DARK: Dangerous Web #2

4.5 stars---DARK is the second instalment in Aleatha Romig’s contemporary, adult DANGEROUS WEB erotic, romantic suspense trilogy set in the author’s Sparrow Webs world. This is Reid Murray and Lorna Pierce-Murray’s continuing story. DARK should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliffhanger of book one DUSK. I recommend reading the other series in the Sparrow Webs World for back story and cohesion, as the current story line premise references things that have happened in the other trilogies. WARNING: Due to the nature of the storyline premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers. Told from dual first person perspectives (Lorna and Reid) using two timelines (present day and twenty-six years in the past) DARK continues to follow in the aftermath of the abduction of Reid’s wife Lorna, and Sparrow’s wife Araneae. Rescued and recovering from their ordeal, Lorna and Araneae are unable to remember the events leading up to, and during their imprisonment but DNA tests and blood work reveal the duo had been drugged by a familiar formula, and the identity of one of the men involved. Working together with Lorna’s brother Mason, Reid goes on the hunt for the truth as Lorna’s memories begin to flash between the present and the past pushing Mason and Reid to avenge the sister, and woman they love. DARK is a dark, gritty, heart breaking and emotional story line of abuse, betrayal, and revenge; secrets and lies; of power and control. The premise is dramatic, raw and haunting; the characters are edgy and tragic; the romance is provocative and intense but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word in my romance story lines. Aleatha Romig pulls the reader into a tragic, tense and complex story of love, vengeance, and power.

Warning: there are a lot of dark secrets in this book. A few of those secrets deal with trauma, violence, past and childhood abuses, drugs, mental health, etc. A few things. 1.) If you are expecting Dark to be like Dusk, I'm here to tell you that it is not the same. There is a lot of internalizing going on than "action." Note: Dark is Dusk's continuation and talks about the aftermath of Lorna and Araneae's rescue. It would be highly advisable for readers to finish Dusk first to feel the story's characters better. In Dark, each of the characters has one's plans laid out - the men are there to start finding out the truth and "fix" things (as expected for the male alphas) while the women are in the position of healing (and then finding the answers to help their partner's aim). Readers may find themselves in a bind with going back to the past (as far back as Lorna's and Reid's childhood) to find the clues to getting Lorna's memory back or Reid's "grounding" himself from going into his "dark state." 2.) Given the above, readers may find that the story is slower until roughly 60% into the book - I was losing interest before that. I was not sure if it's because it's the holiday foods I have been ingesting, but I had to leave the book then come back again with a fresh mind. Readers take heed - it may be harder to get through this book because of the below. A word of advice: Be patient with Dark. The book invested a lot of time in Lorna and Reid's flashbacks. Some of these flashbacks were quite traumatic, but most of them are a lot of self-internalization, rationalization, etc., by Lorna. It will help shape the story to understand better how sophisticated (and lethal) the Sparrow's group is facing. Think about the lengths this mysterious group is willing to go to wreak havoc on the Sparrow world - by taking their partners; they will do it at all cost, even death, to achieve their goal. Some of the flashbacks got to me, and I take this as a warning for others who might feel they would want to "skim" through that section, do it but do not give up on the book because some of the abuse Lorna went through will shape how she tackles on in retrieving back her memories. I find it critical. 3.) I felt awful for Lorna. She was the "glue" for the group and was "unraveling in the seams" as the story continued. Even with Reid's help to comfort her, Lorna was losing herself to her "traumatic past." It tore me apart for her to realize how many memories she lost AND coming back "broken." Each time she went "down," she came up more broken, and it placed more questions as to what her "real past" was. She exhibited so much re-trauma by not addressing or talking about her experience in the past. But then again, when she spoke about what happened to someone she thought would understand, she was told to "forget" all about it. Later in the book, she does try to "remember" what happened to her and Araneae but at the cost of reviving other trauma that she thought was lost and forgotten. 4.) After staying some time in Lorna's headspace, the story goes to the other side - the men's side, wherein they start looking into a secret group that may or may not be responsible. My brains perked up by then because this is where the story should be. It took a bit more pages, but meeting the "important players" brought more questions (and it did make a lot of sense) that worried the group. They were not privy to the other party's sensitive information but gave up a few "info" from their end. I would recommend readers who enjoy a good mystery, suspense, a side of drama, and steam for Dark. The book deals with more healing, justice, and redemption. It comes heavy and gut-wrenching, then it resolves the trauma to focus on the main focus of the group as a whole - who's coming for the Sparrows. I welcome how the author took her time in this book (basically the whole book) to raise awareness of a trauma victim's mental health and the long road to recovery. The ending was a scene to remember. I cannot wait for the next book!

This is the second book in the Dangerous Web Trilogy, a captivating Romantic Suspense. You have to read this series in order. The story continues where the first book left off. The storyline is intricate, and enthralling, filled with secrets and twists and turns. Lorna is a strong character. Her past is heartbreaking. Some scenes are difficult to read. Reid is handsome, caring, supportive, and protective. The past to present is well done and easy to follow. The supporting characters are great, and they have an important part in this story. The Sparrow men are handsome, powerful, ruthless, and caring. There is a lot going on in this installment. The story ends with a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to read the conclusion of Reid and Lorna's story in Dawn. This Series is interconnected with: Web of Sin (Sterling and Araneae's story), Tangled Web (Mason and Laurel's story), and Web of Desire (Patrick and Madeline's story).