Review by Dottie: The Dark Light of Day by T.M. Frazier

The Dark Light of Day 

by T.M. Frazier

Genres:

Contemporary Romance

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Teasers

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Synopsis

Caution: This is not your typical romance. The story of Abby & Jake contains disturbing situations, graphic violence, sex, strong language, drug use, and all types of abuse. 

Abby has been through hell and has survived one of the most brutal childhoods imaginable…barely. 

To the outside world she is just a loner with an attitude. 

When her grandmother dies in a tragic explosion, Abby is left with questions-and nothing else. 

Homeless, sleeping in a junkyard, and on the run from a system that has failed her over and over again, she meets Jake, a tattooed blue-eyed biker with secrets that rival her own. 

Two broken souls that can't be healed. They can't be saved. 

Abby & Jake have to decide if they can accept the darkness not only within one another, but within themselves. 

If they can accept each other for who they really are, they might be able to learn that love isn’t always found in the light.

Dottie's Star Rating

(4 Stars)

Review

To be honest, I've read this book before; but it was quite some time ago (it was published in 2013) and I read it when it was new. I remembered that I enjoyed it, that's as far as it went. But there's a second book (Dark Needs, book 1.5 of this series, out TODAY) releasing and I wanted to reread this one so I could enjoy the second book more. I'll get back to you on that one once I read it...

So, the Dark Light of Day...not a sweet love story, it's another kind of dark romance but there are parts of it that are very, very sweet in an unconventional way. I feel it's important to warn people...this book has some serious triggers for some people. There are some pretty disturbing situations including a pretty graphic sexual assault. I know it's not cool to do a spoiler, but for those readers who have experienced this, it can make a huge difference as to whether they should even read a book and if this is a trigger for you, please stop right here.  There is also child abuse (in their characters' childhoods, so it's in past tense) but it's also fairly graphic. I've got a couple triggers and I would absolutely want to know going in they are in a book, so...

Jake is not your conventional "leading man." He's more of an anti-hero. He isn't really a good guy but when he meets Abby, he recognizes his "other half." He realizes being with her makes a difference in his life and in his heart. He sees an opportunity to help her when she desperately needs someone; and he steps in. Sounds self-serving, right? But no, not really; he was very sweet to Abby.

Abby is a seventeen-year-old girl just about to graduate from high school. She is living with her grandmother (after her parents lost custody) whom is the first person to ever love her and frankly, the only person she has ever loved. But then there is a tragic accident and her grandmother is killed and she is once again thrown into the child-protection services system - and she runs away to avoid it.  

Enter Jake.

Jake takes her home and takes care of this girl – this girl whom has only once had anybody care whether she was okay; safe, fed, and cared for. But Jake recognizes something within her – something similar to him and knows he can help her and feels compelled to try. Not only by caring for her; but to encourage her to relax, be happy and do things that will feed her soul.

I looked back at the counter and gestured to the camera and equipment. “What is all this?” “I told you. It’s my dad’s old camera. You can have it. He left it here years ago and hasn’t ever used it.” “Really?” I asked him. “Your dad’s old camera?” “Yeah, why?” he asked nervously. “What do you mean why?” I picked up the camera bag and showed him the price tag still stuck underneath it. “So dad left the tag on. He does stuff like that.”  He grabbed a bottle from the fridge and twisted off the cap. “Beer?” “Yes, but don’t change the subject.” He grabbed another beer, opened it and handed it to me. “Did your dad also go to Herman’s Electronics at two this afternoon and spend two-thousand four-hundred dollars on a brand new Canon, a camera bag, accessories, and two prepaid phones?” “Shit,” he said. He knew he was caught, and his face told me he didn’t really care.  He was smiling. I lifted the little white slip of paper up to him and waved it in the air.  “You didn’t have to buy this for me, Jake. It’s too much.  I can’t accept it.”  “Yes you can. I make good money. I’ve never bought anything expensive other than my bike.  I wanted to get this for you, and I’m not taking it back.” He might as well have said the sky is blue, it was that matter-of-fact. Jake had already done too much for me, and I had no way of repaying him. “Nope.  Here’s how I see it.” He leaned his elbows on the counter and played with the label on his beer. “You can either accept the camera and say ‘thank you Jake for my new beautiful camera’ or… “He took a sip of his beer, amusement passing through his blue eyes. “…I will throw it off the Matlacha Pass.” He took another sip. “Your call, Bee…”

Abby began to relax and become comfortable around him. But he wanted more…

“Bee, if you feel even a tiny bit of the attraction I feel when I’m around you, just a small amount of how bad I want you…” He kissed the spot behind my ear and flicked his tongue on my neck. Tingles traveled through my skin, sending messages to every part of my neglected body. “Then, taking clothes off in front of each other is inevitable. It’s human nature. It’s us.” Jake seemed so sure of himself, but what he was saying sounded almost impossible to me. “I think we both know we don’t exactly fit the human nature mold.” “No, we don’t fit any mold. But, where you are concerned, it’s simple.” He kissed along my jaw line. “I want you, Abby. No bullshit. I want you just the way you are.”  He moved his lips to the corner of my mouth and brushed them over my face as he spoke. I closed my eyes and my lips parted in anticipation.  “I would very much like to see that body of yours, but there is no rush. We won’t do anything you’re not ready for.” He moved his hands to cup my ass through my shorts.  “But damn, baby, waiting will be brutal.”  He kissed me again. “What if you don’t like what you see?”  “I don’t know how to explain this to you to make you understand.  You’re beautiful, baby.  Inside and out. I know this without having to see you with your clothes off.”

It’s always interesting reading a book where one or more of the major characters is an anti-hero. They think differently, their priorities are different, and they can be fascinating. Abby (Jake calls her Bee for short) is a good woman locked into circumstances that necessitate actions, not necessarily of the good variety, just to survive. The author makes both of their actions somehow seem okay within the story, it all works. I would honestly like to tell you more but there are too many details that would give away the storyline and I already gave you the trigger warning. This book might sound hard to read and sad, but that’s not how it reads. It reads as a very good, interesting story. It reads as an enlightening look at human nature. I enjoyed it very much even with the triggers that affected me as well. I’m very glad I read it! I’m not entirely sure the author thought about this second book whilst writing the Dark Light of Day…the end of it seemed complete. It is being called a companion book. I think, however, shedding even more light on these interesting characters will be a very enjoyable read (as was this one)!

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