Great start to a new series which follows three brothers. Tilly was a great character who rekindles with Keaton, one of the brothers. Keaton was also likeable and well developed as a character. Lots of action and plots within plots as someone is going after the family. Tilly and Keaton had great chemistry and this story kept the pages turning. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Secondary characters were also likeable and well developed. I am voluntarily reviewing an arc I received

Darkest Night is a sultry and suspenseful thriller set in Charleston, South Carolina. The wealthy Benedict brothers bring the sultry—especially Keaton, the youngest. A shadowy figure who goes by the moniker “The Gentleman” is at the crux of the inexplicable attacks and murders that suddenly populate the brothers’ world; he’ll go to any lengths to take them down. Why? Tara Thomas alludes to the sins of the Benedicts’ late father—there are secrets hidden from his sons that are threatening to spill out into the open.

Kipling, the oldest, runs “the family shipping business, Benedict Industries.” Keaton wants to set up a charitable division that ensures that everyone in Charleston—and eventually South Carolina—has safe water to drink. Keaton decides to sound out his older brother over drinks, but the mood is destroyed when a waiter delivers a “slender white box” to Kipling. What’s with the “long-stem rose set nestled in white tissue paper?” Does Kipling have an admirer? Not so fast, read the note inside:

There were only a few words typed on the thick card stock.

THE TIME HAS COME.

Keaton flipped it over but there was nothing on the other side. He looked up at Kipling. “What the hell does it mean?”

Kipling shrugged. “I don’t know, but they’ve all said the same thing.”

“How many have there been?”

There's only been half a dozen, and they’re “pretty harmless,” says Kipling. But Keaton notices him “looking around the parking lot” when they leave. Keaton has the “uneasy feeling there was something bigger going on.”

Keaton is correct. The Gentleman’s ire is intensifying; he feels “like he could skin someone alive with only a look.” He puts his men on notice.

“Men, we have a problem and its name is Benedict. We are going to have to step up our plan. Take no prisoners. Show no mercy. As of today there is a new plan. The roses have laid the groundwork and they’re showing some concern, but the threat the family poses is growing bigger.

The first step is to eliminate a problem I should have taken care of years ago. Unfortunately, this person isn’t a Benedict.”

The Gentleman carefully avoids sharing too much information with his men, but it doesn’t seem coincidental that a woman from Keaton’s past, Tilly Brock, is in his sights. After years of separation, Keaton runs into Tilly waitressing while he’s getting a drink at a gentlemen’s club.

Tilly Brock has learned—the hard way—how to take care of herself. Once a pillar of Charleston society, her family lost everything in the wake of a shocking scandal. And then Tilly lost the only boy she ever loved.

Is it full steam ahead once Keaton and Tilly rediscover each other? Potentially, but ghastly incidents multiply. Keaton, a consummate gentleman, is at Tilly’s side 24/7 once they reconnect—like when she goes back to her day job to deliver a book to Raven, a work friend. Something seems off at the club.

“Tilly?” Keaton asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” she said, but then stopped again, as the queasy sensation grew three hundred times worse.

There’s a bundle on the ground. Laundry, thinks Keaton, but Tilly says they don’t have laundry at the club.

“I’m not sure what else it could be.”

Tilly made it to the laundry bundle in question before he did. She had been correct, it wasn’t laundry. It was Raven. And her throat had been cut.

Tilly screamed.

Nowhere is safe for Tilly.

Tilly’s apartment was a total wreck.

Furniture was overturned and slashed through. Mirrors and pictures frames were broken, with shards of glass littering the floor. Worst of all was the WHORE written in red along the far wall of her living room.

Tilly and Keaton are in danger in the city they both love. Their very lives are imperiled by The Gentleman’s killing spree. He and his minions are saturating idyllic low-country Charleston with blood and vengeance.

If you’re a fan of J. R. Ward’s Bourbon Kings series about a “Southern family defined by wealth and privilege—and compromised by secrets, deceit, and scandal,” Darkest Night—the first of the Sons of Broad Trilogy—will be right up your alley. Tara Thomas successfully navigates the tightrope of enticing the reader into an inexplicable world of deepening menace without revealing all the secrets behind The Gentleman’s vendetta against the Benedicts. Stay tuned!

3.5 Stars
This is the first full-length book in the Sons of Broad series. I enjoyed reading the three novellas before this but you don’t have to read them first. They are about a different couple and give you a glimpse into the story.

To me this was a story about second chance romance as well as a thriller. Keaton and Tilly grew up together and now ran in different circles. Tilly is working is working as a waitress at a gentleman’s club. She never thought she would see Keaton again and when she did the sparks flew. They still had that chemistry they had from years before. They end up picking right up like no time has passed between them.

While I enjoyed this story I didn’t like it as much as the novellas. I felt like the connection between the two main characters was there more than in this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Darkest Night by Tara Thomas was a second chance romance full of suspense. Tilly Brock has never forgotten Keaton, but they went down different paths and she figures she will never see him again. Then one-night Keaton walks into the bar where she works, and all those feelings flood back for both. But with danger lurking, can they have their second chance or is it too late already?

Tilly and Keaton connect rather quickly, but there is history between them. Tilly’s family lost everything after a scandal, which is what drove them apart. She is now working and getting through college. Keaton comes from a good family and history and is now known as a playboy. But he never forgot Tilly either. Now they are trying to reconnect, but dangers lurks around them.

I enjoyed Darkest Night by Tara Thomas. It was romantic and suspenseful, had good characters and a story that draws you in.

Happy reading!

Tara Thomas’ Darkest Night is the first novel in the Sons of Broad series. There were three novellas before this full-length novel. While a couple of the characters were introduced in those novellas, it is not necessary to have read them. Other than The Gentleman, not much is in the way of tying the stories all together yet.

In fact, more is learned about The Gentleman in this book, but his darker side is revealed more in the novellas. From that perspective, I am glad that I read them first. Still his identity is hidden. It is implied that he is part of the wealthy and privileged part of Charleston society. But his reasons for what he does in this book is not as clear. No longer just a rich psychopath but a man on a mission to cause other’s downfall. Quite the mystery going on in this series. While Tilly Brock and Keaton Benedict’s story is great, it is the Gentleman who is most intriguing. I want him stopped but I also want to know who he is. Tara Thomas sure knows how to write a despicable villain.

This is the first of three books in the Sons of Broad series, not including the prequel novellas that were also released. Each book follows one of three brothers.

I wouldn’t say this book is cliffhanger, but I’m not sure I would consider it a standalone either. While this book does have its own story, which is concluded in the end, there is also an underlying mystery that isn’t resolved which I assume will continue through the rest of the series.

I’m a fan of romantic suspense, and I was really hoping I would love this one. I thought it was a good story filled with lots of suspense, but unfortunately I felt like I was being told the story rather than living it. (Show me, don’t tell me.)

While I didn’t fully connect with the story, I’m still very intrigued by The Gentleman and am curious if he is a character we’ve already met.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller, Romance
Triggers: Blackmail, Attempted Murder

This is a story more about power and privilege than a second chance romance that it seems to be. You have a couple who were split apart years ago due to a strange set of circumstances and when they see each other again, there is a plot much deeper than their love.

Keaton is a great guy. He knows what he wants from his life and isn't afraid to go after it. What he doesn't want to happen is his wishes and wants to be pushed aside so that he can take his place in the family business. He has some amazing brothers who are supportive and I really hope they each get their own books too.

Tilly is working to put herself through school and knows that she's so close. Despite working in less than ideal conditions, she knows that if she can just make it through, she'll never have to sling another beer again or see the horrible boss that she has either. However, what she doesn't count on is seeing Keaton again.

While they haven't seen each other since they were kids, it seemed that they were able to start again like no time had passed. I do wish they had taken a little more time in their romance, but they had such a great connection from before, it does make some sense that they would be able to just pick up like no time had passed. They have a great relationship, despite some hiccups.

When the suspense of the story is coming to a head, a lot is going on. I do wish that we were given more answers, but I do have hope that we'll get more when the next book comes out. Overall, this was an intense thriller with some romance thrown in. But it starts a great series and I can't wait to see what happens next.

I have been in touch with the publisher and i rate this book 3 stars so i have turned my blog post into a promo post, you can find the link for the promo post below

http://books-and-thebigscreen.co.uk/books/darkest-night-by…wly-releasednews/

Review: DARKEST NIGHTS by Tara Thomas

If you want to know how the 10% live and love, try this mystery/romantic suspense. If you're curious about the links some will go to in order to.maintain their status, or to feed their greed, or to boost their status (or just cause they're sadistic, cruel, and unconscionable), take a close look at DARKEST NIGHTS. The War Between the States was not the only trouble that came to Charleston.

DARKEST NIGHTS is a fast-paced and sometimes gritty mystery that will entice and enthrall fans of Romantic Suspense.

I read the three prequel novellas before this but I do believe you can read Darkest Night without reading the novellas.

Tilly Brock is a waitress at a gentleman’s club. She knew Keaton Benedict years ago so when she sees him at the club all the feelings she had for him come back. Unfortunately things don’t go as easily as they hoped.

Although I enjoyed this read I don’t think it was as fast paced as the prequel novellas I read before this. Having said that I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.

4.5 stars. This is a series that is focused on three brothers, Kipling, Knox, and, Keaton. This is Keaton’s story. This book had mystery, suspense, and so much more. It’s a second chance romance for Keaton and Tilly. They were best friends when they were young, shared a first kiss, and then abruptly was separated. Eight years later they are reunited and immediate sparks fly. This is a faced paced book that kept me on my toes. There are many secrets that will be revealed in each story to come.

I liked this story, it was intense, the characters were really likeable and I found that the chemistry between them was awesome which made the story even more likeable

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and I voluntarily leave my own honest opinion

LOVED this book!!! It's a thrilling, suspenseful page turner with some romance thrown in too. This book is full of secrets which leave you dying to see what will happen next. Can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series.

Darkest night is the first full-length novel in the Sons of Broad series. As you might know, I was very eager to get my hands on this book because I wanted answers. The unfortunate thing is that I didn't get them and even worse I got more. We get deeper into the gentleman's world by reading a few parts from his point of view and Jade's. I know that is a little far-fetched, but I want Jabe to be the sister the Benedict's didn't know they had. Jade might not be the best person at the moment, but she can be forgiven.

The timeline of this book is a little unclear to me. I think the story begins around the time the first novella began and some point halfway it continues after the time the third novella ended. I hope that will be clearer when I read the second book. It drives me mad thinking that 5 books will be released in two months (the second book is coming on March 27th) and the third will be released in June. I don't know how much longer I can wait to find out what will happen to all the characters. In this book, we have a lot of things going on and I kept turning the pages to find clues and what the author planned for each character. I was happy with the romance and the suspence. We got teased about the upcoming couples and I am already invested in their stories. I would recommend the book and I will say that you don't have to have read the novellas to read this book, but since I enjoyed them I would say to read them too.

Strong, compelling characters draw readers in and refuse to let go in this fast paced romance full of suspense.

Keaton and Tilly have electrifying chemistry and a romance that is hot and sweet. The characters have a past that certainly impacts their present but the dangerous events that unfold throughout the story play a great part in the building of this romance as well. The readers can’t help but feel as if they are part of this exciting story as Keaton and Tilly try to find their way around all the danger to build a future.

The suspense builds throughout the story and the readers get caught up in the anticipation and thrills as things are kept hopping by dangerous enemies and surprising twists keep readers guessing throughout the story. The author brought the story to life with vivid imagery that makes it easy for the readers to picture the world she created and ensures that the readers come back for more.

Overall, I was caught up in the book from beginning to end and I am looking forward to reading Deadly Secrets which is coming soon.

After reading the three novellas that Tara released in the Sons of Broad series, I was excited to start reading the full length books that will release over the next few months. Darkest Night is the first of three and it is about Tilly Brock, a college student working as a cocktail server in a Gentlemen's club. We learned in those novellas that she has been harboring feelings for a certain boy she grew up with but has lost contact with for reasons she's not willing to disclose.

In Darkest Night, we find out why Tilly has lost contact with the boy, now a man, Keaton Benedict. A scandal involving her father and the company he worked for. A company owned by the Benedicts. But a chance meeting one night at the club that Tilly works for, and the dream she always had that Keaton would show up at her club and whisk her away finally comes true.

These two haven't seen each other in eight years, but when they talk again for the first time, it is like no time has passed at all. That connection is still there, the feelings they had for each other are still there, and they can't and don't want to fight them. The only issue is Elise, the girl, now a woman that they were friends with as a child is coming to stay at Keaton's house, and she has her sights set on marrying him!

This book is pretty fast paced, with lots of things happening. The mysterious Gentleman that we were first introduced to in the novellas, has put a plan in motion to exact some type of revenge or vengeance on the Benedicts, starting with the people around Tilly. Very quickly several of her coworkers are killed, with promises that she's going to be next. It's a race against time to try and figure out who is behind these attacks, with Alyssa Adams heading up the investigation. We first met her in the three novellas and her story will be told in book three of this series.

There's a lot of suspense, mystery, that feeling of something building towards a dramatic conclusion. We don't get the overall conclusion yet as we still have two books to go before we find out who The Gentleman is, and why he's doing what he's doing. Some Benedict family secrets are revealed in this book, and we meet a new character, Jade, that I have put a pin in as an integral part of this story.

The other woman drama brought on by Elise was a storyline in and of itself, and it was interesting how things she did overlapped with things done by those working for The Gentleman, so it kept Keaton and Tilly off balance until the end. I am excited to continue with this series to learn more about The Gentleman and Jade. Book two is about Knox Benedict and Bea Jacobs, the half sister to Brent Taylor, whose story is told in the three novellas. There's something going on between Bea and Knox that will be uncovered in Deadly Secret.

I had some trouble connecting to Tilly and Keaton, and I think it is because this series is written in third person, so we're not completely in the heads of the characters, and it's more of a telling us rather than showing us story. I had the same issue when I read the novellas about Brent and Janie. I try to keep that in mind while reading and it's hit or miss whether I end up connecting with the characters on a more personal level. I'm moving on to book two to see what's in store for us next!

NetGalley and St. Martin's Press provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. 

The Gentleman is at it again.  Targeting people who he thinks are a threat to his status in Charleston, SC.  This time the target is Tilly.  We met her in the three novellas that released this earlier by Tara Thomas.  She was a secondary character but now she's been thrust in his lime light.  Not that she knows anything about it, but she's about to find out.

Her childhood best friend, Keaton Benedict is a wealthy man but his family has hurt hers in the past.  They have a series of issues to work through before they can even become friends again.  

Oh my gosh all that's happening in this book!  If you love Romantic Suspense you'll love these new Tara Thomas books.  They are different from her Erotic Romance stories under Tara Sue Me.  The story flows and you may find yourself on the edge of your seat waiting for the shoe to drop!  Very captivating.  Definitely add this one to your collection.

3.5 stars. Don't let my number of stars mislead you. I really enjoyed this book! I am a sucker for drama in my stories, and this one did not disappoint! From the first pages, you can feel the danger lurking in the shadows. Tilly grew up with the daughter of a powerful Charleston businessman, but lost everything when a scandal hit. Fast forward a few years, Tilly is struggling to get by, paying rent and trying to graduate. But someone is after her.
I loved the drama, the suspense, and the push and pull back and forth between the characters.

This book has a little bit of something for everyone! Second-chance romance, friends to lovers, suspense, murder mystery, rich CEO type, and so much more!  Keaton and Tilly has lost contact for a number of years, so their re-connection was bittersweet. The circumstances around this were also bittersweet. I loved watching them fall in love, and the over-protective nature of Keaton was something to swoon over!

I really liked the high drama, high intensity and fast-paced action of this new book, and you can be certain I will be reading the follow-up books!

As much as I liked this story, there were a few parts that seemed a bit far-fetched to me, or unrealistic, which is why I rated down a little. But please don't let that detract you from reading this book, as it was really well written! Everyone reads a different book, and i read this one straight after I beta'd, so my analytical brain was in overdrive. Most readers will not have the same reaction as I did, but I always let my first reactions guide my reviews.

This book was the perfect mix of suspense and romance. I loved Keaton and Tilly’s story. I loved that they reconnected so quickly and immediately wanted to pursue their relationship. It’s so exciting reading a book that keeps you guessing at who is doing what and what on earth could possibly happen next.

This book was made even better because there ended up being two separate types of crimes going on with separate culprits. One you find out about before the ending, the other is still left hanging in the balance as we still don’t know who The Gentleman is.

I can’t wait to get the next book in this series to see what else we find out about.

This was my second read by Tara Thomas after the first of the prequel novellas to the Sons of Broad series. Although I didn’t like the novella, this first novel length book of the series was much better. Just as I thought, romantic suspense, at least for me, reads better when it’s longer.

Tilly Brock and Keaton Benedict had been friends when they were both young and their families were close. Then a scandal about Tilly’s father-that he stole money from the Benedicts- caused the two families and the two friends to drift apart. Until one day, when they met again by chance, and while wanting to try to rekindle their friendship and let go of the past, they also have to battle with an unknown enemy to them both.

I did like both Tilly and Keaton. Coming from a very wealthy and powerful family, Keaton didn’t come off as a self centered prick, which is what scares me the most about such characters. And Tilly, as a struggling waitress and student, was not the crying mess her predecessor was. I liked her practical nature.

Perhaps the romance was a bit rushed for my taste, but I’m willing to let that slide for the sake of Tilly and Keaton’s past friendship and obvious crush. The action though, with a shady character named The Gentleman, was interesting. The whys of his actions, and the ongoing mystery surrounding the Benedict family was what attracted me the most in the story.

I’m adding three spoonfuls of this story into my hodgepodge, and looking forward to returning to Charleston to see how the rest of the brothers fare.