The Darkest Joy by Marata Eros

The Darkest Joy

by Marata Eros

Twenty year-old Brooke Starr has escaped the aftermath of a brutal tragedy by abandoning her music studies and moving north to take a summer position as a part-time deck hand on a fishing boat. When her survivor's guilt becomes unbearable, Brooke realizes there's only one thing she can do to finally erase the pain.

Deep-sea fisherman, Chance Taylor, has just wrapped his guitar set at the local saloon when he sees the silhouette of a young woman, the full moon highlighting her shadow as she plummets from a pier too high for diving...into water too cold to survive. Without thinking, he plunges in after her, saving Brooke from drowning.

As Chance works to save her from her own emotional fragility, Brooke finally begins to learn how to save herself. But when their chemistry begins to consume them, Brooke withdraws. She's determined to be the master of her own destiny...until the past catches up with her in a cataclysmic plan so dark, so final-it threatens their love-and their lives.

Reviewed by Cocktails and Books on

4 of 5 stars

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Brooke Starr is a piano prodigy on her way to Julliard. On her way home for Christmas break from her sophomore year at college, she gets a phone call from her mother and it is heartbreaking to listen to what unfolds.

Chance Taylor is a halibut fisherman in need of a part time summer deck crew. He hires Brooke Starr sight unseen. He lives day to day and takes what he needs from the sea and women.

Brooke runs to Alaska, consumed by survivors guilt. She has been left a cabin by her great aunt and she is using it as a haven away from the life she lost in Seattle.
If I am honest, I didn’t connect with any of these characters. Brooke is definitely suffering a tremendous loss but she never really explores the emotions. With her tragedy, I assumed a good deal of the writing would deal with how to overcome such a loss. Brooke barely speaks of it to anybody – not even Chance who she is falling hopelessly in love with. Chance goes from playboy to one girl guy in what seems like a ridiculously short amount of time. He was completely adorable in the ways he took care of Brooke throughout the book and it would be easy to fall in love with him.

The supporting cast of characters (Jake, Evan, and Tucker) all seem very interesting but you only get a short look into who they are before being bounced back into the love story. The back story of a serial killer seemed too rush and quite honestly, I knew where the story was going pretty early on in the book. The story has good bones but I think it could have been developed better. All in all, I wouldn’t read it again because the story just didn’t grab me but I think there are a good deal of readers who would enjoy the story.

Reviewed by Candace for Cocktails and Books

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  • 30 November, 2013: Reviewed