I enjoyed this book. The story contained secrets, scandal, wealth, suspense, romance, and southern mystery. The author wove a tapestry of the characters and there were many twists and turns. I highly recommend it.

There is a prequel novella for this book to help get the series started. I had a hard time getting into that one but the writing was excellent so I was hopeful the next books would be easier for me. This one did not disappoint! This is the official first book of this series and you don't have to read the the prequel to understand what happens in this but it does help with the suspense portion a bit. This book is about Keaton Benedict and Tilly Brock. We met Tilly in the prequel. She is a waitress in the gentleman's club that the police were watching to try to catch a serial killer. Keaton goes to the club and see's Tilly and can't believe she is there. They grew up together until his family accused her father of something and her family lost everything. They never forgot each other though, even after being separated for so long.

This book had a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming at all! I really liked this one compared to that last. I liked Keaton and Tilly together and I just really enjoyed their chemistry. It truly felt like they still loved and cared about each other even though they hadn't seen each other since they were kids. When things start going horribly wrong you can not only see how much Keaton wants her to be safe but you can actually feel it. And then you throw the twist in there that I never saw coming in the way that it did? I truly enjoyed that!! This one was a much better fit for me and I can't wait to read the next ones about his brother's and see where this bigger story ARC takes us!

I loved the premise of this book. A romantic suspense novel, set in Charleston, and starting a new series to love and devour. Sadly, the characters seemed flat and either superficial or too "goody too shoes." I longed for character development, satisfying dialogue, and believable relationships. Unfortunately, they never came. Most of all, I wanted to read about my beloved Charleston, but descriptions of Spanish moss, the Battery, or even the bridges never materialized. This book could have been set anywhere. However, I will concede, that the plot was interesting. With some work, Darkest Night has the potential plot to be a good suspense novel. It just needs so much, that I'm doubtful it will arrive at a completion to satisfy the savvy reader.

I didn’t think the book was great but I didn’t think it was horribleness either. It needed some tweaking to let the story flow better. The concept was interesting but it had many flaws. The book got confusing at times when it would go into another section without any indication when going to a different scene.
Jade’s character has me intrigued. I suspect who she really is and was disappointed that the book left that hanging. I guess the author is planning on keeping her character under wraps and expand more in the following book if there is a sequel to Thisbe book.
Like I said the book is not bad but needs tweaking.

This was my first read in the romantic suspense genre. I didn't know what to expect when starting this book but was pleasantly surprised with the story, the characters and the author's writing style.

Great start to a new series. Great chemistry and romance between the main characters Tilly and Keaton who take advantage of their second chance at love. There was just enough suspense as to not outweigh the romance and plenty of unanswered questions to make me want more. I thought that this story was very riveting and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

A thrilling fast-paced action packed novel that will have you on the edge of your seat. Page after page you will question what lurks just beyond the next page.

Wow this story was just full of side plots and shenanigans. I liked the characters for the most part. They made some pretty weird decisions at points that advanced the plot but didn't make a whole lot of sense based on their personalities. The mystery aspect was very engaging.

I'm glad I am done with this book. Right now I feel like I have wasted my time on it, but I had a pretty crappy day and this not being as good a book as I had hoped didn't help. I probably should hold off on my review but I want to get it over with so I can start my next book and hopefully go to bed on a good note, but honestly I doubt it.

Darkest Night by Tara was a pretty mediocre read for me. The romance felt flat and forced. On top of that it wasn't from zero to practically married in the span of a couple chapters which was less than a week. Sometimes the fast relationship thing is okay, especially in a romance novel but here it just bugged me.

There is just WAY to much going on
In those pages. The point of view switched too much, to often and between too many characters. There were times I was reading along and then was like woah what just happened and had to back track to figure it out just because it was a character change. Seriously it switched so frequently and randomly that one could get whiplash!

Also I get that out of also a thriller and needs suspense and action but the bodies and blood were piling up like a Scream movie. I mean a body every time you turn around.

There seemed to be more than one romance going on and more than one threat going on. I sense that #### was setting up for the series.
It's like throwing all your eggs out there at once and then you're last not only with an empty basket for following books but a crappy cliffhanger.

Tilly (sorry hate the name) and Keaton run into reaching after 8 long years with nothing between them except questions and it was like fate and butterflies and unicorns. Keaton is overprotect, obviously, and Tilly (ugh, I really had that name) is a damsel in distress. They fall passionately in love a bunch of bodies show up and a crazy bitch and then it's happily ever after as far as they're concerned.

In the end there is still a story to continue and I'm guessing it's going to be one of the other Brother's turn to fall in love next, if I had my guess it will be Knox. Plus the story of the one supporting character that I found most interesting, Jade.

A week after Tilly Brock's first kiss with her childhood best friend Keaton Benedict, her father was accused of embezzling from Keaton's father's powerful shipping industry and her family's standing in Charleston was ruined. Now back in Charleston and working as a waitress in a gentlemen's club Tilly fantasizes that one day the boy she left behind will come walking through the door - and then he does.

Keaton Benedict never forgot about Tilly Brock nor did he ever quite believe what he father was accused of. Now years later when he reconnects with her by chance and realizes their old attraction is still there and stronger than ever he knows that he doesn't want to lose her from his life again.

But someone in the shadows has an old grudge against the Benedict family and he's targeting the Benedicts through the people they care for the most and when bodies begin dropping at their door Keaton and Tilly will have to rely on each other and the strength of the Benedict family to stop a killer before it's too late.

I really liked Darkest Night. The story draws you in, told in multiple perspectives including the mysterious "The Gentleman." Who is the Gentleman? Why does he hate the Benedict family so much?

I liked the pacing of the book although it felt too fast in places... I swear there were two or three deaths in three days. I would have drawn it out a little more. The suspense was gripping and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen, but this book doesn't give a true resolution but a lead into the second book. I'm not sure we'll get an answer as to who The Gentleman is until the third book, but I'm sure it will keep me reading the series until I find out! I loved the Benedict brothers and Tilly's relationship with Keaton, although at times some of the things he said to her were a little cheesy.

The one thing I didn't like in this book was the Elise subplot. There's a killer after Tilly but hey, let's add in someone blackmailing Keaton into marriage just for the hell of it. It should have been one or the other or maybe Elise as the killer in my opinion. I also didn't feel like I got a true handle on Tilly's father's embezzlement. Did he do it or not? Will the answer be revealed in a future book?

Overall, I really liked this book. It reminded me of an early Carly Phillips crossed with Lisa Jackson and I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to read the next two books!

I really wanted to like this book, it had an interesting plot but the characters weren't very well developed. I was really looking forward to the reunion between Tilly and Keaton and their discovery of their relationship but it happened way to fast for me. I think there was just too much going on for the plot to make sense.

There was the dangerous figure who is out to get the Benedicts for some unknown reason. The small girl with the colored hair who works for him and has been groomed to hate the Benedict boys but finds there might be more to them and can't follow through on her orders, and then there is Elise the ex-best friend of Tilly who is from a wealthy family and has her sights set on marrying Keaton. And if she doesn't get her way she quickly resorts to black mail and it goes down hill from there.

There was just no sexual tension or obstacles to climb, it all just felt like too much. The book ends on a cliff hanger but I can see where it's headed and how the young girl fits into the story line. I'm just not sure the book held my interest enough to care.

Darkest Night was filled with suspense, and there were some truly evil characters here. While I enjoyed Tilly and Keaton, there was a bit of the damsel in distress here, just as in the prequel novella. And I'm sure I'd have enjoyed this story even more if Tilly had been a little less weepy.

This was a fast-paced, entertaining book. Tilly has learned the hard way to take care of herself. Keaton is Charleston’s most notorious bachelor. He encounters Tilly and remembers the girl he once knew years before. He never forgot her and wants her to join him in rekindling their love. Tilly wants to try, but there is danger around them and they have to find a way to survive the unknown threat. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is #1 in the Sons of Broad series. I enjoyed this book and would be interested in reading more books in this series as well as other books by this author.

My Review of “Darkest Night” by Tara Thomas, St. Martin’s Press, February 27,2018

“Darkest Night” by Tara Thomas is an intense and captivating novel of suspense, romance, and thrilling mystery. There are betrayals, deep secrets, revenge, jealousy, danger and murder. The author weaves her story around the wealthy and successful Benedict Brothers in Charleston. There is at least one deadly enemy sworn to destroy them. There are many twists and turns.

The author describes are characters as complex and complicated. Some seem dysfunctional and psychotic. One of the Benedict brothers, Keaton sees Tilly Brock, a former childhood friend. Tilly’s father had worked for the Benedicts and was accused of embezzling company funds. Tilly’s family had to leave, and Keaton never realized where she was.

Tilly works at a Men’s Club, bartending, while making the money she needs to finish college to become a teacher. Someone not only has it in for the Benedicts, but also has threatened Tilly. When Keaton and Tilly get together, there are dead bodies turning up.

What is going on? Who is the enemy that wants to destroy the Benedicts, and why? I would recommend this book for readers of Mystery and Romance. There are some hot sexy scenes in this book as well. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Where do I start? There is a lot going on in this first book in a new series. That’s not unusual. It often takes a lot of early information for an author to set up what intriguing plot is unfolding in her head. I just went with the flow and let the story unwind.

As the story begins, Keaton, the youngest of the Benedict brothers has just finished college. As a very wealthy young man, his college days were seamless, full of friends and fun. Tilly, on the other hand, is working as a drink server in a gentlemen’s club trying to pay for and finish her last semester of school. Her father, who was fired from the Benedict’s shipping empire for embezzlement, left Tilly penniless after his death. Tilly and Keaton were very close as kids, spending a lot of time together and sharing their very first kiss.

Just as Tilly and Keaton reconnect, threats against Tilly start. And that’s just the beginning. A series of murders of people close to Tilly makes it look like she’s the target. But is she really? There are way more questions than answers. Why in the world is Elise, Tilly’s childhood best friend and a close family friend of the Benedicts moving into Benedict House for the summer? Who is The Gentleman, and what are his plans with his cadre of thugs? What’s his grievance against the Benedict brothers? And who the heck is Jade? I think I’ve figured out that last one, but I have been proven wrong by twisty authors before, so I won’t bet on it just yet.

So. More questions than answers, though at least one of the questions I posed is answered. You’ll have to figure out which one for yourself, so pick up a copy and...

Enjoy!

2shay

I could not get through this book. I found it boring from page one and stopped reading it after a few pages. I went to the last chapter and did not find it anymore interesting.

Darkest Night – Tara Thomas

The Benedict brothers are the heirs apparent to the large shipping company bequeathed to them by their father. Set in beautiful Charleston, SC, the company is prosperous, the family is Charleston royalty, and the youngest of the three, Keaton Benedict, has graduated from college and is expected to take his place within the company.

Tilly Brock was once a neighbor and close friend of Keaton Benedict, until false accusations of embezzlement left her father in disgrace and her family exiled from Charleston society. Now, with both of her parents gone, Tilly is working in an adult night club, as she puts herself through, school, in hopes of realizing her dream of becoming a teacher.

In an off chance, Keaton visits the night club, and spots Tilly out of the corner of his eye. As he realizes who she is, the past comes rushing back, and they realize they’re getting a second chance at love.

Meanwhile, someone wants to bring the Benedict family down. Known only as the Gentleman, he methodically kills those close to Tilly, with hints of her being the presumed end-game. And a young woman from another well-to-do Charleston family, Elise, has her eyes set on Keaton and his fortune, and will stop at nothing to ensure she becomes his bride.

This book will keep you turning pages as you cheer on Tilly and Keaton! However, there are unanswered questions and mystery abounds as the novel ends, leaving you in anticipation for books 2 & 3!

This is the first book I’ve ever read by author Tara Thomas, but it will not be my last!

I received a copy through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Darkest Night by. Tara Thomas is a romantic thriller that kept me wondering what was going to happen next. The characters drew me into their lives. The story had me on the edge of my seat until the end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I really enjoyed reading this book which I received free from Net Galley for an honest review. Keaton does not want to join the family business but presents to his brothers the "giving back" idea and a new division is born. His love for Tilly from his teenage years grows along with several dead bodies resulting in his need to protect her. This book will leave you fearful at times, suspenseful in not knowing if "Kaja" aka "Jade" is dead or alive. Thrilling - how did she know of the secret entrance to the house the boys were raised in. Who is the "Gentleman"?
I look forward to reading the rest of this series and learning the answers to many questions still in my mind.

This first Sons of Broad book is romantic suspense with a heavy emphasis on suspense. Someone wants Tilly Brock dead. That same someone also wants to bring down the wealthy and powerful Benedict family.

Keaton Benedict is the youngest of the three Benedict brothers. He's a recent college graduate who wants to begin a division in Benedict Shipping for charitable giving. He's with some friends at a gentleman's club celebrating his graduation when he spots Tilly.

Keaton and Tilly were best friends on their way to a romance when she disappeared from his life. He was told that her father embezzled from the Benedict Company, was fired, and moved the family to Texas. In fact, they just moved to a different part of Charleston and dropped out of the upper social circle. Her father and mother both died leaving Tilly to struggle to make her way through college - thus the reason for working at a gentleman's club.

Soon after they met again, bodies started appearing around them. First Tilly's friend from work. Then two of the dancers from the club. Keaton's older brother was briefly a suspect in the second dancer's death.

Added to the confusion, a young woman who is determined to marry Keaton and who is a family friend has come to spend the summer with the Benedicts. She is not above using blackmail or murder to get her way and convince Keaton to marry her.

Then there is the villain of the piece - The Gentleman - and his henchwoman/victim Jade. The Gentleman is involved in all sorts of crime in Charleston including human trafficking and he's the one who wants the Benedicts destroyed. Jade is an interesting character because she has been raised and brainwashed by The Gentleman to hate the Benedicts but is starting to question what she has been taught.

The romance storyline between Keaton and Tilly is brought to resolution in this book but the suspense plot will need resolution in the upcoming books in the series. This was a busy story with lots of threads.