Come Sundown - Nora Roberts

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With some strange co-incident, Come Sundown became my last book for the year 2024 and now my first review for 2025.

When I was younger, and just about beginning to find my likes in English novels, Nora Roberts was a staple in my reading lists. She introduced me to the whole paranormal romance genre. I think the first trilogy from Ms. Roberts that I picked up was Morrigan’s Cross, the first in her Circle Trilogy. For a young adult, in India, who’s just learning to develop her reading proves and who’s just about venturing into the world of fantasy…. Ms. Robert’s Morrigan’s; Cross offered a world of wonder. Completely blow away with the fantasy, I went on a Nora Roberts bender for a couple of years after that. Over the years, I did grow out of her works. Life knocked some sense in me, You can say. 😊 I didn’t stop reading fantasies, mind you… I just found more and varied fantasies.

In 2024, December, a novel, titled The Witness showed up in my suggestions on Audible. It’s a title I’d seen earlier and was intrigued by it. So I picked it up. And that was very true to what I expected from Nora Roberts. A storyline that has suspense, but I woven around a love story. And it felt good to have something light and bright. So when it was time to pick the next one up…. It felt natural to pick another Nora Roberts. Little did I know what a rollercoaster that was going to be…

After I read the book, while I was about to put my review on Goodreads, I happened to read a few reviews that said, Come Sundown was similar to her previous work viz Montana Sky. Since, I never read the Montana Sky, I can’t comment on similarities. What I can say, is that Come Sundown was a very emotional rollercoaster for me.

 

The story is about Alice. Who’s a rebellious teenager who in a bout of rebellion leaves the home to go, become a filmstar… on her way back home, after her adventure, she’s taken hostage… by a religious zealous nut who keeps her captive and tortures her into submission, for 25+ years.

 The story is also about the Bodine family, who has a ranch and a resort… a cowboy resort. And have a big fat family with 3 adult children who are taking care of the ranch and resort… with elders, mom, dad and granny and a great granny still very much involved and active in the running of these two.

 

When Alice comes back, away from her forced imprisonment…. The lives of all are changed. Their journeys are entangled in ways that brings out the whole “family matters” to the fore.

I went through a lot of emotions while going through this book. Like all Nora Roberts’s books, this one also has love stories. Bo and Cal, being the primary one. But the rest of the siblings also feature enough. But the love story is not the main feature of the novel. The story is very much of Rachel and her journey. As a single mother I’ve faced my own fair share of problems. Men and their views, a will to fight for one’s survival, to have views that go against the patriarchal society… So I resonated with Alice on more than one level. While I have no experience with captivity or physical violence… it was the mental and emotional journey that Alice went through, just ripped through me… Seeing her go through the stress, and violence… change from a headstrong, independent, carefree young girl, to a vulnerable, scared and scarred old woman… and then grow through that into a woman with steel spine…. Is a journey that would nothing but inspiring. Of course the family that helps you through the pain and tough times, stands by you, helps you build yourself back up…. Is beautiful. And that familial love and strength is just heart-warming.

As someone who comes from a BIG family, I understand the role they can play in building or breaking you. I guess that was another reason why this novel struck a note with me.

For people who are sensitive to violence, physical or domestic in nature, please be forewarned. Descriptions and story might strike a nerve. But if you like stories that center around strong female characters, you need to give this one a try. I hope you do try this, and find this as a great read as I thought it to be.