From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes Under Currents, a novel about the power of family to harm–and to heal.Within the walls of a tasteful, perfectly kept house in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, young Zane Bigelow feels like a prisoner of war. Strangers–and even Zane’s own aunt across the lake–see his parents as a successful surgeon and his stylish wife, making … successful surgeon and his stylish wife, making appearances at their children’s ballet recitals and baseball games. Zane and his sister know the truth: There is something terribly wrong.
As his father’s violent, controlling rages–and his mother’s complicity–become more and more oppressive, Zane counts the years, months, days until he can escape. He looks out for little Britt, warning her Be smart. Be careful. In fear for his very life, he plays along with the insidious lie that everything is fine, while scribbling his real thoughts in a secret journal he must carefully hide away.
When one brutal, shattering night finally reveals cracks in the fa ade, Zane begins to understand that some people are willing to face the truth, even when it hurts. As he grows into manhood and builds a new kind of family, he will find that while the darkness of his past may always shadow him, it will also show him what is necessary for good to triumph–and give him strength to draw on when he once again must stand up and defend himself and the ones he loves…
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Nora Roberts is one of my very favorite authors. I couldn’t wait to get hold of this book and I loved it. I didn’t get anything else done until I’d finished it.
Pick it up and you won’t put it down until you are done!
A Nora Roberts book usually has all the feels and a full range of emotions is something you would expect to experience whilst reading one. This one definitely did that, from the very first chapter in fact. It was hard to read some of it, the violence and terror, emotional and physical is enough to make you hate and throw things. The storyline and the main characters had depth and a survival instinct to be envied and the intertwining of lives and shared trauma was masterfully done and I lost myself for a while in the beautiful scenery, the love shared and the absolute joy that is a Nora Roberts novel.
Just when you thought it could not get better. This story reminded me of my former career in Child Protective Services. To much of it going on in the world.
.Great story, wonderful ending, with a twist.
Started off strong but quickly fell off. Roberts went on a tangent that was too far from the original characters for me to care about. Disappointing.
This is Nora Roberts at her best!
While listening to Zane’s story in the first part, I knew this would be a page-turner until the very end. And it was!
Nora’s the best at developing every character she writes in a story — from the main characters to the villains to the most secondary of characters. She even writes a beautiful lake setting as if it is one of the characters.
I listened to the audio version of Under Currents. It was excellent!
Watch my blog at heathersunseri.com for a more in-depth review to come.
Nora Roberts has a gift for story telling and I am always amazed at the witty dialog of her characters. This is a story of domestic abuse – both child abuse and spousal. She does a great job of pointing out how the abuse is covered up and hidden as the victims feel helpless. Although the book was long, it held my interest and I just had to find out how it ended.
From the outside view, the Bigelows of Lakeview, North Carolina look like the ideal family. Graham Bigelow is the chief of surgery at the local hospital; wife Eliza is the perfect stay at home, affluent mother involved in many charities; son Zane is a baseball phenom, destined for a sports scholarship and possibly the big leagues; and young Britt couldn’t be a more obedient daughter. But, behind the proverbial closed doors is a somewhat different and troubling view because Graham is mean, abusive and incredibly sly about it. The story begins here, in Zane’s voice, and continues for almost two decades. Then enter newcomer Darby McCray, a talented landscape designer who takes the town, and Zane, by storm with her incredible vision and infectious personality, though she’s got her own sad history.
It’s a three-part story with the first devoted to Zane’s harrowing childhood. The subject of abuse is addressed from all angles and perspectives, horrifying and educating me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It was riveting stuff that was hard to listen to and imagine but I couldn’t put the story down because the outcome was too important. This part of the story needed a hero and I had to wait it out. The transition to Zane’s adulthood and Darby’s later introduction was the balm I needed for the next phase with its strong family and community themes. I could have stayed there much longer but the sense of foreboding for the last part of the story loomed. It was dangerous and the threat was always there, even though it lacked the suspense surrounding the sources of it all.
I loved this story, in large part because of Roberts’ skill in tackling a tough subject with honesty and forthright. She didn’t pull any punches even when I begged for it. Also, January LaVoy is one of my favorite narrators who delivered her expected outstanding performance. She put me into every scene. Lastly, I really liked Darby and Zane, individually and as a couple, their romance a slow but lovely burn. Even though the suspense was lacking, the quality of the story more than compensated for me. It is quintessential Nora Roberts storytelling. 4.5 stars
Vintage Nora Roberts. She gets better all the time. My all-time favorite author. I cry and laugh and feel like I’ve known the characters and walked with them through the story. She’s brilliant!
The beginning was so intense, I had to put it down for a bit. That rarely happens for me. Loved the characters and the story.
I enjoy Nora Roberts and this didn’t disappoint — I read the whole thing one weekend while hiding from the outside heat.
Nora never disappoints me. Loved the characters and the story.
I love Nora Roberts books and this one didn’t disappoint. She keeps you riveted to your seat. I highly recommend it.
Shelter in Place was my favorite novel by her until I read Under Currents. Abuse was the theme throughout the story and just when you think happily ever after was happening, the story changed. The story had me in tears but sad and happy. I didn’t want the story to end which in my book makes for a 5 star story!
This newest novel by this popular author is a great read, very interesting, with likeable characters and a good setting. The theme of the story is spousal and child abuse. If you’re a fan of this writer you’ll enjoy this book.
Another page turner by NR. Caught and held by first page. Always devour her books and want to savor at the same time.
I always love Nora’s books, her speech and way evolving her characters has me glued. OK I got a bit bored with the landscaping talk but enjoyed all the mysteries woven through this tale.
Enjoyed the description of the area. Strong family relationships.
Nita Roberts is the best. Just another reason to love her. Under Currents was a hard read. I’ve never personally lived in a physically abusive house. I cried during the book. And laughed. I fell in love with all the characters. Except of course the bad ones. You need to read this book.
Wonderful. Couldn’t out it down.