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Gravediggers #1
The Darkest Corner
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Liliana Hart’s first book in her suspenseful Gravediggers series, featuring an elite group of mysterious men who might be dead to the world, but are also tasked with saving it—and no one can ever know.
The Gravediggers aren’t exactly what they seem. They’re the most elite of the world’s fighting forces—and all they have in common is that they’ve been betrayed by the countries they’ve died for. Because they are dead. To their country, their military, and their families.
Sometimes the dead do rise...
Deacon Tucker is a dead man walking. A former black ops agent, he was disavowed and stripped of all honor before being recruited as a Gravedigger. But his honor and good name no longer matter, because no one knows he’s alive, and he’ll never get the recognition he deserves. His mission is simple: save the world or die trying. And for God’s sake, don’t ever fall in love. That’s a rule punishable by death. The kind of death a man can’t be brought back from.
Tess Sherman is the only mortician in Last Stop, Texas. She has no idea how Deacon Tucker ended up in her funeral home, but she’ll eat her hat if he’s only a funeral home assistant. Deacon is dangerous, deadly, and gorgeous. And she knows her attraction to him can only end in heartache.
Deacon is on a mission to stop the most fatal terror attack the world has ever known—what’s known as The Day of Destiny—a terrorist’s dream. But when he discovers Tess has skills he can use to stop them, he has to decide if he can trust her with secrets worth dying for. And, most important, he has to decide if he can trust her with his heart.
The Gravediggers aren’t exactly what they seem. They’re the most elite of the world’s fighting forces—and all they have in common is that they’ve been betrayed by the countries they’ve died for. Because they are dead. To their country, their military, and their families.
Sometimes the dead do rise...
Deacon Tucker is a dead man walking. A former black ops agent, he was disavowed and stripped of all honor before being recruited as a Gravedigger. But his honor and good name no longer matter, because no one knows he’s alive, and he’ll never get the recognition he deserves. His mission is simple: save the world or die trying. And for God’s sake, don’t ever fall in love. That’s a rule punishable by death. The kind of death a man can’t be brought back from.
Tess Sherman is the only mortician in Last Stop, Texas. She has no idea how Deacon Tucker ended up in her funeral home, but she’ll eat her hat if he’s only a funeral home assistant. Deacon is dangerous, deadly, and gorgeous. And she knows her attraction to him can only end in heartache.
Deacon is on a mission to stop the most fatal terror attack the world has ever known—what’s known as The Day of Destiny—a terrorist’s dream. But when he discovers Tess has skills he can use to stop them, he has to decide if he can trust her with secrets worth dying for. And, most important, he has to decide if he can trust her with his heart.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 23, 2017
292 people are currently reading
1707 people want to read
About the author
Liliana Hart
206 books3,299 followersLiliana Hart spent five years teaching music in the public education system. She molded America’s youth, busted kids for smoking pot in the restrooms, and broke up illicit affairs behind the stage on a regular basis. (Liliana’s Addison Holmes Mystery Series, about a small town teacher who gets into a whole lot of trouble, is somewhat autobiographical, but she won’t confess to which parts).
Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.
Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.
Enjoy the Adventures!
Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.
Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.
Enjoy the Adventures!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
August 15, 2018
The Gravediggers are men from elite intelligence agencies across the world who are thought to be dead. They are hiding out in a small town, working for Tess Sherman at a funeral home in Texas. Deacon Tucker was the first one of them there and finds himself put in a tough situation when he becomes attracted to Tess. The Gravediggers are tasked with stopping a terror plot, know as The Day of Destiny, and things get even more dangerous for them all, including Tess, when Tess is pulled into their world to help them stop the attack.
I really did not enjoy this book at all. Like it was actually difficult for me to make myself read all the way to the end. I think it mostly had to do with the writing and just the pacing of the book. I also don't usually enjoy thriller books about spies or romances so that may have also played into it because this book was pretty much in line with other books in those genres. I just kept rolling my eyes at the terrorist plot line thing because it felt so cliched and so did the romance between Tess and Deacon who don't seem like they had ever really talked before they get together in any meaningful fashion. Like how can they be in love when they just got together , I don't know man.
The book just really lacked depth or nuance and I failed to really get into it because it didn't feel believable enough.
I really did not enjoy this book at all. Like it was actually difficult for me to make myself read all the way to the end. I think it mostly had to do with the writing and just the pacing of the book. I also don't usually enjoy thriller books about spies or romances so that may have also played into it because this book was pretty much in line with other books in those genres. I just kept rolling my eyes at the terrorist plot line thing because it felt so cliched and so did the romance between Tess and Deacon who don't seem like they had ever really talked before they get together in any meaningful fashion. Like how can they be in love when they just got together , I don't know man.
The book just really lacked depth or nuance and I failed to really get into it because it didn't feel believable enough.
May 31, 2017
The Darkest Corner by Lilliana Hart is a 2017 Pocket Books publication.
This first book in the ‘Gravediggers’ series gets off to a really good start. But, then it seemed to veer off course and never fully returned to the tense atmosphere the prologue created.
I was slightly confused by this, but even more disconcerting was the mortuary setting. I can read the blackest, darkest, grittiest type of hardcore violence in my novels, but something about morticians and funeral homes really makes me squirm with discomfort.
I wasn’t sure how much more I could stand, but I was determined to keep going, and I’m glad now that I did.
Tess was stunned when the funeral home in her hometown of Last Stop, Texas, she had planned to own and operate one day, was sold out from under her. Not only that, the new owner hired a group of men to work the place, which was odd considering how small the town was, but, Tess was able to retain her role of mortuary manager.
Tess’s all male crew had tongues wagging in Last Stop, with her own mother cheerfully contributing to the gossip. But, it wasn’t until Tess caught the men taking the van out at night, and a mysterious dead man, who turned out not be so dead after all, showed up on a slab in the mortuary, that Tess found the nerve to start asking questions.
Deacon had been attracted to Tess for a while now, but he knew he couldn’t act on his feelings. He was here to do a job, as a member of the ‘Gravediggers’, and Last Stop, Texas, Tess, and the mortuary provided the perfect cover. He was committed to the group for a decade, whether he wanted to be or not. His mission was the most important thing, which was to protect the entire global community. As far as the world knew, Deacon Tucker was dead, as were all the Gravediggers.
But, when Tess starts asking questions and threatening to quit, Deacon has to do whatever it takes to make sure she stays- anything- including seduction.
I never pass up the chance to read a romantic suspense novel whenever I can. This one has all the earmarks of a terrific new series. But, it’s not your ordinary military based suspense novel. This one is slightly morbid, replete with gallows humor, which is certainly imaginative.
There were a few annoyances, one being that the plot the men were involved with, the one that started with so much promise, remained very murky, and was not fleshed out enough to build a taut feeling of suspense, and the action didn’t pick up until the last few chapters.
The author could be a little too descriptive and long winded about the scenery, which meant there were large gaps between the dialogue and activity. This was an issue I encountered mostly at the beginning of the book, but the pacing did pick up speed, especially after the half way mark.
Other than that, the story is original, the chemistry between the feisty Tess and the dark and mysterious Deacon is hot and sassy, and I did enjoy their sharp banter.
Tess’s backstory is solid, her difficulties with her mother drew out my sympathy, and I liked her personality.
Deacon, and his crew are also very different and unique, each with a dangerous, and somewhat secretive past, with some ethical challenges that keeps them at the mercy of their cold and ruthless boss.
Overall, the suspense elements are not as strong as I would have liked, but the romance between Tess and Deacon came in strong, as did all the characterizations. I think this series shows a lot of potential, so I’m signing up for book two, coming out this summer.
3.5 stars
* I was provided a copy of this book as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.
This first book in the ‘Gravediggers’ series gets off to a really good start. But, then it seemed to veer off course and never fully returned to the tense atmosphere the prologue created.
I was slightly confused by this, but even more disconcerting was the mortuary setting. I can read the blackest, darkest, grittiest type of hardcore violence in my novels, but something about morticians and funeral homes really makes me squirm with discomfort.
I wasn’t sure how much more I could stand, but I was determined to keep going, and I’m glad now that I did.
Tess was stunned when the funeral home in her hometown of Last Stop, Texas, she had planned to own and operate one day, was sold out from under her. Not only that, the new owner hired a group of men to work the place, which was odd considering how small the town was, but, Tess was able to retain her role of mortuary manager.
Tess’s all male crew had tongues wagging in Last Stop, with her own mother cheerfully contributing to the gossip. But, it wasn’t until Tess caught the men taking the van out at night, and a mysterious dead man, who turned out not be so dead after all, showed up on a slab in the mortuary, that Tess found the nerve to start asking questions.
Deacon had been attracted to Tess for a while now, but he knew he couldn’t act on his feelings. He was here to do a job, as a member of the ‘Gravediggers’, and Last Stop, Texas, Tess, and the mortuary provided the perfect cover. He was committed to the group for a decade, whether he wanted to be or not. His mission was the most important thing, which was to protect the entire global community. As far as the world knew, Deacon Tucker was dead, as were all the Gravediggers.
But, when Tess starts asking questions and threatening to quit, Deacon has to do whatever it takes to make sure she stays- anything- including seduction.
I never pass up the chance to read a romantic suspense novel whenever I can. This one has all the earmarks of a terrific new series. But, it’s not your ordinary military based suspense novel. This one is slightly morbid, replete with gallows humor, which is certainly imaginative.
There were a few annoyances, one being that the plot the men were involved with, the one that started with so much promise, remained very murky, and was not fleshed out enough to build a taut feeling of suspense, and the action didn’t pick up until the last few chapters.
The author could be a little too descriptive and long winded about the scenery, which meant there were large gaps between the dialogue and activity. This was an issue I encountered mostly at the beginning of the book, but the pacing did pick up speed, especially after the half way mark.
Other than that, the story is original, the chemistry between the feisty Tess and the dark and mysterious Deacon is hot and sassy, and I did enjoy their sharp banter.
Tess’s backstory is solid, her difficulties with her mother drew out my sympathy, and I liked her personality.
Deacon, and his crew are also very different and unique, each with a dangerous, and somewhat secretive past, with some ethical challenges that keeps them at the mercy of their cold and ruthless boss.
Overall, the suspense elements are not as strong as I would have liked, but the romance between Tess and Deacon came in strong, as did all the characterizations. I think this series shows a lot of potential, so I’m signing up for book two, coming out this summer.
3.5 stars
* I was provided a copy of this book as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.
February 18, 2018
DNF @ 25%
May 16, 2017
Oh conflict me! This book for me started out really strongly with a good plot and the promise of something good but...by 40% in I was just so bored and wanting something interesting to happen. The book just seemed to stall then stop. Long paragraphs and chapters with not much going on.
I loved the concept - the elite from special forces teams around the world "killed" but not really, it just looks that way to the world to be reborn and working as a team to deal with some nasty world plots and characters.
These are some hot men ladies!
The manager of the funeral home that is their base cover in the middle of nowhere USA is all fluttery and hot for one man in particular and it turns out he feels the same. So we get some steamy romance.
Here is my issue, at 50% I just lost interest. This had massive potential but nothing was making me want to keep reading. I just stopped caring. Maybe I've missed something amazing but looking at reviews I'm not sure. I'm uber busy with books to read and review and after the will to give it more time left I threw in the towel. Disappointed as the start promised me so much.
The whole super elite terrorist unite just went nowhere and plot lines landed heavy and clunky without pace behind them. Even the tension between our two lovebirds could have been turned up a notch or two. Something was missing from this book.
You may have better luck with this one than me. I'll give it 2.5 stars for what it did cover and a lot of the parts I liked. This book needed much more pace, less long-winded detailed pages about irrelevant things and something super big happening in the middle. In my opinion anyway.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.
I loved the concept - the elite from special forces teams around the world "killed" but not really, it just looks that way to the world to be reborn and working as a team to deal with some nasty world plots and characters.
These are some hot men ladies!
The manager of the funeral home that is their base cover in the middle of nowhere USA is all fluttery and hot for one man in particular and it turns out he feels the same. So we get some steamy romance.
Here is my issue, at 50% I just lost interest. This had massive potential but nothing was making me want to keep reading. I just stopped caring. Maybe I've missed something amazing but looking at reviews I'm not sure. I'm uber busy with books to read and review and after the will to give it more time left I threw in the towel. Disappointed as the start promised me so much.
The whole super elite terrorist unite just went nowhere and plot lines landed heavy and clunky without pace behind them. Even the tension between our two lovebirds could have been turned up a notch or two. Something was missing from this book.
You may have better luck with this one than me. I'll give it 2.5 stars for what it did cover and a lot of the parts I liked. This book needed much more pace, less long-winded detailed pages about irrelevant things and something super big happening in the middle. In my opinion anyway.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.
June 16, 2017
***** 3.5 Stars *****
I was hooked at the beginning of the book, but I gradually lost interest the deeper I went into the story.
The romance between Tess and Deacon was good and steamy, but it was a bit boring.
The enemy that the gravediggers were going against was also somewhat uninteresting.
I loved the plot and idea of this series, but this story wasn't a home run for me. I've read the beginning to the next book in the series, and I am willing to give this another shot.
I was hooked at the beginning of the book, but I gradually lost interest the deeper I went into the story.
The romance between Tess and Deacon was good and steamy, but it was a bit boring.
The enemy that the gravediggers were going against was also somewhat uninteresting.
I loved the plot and idea of this series, but this story wasn't a home run for me. I've read the beginning to the next book in the series, and I am willing to give this another shot.
May 23, 2017
3.5 Stars
Tess is a feisty, but sweet woman with an unusual job as the town’s mortician, but more unusual is the five men working as her “assistants”. There’s really no need for all the help when the small town of Last Stop doesn’t have that many deaths. Not that Tess is complaining, they’re all easy on the eyes with their bulging muscles, and good looks, but there’s only one that captures her interest: Deacon Tucker.
Deacon and his team are stationed at the mortuary as a cover for their real assignment, tracking terrorists and thwarting their plans. The team is multi-national and highly covert. For the last two years, Deacon’s had to yearn for Tess from afar, unable to do anything about it, because of the classified nature of his job. But now the higher ups think Tess can be an asset on the case they are now working, and Deacon’s able to finally get able to get close.
The Darkest Corner was entertaining and fun. I’d call it more a romance than romantic suspense, but it was pretty action packed in the end. I’m looking forward to Miller and Colin’s story next.
A copy was kindly provided by Pocket Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tess is a feisty, but sweet woman with an unusual job as the town’s mortician, but more unusual is the five men working as her “assistants”. There’s really no need for all the help when the small town of Last Stop doesn’t have that many deaths. Not that Tess is complaining, they’re all easy on the eyes with their bulging muscles, and good looks, but there’s only one that captures her interest: Deacon Tucker.
Deacon and his team are stationed at the mortuary as a cover for their real assignment, tracking terrorists and thwarting their plans. The team is multi-national and highly covert. For the last two years, Deacon’s had to yearn for Tess from afar, unable to do anything about it, because of the classified nature of his job. But now the higher ups think Tess can be an asset on the case they are now working, and Deacon’s able to finally get able to get close.
The Darkest Corner was entertaining and fun. I’d call it more a romance than romantic suspense, but it was pretty action packed in the end. I’m looking forward to Miller and Colin’s story next.
A copy was kindly provided by Pocket Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2017
If you like snappy dialogue, you will enjoy this book, the first in Liliana Hart's Gravedigger series. The chatter between the heroine, Tess Sherman, and literally everyone else in the book, including best friend Miller, hottie love interest Deacon Tucker, the local sheriff, the intimidating Russian granny and Tess's own internal arguments are sharp and quick and mildly amusing. Too bad all of the voices sound the same.
You might think this is a paranormal book, but you'd be wrong. The elite "protectors" back from the dead work for a covert organization that works to save the world. However, the first three-fourths of the book is way more focused on the quirks of mortician Tess and the way she tip-toes through her life in small town Texas, amid gossipy townsfolk, her gambling addict mother and her no-nonsense grandma. Lately, it seems Tess has given the townsfolk a lot to gossip about with the recent addition of a team of hunks who are new employees at the nearly dying funeral home. Plus, she was seen riding on the back of a motorcycle with one of them. Gasp! Actually, while the gossiping is heavy-handed, it is consistent and kind of amusing. Plus, it is a perfect chance to show off that snappy dialogue.
In between all the tattling and the hot kisses between Deacon and Tess, the story stumbles a bit. Massive info dumps dissolve into long paragraphs where nothing happens. I could have used some of the snappy dialogue to relate the backstory. Instead, internal musings are the preferred method, and I did the dreaded thing, I skimmed.
In the beginning of the book, I was confused. It felt more like I was dropped into the second or third book of a series. It takes quite a while to get the gist of what is actually going on. Plus, I didn't much like the lack of ambition or intelligence demonstrated by Tess at the beginning. How could she be in her position of running the funeral home and not question FIVE guys hanging around doing nothing? After TWO years! Stupid. However, the second Tess and Deacon appeared on the page together, the entire narrative got a jolt of adrenaline. As a couple, they spark. Eventually, I grew to like Tess more, and it helped seeing her through Deacon's eyes.
This was definitely a book I warmed up to as I read along. In addition, the rest of the Gravedigger team seem set up to have their own stories. I think I would like to see what they encounter next.
3 stars.
Book source: ARC from Netgalley.
You might think this is a paranormal book, but you'd be wrong. The elite "protectors" back from the dead work for a covert organization that works to save the world. However, the first three-fourths of the book is way more focused on the quirks of mortician Tess and the way she tip-toes through her life in small town Texas, amid gossipy townsfolk, her gambling addict mother and her no-nonsense grandma. Lately, it seems Tess has given the townsfolk a lot to gossip about with the recent addition of a team of hunks who are new employees at the nearly dying funeral home. Plus, she was seen riding on the back of a motorcycle with one of them. Gasp! Actually, while the gossiping is heavy-handed, it is consistent and kind of amusing. Plus, it is a perfect chance to show off that snappy dialogue.
In between all the tattling and the hot kisses between Deacon and Tess, the story stumbles a bit. Massive info dumps dissolve into long paragraphs where nothing happens. I could have used some of the snappy dialogue to relate the backstory. Instead, internal musings are the preferred method, and I did the dreaded thing, I skimmed.
In the beginning of the book, I was confused. It felt more like I was dropped into the second or third book of a series. It takes quite a while to get the gist of what is actually going on. Plus, I didn't much like the lack of ambition or intelligence demonstrated by Tess at the beginning. How could she be in her position of running the funeral home and not question FIVE guys hanging around doing nothing? After TWO years! Stupid. However, the second Tess and Deacon appeared on the page together, the entire narrative got a jolt of adrenaline. As a couple, they spark. Eventually, I grew to like Tess more, and it helped seeing her through Deacon's eyes.
This was definitely a book I warmed up to as I read along. In addition, the rest of the Gravedigger team seem set up to have their own stories. I think I would like to see what they encounter next.
3 stars.
Book source: ARC from Netgalley.
June 25, 2017
Update 19.06.2017- Rating changed from 4 to 3 * after reading book 2 of the series.
I am one confused individual when it comes to The Darkest Corner.
The beginning was extremely tough going and there were times that I didn't want to continue. But this book grew on me. Which is quite surprising in itself.
The Gravediggers are those who fight terrorism on home soil. Their cover? A funeral home in Last Stop, Texas.
Tess is a native Last Stopian. She lives in a quirky town with quirky characters. The overall plot was good but quite tiresome in places and felt that it wasn’t really in-depth for me. The main focus is on the characters and the plot seemed glossed over. I was sure if the author was aiming more for romance than for the suspense. I find it hard to decide. But probably the former.
Deacon was betrayed by his country because his moral compass kicked in for one of his missions. He died only to be reborn again. To become a Gravedigger for a ghost organization. Approached by one Eve Winter. Eve Winter deserves a bullet and quite frankly I don't care where as long as she is gone. But hey not my choice.
They have had chemistry from the start but they never acted on it. But the time has come. Although there are dangers with entanglements when you are one step from death’s door.
Tess liked to taunt and be sassy. Deacon. Funny in parts and it did pick up. There are parts I liked and parts I didn't. Overall I enjoyed this read. It's different to what I usually read.
Ms. Hart's writing style is solid although her tendency to go on for pages of world building and inner monologue was tiring so going to be honest hear I skimmed in parts.
The prologue is completely unnecessary IMO. What happened to the little girl? Might be trivial for some but not for me.
I am intrigued enough by the series to see how it continues.
Review can be found @ http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...
August 1, 2017
The concept of this story sounded really good, but the execution was extremely boring. The prologue was a great start, but then nothing. After about 1/2 way through I couldn't take it anymore and started to skim. The pacing was just way too slow and I felt like I spent most of my reading time looking for something interesting to happen. The story just seemed to meander and not get anywhere. I did read some sections towards the end, but by then it was simply to find out how the plot ended. I never could get pulled into the story.
There was a lot of time spent on little things that didn't really add to the plot. There was way too much talk about how hot the guys were, or Tess's mother's issues or a number of side tidbits that didn't add to the plot. Some of the dialogue seemed to be rather corny and was a bit of an eye roller. The convenience of the "shadow workers" was just too convenient. Nothing needed to be explained - it just happened which left the plot feeling fake.
I wasn't too enchanted with the female lead character, Tess. I've grown very tired of the "she doesn't know how beautiful she is" trope. It's been way overused. And since all the guys thought she was hot and they wouldn't mind sleeping with her - I really couldn't buy into it. Plus her talking to herself like a doddering old aunt was just irritating. And it takes 2 years before she gets a clue about what is going on and for her and Deacon to have a conversation? None of it worked for me.
Originally I had a hold placed at the library for the next two books in the series, but I removed the holds and I will just cut my lost reading time to just this one book.
There was a lot of time spent on little things that didn't really add to the plot. There was way too much talk about how hot the guys were, or Tess's mother's issues or a number of side tidbits that didn't add to the plot. Some of the dialogue seemed to be rather corny and was a bit of an eye roller. The convenience of the "shadow workers" was just too convenient. Nothing needed to be explained - it just happened which left the plot feeling fake.
I wasn't too enchanted with the female lead character, Tess. I've grown very tired of the "she doesn't know how beautiful she is" trope. It's been way overused. And since all the guys thought she was hot and they wouldn't mind sleeping with her - I really couldn't buy into it. Plus her talking to herself like a doddering old aunt was just irritating. And it takes 2 years before she gets a clue about what is going on and for her and Deacon to have a conversation? None of it worked for me.
Originally I had a hold placed at the library for the next two books in the series, but I removed the holds and I will just cut my lost reading time to just this one book.
August 6, 2017
I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I mention that just in case anyone suspects that I would give good reviews in exchange for free books. Because my reviews are so influential that publishers and publicists gladly send me freebies because they know what a word from me can do for their sales. Honestly, has that state of affairs ever been true for anyone?
Anyway, I suppose I should review the book at hand. Tess Sherman runs the only funeral home in the little town of Last Stop, Texas. She's good at her job, but longs for more in her life. Little does she know that the other funeral home employees are all top secret, anti terrorist commandos for an organization so underground that even the US government is on a need-to-know basis ...
Let's face it. This is a gloriously ludicrous premise. It's basically an excuse to surround Tess with an international--each is from a different country, you see--crew of hunky men. Although there are thriller elements, this is, at heart, a romance. I don't think it's giving too much away to say that Tess winds up pairing off with one of them. No spoilers, but it's telegraphed pretty early on. And does she wind up having the most toe-curlingly awesome sex of her life? What do you think ...?
There is a thriller plot. Terrorists are planning some large scale mayhem and Tess turns out to have the key bit of information necessary to crack their code. And, while I may play up the more outrageous elements of this book, it's actually pretty good. Forget the implausibilities; just put yourself in its hands and enjoy it for the gloriously pulpy, romantic romp that it is.
Honestly, this book reminded me most of an anime series that my wife adores: Knight Hunters (originally Weiss Kreuz in Japan). In it, a team of gorgeous men are flower shop owners by day, deadly assassins by night. Yeah. The fact that she's managed to combine this premise with a reverse harem show is sheer genius on the part of Liliana Hart. This is looking to be a fine and fun series. Recommended!
Anyway, I suppose I should review the book at hand. Tess Sherman runs the only funeral home in the little town of Last Stop, Texas. She's good at her job, but longs for more in her life. Little does she know that the other funeral home employees are all top secret, anti terrorist commandos for an organization so underground that even the US government is on a need-to-know basis ...
Let's face it. This is a gloriously ludicrous premise. It's basically an excuse to surround Tess with an international--each is from a different country, you see--crew of hunky men. Although there are thriller elements, this is, at heart, a romance. I don't think it's giving too much away to say that Tess winds up pairing off with one of them. No spoilers, but it's telegraphed pretty early on. And does she wind up having the most toe-curlingly awesome sex of her life? What do you think ...?
There is a thriller plot. Terrorists are planning some large scale mayhem and Tess turns out to have the key bit of information necessary to crack their code. And, while I may play up the more outrageous elements of this book, it's actually pretty good. Forget the implausibilities; just put yourself in its hands and enjoy it for the gloriously pulpy, romantic romp that it is.
Honestly, this book reminded me most of an anime series that my wife adores: Knight Hunters (originally Weiss Kreuz in Japan). In it, a team of gorgeous men are flower shop owners by day, deadly assassins by night. Yeah. The fact that she's managed to combine this premise with a reverse harem show is sheer genius on the part of Liliana Hart. This is looking to be a fine and fun series. Recommended!
May 22, 2017
Wow, I really liked this book and it was just the change-up I needed.
There is a covert agency of men from special ops from all over the country who have been created to fight domestic terrorism. Unfortunately, they must "die" before being able to become a part of this force, therefore giving up their past lives, family, and friends.
Their main base is in the city of Last Stop, where they have been able to perform their investigations/missions with no one the wiser. They are known as the "Gravediggers". Enter Tess. She is the funeral director/mortician who was born and raised in Last Stop, with no clue as to what is going on right under her nose, and she's looking for something in her life to give it some excitement. Be careful what you wish for Tess!!
This little town had a myriad of characters with personalities to match, and I loved that. The typical beauty salon with small town gossip, the local sheriff, the mother with a gambling problem, the eccentric grandmother, and of course, most of the gossip surrounded the hot men of the Last Stop Funeral Home. Where did they come from? What did they do with all their time? Who would get one of them into the sack first and win the pool? LOL!!!!
Just know, there is also a romance involved here, and it heats up quickly, as does the sex!
Great beginning to a series and I just really loved the whole concept. These guys each have their own story (and heartbreak) and I'm looking forward to learning about each of them. In this book, we get Deacon's story, and damn, I just fell for him! What he went through is "my typical nightmare"!!!!!!!
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
There is a covert agency of men from special ops from all over the country who have been created to fight domestic terrorism. Unfortunately, they must "die" before being able to become a part of this force, therefore giving up their past lives, family, and friends.
Their main base is in the city of Last Stop, where they have been able to perform their investigations/missions with no one the wiser. They are known as the "Gravediggers". Enter Tess. She is the funeral director/mortician who was born and raised in Last Stop, with no clue as to what is going on right under her nose, and she's looking for something in her life to give it some excitement. Be careful what you wish for Tess!!
This little town had a myriad of characters with personalities to match, and I loved that. The typical beauty salon with small town gossip, the local sheriff, the mother with a gambling problem, the eccentric grandmother, and of course, most of the gossip surrounded the hot men of the Last Stop Funeral Home. Where did they come from? What did they do with all their time? Who would get one of them into the sack first and win the pool? LOL!!!!
Just know, there is also a romance involved here, and it heats up quickly, as does the sex!
Great beginning to a series and I just really loved the whole concept. These guys each have their own story (and heartbreak) and I'm looking forward to learning about each of them. In this book, we get Deacon's story, and damn, I just fell for him! What he went through is "my typical nightmare"!!!!!!!
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
June 2, 2017
This new band of undercover ops agents has risen from the dead(literally), to fight terrorism. There are six men to this elite group whom in their previous life worked in the military or sort. They all had to die, or so everyone thought, buried, and dug up to live this covert life. Their new base is a funeral home in a small town in Texas. A perfect front for what they do. But not too perfect when the lady in charge of the funeral home finds out what and who they really are.The concept of The Gravediggers and what they do is very “Jason Bourne” like, except they are a group of men instead of one. This group of men all have their past that brought them to this point of their lives and from Hart’s introduction, they are all very interesting. I enjoyed reading about these men but some parts of the book not so much.
Deacon, the first of The Gravediggers is the hero for this book. He fits the bill of Bourne. Very smart, sexy, dangerous, yet super sweet. And that is my favorite part of the book. Despite his vow not to commit due to his job, he is willing to take a chance with Tess, the mortician. She is innocent in most ways but also adventurous at heart. Of course, it takes Deacon for her to realize it. The crew finds her entertaining and their reaction to her baking was hilarious. I agree with them. I thought Tess was funny, though very plain Jane, she has spunk. Her issues with her mom were relatable in some ways but I thought she lacked backbone when it comes to standing up to her. I hated that she let her mom take advantage of her more than once.
Deacon and Tess had serious steam. There was this bike scene that is thoroughly ingrained in my head. Unfortunately, the romance was not as strong as I would like and the same goes for the suspense part of the story. Unfortunately, the overall story just didn’t sweep me off my feet.
Despite my personal expectations, I think The Darkest Corner is a fun light read. Fans of The MacKenzie Family series would enjoy this book.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Angela❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
May 25, 2017
For some reason I had it in my head that this was going to be a paranormal romance. I even continued that assumption for the first few chapters of this book. I thought Deacon was somehow brought back from the dead in a supernatural way, and his boss, the elusive Eve Winters was some sort of supernatural being. This is false. I finally realized while there is some super secret serum that can make it look like the heroes die in this series, they don't really die. The heroes in this series are ex- CIA agents, Navy SEALS etc... who have disgraced themselves in different capacities and have been chosen by Eve Winters to "die" to everyone in their life - but to secretly live in a tiny little town and report to three top officials in the government. They go on extremely classified missions, ridding the world of terrorists.
This book features Deacon as our hero. A former CIA agent, he was Eve's first recruit years ago. Waking up from the dead is a real bitch, and not being able to have any contact with anyone from your former life can be devastating. But Deacon commits himself to this team of black-ops men and to fighting terrorism. As the years go by, Eve recruits more men and they all move in together in a funeral home run by a woman named Tess. They chose a funeral home because they can bring "dead" bodies there without much suspicion.
Tess loves running this funeral home and working as a mortician. She sometimes feels like she should leave this small town and see what else the world has to offer, but for the most part she is content. When a new owner takes over (Eve) and hires a bunch of huge men to work with her, Tess is confused. Living in such a small town, they don't have that many deaths a month. But these guys keep the yard clean, and help her with the heavy lifting, so she doesn't question it too much.
Tess and Deacon have been making googly eyes at each other for some time, and as the book progresses, their attraction grows. Tess starts to get even more suspicious as to why these guys really work at the funeral home, and secretly, these guys are trying to stop an attack with a deadly gas.
This book couldn't decide if it wanted to be a cutesy small town romance, or a gritty black-ops book. It didn't work trying to do both. The small town romance comes across well. Tess's mother is a little (a lot) zany and added some darker humor into the book. The local beauty shop is full of old ladies and gossip. Much time is spent in the town and learning about Tess's life and the people she knows. Had Tess and Deacon's romance unfolded in this small town and he had a different profession, I think I would have liked this book a lot more.
On the other hand we have Deacon and his team of agents. All alpha, with attitude and swagger. Did I mention attitudes? The suspense and danger and everything surrounding Eve and her team and the danger just didn't work for me. It didn't feel realistic. I sometimes like the over the top black op books but with the cozy small town backdrop, the crazy black ops stuff felt unreal. And the mysterious Eve Winter did nothing for me.
The romance unfolds okay - it's not rushed but it might not be enough to get me to read another one in this series.
Grade: C
This book features Deacon as our hero. A former CIA agent, he was Eve's first recruit years ago. Waking up from the dead is a real bitch, and not being able to have any contact with anyone from your former life can be devastating. But Deacon commits himself to this team of black-ops men and to fighting terrorism. As the years go by, Eve recruits more men and they all move in together in a funeral home run by a woman named Tess. They chose a funeral home because they can bring "dead" bodies there without much suspicion.
Tess loves running this funeral home and working as a mortician. She sometimes feels like she should leave this small town and see what else the world has to offer, but for the most part she is content. When a new owner takes over (Eve) and hires a bunch of huge men to work with her, Tess is confused. Living in such a small town, they don't have that many deaths a month. But these guys keep the yard clean, and help her with the heavy lifting, so she doesn't question it too much.
Tess and Deacon have been making googly eyes at each other for some time, and as the book progresses, their attraction grows. Tess starts to get even more suspicious as to why these guys really work at the funeral home, and secretly, these guys are trying to stop an attack with a deadly gas.
This book couldn't decide if it wanted to be a cutesy small town romance, or a gritty black-ops book. It didn't work trying to do both. The small town romance comes across well. Tess's mother is a little (a lot) zany and added some darker humor into the book. The local beauty shop is full of old ladies and gossip. Much time is spent in the town and learning about Tess's life and the people she knows. Had Tess and Deacon's romance unfolded in this small town and he had a different profession, I think I would have liked this book a lot more.
On the other hand we have Deacon and his team of agents. All alpha, with attitude and swagger. Did I mention attitudes? The suspense and danger and everything surrounding Eve and her team and the danger just didn't work for me. It didn't feel realistic. I sometimes like the over the top black op books but with the cozy small town backdrop, the crazy black ops stuff felt unreal. And the mysterious Eve Winter did nothing for me.
The romance unfolds okay - it's not rushed but it might not be enough to get me to read another one in this series.
Grade: C
May 19, 2017
The Darkest Corner is the first installment in the Gravediggers new series by Liliana Hart. The cover and blurb were both very intriguing for me.
The Gravediggers are both dead and alive. Everyone thinks they are dead. They are a group of carefully selected men. They are the elite of their profession. They all have military and secret services backgrounds. They come from different countries. What they share is the knowledge of their new identities and their secret. No one should ever know they are alive. What they share too is their new mission to save the world. They are the Gravediggers.
In a parallel peaceful reality, Tess Sherman is the only mortician in Last Stop. She runs the funeral home where she also lives. And though she has her best friend, she always feels lonely. Her love life had its downturns when her fiancée had left her. Not that she has been in love with him or something. She just hoped to build a family. She actually had a lot of dreams. Her own family wasn’t the perfect one with her mother addicted to gambling and caring for no one but herself. She hoped that one day she will run her own funeral home and that she will eventually find someone to love her for who she really was.
The Gravediggers work for Tess. She knows nothing about their real identities. They are her help team appointed by her boss Eve. Still, Tess has her own suspicions about them. She thinks there’s more to them especially when a new member arrives.
Things get even more complicated when a spark starts between Tess and one of the Gravediggers. With their new mission on hand, and the potential relation between Tess and the Gravedigger, there’s a lot at stake.
I first approached this book thinking it was a mystery and thrillers book. My fault of course. The cover and blurb got me confused. Also with the powerful start of the book, all I could expect was a very powerful action thriller read. I should have noticed that it was classified as a romance book. Of course this was one of the main reasons for my disappointment.
Looking back at the book as a romance book, I think it’s good. There’s even a bit of womens fiction to it. The story is entertaining and nice.
However, it’s the thriller part that wasn’t that good. You would expect such an elite team to act very rationally. They were extra smart about everything, but when it came to Tess everything went spiraling down. How bad is it to see a smart perfectly selected CIA agent in a secret live or die mission act as a reckless lover? Too bad right? And very unconvincing too.
However, rating the book overall as a romantic suspense read, I think it was an entertaining fine read. Again, it was my fault to approach it from an action thriller perspective.
**Special thanks to NetGalley and Pocket Books for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. **
For all my reviews please visit http://www.meshascorner.net
The Gravediggers are both dead and alive. Everyone thinks they are dead. They are a group of carefully selected men. They are the elite of their profession. They all have military and secret services backgrounds. They come from different countries. What they share is the knowledge of their new identities and their secret. No one should ever know they are alive. What they share too is their new mission to save the world. They are the Gravediggers.
In a parallel peaceful reality, Tess Sherman is the only mortician in Last Stop. She runs the funeral home where she also lives. And though she has her best friend, she always feels lonely. Her love life had its downturns when her fiancée had left her. Not that she has been in love with him or something. She just hoped to build a family. She actually had a lot of dreams. Her own family wasn’t the perfect one with her mother addicted to gambling and caring for no one but herself. She hoped that one day she will run her own funeral home and that she will eventually find someone to love her for who she really was.
The Gravediggers work for Tess. She knows nothing about their real identities. They are her help team appointed by her boss Eve. Still, Tess has her own suspicions about them. She thinks there’s more to them especially when a new member arrives.
Things get even more complicated when a spark starts between Tess and one of the Gravediggers. With their new mission on hand, and the potential relation between Tess and the Gravedigger, there’s a lot at stake.
I first approached this book thinking it was a mystery and thrillers book. My fault of course. The cover and blurb got me confused. Also with the powerful start of the book, all I could expect was a very powerful action thriller read. I should have noticed that it was classified as a romance book. Of course this was one of the main reasons for my disappointment.
Looking back at the book as a romance book, I think it’s good. There’s even a bit of womens fiction to it. The story is entertaining and nice.
However, it’s the thriller part that wasn’t that good. You would expect such an elite team to act very rationally. They were extra smart about everything, but when it came to Tess everything went spiraling down. How bad is it to see a smart perfectly selected CIA agent in a secret live or die mission act as a reckless lover? Too bad right? And very unconvincing too.
However, rating the book overall as a romantic suspense read, I think it was an entertaining fine read. Again, it was my fault to approach it from an action thriller perspective.
**Special thanks to NetGalley and Pocket Books for supplying my copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. **
For all my reviews please visit http://www.meshascorner.net
June 22, 2017
I received The Darkest Corner in return for an honest review from the publisher.
Tess had returned to her hometown as a mortician with the anticipation of taking over the local practice but Even Winters sweeps in buying it out from under her. However, she does want to keep her on but she revamped the property and has hired her employees. It's been two years and she now had 5 employees all men who are all well build attractive men, that work as her Gravediggers.
The men are more than just Gravediggers they work for an elite anti-terrorist group that even the president doesn't know about. While on a mission to pick up a new recruit they encounter a house robbery and being that they are good guys they have to step in and save the day but catch some attention from the local police. When they aren't home before Tess wakes up with her van she starts to question who they really are, getting pulled into a dark web of lies, sexy kisses and men willing to risk their lives to save the world.
I love Tess she's so adorable even though she spends her time talking to herself and with dead bodies. Her mother would make me crazy, but I'm glad that she has her best friend Miller when she needs her. I wasn't sure about the Gravediggers but the more we learned about Deacon you can't help loving his tragic back story. He's perfect for her even if she doesn't see it herself.
I've had this one on my wishlist and when it showed up at my door I couldn't wait to dive right in. I honestly didn't know what to expect going into The Darkest Corner so it was a pleasant surprise because I loved it. I think the concept for the Gravediggers is unique and exciting giving them a second chance at life after their prior lives ended. I love all the character and found it easy to connect with Tess she's just a breath of fresh air. I love the steamy sweet chemistry between her and Deacon they just work well together even if he may have been dead at one time. This is my first book by the author but I'm hooked on her beautiful writing style and captivating story telling. I can't wait to dive into the next book and see who's going to get a happy ever after next. Highly recommend The Darkest Corner it's one of the best books I've read this year. Love it!!!!
Tess had returned to her hometown as a mortician with the anticipation of taking over the local practice but Even Winters sweeps in buying it out from under her. However, she does want to keep her on but she revamped the property and has hired her employees. It's been two years and she now had 5 employees all men who are all well build attractive men, that work as her Gravediggers.
The men are more than just Gravediggers they work for an elite anti-terrorist group that even the president doesn't know about. While on a mission to pick up a new recruit they encounter a house robbery and being that they are good guys they have to step in and save the day but catch some attention from the local police. When they aren't home before Tess wakes up with her van she starts to question who they really are, getting pulled into a dark web of lies, sexy kisses and men willing to risk their lives to save the world.
I love Tess she's so adorable even though she spends her time talking to herself and with dead bodies. Her mother would make me crazy, but I'm glad that she has her best friend Miller when she needs her. I wasn't sure about the Gravediggers but the more we learned about Deacon you can't help loving his tragic back story. He's perfect for her even if she doesn't see it herself.
I've had this one on my wishlist and when it showed up at my door I couldn't wait to dive right in. I honestly didn't know what to expect going into The Darkest Corner so it was a pleasant surprise because I loved it. I think the concept for the Gravediggers is unique and exciting giving them a second chance at life after their prior lives ended. I love all the character and found it easy to connect with Tess she's just a breath of fresh air. I love the steamy sweet chemistry between her and Deacon they just work well together even if he may have been dead at one time. This is my first book by the author but I'm hooked on her beautiful writing style and captivating story telling. I can't wait to dive into the next book and see who's going to get a happy ever after next. Highly recommend The Darkest Corner it's one of the best books I've read this year. Love it!!!!
May 14, 2017
Oohhh wonderfully good! Suspense, steamy, and swoon worthy men too! Review copy rec'd.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The synopsis of this book had all of the earmarks of the type of story that I love. Military, suspense, romance, hot men, espionage – oh yeah! With a combination like this, you know there’s going to be a lot going on and I couldn’t wait to dive in.
From page one, the author was able to grab your attention and introduce you to a creepy in yet interesting plot. Some may feel it’s a bit far-fetched, however in today’s world anything is possible.
With this unique plot you have to have unique characters to go with it and this book certainly offers that. I’m not sure if I have read a romance based novel that has a mortician in it, let alone a female mortician. So you know this is either going to be humorous or strange. I found the humor in it and enjoyed the heck out of it.
With the interesting plot and the great blend of characters, not to mention the steamy love connection with the HOT and yummy Deacon, this book is definitely a intriguing and decadent story. Memorable characters and a great energy throughout is a highlight of Liliana Hart writing style.
full review http://amidlifewife.com/the-darkest-c...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The synopsis of this book had all of the earmarks of the type of story that I love. Military, suspense, romance, hot men, espionage – oh yeah! With a combination like this, you know there’s going to be a lot going on and I couldn’t wait to dive in.
From page one, the author was able to grab your attention and introduce you to a creepy in yet interesting plot. Some may feel it’s a bit far-fetched, however in today’s world anything is possible.
With this unique plot you have to have unique characters to go with it and this book certainly offers that. I’m not sure if I have read a romance based novel that has a mortician in it, let alone a female mortician. So you know this is either going to be humorous or strange. I found the humor in it and enjoyed the heck out of it.
With the interesting plot and the great blend of characters, not to mention the steamy love connection with the HOT and yummy Deacon, this book is definitely a intriguing and decadent story. Memorable characters and a great energy throughout is a highlight of Liliana Hart writing style.
full review http://amidlifewife.com/the-darkest-c...
May 30, 2017
4.5 Dead men walking Stars
And every once in a while, jumping into the fray and being the hero reminded them of the men they’d been once upon a time. Before their armor had been tarnished.
I absolutely loved the plot of this series. Elite soldiers/agents who had been either betrayed by their countries or on the verge of death, given a choice to join a special force that completes secret missions to keep the world save from terrorism. But to join means they have to die in the eyes of the world. No one can know that they still exist. Their reason for living for the next ten years is to save the world or die trying. There is no place for feelings or relationships. And falling in love is against the rules.
But he was drawn to Tess like a moth to a flame.
Deacon Tucker who used to be Solomon Lange is one of these dead men walking. He’s a former black ops agent who was betrayed by his unit because he refused an order and who had gone rogue before being recruited into the Gravediggers. He’s tough and dangerous and for the last two years, ever since they bought the funeral home in Last Stop, Texas to use as a front for their headquarters, he’s been doing his best to stay away from Tess Sherman. Because being with her can only mean danger for her. I really liked Deacon, his sarcasm and how serious he was. I loved how difficult it was for him to stay away from Tess and how he teased her, loving to rile her.
He tasted of something dark and dangerous. Something she hadn’t known she’d wanted until she’d sampled the power of it.
Tess is the only mortician in the small town she grew up in. She’s always dreamed of having her own funeral home, but her flighty mother keeps stealing her savings which means that it probably will never happen. And ever since Eve Winter bought the funeral home she works at, she has been baffled by the large and sexy men she was forced to work with. There is no way they can only be funeral assistants, not with the danger they exude. Tess prefers the dead to the living, she understands them better and they can’t cause heartbreak. Not like Deacon, who she’s finding it harder to control her attraction around. I loved Tess, her Russian heritage means that she has quite a temper, she’s feisty with a very dry wit which had me laughing many times.
You’re like my oxygen, Tess. I can’t breathe without you.
The romance was great although I did feel as though something was missing, probably because they already knew each other for two years and we didn’t really get that background. It did make it feel as though the romance was moving a bit fast at times, but overall I enjoyed them together. I loved how once Deacon decided he was going to make his move on Tess, he was honest with her and persistent. I also appreciated that there were no miscommunication and pulling away to create unnecessary angst. The sexy times were hot and I liked the hilarious banter between them.
The book was gripping and suspenseful with the Gravediggers’ latest mission, to put a stop to a fatal terrorist attack known as The Day of Destiny, one where millions will die. And what pleasantly surprised me was how humorous this book was at times. Tess was hilarious and her grandmother and best friend Miller were awesome and had me in stitches. I also really liked the other Gravedigger recruits and I’m really looking forward to their books especially Axel’s.
This was my first book by this author and it definitely won’t be my last. A solid introduction to a very promising RS series, with great suspense, humor and fantastic characters. A must read for all RS fans.
April 11, 2017
It takes an appreciation of macabre, black humour to like this book; thankfully the dry kind that I love can sort of easily be translated into a love for this kind of dark comedy.
In contrast to the sombre, almost-sinister cover which made me wonder if ‘The Darkest Corner’ was a murder mystery or a thriller, there’s quite a bit of wry, self-deprecating humour in this, as characters run the gamut from dark and shady to weird and mentally unstable. It’s eccentricity exemplified and probably not a story for people who love straight-out romantic suspense and hear-pounding thrillers but one that meanders and winds around the daily lives of Tess Sherman, her relatives and their ilk, while keeping a mysterious group of men called the Gravediggers who’ve died and come back to life, all in Tess’s back garden, so to speak.
We’re given the odd life that Tess leads, right down to her babbling personality and the actual happenings in a funeral home, except that it’s suddenly populated by men whom she can’t understand, not least a mysterious leader named Deacon Tucker who never gives straight answers when she needs it. Her funeral home business is, unbeknownst to her, the perfect cover for what they do and Tess is slowly but surely waking up to things that go bump in the night—and not of the supernatural kind.
I’m reminded of 6-feet under in its morbid glory, with all the tangential, long descriptions of peripheral characters who add to the quirky mood of the story but not to the plot, which is surprisingly slow-going after the actual introduction to the Gravediggers. For the first half, I was entertained somewhat and undoubtedly en route to boredom, though the cloak-and-dagger conspiracy theories and the spy stuff did get interesting, interspersed with the small-town life that Liliana Hart tries to bring to life. Unsurprisingly, it was Deacon and his unhappy band of operators that captured my imagination, and I think we simply didn’t see enough of them in this book. I was straining the end of my leash for the action and suspense to begin, given that there is a real threat out there and it only materialised in the last quarter of it.
Hart however, has already written a potential series of books into this opener, with sufficient characters have enough depths to plumb until the daylight fades. So while I’m a little on the fence with this slow start, I’m nevertheless eager to dig deeper into this strange band of brothers. Just more of the action and the spooky spy-stuff please.
*ARC by netgalley
(excitedly grateful, as always)
In contrast to the sombre, almost-sinister cover which made me wonder if ‘The Darkest Corner’ was a murder mystery or a thriller, there’s quite a bit of wry, self-deprecating humour in this, as characters run the gamut from dark and shady to weird and mentally unstable. It’s eccentricity exemplified and probably not a story for people who love straight-out romantic suspense and hear-pounding thrillers but one that meanders and winds around the daily lives of Tess Sherman, her relatives and their ilk, while keeping a mysterious group of men called the Gravediggers who’ve died and come back to life, all in Tess’s back garden, so to speak.
We’re given the odd life that Tess leads, right down to her babbling personality and the actual happenings in a funeral home, except that it’s suddenly populated by men whom she can’t understand, not least a mysterious leader named Deacon Tucker who never gives straight answers when she needs it. Her funeral home business is, unbeknownst to her, the perfect cover for what they do and Tess is slowly but surely waking up to things that go bump in the night—and not of the supernatural kind.
I’m reminded of 6-feet under in its morbid glory, with all the tangential, long descriptions of peripheral characters who add to the quirky mood of the story but not to the plot, which is surprisingly slow-going after the actual introduction to the Gravediggers. For the first half, I was entertained somewhat and undoubtedly en route to boredom, though the cloak-and-dagger conspiracy theories and the spy stuff did get interesting, interspersed with the small-town life that Liliana Hart tries to bring to life. Unsurprisingly, it was Deacon and his unhappy band of operators that captured my imagination, and I think we simply didn’t see enough of them in this book. I was straining the end of my leash for the action and suspense to begin, given that there is a real threat out there and it only materialised in the last quarter of it.
Hart however, has already written a potential series of books into this opener, with sufficient characters have enough depths to plumb until the daylight fades. So while I’m a little on the fence with this slow start, I’m nevertheless eager to dig deeper into this strange band of brothers. Just more of the action and the spooky spy-stuff please.
*ARC by netgalley
(excitedly grateful, as always)
December 2, 2018
I really wanted to like this book-- the premise sounded so exciting! But ultimately, I struggled. One of the most annoying things about this book was the sheer amount of unnecessary explanation, and info-dump dialogue, like:
"Right," she said remembering Deacon's explanation of what exactly a HALO jump was. "So you're going to jump from a plane at thirty thousand feet, in freezing temperatures..." Ugh.
This was made worse by writing Tess as the kind of character that talks to herself, or to the bodies in the morgue, which just seemed like an excuse for lazy writing.
The Tess/Deacon relationship also suffered from a bad case of 'insta-love'- they have barely spoken in all the time they've known each other, yet suddenly she's up for joining some secret organisation on nothing but his say so and a quick fumble on the back of a motorcycle?!- this just wasn't believable, nor was it enjoyable to read.
Perhaps most disappointingly, however, the whole 'gravedigger' set-up that had so much potential, didn't live up to expectations. There wasn't much depth to it, and for all we were told (and told, and told) that this was a super secret elite anti-terrorist unit, it had none of the urgency, and frankly, none of the badassedness that you would expect. Big thumbs down.
"Right," she said remembering Deacon's explanation of what exactly a HALO jump was. "So you're going to jump from a plane at thirty thousand feet, in freezing temperatures..." Ugh.
This was made worse by writing Tess as the kind of character that talks to herself, or to the bodies in the morgue, which just seemed like an excuse for lazy writing.
The Tess/Deacon relationship also suffered from a bad case of 'insta-love'- they have barely spoken in all the time they've known each other, yet suddenly she's up for joining some secret organisation on nothing but his say so and a quick fumble on the back of a motorcycle?!- this just wasn't believable, nor was it enjoyable to read.
Perhaps most disappointingly, however, the whole 'gravedigger' set-up that had so much potential, didn't live up to expectations. There wasn't much depth to it, and for all we were told (and told, and told) that this was a super secret elite anti-terrorist unit, it had none of the urgency, and frankly, none of the badassedness that you would expect. Big thumbs down.
April 17, 2017
When I was given the opportunity to review this book I jumped at the chance. Having never read any of Liliana Hart's work before, but always hearing good things, I was excited to get my teeth into this new series. The series follows a group of super elite ex military personnel from different backgrounds and countries, all the men are presumed dead and are not allowed to contact any previously known friends, relatives or associates. The group are known as the Gravediggers and work out of a funeral home managed by Tess Sherman, who has no clue about their extra curricular special operations. Deacon Tucker heads the Gravediggers from their base of operations at the funeral home and after trying his best to not act on his feelings for the red headed, super feisty Tess he ends up having to involve her in the operation in the best way possible. Tess has ogled her five employees from afar for the past two years, especially Deacon, who she seems to have an intense connection with. Even so, she is certain things aren't exactly what they seem and that there is a lot more to this band of merry men. Loved the writing, the story and the characters. The chemistry between Deacon and Tess is off the charts scorching. The whole book worked for me and I am most definitely going to be reading the next book in the series which is out later this year. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2017
The tale began much like you would expect a science fiction thriller or horror story to start with five armed men digging up a grave. Hart pulled me into the tale as she shared the world of this elite group known as the Gravediggers. We have highly trained men from around the world, and their leader is Deacon Tucker. All of these men had served their countries before each was marked for dead. Each was approached by the head of a secret organization to join an elite group of black operations specialists even the President of the United States isn't briefed on. This team eliminates global terrorist threats.
Welcome to Last Stop, Texas. A small town where everyone knows everyone. Here we meet Tess, the local mortician and learn her story. She had planned to buy the funeral home she currently manages that is until her mother absconded with her savings and the property was purchased. After some major renovations, she now has five men working for her. All were hired by her employer, and none seem to have experience working in a funeral home. They are quite the curiosity with locals. In fact, the local ladies have a pool to see who sleeps with Deacon first.
What a fun set up! We learn Deacon has been attracted to Tess since he arrived two years ago but hasn't acted due to his position in the group. All that changes when Tess announces she plans to leave Last Stop. Solomon is instructed to keep her there by any means necessary, and he seizes the chance.
Deacon is an interesting character with a mad skill set, but he is also vulnerable. Hart did an excellent job of letting us see both sides. Tess was surprising. She is bright and can speak Russian thanks to her grandmother. However, she has some self-esteem issues thanks to an ex-fiance. I liked that she thinks things through before she acts, but that once she commits she goes all in.
The suspense thread and elite group took us on missions and delivered some heart-pounding moments. I loved the secret organization and the sci-fi aspects. Talk about freaky. We meet the Director, and I am curious about this seemingly cold, ruthless woman.
The romance offered heat and complications. The story provided dual povs allowing us to connect with both Tess and Deacon making their interactions feel genuine. Hart added some sizzling scenes but balanced them with heartfelt moments.
The story was good, but the book suffered from slow areas and then rushed scenes in part due to the worldbuilding. We had this climatic buildup to an event but when we arrived it lacked details and was over before it began. All the elements I love in romantic suspense were present but the presentation fell short for me. Despite issues, I was hooked and wanted answers and at no point did I feel the need to set this down. Instead, I found myself wishing for more meat.
We are introduced to a unique and quirky set of secondary characters, and I look forward to their stories. Each of the men in this elite group come from different parts of the world, and it will be interesting to learn how they ended up in Last Stop, Texas.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Welcome to Last Stop, Texas. A small town where everyone knows everyone. Here we meet Tess, the local mortician and learn her story. She had planned to buy the funeral home she currently manages that is until her mother absconded with her savings and the property was purchased. After some major renovations, she now has five men working for her. All were hired by her employer, and none seem to have experience working in a funeral home. They are quite the curiosity with locals. In fact, the local ladies have a pool to see who sleeps with Deacon first.
What a fun set up! We learn Deacon has been attracted to Tess since he arrived two years ago but hasn't acted due to his position in the group. All that changes when Tess announces she plans to leave Last Stop. Solomon is instructed to keep her there by any means necessary, and he seizes the chance.
Deacon is an interesting character with a mad skill set, but he is also vulnerable. Hart did an excellent job of letting us see both sides. Tess was surprising. She is bright and can speak Russian thanks to her grandmother. However, she has some self-esteem issues thanks to an ex-fiance. I liked that she thinks things through before she acts, but that once she commits she goes all in.
The suspense thread and elite group took us on missions and delivered some heart-pounding moments. I loved the secret organization and the sci-fi aspects. Talk about freaky. We meet the Director, and I am curious about this seemingly cold, ruthless woman.
The romance offered heat and complications. The story provided dual povs allowing us to connect with both Tess and Deacon making their interactions feel genuine. Hart added some sizzling scenes but balanced them with heartfelt moments.
The story was good, but the book suffered from slow areas and then rushed scenes in part due to the worldbuilding. We had this climatic buildup to an event but when we arrived it lacked details and was over before it began. All the elements I love in romantic suspense were present but the presentation fell short for me. Despite issues, I was hooked and wanted answers and at no point did I feel the need to set this down. Instead, I found myself wishing for more meat.
We are introduced to a unique and quirky set of secondary characters, and I look forward to their stories. Each of the men in this elite group come from different parts of the world, and it will be interesting to learn how they ended up in Last Stop, Texas.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
June 14, 2017
If you're an avid fan of romantic suspense, the concept behind this series should set your heart beating with excitement. What's not to love about black ops agents who are dead for all purposes, working under the radar to safeguard the nation and the world without recognition, and getting a chance for a happy ever after even in 'death'.
Last Stop, Texas was chosen as the location for The Gravediggers' hub for a reason and so far, it's working out just fine, except for Tess Sherman. She was looking forward to taking over Last Stop's only funeral home when the owner sold it but now finds herself managing it for a new owner and the men hired to work for her, who are definitely not who they say they are.
Deacon Tucker was one of the best at what he did until he lost it all. Now reincarnated as a Gravedigger, he's just glad to still be alive and do what he know best. Even though he knows he can't offer any woman a future and has never wanted to before, with Tessa he wants one. After watching her from afar for two years, he's not willing to let her leave last stop as she intends to, even if bringing her into his life will put her in danger.
This was a really great start to this series and I love how the author took the time to set the stage for the entire series. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but quite interesting to meet the characters in the small town as well as on the Gravediggers team.
Tess was something of a contradiction, funny and sweet one moment and feisty and fiery the next. She comes across as innocent and naive about the ways of the world as well as a pushover, especially with her mother but she certainly was fearless about taking on new challenges and experiences, and she rose to the occasion every time she needed to.
Deacon is a dangerous man who has seen a lot of the ugliness life has to offer and has the kind of skills that are the stuff of legends, but he was quite sweet with Tess. I like that he was very honest and open with her about who he was once he decided to go after her and didn't treating her like some shrinking violet who couldn't take care of herself.
For all the suspense and action in this story, there was just as much humor. Tess was actually very funny and between herself, her grandmother and her best friend, I was in stitches.
The Gravediggers team is like the United Nations of black ops teams because every one of the men we meet in this book is from a different country and I really am intrigued about what the author has planned for them. I am also very eager to see what the future holds for the director of the Gravediggers, Eve Winter.
Ms. Hart's Mackenzie family series has been a favorite of mine from the very first book I read. I believe this series has the potential to be just as great as that one and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
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Last Stop, Texas was chosen as the location for The Gravediggers' hub for a reason and so far, it's working out just fine, except for Tess Sherman. She was looking forward to taking over Last Stop's only funeral home when the owner sold it but now finds herself managing it for a new owner and the men hired to work for her, who are definitely not who they say they are.
Deacon Tucker was one of the best at what he did until he lost it all. Now reincarnated as a Gravedigger, he's just glad to still be alive and do what he know best. Even though he knows he can't offer any woman a future and has never wanted to before, with Tessa he wants one. After watching her from afar for two years, he's not willing to let her leave last stop as she intends to, even if bringing her into his life will put her in danger.
This was a really great start to this series and I love how the author took the time to set the stage for the entire series. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but quite interesting to meet the characters in the small town as well as on the Gravediggers team.
Tess was something of a contradiction, funny and sweet one moment and feisty and fiery the next. She comes across as innocent and naive about the ways of the world as well as a pushover, especially with her mother but she certainly was fearless about taking on new challenges and experiences, and she rose to the occasion every time she needed to.
Deacon is a dangerous man who has seen a lot of the ugliness life has to offer and has the kind of skills that are the stuff of legends, but he was quite sweet with Tess. I like that he was very honest and open with her about who he was once he decided to go after her and didn't treating her like some shrinking violet who couldn't take care of herself.
For all the suspense and action in this story, there was just as much humor. Tess was actually very funny and between herself, her grandmother and her best friend, I was in stitches.
The Gravediggers team is like the United Nations of black ops teams because every one of the men we meet in this book is from a different country and I really am intrigued about what the author has planned for them. I am also very eager to see what the future holds for the director of the Gravediggers, Eve Winter.
Ms. Hart's Mackenzie family series has been a favorite of mine from the very first book I read. I believe this series has the potential to be just as great as that one and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
Follow me on Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin’.
Like my page on Facebook.
July 29, 2017
This book started off strong and had a good premise. But then it kinda just stalled and really didn;t live up to it's promise.
I actually was kinda bored after a while and started skimming.
And I rather disliked a few of the characters... such as Tess' narcissistic thieving mother that everyone treated as if she were a just an eccentric 'character' than the total awful creature she was. And then there was the Dragon lady Boss Eve. Very weird dynamic there and she was a total turn off.
So it was ok, but put me off from reading the rest.
I actually was kinda bored after a while and started skimming.
And I rather disliked a few of the characters... such as Tess' narcissistic thieving mother that everyone treated as if she were a just an eccentric 'character' than the total awful creature she was. And then there was the Dragon lady Boss Eve. Very weird dynamic there and she was a total turn off.
So it was ok, but put me off from reading the rest.
October 5, 2017
I love the premise of this series and put this book on my wish list as soon as I heard about it so I was excited to be offered the book for review.
Deacon is part of an elite group of men who were military, generally some sort of special services, who screwed up somehow and were offered a second chance by a mysterious woman named Eve Winter to deal with global threats. They 'die' via a special serum, are dead to the world and their families, and are then brought back to life to work for Eve as part of a team called The Gravediggers. This is an appropriate name not only due to their deaths but because in their new life, their cover is that they work at a funeral home in Last Stop Texas. The funeral home doesn't do enough business to employ them but since it's a just a cover, that's okay.
The woman who manages the funeral home, Tess, would love to own the business but it was sold out from under her and is now owned by the mysterious Eve. Tess has no clue who these men are or why they work there or how Eve can afford to pay their salaries, but that doesn't stop her from enjoying the eye candy, particularly Deacon. They've been attracted to each other since he began working for her but they've stayed away from each other for reasons of their own.
There's a lot of heat between Deacon and Tess, and Hart creates a colorful cast of characters. In fact, at times it was like I was reading a small town contemporary romance. It's set in a small town with quirky characters, and the focus of the book for about 3/4 is the romance. The action and suspense was mostly confined to the end of the book and was rushed when it happened while at the same time, it was full of excruciating detail which slowed the pace. The pace of the book is uneven, with events alternately happening quickly and slowly and there's a great deal of exposition. At 40.0% I made this note: "Finally! We get some background on the Gravediggers and forward motion in the story. Lots of groundwork and laying the foundation. I thought the pace would never pick up."
Despite all that, I liked the story. I liked Deacon and Tess, I liked the premise, I liked the secondary characters (though Tess's mom felt over the top at times), and I want to know more about the rest of the Gravediggers. I'll likely pick up the next book.
Deacon is part of an elite group of men who were military, generally some sort of special services, who screwed up somehow and were offered a second chance by a mysterious woman named Eve Winter to deal with global threats. They 'die' via a special serum, are dead to the world and their families, and are then brought back to life to work for Eve as part of a team called The Gravediggers. This is an appropriate name not only due to their deaths but because in their new life, their cover is that they work at a funeral home in Last Stop Texas. The funeral home doesn't do enough business to employ them but since it's a just a cover, that's okay.
The woman who manages the funeral home, Tess, would love to own the business but it was sold out from under her and is now owned by the mysterious Eve. Tess has no clue who these men are or why they work there or how Eve can afford to pay their salaries, but that doesn't stop her from enjoying the eye candy, particularly Deacon. They've been attracted to each other since he began working for her but they've stayed away from each other for reasons of their own.
There's a lot of heat between Deacon and Tess, and Hart creates a colorful cast of characters. In fact, at times it was like I was reading a small town contemporary romance. It's set in a small town with quirky characters, and the focus of the book for about 3/4 is the romance. The action and suspense was mostly confined to the end of the book and was rushed when it happened while at the same time, it was full of excruciating detail which slowed the pace. The pace of the book is uneven, with events alternately happening quickly and slowly and there's a great deal of exposition. At 40.0% I made this note: "Finally! We get some background on the Gravediggers and forward motion in the story. Lots of groundwork and laying the foundation. I thought the pace would never pick up."
Despite all that, I liked the story. I liked Deacon and Tess, I liked the premise, I liked the secondary characters (though Tess's mom felt over the top at times), and I want to know more about the rest of the Gravediggers. I'll likely pick up the next book.
June 14, 2017
The Darkest Corner focuses on a group of guys who are part of an elite special forces. They are so secret that their family members, friends, and government all think they are dead. They come from various country, various special forces, but they have all come together to try to stop the most evil terrorists in the world. Their cover story is that they are all funeral home assistants for a small town funeral home where Tess works and lives. However, Tess isn't completely fooled and knows something is up with her "assistants." However, she has absolutely no idea how far over her head she is when she becomes involved with one of them.
I have to say that this is one of the most insane love tropes ever. I mean, you have a guy who is considered dead by everyone except this small super secret agency and a woman who runs a funeral home. Let me just say, that I read way more about embalming and how to apply make-up to the dead than I ever could have possibly wanted to. I have no desire to fact check any of it so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the author took some time to research it and possibly even talk to professionals and get their experiences... which is horrifying but I applaud her for putting forth those details. Again, could have totally done without it but I'm a stickler for getting to see characters in their natural/job setting instead of just when they are with the love interest. So, I suppose I got what I asked for on this one.
When we meet the guys they are digging up a coffin in a cemetery. You see, their latest team member was "killed", transported to the United States, and is in need of retrieval. This agency that they work for looks for people who are in high-skilled agencies from around the world who have become a threat to their country for one reason or another. They then go in and give them an option, "die" and live another life as a secret agent taking down the really bad guys, or die for real when their government finally catches up to them and ends the threat. Obviously, the decision isn't hard for these guys but they have no idea what they are really signing up for. Their deaths are staged, they are injected with this awful serum that makes them appear to be dead... and feels like it too. Then they are put in a coffin, brought to the US, buried, and then the other team members have a certain amount of time to get them out out of the ground before the serum wears off and they wake up. The craziness behind it all blew my mind.
I really enjoyed this story. There's action, slow-burn romance, suspense, and so many lovable characters that I can't wait to read the next book. The author took your typical special ops romance and totally made it her own. I don't know if I've ever read a book before that had a mortician as the heroine, let alone a group of guys that kind of died, were buried alive, and then brought back to life in order to be some super secret special forces team. Granted, I could do without the mortician thing again since that gave me some really weird dreams while reading this but everything else I really liked.
I have to say that this is one of the most insane love tropes ever. I mean, you have a guy who is considered dead by everyone except this small super secret agency and a woman who runs a funeral home. Let me just say, that I read way more about embalming and how to apply make-up to the dead than I ever could have possibly wanted to. I have no desire to fact check any of it so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the author took some time to research it and possibly even talk to professionals and get their experiences... which is horrifying but I applaud her for putting forth those details. Again, could have totally done without it but I'm a stickler for getting to see characters in their natural/job setting instead of just when they are with the love interest. So, I suppose I got what I asked for on this one.
When we meet the guys they are digging up a coffin in a cemetery. You see, their latest team member was "killed", transported to the United States, and is in need of retrieval. This agency that they work for looks for people who are in high-skilled agencies from around the world who have become a threat to their country for one reason or another. They then go in and give them an option, "die" and live another life as a secret agent taking down the really bad guys, or die for real when their government finally catches up to them and ends the threat. Obviously, the decision isn't hard for these guys but they have no idea what they are really signing up for. Their deaths are staged, they are injected with this awful serum that makes them appear to be dead... and feels like it too. Then they are put in a coffin, brought to the US, buried, and then the other team members have a certain amount of time to get them out out of the ground before the serum wears off and they wake up. The craziness behind it all blew my mind.
I really enjoyed this story. There's action, slow-burn romance, suspense, and so many lovable characters that I can't wait to read the next book. The author took your typical special ops romance and totally made it her own. I don't know if I've ever read a book before that had a mortician as the heroine, let alone a group of guys that kind of died, were buried alive, and then brought back to life in order to be some super secret special forces team. Granted, I could do without the mortician thing again since that gave me some really weird dreams while reading this but everything else I really liked.
May 24, 2017
3.5 stars
3 flames
A small town mortician, Tess Sherman is sweet and smart with a red head's temperament. She's also introverted, a terrible cook, and talks to herself more than she should. She's been saving her pennies to purchase the local mortuary, but someone else sweet talks the owner into selling out to them. Suddenly, Tess finds herself managing a group of men who are definitely not in the mortuary business. One in particular catches her eye, but she's been burned by a bad relationship and is no hurry to start again.
Deacon Tucker is a man of many secrets. Burned from his previous job because of his moral compass, he now leads a select group of men called The Gravediggers- an intelligence strike force team created to combat domestic terrorism. He's had his eye on Tess for the last two years, but his current position isn't tailored for a relationship. When his boss tells him to bring her in on the current situation, he decides he's going to go for full exclosure with Tess and hope for the best.
Tess and Deacon's romance came on fast and hot! They had an easy banter between them that was fun to read and their chemistry provided amusing fodder for the rest of the town to feast on.
The vast amount of information on mortuaries did drag the story out at times, but the unique environment had me curious enough that I learned more than I wanted..and discovered a morbid interest in a topic that gives me the willies just saying the word. Filled with an amusing variety of characters, Last Stop embodies the nosy, yet protective, nature that comes with living in small towns. Tess's gambling-addicted mother and Russian mafia connected grandmother raised my eyebrows with their antics a few times, while the "binocular watching" women as the Gravediggers work out had me cracking up!
The first book in the series, The Darkest Corner was a lot of informational set-up for further books in the series. The concept of the Gravediggers is pretty nifty with "dead" guys trying to keep the spread of terrorism from home soil and reminded me a little of Lora Leigh's Elite Ops series-except the Gravediggers had more mystery than suspense. My curiosity is now spiking about the guys' pasts, and I'm hoping the next book will provide more answers!
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book for the Bambi Unbridled blog.
http://bambi-unbridled.blogspot.com
3 flames
A small town mortician, Tess Sherman is sweet and smart with a red head's temperament. She's also introverted, a terrible cook, and talks to herself more than she should. She's been saving her pennies to purchase the local mortuary, but someone else sweet talks the owner into selling out to them. Suddenly, Tess finds herself managing a group of men who are definitely not in the mortuary business. One in particular catches her eye, but she's been burned by a bad relationship and is no hurry to start again.
Deacon Tucker is a man of many secrets. Burned from his previous job because of his moral compass, he now leads a select group of men called The Gravediggers- an intelligence strike force team created to combat domestic terrorism. He's had his eye on Tess for the last two years, but his current position isn't tailored for a relationship. When his boss tells him to bring her in on the current situation, he decides he's going to go for full exclosure with Tess and hope for the best.
Tess and Deacon's romance came on fast and hot! They had an easy banter between them that was fun to read and their chemistry provided amusing fodder for the rest of the town to feast on.
The vast amount of information on mortuaries did drag the story out at times, but the unique environment had me curious enough that I learned more than I wanted..and discovered a morbid interest in a topic that gives me the willies just saying the word. Filled with an amusing variety of characters, Last Stop embodies the nosy, yet protective, nature that comes with living in small towns. Tess's gambling-addicted mother and Russian mafia connected grandmother raised my eyebrows with their antics a few times, while the "binocular watching" women as the Gravediggers work out had me cracking up!
The first book in the series, The Darkest Corner was a lot of informational set-up for further books in the series. The concept of the Gravediggers is pretty nifty with "dead" guys trying to keep the spread of terrorism from home soil and reminded me a little of Lora Leigh's Elite Ops series-except the Gravediggers had more mystery than suspense. My curiosity is now spiking about the guys' pasts, and I'm hoping the next book will provide more answers!
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book for the Bambi Unbridled blog.
http://bambi-unbridled.blogspot.com
June 8, 2017
Action, steamy love scenes, and sexy alpha males? Yes please! The Darkest Corner is a brilliant first look into what the Gravediggers series is going to bring to the table. I instantly became hooked and devoured this book in a few days time. The characters are incredible and the writing is fast paced and exciting. There was a little more romance than I was expecting, but I'm not complaining about that!
The characters were well rounded and complex, and I loved how I was constantly cheering them on. The idea of a secret society of men protecting the world from terrorist was just so intriguing to me. The novel was also especially interesting because it had a realistic feeling to it. Hart created real life scenarios that could be happening in our world today, which is a scary thought! The only problem that I had was I felt like there was a lot of build up to the action scenes, but not a whole lot of action when we got there. I hope there is a little more action in the following two books!
All in all, The Darkest Corner is a fun and exciting start to The Gravediggers series and I can't wait to continue reading the next two books. I would highly recommend this to readers who enjoy action novels with romance mixed in. A big thank you to Pocket Books for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review!
The characters were well rounded and complex, and I loved how I was constantly cheering them on. The idea of a secret society of men protecting the world from terrorist was just so intriguing to me. The novel was also especially interesting because it had a realistic feeling to it. Hart created real life scenarios that could be happening in our world today, which is a scary thought! The only problem that I had was I felt like there was a lot of build up to the action scenes, but not a whole lot of action when we got there. I hope there is a little more action in the following two books!
All in all, The Darkest Corner is a fun and exciting start to The Gravediggers series and I can't wait to continue reading the next two books. I would highly recommend this to readers who enjoy action novels with romance mixed in. A big thank you to Pocket Books for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review!
June 9, 2017
Interesting premise!
Smart and funny in a gothic, out-of-body sort of way. We have US funded anti terrorists working for a faceless black op organization that operates outside of legal parameters. Putin gets a mention. That keeps things topical!
Rifting off those various SEAL type stories that have gorgeous, high adrenaline types who save the day, the gravediggers are somewhat different because they go to death and back to be reborn (not in a paranormal way, good old experimental drugs not found in the FDA list). These men are taken from organizations from the CIA to Mossard.
Their contact and boss is Eve Winter, a cold hearted queen of 'b's' who cannot be trusted!
In charge of this team is the hunky Deacon Tucker.
Then there's Tess Sherman, a third generation Russian Mafiosi brat who is apparently drop dead gorgeous although she sees things through a lens of her self-convinced imperfections.
Tess is a mortician, and yes it gets a tad gruesome!
Her mother is a piece of work, and her grandmother is delicious. The Russian connection becomes an important focus in the story
I just keep thinking that Joanne Woodwood would have had a much better time of it in 'Rachel, Rachel' if her circumstances were as Tess's.
Combining action, humor and steamy romance with a touch of the macabre makes this is an eventful read.
A NetGalley ARC
Smart and funny in a gothic, out-of-body sort of way. We have US funded anti terrorists working for a faceless black op organization that operates outside of legal parameters. Putin gets a mention. That keeps things topical!
Rifting off those various SEAL type stories that have gorgeous, high adrenaline types who save the day, the gravediggers are somewhat different because they go to death and back to be reborn (not in a paranormal way, good old experimental drugs not found in the FDA list). These men are taken from organizations from the CIA to Mossard.
Their contact and boss is Eve Winter, a cold hearted queen of 'b's' who cannot be trusted!
In charge of this team is the hunky Deacon Tucker.
Then there's Tess Sherman, a third generation Russian Mafiosi brat who is apparently drop dead gorgeous although she sees things through a lens of her self-convinced imperfections.
Tess is a mortician, and yes it gets a tad gruesome!
Her mother is a piece of work, and her grandmother is delicious. The Russian connection becomes an important focus in the story
I just keep thinking that Joanne Woodwood would have had a much better time of it in 'Rachel, Rachel' if her circumstances were as Tess's.
Combining action, humor and steamy romance with a touch of the macabre makes this is an eventful read.
A NetGalley ARC
May 24, 2017
http://rpmbt-blog.com/rpmbt/review-th...
The Darkest Corner by Liliana Hart is a unique twist on the suspense drama. It has romance, some darkness, and a very unique setting.
The first two chapters in this book really laid out who our main characters were and really allowed me to connect to both of them. When we met Deacon and the Gravediggers I was like wow, what am I getting into with these guys? I knew it was going to be fun ride with all the guys with all their secrets and the different personalities, but Deacon really stood out to me. When we met Tess my heart reached out to her in a few different ways. She’s strong yet quiet and she’s sick of being taken advantage of, so I knew she was going to put up a fight when the time came and boy did she!
I loved how things played out and Deacon got the chance to finally make a move on Tess. When she was surprised in the embalming room and he was there to save her, instead of freaking out more than she did, she got angry and she took it out him. Her redheaded temper really came out and I laughed at how she handled the entire situation. Deacon handled it well too. These two anytime they are in a room together you can tell they should be together, how everyone didn’t pick up on it is surprising to me, but the guys definitely once they caught on helped make things awkward for them.
This book was not only a romance, but a “save the world” book. Watching the guys put all the pieces together to make sure the “Day of Destiny” didn’t happen was nerve wracking. I was biting my nails, even knowing it was fiction, hoping they would save everything! My heart was racing towards the end of the book and I was freaking out. That’s how you know this was an amazing book! You had the sweet and sexy romance but you also had the thrilling suspense of the will they make it in time to save the country and the world?!
So much truly happens in this book that I want to write and tell you about in this review, but it would be an injustice to do that as it would take away the surprise to you the reader. I will say this book is something that I normally wouldn’t pick up, I did it on a whim looking for something to get out of my reading rut and it worked. I loved the banter between the characters, how the story flowed, and how each character truly played a piece in the big picture. This story had it all!
I was instantly drawn to this book by the cover, and when I flipped it over to read the blurb I knew I needed to read it, and I am thrilled I gave this book a chance. I have never read anything by Liliana Hart before and I definitely will be reading more by her now! If you’re looking for something with a bit of suspense, a bit of romance, and an amazing story to tell, definitely pick up The Darkest Corner today!
I have received this book as a member of the XOXperts, XOXO After Dark’s official street team, in exchange for an honest review.
The Darkest Corner by Liliana Hart is a unique twist on the suspense drama. It has romance, some darkness, and a very unique setting.
The first two chapters in this book really laid out who our main characters were and really allowed me to connect to both of them. When we met Deacon and the Gravediggers I was like wow, what am I getting into with these guys? I knew it was going to be fun ride with all the guys with all their secrets and the different personalities, but Deacon really stood out to me. When we met Tess my heart reached out to her in a few different ways. She’s strong yet quiet and she’s sick of being taken advantage of, so I knew she was going to put up a fight when the time came and boy did she!
I loved how things played out and Deacon got the chance to finally make a move on Tess. When she was surprised in the embalming room and he was there to save her, instead of freaking out more than she did, she got angry and she took it out him. Her redheaded temper really came out and I laughed at how she handled the entire situation. Deacon handled it well too. These two anytime they are in a room together you can tell they should be together, how everyone didn’t pick up on it is surprising to me, but the guys definitely once they caught on helped make things awkward for them.
This book was not only a romance, but a “save the world” book. Watching the guys put all the pieces together to make sure the “Day of Destiny” didn’t happen was nerve wracking. I was biting my nails, even knowing it was fiction, hoping they would save everything! My heart was racing towards the end of the book and I was freaking out. That’s how you know this was an amazing book! You had the sweet and sexy romance but you also had the thrilling suspense of the will they make it in time to save the country and the world?!
So much truly happens in this book that I want to write and tell you about in this review, but it would be an injustice to do that as it would take away the surprise to you the reader. I will say this book is something that I normally wouldn’t pick up, I did it on a whim looking for something to get out of my reading rut and it worked. I loved the banter between the characters, how the story flowed, and how each character truly played a piece in the big picture. This story had it all!
I was instantly drawn to this book by the cover, and when I flipped it over to read the blurb I knew I needed to read it, and I am thrilled I gave this book a chance. I have never read anything by Liliana Hart before and I definitely will be reading more by her now! If you’re looking for something with a bit of suspense, a bit of romance, and an amazing story to tell, definitely pick up The Darkest Corner today!
I have received this book as a member of the XOXperts, XOXO After Dark’s official street team, in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2017
Deacon Tucker was a CIA agent. When he ignored orders that were morally objectionable to him a price was put on his head. A multi nation covert agency rescued him by 'killing' him. He resurfaces in a Last Stop, TX. A very small town where Deacon and other 'dead' soldiers are based. Their cover is a funeral home. New recruits come to Deacon in buried caskets. They dig them up and get a new team member.
Tess is the mortician and life long resident of the town. Deacon has had the hots for Tess for 2 years. Of Russian decent she might prove useful to Deacon and his team. Deacon is ordered to seduce Tess to get her on board. It's no hardship for Deacon, only he isn't romancing Tess because of orders.
I liked both Deacon and Tess. The other men on the team are interesting as well. The suspense was excellent. I'm moving on the the next book
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Tess is the mortician and life long resident of the town. Deacon has had the hots for Tess for 2 years. Of Russian decent she might prove useful to Deacon and his team. Deacon is ordered to seduce Tess to get her on board. It's no hardship for Deacon, only he isn't romancing Tess because of orders.
I liked both Deacon and Tess. The other men on the team are interesting as well. The suspense was excellent. I'm moving on the the next book
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