Dark Memento by Katie Reus


Posted September 13, 2019 in review Tags: , ,

Dark Memento by Katie ReusDark Memento by Katie Reus
Pages: 339
three-flames

Series: Verona Bay #1
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Setting: Verona Bay, Fl
Source: ARC
Also by this author: Enemy Mine, Love Thy Enemy, Dangerous Protector, Sworn to Protect, Shattered Duty, Dark Protector, Lethal Game, Tease Me, Baby, It's Me Again, Baby, Resurrection, Falling For His Mate, Mistletoe Me, Baby, Tempting Danger, Dangerous Witness, Innocent Target, Hunting Danger, Wolf's Mate, Miami, Mistletoe & Murder, Bishop's Knight, Secret Enemy, Saving Danger , Silent Protector , Guarding Her, Deadly Protector, Danger Rising
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Welcome to Verona Bay, a small coastal town where the secrets just won’t stay buried—and people aren’t always who they seem.

She was the one that got away…

Eight years ago Serenity Washington watched as her twin sister was murdered. She was lucky to escape the same grisly fate. With her sister’s killer in jail, she relocated and tried to move on with her life. She married a man in the Air Force and started a family, but when her husband dies unexpectedly she moves back to the last place she remembers being happy—Verona Bay, FL.

Now that she’s come home, it’s all starting again…

Within months of Serenity’s homecoming, she receives a ‘gift’—a bracelet from her sister that was never recovered after her death—and a taunting note. Terrified for herself and her young daughter, she turns to the local sheriff for help. But there’s only so much they can do without proof that the gifts aren’t more than sick pranks. There’s been no DNA, no fingerprints left behind—nothing to indicate who’s leaving them. As the horrifying gifts arrive with increasing frequency, Serenity has no doubt that she’s the ultimate target. But with her sister’s murderer—a confessed serial killer—still behind bars, she has no idea who’s stalking her.

She turns to the one man she’s been trying to keep her distance from…

Former Marine Lucas Jordan has been hung up on single mom Serenity since she moved back to Verona Bay, but she’s made it clear she’s not looking for a relationship. When she’s targeted, however, all bets are off. He won’t sit by while she’s terrorized, and with her and her daughter’s lives in danger he’s prepared to stand his ground and protect them both. Together they face the impossible task of trying to figure out who to trust before they all wind up six feet under.

Dark Memento starts off DARK! We begin with the kidnapping and torture of 2 college aged twin sisters, Savannah and Serenity. Only one survives.

Then we jump forward a few years and Serenity is a single mom, living back in the town where it all happened. The monster was caught, but Serenity starts getting weird messages that could only be from the killer; or the killer’s accomplice. The book is in 3rd person omniscient so you get to see things from multiple characters views, including the new threat to Serenity. I really enjoy books that take this approach because “hearing” from the killer or villain is compelling.

The story is also a romance. Serenity’s husband died a few years before. They didn’t have a great marriage, so while she is sad he passed, she isn’t pining for him. Lucas, our hero, is a former Marine who now runs a construction company in their small Florida town. He has been pining for Serenity, but she doesn’t want love. When Serenity is in trouble, he is all alpha! I enjoyed their relationship overall but it does build a bit slowly due to Serenity’s relationship avoidance. She has trust issues (lets be real-who wouldn’t in her situation). I think I struggled with the chemistry between these two. We start the story with Lucas pining away for her, but I never really felt like I understood why the attraction was so strong.  Lucas had a great relationship with Serenity’s daughter, Harper.  The romance is good, but it’s not the best part of the story.

Dark Memento kept me guessing until the end. Early on, I was suspicious of everyone. I narrowed the culprit field a few times, but I never did feel I “knew”. I have to say, some of the villain’s tactics are down right diabolical. Reus knows how to do romantic suspense/thriller for sure.

 

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Overall:

Buried Lies by Kaylea Cross, Touch of Red by Laura Griffin, Taken by Cynthia Eden…then you will probably like Dark Memento!

 

Dark Memento

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About Katie Reus

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, & IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom's stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn't always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense.

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