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mistysreads's review against another edition
5.0
Ex-Navy SEAL Tucker Frost knows the world is full of evil. He's had encounters with evil from first his father, then his brother, and now he works on a special task force that hunts serial killers. His brother Jason Frost, a methodical killer who Tucker personally killed when he threatened the love of his life Dawn Alexander, Dawn is the only victim to have gotten away from the "Iceman".
With his personal experience with killers, made him perfect for Samantha Dark's new profiling team for the FBI. Samantha's ties are revealed in After the Dark. Samantha wants to build a team of agents who have personal ties with killers, have a unique insight into their mind and maybe even hunt them down quicker. When women begin turning up dead in New Orleans, Samantha sends Tucker because the new victims match that of the Iceman's.
Tucker has been keeping an eye on Dawn for years, making sure she was ok after his brother's torture seven years prior. Dawn is stronger than Tucker remembers and even more stubborn but his desire for her has never waned. While they are working together to track down the killer, he vows to keep her safe and she wants the truth and complete trust from Tucker, who has secrets that he's never revealed.
Before the Dawn was a great addition to the series, Tucker and Dawn have a lot of obstacles to overcome, for example he believes that she hates him because of the last time they were together after Jason's attack and torture. Unlike the first book of the series, you have interactions with the killer and there is just one moment in the story where your just like, uh he's the killer, but what comes out in the reveal was something you don't see coming. I read this one in a sitting, thank goodness it was a Friday night, I couldn't put it down. There was just so much going on I wanted to see where I was being lead. Great work as usual by Cynthia Eden, and I can't wait to read Into the Night with Macey Night and Bowen Murphy.
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review from NetGalley
With his personal experience with killers, made him perfect for Samantha Dark's new profiling team for the FBI. Samantha's ties are revealed in After the Dark. Samantha wants to build a team of agents who have personal ties with killers, have a unique insight into their mind and maybe even hunt them down quicker. When women begin turning up dead in New Orleans, Samantha sends Tucker because the new victims match that of the Iceman's.
Tucker has been keeping an eye on Dawn for years, making sure she was ok after his brother's torture seven years prior. Dawn is stronger than Tucker remembers and even more stubborn but his desire for her has never waned. While they are working together to track down the killer, he vows to keep her safe and she wants the truth and complete trust from Tucker, who has secrets that he's never revealed.
Before the Dawn was a great addition to the series, Tucker and Dawn have a lot of obstacles to overcome, for example he believes that she hates him because of the last time they were together after Jason's attack and torture. Unlike the first book of the series, you have interactions with the killer and there is just one moment in the story where your just like, uh he's the killer, but what comes out in the reveal was something you don't see coming. I read this one in a sitting, thank goodness it was a Friday night, I couldn't put it down. There was just so much going on I wanted to see where I was being lead. Great work as usual by Cynthia Eden, and I can't wait to read Into the Night with Macey Night and Bowen Murphy.
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review from NetGalley
labwa_0712's review against another edition
3.0
It was enjoyable. Also, Cythia Eden's characters are so much better as detectives or agents.
leabookjoy's review against another edition
4.0
French & English reviews
Un deuxième tome que j'ai lu avec plaisir
L'intrigue était bien tordue pour celui-là (jusqu'au bout, j'ai douté sur l'identité du coupable !), j'ai adoré le fait que ça se passe à la Nouvelle-Orléans et le héros avec son passé plus que sombre (OMG le début avec la scène où Tucker découvre que son frère est un monstre !!)
J'ai un peu moins aimé ce livre par rapport au précédent parce que j'ai moins accroché à Dawn que j'ai trouvé un peu trop dur avec Tucker parfois ... Mais ça reste une bonne lecture !
Bref, une romance qui se dévore terriblement vite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A second book that I read with pleasure
The plot was very twisted for this one (until the end, I doubted the identity of the culprit !), I loved the fact that it takes place in New Orléans and the hero with his more than dark past (OMG the beginning with the scene where Tucker discovers that his brother is a monster !!)
I liked this book a little less compared to the previous one because I was less fan of Dawn, which I found a little too harsh with Tucker sometimes ... But it's still a good read !
In short, a romance that can be devoured terribly quickly
Un deuxième tome que j'ai lu avec plaisir
L'intrigue était bien tordue pour celui-là (jusqu'au bout, j'ai douté sur l'identité du coupable !), j'ai adoré le fait que ça se passe à la Nouvelle-Orléans et le héros avec son passé plus que sombre (OMG le début avec la scène où Tucker découvre que son frère est un monstre !!)
J'ai un peu moins aimé ce livre par rapport au précédent parce que j'ai moins accroché à Dawn que j'ai trouvé un peu trop dur avec Tucker parfois ... Mais ça reste une bonne lecture !
Bref, une romance qui se dévore terriblement vite
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A second book that I read with pleasure
The plot was very twisted for this one (until the end, I doubted the identity of the culprit !), I loved the fact that it takes place in New Orléans and the hero with his more than dark past (OMG the beginning with the scene where Tucker discovers that his brother is a monster !!)
I liked this book a little less compared to the previous one because I was less fan of Dawn, which I found a little too harsh with Tucker sometimes ... But it's still a good read !
In short, a romance that can be devoured terribly quickly
timitra's review against another edition
4.0
Before The Dawn is a pulse pounding, action packed read. It grabbed my attention from the very first page and didn't let me go until the very last page. I enjoyed it immensely amd cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
Copy won in a contest hosted by author
Copy won in a contest hosted by author
laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
Before the Dawn
3.5 Stars
Former Navy SEAL, Tucker Frost, is the perfect fit for Samantha Dark's new profiling team due to his close personal connection to a serial killer - his brother, Jason aka the "Iceman". Called in to assist on an apparent copycat killing, Tucker must deal not only with the possibility that Iceman has returned, but also with his feelings for Dawn, Jason's last victim and the only woman Tucker has ever loved. Can Tucker and Dawn overcome the shadows of their past and stop a killer before he comes for the one who got away?
Series note:This is the 2nd book in the Killer Instincts series, but Tucker's character also appears in a related Harlequin Intrigue (Hunted).
While the characters and romance are enjoyable and the serial killer plot has some intense and gripping moments, I really wish Cynthia Eden had a better proofreader as her writing is choppy with excessively repetitive vocabulary choices.
Dawn's strength and resilience in rebuilding her life following the Iceman's attack make her a particularly appealing heroine. Moreover, she thankfully avoids the TSTL actions that so often plague this type of book. Tucker has not fared as well in the aftermath of killing his brother and losing the woman he loved. Eden portrayal of Dawn and Tucker's initial reunion is both realistic and heartwrenching. There are even times when it is difficult to accept that they will ever be able to reconcile their pasts, but Eden manages to make their second-chances romance believable.
The Iceman returns investigation is a strong police procedural with a couple of convincing red-herrings. That said, it is possible to guess the culprit by following the clues.
The next and final installment in the series focuses on the two other members of Samantha Dark's unit, Macey Night and Bowen Murphy. While Macey's connection to killers is obvious, Bowen's is only hinted at. It will be interesting to see its exact nature.
All in all, an enjoyable read despite my issues with Eden's writing.
3.5 Stars
Former Navy SEAL, Tucker Frost, is the perfect fit for Samantha Dark's new profiling team due to his close personal connection to a serial killer - his brother, Jason aka the "Iceman". Called in to assist on an apparent copycat killing, Tucker must deal not only with the possibility that Iceman has returned, but also with his feelings for Dawn, Jason's last victim and the only woman Tucker has ever loved. Can Tucker and Dawn overcome the shadows of their past and stop a killer before he comes for the one who got away?
Series note:This is the 2nd book in the Killer Instincts series, but Tucker's character also appears in a related Harlequin Intrigue (Hunted).
While the characters and romance are enjoyable and the serial killer plot has some intense and gripping moments, I really wish Cynthia Eden had a better proofreader as her writing is choppy with excessively repetitive vocabulary choices.
Dawn's strength and resilience in rebuilding her life following the Iceman's attack make her a particularly appealing heroine. Moreover, she thankfully avoids the TSTL actions that so often plague this type of book. Tucker has not fared as well in the aftermath of killing his brother and losing the woman he loved. Eden portrayal of Dawn and Tucker's initial reunion is both realistic and heartwrenching. There are even times when it is difficult to accept that they will ever be able to reconcile their pasts, but Eden manages to make their second-chances romance believable.
The Iceman returns investigation is a strong police procedural with a couple of convincing red-herrings. That said, it is possible to guess the culprit by following the clues.
The next and final installment in the series focuses on the two other members of Samantha Dark's unit, Macey Night and Bowen Murphy. While Macey's connection to killers is obvious, Bowen's is only hinted at. It will be interesting to see its exact nature.
All in all, an enjoyable read despite my issues with Eden's writing.
chroniclesofabookreader's review against another edition
5.0
Teeming with a brilliant story, Before the Dawn was both addictive and thrilling. Eden's masterful art of capturing suspense was ever-present, and it was blended in beautifully with a seemingly impossible second-chance love story. Its mounting obstacles and high stakes made for a truly excitable read that earned every fast heartbeat and flutter of the belly.
Across many twists and turns, Eden skillfully kept the villain a surprise, constantly throwing the reader off of the trail just as much as the characters themselves. With the sensitive subject matter of what tore Tucker and Dawn apart years ago, I loved the visceral reality of their situation and how it was handled with both care and authenticity. Their connection, threaded with a painful past, furthered the combustible nature of their re-connection and kept me rooting for their obstacles to be defeated. Eden, as always, brought to life a strong, resilient heroine that sometimes suffered blinders due to her stubborn nature, and the protective hero with the perfect ability to shirk it for his supportive, even if reluctant, side. Together they sparked, burned, and found beauty underneath the ashes.
The fiery romance and the fast-moving pace of the twisty suspense of Before the Dawn made it impossible to put down. The conflicting emotions between the two main characters were incredibly vibrant and wouldn't stop pulling at me to turn the page, to push my eyes faster, to know how it resolved. As long as Eden keeps coming up with more fascinating mysteries, I'll be there to gobble them up with glee.
**Received an early copy via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed; this had no bearing on my opinions**
Across many twists and turns, Eden skillfully kept the villain a surprise, constantly throwing the reader off of the trail just as much as the characters themselves. With the sensitive subject matter of what tore Tucker and Dawn apart years ago, I loved the visceral reality of their situation and how it was handled with both care and authenticity. Their connection, threaded with a painful past, furthered the combustible nature of their re-connection and kept me rooting for their obstacles to be defeated. Eden, as always, brought to life a strong, resilient heroine that sometimes suffered blinders due to her stubborn nature, and the protective hero with the perfect ability to shirk it for his supportive, even if reluctant, side. Together they sparked, burned, and found beauty underneath the ashes.
The fiery romance and the fast-moving pace of the twisty suspense of Before the Dawn made it impossible to put down. The conflicting emotions between the two main characters were incredibly vibrant and wouldn't stop pulling at me to turn the page, to push my eyes faster, to know how it resolved. As long as Eden keeps coming up with more fascinating mysteries, I'll be there to gobble them up with glee.
**Received an early copy via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed; this had no bearing on my opinions**
mags_louise's review against another edition
4.0
Before The Dawn was an enjoyable story that held my interest throughout.
However I must say I didn't find it as gripping as the previous book in this series. It also didn't keep me guessing and for the first time ever I was able to work out who the killer was before it was revealed. Although I'm not sure how much that was down to the story or whether it was more of a lucky guess on my account. But normally these stories are so full of twists and turns I can never work out who the killer is.
I did think overall this was a good read though and the characters were likable. There was also a good mix of romance and suspense and I'm certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I would therefore happily recommend Before The Dawn to others.
However I must say I didn't find it as gripping as the previous book in this series. It also didn't keep me guessing and for the first time ever I was able to work out who the killer was before it was revealed. Although I'm not sure how much that was down to the story or whether it was more of a lucky guess on my account. But normally these stories are so full of twists and turns I can never work out who the killer is.
I did think overall this was a good read though and the characters were likable. There was also a good mix of romance and suspense and I'm certainly looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I would therefore happily recommend Before The Dawn to others.
swathi_narasimhan's review against another edition
5.0
I soooo much love this book. Its another typical Ms Eden book where the leads fall in love and there is a dangerous monster lurking around.
Secen years earlier, Dawn Alexander was kidnaped by the iceman Jason Frost. His Ex Seal brother, Tucker Frost rescues her and shoots Jason. Now, sever years later, bodies start piling up and the MO is just the iceman. Is Jason still alive or is it a copycat? Dawn is not ready to play the victim again and Tucker vouches to safeguard her before his own life.
Secen years earlier, Dawn Alexander was kidnaped by the iceman Jason Frost. His Ex Seal brother, Tucker Frost rescues her and shoots Jason. Now, sever years later, bodies start piling up and the MO is just the iceman. Is Jason still alive or is it a copycat? Dawn is not ready to play the victim again and Tucker vouches to safeguard her before his own life.