Say You’re Sorry

Longtime romantic thriller author Rose does not disappoint with her hardcover debut, opening her Sacramento series with a brisk pace, high stakes, and fully realized characters. When Daisy Dawson is attacked one night, she manages to fight off her assailant. In the process, she grabs a mysterious locket from the attacker that’s connected to a cult. Gideon Reynolds, an FBI agent and survivor of the cult, is called in by his Sacramento PD friend Rafe, who wants him to protect Daisy and help her find and identify the person who attacked her, who may be a serial killer. As Gideon and Daisy develop a connection, Daisy, a recovering alcoholic, tries to manage her sobriety alongside an intimate relationship she wasn’t ready for, while Gideon wrestles with his memories of the cult. The duo must overcome these issues and more while undertaking their shared mission to stop a dangerous villain. The thriller elements heavily outweigh the romantic ones, but fans of Lisa Gardner and J.D. Robb will enjoy this outing and be on pins and needles waiting for the next installments. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Feb.)