Review: Karen Rose's BENEATH DARK WATERS

 

BENEATH DARK WATERS

Romantic Suspense

AUTHOR:
Karen Rose

RELEASE DATE:
August 15, 2023

PUBLISHER:
Berkley Publishing

ISBN/ ASIN NUMBER:
9780593336328

RATING:
4.5

AUTHOR LINK:
https://karenrosebooks.allauthor.com/

 

 

J.P. “Kaj” Cardozo is the Assistant District Attorney for New Orleans. When his young son is nearly kidnapped, he hires Broussard Investigations to protect him. Kaj feels tormented that his job puts his son’s life in jeopardy. However, he cannot ignore his growing attraction to his son’s new female bodyguard. The investigation takes a darker, drastic turn when they learn there is more to both of his high-profile cases. Will Kaj have to step away from those cases to protect his son? Or will he power through to allow justice to be served?

Veteran Marine, Val Sorensen works as a bodyguard, and sometimes investigator, for Broussard Investigations. She is specifically chosen to protect ADA Cardozo’s ten-year-old son. Val cannot help but grow attached to the boy and his attractive father, but she refuses to act on her attraction while on the job. When she and her associates investigate the kidnapping attempt, they discover something even more sinister and dangerous. Can Val protect Kaj’s son from all the threats? Or will her past incapacitate her from the job?

 

Kaj is such an unusual name. I appreciate how the author incorporates its pronunciation into the story. Generally, authors leave it up to the readers’ discretion. I understand Kaj’s uncertainty towards Jace. He hates everything the teenager has been through; however, he cannot ignore the boy’s involvement in his son’s near kidnapping. What I like the most about Kaj is his thoughtfulness towards Val’s past trauma. He does not want to do something that would bring up painful and terrifying memories.

Val is a great role model for woman. She has survived the most horrendous ordeal a woman can face. Val has managed to overcome her mental demons and move forward. I admire Val’s willingness to become Jace’s advocate. She knows the boy has been dealt a bad hand, especially by his two older brothers. Val believes the teen deserves better, and she wants to help him achieve it. What I like the most about Val is her thoughtfulness towards Elijah’s medical needs. She researched his condition, so she could better understand everything he may need while under her protection.

BENEATH DARK WATERS is the second book in Karen Rose’s romantic suspense series, NEW ORLEANS. It can easily stand alone, which is good since I did not read the first book. I am no stranger to this author’s works. She focuses more on suspense than romance. However, the romance aspect lightens the heaviness of the plot and some of the subject matter. The story starts out slowly, and it drags on in some places. Then the momentum picked up close to the end that made me reluctant to put the book down. Trigger warning: PTSD, Child abuse, torture, and past rape.