Forgive Me

I received a free copy of this book as part of Random House's partnership with LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. According to some complicated algorithm, my library was determined to be ranked #2 in LibraryThing in terms of compatibility with their review program. I'm not sure whether to be scared or flattered by that fact (and I really want to check out the top-ranked library). I do own the author's previous two books, though I have not read them yet. In this book, Nadine Morgan becomes a journalist in part to escape her stifling Cape Cod childhood. After becoming badly injured in Mexico, Nadine returns to Cape Cod to recover. She begins a romance with Dr. Duarte and for the first time contemplates a more sedentary existence. After reading an article about Jason Irving, an American teacher who was killed in South Africa during her stint there as a journalist, Nadine seizes the opportunity to confront her past. Irving's parents are traveling to South Africa to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to confront their son's killer and Nadine is determined to cover it. I really wanted to like this book and did like many parts of it. The demons the book foreshadows that Nadine must confront in South Africa, including a supposed betrayal, were not worthy of the build-up, and I found a subplot at the end confusing and unnecessary. I did really enjoy Ward's writing style and her characterization of Nadine and overall, the book was a fast, suspenseful read.