I wanted to love this book, but I felt there was just something missing. What I can’t put a finger on and it’s bugging me. I was an okay read but it didn’t engage me enough to make me want to read the next book. Thank you for letting me read this book.

This book attempts a steamy romantic thriller that falls flat. And ends in a cliffhanger. During the set up, no real questions are answered, and the reader may be left feeling frustrated but not in a good way a reader should; in anticipation of the next book. I stayed very confused and only read to the end, hoping at least some of my answers would come. Glad I didn't hold my breath waiting.

Also the relationship between Tilly and Keaton was rushed. The reader is aware that there's a previous connection but it happened years prior. So when, within days of reuniting, these two are an instant love connection it fills forced. It's akin to walking in, in the last third of a movie, expecting to know the plot. It didn't work for me. There is a few flashbacks but for me they were oddly placed and just begged more questions than answers. I'm not anticipating the next book. And wouldn't recommend this story, either.

I really enjoyed this one and it was twisty good from the beginning to the end. Keaton Benedict has graduated from college and come home to take his place in the family business, much to his dismay, and on a night out with friends at a gentleman's club he is intrigued to see someone he thought he would never see again. Tilly Brock was his best friend from childhood and she and her family were embroiled in a scandal and forced to move and he was told they moved to Texas but they didn't move away. Tilly is two months from graduation from college and will be out from under this job as a waitress and is floored to see Keaton. What starts as a chance meeting turns into several murders, Tilly's apartment being vandalized, her life being threatened, and a psycho woman turned wanna-be fiance to keep this thriller romance twisting and turning along. There was a three-book prequel you didn't have to read to make sense of this one but it was good too. I am looking forward to the next one in this series and have it on my kindle already!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

I went into this super excited by the premise of this book. It seemed like the perfect twisted romantic suspense that would pull me out of a book funk. Unfortunately, this book didn't do it for me and had a few points and areas that needed to be more developed.
Tilly and Keaton (the romantic interests) were friends that grew up together. But a scandal that was kept secret from them rocked Keaton's family and had his friend moving away from him without so much as a word and tearing them and their friendship apart. Fast forward years later after no contact and Keaton sees Tilly literally across a crowded room and instantly knows her and falls for her. What follows is what had me questioning if I missed something in a previous book or had missing pages somewhere. But this is book one in a series, so I am guessing I just didn't follow some parts the way it was intended.
Keaton's family was the rich family and it's all about a name in a small town in the south. Tilly's family was the loyal family that would do anything to stay together. But it's not all about loyalty and love when you want to succeed. It's all a facade and someone always wants to bring down the big guy that rules the town.
Secrets, murder, love and brothers is the connection in the book. Unfortunately, I did not feel the connection between the characters and could take or leave "the bad guy". When any action went down, there seemed to be something else taking place on the side that didn't connect with who the 'villain' ended up being. As I've stated before, I just felt as if I was missing something.
A decent premise and idea for a story just not executed in the way it could have been. Disappointed.

Darkest Night by Tara Thomas is the first full length novel in the Sons of Broad romantic suspense series. There were three novellas that opened the series that featured a different main couple than the full length books do so it’s not totally necessary to have read them but they did give a glimpse into the story.

In this first full length book the story has been turned over to Tilly Brock and Keaton Benedict. Tilly had been working in the bar with the main character from the novellas where she admitted to still harboring a crush on Keaton but didn’t think their paths would ever cross again as they ran in completely different circles now.

One night Keaton happens into the bar where Tilly is working and when he sees her he is taken back to his teen years and their first kiss before they were abruptly separated. As the two begin a relationship though they find themselves quickly falling into danger as it becomes apparent Tilly is the target of a killer.

Darkest Night is one of those books that while I enjoyed it I do think there is room for improvements to be made in the next book. The series does seem to have a decent fast pace which I enjoy quite a bit and mixes the suspense and the steamy chemistry rather well as the story moves along.

However, in this opener I think it had a bit too much going on to be honest. Not only do you have Tilly, Keaton and the shadowy figures putting them in danger but the author tried doing a lot with the side characters in this one which could tend to lose focus. Tilly and Keaton hadn’t seen one another in years but you blink and they are in love, a little build up for them would have been nice instead of so much with the future characters in the series.

In the end I’m giving this installment of the series 3.5 stars and will still of course look forward to the next book but hopefully it focuses on it’s main couple and the danger instead of bringing in the extra that this one had.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This first full length novel in the Sons of Broad series was enjoyable to read. As it had mystery, intrigue and even a touch of suspense. It also held my interest and I liked the fact there's an ongoing storyline, and you're drip fed bits of information as this story progresses. Which means I have a few theories and ideas, that I'm looking forward to finding out if I'm right about.
As for the three Benedict brothers, I liked them all a lot and I enjoyed the romance that developed between youngest brother Keaton and Tilly and I'm certainly looking forward to the next book which features middle brother Knox and Bea.
And anyone who enjoyed the three prequel novellas featuring Bea's half brother Brent and Tilly's friend Janie. Is sure to enjoy Darkest Night too.

The story of Tilly and Keaton’s romance was sweet with some steamy moments. I enjoyed seeing them reconnecting, but I wasn’t sure how realistic it was since Keaton had become a harden playboy and Tilly worked in a Gentleman’s club. Even though I’m not completely sure who the ‘Gentleman’ is, it was obvious to me who one of the main villains was. Overall, I enjoyed the story and read it all in one day. I receive a copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. It was a fun story, though a little too melodramatic at times. I would be interested in reading another book in this series.

Great first story in a series. Hero is Keaton Heroine is Tilly. This is a story that has many layers. But it’s also a story that shows never to give up on true love. Tilley and Keaton were separated when they were young. But they reconnect at a club . Keaton is still in love with Tilly Keaton is from a well off family . But someone called the Gentleman is after Keaton and his brother . Who is it and why

3.5 Stars Darkest Night is the first full book in the Sons of Broad series.

In this romantic suspense someone is out to kill the Benedict sons and is prepared to take out anyone else close to them along the way. I enjoyed this story but felt in parts storylines were cut short. I look forward to seeing where the next book takes us and will continue to read this series

This series has three prequel stories and for the best enjoyment I would recommend reading them in order.

Sons of Broad reading order so far:

Shattered Fear (Sons of Broad Book 0.5)
Hidden Fate (Sons of Broad Book 0.6)
Twisted End (Sons of Broad Book 0.7)
Darkest Night (Sons of Broad Book 1)

3.5 Stars

Darkest Night was a suspenseful, fast-paced read with a second chance at love romance and a plot that never lets up.

After a shocking scandal destroyed her family, Tilly Brock learned the hard way that nothing in life is easy. For Keaton Benedict, everything came too easy as the privileged youngest son in the renowned Benedict family. When Keaton and Tilly meet for the first time in eight years, neither of them is sure what will come of their renewed friendship. But after a startling string of violence occurs connected to all aspects of Tilly's life, Keaton and Tilly's newfound relationship will be put to the ultimate test.

Tilly has had to take care of herself in the years since the scandal that destroyed her family. With both of her parents dead, she has learned to be independent and provide for herself. Only a few months from graduating after putting herself through college, Tilly is determined to hold onto her horrible job as a server at a gentleman's club to pay the bills until she graduates. Tilly is a very strong person and despite her bad situation, she is incredibly kind to others and always willing to help anyone out. She can be quite stubborn and resents being told what to do.

Keaton has always lived a privileged life as the youngest Benedict son. He's known as a bit of a playboy and has never found anyone he would consider settling down for. A recent college graduate, Keaton is expected to take up his place in the family company, but he struggles with accepting his future. Keaton would rather spend his time giving back to those less fortunate and instead would like to create a charitable division in the company to help those in need. Keaton is very close with his brothers and loves them despite their differences.

Tilly and Keaton were each other's first crushes and were together constantly as children due to their mothers being friends and them being neighbors. After Tilly moved away the two lost touch and didn't speak for nearly eight years. After finding each other again, the two quickly fall back into their old friendship and their relationship progresses very quickly from there. The two have great sexual chemistry and those scenes were quite enjoyable, but I struggled a bit with their relationship outside of the bedroom. I think everything just moved a bit too quickly for me to buy into the relationship.

It was exciting to see The Gentleman return after watching him orchestrate everything that happened in the prequel novellas. The man has a serious dislike of the Benedict family and I'm curious to eventually learn the reasoning behind that. People drop left and right in this book and I was honestly surprised by just how much violence there was. This book never lets up with the plot against Tilly and the Benedicts which definitely made my head spin a little. I'm interested to see where things go from here as not everything was resolved and it looks like we won't be seeing the last of The Gentleman for a while.

Darkest Night was a fun read and a good first full-length installment in the Sons of Broad series. I look forward to reading the second book in the series, Deadly Secret, when it releases next month. I would recommend reading the prequel novellas first as it gives you a better understanding of who some of the characters are.

I ended up DNFing this one at 20%. The main characters didn't click for me and "The Gentleman" didn't work at all.

Excellent read! This is a hard one to review without spoilers. Since the best part of this book is the anticipation you feel with every twist and turn of the story I don't want to give anything away. So I'll just say if you enjoy a good suspense filled book this one is for you!! Tilly and Keaton's characters are amazing and the writing is excellent. Their story is a full scale roller coaster ride you don't want to miss.

There is a novella prequel series that although you don't have to have read to enjoy this book I do recommend that you read them. I can't wait for the next book and definitely recommend this one.

Darkest Night follows on nicely to the three part prequel which was an introduction to some of the characters in Charleston. Surprise. Surprise. "The Gentleman" continues on his path of crime and manipulations.

Keaton is the youngest of the three Benedict brothers who have the reputation of being playboys. He has just graduated and is contemplating the right direction for his future.

Tilly was robbed of everything dear to her at a young age and has learnt to fend for herself. She is currently studying whilst waitraissing in a gentlemen's club. She is one of the few characters who featured in the prequel.

Keaton and Tilly were good friends, even shared their first kiss as teenagers and then her life changed drastically. She hasn't seen Keaton since that dreadful day and out of the blues, he turns up at the club. They are both pleasantly surprised and even though they have changed, the friendship and familiarity they once shared haven't changed. It turns out that there have been a lot of lies and deceits of which neither of them was aware. They easily pick up where they left off.

Someone is out to destroy the Benedict brothers and Tilly finds herself in the middle of a treacherous situation. There is a serial killer on the loose and his targets are all familiar to Tilly. Is she next? The person pulling the strings and his reasons for these atrocities remain a mystery.

Keaton fears for her life and offers protection, but there is another party who is just as dangerous. She dislikes Tilly and is set on a relationship with Keaton, whether he likes it or not. This only adds another layer and more intrigues to what's already happening.

I like Keaton's attitude and his mind set. Despite his wealth, he is down to earth and wants to contribute to a better world. Tilly has been through a lot of hardship, but she retains her compassion and works hard towards a better life. Their relationship is easy, comfortable and passionate.

This romantic suspense is very well paced and full of mystery. Even though some of the mysteries are uncovered and Tilly and Keaton realise their dream, there are still a lot of questions to be answered. This first installment is a good indication of what's to come. It's compelling, intriguing and addictive.

I was kindly issued with an eARC and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

This first book in the Sons of Broad series hooked me and made me want to read the next book. This is a romantic suspense read that moves quickly, and it has a slightly over the top soap opera feel. This series features the wealthy and influential Benedict family, namely brothers Knox, Kipling, and Keaton. This book focuses on Keaton, who unexpectedly reconnects with his childhood sweetheart, Tilly Brock.

Tilly and Keaton have explosive physical chemistry which is prominent in this story. To complicate matters, there is the seemingly evil and insane Elise, who has ties to Keaton's family and is blackmailing him to marry her.

But Elise is not Keaton and Tilly's only concern. There is also a murderer on the loose who seems to be targeting and closing in on them. The darkly menacing and dangerous character, The Gentleman, lurks throughout the book. There is also the mysterious young woman, Jade, who has some association with The Gentleman but there are hints that more is to be explained in upcoming books.

What I disliked about this book was that it is not a standalone and absolutely nothing is resolved at the end. Similar to a soap opera, everything carries over to the next installment. I would have preferred fewer cliffhangers as I was left feeling like the entire story was left incomplete. Having said that, I did like the introductions of Kipling, Knox, and their love interests, and presume they will feature in later books in this series.

A fast-paced story with a great mystery to solve.
In Darkest Night the first book in Tara Thomas new series Sons of Broad published under the St. Martin’s Paperback brand. You will find yourself submerged in a wild romantic suspense. Tilly Brock and Keaton Benedict were friends. However, before they could take their relationship further, Tilly’s family moved away under a dark cloud. But with a chance meeting, Tilly is torn between doubt and desire. But when bodies start to drop, and it seems that Tilly maybe the assailant next target. Keaton will have to use all family resources to keep the woman he loves alive.

Darkest Night was one phenomenal story. The story was fast pace with wild chemistry between the two characters. When it came to mystery suspense Tara Thomas held nothing back. With intrigue and romance, this book had everything a fan of romantic suspense would come to enjoy.

This book didn't work for me and I DNF'd. I didn't get far enough into the story to judge the writing. I just couldn't connect to the characters. I didn't realize it was a new adult story - I like my characters in romantic suspense to be a bit older and established. Thanks for the opportunity to review.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The summary of the book sounded promising, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The two main characters- Keaton and Tilly reconnect after 8 years when Keaton sees Tilly waitressing at a gentleman's club. Even though they were close when they were younger, I would have thought 8 years of separation following a family scandal would have meant some discussion about what happened and earning trust. However, they get together like nothing ever happened.

The suspense side of things left me confused as well. If people that I knew were dropping dead all around me, I would have been freaked out and not carrying on business as usual. There is also no hint or explanation of why the big bad is targeting Tilly or what his plan is. And why are the cops not seeing a pattern in the killings? Charleston doesn't have a super high murder rate, so I would think several back to back would have been given more attention.

I see where the story was trying to go and maybe some questions are answered in the following books. I would definitely say the romance is at the forefront of this book and the suspense/thriller takes a backseat.

Darkest Night by Tara Thomas
Sons of Broad #1

The blurb made me want to read the book BUT the book did not live up to the blurb. I think this book should be marketed to YA/NA readers who may be more forgiving. As an introduction to a new series the brothers are introduced and we know they will each get their own book BUT for me I don’t think I am really interested in reading the series. That said, I would like to thank SMP and NetGalley for the ARC.

So, Tilly is working in a gentleman’s club and she and Raven are getting a lot of grief from twins that dance on stage. There is a “ruthless” killer out there killing off people that are close to Tilly. Keaton Benedict is the first boy that kissed Tilly and he shows up at the club Tilly works at. When she is threatened he takes her under his wing. Tilly will graduate from college soon and Keaton has just finished college and has an agenda for the family company (that I found rather unusual). There is someone called “The Gentleman” pulling the strings of what sounds like a secret group of some sort and he is the “mastermind” behind the drama of the story. Who is killing people was fairly easy to figure out. There was a lot going on but it didn’t seem to go anywhere…if that makes sense? Anyway, I finished it and do not think I will be reading more of this series.

2-3 Stars

In this first novel in the explosive, brand-new romantic suspense Sons of Broad series from Tara Thomas comes a novel of deadly secrets and hidden danger. In the sultry streets of Charleston, one family, ruled by its powerful, take-no-prisoners sons, has risen to the top. But a merciless enemy is out to destroy them…and everyone they hold close…

Based on the blurb I decided to read this book and I felt as I walked in in the middle of a movie. It felt like I was missing some of the story and it was choppy in its editing. The premise was good but there was too much action too fast and things alluded to that did not pan out ie. the homeless clothes in the alley. I got an idea of the other brother's love interest but I feel that it could be edited better. I got this for free from NetGalley.

What an incredible story!!! I loved it!!! This author simply or not so simply weaved an amazing tale of suspense, thrills and drama!! There was not one dull moment in this book. Not one. The characters were intriguing and engaging. There was so much going on in this book but it had perfect balance. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.