Mercury “Merc” WatsonNot your average boy next doorHot stud, indie music fan, dirty mechanicWith a panty-melting grinAnd eyes that hide dark secrets… mine I can’t hope to touch him
Maybe it’s for the best.
I’ve sworn off men, you see. For good.
Until one day he asks me out.
Woo baby, right?
Only he thinks I’m my twin sister.
Then he admits that behind the golden façade he hides a dark secret and….
I’m hooked.
I need to know what it is. Solve the riddle.
Without losing my heart to him.
Easier said than done.
* Standalone contemporary romance novel in the Wild Men series *
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Dark Child is what I’ve come to think of a classic Jo Raven. Angsty, hot, romantic, dark, hopeful and can’t-put-down-able. Two broken people coming together and finding passion and love and healing. Loved it!!
Merc finds his happy ending!
Merc loves music and working as a mechanic. He goes to college and is a supportive brother and son. He is attracted to a girl in college but sometimes she ignores him and other times she smiles and talks to him. He can’t get her out of his head! But Merc is tortured by nightmares almost every night! Something bad must have happened to him as a child but he can’t remember and he isn’t sure if he really saw something bad or if it’s just his imagination. Will he be able to fight his demons and come to terms with his past? Will the girl he can’t forget become his? Merc is a very brave and loyal man and I loved his relationship with his family, they support and love each other! Cosima is the ideal girl for him, she loves her sister and is willing to sacrifice herself for her sister’s sake. They’ve both been hurt in the past but when they admit their feelings, they are determined to fight for their future together! I loved their chemistry! I can’t wait for the next books by Jo Raven!
Dark Child is Merc’s story whom you meet from Octavia’s (Caveman) and Gigi’s (Badwolf) stories. Merc is the youngest brother to Octavia and Gigi. He works at Matt’s Mancave Mechanic shop.
This book is so fantastic. Mercury & Cosima have a rough start to their relationship due to miss communication. But s shortly fixed up. Merc has been pinning over ‘psycho girl’ for a while and couldn’t figure out why she was so hot and cold with him.
This book heartwrenching story, raw and gritty. I loved every minute of this book. Merc and Cos’s story is written in dual POV. This book is a stand-alone and can be read without having read Caveman, Badwolf and Mancave. But having said that you won’t get to really appreciate and understand its significance to have them appear in Merc’s story.
Once again Jo you have written another fantastic book and can’t wait to see what’s next from you.
I’ve definitely been waiting on Merc’s story since Mancave, and this book was pretty good. I love the way Jo Raven continues to give readers a tortured, yet sweet hero, and Merc is right up there as one of my favorites. I’m not completely sold on Cosima though. There were just some things about her that didn’t quite make me fall in love with her. Still, I love Jo Raven and look forward to more books from her in the future!
5 Stars…
So anyone who reads my reviews probably knows how much I love this author. I have been a devoted fan since she released her first book, Asher. Every single one of her books gives me heart palpitations. Jo Raven is amazing at writing books where boundaries are always crossed, hearts are torn to shreds and life is not pleasant. Her characters, specifically her heroes, are broken, emotionally and sometimes physically tortured. They have strong physical attributes but their hearts are heavy. What I love most is while she puts her characters through emotional trauma, Jo will always give you their healing. That said, Dark Child was another amazing book by Jo Raven. This author still sits at number one on my favorite author’s list.
The genre of this book states contemporary romance. In addition, this book is dark, angsty, suspenseful and passionate. If you’ve read Jo’s previous books, you’ll know they all interconnect in some way. Merc is Gigi and Octavia’s younger brother. And we’ve met him several books ago when he was just 15/16 years old. He is now 19 and a college student. He has a part time job at Matt’s (his brother-in-law) garage. I will say that Merc was an amazing character. There was nothing about him I didn’t like, except the emotional torture he suffered in this book. My heart was so heavy for him.
I don’t want to go into any details for fear of spoiling anything for you. I can tell you that Merc suffers from horrific nightmares. He tries to keep this to himself but ends up being something he can’t handle on his own. When he meets Cosima at school, he is instantly attracted but confused by her hot/cold behavior toward him and this only adds to his already rising stress level. But sometimes things aren’t always what they seem. Cosima was a perfect heroine for Merc. She was the calm in his trauma.
There were some predictable aspects in this book. I loved how Jo gave Merc his healing. It wasn’t quick or easy which made his issues believable. And I’ll add that the dynamic of Merc and his family is precious. They are loving , protective and loyal to a fault.
There are several new characters introduced in Dark Child. I know will be giving us their stories soon. Of course we get tidbits and hunts of the premises and I have my suspicions where she may go. Especially with JC. I absolutely can’t wait for those books!
Dark Child can be read as a standalone. However, I found that having previously read the other sibling’s books, make me appreciate the story much more. So if you haven’t, I recommend you check out this author’s other books.
This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you taking the time to read it. 🙂
ANGST. HEARTBREAK. MYSTERY. LOVE. FAMILY. These are words I think of when I try to explain what I felt reading Merc’s story DARK CHILD.
Merc is trapped within his mind not knowing how to process what he has witnessed as a child. His mind has blocked him from the trauma but expresses itself every night in the form of the same re accruing nightmare over and over day after day….
Cosima (cos for short) is a twin to her sister Sophie and believes she is the dark version of her sister, the one that is forgotten so to speak, not worthy of love but everything changes when Merc can’t get her out of his head.
The attraction is instant, even though Merc is confused by her Hot and Cold personality with him… not knowing she is a twin until later.
Cos is the only thing that quietens the noise inside Merc’s mind, with her beside him everything dulls and he has peace something he has never felt since he was 4 years old on that one fateful night that he walked out of his front door and didn’t return until the following morning.
This was an amazing read and sets you up for Ross, Sophie and JC in upcoming stories which REALLY excites me!!! I can’t wait to discover their lives.
I have read all the other books in the Inked Brotherhood family. I loved them all. Merc’s book has a different feel to it that just seems right to me. Well written. Character development good and secrets revealed in a believable manner. I also liked seeing related characters where they are now.
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO HARD! I love this series so much, but this one was even better. This story definitely was different than the others. Yes, it was still a love story, but it was darker and deeper. Just dark enough to really captivate me! I loved Merc throughout this whole series and I couldn’t wait to finally see more of him.
I really adored everything about Merc and Cosima. I loved how they met and how they began their relationship, it was so admirable! She just seemed so perfect for him and they really seemed at home with each other. She brought a nice calm to his life. Then of course we got to see more if his family, which I love. I think it’s great how close they all are, and Cos seemed to fit in great. There were so many little moments between Merc and Cos and with the family that I couldn’t help but say aw.
Now for the darker parts, this really captivated me. I couldn’t wait to keep reading when I had to stop, I even had dreams wondering what might happen next. The dark parts were so crazy and such a big part of this story. This really took this story on a different level from the others. The others weren’t all sunshine and rainbows, but this story took on a much darker tone. It was a nice step out of the box from their story. I’m really curious to see what Jo might come with next and if we will see more from the family
Normally I don’t go for the good guys I’m more into the bad boys however who the author gives us is Mercury. Everyone thinks he has it together but underneath he’s full of tortured emotions. I really enjoyed reading the family dynamics in the story they give each other unconditional support. This was an engaging story that pulled me in from the start with characters I was routing for.
I’ve been waiting for Merc’s story since he was first introduced in ManCav, and I can tell you I wasn’t disappointed. I loved it. I think I loved this even more than anything because it wasn’t your typical boy finds girl, looses girl then gets her again. Don’t get me wrong it had a fantastic love story, but it has so much more. One of my favourites from Jo Raven
Merc and Cosima are positively DREAMY!! So much angst, so much hot hot romance. I’m so glad I picked this up!
What a great book to this series! I just loved how these characters came together. Merc went through a lot as a child. His mom took care him and his sisters all alone. He has been there through a lot for his family while they went through challenging times. He’s currently trying to step out on his own. Getting is own place and going to college, trying to move on from his past. Life is still pretty challenging for him while he’s trying to deal with some demons that hes still dealing with from his past. Cosima has a twin sister that shes always been there for. She puts her life on the back burner fir her. While her own life is always a mess she tries to fix things for Sophie a lot. Cosima has had her own dark past she’s trying to run from which I think is why is one reason she helps her so much. Can they help each other in finding the peace they need? Will they be enough? Can the present erase the past? Only time will tell. The darkness of this book is so different from Jo’s normal books. Its totally still a love story but with such an amazing mystery and almost thriller vibe , I loved it. While this book is a stand alone it is interconnected with her other books she has. It was great to catch up with them. Enjoy!
Merc finally gets his story. All the mystery around his nightmares and secrets are discovered, but not without a lot of misery and dark days. He finds his solace in the beautiful Cosima, spending time with her, getting to know her and finally, desperately falling in love with her. Cosima struggles with her own issues, silently battering them, so she can let Merc in and help him through his unending night after night dreams of bodies, blood and fear, so much fear. Ultimately the mystery will be unraveled, but will they come out of it standing? Together? A lot of familiar faces make appearances, creating a well rounded tale full of angst, love, humor and acceptance.
Dark Child by Jo Raven is the first book by this Author that I have read. It is a dark and angst book that was well written and full of intense moments that had you digging your nails in wondering what will happen next.
Mercury and his family didn’t have much growing up but they did have each other. I love how close they all were and so supportive. Mercury however has issues… deep dark ones that invade his mind and they are consuming and intense. When he meets Cosima “psycho girl” he has something else to focus on and it gets crazy. Cos feels like she is the dark one of her and her twin and feels like she is unworthy and unable to be loved. When Merc and Cos meet its instant attraction and connection. As they move forward they seem to complete each other in a way that only they understand.
this book has many different feels and some wonderful secondary characters. If you like dark, twisted, and angry reads then you have a winner with this one..
As soon as I started this book, I felt like I was Alice and somehow I ended up in Wonderland. Everything is shrouded in mystery. Merc is dealing with issues that steam from his nightmares. Throw in a psycho girl, he’s pretty much dealing with a lot. Eventually he works out why pshyco girl is the way she is but now there are other issues cropping up. I’m really curious about the supporting characters in the book and can’t wait for their stories.
Another great read from Jo, this is Merc’s story – I’ve read this as a standalone, Merc being a brother from the Caveman and Bad Wolf books, which I haven’t read yet – this does not detract from the story, it is a great read and only makes you want to get to know the rest of the family!!
Jo’s boys she writes about always tend to be broken and hurt, Merc is a little different, something happened to him when he was about 4 yrs old, and his mind has repressed it, hiding away what really happened to him. But he suffers greatly from nightmares and the occasional flashback, unable to get any decent sleep due to his disrupted sleep pattern. He’s had his eye on a girl for a while but her hot and cold responses really throw him for a loop, which earns her the nickname of Psycho Girl!
Cosima has a twin, Sophie, who she stands in for at school sometimes, this is what Merc can’t understand, its actually two different girls not just one. Cosima really likes Merc and feels and instant attraction with him, but she herself has insecurity problems, feeling herself to be the ‘darker’ twin and not worthy of being loved.
When these two eventually get together this hit it off massively, she feels happy and loved by Merc, while Cosima is the balm to his mind, quietening everything within him. They are so sweet and cute together, with some crazy hot chemistry in there for added measure, their thing being up against a wall!!
A good storyline that will have you on the edge of your seat as the story unfolds. I loved the Merc’s family and how strong their love and connection is. Lots of characters in here who you need their story for, so several books coming later out of this!! I can’t wait. Highly recommended reading.
All I can say is Jo Raven did again with her latest book! I have loved Merc since he started making appearances in his sister’s stories and this was perfect match for the glimpses we saw of him. Mercury has something in his past even he doesn’t remember, but it manifests itself in his nightmares leaving him exhausted. When hr meets the one girl who stirs him more than any other he doesn’t understand the whiplash he gets from her. Little does he know there is more to than meets the eye and it will take hooking up and then screwing up to find out what it all means. Cosima has always been there for her twin sister and will drop everything to help her any way she can, even filing in for her on campus so she can do what she needs to do. When she sees Mercury, Merc, she is drawn to him in a way she has never experienced but the scars of her past make her cautious. Yet when they both decide to give this thing a go they go in with everything they have. When Merc needs someone the most Cos will be there, with his family, and when she needs someone Merc is there. When his past comes to light it will be Cos there with him every step of they way. I loved these two and this book had me hooked from the beginning.
Wow! Just Wow! I was waiting for Merc’s story and it was a amazing. It was so easy to fall for Merc and his loving personality. To read of the nightmares of of his past was hard but it was so beautifully written and engaging. I loved Cos and how she was lost herself yet Merc saw her. Merc and Cos were incredible together! The twists were definitely not what I expected to happen! Loved this story and can’t wait for more!!
I received a copy and voluntarily left a review and all opinions are my own.
I always know when I open one of Jo Raven’s books that I am sure to receive a tattooed and troubled young man who is struggling to breathe through emotional chaos and is about to find the love of his life while walking amongst his nightmares. What I didn’t expect was the amount of mystery that Jo Raven was going to deliver along with her signature steamy, heart pounding romance. Her characters Merc and Cosima kept me tangled in knots and wondering what was going to happen next while these two and their passions collide and keep us sweating.
Since meeting Merc in one of Jo Raven’s earlier stories, I couldn’t wait to get to know this blonde and gorgeous hero. While he came across as more of a jokester in her other books, we soon find out that there is a more serious and dark side to Merc that leaves readers breathless and wanting to know more. You know that saying “curiosity killed the cat” well Jo Raven was killing me slowly chapter by chapter and kept my interest piqued from page one until the last. I couldn’t help but fall helplessly for her “dream boy” and want to know everything about him. He fascinated me in every way. I have never wanted to delve deeper into a hero’s psyche so that I could cuddle him and make everything better.
Cosima is a young woman with lots of personality and flair that catches Merc’s attention and heart from the start. I couldn’t wait to get to know this heroine who puts everyone before herself and never fails to show kindness to others. She warmed my heart and carved a place there for herself page by page. If anyone can help save Merc from his demons, it is this bright eyed beauty and she shows us that at every turn.
Jo Raven delivers a suspense filled, emotional love story that will have you hanging on to every word until the very end! I highly recommend Dark Child for Jo Raven’s newest tortured hero and the young woman with a whole lot of heart that helps save him. I always open a book by Jo Raven and jump right in so that my heart can experience every upheaval of her amazing and beautifully inked characters. She keeps me addicted and happy with every page!
I really enjoyed this book!!! Merc has nightmares that keep him awake for sometimes days at a time. He doesn’t understand why but they are the same scenario every night. He tries to forget about them but they keep coming back. He meets Cosmia at school and he likes her but isn’t sure how she feels about him. Cos is trying to help her sister out…her sister Sophie has a boyfriend who is ill. She isn’t sure what to feel about Merc but feels some sort of connection to him. Merc’s nightmares are getting worse and Cosmia is getting very worried about him. Can they figure out why he keeps having the same nightmares all the time? Their story was great and I was hooked from beginning to end. I have been waiting for Merc’s story since reading about him in prior books and I am not disappointed. So worth the wait!!! This book was great and I recommend this book to all. I can’t wait to see what this author puts out next….well done!!!