Paige has a successful career in public relations, a handsome boyfriend, and a fast car, but that will never be enough to impress her demanding mother, especially since Paige's beautiful older sister, Camille, lives a charmed life in the Chicago suburbs. So Paige decides to take what she deserves, starting with Camille's handsome husband, Pierce. Secret Obsession packs a lot of drama into less than 200 pages. The lengths Paige goes to for starters, conjuring an imaginary lover for Camille, taking an impromptu business trip, and faking a rape-and-robbery to get her man stretch credulity, but they sure keep the pages turning. There is nothing subtle about plot or characters; the men are all fine, the women all fashionable. That is precisely what makes the novel so much fun. Fans of Roby's Curtis Black novels (e.g., Love, Honor, and Betray, 2011) will find this one true to form right up through the ending and epilogue, which answer all questions.--Maguire, Susan Copyright 2010 Booklist

Paige Donohue has spent her entire life feeling inferior to her sister, Camille, who gets all the love and affection from their parents while Paige is treated like the bad seed. So Paige devises a convoluted plan to fake her own rape, hoping that Camille and Pierce, her husband, will take her in. Once ensconced in their home, she'll convince Pierce that Camille is unfaithful, gain his trust, and steal him away.. The plan, however, doesn't go quite as expected. And when Paige's lies are finally uncovered, her mother drops a bombshell that explains her hatred for Paige, rocking the poor girl's already shaky sense of self. An absurd plot, stilted dialogue, clunky exposition, broad characterizations, and flat motivations drain Roby's (Love, Honor, and Betray) tale of any excitement inherent in the set-up. Not helping matters is Roby's habit of telegraphing her characters' every thought, leaving nothing to the reader's imagination. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.