real thing. Karen Rose brings Eden to her readers with a sharp, raw and unflinching style that is very in your face. This is why the story is completely absorbing and consuming-you just can’t look away for a moment.
What’s next? I hope for an unraveling of the whole thing and solid answers for resolution. And, perhaps some peace for these tormented characters. Stay tuned for the next book!
The queen of gripping suspense is at it again with book two in her Sacramento series! Karen Rose always brings the diabolical villains that we just can’t get enough of as we follow her main characters towards a happily ever after. If you read the first book in the series, you will recognize Mercy and Rafe and will be happy to reconnect with Gideon and Daisy a lot in this follow up story. This was a long book, but it didn’t lose my attention for a second and I’m so looking forward to more in the series!
Mercy Callahan is an attention grabbing character. We have the back story of her escaping the cult and trying to pick up the pieces of how to move forward, but we also have the budding romantic tension between her and Rafe that she ran away from in the first book.
Rafe Sokolov is awesome! He’s been Gideon’s best friend for years and took him into the center of his loving and overly intrusive family to belong to them. He can’t hide his happiness that Mercy has come back to town.
Headlines from the serial killer case weeks ago has Mercy front and center in the news and brings her haunting past back to life when the man her nightmares are made of finds her.
I highly recommend this book and this entire series to anyone who loves a thriller filled with tension and terror but also enjoys a couple surviving the odds and walking off into the sunset together. Looking forward to another reign of terror!
Say No More is the second book in the Sacramento series, and it does feel like the story continues from that first book. Nevertheless, the author does give enough information that I didn’t feel lost as I was reading even though I haven’t read that first book. Now, I don’t know if the first book is as long as this one, but the length surprised me. In a time when most are looking for instant gratification, this is one very long book. A very long book that is surprisingly light on any lags in the story, which says a lot about the author’s talent for storytelling. There is a lot going on as well as quite a few characters to keep track of, but the further into the book I got, the easier it was to keep up with who was doing what. The story does have some violence and it touches on some touch subject matter, but any time a cult is involved in the plot, I kind of expect things to be dark. What it all boils down to is that this one held my interest from start to finish, and while it may be my first read by Karen Rose, it will not be my last.
When I read Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose last year, I absolutely loved it. I was more than a bit excited for Say No More and to finally get to read Rafe and Mercy’s story.
Say No More tells the story of Mercy Callahan, who escaped a cult as a child and features Rafe Sokolov, her super hot and charming homicide detective, love interest. Mercy is attempting to rebuild her relationship with her brother when the monster from her childhood returns to tormentor her. However, this time, Mercy is not alone, With Rafe and her family and friends by her side, Mercy is ready to reclaim her life.
I have to say the suspense was even more intense in Say No More; I had to pause several times because it became a bit too much. The villains were super creepy and honestly more than a bit scary. I simply wanted them all dead and for Mercy to finally be at peace. Rafe was again his perfect self, patience and understanding. I loved reading about these two falling in love, even in the middle of such stressful circumstances.
I was on edge throughout this story but I loved every minute of it. There are a few open-ended questions remaining and I am hopeful that means we will revisit these characters in the near future.
Say No More was another excellent read and I cannot wait to see what’s next.
This book is definitely an edge-of-your seat read. The suspense is palpable. There’s lots of action. The evil of the monsters from the Eden cult drips off the pages. Once again author Karen Rose has given her readers a well-written suspense story in Say No More, the second book in this author’s Sacramento series.
I think I said it several times as I was writing my notes during the review process – this book is massive. It’s almost like it is three stories in one when you look at the page count.
Not that I’m complaining. But fair warning, it’s also a huge time investment.
The author has an intricate, complex story to tell. One that is intriguing and a bit violent. The story surrounds members and ex members of a cult. There’s a lot that happens.
The author does an excellent job keeping the interest high throughout the story. There is a lot going on because there’s also a lot of conversation and many, many characters to keep track of and follow their involvement too.
But there’s also a lot of action in the story and plot itself. Constant movement. A lot of thrills including violent action and crime. Intense moments that can heighten the pulse. Flip those pages faster, especially from the last half on.
But surrounding that we have a romance building. Delicate and tentative, but we get to watch it grow throughout the book. Until it becomes strong and solid to stand many tests.
Rose wraps it all up with a surprising twist at the end that doesn’t really leave us hanging but keeps the door open for more to come.
Overall, the story has a lot of action, drama, romance, but also it tends to be filled with a bit more chatter making it a little tough sometimes.
Definitely intriguing, intense, and captivating with that romantic suspense element for a nice blend to the senses. This series is creepy and twisted in many ways, but Rose balances it nicely with awesome character development and tenderness too.
Another GREAT book by one of my favorite authors!!!
Karen’s books are always action-packed, deadly, suck you in right from the start, awesome characters even the evil ones, with numerous twists and turns.
Please note that there are graphic details dealing with difficult topics such as rape, murder, underage sex, and kidnapping.
If your a newbie there are a lot of books to keep you reading. If you love action-packed, non-stop thrills, than you will love this book!
#SayNoMore #KarenRose #LovedIt #FamiliesStickTogether