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Darkness
THERE'S A STORM BREWING...
BOOM. That's the sound that changes everything for Dr. Gina Sullivan, a renowned ornithologist on a group research grant trip on the remote island of Attu, Alaska. When an everyday outing turns sinister at the onset of one of Attu's infamous storms, Gina expects thunder and lightning - but what she doesn't see coming is the small jet plane that drops out of the sky and into the water mere feet from her boat. Even more unprecedented: there's a sole survivor from the crash, and he needs Gina's help. But it turns out that rescuing the stranger and getting them both out of the oncoming storm is just the beginning. Because the more Gina learns about James "Cal" Callahan, he of brooding eyes and muscled frame, the more she fears - for herself, and for him.
Cal has made a career of trading on government secrets and emerging unscathed - until a routine pickup goes horribly wrong and lands him in ice-cold water. Literally. He knows the plane crash was no accident and that there could very well be an enemy force currently combing the Alaskan island, ensuring there were no survivors. Now if only the arrestingly beautiful bird-watcher with the clear-blue gaze would stop watching him, well, like a hawk. Cal convinces Gina to return to base camp and help him covertly get off the island. But when Gina makes it safely back to camp and finds her entire team murdered, all bets are off, and as darkness envelops the island, she must decide: trust a man she barely knows, or go it alone and risk running straight into the arms of a killer?
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and "master of romantic suspense" (Booklist) Karen Robards does it again with this atmospheric, tightly wound thriller that will keep you spellbound until the very last page.
BOOM. That's the sound that changes everything for Dr. Gina Sullivan, a renowned ornithologist on a group research grant trip on the remote island of Attu, Alaska. When an everyday outing turns sinister at the onset of one of Attu's infamous storms, Gina expects thunder and lightning - but what she doesn't see coming is the small jet plane that drops out of the sky and into the water mere feet from her boat. Even more unprecedented: there's a sole survivor from the crash, and he needs Gina's help. But it turns out that rescuing the stranger and getting them both out of the oncoming storm is just the beginning. Because the more Gina learns about James "Cal" Callahan, he of brooding eyes and muscled frame, the more she fears - for herself, and for him.
Cal has made a career of trading on government secrets and emerging unscathed - until a routine pickup goes horribly wrong and lands him in ice-cold water. Literally. He knows the plane crash was no accident and that there could very well be an enemy force currently combing the Alaskan island, ensuring there were no survivors. Now if only the arrestingly beautiful bird-watcher with the clear-blue gaze would stop watching him, well, like a hawk. Cal convinces Gina to return to base camp and help him covertly get off the island. But when Gina makes it safely back to camp and finds her entire team murdered, all bets are off, and as darkness envelops the island, she must decide: trust a man she barely knows, or go it alone and risk running straight into the arms of a killer?
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and "master of romantic suspense" (Booklist) Karen Robards does it again with this atmospheric, tightly wound thriller that will keep you spellbound until the very last page.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2016
356 people are currently reading
2403 people want to read
About the author
Karen Robards
135 books3,240 followersKaren Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as "one of the most reliable thriller....writers in the world."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews
August 30, 2023
If you enjoy a slower-paced, more heavily detailed thriller with a brooding dark and sexy spy- Darkness would be a great pick!
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
Taking place over the course of a few days trapped in the frozen (but beautiful) landscape of Alaska, Dr. Gina Sullivan races to save a survivor after she witnesses a plane crash. After rescuing a man she can't keep from thinking about, they become entwined to save each other from the cold and the people who shot down Cal's plane.
THOUGHTS:
- I think the way this developed felt pretty accurate as far as scientists not exactly being the 'on guard for an enemy attack' type. I don't know any spies, so I can't speak to that part, but as a scientist myself, everything felt about right in terms of how I'd view things!
- The pacing of this was a little slow. It's not that long but definitely could've used a little less internal monologuing. The romance that develops is interesting because it's formed in the way I think about all of the Jason Bourne movies? Lots of action and high emotion - BAM!! S3xy times.
- The parts of the story that I enjoyed the most were the landscape descriptions! Overall it was fine, but definitely felt like a before bed relax for the night kind of read.
**Written by a Kentucky author, which is why I dropped it in the Kentucky literature shelf on GRs.
Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤
Taking place over the course of a few days trapped in the frozen (but beautiful) landscape of Alaska, Dr. Gina Sullivan races to save a survivor after she witnesses a plane crash. After rescuing a man she can't keep from thinking about, they become entwined to save each other from the cold and the people who shot down Cal's plane.
THOUGHTS:
- I think the way this developed felt pretty accurate as far as scientists not exactly being the 'on guard for an enemy attack' type. I don't know any spies, so I can't speak to that part, but as a scientist myself, everything felt about right in terms of how I'd view things!
- The pacing of this was a little slow. It's not that long but definitely could've used a little less internal monologuing. The romance that develops is interesting because it's formed in the way I think about all of the Jason Bourne movies? Lots of action and high emotion - BAM!! S3xy times.
- The parts of the story that I enjoyed the most were the landscape descriptions! Overall it was fine, but definitely felt like a before bed relax for the night kind of read.
**Written by a Kentucky author, which is why I dropped it in the Kentucky literature shelf on GRs.
September 3, 2016
I've read quite a few books by this author and I found her latest book, Darkness a bit of a disappointment...yes, still on the "disappointing" reading stage right now!!!
The plot was interesting and I found the setting really great...but hell.........all that detailed info about the setting....all the flowers and birds and animals....and the storm and the "furious" sea waves....on and on!!!! All that telling drove me absolutely nuts!!!
And worse..........it was all about the characters thoughts and inner dialogues...........I prefer more dialogue than what was offered here. And then adding further to my disappointment - the romance just lacked something............
All in all.............not jumping over the moon - should you go out there quickly to pick this one up? Not exactly!!!!
Now, let me just put my hands together in the "plea" formation.............
Is the next book that I'm picking up going to be a great one or just a meh one!!!!!!!
The plot was interesting and I found the setting really great...but hell.........all that detailed info about the setting....all the flowers and birds and animals....and the storm and the "furious" sea waves....on and on!!!! All that telling drove me absolutely nuts!!!
And worse..........it was all about the characters thoughts and inner dialogues...........I prefer more dialogue than what was offered here. And then adding further to my disappointment - the romance just lacked something............
All in all.............not jumping over the moon - should you go out there quickly to pick this one up? Not exactly!!!!
Now, let me just put my hands together in the "plea" formation.............
Is the next book that I'm picking up going to be a great one or just a meh one!!!!!!!
April 25, 2016
It is so surprising what risque things one can do with a bullet in the hip and only one Tylenol.
I'll get back to you on that one later.
Dr. Gina Sullivan is a renowned ornithologist working with a group on the remote island of Attu on the Alaskan coast. They are researching the effects of pollution on the bird population. Well, now you've got my attention with a woman scientist and anything to do with my beloved Alaska.
Gina is perched on the bow of her small boat with binoculars in hand. Suddenly, a small jet plane drops from the sky and there is an explosion. She searches for victims and comes upon one survivor, James "Cal" Callahan. Cal works for a special government operation that was in the midst of a human trade-off with the Russians. Gina has now come face-to-face with some sinister and deadly events for which she and Cal must run for their lives.
Back to tall, dark, studdly Cal.....This duo is made for each other and they manage some maneuvers to fight off frost bite. Hence, the need to pop a Tylenol. This is not a heavy-lifting book by any means, but one that holds your attention. More romance certainly than Macgiver ingenuity here. I enjoyed it and would recommend it as a fast-paced read for the beach. Karen Robards is a well-established author with tons of offerings under her belt. This one will be grabbed up by her fans in a heartbeat.
I'll get back to you on that one later.
Dr. Gina Sullivan is a renowned ornithologist working with a group on the remote island of Attu on the Alaskan coast. They are researching the effects of pollution on the bird population. Well, now you've got my attention with a woman scientist and anything to do with my beloved Alaska.
Gina is perched on the bow of her small boat with binoculars in hand. Suddenly, a small jet plane drops from the sky and there is an explosion. She searches for victims and comes upon one survivor, James "Cal" Callahan. Cal works for a special government operation that was in the midst of a human trade-off with the Russians. Gina has now come face-to-face with some sinister and deadly events for which she and Cal must run for their lives.
Back to tall, dark, studdly Cal.....This duo is made for each other and they manage some maneuvers to fight off frost bite. Hence, the need to pop a Tylenol. This is not a heavy-lifting book by any means, but one that holds your attention. More romance certainly than Macgiver ingenuity here. I enjoyed it and would recommend it as a fast-paced read for the beach. Karen Robards is a well-established author with tons of offerings under her belt. This one will be grabbed up by her fans in a heartbeat.
did-not-finish
October 16, 2016I'm quitting this book at 33%; we're just not clicking. Why is the cover bright pink?? The title is "Darkness," and the story is set in Alaska, in November, in a blizzard. *Head scratch* (Not the reason for the DNF, just curious!) The suspense part was promising, but unfortunately the romance part ruined it for me. Cal was an alpha-hole from the beginning. Luckily Gina did stand up to him, though she should have just left him bobbing in the Bering Sea. Trying to write in sexy chemistry between the two killed the suspense.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2016
full review http://amidlifewife.com/darkness-kare...
For me, it is a bit hard to write a review for an author that has literally hundreds of books under their belt. Ms. Robards clearly has the secret touch when it comes to iconic storytelling and this is one book that proves it over and over.
From the very first page, I was hooked hard into this book. The depth of description transports you right into the story and keeps you there throughout the entire novel. I literally read this in one sitting because I was so engrossed. The author crafts a gripping, suspense-filled story that is loaded with steamy heat, hot sex, heart-stopping scenes and plenty of twists. The epitome of great skill and authorship.
I loved everything about this awesome story. From strong and sexy, Cal to the tough and raw, Gina, this story is fast paced with many surprises along the way. Now that I have had a taste of what Karen Robards is offering today, I am all over her other stories in this romantic suspense genre and more!
For me, it is a bit hard to write a review for an author that has literally hundreds of books under their belt. Ms. Robards clearly has the secret touch when it comes to iconic storytelling and this is one book that proves it over and over.
From the very first page, I was hooked hard into this book. The depth of description transports you right into the story and keeps you there throughout the entire novel. I literally read this in one sitting because I was so engrossed. The author crafts a gripping, suspense-filled story that is loaded with steamy heat, hot sex, heart-stopping scenes and plenty of twists. The epitome of great skill and authorship.
I loved everything about this awesome story. From strong and sexy, Cal to the tough and raw, Gina, this story is fast paced with many surprises along the way. Now that I have had a taste of what Karen Robards is offering today, I am all over her other stories in this romantic suspense genre and more!
December 23, 2021
Found this story to be hard to get into and I never really got invested in neither the plot or characters, which is important. Might try something else by Karen Robards though if I haven't done so before
March 31, 2016
DARKNESS
Written by Karen Robards
MARCH 29, 2016; 384 Pages
Genre: romantic suspense, thriller, mystery
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
★★★
Dr. Gina Sullivan is a renowned ornithologist on a group research grant trip on the remote island of Attu, Alaska. One day while she is gathering research she hears a BOOM and see a plane go down. When she goes to see the wreckage there is a survivor...a man named, Cal. Cal mistrusts Gina so will not share anything of his circumstances but demands she tell him everything about her. He starts to think maybe her team was sent for a purpose other than research. Before they can figure anything out they realize there is a killer on the island and they need to save themselves.
I have read Karen Robard's historical romance, contemporary fiction, and romantic suspense and enjoy most of her novels. I even liked her Dr. Charlotte Stone series which is romantic suspense with paranormal aspects; however this novel never gelled for me. I did not bond with either character and it felt sort of like I was reading the story secondhand. It just feels like something is missing for me...it was too formulaic. Most reviews on Goodreads has been good...but if you find yourself not being able to get into...abandon ship on this one.
k (My Novelesque Life)
Written by Karen Robards
MARCH 29, 2016; 384 Pages
Genre: romantic suspense, thriller, mystery
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)
★★★
Dr. Gina Sullivan is a renowned ornithologist on a group research grant trip on the remote island of Attu, Alaska. One day while she is gathering research she hears a BOOM and see a plane go down. When she goes to see the wreckage there is a survivor...a man named, Cal. Cal mistrusts Gina so will not share anything of his circumstances but demands she tell him everything about her. He starts to think maybe her team was sent for a purpose other than research. Before they can figure anything out they realize there is a killer on the island and they need to save themselves.
I have read Karen Robard's historical romance, contemporary fiction, and romantic suspense and enjoy most of her novels. I even liked her Dr. Charlotte Stone series which is romantic suspense with paranormal aspects; however this novel never gelled for me. I did not bond with either character and it felt sort of like I was reading the story secondhand. It just feels like something is missing for me...it was too formulaic. Most reviews on Goodreads has been good...but if you find yourself not being able to get into...abandon ship on this one.
k (My Novelesque Life)
April 3, 2016
Darkness- A Thriller- by Karen Robards is a 2016 Gallery Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher, as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.
Karen Robards’ is one of those authors who writes across several romance genres. But, she seems to have settled into a nice groove with her romantic suspense novels.
Gina Sullivan is an ornithologist on the island of Attu, Alaska, along with a small group of researchers, when she witnesses the crash of a small airplane. Despite the odds, there is one lone survivor, Cal Callahan. Gina rescues the stranger, but an instant feeling of mistrust develops between them and Gina finds she is relieved to see the back of him, even if she was strangely drawn to him physically.
But, she hasn’t seen the last of Cal, not by a long shot, as the couple find themselves running for their lives.
This story will grab your attention right away, and I felt my pulse quicken by the end of the first chapter. The action kept on coming for a short while as the author does a pretty good job of describing a harrowing rescue, the tension of being stranded with a stranger, and feeling of imminent danger.
The twist and excitement kept coming, but whenever the author attempted to infuse a little romance into things, it fell flat, really flat.
While I understood Cal had secrets he couldn’t divulge in his line of work, which gave him a little added mystique, I never warmed up to him. The dialogue between Cal and Gina was almost laughable at times, and not in a good way. It was just unrealistic for the type of situation they were in, and Cal’s comments bordered on sexist at times, which also did not endear me to him.
While I did feel sympathy for Gina and her incredibly sad background, and her ordeal was addressed to some extent in the limited space allotted, but her character was a little bland, and her sexual thoughts about Cal seemed silly, after the truly horrible shocks she had experienced, which would have killed any romantic scenario I had entertained. I don’t care if I was stranded with Brad Pitt, I doubt sex would have been foremost in mind, since survival was not a sure thing and I had just barely escaped death, among other things. Well, okay, maybe if I was stranded with Brad Pitt, but, otherwise? I didn’t think it was too plausible, and because the romance seemed so forced, it took away from the story and bogged down the momentum.
While the explanation for all that took place was very interesting, with lots of intrigue, the conclusion was rushed through, and a little anticlimactic. With so much information thrown at me in the last chapter, I wondered why some of that had not been incorporated into the story throughout. So, mostly this is a story of survival and closure, adventure, and suspense, and not so much about romance.
I think if the author written this one like a standard thriller, it would have worked a lot better, but that’s just me.
Overall 3 stars
Karen Robards’ is one of those authors who writes across several romance genres. But, she seems to have settled into a nice groove with her romantic suspense novels.
Gina Sullivan is an ornithologist on the island of Attu, Alaska, along with a small group of researchers, when she witnesses the crash of a small airplane. Despite the odds, there is one lone survivor, Cal Callahan. Gina rescues the stranger, but an instant feeling of mistrust develops between them and Gina finds she is relieved to see the back of him, even if she was strangely drawn to him physically.
But, she hasn’t seen the last of Cal, not by a long shot, as the couple find themselves running for their lives.
This story will grab your attention right away, and I felt my pulse quicken by the end of the first chapter. The action kept on coming for a short while as the author does a pretty good job of describing a harrowing rescue, the tension of being stranded with a stranger, and feeling of imminent danger.
The twist and excitement kept coming, but whenever the author attempted to infuse a little romance into things, it fell flat, really flat.
While I understood Cal had secrets he couldn’t divulge in his line of work, which gave him a little added mystique, I never warmed up to him. The dialogue between Cal and Gina was almost laughable at times, and not in a good way. It was just unrealistic for the type of situation they were in, and Cal’s comments bordered on sexist at times, which also did not endear me to him.
While I did feel sympathy for Gina and her incredibly sad background, and her ordeal was addressed to some extent in the limited space allotted, but her character was a little bland, and her sexual thoughts about Cal seemed silly, after the truly horrible shocks she had experienced, which would have killed any romantic scenario I had entertained. I don’t care if I was stranded with Brad Pitt, I doubt sex would have been foremost in mind, since survival was not a sure thing and I had just barely escaped death, among other things. Well, okay, maybe if I was stranded with Brad Pitt, but, otherwise? I didn’t think it was too plausible, and because the romance seemed so forced, it took away from the story and bogged down the momentum.
While the explanation for all that took place was very interesting, with lots of intrigue, the conclusion was rushed through, and a little anticlimactic. With so much information thrown at me in the last chapter, I wondered why some of that had not been incorporated into the story throughout. So, mostly this is a story of survival and closure, adventure, and suspense, and not so much about romance.
I think if the author written this one like a standard thriller, it would have worked a lot better, but that’s just me.
Overall 3 stars
June 30, 2016
So this is a work of fiction. I get it. But shouldn't it be at least a little bit believable?
What the author would have you believe is that a man can be shot in the side, then have the plane he is flying in blown out of the sky by a surface to air missile, end up in cold water around Alaska, all kinda back to back and still be able to do a wide variety of perilous and strenuous acts (parachuting, hiking up "Mt Terrible", stealing a plane) with very little sleep, food, water, and only Tylenol for the pain and seem to be pretty okay with it all.
Or that a woman who is working in remote Alaska, five years after losing her entire family in a plane crash, after going through professional help for her loss, can be this damsel in distress?
On the copy of the book I read it says right on the cover "A Thriller" and I guess that is partially true. But if you're suspecting Stephen King, Michael Crichton, anything like that, this is not it. What you do have is a book that is very repetitive in the writing. We have over and over descriptions of how "manly" and "male" Cal is and description after description of his rock hard muscles, "linebacker shoulders", and on one occasion comparing his erection to the Washington monument. I could not stop rolling my eyes.
With Gina we have a woman who hates Cal for the way he treats her. The physical invasion she feels when he searches her for a weapon, the way he forces her to discuss the plane crash that killed her husband, father, and sister but all the while is smitten with him based solely off his physical good looks. After being forced to discuss the pain trauma of her life she immediately takes him to bed even stating at the time she doesn't even know if the name she keeps moaning is his real name. Gina just seems to decide that after being a widow for five years, celibate since, that what she's been missing is sex. Not love, but sex with this handsome stranger she doesn't know and still has a bullet in his side.
The same words are used to describe the things over and over. How Gina's body is on "fire". The writing is just trite with the second to last chapter ending, "And thus the day was saved."
Again, I picked this up looking for "A Thriller" and instead got a romance novel full of unbelievable events and cliche after cliche.
What the author would have you believe is that a man can be shot in the side, then have the plane he is flying in blown out of the sky by a surface to air missile, end up in cold water around Alaska, all kinda back to back and still be able to do a wide variety of perilous and strenuous acts (parachuting, hiking up "Mt Terrible", stealing a plane) with very little sleep, food, water, and only Tylenol for the pain and seem to be pretty okay with it all.
Or that a woman who is working in remote Alaska, five years after losing her entire family in a plane crash, after going through professional help for her loss, can be this damsel in distress?
On the copy of the book I read it says right on the cover "A Thriller" and I guess that is partially true. But if you're suspecting Stephen King, Michael Crichton, anything like that, this is not it. What you do have is a book that is very repetitive in the writing. We have over and over descriptions of how "manly" and "male" Cal is and description after description of his rock hard muscles, "linebacker shoulders", and on one occasion comparing his erection to the Washington monument. I could not stop rolling my eyes.
With Gina we have a woman who hates Cal for the way he treats her. The physical invasion she feels when he searches her for a weapon, the way he forces her to discuss the plane crash that killed her husband, father, and sister but all the while is smitten with him based solely off his physical good looks. After being forced to discuss the pain trauma of her life she immediately takes him to bed even stating at the time she doesn't even know if the name she keeps moaning is his real name. Gina just seems to decide that after being a widow for five years, celibate since, that what she's been missing is sex. Not love, but sex with this handsome stranger she doesn't know and still has a bullet in his side.
The same words are used to describe the things over and over. How Gina's body is on "fire". The writing is just trite with the second to last chapter ending, "And thus the day was saved."
Again, I picked this up looking for "A Thriller" and instead got a romance novel full of unbelievable events and cliche after cliche.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2016
ARC provided by the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The set up for this book is one of the "ripped from the headlines" setups. Then, the plot takes a very sinister twist. My beef is the narrative that marred the first 30% of the book. I prefer to get on with the story instead focusing on the minutia of details regarding the flora, fauna, the ocean, the approaching storm and the rescue after the plane crash. Add to that the survival details and it was a slow beginning. Absolutely wonderful plot, but awful execution. Not having read many Karen Robards books, I have no idea if this is just her style. It's not mine.
Cal is a private military contractor. He is former Air Force Special Forces and runs his own company. This job is to pick up a IT traitor who has valuable information to trade to the US for his freedom. The plane is shot down and Cal is the only survivor. Gina is an ornithologist and college professor doing a research project on Attu Island, Alaska. She sees the plane crash and saves Cal. He doesn't trust her and she most certainly doesn't trust him, even though she saves his life.
On arrival back at base camp, Gina discovers her team murdered and she and Cal are on the run from the murderers who, apparently, want everyone with even a remote connection to the plane dead, especially Cal and now Gina. I must say that their escape is the most inventive one I have ever read and the last 30% of the book was much better than the first. 3 1/2 stars.
The set up for this book is one of the "ripped from the headlines" setups. Then, the plot takes a very sinister twist. My beef is the narrative that marred the first 30% of the book. I prefer to get on with the story instead focusing on the minutia of details regarding the flora, fauna, the ocean, the approaching storm and the rescue after the plane crash. Add to that the survival details and it was a slow beginning. Absolutely wonderful plot, but awful execution. Not having read many Karen Robards books, I have no idea if this is just her style. It's not mine.
Cal is a private military contractor. He is former Air Force Special Forces and runs his own company. This job is to pick up a IT traitor who has valuable information to trade to the US for his freedom. The plane is shot down and Cal is the only survivor. Gina is an ornithologist and college professor doing a research project on Attu Island, Alaska. She sees the plane crash and saves Cal. He doesn't trust her and she most certainly doesn't trust him, even though she saves his life.
On arrival back at base camp, Gina discovers her team murdered and she and Cal are on the run from the murderers who, apparently, want everyone with even a remote connection to the plane dead, especially Cal and now Gina. I must say that their escape is the most inventive one I have ever read and the last 30% of the book was much better than the first. 3 1/2 stars.
March 12, 2016
Originally reviewed at The Book Adventures.
I’ve been on a bit of a romantic suspense kick as of late (see Shattered Duty ), so Robards’ Darkness really appealed. Stranded on a desolate island in Alaska, plus a mysterious hot dude, what wouldn’t work? For me, something was missing. The setting and thriller elements were off the charts, but the romance was a little lackluster.
Dr. Gina Sullivan is an ornithologist studying the wildlife on Attu island and when a plane crashes pretty much right next to her, Gina finds herself battling memories of her own tragic plane crash and rescuing the lone survivor. Cal is the only survivor of the plane crash and when he refuses to give Gina information about himself or the crash and then turns his suspicion on her, Gina is ready to leave the guy the freeze. Then that pesky conscience intervenes. And before any real trust can build, Gina and Cal are on the run from some sketchy military type folks who are intent on killing any person that’s on the island. Let the games begin.
It’s hard to rate Darkness because it can be read as two different things. On one hand, Darkness is a thriller. Gina and Cal are running for their lives quite literally. Compounding matters is the fact that they are on an island, so there are only so many places that they can go to escape their pursuers (hence the plane to steal a plane). On the other hand, Darkness is also a romance. From the start Gina and Cal are attracted and suspicious of one another; at the end of the day, the attraction tips over the suspicion and the inevitable happens. From my perspective, I felt that the novel skewed to heavily towards the thriller spectrum when I would have preferred a more developed romance. When you’re running for your life with some dude you just met, there’s clearly not a heck of a lot of time for the whole courtship thing.
The romance is further complicated by the fact that Gina is still recovering from the death of her husband, father and sister in the plane crash that she survived. Obviously this is a big deal in any future relationship Gina chooses to pursue, but how the past was dealt with by Cal and Gina just made the resolution of the past a token discussion so that their romance could move on. Like I said, I think there could have been a little more depth here. And lastly, I just have to ask: are snow pants ever sexy? Cal spends a fair bit of time admiring Gina in her outwear and I just have to wonder. Really? Snow gear has to be the most unflattering outfit out there. I'm not buying it.
What I thought was done really well was the actually setting of Attu Island. I'm a big fan of fiction exploring more exotic locales, so that was part of the attraction for me in picking up Darkness. The author does a great job of delving into the scenery of Attu as well as the history of the island. This was a really cool setting to place the book and will appeal to armchair travel fans. I was especially intrigued by the history of the island as a place of battle during the Second World War. For more information about the Battle of Attu, check out History.com.
For those that like more suspense in their romantic suspense, Darkness is a fun read. It's formulaic but it adds some interest by showcasing a remote and unknown location in Alaska. In the romance department, I personally found Darkness underwhelming. Snow pants aren't sexy and no one's convincing me otherwise.
July 28, 2017
I was expecting an adventure mystery and i ended up with a cheesy romance that wasn't even well written.
Surely the author could have come up with something better than the repetitive use of "he's so masculine" "he's all male" "he's huge"over and over and over again.
The romance was annoying, it was totally not practical...you're being hunted by Russian assassins with tracking dogs, but you have time to stop and make out. OH an d you've been shot but you're gonna carry some dumb woman around?
And I'm sorry but you don't fall in love with someone instantly just because you hooked up.
This book is exactly why I DON'T read romances on purpose. So obnoxious.
But I kept reading it just to find out what happened to the plane in the opening scene, only to be highly disappointed with a paragraph summary that was like the author's desperate attempt to make it relevant.
Even though it was a library book, I feel like I want my money back.
Surely the author could have come up with something better than the repetitive use of "he's so masculine" "he's all male" "he's huge"over and over and over again.
The romance was annoying, it was totally not practical...you're being hunted by Russian assassins with tracking dogs, but you have time to stop and make out. OH an d you've been shot but you're gonna carry some dumb woman around?
And I'm sorry but you don't fall in love with someone instantly just because you hooked up.
This book is exactly why I DON'T read romances on purpose. So obnoxious.
But I kept reading it just to find out what happened to the plane in the opening scene, only to be highly disappointed with a paragraph summary that was like the author's desperate attempt to make it relevant.
Even though it was a library book, I feel like I want my money back.
December 1, 2016
I read this in paperback by Hodder. There is a storm brewing in this story all right! I found Darkness very suspenseful. Dr. Gina Sullivan watched a pair of rare eagles disappear into the gathering storm clouds, when she see a small plane descending towards the sea. Battling the waves with her boat, Gina set off rescuing a man from the stormy sea. He could be dangerous. Their eyes locked. There was no mistaking his eyes were hard. Brutal. Deadly. Darkness has it all as a thriller-romance. I recommend Darkness to readers that like a smart tense novel.
October 10, 2021
never letting the name Cal convince me to read a book again
November 21, 2019
Mi problema con esta historia han sido las repeticiones. Han sido tan extenuantes que he hecho lo que jamás había hecho hasta ahora: contarlas.
Realmente no soy fan del insta-lust, pero si está bien hecho me gusta como al que más, este no ha sido el caso. He sentido como si me forzasen a tragar el romance con un embudo. Es todo tan superfluo y banal, todo tan superficial, tan físico, que los protagonistas parecen caricaturas. No me ha gustado la escena en la que él la cachea. No me parece romántico cuando una de las partes dice NO y la otra parte hace oídos sordos, eso no es ser alfa, eso es ser un bully. Sobre todo si la propia autora nos cuenta que ella lleva la ropa tan ajustada que se ve TODO. Es una escena innecesaria y no deja bien a ninguno de los protagonistas. Uno por ser un abusador y la otra por decir NO y sentirse humillada pero ponerse cachonda. El suspense es irrealista. El protagonista pasa de estar al borde de la muerte a sonreír o bromear en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.
He conseguido leer hasta el 62% de la historia y no soy capaz de continuar. Por ahora lo único con lo que me quedo es con las innumerables descripciones del torso, brazos, abdomen, piernas, etc , de él.
Hasta en 10 ocasiones leemos lo anchos que son sus hombros.
Otra 10 veces nos dice lo fuerte o grande que es.
6 veces nos cuenta lo musculoso que es su pecho.
7 veces que sus bíceps o brazos son espectaculares.
3 veces nos cuenta lo bien equipado que está…por dios…esto me da vergüenza ajena…
Y ni que decir de lo guapo que es, lo largas y morenas que son sus pestañas, lo negro azabache que es su cabello o las veces que parpadea y aparecen “cosas” en sus ojos…en fin…es todo así, una vez, y otra y otra…
Como casi toda esta parte está contada desde el punto de vista de la protagonista nos libramos de tanta repetición para contarnos lo guapa que es ella, lo grande de sus ojos o lo carnosos que son sus labios…ah! Y algún comentario desafortunado tipo “lo bien dotado que está su T&A departamento”. *roll eyes*
Y como al principio expresan la prohibición de usar citas del libro no podré poner lo absurdo que es que “una respiración suene demasiado masculina”, lo ridículo que es dar gracias a Dios por las mujeres guapas o la electricidad que viaja entre sus miradas…no tiene desperdicio, vaya…
Necesito algo más que lust y gente guapa para que una historia me enganche.
Sorry.
ARC provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley.
My problem with this story has been the repetitions. They have been so exhausting that I did what I had never done so far: count them.
I'm really not a fan of insta-lust, but if it's well done I like it well enough, but this has not been the case. I have felt as if I have been force to swallow the romance with a funnel. The plot has been so superfluous and banal, so superficial, so physical, that the MC´s had felt like cartoons. I did not like the scene in which he frisks her. It does not seem romantic when a party says NO and it falls on deaf ears, that is not to be an alpha, that is being a bully. Mostly because the author herself told us that the heroine´s clothes fit her like a glove and the hero can see ALL, he really did not need to frisk her at all, did he? It is an unnecessary scene in which none of the MC´s make a good impression. Because he looks like a bully and because although she feels humiliate it does not stop her to feel aroused too. The suspense is unrealistic. The hero goes to living on the brink of death to smiling or joking in the blink of an eye.
I have managed to read up to 62% of the story and I am not able to continue. For now, the only things that I remember about the story are the numerous descriptions of the hero´s torso, arms, abdomen, legs, etc...
Even in 10 times we read how broad his shoulders are.
Another 10 times tells us how strong or large he is.
6 times we have to read how muscular his chest/abdomen is.
7 times that his biceps/arms are spectacular.
3 times tells us how well equipped he is... Good grief! Could it be shallower?
And goes without saying of how handsome he is, the long and black his eyelashes are, the jet black which is his hair or the times that a flicker of something appeared in his eyes... It gets a little old.
Because almost is told from the heroine´s point of view, we were spared of the same repetition about her figure, but we can read how pretty she is, how big her eyes or full her lips are... ah! And some unfortunate comment like how well endowed her T & A Department is.
* roll eyes *.
And because at the beginning they express the prohibition of using quotations from the book I cannot tell you the absurdity that is that a breath sound so male, the ridiculous which is to give thanks to God for the beautiful women or how unsettling is when electricity is travelling between their eyes... Is priceless...
I need something more than lust and good looks so that a story captivates me.
Sorry.
Realmente no soy fan del insta-lust, pero si está bien hecho me gusta como al que más, este no ha sido el caso. He sentido como si me forzasen a tragar el romance con un embudo. Es todo tan superfluo y banal, todo tan superficial, tan físico, que los protagonistas parecen caricaturas. No me ha gustado la escena en la que él la cachea. No me parece romántico cuando una de las partes dice NO y la otra parte hace oídos sordos, eso no es ser alfa, eso es ser un bully. Sobre todo si la propia autora nos cuenta que ella lleva la ropa tan ajustada que se ve TODO. Es una escena innecesaria y no deja bien a ninguno de los protagonistas. Uno por ser un abusador y la otra por decir NO y sentirse humillada pero ponerse cachonda. El suspense es irrealista. El protagonista pasa de estar al borde de la muerte a sonreír o bromear en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.
He conseguido leer hasta el 62% de la historia y no soy capaz de continuar. Por ahora lo único con lo que me quedo es con las innumerables descripciones del torso, brazos, abdomen, piernas, etc , de él.
Hasta en 10 ocasiones leemos lo anchos que son sus hombros.
Otra 10 veces nos dice lo fuerte o grande que es.
6 veces nos cuenta lo musculoso que es su pecho.
7 veces que sus bíceps o brazos son espectaculares.
3 veces nos cuenta lo bien equipado que está…por dios…esto me da vergüenza ajena…
Y ni que decir de lo guapo que es, lo largas y morenas que son sus pestañas, lo negro azabache que es su cabello o las veces que parpadea y aparecen “cosas” en sus ojos…en fin…es todo así, una vez, y otra y otra…
Como casi toda esta parte está contada desde el punto de vista de la protagonista nos libramos de tanta repetición para contarnos lo guapa que es ella, lo grande de sus ojos o lo carnosos que son sus labios…ah! Y algún comentario desafortunado tipo “lo bien dotado que está su T&A departamento”. *roll eyes*
Y como al principio expresan la prohibición de usar citas del libro no podré poner lo absurdo que es que “una respiración suene demasiado masculina”, lo ridículo que es dar gracias a Dios por las mujeres guapas o la electricidad que viaja entre sus miradas…no tiene desperdicio, vaya…
Necesito algo más que lust y gente guapa para que una historia me enganche.
Sorry.
ARC provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley.
My problem with this story has been the repetitions. They have been so exhausting that I did what I had never done so far: count them.
I'm really not a fan of insta-lust, but if it's well done I like it well enough, but this has not been the case. I have felt as if I have been force to swallow the romance with a funnel. The plot has been so superfluous and banal, so superficial, so physical, that the MC´s had felt like cartoons. I did not like the scene in which he frisks her. It does not seem romantic when a party says NO and it falls on deaf ears, that is not to be an alpha, that is being a bully. Mostly because the author herself told us that the heroine´s clothes fit her like a glove and the hero can see ALL, he really did not need to frisk her at all, did he? It is an unnecessary scene in which none of the MC´s make a good impression. Because he looks like a bully and because although she feels humiliate it does not stop her to feel aroused too. The suspense is unrealistic. The hero goes to living on the brink of death to smiling or joking in the blink of an eye.
I have managed to read up to 62% of the story and I am not able to continue. For now, the only things that I remember about the story are the numerous descriptions of the hero´s torso, arms, abdomen, legs, etc...
Even in 10 times we read how broad his shoulders are.
Another 10 times tells us how strong or large he is.
6 times we have to read how muscular his chest/abdomen is.
7 times that his biceps/arms are spectacular.
3 times tells us how well equipped he is... Good grief! Could it be shallower?
And goes without saying of how handsome he is, the long and black his eyelashes are, the jet black which is his hair or the times that a flicker of something appeared in his eyes... It gets a little old.
Because almost is told from the heroine´s point of view, we were spared of the same repetition about her figure, but we can read how pretty she is, how big her eyes or full her lips are... ah! And some unfortunate comment like how well endowed her T & A Department is.
* roll eyes *.
And because at the beginning they express the prohibition of using quotations from the book I cannot tell you the absurdity that is that a breath sound so male, the ridiculous which is to give thanks to God for the beautiful women or how unsettling is when electricity is travelling between their eyes... Is priceless...
I need something more than lust and good looks so that a story captivates me.
Sorry.
February 29, 2016
Dr. Gina Sullivan is a ornithologist who is working in an island called Attu with her other colleagues when she sees a plane crash in the sea and she goes to rescue him. But she and James MacArthur Callahan aka Cal will be prove in the island and try to survive. But they don't know who is after them and why just know that if they are catch they will die.
Gina is a surviver she has some trauma in her past but she is still suffer.
I like her character she question Cal and of course try to help. She is scare but she was very "sane" about around her. And she is so cute towards Cal. They did not have a insta love but there are chemistry.
Cal James MacArthur Callahan ahhhhhhhh.....sighs Man, the guy is hot, build, sexy, handsome. And he is the hands of Gina, despite the situation and she is kinda not my type but she is sexy and mine, very possessive way. Cal is hard and bossy.Poor guy, seriously his plane crash almost kill him and he was betray, but he wants revenge and will do whatever it takes to get out the island with Gina.
Ok, the book has a lot of describing about feelings, thoughts and spaces and takes almost 60% to really like. There is barely action in this book just in the final minutes and the is "END". The situation is a cruel one and I believe was very romanticized.
Advice: When you go to an island make sure to places to hide.
Gina is a surviver she has some trauma in her past but she is still suffer.
I like her character she question Cal and of course try to help. She is scare but she was very "sane" about around her. And she is so cute towards Cal. They did not have a insta love but there are chemistry.
Cal James MacArthur Callahan ahhhhhhhh.....sighs Man, the guy is hot, build, sexy, handsome. And he is the hands of Gina, despite the situation and she is kinda not my type but she is sexy and mine, very possessive way. Cal is hard and bossy.Poor guy, seriously his plane crash almost kill him and he was betray, but he wants revenge and will do whatever it takes to get out the island with Gina.
Ok, the book has a lot of describing about feelings, thoughts and spaces and takes almost 60% to really like. There is barely action in this book just in the final minutes and the is "END". The situation is a cruel one and I believe was very romanticized.
Advice: When you go to an island make sure to places to hide.
May 13, 2016
3.5 Stars - rounded up...
This book starts out strong and I was immediately pulled into the story. Gina is a ornithologist on a research expedition with 11 other professionals. The worse thing they were supposed to be fighting was the unfriendly weather conditions of Attu Island. Instead Gina is faced with crash landing planes, rescuing a hunky stranger(Cal) and a large group of bad guys who murdered her friends and want her on the dead list.
I liked the plot of this book and the pace moved along and kept you pulled in. I liked Gina, she was showing grit, determination, logic and compassion. At least she was until they got to the cave. Then the story fell apart for me as she started showing some TSTL motivations and her back and forth with Cal left me ho-hum and thinking it was too soon. But that's the problem with insta-lust. Sometimes it feels more like a week-end fling that shouldn't go anywhere.
The story picked back up for me with a solid escape and epilogue. However, even though the HEA was sweet, I didn't buy in.
This book starts out strong and I was immediately pulled into the story. Gina is a ornithologist on a research expedition with 11 other professionals. The worse thing they were supposed to be fighting was the unfriendly weather conditions of Attu Island. Instead Gina is faced with crash landing planes, rescuing a hunky stranger(Cal) and a large group of bad guys who murdered her friends and want her on the dead list.
I liked the plot of this book and the pace moved along and kept you pulled in. I liked Gina, she was showing grit, determination, logic and compassion. At least she was until they got to the cave. Then the story fell apart for me as she started showing some TSTL motivations and her back and forth with Cal left me ho-hum and thinking it was too soon. But that's the problem with insta-lust. Sometimes it feels more like a week-end fling that shouldn't go anywhere.
The story picked back up for me with a solid escape and epilogue. However, even though the HEA was sweet, I didn't buy in.
November 15, 2024
First published in March of 2016, Darkness by Karen Robards delivers an intense romantic suspense, weaving together elements of cyber-terrorism mixed with survivalist themes under which the main protagonists encounter each other and find their entire lives upended, in the midst of which comes love calling. When 28 year old Dr. Gina Sullivan’s research expedition on the remote Attu Island collides with private military contractor Cal Callahan’s mission gone wrong, they find themselves thrust into a deadly game of survival against both nature’s fury and human adversaries.
James “Cal” Callahan embodies the archetypal alpha hero with compelling depth. At 34, the former Air Force Special Operations Command member carries the weight of a troubled past that makes him wary of making long-lasting connections with emotional depth. Despite his dangerous profession and the walls that he puts up, Cal’s protective instincts and underlying vulnerability emerges as he is forced to depend on and protect Gina with every fiber of his being.
Dr. Gina Sullivan, a Stanford ornithologist, bears the emotional scars of devastating loss. Her journey from trauma-induced caution to rediscovering her strength is one that readers can empathize with, and her strength something that is truly admirable under the circumstances. Ms. Robards excels at portraying Gina’s internal struggle between her desire for safety and her growing feelings for a man who represents everything she fears.
The relationship development between Cal and Gina is one that starts off on the wrong footing, with a wary and distrustful Cal trying to ignore the elephant in the room; his skyrocketing desire for Gina. While Gina tries to grapple with the situation she finds herself in, her issues when it comes to trusting a man such as Cal who thrives on danger makes her want to withdraw into the cocoon that has protected her since the devastating loss she faced five years prior. However, the connection that forges to life between the two is stronger than either of them can deny for long, and makes for excellent indulgence for the reader amidst all the danger that surrounds them.
The story’s foundation rests on a brilliantly conceived technological threat that feels terrifyingly plausible in today’s interconnected world where we shuttle from one continent to the other, wholly trusting the airplanes, pilots, and companies such as Airbus and Boeing that designs these modern marvels. Ms. Robards masterfully builds tension gradually, revealing the layers to the conspiracy which keeps the reader on tenterhooks, while Gina and Cal battle the harsh elements and their dangerous pursuers.
While Darkness delivers a compelling romantic suspense, the conclusion did feel somewhat rushed for me. The story could have benefited from a deeper exploration of how Cal (who is intensely commitment phobic) and Gina bridge their drastically different lifestyles and approach their future together. A period of separation or more extensive relationship development before the resolution would have added emotional depth to their happy ending.
I found the technological aspects explored in the story to be quite intriguing and terrifyingly plausible, adding a layer of real-world anxiety to the story which made this highly entertaining, even as I worry to death every time I have to get myself on an airplane.
The survival elements showcase the skillful Ms. Robards at her best at creating visceral, immediate danger while developing the romance at pace between Cal and Gina. I especially loved Cal as the hero; the kind of hero that authors no longer know how to write. Truly loved this for the adventure, the technology explored, the wilderness of nature, and the sexiness that was all Cal.
Recommended for readers who enjoy romantic suspense, the classical alpha heroes (as they are truly meant to be), strong heroines, and survivalist themed romances.
Final Verdict: Darkness by Karen Robards makes for a compelling romantic suspense that delivers on both the romance and suspense fronts, with that classic alpha hero readers like myself crave.
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
James “Cal” Callahan embodies the archetypal alpha hero with compelling depth. At 34, the former Air Force Special Operations Command member carries the weight of a troubled past that makes him wary of making long-lasting connections with emotional depth. Despite his dangerous profession and the walls that he puts up, Cal’s protective instincts and underlying vulnerability emerges as he is forced to depend on and protect Gina with every fiber of his being.
Dr. Gina Sullivan, a Stanford ornithologist, bears the emotional scars of devastating loss. Her journey from trauma-induced caution to rediscovering her strength is one that readers can empathize with, and her strength something that is truly admirable under the circumstances. Ms. Robards excels at portraying Gina’s internal struggle between her desire for safety and her growing feelings for a man who represents everything she fears.
The relationship development between Cal and Gina is one that starts off on the wrong footing, with a wary and distrustful Cal trying to ignore the elephant in the room; his skyrocketing desire for Gina. While Gina tries to grapple with the situation she finds herself in, her issues when it comes to trusting a man such as Cal who thrives on danger makes her want to withdraw into the cocoon that has protected her since the devastating loss she faced five years prior. However, the connection that forges to life between the two is stronger than either of them can deny for long, and makes for excellent indulgence for the reader amidst all the danger that surrounds them.
The story’s foundation rests on a brilliantly conceived technological threat that feels terrifyingly plausible in today’s interconnected world where we shuttle from one continent to the other, wholly trusting the airplanes, pilots, and companies such as Airbus and Boeing that designs these modern marvels. Ms. Robards masterfully builds tension gradually, revealing the layers to the conspiracy which keeps the reader on tenterhooks, while Gina and Cal battle the harsh elements and their dangerous pursuers.
While Darkness delivers a compelling romantic suspense, the conclusion did feel somewhat rushed for me. The story could have benefited from a deeper exploration of how Cal (who is intensely commitment phobic) and Gina bridge their drastically different lifestyles and approach their future together. A period of separation or more extensive relationship development before the resolution would have added emotional depth to their happy ending.
I found the technological aspects explored in the story to be quite intriguing and terrifyingly plausible, adding a layer of real-world anxiety to the story which made this highly entertaining, even as I worry to death every time I have to get myself on an airplane.
The survival elements showcase the skillful Ms. Robards at her best at creating visceral, immediate danger while developing the romance at pace between Cal and Gina. I especially loved Cal as the hero; the kind of hero that authors no longer know how to write. Truly loved this for the adventure, the technology explored, the wilderness of nature, and the sexiness that was all Cal.
Recommended for readers who enjoy romantic suspense, the classical alpha heroes (as they are truly meant to be), strong heroines, and survivalist themed romances.
Final Verdict: Darkness by Karen Robards makes for a compelling romantic suspense that delivers on both the romance and suspense fronts, with that classic alpha hero readers like myself crave.
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
October 20, 2019
If someone had told me that this book was written by the same author who wrote Hush, then I would have spared myself from listening to this gross story. Honestly, the plot was not to bad, but what ruined the plot was the love between Cal and Gina. I felt like they like each other just for their looks, not their personality. Kissing on the first day who meet when you are chilly and freezing to death? Not buying it. Waist of time.
March 6, 2018
Where to start with the nonsense that was this book... because it was ridiculous from its pointlessly pink cover to its unrealistic and stupid ending. Let's start with the not one, not two, but THREE plane crashes, the threat of a potential fourth plane crash, and the asinine and unbelievable plane theft (that could very well have been another crash since they stole the plane during an ice storm while being shot at).
We'll follow that with the unlikely event that one would be down to fuck a complete stranger who's been acting like a complete asshole from the point you saved his life. No matter how many times you come to suddenly realize just how broad, big, and manly he is, or how short and dark his eyelashes are, that isn't going to make up for him being an abusive asshat. If Gina hasn't gotten over the death of her husband in 5 years, it seems implausible that the menacing stranger she doesn't trust is going to be the first person she hops into bed with.
Next up is that said asshole wouldn't be down to fuck either since he has been shot, survived a plane crash (with nary a scratch...), almost died of hypothermia, and had basically zero food for two days while trekking around Attu Island for miles in the freezing cold. He also wouldn't be up for climbing mountains and fucking BASE JUMPING.
Also, both of them are being pursued by a band of murderers with tracking dogs, and who has time to stop and fondle each other's nipples and make out when you are being chased by death? NO ONE, THAT'S WHO!
Finally, we'll concluded with the thriller portion of the "plot" being wrapped up in under two pages. The Russians did it. Not the Russian government, just some rogue Russians who were in cahoots with some rogue CIA. Or something.
Other things that made no sense or were super annoying:
The writing was so repetitive. The number of times it was mentioned that Gina had hard nipples against Cal's big hands, or that Cal was manly and had a broad chest, was basically any time they changed locations. I'm also pretty sure that at one point the same paragraph had been copy/pasted from one chapter to another and not deleted during editing.
Gina claimed that she hadn't been on plane in the 5 years since her own plane crash, but how the hell did she get to Attu if that was the case? There was vague mention of a boat, but the boat went to/from Siberia, and I'm pretty sure you aren't getting from California to Siberia sans air travel. I'd believe you could get from California to Alaska sans air travel, but that still doesn't explain how she got out to island if the boat is only coming from Siberia. I hate this kind of sloppy oversight.
The task switching between the sex scenes and the thriller scenes weren't particularly smooth, making both incredibly awkward to read. Not that sex scenes weren't already awkward - some of them were boarding on rape fantasy, and I don't want to kink shame, but that is NOT for me, and plus also, Cal is a GIANT FUCKING ASSHOLE.
We'll follow that with the unlikely event that one would be down to fuck a complete stranger who's been acting like a complete asshole from the point you saved his life. No matter how many times you come to suddenly realize just how broad, big, and manly he is, or how short and dark his eyelashes are, that isn't going to make up for him being an abusive asshat. If Gina hasn't gotten over the death of her husband in 5 years, it seems implausible that the menacing stranger she doesn't trust is going to be the first person she hops into bed with.
Next up is that said asshole wouldn't be down to fuck either since he has been shot, survived a plane crash (with nary a scratch...), almost died of hypothermia, and had basically zero food for two days while trekking around Attu Island for miles in the freezing cold. He also wouldn't be up for climbing mountains and fucking BASE JUMPING.
Also, both of them are being pursued by a band of murderers with tracking dogs, and who has time to stop and fondle each other's nipples and make out when you are being chased by death? NO ONE, THAT'S WHO!
Finally, we'll concluded with the thriller portion of the "plot" being wrapped up in under two pages. The Russians did it. Not the Russian government, just some rogue Russians who were in cahoots with some rogue CIA. Or something.
Other things that made no sense or were super annoying:
The writing was so repetitive. The number of times it was mentioned that Gina had hard nipples against Cal's big hands, or that Cal was manly and had a broad chest, was basically any time they changed locations. I'm also pretty sure that at one point the same paragraph had been copy/pasted from one chapter to another and not deleted during editing.
Gina claimed that she hadn't been on plane in the 5 years since her own plane crash, but how the hell did she get to Attu if that was the case? There was vague mention of a boat, but the boat went to/from Siberia, and I'm pretty sure you aren't getting from California to Siberia sans air travel. I'd believe you could get from California to Alaska sans air travel, but that still doesn't explain how she got out to island if the boat is only coming from Siberia. I hate this kind of sloppy oversight.
The task switching between the sex scenes and the thriller scenes weren't particularly smooth, making both incredibly awkward to read. Not that sex scenes weren't already awkward - some of them were boarding on rape fantasy, and I don't want to kink shame, but that is NOT for me, and plus also, Cal is a GIANT FUCKING ASSHOLE.
March 9, 2016
This is the first book I've read by Karen Robards which is a little surprising since I adore the romantic suspense genre. Well, looks like I've found a new author that I'll be following because this book was BAD. ASS.
I love this genre because you're never really sure how the book is going to play out. Sometimes it really focuses on the suspense, sometimes it really focuses on the romance and sometimes it's both. You're never totally sure which way it's going to be spun until you're white knuckling your book or Kindle, just waiting to see what is going to happen next. This one focuses mostly on the suspense but the romantic moments are awesome. The romantic scenes enhance the story rather than detract from it and it ratchets up the suspense quite a few notches.
I enjoyed getting to know Gina and Cal throughout this book. Gina is one of those perfectly flawed characters. There are a lot of skeletons in her past that she can't seem to overcome and that creates some friction between her and Cal. Cal has some demons of his own but they aren't nearly as serious as Gina's. You're able to see them struggle separately and together which also heightens the suspense because they each have their own way of dealing and those ways never seem to quite line up together. While neither are my favorite characters that I've ever read, I liked both of them and enjoyed their story.
The suspense part of the novel was pretty intense. There are quite a few things going on which requires some lengthy details. Sometimes those lengthy parts were a bit much ... I would have been okay if they were just a tad bit shorter. It seemed to just slow the book down but it never slowed down enough for me to start skipping paragraphs or pages.
All in all, this was a really good book. One that I'll probably read again in the future and Robards is definitely an author that I'm going to be on the lookout for when I'm scrounging for something new to read.
* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *
Check out more of my reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!
June 27, 2022
Damned if I can figure out either the title or the reason why a book called "Darkness" has a hot tropical cover, but as always, Karen Robards delivers on the trashy, exciting goodness front. I may not have loved a book of hers since Walking After Midnight, but I always thoroughly enjoy them.
June 29, 2016
This was one of her worst books. I was on page 70 and she was still describing the storm. I don't need 70 pages to tell me about a storm. Most of the book was what he or she was thinking. On several pages there was one line that someone was saying and the rest was descriptive words. Not worth your time reading.
April 5, 2016
I recently became a fan of Robards writing and this one definitely sounded interesting from the blurb. From the beginning of this book I was captured into the world that was created but I had some mixed feelings when it was over.
We meet Gina who is on the island of Attu, Alaska with a team of other researchers. While in the middle of a study she witnessed a small airplane going to crash which brings back memories of her own crash that happened 5 years earlier. Knowing their could be survivors she starts looking and rescues Cal.
Cal can't believe what happened or how it happened but in order to get to the bottom of how and why is plane crashed he needs to be rescued. When he is rescued by Gina he isn't sure if he can trust her but once he determined that he could it's now a game of keeping them alive from the people that are hunting them.
This story grabbed my attention and I loved the suspense of wondering what was going to happen and when. Robards did an excellent job at describing details and making me feel I was on the run with them.
As far as the romance goes that just fell flat for me. These two strangers are attracted to one another but of course in picking up strangers their are trust issues. I did like they were opening up and getting to know one another but I did have trouble warming up to them as couple. Also I'm sorry if I'm being hunted by 20 men with guns who are out to kill me I'm not hiding in a cave thinking about sex lol I'm thinking how the hell can I get off this damn island! The situation was just unrealistic.
The more Gina spoke about the crash that took her family the more I sympathized with her. She seemed a little sex deprived and after awhile just made her seem silly. I mean you just witnessed a plane crash, found some of your friends dead, and you are being hunted but hey Cal let's have some sex...again not realistic. The romance between them felt forced but the suspense was on point until ending.
The ending was rushed and really left me feeling unsatisfied. As much as I wasted to love this story I just couldn't. I think if the author cut out the romance and just had this been a thriller I think that maybe I would have enjoyed it more. Overall it was just okay for me.
We meet Gina who is on the island of Attu, Alaska with a team of other researchers. While in the middle of a study she witnessed a small airplane going to crash which brings back memories of her own crash that happened 5 years earlier. Knowing their could be survivors she starts looking and rescues Cal.
Cal can't believe what happened or how it happened but in order to get to the bottom of how and why is plane crashed he needs to be rescued. When he is rescued by Gina he isn't sure if he can trust her but once he determined that he could it's now a game of keeping them alive from the people that are hunting them.
This story grabbed my attention and I loved the suspense of wondering what was going to happen and when. Robards did an excellent job at describing details and making me feel I was on the run with them.
As far as the romance goes that just fell flat for me. These two strangers are attracted to one another but of course in picking up strangers their are trust issues. I did like they were opening up and getting to know one another but I did have trouble warming up to them as couple. Also I'm sorry if I'm being hunted by 20 men with guns who are out to kill me I'm not hiding in a cave thinking about sex lol I'm thinking how the hell can I get off this damn island! The situation was just unrealistic.
The more Gina spoke about the crash that took her family the more I sympathized with her. She seemed a little sex deprived and after awhile just made her seem silly. I mean you just witnessed a plane crash, found some of your friends dead, and you are being hunted but hey Cal let's have some sex...again not realistic. The romance between them felt forced but the suspense was on point until ending.
The ending was rushed and really left me feeling unsatisfied. As much as I wasted to love this story I just couldn't. I think if the author cut out the romance and just had this been a thriller I think that maybe I would have enjoyed it more. Overall it was just okay for me.
March 31, 2016
I can say with perfect honesty that Robards writes a better RS these days than historical romance. The last historical romance I read of hers had me completely bored. Her RS books, on the other hand, always keep me interested. I have skipped over the Charlie Featherstone books because the first one skeeved me out too much, but I still enjoy her stand alone suspense novels.
Darkness was no exception. This book had me hooked from the first page. It starts off with a horrible tragedy which sucks you right into the story. The shift to the actual island piece felt off when it first started because of the beginning part of the book but then it all did start to fall into place.
The suspense portion of the book was spot on and really dealt with our two main characters keeping away from the bad guys. There is a scene where the H saves the h from the bad guys and then after that it is them running and hiding. It is intense all the way.
The scenes between our hero and heroine are very enjoyable. They have an instant attraction and it all comes together well. Gina is a simple woman with a tragic past and at first wants nothing to do sexually with Cal, but things change and these two have an intense love scene in a hidden cave. It's been awhile since I've read a RS by Robards but I was surprised at the intensity of the love scene. The build up to it is sweet and when Gina tells Cal about her tragic past, he is so unbeliveably sweet. It just melted my heart and I had an "awww" moment.
Gina saves Cal's life in the beginning and then of course, he ends up saving her life by protecting her from the bad guys and getting her safely off the island in the end. It was a different ending from what I am used to with Robards but I liked it, the RS ending.
A great RS read by Karen Robards and highly recommended!
Darkness was no exception. This book had me hooked from the first page. It starts off with a horrible tragedy which sucks you right into the story. The shift to the actual island piece felt off when it first started because of the beginning part of the book but then it all did start to fall into place.
The suspense portion of the book was spot on and really dealt with our two main characters keeping away from the bad guys. There is a scene where the H saves the h from the bad guys and then after that it is them running and hiding. It is intense all the way.
The scenes between our hero and heroine are very enjoyable. They have an instant attraction and it all comes together well. Gina is a simple woman with a tragic past and at first wants nothing to do sexually with Cal, but things change and these two have an intense love scene in a hidden cave. It's been awhile since I've read a RS by Robards but I was surprised at the intensity of the love scene. The build up to it is sweet and when Gina tells Cal about her tragic past, he is so unbeliveably sweet. It just melted my heart and I had an "awww" moment.
Gina saves Cal's life in the beginning and then of course, he ends up saving her life by protecting her from the bad guys and getting her safely off the island in the end. It was a different ending from what I am used to with Robards but I liked it, the RS ending.
A great RS read by Karen Robards and highly recommended!
April 1, 2016
Seriously surprised how much I enjoyed this one. There's a theme of plane crashes that runs through the book. The setting: an ornithologist and a 'private contractor' stranded on an isolated, icy island in Alaska trying to stay away from the bad guys while battling the elements. I was wondering whether there would be enough there to make this into a gripping romantic suspense story considering the majority of the plot involves the two main characters interacting. But wow, Karen Robards surely did. This was full of action, adventure, suspense and hot romance. The attraction between Gina, the serious but strong professor/ornithologist, and Cal, the mysterious guy whose life Gina saves, builds up slowly and develops from mistrusting each other to having to cooperate to stay alive. There were parts that reminded me of the Indiana Jones movies, in a fun and entertaining way. There was more emphasis on the suspense part of the story but Karen Robards definitely knows how to include and write steamy scenes.
I haven't read any of Karen Robards's other books, but will definitely remedy that now.
If you enjoy romantic suspense novels, don't miss this one.
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
I haven't read any of Karen Robards's other books, but will definitely remedy that now.
If you enjoy romantic suspense novels, don't miss this one.
I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
March 3, 2016
Darkness is a sexy, action-packed book that grips you from the very beginning and doesn't let you go. My only complaint is that the ending was a bit rushed (although that could just be me not wanting it to end).
Gina and Cal are both strong characters. Gina is an ornothologist who gets caught up in a storm while following an eagle that's recently been released. On her way back to camp she witnesses a plane crash where Cal is the sole survivor of a mission gone terribly wrong. Gina saves him but there is still a lot of mistrust between them (for obvious reasons). Despite this their chemistry is undeniable and I loved witnessing the growing attraction between them as they fight to make it off the island alive. They prove to be just what the other needs, in more ways than one.
If you're a fan of romantic suspense I suggest giving this book a chance. You won't regret it.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gina and Cal are both strong characters. Gina is an ornothologist who gets caught up in a storm while following an eagle that's recently been released. On her way back to camp she witnesses a plane crash where Cal is the sole survivor of a mission gone terribly wrong. Gina saves him but there is still a lot of mistrust between them (for obvious reasons). Despite this their chemistry is undeniable and I loved witnessing the growing attraction between them as they fight to make it off the island alive. They prove to be just what the other needs, in more ways than one.
If you're a fan of romantic suspense I suggest giving this book a chance. You won't regret it.
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2016
I generally really enjoy Karen Robards. This book happened over two very long days and nights. But since romantic suspense books usually are a lot of intense action over a short period of time I will give it a pass on that. I did feel like there was a lot of interaction between the two leads so their romance doesn't really seem too brief to be believable. There is a lot of fairly believable action which is very well described. The setting was interesting and I want to look up the place now.
June 30, 2016
When Gina sees a plane shot down out of the sky, she's horrified. That she's in the frigid waters off a remote Alaskan island makes this even more difficult. She manages to save the lone survivor, Cal, and the adventure begins. This fast-paced thriller kept me turning the pages. And, of course, it was a romance. The characters are interesting but I sometimes felt that the sexual tension was a little forced. Okay, so we've all realized sex sells. But don't push it just because we think readers expect it. When you're being chased by the bad guys, it can become intrusive. Anyway, I overlooked the sometimes disruptive sexual tension. Yes, he's hot. Of course he's attracted to her. The fact that they're freezing and see horrifying death and destruction? Well, that doesn't seem to hurt their libidos at all. Just saying. But we get our happy ending so I was okay with it all. Good read.
November 13, 2022
I liked the plot, but the book doesn’t really show what the main characters’ real lives are going to look like after this.
The plot was interesting, and I liked seeing how Cal and Gina tried to survive on Attu. However, the whole book (excluding the first 2/3 pages and the last few pages) happens over the course of 3 days which wasn’t enough time for the characters to really get to know each other and spend time together, especially given the circumstances.
I liked Cal and Gina. Their interactions were realistic as both of them were weary of each other. I did want to see a few more chapters showing them interacting in the real world and what their lives would look like when they were not busy trying to survive.
I liked this book, but I don’t think I would want to reread it. I still want to try other books by this author though.
The plot was interesting, and I liked seeing how Cal and Gina tried to survive on Attu. However, the whole book (excluding the first 2/3 pages and the last few pages) happens over the course of 3 days which wasn’t enough time for the characters to really get to know each other and spend time together, especially given the circumstances.
I liked Cal and Gina. Their interactions were realistic as both of them were weary of each other. I did want to see a few more chapters showing them interacting in the real world and what their lives would look like when they were not busy trying to survive.
I liked this book, but I don’t think I would want to reread it. I still want to try other books by this author though.
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