A momento that can possibly shift your life forever and a mystery that slowly unfolds will keep you riveted throughout the book. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Dark Memento is the first book in the Verona Bay series. I am a sucker for small town romantic suspense books. And I really enjoy some of the other Katie Reus series. There was enough romantic suspense to keep me hooked.

Wow this woman has had a lot of crazy bad shit happen in her life and I can’t imagine how she has stayed sane, much less because such a good person and a mom, but I can’t understand why Luca is so determined to make her see how important she is to him. I love pretty much anything that Katie Reus writes, but her new Verona Bay series is shaping up to be an intriguing and terrifying look into the darker side of the human psyche and the sickness of humanity that most of us prefer to hide from. Serenity’s youth was stolen when he lost her twin sister to a serial killer, but she managed to escape and bring him to justice. Bow she has returned to her hometown despite all those traumatic memories, hoping to begin a fresh life and Luca is a temptation that is almost irresistible even though she’s not sure she can handle another relationship after her divorce. When she begins receiving terrifying and anonymous gifts she knows she is in danger again and Luca is just the man to offer her protection. That protection begins to push them closer and closer and soon she can’t deny the attraction, but the danger escalates quickly and only together can they find a way to stop a killer and have a chance to explore their attraction and have a chance for a future together. Serenity was an interesting woman to get to know. She’s lived through a lot and she is trying to find a balance in her life, moving on and finding a way to rebuild her life, and her strength and determination prove she is a role model for her daughter through and through. Lucas is a true alpha male, determined to protect the woman that has stolen his heart and the girl that he is slowly beginning to see as his own. He puts his life on the line for them and at the same time refuses to let Serenity hide from the connection and chemistry that stirs between them. As this story is a true romantic suspense, the sensuality is a more subtle component of the story but it is most certainly not lacking in any way and I enjoyed each and every moment that Lucas and Serenity were together. I am looking forward to the next story in the series, though I definitely fear the darkness that Katie seems to be pulling out of her villains for this series and the crazy that she is showing. The beginning of another great series to be sure and a definite masterpiece.

Katie Reus has a brand new series! It is a romance all tied up in a psychological thriller! Dark Memento is the first in the Verona Bay series which I must say may not be the safest place to live. At least not for Serenity Washington.

Serenity Washington returns back to the small Florida town to raise her daughter. I really liked this character but probably wouldn’t have made the choice to return that she did. The relationship between Lucas and her becomes stronger as the story progresses from friendship to romance. It seemed normal for one who had lost their husband while still young. She has become strong and self-reliant. While Lucas is also strong and capable, he is not the overbearing protecting alpha. I liked him, his bearing and his demeanor.

The plot has some twists and turns that I expect in this author’s books. The current villain was a surprise somewhat but entirely believable. The FBI agents and other law enforcement really added to the believable too. The suspense builds just as the romance blooms between Serenity and Lucas. But like all Katie Reus stories you can count on a happy ending. Now I am trying to choose who I think will be next to get their story. There are several supporting characters that I hope do.

4.5 Stars
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

quite a lot of twists and turns that didnt guess - felt the romancey side took away from the main thrust of the book but not a bad read

This romantic-suspense kept me guessing until the author decided to reveal who the baddie was. I really, really like it when I can't figure it out and that is the high point for this book. The setting is in a small coastal town in Florida, but it could have been set anywhere. The setting didn't live, it didn't add anything to the story and that is a major disappointment. Both the plot and the writing were good and the book was a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

I love Katie Reus. She is a go-to romantic suspense author for me, and I am never disappointed. That being said, this book was not necessarily on my top ten, but it was still a good read. There's just something about torture and serial killers that is so darkly twisted and fascinating. And of course when a book on this topic is fiction, I am brave enough to read about it.

I think one of the reasons this isn't on my top ten by this author is that her specialty, normally, is creating interesting, rich characters with equally rich and entertaining friends (who often star in their own books). This wasn't the case in Dark Momento. The characters fell a little flat for me, and the heroine's lack of friends and the trauma that kept her somewhat isolated were a disappointment. I felt like I couldn't really visualize these characters, nor did I know much about them at all.

As I said, I love Katie's style, and I am always looking forward to her next book. This was a 3 star book for me and possibly unfairly because I am comparing to the numerous wonderful books I have read from her in the past.

***4 Stars***

The title was the lure, the blurb was the hook and I gotta say, this one definitely hooked me right from the start and I gotta say, it was one hell of a ride.

I really liked Serenity and Lucas. Both of them have lived through their own hell’s and come out stronger for it. Lucas is charming and protective. Serenity is sweet, sassy and genuine. I really enjoyed their journey to their HEA. It was obvious there was a spark between them from the start, so being thrown together thanks to a psychopath, brought them closer and I liked how everything played out between them and loved how things worked out for them in the end.

This was a very well thought out and written romantic suspense, one that kept me guessing until the big reveal. The multiple 3rd person POV’s were done very well and really gave a lot of depth to all aspects of the story. I also liked how the romance and mystery were well balanced throughout the entire book and neither one overtook the other. The secondary cast of characters were all very well written and I’m definitely looking forward to getting to know them all better.

I really enjoyed the prologue; it was gripping and disturbing and was a great lead into the story. This is a romance/suspense, lighter on the romance however, although it simmered throughout as friends to lovers. Serenity's story starts eight years after her twin was brutally murdered in front of her. She's now a widow with a 6 year old and has started a new life back in her home town when after a few months the murders begin. Lucas features throughout as Serenity's friend and they gradually became closer as the story advances and she needs protection. There are a couple of steamy romance scenes in the second half. I'm startled to say that I actually picked the UNSUB early on, which really stunned me - I NEVER get it right!!

This novel was well written and interesting enough that I pretty much read it though in one sitting (apart from dinner). There were several points of view from different characters throughout, (including the unsub) which made sense, as we needed to see some scenes away from the H/h to understand the unfolding story. It's easy to read and understand and is plot and dialogue driven for the most part. There are quite a lot of characters, but it was no problem to follow who everyone was as they were introduced gradually. I did enjoy and would recommend this book and author to romantic suspense lovers. I will read more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. 3.5 stars.

Serenity and her twin sister, Savannah, were kidnapped by a serial killer and Serenity had to watch Savanna be tortured and killed before she escaped. It’s been 8 years since that time and Serenity is trying to put her life back together when the first gift arrives and her friends start dying. How is the serial killer attacking her from prison?

Great read! Fast paced and thrilling. The characters really draw you in and make the pages disappear.

Thank you NetGalley and Katie Reus for this advanced reader edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partners

This is an intense mysterious read full of suspense. Serenity has a terrible past and after her husband dies she returns to her home town. She has a crush on Lucas but will not act on it. When the past stars to hunt her down Lucas is the one she leans to. Lucas is determined to get to the end of the mistery and to make Serenity his although she fights their attraction on every step. A great page-turner, I loved that the author deceives the reader about the suspect and that the story is not predictable. I loved how love develops between Lucas and Serenity.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

The storyline is quite suspenseful with plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested, and I didn't guess "whodunnit" till they were revealed. However, for me, the romance part of the story distracted from the suspense, and the characters did not have enough depth for me to actually care whether they got together or not.

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.
I’ve read a number of paranormal books by this author so this was a good change of pace from that. I loved both Lucas and Serenity as they try to uncover whose after Serenity. I also liked the side characters as well. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Oh my goodness this is so good. I could not put it down and cannot wait for the next book. I loved the mystery, suspense and romance that was expertly woven throughout the story. The chemistry between Serenity and Lucas is so amazing I could feel the air crackling around me as I read. I hope you enjoy their story as much as I did.

Katie Reus has penned a wonderful start to a new series, and I feel she has stepped up her game with this one. The suspense elements, while strong in former books, seem to be at a deeper level. The romance is good between Serenity and Lucas, and I liked that suspense was a central part of the story instead of taking a backseat to the romance. I can’t wait for the next book.

This is the first book in Katie Reus' new series Verona Bay. Eight years ago, Serenity Washington and her twin sister, Savannah, were kidnapped and Serenity escaped but her sister was murdered. After the death of her air force husband, Serenity and her daughter move back to her hometown of Verona Bay to start over. Within months of her homecoming, Serenity receives an anonymous gift: her sister's bracelet that was never recovered after her death and a note. There are more gifts and missing women and even though her sister's killer, Michael Black, a confessed serial killer, is behind bars, Serenity feels targeted and afraid for herself and her daughter. Former marine, Lucas Jordan, respects Serenity's claim that she is not looking for a relationship but when she is targeted, he steps up to protect her and her daughter.
This was an excellent start to the series! Reus does a fantastic job of weaving the suspense and suspicion over several characters and keeps you guessing as to who is the real culprit until the very end, without leading you in any specific direction. Reus does give you some insight with the villain's POV, but it did not detract from the story. The developing romance between Serenity and Luke was sweet and not a huge part of the book other than the two of them learning to lean on each other. Looking forward to the next book!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Serenity is a strong heroine, she survived a serial killer but her sister’s murder still haunts her. She wants to dedicate herself to her daughter and her business and doesn’t feel she’s ready for an affair, even less a relationship, even if she fantasizes over the hero’s body. She tries to turn down Lucas even when he tells her he can settle for just a friendship between them if it’s what she prefers. So her change of mind seems to be made overnight and to come from nowhere.

Lucas is a nice and understanding hero who’s determined to be in the heroine’s life even if it’s just as a friend. He’s a former soldier and he doesn’t hesitate to assume the role of a bodyguard for Serenity and her daughter from the beginning of the threats. There’s some sensuality between them but I admit I didn’t see the evolution of their feelings.

However I thought the suspense was more grabbing. The prologue is rich in emotion, and if the rhythm slows down a little after that I thought we were still drawn in the search for the culprit in a satisfying way. We have glimpses of the culprit’s thoughts, we have suspicions about how he’s situated in relation to the murderer of the heroine’s sister, but without knowing enough to guess his identity, which is a fact I always appreciate in a RS.

As one of the hero’s brothers, the sheriff, is more present in Dark Memento than the other, I suppose he’ll be the hero of the next volume. I'll keep an eye on this.

She was the one who got away and the serial killer who had targeted young college aged women was caught and put behind bars thanks to her testimony. Now widowed and a single mom she comes back to her home town and attempts to put down roots again. However it seems that her return has awakened a sleeping killer who is taunting her with mementoes that the killer had taken from the murdered girl that had never been recovered.

As the body count of the people close to Serenity begins to rise and the killer continue to taunt her will the FBI and the handsome construction worker who wants to be more than a friend be able to keep her safe. In an interesting race against time the author gives us glimpses of the killers mind and thoughts as the FBI races to put together the clues and catch a killer who potentially is in Serenity's friend circle now and originally when she and her twin were kidnapped.

Excellent suspense and story building.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

This romantic-suspense kept me guessing until the author decided to reveal who the baddie was. I really, really like it when I can't figure it out and that is the high point for this book. The setting is in a small coastal town in Florida, but it could have been set anywhere. The setting didn't live, it didn't add anything to the story and that is a major disappointment. Both the plot and the writing were good and the book was a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

Serenity Washington survived while her twin sister didn't. A serial killer kidnapped them and Serenity had to watch as her sister died knowing that she would likely be murdered also. That just made her more determined to escape, and she did. She was also determined to live a normal life, but her past was really hard to overcome. When her Air Force husband dies on active duty, she moves back to Verona Bay, FL, a place she wants to raise her child in and where they can both be happy.

Lucas Jordan is a former Marine who has also come home to Verona Bay. He is a partner with his cousin in a construction business and he has his eye on Serenity Washington. She thinks he is just a friend, but Lucas wants more, much more than to be her friend. He is letting this take its' own sweet time, because Serenity is worth it.

When Serenity's peace is shattered by a sinister "gift" Lucas is not going to let anything happen to her and is determined to protect Serenity and her daughter, and find to person responsible. As Serenity and Lucas grow closer, Serenity comes to realize that maybe it is good to have someone she can lean on, especially when her friends go missing and it looks like the serial killer who murdered her sister had a partner and now they are coming for Serenity.

I'm not always a fan of long-running series because there's always the inevitable repetition of characters and sameness, so I'm sometimes hesitant to get into a new one. But I like Katie Reus, and am happy I delved into this new world of Verona Bay. She did a nice job of peppering clues in to keep the suspense going, and the friends-to-lovers element worked well.