There is No Light in Darkness

Darkness #1

by Claire Contreras

A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves.

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness?


Book contains: Explicit language & sexual content.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Friends To Lovers

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2013

About the author

Claire Contreras is a New York Times Best Selling Author. Her books range from romantic suspense to contemporary romance and are currently translated into over fifteen languages. When she's not writing, she's usually lost in a book or hanging out with her family.

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Find her on:

TikTok: @clairecontreraswrites

Instagram ➙ ClaireContreras

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!

It was the perfect blend of mystery, angst, romance, and a gripping story! I could not put this book down! 5 stars!

I inhaled this book in one sitting, was completely wrapped up in the story and hopelessly in love with Cole.

Speaking of Cole… NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND ALERT!! He might be one of my favorites EVER!! As in ever ever EVER! Holy butterflies! *faints*

What a prologue!! This book had me hooked from the very first page. I was immediately intrigued and invested in the story and there was just NO way I was putting this book down.

I’m not going to say too much about what the book is about because it’s hard to explain it without spoilers but here is just the basic set up:

Haunted by the nightmares of her family’s murder, Blake never feels safe. Not even for a moment. And she’s spent her whole life trying to piece together the memories of her past with the small clues she’s found a long the way to try and find out what happened to her family.

“Even though I have the memories from my nightmares, I’m not sure I want to experience them in the light. They’re more real in the light. I should have kept them buried in the darkness, but it’s too late for that.”

The only time she truly feels safe is with Cole. He’s been a constant in her life for so long now and it’s coming to the point where they have to admit their feelings for each other.

I fell in instant love with Cole. I really mean instant here. Five lines into his appearance in the story and I. Was. In. Love. And I didn’t stop loving him for even a moment throughout the whole book. He definitely has made it into my list of favorite Book Boyfriends EVER!! I swear to God everything he said made my heart flutter and everything he did made me swoon!

I’ll admit that the beginning of the story was a wee bit confusing but not at all in a bad way. Almost more in a way that just made me more curious. Some of the things just didn’t make sense to me and I was just desperate to know why and what caused them to happen.

The story is told in alternating past and present timelines. Given all the mystery surrounding Blake’s past, this really helped me piece things together and understand both where she was coming from and what she was trying to still figure out.

But HOLY ANGST people!!! I’m almost talking Thoughtless levels of angst here! My heart was just pounding for most of my read. It was like I was on a constant adrenaline high. I don’t really want to give anything away but basically despite it being without-a-shadow-of-a-doubt clear that Cole and Blake were meant for each other, they weren’t together in the beginning of the book and the whole set up there really just kept my heart in my throat. For those of you who are worried by that though, don’t be. It does all work itself out so just enjoy the angsty ride. It’s well written and I honestly really loved how strongly this book affected my heart.

“I’ve had sex before – yes. Casual, meaningless, stupid sex… This,” he said motioning between us, “is not casual, it’s not stupid, and it sure as fuck is not meaningless…

I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you.”

**SWOOOOOOOOOOOON**

About the mystery part… I had SO many questions!! Endless questions!!! Questions upon questions upon questions!! I’m not usually ever into the mystery side of stories but I think that because of how everything was ‘connected’ and because of how strong the romance was, it kept me just as interested in the mystery as I was in the romance.

Luckily though, despite all the questions, we also get some answers. The book was full of little reveals and twists that pieced the story together. They gave me CHILLS. Shivers. Some I admit that I predicted, both others just took the rug riiiiiiiiight out from under me.

“I wish I didn’t have this strong urge to uncover my past, because with this comes devastation and sorrow that I’m not sure I’m strong enough to relive.”

I will say though that there were a few minor events/time jumps that I felt were glossed over in places. There were just a few and they weren’t serious enough lower my 5 star rating, but I did notice them.

Ok, and I’m going to say this about Cole and I’m not saying this lightly and I don’t mean that they’re like the same guy at all but… Cole kind of reminded me of Kellan in a certain way. They were very different characters but Cole made my heart flutter in a very Kellan-like manner. He gave me a lot of the same feelings and put me through some of similar emotions and I really just LOVED it!

I also loved that Cole and Blake had a history. I felt like it gave their relationship a lot more meaning because it was built on so many years of friendship and emotion. My heart just broke for their past. Absolutely broke!! There is no cheating but there is a period of time where they are both in other relationships – but don’t worry, those don’t last and honestly, weirdly enough, I understood the decisions they made even it made my heart just hurt at times.

I liked Blake as a heroine and I was totally into her story the whole way – no disconnect.

And I honestly just kept falling more and more in love with Cole with every page. He was just so protective and swoony with just a touch of manwhore but in that deliciously angsty way where you know that he’s just waiting the whole time for the love of his life to realize how crazy he is for her. He did make some mistakes but seriously, it was impossible not to fall for him. Hard.

The steam factor was high! It was hot but not overly descriptive. I’d consider it a New Adult level of steam. But it was the kind that you really “felt” because it took the time to establish your bond to the characters first.

“You’re the only one that matters… You’re the only one that fucking matters…. Only you… Always.”

The ending is a cliffhanger. A giant brutal cliffhanger that leaves you utterly DESPERATE for more.. but don’t worry!! This is part of a 2-book series and the second book will be out on May 31, 2013 so really you’ll only have to wait a few short days to get the next book.

Seriously, I promise you that if you start reading this, you will not be able to put it down! It had mystery that made my heart pound, romance that made my heart flutter, and angst that made my heart race.

I would HIGHLY recommend this book!! I absolutely loved it!!

5 stars!

hehe… one more time… I LOVE COLE!!!!!!!!!!!

ok. I’m done.

My casting:



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[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

A freaking amazing book!!!



There is No Light in Darkness is an incredible mix of suspense, mystery, plot twists, awesome secondary characters and a beautiful, hot and heavy romance!!
The author did a wonderful job with the storyline where it switched back and forth from the past to the present.The main characters rocked this book!!





I loved Blake and Cole together.The relationship between these two was both flawed and perfect to epic proportions!!I absolutely adored how willingly Cole exposed his vulnerability. And, the extent that Blake would go to in order to protect him however best she could had me rooting for them all the way through.There were some truths that were revealed and when they were exposed, I was gasping and aww’ing… I was a mess! Overall, perfect couple with their fair share of challenges.




“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you."


Cole oh god *sigh*!!He was seriously wonderful! He wasn’t perfect... but he was such a beautiful person and his love for Blake was moving. He was just incredibleand so sexy!!





I liked Blake’s character, she was strong. She looked out for those she loved and did what she thought was best to protect them. Aubry and Becky were also great! They brought a lot to the story.

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN POSTED AT ANGIE'S DREAMY READS

Quick note: It's impossible to review this book thoroughly without giving away any spoilers. I did my best to make sure I didn't include any.

5 INTENSE SIZZLING STARS

This book is SOOOO good!! The ending is just.... WOW and absolutely heart stopping!!! It’s a book that has romance mixed with a ton of mystery. It’s fairly faced paced and is something that you can read easily in one sitting. It’s extremely hard to put down!! Don’t even think “Oh I’ll read a page or two,”... NOPE, it will not happen. Once you start it takes over you and you NEED to know what's how it's going to unravel. Blake and Cole suck you in their lives, stirring a need and craving for more of these two main characters. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat. The plot and twist are crazy good and the steaminess of the book is PERFECT! This book for me was a perfect combination of sizzling mystery and I absolutely LOVED it.

"I didn't see anybody - just darkness. The only thing going through my mind - why does everybody that I love leave me? My answer was the same every time - it’s me ... It must be me."

Blake Brennan witnessed the tragic murder of her mother at 4 years old as well as the disappearance of her father. She was then kidnapped and instead of being murdered she was dropped off with her Aunt Shelly's house. Blake has since then lived with the nightmare of what she had seen that fateful night. Now as an adult her need to uncover her past and figure out the details of the murder and disappearance are something that consume her. The problem is as she unravels the mysteries and secrets, the ones she loves are placed in danger.

"I wish I didn't have this strong urge to uncover my past because with this urge comes devastation and sorrow that I'm not sure I’m strong enough to relive. Even though I have the memories from my nightmares, I'm not sure I want to experience them in the light.”

Cole and Blake meet in a foster home Blake is placed in after a tragic and unfortunate situation occurs. As they grow up they form a bond; a love and friendship that is so strong and magnetic. Cole quickly becomes somebody Blake relies upon to get her through all of her hard times. These two have an amazing, compelling connection that is electric. Eventually Blake fight’s the connection between the two of them pushing Cole. The fear of losing him is just too great.

"I am scared of the unknown. I am scared to be alone. I am scared to not be alone. I am scared to have people love me, and I am scared to have nobody loves me. I live my life constant state of fear and need for control. I try not to be obvious about any of my feelings. I put a smile on my face every morning and pretend that I’m as normal as everybody else - even though I know I’m not.”

As the Blake's past heats up and her relationship with Cole is renewed this story takes on an amazing life of it's own. The romance is hot and steamy and the plot is heart stopping and intriguing. It's takes you on one amazing ride leaving you reeling at the end.

I thought the author did an amazing job for her debut novel and I fell in LOVE with this story and characters immediately. There were so many moments where I melted and swooned over Cole. The man is incredible and sexy and his passion for Blake is BEYOND WORDS.

"I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you.”

I mean that is just ONE Cole quote that I highlighted!!! The man is incredible.

Blake is equally amazing with her strong witty attitude and amazing courage. Her character shines through. She's not one of those annoying whiny females.

Overall this is just a great, fantastic, faced paced, edge of your seat read. It’s enjoyable, steamy and emotional. It’s got it all!! Hot characters, fantastic story and it’s not too long. It’s absolutely perfect.

Angie ♥

BLAKE





COLE





I Beta read this and the author provided me with an ARC for an honest review

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!!!!! This book was fantastic! Perfect mix of romance, mystery, suspense and steam!

My wounds have somewhat healed, but it doesn’t mean I’m less frightened. I am scared of the unknown. I am scared to be alone. I am scared to not be alone. I am scared to have people love me, and I’m scared to have nobody love me. I live my life in a constant state of fear and need for control. I try not to be obvious about any of my feelings. I put a smile on my face every morning and pretend that I’m normal as everybody else- even though I know I’m not.

Blake is in a constant state of fear. Her past haunts her. Her parents died when she was four years old, and she has reoccurring nightmares of their deaths. She was kidnapped and dropped off at her Aunt Shelleys. At 13, her aunt passes on and she moves in with her aunts friend Maggie. There, she meets Cole, Aubry, Becky, and Greg. They become her family. Blake and Cole have a special connection, a bond from the very beginning. Cole is in love with Blake, and although she loves him back, she pushes him away. She is scared to death of losing him. Even when Cole and Blake aren’t together, they are there for each other. I want to go into depth about their relationship- but I don’t want to give away any big parts of the story...

Now that Blake is older, she feels the need to figure out her past. Cole also is looking for clues to his past. How did he end up at Maggies? He doesn’t remember. Their past is like a puzzle, you get pieces and it starts to come together, but not enough to get the whole picture. I thought I had it all put together, and some of it I did, but there are still pieces missing...

Blake


Cole


“I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you.”

COLE.... I loved Cole! He was seriously wonderful! He wasn’t perfect... but he was such a beautiful person and his love for Blake was moving. He was just incredible!
I liked Blake’s character, she was strong. She looked out for those she loved and did what she thought was best to protect them. Aubry and Becky were also great! They brought a lot to the story.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning! Once I started it, I did not want to put it down... I NEEDED to know what was going to happen. I was bitting my nails, trying to figure everything out! The combination of a thriller/mystery plus Blake and Coles wonderful romance was perfect!!! Now the ending... it was frustrating. I found my self screaming ‘Nooooo!’ It can’t end like this!!! But it did... big cliffhanger I open them one last time as I try to search for light, but I know I’ll never find it, because there is no light in darkness. . Can’t wait for the next book to come out! Hopefully we get all the puzzle pieces put together and Cole and Blake get their hea.

Overall, a great debut novel. A must read!!!!

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Dark, Mysterious & Heartbreaking Stars

“You mustn’t be afraid of love, Blake. No matter what you go through in life, don’t be afraid to love. Loving is the only thing that keeps us sane. If it weren’t for love, the suffering we experience wouldn’t be worth it. If it weren’t for the suffering, we wouldn’t cherish the good things life gives us."



Sometimes horrible things happen for no reason to good people. You go to sleep peaceful and happy, unaware that your whole world is going to crumble and your life will be altered forever. Your future is going to be endless darkness and pain.

Blake Brennan lost everything the night before she turned 4. Her parents, her best friend, her happiness. Since then she just exists, unable to express her love, haunted by nightmares, memories and panic attacks. Plagued by a mystery that she can't unravel and stalked once again.

I am scared of the unknown. I am scared to be alone. I am scared to not be alone. I am scared to have people love me, and I am scared to have nobody love me. I live my life in a constant state of fear and need for control. I try not to be obvious about any of my feelings. I put a smile on my face every morning and pretend that I’m as normal as everybody else—even though I know I’m not.

Meaningless relationships, no emotions involved, except for 5 people. The woman that took her in when she was left with no home and the kids she met there. Her 3 best friends and Cole. Her heart and soul. The man that she is afraid to admit how much he means to her. That she had no choice but set him free, to keep him safe. Her soul mate.



Cole Murphy found the woman he wants to spent the rest of his life with when he was 14. He has been begging her for a chance ever since. He had her for a while but he let her withdrew. He won't do the same mistake twice. They both tried to move on and make each other jealous but they only managed to hurt even more. To abuse themselves. Now, they get their second chance. And Cole has to fight for the woman that loves, to keep all of them safe.

“I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you.”



Can a woman afraid to love, give everything to the man that has her soul? Will she conquer her fear, let the past behind and make a future for the both of them?



While they are both fighting for their claim on love, the past will come back with a vengeance, uncovering shocking truths, threatening their lives and relationship. Their fates are entwined and they won't be able to escape a second time. They must fix the past to pave the future.

♪♫And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you♪♫

Intense, mysterious, exciting and fast-paced, this book will suck you right in and you won't be able to stop reading Blake and Cole's story. Giving you glimpses of the past that will break your heart, making you despair at Blake's fear and get angry when she make decisions out of sheer cowardice and stupidity; although you totally understand her soul deep feelings. An amazing emotional roller-coaster until the shocking end that you will read, gasping for breath and pulling your hair out.





Sidenote: Cole is one of the most delicious male specimen in fiction. Oh man, you had me at good morning...





A highly recommended book; BRAVO Claire Contreras! Already started the next....

My eyes begin to shut heavily—once, twice, then a third time. I open them one last time as I try to search for light, but I know I’ll never find it, because there is no light in darkness.

[Annie Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What. The. Fuuuuuuuuuuuck????????????? No no no no no no noooooooooo. OMG!!! I hate cliffhangers!!! Gaaaaaaah! It's almost 4 am and I gotta get up in 3 hours. I'm so tired and frustrated!!! Omg what an ending from, H*E*L*L!!!!!

Review to come!


So I finished this book...it was awesome! There were many elements of this story that had me glued to my nook while reading it. First of all, Blake the main character. She was awesome. I felt bad for her. Her life was a big secret. A lie. She was kidnapped as a child, 4 years old. Taken from her family by these mean guys and they killed her parents, she saw it. She went to live with her aunt Shelly...until she was sick and died. So she was once again...alone. Until she was taken to live with Maggie who raised her. Maggie was a kind woman, who taught her everything. She became the closest thing to a mother she had. Blake had nightmares every night...she relived her parent's death. She woke up crying, screaming and sweating. But she couldn't shake the feeling there was something more to her past than she knew.

She grew up in Maggie's house with Aubry, Cole, Greg and Becky. They all became the best of friends and protected each other. Aubrey and Cole were always there for Blake. But Cole and Blake always had a thing for each other. Cole moved to Maggie's house when he was young as well. They had something in common and it brought them closer together.

Their lives were not all that different...except Cole's past are full of secrets and revelations that unravel and make you say "DAMN!" I loved Cole. He was amazing. He loved Blake. He would do anything and everything for her, if she let him. They dated each other through high school...but once they graduated, they had to part. Cole moved away and Blake went to school in the lawyer field. Their lives were split, but they always kept in touch.

Aubrey and Blake got an apartment together. He didn't want to leave her because her past was coming back to haunt her. Someone was after her...again. She was being watched. She didn't understand what was happening and why it was happening to her. She learned some truths to her life from Aunt Shelly who left behind some letters and a box of pictures that had her questioning everything she thought she knew. Is Blake safe anywhere? Can she keep all those that she loves safe? Or does she push them away to protect them???

Well hot damn on a fucking stick! This book had me reeling, unhinged, gripping something hard to keep me from falling in shock. There were so many FEELS in this book! First of all.....





I felt like I was watching a horror movie. This book had me freaking out, looking around to make sure nothing was going to jump out at me. There was so many times I kept saying, "Okay, this is it...something's going to happen. Someone will jump out and attack her" and my heart would be pumping so loud in my ears. But I loved it. I love when I get freaked out...it shows the author knows what she's doing. I give this book a FIVE just for the suspense factor.





Yeah, my eyes were popping out of my head...FREAK OUT!





Yeah, I wanted to cry a few times...no wait, I did. I cried a bunch of times. But damn, I had a theory and when it was revealed...I was in freak out mode. But then I cried. So sad for them.





This reminded me of them. Those that read it know who I'm talking about. I can't spoil it. But I had to put this in there. It's perfect, like them.





Yeah, I like this pic so I'm adding it. I looked like this at times.





Noooooooo, so sad! I cried. I cried alot. So many emotions were soaring through me. Tears. Anger. Love. Happiness.





I said this through most of the book. Although, this was the last thought I had when I finished!! Really, Claribel???? You are killing us! We need more...more answers. More Cole. GIVE US MORE!





My favorite part of this book! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! The sex...the tension...it was perfect! And it was HOT HOT HOT!!!!



Yes it was hot!! Very!











Hello!!! Let me just wipe the drool from my face real quick.



Niiiiice!!! Okay Cole....seriously, you are doing crazy things to me!!! And then...


Eventhough I LOVED the sexual tension so much, there was more to their connection than just sex....there was love and mutual respect. They both had alot of drama in their lives but they were always there for each other.




“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you." -Cole”








“I wish I didn't have this strong urge to uncover my past, because with this comes devastation and sorrow that I'm not sure I'm strong enough to relive.”





The end had my heart racing...blood pumping...chest clawing to jump out of my chest. Fuck.....it was amazing!!!








WELL DONE CLARIBEL!!!! I can't fucking wait for the sequel!!! GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!


My Cole:




My Blake:





Cole said this a time or two. I love him!!! Gah, I need more Cole!!! NOW!!!





“You're the only one that fucking matters...only you...always.” -Cole

[Farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW WOW WOW!
I loved this book! I devoured every single page!

Everything that you want in a book--->
this book has!


Romance
Suspense
Angst
Thriller




I literally read this book in 1 day--- I just had to find out the answers to all my questions!

wish I didn't have this strong urge to uncover my past, because with this comes devastation and sorrow that I'm not sure I'm strong enough to relive.”



Blake and Cole have had a connection from the first time they laid eyes on each other.

Blake-




Cole-




They loved each other…

They make silly decisions and mistakes when they younger which causes them not to be together.

But now, years later.. even though they not with each other they still love each other…



A love and a connection so strong can’t go away…



You're the only one that fucking matters...only you...always.”



Blake has nightmares.. on her childhood, how she lost her parents, how she got to where she is and thought the book we get taken back to the past and it slowly uncovers shocking truths.

The author did a wonderful job with this story and rekindled a stunning lifelong love/friendship between Blake and Cole.



The sacrifices Blake was willing to make to keep the people she loves safe is astounding! I loved her!

There supporting characters are also really awesome!

Cole is another swwwwoooon worthy guy and even though they not together he is the ONLY one she feels safe with.
They have history…
And while searching for the truth they find their way back to each other despite Blake trying to keep him away, not because she doesn’t love him, its because she doesn’t want to loose him…



“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you." -Cole”





You're going to need a better reason this time. A real reason. And just to be clear, I don't give a fuck what it is because I am not going to let you go. Period.”




Omg! There are sooooooo many unanswered questions, the story confuses you but as you read on every piece slowly falls into place.
The past is dangerous place and when Blake and Cole dig for secrets there is a chance they can get hurt.



Holy mother of all cliffys!!!!!!!!!
Im so glad that I waited for book two :D
Whoooop whoooop!

[Kellie Maddox-Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

June 2013



I’m sitting here with a massive book hangover and wondering why oh why I only gave this book 4 stars the first time around…

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

The whole book is one awesome heart stopping surprise after surprise…

I’m not going to tell you about what happens in this book as the suspense, mystery and jaw dropping moments are what makes this book AMAZEBALLS.

I will tell you that it’s about a family.
An unconventional family.

Blake Brennan was taken from the life she knew and dropped off at her Aunt’s at a young age. She grew up with her Aunt Shelley until she passed from Cancer.
As per Aunt Shelley’s request Blake is sent to like with Maggie.

Maggie is a beautiful woman who is
the adoptive mother of Aubrey,
foster mother of Cole.
Aunt of Becky.

Maggie, Greg (Cole and Aub’s Best friend and Becky’s BF) Aubrey, Cole and Becky become Blake’s life.

Cole specifically.
They have an epic love.
And lucky for us we get to be there for the journey!

Because yes in between the drama and suspense and mystery there are some pretty amazing romance and hot sex scenes!

Told in Blake’s POV only this story just sucks you right in.. Like a giant vacuum! You can’t put it down!

We get glimpses of the past and the present to learn about Cole and Blake’s relationship but also the reasons behind Blake being the way she is…

And of course we are left with one hell of a cliff hanger!

I’m so glad that the 2nd book is out so I can jump straight to it!


Jan 22 2012

This is the story of Blake and Cole.
Cole has loved Blake since he first met her, she has constantly pushed him away even though she is madly in love with him.
Because everyone she loves dies.
They have tried to be together when younger, and then tried to be apart when older.
It doesn’t work as they are IT for each other.



Just when everything starts working in their favor.
Their darkness of their pasts catches up with them.

Why are people not ranting and raving about this book!?



IT’S BRILLIANT!
I can’t believe it is a debut novel!

It had the total Goldilocks effect on me.
The right amount of romance.
The right amount of suspense
The right amount of drama
The right amount of mystery
The right amount of twists and turns

I fucking LOVED IT!

The ending?!



GAH
THE ENDING!!???!!

Why do author’s do this to me?!

That’s all I’m going to say as I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Seriously the secrets of this book need to stay that way so that everything is a surprise... Or its not answered with another question and hence why we need to wait for number 2...

But seriously…

READ IT!!

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever read a book that makes you feel so much that you have to put it down at times to actually get over what you feel??? Well that has happened to me only few handful of times and I can actually remember what those books are even. Hell even one hand is enough for me to count those books. This book definitely fall in that category. not just once but I had to put this down a multiple times just to get my head straight. The amount of feels that this book brought for me was immeasurable. From wanting to die from the cuteness to dying from anger towards Cole to wanting to hug Aubrey the familial affection of his, I literally went through all the feelings I could humanely feel while reading this book.

As all the other reviewers say, even I fell in love Cole. Yes he fucked up pretty bad and took some of the shittiest decision a stupid 20s guy could take, I still could the undying love he had for Blake. He loved her with his whole heart, so much that his love made him take the crappiest decision in order to protect his heart and protect her but that did not stop him from being at her side whenever she wanted him, even during the *ahem* most difficult situations. Blake too loved Cole, though her circumstances did not allow her to actually tell it out loud for him but I loved how Cole could understand her feelings as much as his.

Can I take a second to say how much I love Aubrey??? He's the kind of brother I want. Not overly protective like the older brothers but not a dick like younger brothers. He basically knew the perfect thing to say and I loved how he managed to stay by Blake's side although Cole was basically his brother. I loved the bond between Aubrey, Cole, Blake, Becky, Greg and Maggie. There bond was not that of blood but something that ran even thicker than blood. I loved how the guys here did not hide away from their feelings and went right ahead to get what they wanted and managed to skirt about their feelings and show what they wanted to. Can we all have Aubreys and Coles around us please? With a side serving of girlfriends like Beckys???

Last not least, holy hell what was that cliffhanger???????????? I am shook!!! (yeas I am using K-pop fangirl words) I HAVE to dive into the second book the minute I finish writing this hasty and pretty messy review cuz boy I need to know what is gonna happen to our beloved gang and I hope to God that Cole and Blake get their HEA cuz God damn it those souls deserve it.

Edit : 2020.02.05

Second time around I only skimmed through my fav parts and still it manages to get my heart racing just as it did the first time I read it. Some things now when I look back seems a tad bit too much and the relationship between Cole and Blake seems filled with unnecessary drama but nothing I felt changed the original rating I've given the book.

[BookHeroin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 EARTH SHATTERING STARS
There is No Light in Darkness By: Claire Contreras
Genres: Contemporary Romance/Mystery

Kindle Edition, 195 pages
Published January 10th 2013 by Claire Contreras

“Don’t believe in everything you see.
Because what you want might not be what you need.
Hold your breath, jump with me, and we’ll survive.”
—Phillip Phillips

That was without a doubt one of the most amazing books i have ever read this year! Wow what a book. Everything in this book was perfect. Lately I seem to pick the worst books out there. 2013 is New Adult books year, and everyone is writing young adults books, snap your fingers-come up with an idea BAAM you have a book!
It's not suppose to be this way, writing suppose to be more sacred than this! it is not normal to finish a "novel" in 3 days top a week!!
So i was kind of bored, depressed and in need of a good book to read, so a friend of mine - God bless you Sandra ♥ She suggested that i read this series and WOW I wasn't disappointed.

From 1% to 100% of this book, i was into it, everything, every event, every conversation i was so focused!And i loved how the Author wrote this one, she would write a chapter in the present time, then one in the past. It wasn't boring at all, she slowly showed you how those characters are feeling and how they got where they are, it was brilliant.

I'm a ruthless critic, but when i love something-food and books and fashion :P yeah i'm busy girl ;D It is like i'm in love, i keep talking and talking and writing about what i love... but i'm not gonna do that here! because i have the second book to read and every second i spend not reading it, my brain is screaming at me GO READ IT !!!

The characters :

Don't let me start on those characters, i LOVE them, every single one of them! They were perfect(period)

Blake Brennan

Cole Murphy

If you didn't read my status updates, you should know that i claimed Cole as my boyfriend! he's mine. And i'm completely in love ♥




The rest of the characters were equally perfect!Loved them ALL.
I can't write about the story itself with our giving spoilers, and giving spoilers to this book is different. It means screwing the whole book for you, there are secrets and heartache, darkness and nightmares.
You will without a doubt fall in love with everything in this book, except the cliffhanger at the end :( lucky for me i have the second book and i'm off to read it :D


Some quotes that i loved:

“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you." -Cole”

“You're going to need a better reason this time. A real reason. And just to be clear, I don't give a fuck what it is because I am not going to let you go. Period.”

the love that those two have for each other is awe aspiring, When someone say "they belong to each other" i never fully got what it means but now i understand what does it mean and those two Belong to each other.

“I wish I didn't have this strong urge to uncover my past, because with this comes devastation and sorrow that I'm not sure I'm strong enough to relive.”

“Why is it that you have such a big house for yourself again?"

‘Cause i thought it'd be a nice place to raise our babies"

... He said that to her in front of his girlfriend! XD
SWOOOON
I love him




If you want to read an amazing book, then read this one. i promise that you'll love it.

[Lucia · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Blake and Cole:

“You mustn’t be afraid of love, Blake. No matter what you go through in life, don’t be afraid to love. Loving is the only thing that keeps us sane. If it weren’t for love, the suffering we experience wouldn’t be worth it. If it weren’t for the suffering, we wouldn’t cherish the good things life gives us."

If you as a little kid heard your parents being shot in your own home and than saw your mum in puddle of blood, it would definitely leave a number on you. And that is exactly what happened to the heroine of this book. Even after years of therapy, Blake does not feel safe and has to deal with terrible nightmares. With plenty of unanswered questions about her past, she only has her 4 best friends to rely on... I am deeply sorry to admit that I could not warm up to her character. I did not understand her actions and I could not agree with plenty of her decisions. Very often I found myself shaking my head over her reactions. There were plenty of WTF moments and some of them I found really weird.

Than there was Cole. A friend, boyfriend and later lover and huge support to Blake.

"As hard as I tried to fight it, it was hard not to be drawn to him. He was magnetic. When he was in a room with you, he consumed you. When he left the room, you mourned the loss of his presence."

Well, I did not feel this way about him. He was a good and loving person, but a womenizer. And I just could not like his flirtatious nature or his partiality for female companionship all the time. Dynamics between Cole and Blake were strange. Maybe they were supposed to be together but their relationship was one huge soap opera in my eyes. But I loved Aubry. His was excellent side character. Best brother or friend a person could ask for. I really liked the parts in which he was present.

Normally, I don't like books in which characters annoy me. Fortunatelly, this was not the case, otherwise my rating would be even lower. In this book characters just didn't entertain me. Some moments were truly sweet but since I felt minimum connection to characters, I wasn't enthustiastic about it. I almost abandoned it at the beginning but later storyline got a little bit more exciting and I wanted to find out answers to all those ridiculous behaviour of characters, so I decided to finish it. However, I did not get any closure, only quite a big cliffhanger. Frustrated much?!

Overall, storyline was not very consistent and it just didn't work for me for purely subjective reasons. Even though I do not regret reading it, I probably won't continue in reading this series. I give There is No Light in Darkness 2.5 STARS.

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[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Even though I have the memories from my nightmares, I’m not sure I want to experience them in the light. They’re more real in the light. I should have kept them buried in the darkness, but it’s too late for that.”

Once I read the first couple of pages of this book I was completely hooked. This story is not only a suspenseful mystery but it also has a hot romance. I went to crazy extents throughout the day to finish this book. It was that good and I wanted answers!

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Blake Brennan is in law student who lives with nightmares and so many questions about the tradegic events that took place on her birthday so many years ago. She is raised by her Aunt Shelly for some years and then is sent to live in a foster home, where she meets Maggie, Aubry, Becky, Greg and Cole.

Cole Murphy is FANTASTIC! He is hot, funny, kind and his love for Blake is just beautiful! You find yourself getting swept up in Cole and Blake’s relationship and at times you forget that there is more to this story then just romance. Cole also has a lot of unanswered questions about his past and struggles to fill in the blanks. This group becomes a family and the only people Blake relies on and trusts. Cole and Blake’s relationship is fantastic, it’s hot, angsty and completely engrossing.

Blake lost her parents that night so many years ago and finds the startling truth that she is still in serious danger. There are crazy inheritances, phone calls, stalkers, break-ins, twists and warnings.

”This shit is exhausting...and confusing...and crazy.”

I have more questions reaching the final page of this book than I have answers.

I was completely frustrated by the ending (cliffhanger) but at the same time, I was so absorbed in the story that the wait for the next book may possibly kill me!

[k · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Freaking Cliffhanger Stars!



A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

When you lose something you can’t replace.
When you love someone, but it goes to waste.
Could it be worse? ~Fix you, Coldplay

After reading just the prologue I was hooked! This story is a nice blend of mystery, suspense, and romance. While it didn't keep me reading into the night, I did find myself always coming back to it at every available opportunity! I wanted + needed some answers!

What's it about?

After the mysterious and tragic death of her parents, Blake Brennan is taken to a foster home to live with her new guardian and her 3 other foster kids. While there she meets and befriends Cole-the handsome playboy who takes an interest in her...

Years later, she's in law school living in a constant state of fear and apprehension, for vivid nightmares haunt her sleep, unlocking answers she's been searching for about her parents tragic death..answers that are better left in the dark...

Blake is determined to unravel the answers to her past. Every day she uncovers more information about her family and upbringing and those closest to her. While her questions are being answered, it seems for every answer she uncovers a new question pops up. Will she ever uncover what truly happened the night her parents were murdered?

Meanwhile, Cole is also in the same predicament. He has questions. Questions about his past, money being deposited, and what happened to the man that dropped him off at a strangers house when he was only a little boy. These are questions that have been plaguing him for years, and as Cole and Blake go on a journey to uncover the truth, past feelings + hurt come to the surface. Blake will do everything in her power to keep Cole at bay. From being hurt by him in the past-to believing that everyone she loves dies, its a lose-lose situation and Blake is determined not to cause any more casualties. The question is, has the darkness of their pasts already consumed the light of their love and future?

"You’re the only one that fucking matters ... only you ... always.”

Blake--



I really enjoyed reading Blake's character. I found her to be very self-sacrificing and strong considering all that she has been through. While she can be a bitch sometimes, it's understandable and makes her character weirdly vulnerable at the same time. Every time she had a nightmare, my heart hurt for the pain and confusion she went through as a child. Her messy and passionate relationship with Cole when they were teenagers broke my heart for her. Overall, she was just an interesting heroine. A heroine with faults, but a heroine that you root for just the same.

"I found myself wishing I wasn't so scared of everything. Of loving him. Of losing him. Beyond that, I was thankful that he loved me the way I was—scars and all."

Cole--



Cole, I had conflicting feelings for you! While I found his love and protectiveness for Blake swoon-worthy and endearing, I also felt that he didn't treat Blake right a lot of the time. He was constantly hurting her. Even knowing that she didn't want to be close to people for a reason, instead of staying and fighting for her, he went and slept his way through all the college girls he could. I found myself slowly warming up to him though, ESPECIALLY at the end. Bring on the tears, that letter was absolutely heart-wrenching, and totally made me root for Cole Murphy!

"I don’t know how to be without you anymore. I don’t know how to wake up without your good mornings or go to sleep without your good nights. I don’t want to know what that’s like. I don’t want to not touch you when I see you during holidays. I don’t want to know what it’s like to share you with someone else. The thought of that makes me sick. I can’t share you, Blake. Please don’t make me."

Overall, There Is No Light In Darkness was good start to a promising series! While I found some of the topics to be unbelievable, the fact that no one reported that guy for almost raping Blake in the locker room was totally unrealistic! Why wouldn't you say anything? I don't get it. Also, after someone breaks into Blake's apartment, when she calls Cole, he doesn't even bring it up. He doesn't ask what happened, if she was alright, they talked about mundane things. That didn't make sense to me. I think this book needed a lot of editing. it was mostly a really good book! We're left wanting more answers, not to mention that FREAKING HORRIBLE CLIFF-HANGER! I can't wait to get my claws on book 2.



Some Quotes I like:

“I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you."

"I’ve never felt that before either,” he let out a breath. “That—I can only feel that with you, baby. Only you.”

“Sometimes you need to do things that hurt in order to protect the ones you love.”

"I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world. It’ll always be you."

"I fucking love you. When will you understand that? I don’t wanna see other people. There is nobody out there that will ever be what you are to me. Nobody will ever be pretty enough, smart enough, funny enough, or as big of a pain in my ass as you are. You’re the only one I want. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted."

“You mustn't be afraid of love, Blake. No matter what you go through in life, don’t be afraid to love. Loving is the only thing that keeps us sane. If it weren't for love, the suffering we experience wouldn't be worth it. If it weren't for the suffering, we wouldn't cherish the good things life gives us. Sometimes it’ll seem as though life only knocks you down, but you have to learn to pick yourself up and fight back."

"I try to search for light, but I know I’ll never find it, because there is no light in darkness."

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Contain spoilers)


*shakes head*

1.5-2 stars. Not again, ambiguous blurb. Not again!

Sorry. This didn't work out for me. I swear I was trying my damndest to enjoy it, to like, and to feel it. But I just can't. There seems to be a lot of going on all at once that I don't know which to follow. The story looks promising and when you think about it, it has high potential. Apparently, I've read this kind of well-rounded story once upon a time (in which I haven't had the chance to write a review but will do soon), wherein everybody liked/loved it so much they want to sleep next to it. I guess this is a case of it's-not-you-it's-me round again.

The beginning had me intrigued. Her parent got murdered and she was sent to some strangers haven. That said, I think that's the biggest issue that should be talked about. Then there's this thing about the guy friend that she seems to be so hung-up on. I can't help but point out that this guy has a girlfriend - a barbie doll, perfect girlfriend - but soon breaks up with her. Figures. He calls/cooes at our heroine most of the time and tries to make advances to her. The constant 'baby' calling has to stop dude. It's not that cute anymore. That endearment ended long before you began. So, I can't help but notice the story just centers between this lovely couple we have here and how they like to do each other. I am a huge fan of YA romance but, you guys, I don't know what you're doing.

I'm trying to understand Blake because of her situation. Her character looks strong but at the same time whacked. I'm trying to understand her being reasonable through all this but she's not. I want he finding answers and clues about her life and the life of her beloved, only to have her telling us about her sexscapades. If that doesn't make you smack her then I don't know what does.

I'm surprised it has a slight mystery in the scene because I thought the author can't get enough writing about these two. That finally, this story is actually going somewhere; so that's where my extra star goes. I was more interested on those guys following Blake around, everywhere, which should have been the highlight of all this, than taking about her insane relationship. The story alternates between the past and the present which sadly still talks about your love life. GAH!

I don't say I'm surprised about the ending because, clearly, I'm not which is a BIG WTF?! She gets kidnapped. Really? Not much has happened in the story only to end with you being kidnapped? By who? Any why would they kidnap you? What the heck is going on?

I don't think this is categorized as suspense. Is it the suspense of getting laid? HA! I just hope I get a lot more substance on the next book because I'm not sure I want to root for your survival even if you're insanely rich. What does her parents do, anyway? Some covert mafia thugs? Hmm, we'll see.




xx

[Smitten's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really genuinely don't know where to begin with this book.

4.5 stars for Blake and Cole.

I love you to the moon and back.

This was almost a 5 star read... but just not quite.
I'm a romance reader. Hard-core. Die hard. Through and through. What draws me into a book is the connection between two characters. Some people might say that I'm boring, to only be attracted to one genre, some may say it is closed minded... but it's just the way I am. I've tried other genres and I just don't click with them. We all read for our own enjoyment, and it is romance that resonates with me.
You know what they say, if it's not broken, don't fix it. I love romance, so I read romance.



Now, There is No Light in Darkness is a romance. It definitely is. I loved the relationship between Cole and Blake, and don't worry, you do get an extremely swoon-worthy hero to fall in love with. We'll talk more about that later. However, the second half of this book is more about the mystery plot than the romance.

"Sometimes you need to do things that hurt in order to protect the ones you love."

The plot is so intricate and involved, it made my brain ache a little bit. (It doesn't take much, to be totally honest.) Claire Contreras is a genius at drip feeding information to the reader. So much so, that sometimes I wasn't sure whether I'd missed something or whether, as the reader, I was still supposed to be in the dark (excuse the pun) about that particular piece of information. The storyline gradually, gradually unfolds and this adds huge impact to the suspense element of the book. I spent the entire book like "Whhuuuuut?!!" and "No waaaay?!"



So, I did really, really enjoy all of that. It's gripping, confusing, suspenseful, mind blowing, original... all of that. But, I do just wish the romance thread of the story hadn't all been wrapped up quite so quickly in the first half of the book. It would have been great if some of that sexual tension that the author so deliciously creates in the first half had carried through to run parallel with the mystery part of the story in the second half.

He made sure that no man would ever life up to him. In the end, he hurt me more than I hurt him. I broke his heart, but he tore mine into a million pieces. Even if I wanted to piece it back together, I would never find them all because he would always be holding some.

So anyway, that was a long winded way of telling you why I knocked off a measly half a star. But despite all that, I did still award this book 4.5 stars, out of five. And that's pretty damn good, right?!

Like I said, the plot is wonderfully original. Usually, in my reviews, I include a short summary, but I simply can't for this book. Firstly, it is too intricate to summarise in just a couple of paragraphs and secondly, I wouldn't want to give anything away. The blurb gives very little away and I think it's important that you keep it that way before beginning this book.

I was so thrown by the nature of Cole and Blake's relationship at first. I couldn't imagine why they acted like they did with one another, why they weren't together, why they were denying themselves, but through Blake's narrative and flashbacks between the past and the present, it all begins to make sense and your heart will just break for them both.

"I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you."

I love Blake and Cole's relationship. More specifically, I love Cole's devotion to Blake. He's a little bit naughty, very cheeky and persistent and he is utterly in love with her. It's beyond heart warming, especially when you find out everything they have been through in their pasts. My heart ached for him on various occasions.

“You're the only one that fucking matters...only you...always.”

The opening scene really gives you the measure of Cole and I defy anybody to not love him instantly, and be immediately intrigued by him. I also loved the scenes just before they finally got it together. Talk about sexy! Cole is just gorgeous and the man knows what he wants and is determined to get it!

"Fine. I'll go back to my room," he says gruffly, his blazing eyes boring into mine. "Just know that I'll be thinking very naughty thoughts and doing very naughty things to myself while I picture you naked and wet."

Blake is a fantastic heroine. She is ballsy, down to earth, a little bit screwed up (but you would be two if you had her history) and incredibly fearful, of love, of life, of death, of loneliness...

"I love you too, baby," he said in a low voice that makes me shiver. Cole has been saying those words to me for the past nine years. I've never said them back.

I can't wrap this review up without mentioning the surrounding characters that Blake adopts as her family. Obviously Cole, Aubry, Becky, Greg, Maggie and, later on, Aimee. Blake can't help but love them, but she's terrified by this notion and it's both painful and sweet to watch her grapple with her emotions and also with the determination of the others to be there for her, regardless. And things don't always end well.

“You mustn’t be afraid of love, Blake. No matter what you go through in life, don’t be afraid to love. Loving is the only thing that keeps us sane. If it weren’t for love, the suffering we experience wouldn’t be worth it. If it weren’t for the suffering, we wouldn’t cherish the good things life gives us."

A big selling point with books, for me, is if there are no stupid misunderstandings between characters, no lack of communication, no dramas that could easily be sorted out if the characters just asked one another questions and no epic over reactions to petty incidences! This book has none of that. It contains crime, murder, hard-core stalkers, kidnapping... you know, real shit. No petty 'you slept with her', 'no I didn't, she just fell on top of me whilst we were naked' bullshit. This plot has depth, drama, mystery by the bucket load and twists and turns that will make your head spin and your pulse race.

I try to search for the light, but I know I'll never find it, because there is no light in darkness.

This book ends with the mother of all cliffhangers. My heart was hammering in my chest as I read it. As usual, I'm so glad that I didn't read this book before the second book was released. Firstly, there is so much to the story that it would definitely lessen the impact if I were to forget some of the details (which tends to happen for me) and secondly, I need to know what happens next, right now!



So, I definitely would recommend this book. I'm being quite picky, but I really would have preferred a little more of the romance/sexual tension/will-they-won't-they (even though we all know they definitely will), to run throughout the book, but I'm also thinking that I will most likely get more of the romantic theme in the second book as things are resolved. Here's hoping. I'll let you know.



There is No Light in Darkness Statistics
• Steam Rating (out of 5): ♥♥♥
• Ending: Cliffhanger
• Length: 252 pages
• Narrative: Female protagonist. First person.
Alternates between past and present.
• Series: ✓
• Reading Order:
Book #1 - There is No Light in Darkness (Darkness, #1)
Book #2 - Darkness Before Dawn (Darkness, #2)
Book #3 - Darkness Series Epilogue (Darkness, #2.5)
• Can this be read as a standalone? No
• Themes:
Death
Crime
Mystery
Second chance love
• WARNING. This book includes...
Sexual content. Violence. Death. Crime.
• Writing: Great




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[Christine Young · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm totally blown away...by all the good reviews of this book. I gave up on it by page 90 and threw it in the recycle tub. I want to give it no stars but I don't want people to think I just forgot to rate it. The writing is terrible. Don't tell me who the characters are. Show me. I should be able to figure them out through their expressions, actions, reactions, dialogue, etc. I don't need a long paragraph telling me about a character. Most of the dialogue is very juvenile and does nothing to further the story line. There was a page and a half about two characters dressing for dinner. WHO CARES? I spent the first 30 to 40 pages wondering what the hell was going on. Way too many characters introduced at once and you're just thrust into the mystery with way too many holes to fully understand there is a mystery. And I really can't stand a single character. Blake has the potential to be a very strong, intelligent, but still lovably vulnerable character, but instead she is a bitch who uses people and lets Cole practically run her life. Cole is a womanizer who is apparently in love with Blake. He shows that love by ogling her and being super over protective...not in an enduring way but in a way that makes you want to punch him the throat everytime he opens his mouth. And his over use of the term "baby" practically made my eyes roll out of my head. The book is supposed to be suspenseful but there is so much time spent discussing Blake's love life (and not in a sexy, interesting way) the suspense clues are forgotten...or at least so far and few between I keep forgetting about them. I almost never quit a book in the middle, but I could not take it anymore with this book. I want my $10 back.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I have the memories from my nightmares, I’m not sure I want to experience them in the light. They’re more real in the light. I should have kept them buried in the darkness, but it’s too late for that.”

There is No Light in Darkness is an incredible mix of suspense, mystery, plot twists, awesome secondary characters and a beautiful, hot and heavy romance. I devoured this book. If it weren’t for life getting in my way, I would’ve had it read in one sitting. The author did a wonderful job with the storyline where it switched back and forth from the past to the present. The main characters rocked this book, but Cole Murphy is what made this story so amazing. The man is divine.

Blake Brennan is a law student who has lived in a constant state of fear for many years. When she was four years old, her mother was murdered, she was kidnapped, and then dropped off at her Aunt Shelley’s house with no answers as to what happened to her family. At the age of thirteen, her aunt passes away and then she was dropped off at Maggie’s home – a friend of Shelley’s. Maggie is a kind and considerate woman, who will take in children in need with no questions asked. Blake immediately forms family ties with Maggie and her son Aubrey, as well as Cole – another orphan who was dropped off by his father at a very young age.

Cole has no memories of his past and doesn’t know who his father is. Cole and Blake form a special friendship from the beginning and this friendship eventually turns into love when they are in high school. Because Blake is afraid of losing the people she loves, and having her heart broken by Cole, when they go off to college, Blake sets Cole free even though he insists there will never be anyone but her. As the years go by, Cole and Blake live their lives apart, in different states, but remain in touch even though, at times, things were very complicated between them. But, eventually, their friend status changes and they can no longer remain a part.

Now that Blake is older, she is determined to figure out the mystery of her past that she only remembers parts of. What happen to her parents? Why did she end up at Maggie’s? Her past is a puzzle. And as every piece of the puzzle is slowly revealed, what you thought you knew, you probably didn’t. I was utterly shocked by the plot twists. The author did a great job keeping me in the dark, guessing non-stop.

“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you." -Cole

Cole, Cole, Cole… I have a mad crush on this man. The way he loves Blake is so fierce and utterly beautiful. Even though he made some mistakes in the past and present that may have hurt Blake, it was all because he was hurting from losing her. And no matter how many mistakes he made, his love and devotion towards Blake remained strong. The lengths this man would go to, so he could be with Blake, made my heat flutter. He stole my heart. Cole definitely has my book boyfriend stamp of approval.

I loved Blake’s character. She has endured so much in her life but she is a survivor. And her strength keeps her grounded. She was determined to figure out her past, and this determination put her in quite a bit of danger, but she never backed down. Gotta love a woman who stands her ground. She fiercely loves her friends that have become her family. She will do anything to keep them safe, especially Cole.

The fabulous five, as I like to call them, were all great characters. Greg and Becky who have been together since they were kids were awesome! Aubrey, Blake’s roommate and best friend, loved Blake so much that he followed her to Chicago to keep her safe and secure--and also because he really loves her. He’s like a brother to Cole even though they are no related. All of these characters brought so much substance to this story.

The best part about this story was seeing Blake and Cole grow up and fall in love. Not only do they have an intense, hot and heavy romance, they are one hundred percent devoted to one another. If there were any two people who belonged together, it’s Cole and Blake. Both of their lives have been tainted by tragedy and, because of this, they become each other’s rock. The intensity of the story as Blake and Cole begin to discover secrets of their past had my heart beating rapidly. The feelings this story evoked in me are indescribable. I felt everything Blake and Cole went through.

I can’t recommend this story enough, to anyone who loves a good mystery and romance. But, let me clarify something, there is a huge cliffhanger at the end. Miz Contreras has promised to release the second story as fast as possible. However, in the meantime, I am going to be on pins and needles waiting for the second book.

Rating: A
Heat: Hot

-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review

[trestitia ⵊⵊⵊ deamorski · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.yi bitirdikten sonra oylamak istesem de aslında tek oylamam lazım, farkındayım.
ama klişe.
AMA COLE!

bitirince gelcem.

gelememişim anlaşılan.
2 kitaba genel bişi diyim; son derece duygusal bi kitap ama şöyle bişi var.
Cole'ü hep kızın yanında durduğu için aziz ilan edeceksiniz ama bi yandan da sünepe diye gömeceksiniz.
Brennan'a da kıyamayacaksınız ama gıcık da olacaksınız ama haklı da bulacaksınız.
çünkü bu ikisin arasında olan buruk hüzünlü sürtüşme Cole yüzünden gibi gözükecek ama değil ama öyle çünkü Brennan yüzünden ama değil ama öyle.

İlk kitap daha duygu kıvamlı olsa da ikincide aptallıklar silsilesi kitabın boyunu aştığı için daha düşük vermiştim öyle hatırlıyorum. aptallık dediğim ilişkileri değil, gelişmekte olacak olayların öncesinde yapılan aptallıklar ve bu aptallıklarla gelişmiş olan olayların aptallığı.

*Firdevs Yöreoğlu tonlaması "aptallar"
xoxoxo
iko

[Kristal Kitap]

Bitti lanet olası. Tam yerinde bitti. Ah tanrım, Cole için çok üzülüyorum. Yüreği parçalanacak çocuğumun. Gel buraya sen, Kristal seni teselli eder. Blake şırfıntısına ihtiyacın yok. BEN VARIM! Neyse, çizgimden dışarı çıkmayım çok fazla. Yoksa millet yine şaşkına dönecek. asdashdkahsk Gerçi Yasemin'in ve Buse'nin beni anlayacağını düşünüyorum. asdasjhdas

Instagram'da dün geceden beri kitapla ilgili hikayeler paylaşıp duruyorum. Çünkü ÇOK SEVDİM! Ama neden kimse bana inanmadı onu çözemedim. asdjhaska gelen mesajların çoğu şu şekildeydi: "Ciddi olamazsın.", "Dalga mı geçiyorsun?", "Nedense inanasım gelmiyor.", "Bunu sen mi diyorsun?"... uzar gider. Hayır, anlamadığım neden bana inanmamakta ısrar ettiğiniz. 😂 Sevdim işte yahu, hem de çok sevdim! Cole karakterine bayıldım. Aşkına, sevme şekline aşık oldum. 😂 Bana inanın lütfen! Paylaştığım alıntılarda öyle saçma sapan yerlerden de değildi ama milletin garibine gitti. 😂 Çok şaşkınım! Bu güzelim kitabın neresine şaşırdınız, neresini sevmemi garipsediniz çözemiyorum. 😂😂 Belki ben hikayeyi baştan sona okuduğumdan alıntılardaki hislerin okuyucuya ne kadar güçlü geçtiğini biliyorum ve siz de bunu hissedemediğiniz için şaşırdınız? 😂 Tek açıklama aklıma bu geliyor ama şahane yerlerden alıntılarla geldim size! Lütfen yadırgamayın ve alın okuyun. 😂

Kitaba başlama sebebim de dün akşam üzeriydi sanırım yine hikayemde, "Haziranda Sevelim mi?, Çöllerin Asisi ve Karanlıkta Işık Aranmaz"ın arasından hangisini okuyayım diye sormuştum. Gelen cevaplardan hiç biri Karanlıkta Işık Aranmaz olmadı. Bende merak ettim niye kimse tarafından ilgi çekmedi bu kitap diye. asdasda Ve bence iyi ki okumuşum diyorum. Aşk seven ve içinde biraz karanlık bi hikaye barınmasını isteyen tüm okurlara tavsiyemdir! 😂

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to accept my fate and tell those I love that I love them. Because what the hell? If I'm going to die today, they might as well know it.

Woah! Now that’s what I call seriously INTENSE!! Not only the mother of all cliffhangers, but one of the best plots I’ve come across. What a rush! Contreras, you not only earned my respect as a reader, but you also caught my attention pretty hard. Well done! Well done!

In There is No Light in Darkness, we meet Blake who has been plagued with recurring nightmares for over twenty years after having witnessed the murder of her mother and the abduction of her father. Being raised by her aunt, only to lose her to cancer and landing in a foster home, it’s no surprise that Blake is one flawed character… in so many ways. Despite her upsetting past, Blake has come to rely on her foster family, including Cole, Aubry, Greg and Becky and they seem to be the only ones she can connect with. However, despite how hard she tries to build a future for herself, she can’t let go of the past. In Blake’s quest for answers, she exposes herself to those that tore her family apart and puts those she's come to love at risk.

My wounds have somewhat healed, but it doesn't mean I'm less frightened. I am scared of the unknownn. I am scared to be alone. I am scared to not be alone. I am scared to have people love me, and I am scare to have nobody love me.~Blake

There is No Light In Darkness is the kind of book that has me creating an “obsessed with this story” shelf. It’s not a very cluttered shelf, but I put this book up there with The Opportunist and Callie & Kayden. Seriously addicted!! There’s just so much to this story that’s filled with intense mystery, hidden truths, underlying motives, and all around sinister intentions that kept me up until the late hours of the night turning the pages.

When the story was coming to a close, I knew I was headed for a serious cliffhanger and I even anticipated what that might be, but despite my mental preparation, when that moment happened, I was bracing myself and whispering out loud “no.no.no!! don’t let that happen!!” That was some serious action at the end, but don’t be fooled. Contreras doesn’t wait until the final moments to serve her adrenaline shots. But rather, she creates that intensity from various levels all the way through her book. I was absolutely HOOKED throughout the whole story.

Now with me, I have two huge reading flaws. One being that I abhor cliffhangers and second is that I have an affliction called Book Series Commitment Issues. Let me share some perspective on each.

One of the biggest peeves of mine is a cliffhanger for the sake of hooking the reader for the next installment. So let me be quite clear… Contreras has me breaking my own rules because she knows how to properly use this technique. In my opinion, I’d like to believe an author needs to earn the right to leave you with a cliffhanger, otherwise it feels like a marketing/sales ploy on their part. However with Contreras, she doesn’t fool the reader in believing her ending is coming with a serving of milk and cookies. Not at all! She’s going to use her precious pages to pack the story to the brim with depth and perspective. Couple that with infusing a well casted group of characters, intense yet captivating pacing, properly balanced intrigue and romance - and that my friends is what I call a well deserved cliffhanger. I’m more than okay with Contreras’s ending for this book. As a matter of fact, I couldn’t see it ending any other way. It was the proper choice of conclusions for this installment and she did it right. No doubt!

Now on to my Book Series Commitment Issues. Often times I’ll read a first installment and absolutely love it to pieces. I even have every intention of picking up the next book. But as time passes and my excitement wanes, I stop returning the texts and phones calls and call it a day. If I was to guess, I would say that for all of the series I begin, there’s about a 30% chance I’ll pick up the second or third book despite how much I liked book one. Well, I have no doubt I’m going to read the next installment of the Darkness series. I mean I actually stalked the author for crying out loud! Now that’s some serious obsession when I find myself PM’ing the author and begging her for some tidbit of further insight. I won’t go so far as saying we’ve got a relationship her and I, because how freaked out would she be?? No, but seriously… I’m chomping at the bit for book two and I don’t foresee myself flaking on Darkness. Call me committed.

On a final note, Blake and Cole. Wow!! Just… wow!! I loved those two together, I adored them apart. Give them to me any which way and I’ll take it. The relationship between these two was both flawed and perfect to epic proportions!! I absolutely adored how willingly Cole exposed his vulnerability. And, the extent that Blake would go to in order to protect him however best she could had me rooting for them all the way through. There were some truths that were revealed and when they were exposed, I was gasping and aww’ing… I was a mess! Overall, perfect couple with their fair share of challenges. Can’t wait to see where their story leads.

Overall, this book had it all. If I had to sum up if a new words how I felt, I would say I was absolutely captivated and thoroughly entertained. Claire Contreras has a serious fan here and I hope her following grows because this lady surely knows how to tell a good story. Love.love.love!!

More quotes:
I'm not even sure if I'm remembering things or making them up as I go. I feel like my reality and my nightmares are meshing together, and it's only a matter of time before I drive myself crazy with all of it.

When you lose something you can't replace.
When you love someone, but it goes to waste.
Could it be worse?
Cue the goddamn tears. Damn Chris Martin and his ability to make me cry every time he opens his damn mouth.

I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you... ~Cole

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars, is simply not enough for this book. Two words that come to mind are simply...


&



This book was just what I needed. I have read (a lot - to the point of obsession) and find that the same stories are being played over and over again with just new names and locations...I have enjoyed them...but this was something different. This was intense and kept you completely captivated.

You know that nervous feeling you get the first time you hold the hand of the boy you like? The anticipation of the first kiss? The fear that makes you hold your breath when the lights go out and the thunder roars? This book is all of those feelings. Wanting to turn the page to know what happens next and at the same time wanting to shut your eyes and not know.

Blake was just a baby when her world was ripped away from her. The only memories she had haunt her in her sleep. That night, those gunshots, all of that blood. She lost her family that night, taken and left with a stranger who she had never met, but was told was her aunt. She remembers the eyes of the men in her house that night. She remembers the sadness in the blue eyes of the man who carried her away. And she remembers a boy.

But Blake's time with her aunt is not meant to last. Everyone she has loved is taken from her and she finds herself at a foster home with Maggie - the woman who is going to take her in and raise her. Blake meets Aubry and Cole, the two boys that Maggie has taken in. One will become her best friend and the other the one she will fall in love with. But for Blake, loving someone - anyone - has always come at a price.



As the story leaps from images of the past to the present you watch her relationship with Cole develop. You watch as the pieces fall into place and just how connected everything is. But with every glimpse into what happened that night you are left with more questions.

The mystery surrounding the murder, the connection they all share and the romance is just eff'n perfect. There are so many different things going on in this story but it all just works. An amazing read with a great story. If you are in a book slump this is just what you need to drag your ass out of it.

[JoJo - JJJ (Jo Anna) Janesko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy cliffhangers... that ending totally sucked. I am now in need of the second book like today. I am dying to know what happens. This was a really good book. A must read however I would recommend waiting until the second book has been released.

[nicklein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book just broke my heart. Hand me the sequel and a box of tissues please!

[Tessamari ♥Many Waters...♥ ~ Sweet Spot Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE HUGE STARS

Cole Murphy, I love you to the moon and back.



If it weren’t for love, the suffering we experience wouldn’t be worth it.

Definitely one of my top reads of the year; no question about it. I couldn’t put it down. My chores were put on hold, my dishes were stacking up; I didn’t want to stop reading. I fell in love and have a new addition to my ultimate book boyfriend shelf. Cole is AMAZING. He’s everything I love in my Heroes: Super sexy, smart, protective, possessive, persistent, and so full of love. Blake is one lucky woman.

I never let them get attached to me, and I don’t attach myself to anyone.

Blake’s life is complicated. Her past constantly haunts her. One night, she awakens to some gunshots and the next thing she knows, she sees her mother laying on the floor and her dad being hauled away by someone. Her memories of the people involved in that night are very vague at best. She was taken immediately by one of the strangers to live with her Aunt. After her passing, she was taken to live with a foster family. There she meets the people who will forever be part of her life, including Cole Murphy.

“I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you.”

I LOVE YOU, COLE!!!!!!!!!

He is such an amazing man. He has loved Blake ever since she moved in with him and his foster family. They share a connection that no one could ever break, and Cole refuses to have anyone but Blake. Relationships have come and gone; people have tried and tried to come between them, including Blake herself, but Cole refuses to give up. He loves Blake with every fiber of his being. Le Sigh…. OMG. No matter the darkness surrounded Blake, he was determined to be her light, her one true constant. God, he makes my heart beat so fast. LOVED HIM!

“Why are you so adamant about getting rid of me?” he whispered into my hair. “I fucking love you, I care about you. I want to take care of you. Let me.”

There were times I wanted to shake some sense into Blake. Ever since what happened to her parents, Blake refuses to acknowledge love; not to her close friends, her foster mother and especially not to Blake. She believes that saying she loves someone is like signing his or her death warrant. But even though she doesn’t outright say the words, her friends know where she stands. I LOVE everyone them: Aubry, Becky, Greg, Aimee, Maggie and especially Cole. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

This book was AMAZING! I cannot recommend it enough. The writing was flawless, the characters were all unforgettable, and the story was very moving. It had some mystery, lots of love, and TONS of swoon worthy moments with Cole. I’m so happy book two is out so I can dive in. Thank you, Trish, for pushing me to read this. It was fucking awesome.

-----
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[✝✝ Ⓓaisy ❣ ✝✝ · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! MAJOR Cliffy! But I am SO happy to have the second book now.




This book hooked up from page 1 to the last page. I had almost highlighter almost the full book. Geez, why it did take me so loooong to pick up this book? It is simply perfection.

I thought Oliver had my heart ,but boy, Cole is something else. He sucks me in! Plus the mystery keeps you going.



Blake and Cole were just perfect characters. Everything about them is to be loved.



This book has mystery, love, steam, friendship and suspense.



So, if you haven't met Cole and Blake, pick it up! No regrets!

Happy reading.

D xoxo

[Anusha · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

This book is one of the most pathetic things on the planet, right between non-existent chests due to late puberties and world hunger. I am literally in the middle of chapter two, and I already despise Blake.

I mean, what the hell?

First of all, she lives with a guy, lets another guy who is not the guy who lives with her sleep in her bed, WHILE STILL HAVING A BOYFRIEND.


WHAT EVEN?

Blake is the most unlikeable female character in the history of characters. Maybe I'm not the correct person to say that, considering the fact that I've only read a freaking chapter and a half. But as so far as I can tell, it is going to just go further downhill from here.

Let me just list the faults that I've already found in this one and a half chapter.

1. She sits in the lap of a guy, who is the only person she can cry in front of. WHILE SHE STILL HAS A BOYFRIEND.
2. She sleeps with another guy, and when she wakes up, her fingers "itch" to touch his "masculinity". WHILE SHE STILL HAS A BOYFRIEND.
3. When her boyfriend realizes that another arguably attractive guy is SLEEPING in his girlfriend's bed and cuddling with her, he unsurprisingly gets mad, and she dares to GET MAD BACK AT HIM and say "I don't need someone telling me what to do". THIS LITERALLY KILLED ME.
4. She is clearly attracted to another guy while being in a relationship with another (WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BREAK UP WITH HIM THEN?)
5. She needs to take a cold shower because of a guy WHO IS NOT HER BOYFRIEND and because of the things that he did to her.


Need I say more? I honest to god hope that someone other than me realizes how utterly ridiculous this book is, for their sake.

[Büşra · Rating 1 out of 5]

REZALET

[Tee Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

******4.5 bright, shiny, tear-streaked stars!!******
Oh dear god, please tell me this is some kind of sick joke and this book did not ACTUALLY end like this??!!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!! Seriously, Claire Contreras and I need to have ourselves a little chat, because I may have an ulcer before the second book is released...*whimpers*

"I wish I didn't have this strong urge to uncover my past, because with this comes devastation and sorrow that I'm not sure I'm strong enough to relive.” ~Loc 687

Okay, so let me see if I can pull myself together to write my review *deep cleansing breath*. First off, this book was AWESOME!! It was part terrifying danger, party shattering heartbreak, part deliciously hot sexiness, and part incredibly beautiful love story all wrapped into one intense and unforgettable thrill ride! I started reading this yesterday and it literally pained me every time I had to put it down, I was so completely engrossed in Blake and Cole's story that I couldn't pull myself away. What little we know of the looming questions behind Blake's past leaves an air of mystery throughout the entire book, with her memories revealing bits and pieces of what happened to her after the death of her parents. It was like a puzzle to be solved, and pieces were locking together as Blake's memories came back when the danger seemed to be closing in. And Cole, never knowing anything of his past before living at the home he shared with Blake years later, was slowly revealed to be the rock that Blake had always counted on in her life after so much tragedy. I loved getting to see their relationship from their childhood and how much they meant to each other even before they gave into their emotions. It was such a beautiful, heartbreaking journey they went through and I was back and forth between tears and trying to calm my racing hear from the intensity!!

Blake earned herself a spot in my heart from the very start, I was crushed over what this poor girl had to endure throughout her life starting at only 4 years old. She was strong and caring throughout all of the pain and loss she suffered, and it was incredible!



Cole...good lord, where do I start with this extraordinary, beautiful, tortured soul?!


He had me salivating and falling head over heels the minute we meet him, with his knee-weakening sexy swagger that pales in comparison to his devotion and unwavering love for the woman that has always had his heart. They have major bumps in the road, heart-wrenching moments that had me in tears and wanting to strangle both of them!! But he and Blake belong together, no questions asked and not a sliver of doubt that they are the ONLY one for each other!

"In the end, he hurt me more than I hurt him. I broke his heart, but he tore mine into a million pieces. Even if I wanted to piece it back together, I would never find them all because he would always be holding some." ~ Loc 2053



The suspense as we wait to find out all of the secrets and lies behind Blake and Cole's lives was intense, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the danger to finally catch up to these characters that I just loved so dearly. There were so many twists, and many questions are still left unanswered and unfinished as this first book of the series came to a close. And oh....oh what a close it was. *rocks in fetal position* To say I am in need of the sequel is a MAJOR understatement, but I am so very happy that I read this incredible story! Highly recommend this debut work by Claire Contreras, an author from which I'm expecting to see great things!

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! It’s an intriguing, thrilling, beautifully romantic read that had me hooked from the very first page.

Blake’s parents were brutally murdered when she was a child. She doesn’t know who killed them or why, and as an adult, she still has horrific nightmares and lives her life in fear, haunted by the mystery of her past.

“I am scared of the unknown. I am scared to be alone. I am scared to not be alone. I am scared to have people love me, and I am scared to have nobody loves me. I live my life constant state of fear and need for control. I try not to be obvious about any of my feelings. I put a smile on my face every morning and pretend that I’m as normal as everybody else - even though I know I’m not.”

Following the tragic death of her childhood guardian, she is taken to a foster home where she makes her first real friends - and OMG, I love this group of characters! Blake, Aubry, Becky, Greg and Cole grow up together, and as adults are still the best of friends. They clearly care deeply for each other, are there for each other, and have become a family, and I love each of them.

But it’s with Cole that Blake has the strongest connection. And who can blame her, this man is INCREDIBLE!!! Seriously, he is book boyfriend perfection! He is smart, funny, sexy, incredibly supportive and protective of Blake, and he loves her passionately! And as their relationship finally progresses from friends to lovers, and their past is revealed, I just fell more and more in love with him.

“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you.”

SWOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

From the very beginning of the book, you can see the bond between Blake and Cole, they love each other deeply, and I loved every single moment of the two of them together! Not only is there swoon (and some steamy time), but they are also best friends, with some great teasing and playful banter. And even though they are both battling some pretty serious demons, they are refreshingly open and honest. And Cole is definitely not afraid to put himself out there for his girl.

“You're the only one that fucking matters...only you...always.”

When more secrets from Blake’s past are revealed, Cole is there to support her. But as she starts to piece things together, she suddenly finds herself, and those she loves, in serious danger.

I’m not going to say too much more about the story, because I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that I devoured this book in one sitting, unable to put it down.

Contreras has a unique storytelling style. The story isn’t told to you, instead, you get given pieces that then fit together as the story progresses. Sort of like a puzzle. I found it a little confusing at the beginning as you are dumped right into the story, and you need to figure out who everybody is, how they all relate to each other, and why things are the way they are, without being given much background. But with the blending of the present day with the past, everything eventually unfolds. And in the meantime there is the theorising… from pretty much the beginning of the book I was madly developing theories about what was going on, and how everything fit together. Some I picked, others took me by surprise. And the whole way through I was constantly questioning why, how, who, and what was going on.

While some questions are answered, there are others that aren’t, plus there’s a whole heap of new questions as well! And then the book ends in a hideous cliffhanger, which makes me very glad that I waited to read this book until the sequel is available. I’ll be jumping right in.

I loved it - 4 stars.

[Jessica's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Where can I order my “I LOVE COLE MURPHY” shirt? Because I freakin’ love Cole Murphy! He is pretty freakin’ amazing and just one of about a million things in There Is No Light In Darkness that makes it my new favorite book of 2013.

There Is No Light In Darkness has it all, mystery, suspense, crime solving, humor, and romance that includes one of my favorite romances I have ever read! I devoured There Is No Light In Darkness in just hours, skipping cleaning, laundry, cooking dinner to read. I just had to keep reading and find out the truth behind Cole and Blake’s childhood. I could not put down this book; it had my full attention on every page!

There Is No Light In Darkness you will meet Blake, her parents were murdered when she was four and lived with an aunt who later died then lived in a foster home where she meets Aubry, Greg, Becky, and Cole. Blake considers them her family and the five are bounded together like no group has been before. Blake has been trying to put together the pieces of her past and of her parent’s death since she was old enough. She is left with so many questions and no answers she makes it her mission to find out who killed her parents. Cole, my new book boyfriend (who is all mine ladies, sorry) has a mysterious past of his own he has been trying to solve his past but only finds dead ends to his life before the foster home.

The book goes from the present time to the past. Blake is currently 25 years-old and in law school to the past starting from Blake being a child witnessing her parent’s murder to her time in college being heartbroken from Cole. Cole and Blake dated in high school but had a hard break up due to Blake’s fears when Cole went off to college. I seriously wanted to scream at Blake through my kindle to go back to Cole and beg for him to take her back. He was the most perfect boyfriend EVER! The flash-backs were one of my favorite things about the book. I adored their relationship, even before I knew their history. I loved their flirtatious comments, even when both had significant others, and how much they both depended and trusted each other. Cole said the sweetest and most perfect things to Blake. He made my heart beat a little faster. His letter to Blake made me love him “to the moon and back”- that is a reference to the book ladies. ;)



“I'm in love with you, Blake. I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I've been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you. Please let me make love to you." - Cole


There Is No Light In Darkness is the first book in the Darkness series. This book focused more on the relationship between Cole and Blake and a back story about their mysteries families. I think book 2 will focus more on the mystery of their past but hopefully not too much because I am so excited for the “epic” moment between Blake and Cole that was mentioned near the end of book 1. I just adored their relationship, can’t ya tell?

I seriously can not recommend this book enough. I want everyone and their mother to run to their computer and purchase There Is No Light In Darkness and read it. Fall in love with Cole like I did and cherish every word on every page because when it ended I was so sad, like I was seriously SAD! There Is No Light In Darkness is not only my favorite book of 2013 so far and on my favorites list. The wait for book 2 is killing me with the cliff hanger ended book 1. And the best thing about There Is No Light In Darkness besides my boyfriend Cole is all the Home Alone references because, let’s face it… it is the best movie ever made!

I give There Is No Light In Darkness 5 BIG gold stars!