DARK MEMENTO
Author: Katie Reus
Series: Verona Bay #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Thriller
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Blurb
Welcome to Verona Bay, a small coastal town where the secrets just won’tstay 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.
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Excerpt
Rain slapped Serenity in the face as she raced through the woods.
He was getting closer. Run. Run. Run.
Escape. Find help.
Lightning cracked, illuminating the forest. She let out a scream as he stepped up from behind a tree, his eyes wild and manic, his face elongated like a werewolf.
A scream caught in her throat as she turned and ran. Her feet slipped in the mud, propelling her forward.
Pain ripped through her skull as he grabbed the back of her hair.
“No!” She tried to scream but the word got stuck in her throat. Every time she tried to shout for help it came out as a whisper.
She fought against the mud and grass with her feet but kept slipping as he continued dragging her backward.
She wouldn’t go back there. She couldn’t go back there.
No.
Everything in front of her morphed and suddenly they were in that wretched cabin again.
He tossed her onto the floor, her palms slamming against the wood. Pain splintered through her, her heart racing out of control.
“Not done with you yet,” he growled, the sound inhuman.
Savannah sat on the table now, blood pouring
from all of her wounds, her skin a grayish color.
“You should have run faster.” Her sister’s words were disembodied.
Serenity shook her head. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. She’d escaped. She wasn’t still stuck here.
“Be careful,” her sister whispered. “There is danger on the horizon.”
“What?” She stared at her sister in horror. She couldn’t seem to get up, couldn’t seem to make her limbs obey her. To move. To run.
“Run!” her sister screamed.
Her eyes opened with a start.
A nightmare. Just another nightmare. Though this one was different than before.
He’d never brought her back to the cabin.
Despite being soaked in sweat, a chill snaked through her, making her tremble. It was just a nightmare, she reminded herself. Nothing more.
She couldn’t be back in that cabin, stuck in hell.
My Thoughts <3
Oh I liked this book! If you are in the mood for an interesting romantic suspense/thriller— this is definitely up your alley!
My Backstory:
After a devastating encounter when she was younger, Serenity lived, but it left her haunted. After another tragedy, she finds herself back home trying to rebuild her life for her and her daughter. Everything should be fine right? Then why is someone tormenting her with the worst experience of her life? She wants to do it by herself, but can she left someone else in? Perhaps the handsome guy that has made it clear he wants to protect her? Can she left Lucas in while her world is falling apart?
My Thoughts:
Seriously, this book has a great amount of ‘who dun it’, with a healthy portion of sexual chemistry as well. I was pleasantly surprised by the characters. Serenity is SO freaking strong, this woman deserves the world, but works with what she has. Lucas is a great alpha man and I liked him, but I totally connected more with our leading lady. All in all, this was an entertaining read that had me on the edge of my seat to find out who the big bad is and seeing if Lucas and Serenity can build something during this hard time. If you like your books with a little more suspense and thrills, I recommend checking out the book– I give it a 4.5 outta 5!
AUTHOR BIO & LINKS
Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and 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 summa cum laude 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. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.