February 20, 2017

EARLY REVIEW: Till Death



Till Death, by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date:
February 28, 2017
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult romantic suspense
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) It’s been ten years since Sasha Keaton left her West Virginia hometown . . . since she escaped the twisted serial killer known as the Groom. Returning to help run her family inn means being whole again, except for one missing piece. The piece that falls into place when Sasha’s threatened—and FBI agent Cole Landis vows to protect her the way he couldn’t a decade ago.

First one woman disappears; then another, and all the while, disturbing calling cards are left for the sole survivor of the Groom’s reign of terror. Cole’s never forgiven himself for not being there when Sasha was taken, but he intends to make up for it now . . . because under the quirky sexiness Cole first fell for is a steely strength that only makes him love Sasha more.


But someone is watching. Waiting. And Sasha’s first mistake could be her last.

Till Death is nothing like any other book by Jennifer L. Armentrout that I've ever read before, but absolutely no less incredible. The suspense, the mystery, the romance - all are ramped up and on full display for the entirety of the story. I love the characters Jennifer has created here - they're real and they're striking. And they're all going to stay with me for a long while. 

Sasha Keaton is the girl who lived. No - this isn't THAT story. A decade ago, She's the only one who survived The Groom - a serial killer that also ended up dead at the end of the ordeal. But, the damage to Sasha's psyche was done. Although she had a mother, friends and a budding relationship with an amazing guy, she left West Virginia for Atlanta. But, now her mother needs her help with the family business, so Sasha's coming home.

Her mother and friends are thrilled that she's home, but none is more happy than that boy she was dating before being kidnapped. Cole Landis has lived his life, having become a local cop and having other relationships, but he never forgot Sasha, and now that she's back, he's determined to embrace this second chance with her. But, when women start turning up dead like the first time, and Sasha appears to be on his list once again. But, this time, she has people to lean on and Cole to help take care of her. 

I promise you - Till Death will grab you, freak you out, give you all the warm fuzzies, and then let you go with the biggest book hangover ever. 

At its heart, Till Death is an epic second chance love story. Sasha and Cole had a real shot at a relationship before she was kidnapped, and then she left town and it seemed she would never return. Cole had always regretted not being able to protect Sasha from The Groom, but he never had an opportunity to make things right again. Now that Sasha's back, Cole institutes a full-court press to get her back. 

It's so obvious that their connection hasn't faded even with time and distance. Jen Armentrout is so incredibly good at creating couples with this crazy chemistry. At the heart of whatever she writes is always an epic love story. And yes, the arc in this book is all about The Groom and who he is and who he might kill next. But, the push and pull between Sasha and Cole and their rediscovery of each other and Sasha's rediscovery of herself - with Cole's help - is the real magic here. 

When we talked, we never ran out of things to say, and when he kissed me? I still remember how crazy he made me feel with just a kiss, as if lighting every cell in my body on fire. Being with Cole had made me feel like I was on the edge of a cliff, more than willing to fall off. I'd never felt anything like that again. Not even a smidgen.

Till Death is told almost entirely from Sasha's POV. There are a few flashbacks that help explain what happened to her ten years earlier at the hand of The Groom, but most of it is told in present day. We do get a few snippets from The Groom's POV, which just upped the creepy factor to delicious heights. They were the perfect addition - it wasn't too much, but rather just the right amount to keep me completely engaged. 

Although there's a certain heaviness to Till Death that we don't usually see in Jen Armentrout's books, she also gives us some levity in the form of interactions between Sasha and her two BFFs and, especially, the progression of her newly rekindled relationship with Cole. Those moments of tenderness, sweetness, and most certainly sexiness, were blended with the mystery and suspense to make the perfect story designed to keep you on the edge of your seat and swooning from extreme feels. I absolutely loved everything about Till Death.  


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