First Impressions

Written by Nora Roberts

Narrated by Teri Clark Linden

Overwhelmed by the neighborly attentions of the cheerful and vivacious “girl next door,” a man burned by love finds his passions reigniting in #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts’s First Impressions.

Entrepreneur Vance Banning took a residence in rural Maryland to escape business pressures—and relationships with women pursuing his bank account. To the community, he’s a moody, out-of-work carpenter with a chip on his shoulder. To next door neighbor Shane Abbott, he’s just a man who needs a little kindness in his life. Vance’s suspicions of the stunning beauty’s intense interest in him start to fade when he realizes Shane’s compassion is honest and joyful—giving his heart permission to experience true love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jun 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9781713662945

Nora Roberts

ERROR

Reviews for First Impressions

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Shane Abbott new the moment she set eyes on Vance Banning that she'd be marrying him one day. Vance has other plans, and they don't involve his new neighbor. But her house is intriguing...Read this just after reading the Inn at Boonsboro series and had to smile when I realized NR has revisited her soldier fighting at Antietam story in the Boonsboro series. The soldier gets a happier ending in this one, however. Fluffy and not too deep.

[emscape · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'd call this formulaic crap if it wasn't so well written. I genuinely liked both Vance and Shane (although I hate their names) and thought there was good character development, especially with Vance. However, it's very much the "he has secrets and doesn't tell her until she finds out from someone else, even though he totally meant to, and she's super pissed" trope. Decent enough escapist reading. Obviously a repackaged Silhouette title.

[dbhutch_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the love story of Shane and Vance , both of whom just moved to a small town.This is her home town where is returning to, and he moved here to get away from big city life of Washington,DC. She thinks he is an out of work carpenter and hires him to do some work on the house her recently passed Grandmother left her , that she is making in to a museum and antique shop. He is getting over the guilt of his dead wife whom was killed by one of her lovers but his guilt over wishing her dead was bothering him. As Vance works on Shane's house they form a friendship and love. Her mother shows up after 6 months of her Grandmother died and demands money and upsets Shane , Vance goes to speak with Anne (her mother) and reveals who he is and his powerful name and tells Anne to stay away of course Anne runs to Shane and tells her all of Vance's secrets that he has not told her and things get tricky then end up better .

[aromagik · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

First story was so-so, second was pretty awful. The hero just wasn't likeable at all.

[drebbles · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Shane Abbott has inherited her great-grandmother's house and decides to turn part of it into a combination antique store/museum. The house needs a lot of work and she decides to hire her next door neighbor, Vance Banning, to do the work because she thinks he is a carpenter. Initially Vance tries to avoid Shane, but there's an attraction between the two of them he can't resist and he reluctantly agrees to help. Vance is increasingly attracted to Shane and she makes it clear that she is attracted to him, but Vance has been keeping some secrets from Shane and wonders how he can tell her the truth about himself and his past. As Shane wonders what is going on with Vance, her less than loving mother reappears in her life and further threatens the relationship between Vance and Shane. Vance can only hope that the love between the two of them will hold up through all their troubles. "First Impressions" was the first book by Nora Roberts that I've read and, while it had it's moments, I didn't really like it. Shane is a spunky enough heroine, determined to make a success of her new business. She's a well-developed and well-written character, a bit flawed but lovable, especially with her tendency to giggle at the wrong time. But Vance is not well developed at all. Roberts tries, but Vance's struggles with his business success aren't very compelling. Shane's mother, Anne, has no redeeming qualities at all. She's a cardboard character and comes across like a villain in a Disney cartoon. The romance between Vance and Shane moves quickly, too quickly; within a week of meeting him Shane says she's in love with Vance and going to marry him. There's a nice scene in the book when Shane's car gets stuck in the mud and Vance helps her to get it out. It was funny and romantic and the book could have used more scenes like that. The final conflict between Vance and Shane is too contrived as Vance had plenty of time and opportunities to tell Shane about himself. "First Impressions" was not very impressive.