It’s been a long time since I read a romance thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Beneath Dark Waters has restored my faith in the genre. Highly recommend this one!

When Kai hires Broussard Investigation in the wake of a kidnap attempt of his son Elijah, his life changes more than he could have imagined. Val, who is assigned as Elijah's bodyguard,might have a tough exterior (and the experience to back it up) but she's got a big heart and a big dog. There are good guys, bad guys, and those you won't be sure about as Kaj and Val find themselves navigating corruption and organized crimes. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is fast paced romantic suspense from a master storyteller.

Trigger Warning: PTSD, Child Abuse, Torture, Rape

Book #2 in the New Orleans Series. However, this book can be read as a standalone. Some of the characters from Book #1 make a comeback but there are no spoilers or anything.

I would say this one is a slow burn, especially compared to the Sacramento Series (which I adore!) but it does pick up near the end and I couldn’t put the book down.

In good Karen Rose fashion, I loved the characters and loved that they always become a little family hub! We briefly heard about Val in Book #1 but it was nice to learn more about Val’s past and she’s such a badass, empowering character, I would read lots more books with her as the main character for sure!

I did really enjoy the story as a whole, but I think I wasn’t in the mood for romance because I found the relationship between Val and Kaj cringy for some reason, like it was happening too fast and there was no development. Maybe it was just my headspace though but that’s one of the reasons I only gave a 4-star rating for this one. Overall, if you are in the mood for suspense and romance you will definitely love this one! Karen Rose never disappoints, and I will forever keep reading her books!

Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose is the 28th book in her Romance Suspense novels, and the 2nd book in her New Orleans series. As I have mentioned previously, I am a big fan of Karen Rose, as her suspense thrillers are amazing, and unputdownable. Beneath Dark Waters is another fabulous book that is once again over 600 pages. Rose always creates fantastic heroes and wonderful secondary characters, as well as evil villains; and this does not change in this book, as she writes another masterpiece. Beneath Dark Waters is a tense, violent, exciting, non-stop action filled story that kept me on the edge of to my seat from start to finish.
We meet Assistant DA J.P. (Kaj) Cardozo, when his 10-year-old son, Elijah, who was almost kidnapped. Kaj fears for his son’s life, especially since he doesn’t trust some of the New Orleans Police Department, and hires Broussard Investigations to protect him. Burke Broussard’s private investigation firm has an excellent reputation, and after talking to Kaj, Burke assigns Val Sorenson, a former marine, to be his son’s bodyguard.
Val is very good at her job, and has been very successful in protecting young kids, as well as having a past connection implicating drug gangs. Val is a strong, savvy and fantastic guardian, very caring around children; she also ensures that Elijah, being a diabetic, takes his medicines and eats the proper food. Val moves into Kaj’s home, with her dog, Czar (huge dog), who has been trained. I quickly fell in love with Czar and how close the dog protected Elijah.
Val, Kaj, and other members of the Broussard team, begin to investigate deeper into the kidnapping attempt, realizing that is a more dangerous and explosive crime, between a drug gang, murderers who will stop at nothing to kill anyone standing in their way, as well deep corruption in the New Orleans P.D. Kaj, Val and Elijah, as well as members of the team, find their lives deep in danger. Kaj is currently working on two high profile cases, involving the death of a doctor, who was beaten to death, as he was blamed for the death of his son; the other is a trial with an actress accuseing an evil man of rape. Both cases have some connection, with a group of evil and dangerous hired killers, who have no qualms of committing murder; as well as the police corruption.
Both Val and Kaj slowly become attracted to each other, not to mention Val also becoming attached to Elijah. They each have their own past trauma, with each sharing their history. Kaj having lost his wife to cancer, and taking good care of his so; Val was brutally raped by three Marines, which she needed therapy to move on with her life.
Corey Gates, and his friends Bobby and Ed are evil villains, who have involvements in both of Kai’s cases, and will stop at nothing to get what they want, even killing the younger Gates brothers. Throughout the book, from start to finish, there were so many murders, emotions, grief, torture, PTSD, as well as twists and turns. Who will survive the onslaught?

What follows is an intriguing, intense, exciting, and edge of your seat suspense story line that had me holding my breath so many times. This story was very tense from all the way through, especially with the evil villains constantly killing off many innocent people. As we raced to the wild climax, I prayed for the for the survival of all the good people, and the demise of the main villain. I do not want to give spoilers, as you really need to read this book from start to finish.

Beneath Dark Waters was very well written by Karen Rose, which was an intense thriller, with non- stop action all the way. As I have said before, Karen Rose never fails to give us an amazing fantastic well written thriller that is intense, always on the edge, with fantastic characters, evil villains and a wonderful family you care for. If you love suspense, with a touch of romance and a thriller all the way, then look no further then Karen Rose.

Suspense readers will find this book hard to put down. Dark, twisted, evil people and their unimaginable plots throughout will keep reader's attention to the end. Val is back in this New Orleans drama hired to protect ten year old Elijah, the assistant DA, Kaj's son. Love Val's group of colleagues and their commitment to keeping people safe. Kaj determination to his job while taking care of his son is commendable. Highly recommended!

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Suspense, danger, action, intense moments, and romance are combined to provide readers with a fabulous read in Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose. This is the second book in the New Orleans romantic suspense series that is also partly a police procedural and a private investigator crime novel. If you like contemporary romances with lots of suspense and danger, then this book is one to check out. Except for the epilogue, the book takes place over the course of five days.

Assistant District Attorney Kaj Cardozo has only lived in New Orleans for six months, but he is known in both New York and in his new home city for his fight against corruption. He’s also working a high-profile celebrity assault case that is getting publicity across the country. When his son Elijah becomes the target of a kidnapping attempt, Kaj hires Broussard Investigations to protect Elijah. Val Sorensen is the person assigned to be his bodyguard and the firm is hired to investigate the incident. The investigation reveals more than they bargained for, as drugs, corruption, and murder are discovered.

Kaj, Val, and Elijah are likeable characters. Kaj is kind, understanding, and determined to help his boss root out corruption in the area. However, he also fears for his son’s safety. Val is a Marine veteran, tenderhearted, capable, and thoughtful. However, she is also estranged from her sister Sylvie. Elijah is ten years old, smart for his age, and kindhearted. Kaj and Val seem to balance each other, but their attraction came on a little too fast. However, these strong protagonists with strong senses of determination were easy to get behind and hope that they succeed in their endeavors. Several characters from book one make an appearance in this one as well so readers can catch up on their lives as well. Some of the antagonists are known immediately while others are slowly revealed.

The prologue immediately grabbed my attention and the story continues with action, investigation by both the police and the private investigation firm, and plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged. The thrilling storyline, balanced with the emotional aspects of the work, made this a winner for me. The book was descriptive without slowing the pace, which is fast. Readers will get an excellent sense of the bayou, but I wanted a little more sense of New Orleans itself.

This riveting crime thriller, police procedural, and romantic suspense novel keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The novel builds suspense in a way that pulls readers into the lives of the characters. The plot is full of chasing down leads and interviewing people as well as plenty of danger for those involved. I enjoyed how the author provided unpredictable moments and a little humor, which offset some gruesome spots in this tale. Themes include murder, abduction, relationships, families, drugs, friendship, secrets, trust, assault, torture, corruption, and much more.

Overall, this briskly paced novel was engaging and atmospheric with great characterization. I can’t wait to find out who will be featured in the next book. I recommend this to those that like romantic suspense novels with relatable and likeable main characters.

Berkley Publishing Group and Karen Rose provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for August 15, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

When two brothers boch a kidnapping Val is hired to be the boys bodyguard it doesn’t help that she is extremely attracted to the nine-year-old‘s dad. I really had high hopes for this book especially after the beginning but I found myself losing interest and although I have read other Karen Rose books and have never felt out of place even though I didn’t read the whole series this one just wasn’t my favorite. Even when the nine-year-old Isaac was questioning Val I thought no nine year old would have such questions especially for an adult I know they have precocious children but really? Are usually do not have the popular opinion so you may actually love this book after all it wasn’t completely horrible and have some really redeeming scenes in the book especially with the brothers I guess because Karen Rose wrote it I was expecting to absolutely love it either way it is still entertaining and so I would still recommend you give it a try. I want to thank Net Galley and Berkeley publishing group for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I truly enjoyed the first book in this series and did with this one also except for a few distractions. First, let me say that the story was intriguing and well written. With a great Hero/Heroine (they save each other...), an adorable little boy, a dog, a setting as amazing as New Orleans, you have a great mix for a thriller. The bad guys are REALLY nasty and you will grow to dislike them...a lot...but here is one of the problems. You spend so much time with the bad guys that at times they almost seem to go into the "Keystone Cops" routine (if you don't understand the reference then look them up...) and *SPOILER ALERT, you hear the head bad guy saying "I'm going to kill 'bla, bla. bla'" a LOT. BUT don't let this dissuade you from reading this book. It really is good and I think you will enjoy it.

This book was a trip! I am not sure how Rose keeps bringing fabulous stories that consistently offer a wonderful balance of suspense and romance. This one is a fabulous ride into the deep depths of the bayou and New Orleans.

The best part of this story is the character development. She perfected the bad guys with all of the creepiness and meanness that draws you into the depths of the story. The supporting characters are wonderful as well. With a range of depth and conviction, Rose grabs your interest throughout this massive book.

The two main characters, Val and Kaj, were developed with heart and kindness, plus the growth of steamy heat and simmering love interest tempered the ugliness surrounding them.

This story is loaded with action, grit, gruesome imagery, and even some sweet lightheartedness that provides the balance to even out the crime and suspense levels.

Beneath Dark Waters is action-packed, compelling, and a massive read. Make sure to clear your schedule for this one. Long but so worth every page turn! Rose has mastered the art of writing suspense-laden romance and Beneath Dark Waters is addicting!

Thank you @berkleypub for the free book and @prhaudio for the audio version as well. My thoughts are my own.#penguinrandomhousepartner
#berkleypartner #berkley #berkleybookstagram

RELEASE DATE: 8/15/23
592 pages
19h 51m

This entertaining romantic suspense takes place in sultry New Orleans and it is the second book in Karen Rose’s 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙊𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 series. (I have not read book one yet but I had no trouble picking up the series with book two.)

SUMMARY: When public prosecutor J.P. “Kaj” Cardozo’s only son, Elijah, is almost kidnapped, Kaj hires Val Sorenson as a bodyguard for Elijah. The attraction is strong between Val and Kaj but they attempt to put their personal feelings aside, at first, in order to protect Elijah. However, as they get to know each other, things heat up!

Meanwhile, there are several plot points in this complex story, including:

*A father, Aaron Gates, murders his young son’s doctor when the son dies of leukemia. He is arrested.
*Brother Corey Gates runs a criminal gang and he is anxious to make a kill of Kaj’s high profile client - a kill that could make national news.
*A reporter gets too close to the truth for her own good.
*A foiled first-kidnapping attempt on Elijah (made by Rick and Jace Gates) leads to brutal consequences as
gang members are tortured and killed. Rick is arrested but Jace is not identified.
*A daring second kidnapping plan is set in motion.

The storyline is definitely fast-paced and engaging. The events all tie together nicely and are easy to follow, though I did have trouble keeping all of the Gates crime family brothers straight. The story unfolds through the third person perspectives of Val, Kai, Corey, and Jace.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Beneath Dark Waters is another excellent romantic suspense novel from Karen Rose. We are back in New Orleans and following Val and Kaj. Val is a bodyguard who is hired to guard the son of public prosecutor, Kaj, after a kidnapping attempt. The stakes grow higher, Kaj and Val find themselves drawn to each other.

This was a fun thrill-ride with a dash of romance and an adorable kid. Val and Kaj were very interesting leads and I enjoyed watching their romance unfold. The villains of the story were also complex. Overall, another hit for Karen Rose.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This entertaining romantic suspense title is the second in the New Orleans series and introduces us to more people in Broussard Investigations.

When Prosecutor Kaj Cardozo needs a bodyguard for his nearly kidnapped ten-year-old son Elijah, he goes to Broussard because he doesn't trust the New Orleans Police Department. Broussard assigns former Marine Val Sorenson to the case because she's good with kids and has a connection to the drug gang that was implicated in the attempted kidnapping.

Cardozo is working on two high profile cases. A man has beaten a doctor who specialized in childhood cancer to death because he blamed him for the death of his young son. The second case is that of a famous actress who has accused a film director of rape. It turns out that the cases have some connections that aren't obvious at first.

This was a twisty tale told in part by one of the major villains of the story who is a real evil character. I enjoyed the relationships in the story. Val and Kaj are two damaged people who are healing and find each other along the way. He is dealing with the loss of his wife to cancer and raising a very bright and diabetic son. She is overcoming the trauma of being raped by three of her fellow Marines and then not letting the Marine Corps cover it up.

Val is also dealing with the death of twin. Throughout this story, she learns more about her brother and learns that he wasn't the hero she thought he was which brings its own trauma to the situation.

So much happens in the 592 pages of the story that it is impossible to even hit the high points. But the story has people displaying courage in horrible situations and it is the story of a found family that is growing up around Broussard Investigations. I enjoyed it.

I typically enjoy Karen Rose's books. While I did enjoy this book, it just isn't my favorite of hers that I have read.

I was on board with this book in the beginning. I loved the characters, some I met in past books. I was all for the mystery and budding romance. I couldn't wait to see how the book took shape.

Eventually, the book started to drag. It was just a bit too much. The action scenes were not believable. All the twists and turns became exasperating and even more unbelievable than the previous one.

The overall "thing" that was the mystery became very convoluted and lost its luster for me. The book would have been much better had half of it been cut out. The story just drug on and on from about a third of the way in until about the last quarter of the book. I found I wanted to skim it a lot in the middle.

Overall, this book was okay. It's not one of the author's best works.

Another great book by one of my favorite authors! Karen never fails to draw you in from the first chapter and keep you until the last word.

I am not going to outline the book as you can read the blurb, but I will say you will experience so many emotions, live through a few murders, unearth a few secrets, do a lot of hoping/praying/cheering and maybe some crying, take a few twists/turns, but it will be all be worth it.

I hope future books include Jace and Phin's stories.

#Val #Kaj #Elijah #Burke #Family #GreatBook #NetGalley

OMG! Beneath Dark Waters is an exciting, wild ride with amazing characters, diabolical villain(s) and a storyline that will hold you captive until the very end!

I absolutely LOVE the story! All the characters are amazing, I was invested in each and every one of them and I need MORE of the New Orleans series!

Val and Kaj (spelled K-a-j and rhymes with pie) have explosive chemistry! I love them together. Kaj is a single dad with the cutest and smartest son ever and Val is Marine veteran and roller derby queen with lots of shadows in her eyes. They are brilliant together and the ensemble cast is equally brilliant! This book is my favorite in the series!

There are so many twists and turns and some surprise revelations that I did NOT see coming! Ms. Rose always gets me! I can’t say much more without spoiling but I will tell you that you MUST get this book! You won’t be sorry!

I don’t have one negative thing to say. It’s awesome! I highly, HIGHLY recommend Beneath Dark Waters, all the New Orleans books and the entire Romantic Suspense series from Karen Rose!

Undoubtedly going on one of my tops read of this year. It had me sat on the edge of my seat through the entire reading’ time!! Loved it

DNF at 20%. This was not at all like the other book that I've read by this author. I was very diappointed with the pacing of this book and the lack of depth to the characters. So many characters were introduced in the small percentage that I've read that I had a hard time keeping track and I really didn't want to.

I just love Val and Kaj!! Their story was so worth the wait. Love this family, and this world. Best series ever that is so binge-able.

Beneath Dark Waters is a good romantic suspense novel, though one with more suspense than romance. Former Marine, Val, works for a private security firm as a body guard in New Orleans. After an attempted kidnapping, she is hired to protect a DA’s young son. The story develops from there with lots of bad guys, and several plot threads. The book is well written and well plotted. If pushed to name a downside, I would say it’s a little long and perhaps more complicated than necessary—lots of characters and motives to keep track of. All in all, a good read.
Be warned that, like the other Karen Rose books I’ve read, many of the characters are victims of past or present abuse, violence and/or extreme family disfunction.