The Darkness Deepens

Once again, I’ve missed the first book in a series. But that’s okay, because The Darkness Deepens is so good, it makes me want to go grab the first one and then come back and talk about it. I was able to get enough context to really enjoy this book without having read the first one, though.

The story takes place in not-too-distant-future Canada, after several mosques were bombed on 10/10/2053 and an ostensibly Christian group, the Horsemen, has taken credit for the attack. Because of that, the government is dropping the hammer on Christians, marking their businesses, compelling them to wear bracelets identifying them as believers, banning Bibles, fencing them in with laws and restrictions.

Jesse Christensen is a soldier, and through his relationship with Meryn O’Reilly and her family, he’s become a believer, too. As a member of the military, he can’t let it be known that he’s fraternizing with Meryn. It would mean trouble for them both. His superior officer knows of the relationship and approves, as he’s also a Christian. They’ve both chosen to keep serving, doing good within the system when they can. But that isn’t always easy, especially with another officer really hating Christians and wanting to root them out. And keeping his relationship with Meryn under wraps isn’t easy, either.

Sara Davison is one of the best writers I’ve had the pleasure to read recently. Her books are consistently good, always enthralling, and this one meets that mark. The story is one you could see happening. It’s believable enough to give you pause and make you think – if I were in Meryn’s position, Jesse’s shoes, what would I do? Would I stand for my beliefs or would I cave? Chewy stuff.

The story kept me engaged and sometimes on the edge of my seat. But there were flashes of humor, too. Some of Jesse’s interactions with Meryn’s brothers were pretty hilarious! And Meryn and Jesse are both very sympathetic characters. They feel so strongly toward each other, but they each have fears and issues from the past that they have to work through.

Can Jesse and Meryn sort out their feelings? Can they keep clear of those who wish Christians harm? Those questions may be answered (read the book and find out), but the book ends on a cliffhanger that has me chomping at the bit to read the third book in the series!

Five stars, and I highly recommend it for fans of dystopia, clean romance, and nail-biting suspense.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.