Before the Dawn
3.5 Stars

Former Navy SEAL, Tucker Frost, is the perfect fit for Samantha Dark's new profiling team due to his close personal connection to a serial killer - his brother, Jason aka the "Iceman". Called in to assist on an apparent copycat killing, Tucker must deal not only with the possibility that Iceman has returned, but also with his feelings for Dawn, Jason's last victim and the only woman Tucker has ever loved. Can Tucker and Dawn overcome the shadows of their past and stop a killer before he comes for the one who got away?

Series note:This is the 2nd book in the Killer Instincts series, but Tucker's character also appears in a related Harlequin Intrigue (Hunted).

While the characters and romance are enjoyable and the serial killer plot has some intense and gripping moments, I really wish Cynthia Eden had a better proofreader as her writing is choppy with excessively repetitive vocabulary choices.

Dawn's strength and resilience in rebuilding her life following the Iceman's attack make her a particularly appealing heroine. Moreover, she thankfully avoids the TSTL actions that so often plague this type of book. Tucker has not fared as well in the aftermath of killing his brother and losing the woman he loved. Eden portrayal of Dawn and Tucker's initial reunion is both realistic and heartwrenching. There are even times when it is difficult to accept that they will ever be able to reconcile their pasts, but Eden manages to make their second-chances romance believable.

The Iceman returns investigation is a strong police procedural with a couple of convincing red-herrings. That said, it is possible to guess the culprit by following the clues.

The next and final installment in the series focuses on the two other members of Samantha Dark's unit, Macey Night and Bowen Murphy. While Macey's connection to killers is obvious, Bowen's is only hinted at. It will be interesting to see its exact nature.

All in all, an enjoyable read despite my issues with Eden's writing. ( )

Mix Criminal Minds with a second chance love story and you have Before the Dawn. You do not have to read book 1 1st in order to enjoy this story; it is a total standalone.

Tucker and Dawn have a seriously messed up past. Dawn was the only victim to escape the serial killer known as the 'Iceman'. At the time, she was a college student with a boyfriend. The killer? Her boyfriends brother, Jason. Tucker saves her, but that is the end of their relationship. Tucker doesn't want to hurt Dawn by being a reminder. Typical man though, he never bothered to ask Dawn what she wanted or felt. He just left. Now, he has quite the tragic past as well, which he never shared with Dawn. Seven years later, a killer is using the Iceman's MO in the city Dawn lives in and Tucker, working for a special unit in the FBI is sent to handle the case putting him back in Dawn's path again.

Dawn has feared that perhaps Jason didn't die and he might be out there, but Tucker doesn't think thats possible. She doesn't want to be left out of the investigation. She works in NOLA as a PI and knows the town well. The mystery of the story is who the killer is. It could be Jason (maybe he never died), or it could literally be almost anyone else. I suspected many different people throughout the story. While the hunt is on, you have the rekindling of the romance between Dawn and Tucker. However, they are both still struggling with the same things that drove them apart before. It was a little annoying that Tucker treated Dawn like a china doll when she obviously wasn't. I appreciated that Dawn expressed herself as much as possible and tried to be honest with Tucker and her struggles. Tucker however, didn't seem to share that same outlook on self expression. Frankly, I was kind of getting annoyed with him.

Like with all of Eden's books I have read, she includes glimpses into the mind of the killer which adds lots of tension. While I am not usually a fan of 3rd person, it works perfectly for romantic suspense books where the antagonist is unknown. Thrilling plot twists, steamy romance, and potent supporting characters makes Before the Dawn a must read romantic suspense!

 

• POV: 3rd


• Tears: no


• Trope: serial killer, second chance


• Triggers: Obviously, there is a serial killer in the story and some of the torture is described might be upsetting to some readers.


• Series/Standalone: stand alone


• Cliffhanger: no


• HEA: yes

The Devil's Daughter by Katee Robert, Deep Dark by Laura Griffin, Kill Without Mercy by Alexandra Ivy...then you will probably like Before the Dawn!

 


Before the Dawn





See full review on The Book Disciple ( )

Better than expected ( )

OMG, this book. The very first page grabbed me and just wouldn't let go--I can't tell you how many times I gasped out loud and/or winced while reading! The last 20% it was virtually nonstop...good thing Mini Moe #1 has become used to my gasps that come seemingly out of nowhere while he's driving...

Before the Dawn is a romantic thriller/second chance romance story with the twist that the hero was the brother of the guy who tortured and nearly killed the heroine several years earlier. Tucker had to choose between his brother (dubbed "The Iceman") and the woman he loved back then, and has been haunted by the words of his brother, "Blood comes first," ever since. Their father had been a horrible person, his brother was even worse--would Tucker truly be able to avoid their legacy? Could Dawn ever look at him and not see the man who literally made her life a living hell? Add in the fact that it looks like there's an Iceman copycat killer running around in the city which Dawn has moved to and Tucker's FBI team is on the case, and yeah. Pretty freaking intense.

Before the Dawn is the second book in the series, but worked pretty well as a standalone. Based on this one, though, I'm definitely going to back up and read the prequel and book one ( The Gathering Dusk and After the Dark ) to get ready for book three ( Into the Night ) when it comes out, because I. Must. Read.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. ( )