From romantic suspense author Tara Thomas comes the explosive first novella, Shattered Fear, in the brand-new romantic suspense Sons of Broad series. Welcome to the sultry streets of Charleston, where simmering desire and dark danger rule… Forbidden love never felt so good… She’s got a killer to catch. He just might be it. Undercover detective Janie Roberts needs to find out for sure if … be it.
Undercover detective Janie Roberts needs to find out for sure if Brent Taylor is a murderer.
Handsome, wealthy, and sexy-as-sin Brent Taylor.
She’s got to get close enough to learn his secrets.
But getting this close is dangerous in more ways than one…
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3.5 Stars
Romantic suspense is quickly becoming a favorite trope of mine so I jumped at the opportunity to start reading this new series by Tara Thomas. I have been an avid reader of the erotica series of books that Tara wrote under her pen name Tara Sue Me so I was anxious to read her in a new light.
Shattered Fear is one of three novellas in the Sons of Broad series that will release prior to the first full length book release at the end of February. As such, I guess I expected this first novella to spend a majority of it’s time building the characters, the story, the world the reader will be living in for the duration of the series. So I was a little off kilter when events happen at an accelerated pace right out of the gate.
Janie Roberts is an undercover police officer working as a bartender in a club where multiple women have gone missing. Pretty much at the same time the reader meets her, we also meet Brent Taylor who comes to her rescue from a drunken patron. Their attraction is immediate, and after just two brief interactions in a busy club, Janie goes out on a date with Brent. Now, I don’t have anything against quick connections, insta-love, lust, whatever you want to call it, but Janie is a police officer, undercover, who hasn’t ruled out Brent as being the killer. She begins an intimate relationship with him, not knowing if he is the one, who could potentially kill her too?
The suspense story is intriguing, I am very invested in seeing where this part of the story goes. I feel like there are clues woven into the story that I’m just not seeing yet, but I have my suspicions on who the killer is. I am anxious to move on to the next novella to see what happens next. The mix of suspense to romance in this story felt more weighted towards the romance, and since the relationship between Janie and Brent escalated so quickly, I don’t feel a connection to them yet.
Tara is an amazing author, and I have no doubt that this romantic suspense series will be a huge success for her. I am moving on to the next novella to see what’s in store for Janie and Brent!
NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This is a short story and the beginning of a new romantic series. Janie is an undercover cop trying to find a killer. She is working as a bartender at the bar where some of the women disappear. Brent is handsome, rich, and just might be the killer. Janie can’t help but be attracted to him even though she knows she shouldn’t. She gets fired from her job and now the killer is after her.
Great story. Cliffhanger. Sex. It only tells Janie’s version and the killers. I hope the next one tells both Janie’s and Brent’s.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for netgalley *
Janie never thought she would have to go undercover at a Gentlemans Club to catch a serial killer. Bartending gives her the opportunity to scope out the patrons for the evil which has linked several killings in recent months.
Brent comes from money and he is successful to boot. He is brought into the club where Janie is undercover by a friend. But Janie is on high alert. Why would such a rich successful, guy want anything to do with a bartender. He fits her profile of the bad guy to a T! But she is also attracted to him and her interactions with him are far from purely professional!
But Janie gets sidelined when her investigation gets out of hand and Brent gets more and more involved.
Great plot with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. Brent is not your typical rich guy and actually had a personality! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
You just can’t go wrong with a Tara book! I get giddy when I know she has a new release. This Novella did not disappoint. For a short read it packs so much emotion and mystery. I feel it was such a different style that she normally writes yet I loved it just the same.
Janie is an undercover cop working as a bartender. Woman are being kidknapped from the club she’s working undercover at. Tracking the serial killer she is unsure if she has profiled the right guy…it might be someone she personally knows the more she learns about the killer…
This book is loaded with secrets, friendship, mystery, attraction, determination regret, desperation and possibly deceit. The more you read you think you know who the mystery man is….a few pages later you are just as confused as Janie. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat second guessing everything.
This is the first of three in a prequel and just when it gets started it is done. Janie Robets is an undercover officer working as a bartender trying to gather evidence and find the kidnapper and killer of women. She meets Brent Taylor, who I haven’t figured out yet, and there is something about him Janie initially adds to her suspect list. Twists and turns and Janie ends up getting suspended and then fired…Lots happens in this first one and I’m starting to think I know whodunit but without any concrete evidence given will have to keep reading. Glad I have the next one up on my kindle…
Undercover detective Janie Roberts is out to catch a criminal, someone is abducting women from the club she is working undercover at, and she intends on stopping them and putting them behind bars where they belong. She has her eye on a suspect, but he’s caught her eye for more than one reason, he’s also devastatingly handsome and they have some serious sparks…
Shattered Fear is a spine-tingling and sultry little tale that is sure to keep you mesmerized from start to finish! This was my first read by this author and I have to say I really enjoyed it, her crafty story line was very engaging, so much so, that I devoured it all in one sitting. It was packed with loads of emotion, drama, suspense, and made for an amazing start to her new series!! Can’t wait for the next installment!! Highly recommend you give this one a try, you will not be disappointed with what you find!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
3.5 stars–
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 6, 2018
From New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me, writing as Tara Thomas, comes an explosive new romantic suspense series.
Welcome to the sultry streets of Charleston, where simmering desire and dark danger rule…
Forbidden love never felt so good…
She’s got a killer to catch.
He just might be it.
Undercover detective Janie Roberts needs to find out for sure if Brent Taylor is a murderer.
Handsome, wealthy, and sexy-as-sin Brent Taylor.
She’s got to get close enough to learn his secrets.
But getting this close is dangerous in more ways than one…
•••••••••
REVIEW: 3.5 stars–SHATTERED FEAR is first of three parts in the introductory story line of Tara Thomas’ SONS OF BROAD romantic, suspense series. This is police officer /investigator Janie Roberts, and wealthy playboy philanthropist Brent Taylor’s story line.
Told from several third person points of view including Janie and Brent SHATTERED FEAR is part one of a three-part serial that focuses on a potential serial killer, and a number of missing and murdered young women in the Charleston area. Police officer Janie Roberts is sent undercover at a local bar where most of the murdered women had last been seen but falling for her number one suspect found our heroine fired before she had a chance to set things in motion. With wealthy philanthropic playboy Brent Taylor by her side, Janie becomes the target of a killer who set his sights on the woman sent to take him down.
The relationship between Brent and Janie is quick to build; an immediate attraction that places our heroine in direct conflict with the demands of her job but a job that she no longer is able to perform. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive.
SHATTERED FEAR is a quick and thrilling read that sets up the premise and introduces some of the characters in Tara Thomas’ (aka Tara Sue Me) new SONS OF BROAD romance series including Brent’s half-sister attorney Bea Jacobs; bar waitress Tilly Brock; fellow detective and Janie’s friend Alyssa Adams and her boyfriend Mac; and their boss Officer Martin. The requisite evil has yet to be identified but there is more than one player threatening the lives of the people in Charleston, and their purpose unknown. SHATTERED FEAR ends on a cliffhanger-you have been warned.
I will add, that in all honesty, I am not a fan of serialized novels, and my rating would have been higher if I did not have to review a little at a time. It is difficult to comment for any serialized story line, when there is little to no difference between each progressive instalment on the author’s writing style, world building etc. A serialized novel is ONE book that has been divided into several instalments with each successive instalment furthering the story-thusly-writing a myriad of reviews for a partial story tends to focus on the events and not on any particular changes to writing skill, structure and sound.
This review is for the three Sons of Broad prequels: Shattered Fear, Hidden Fate & Twisted End.
Strong, compelling characters pull readers into a thrilling story that fills readers with suspense and holds them hostage until the very end. This new series is off to a strong start with a series of three prequels that are fast paced, full of edge of the seat suspense, lifelike characters and steamy romance.
The author brought the story to life with well written words that provided vibrant imagery that makes it easy for the readers to picture each and every scene which keeps them glued to the pages and embroiled in the thrilling danger with surprising twists that keep readers guessing and a romance that is sweet and steamy. The first two prequels Shattered Fear and Hidden Fate end is hair raising cliffhangers, so you do have to read all three to get to the happily ever after but even with the romantic conclusion for Janie and Brent, there are still mysteries to be solved and bad guys to catch so the series will continue with the first full length novel Darkest Night and I am looking forward to reading the coming books in the Sons of Broad series.