Six years earlier, Trina Grissom disappeared, on the run for her life. Now living under an assumed identity—as Samantha Marsh—she still struggles with the dark secret she harbors and the fear she might one day be found. When she moves to the coastal town of Rarity Cove, South Carolina, to open a café, a handsome widower begins to chip away at the walls she's built to protect herself.

Mark St. Clair lost his wife two years ago in a tragic accident. Head of the grand St. Clair resort, he distracts himself from his lingering grief by running the family business and caring for his troubled young daughter...until a beautiful restaurateur sets up shop in town. Before meeting Samantha, Mark was convinced he could never be drawn to another woman. But as his attraction to Samantha grows, the mystery surrounding her deepens.

As the two begin a hesitant courtship, double perils emerge. Someone from Samantha's lurid past comes calling, threatening to expose her. And a powerful hurricane is forming in the Atlantic with the small beach town in its path. Trapped in the storm by the brutal man who wants vengeance on Samantha, she and Mark must fight for their lives. ( )

Samantha Marsh has created a new life for herself in order to escape her terrible past. She opens a little cafe in Rarity Cove, South Carolina and is doing great. Then she meets Mark St. Clair's little girl Emma who hasn't spoken a word in 2 years. Mark and Samantha feel an instant attraction towards each other but they each have their own reasons for trying to resist it.

The book alternates between several different POV's but it's easy to follow and there are flashbacks thrown in every so often that slowly reveal what happened to make Samantha give up her true identity 6 years prior. I like that we don't find out exactly what happened in her past right away. I love the waiting factor. It's nice to have a bit of mystery now and then.
As for the romance, while I do like Mark and Samantha together it's too much of a slow burn for me. I understand why she wants to keep him at a distance but despite how she justifies her reasons, she's not very good at actually doing so. I guess there was too much back and forth for my tastes.

I will say that the ending makes up for how slow parts of the book felt. All of the mystery of Sam's past is finally revealed and after some trouble they do get their happy ending.

*I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I just read an amazing book, y'all — Before the Storm. Let me tell you a little about it. Before the Storm is a romantic suspense novel, the first book in the Rarity Cove series by Leslie Tentler.

Before the Storm features Samantha Marsh and Mark St. Clair in the starring roles. Mark's family (daughter, sister, brother, and mother) are featured in supporting roles.

Samantha, formerly known as Trina Grissom, needed to assume a new identity due to ugly events from her past in Memphis. Samantha knows that she must avoid any more relationships, in order to keep her past life a secret.

Mark lost his beloved wife in a car wreck. Mark believes that no one could possibly take her place in his heart.

When Sam and Mark meet, however, their good intentions become harder and harder to follow. It's at this point when someone from Samantha's past finds her, and threatens her future. The climax of this story line occurs at the same time that Hurricane Gina is about to hit the Charleston area, including Rarity Cove.

The book begins with Trina in a very suspenseful situation, which grabbed my attention immediately. The fast-paced action is told in third person, primarily alternating between Samantha's and Mark's points of view. I remained caught up in the story, and finished the book in two days.

The romantic parts contain great romance, with just the right touch of spice. The suspense is appropriately suspenseful. Once I got to the really suspenseful part of Before the Storm, I couldn't put it down. The ending is very satisfying.

I recommend Before the Storm to all fans of Romantic Suspense books. I loved Before the Storm by Leslie Tentler, and grant it our highest rating of Five Stars!


Note: I received a complimentary copy of Before the Storm in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

Previously published at Jane Reads. ( )

Before The Storm is an impeccably written romantic suspense novel with a good mix of love story and thriller.
Samantha aka Trina has recently opened a little shop in South Carolina where she lives under an assumed identity after escaping a harrowing ordeal. She meets and falls for Mark, a widower with a young daughter who hasn't spoken since her mother died in a car crash. Both cautious due to their pasts and their responsibilities, Samantha and Mark slowly establish a relationship, but then Samantha's history catches up with her just as a hurricane is about to hit their little seaside town.
While the actual plot wasn't particularly new or original, I really enjoyed Leslie Tentler's engaging style of writing, and I loved all the interesting characters she created. Before the Storm is a really sweet contemporary romance with some thrilling and dark suspense elements that can be enjoyed leisurely on a rainy afternoon. This was my first book written by Leslie Tentler, but I have decided to catch up with her Chasing Evil series because she impressed me with her writing.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. ( )

The past, secrets, fears and reservations play a big part in this story. Samantha and Mark feel attraction for one another from their first meeting but with the pasts they both have are not willing to move forward easily or quickly. There is hesitation and family interference along with personal indecision to contend with. Add to this some very bad characters and a hurricane and the plot thickens. I enjoyed the story, though it is somewhat familiar, and would like to say it was very well written and edited. The one character I would like to know more about is Luther but have a feeling he may not get his own book, though he just might deserve one. This is the first book I have read by Leslie Tentler but hope that it will not be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barclay Publicity for the copy of this book to read and review. ( )