Iris escaped a dark past to refuge in South Dakota. Now it follows her and her 7-year-old son Finn.

When her mentor asks her to run his Windy Acres hunting lodge, Iris accepts reluctantly, and grows close to the property's caretaker, Sawyer Jones.

Gradually, Iris's dark past is revealed, a past that is haunting her present life and that also changed Sawyer's.

I quite enjoyed this book. I ended up finding an audiobook version and it was the perfect setting for an audiobook. I liked the mystery aspect mixed with a little romance. I thought the end was also satisfying if a little cheesy.

Eight years ago Iris Jenkins was able to escape her past and settle down with a new life. Now, a single mother with a 7-year-old son, Iris is forced to confront her past. Does she stay and fight or go on the run once again.

This book sounded so good and I loved the location as well as the premise, but somehow it just didn’t quite live up to my expectations. There’s a lot going on in this book – a little romance, domestic abuse, single motherhood, paranoia, inept police – you get the idea. But, for the most part, it really didn’t scream “thriller” at me. it seemed like it fit more into a general fiction category and even the parts that were supposed to be creepy really weren’t.

Of course, there’s usually at least one annoying character in almost every book, but typically it’s not the main character. Unfortunately, I found Iris to be the annoying one. She makes some questionable decisions, there are lots of tears, and an almost instant romance to top it off. As a result, I would give Iris in the Dark 2.5 stars but will round it up to 3*s.

I really enjoyed reading ‘Iris in the Dark’! This story covers self discovery and rediscovering oneself in the midst of extreme obstacles. This is a very empowering story!
Thank you Get Red PR Books for the gifted copy!

Iris In The Dark is a mix of found family, romance, and mystery in one book that worked well together.

I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense in this novel, I went into this one mostly blind so I didn't know it was going to be there, and I was pleasantly surprised. We're given some backstory and some clues throughout that adds to the overall feeling of mystery that is present throughout the book.

Now onto the romance portion. There wasn't anything spectacular or special about the romance here, it felt basic, no major chemistry, but having said that - it worked and the author achieved what I think she was going for.

Overall, this was a quick read that I liked. If you're in the mood for a sweet romance with a bit of suspense, you'll love Iris In The Dark!

Sometimes heading back is the only way to move forward.
Iris Jenkins knows that bad things happen. "She’s tried to escape these things for years. So when Iris is entrusted to house-sit at a lodge on the South Dakota prairie, she thinks she’s prepared for anything."

Interesting book with twist and turns that leave you lost in a maze until the end

I am struggling with this review.

I looked at other reviews, and people LOVED this book. I honestly, thought it was just ok. The writing, was good, the story was really interesting, but I just could not get invested in this book.

Did you ever see a movie that seems to always take place in the dark, so you are always struggling to see the picture and it takes away from the enjoyment? This was like the literary version of that. It just had a heavy, dark feel and not in a good way. I struggled to connect with the characters. I kept putting it down and picking it back up. I was interested enough to keep going, but not interested enough to read it in one or two sittings (or even four or five).

Before you take my review as gospel, keep in mind that I usually prefer books with more action that mood, books that some consider to be more superficial (I loved the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and hated a Man Called Ove).

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book

This was an engaging, character-driven story about the past catching up to our MC, Iris, and her son, Finn. Some of it was kind of eye-rolling unrealistic, but I enjoyed getting submerged in this craziness. 3.5 stars rounded up.

A story about a single mother running from her past. While looking for a new start, she is also facing the past she ran away from. A lot of twists and turns along the way as new characters are introduced. Kept you reading to find out what might happen next.

Single mother Iris Jenkins has been running from her tumultuous past for 8 years she would do anything to protect her son Finn, even if it means risking it all and facing her worst fears.

This one took me a bit to get into but once it picked up, I was invested. Parts were a bit predictable and slightly flat in spots, but the unexpected twist made up for it. Nice love story (even if it seems wildly impossible, but I'll allow it). Fans of Where the Forest Meets the Stars will really love this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This was easily a one-sitting read for me. It had a little bit of everything to keep it intriguing. It touched on romance, suspense (she was hearing voices thru a walk-talkie!!), motherhood, and personal trauma and somehow managed to keep it light but also serious at the same time. I appreciated the fast pacing and the plot twists that kept it intriguing right to the very end.

I related to Iris as a Mum who is overly protective of her son, Finn (who has allergies like Austin!) and how she'd do anything to protect him. I felt for her and can relate to the doubts that she has about herself being worthy. I was happy for her when she found support in her life to bring her out of the trauma she endured. It was dark but left me feeling light at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read Iris in. the Dark early. The name of the novel was so catchy for me and called me to want to read it. The book was fast paced and well written. I like book that have a bit of romance in the mystery. The main character was a bit strange but I guess it was a part of making the book have more reason.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.

I loved the plot setups pretty quickly and the characters were great. The twists were exciting, but not too outrageous. As a mom, this reignited my fear of baby monitors being hacked! Definitely recommend this book!

Iris has a checkered past and only her friend and boss at the paper knows her truths. With the paper struggling, Lowell suggests she help out at his lodge. It’s in the middle of nowhere, and she takes her son Finn and they decide to spend sometime there while she runs the place. Someone starts messing with her late at night and she’s not sure if she is going crazy or her past has caught up with her. The handsome neighbor Sawyer is a nice distraction but she needs to figure out who is stalking her.
I liked this book, it was fast paced and kept you on your toes guessing who is up to no good and who can Iris trust.

This small town mystery-romance is a short, easy-read and it is also a fast phased novel. From the very first page to the last, it is quite uncomplicated to guess the whodunnit part. My only drawbacks to the book are: Why is Iris always running away from everyone? And why is she so gullible, vulnerable and weak yet lucky to have met Lowell and Ivan during her critical time? I was truly rooting for her, and glad to see the happy ending at the end! I still recommend this book if you love mystery-romance!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing/Brilliance Publishing for this #gifted #ebook in exchange for my honest review!

This was a quick read, but I had a couple of issues with it. I did enjoy the creepy atmosphere, and I loved the remote South Dakota setting. My problems mainly lay with Iris as a character and the choices she made. I found it unbelievable that Iris would let her kid hang out alone with a complete stranger after being so overprotective at other times. And I’m not a fan of the instalove. This was a short book, and I definitely think that I would have enjoyed this book more if it had gone more into Iris’s early life and been spread out over a longer time span. I *think* this is being marketed as a thriller, but I would definitely call this romantic suspense. There were just too many things I found hard to believe in this one, but I think it will be enjoyed by many. Definitely good for a thrilling read by the pool or cozied up this fall for the spooky vibes!

This was the perfect book to read in the garden over the hot weekend. Drama, romance and suspense that had me turning the pages and rooting for the characters. Just to note there is some serious subject matter that does centre around domestic abuse, this was approached well.
Yes, it’s rather predictable and I could see were the story was going but sometimes you just want to be entertained by an east to follow story where everything ties up well at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be looking out for more by this author.

A woman with something to hide, a walkie talkie that starts talking.... this had all of the makings of a suspenseful read.

I enjoyed this book, but it just didn't live up to the expectations that I had. I felt like the relationships were too rushed and even the suspense just wasn't that suspenseful.

I did enjoy the final chapter and all of the loose ends being tied up in a neat little package. I just wish that it had given me more depth within the bulk of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley books for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I enjoyed the story and became engrossed in Iris’s past, I did find a few too many coincidences to make the story come together in the end. I also figured out the mysterious voice early on in the book but found it wasn’t that big of a spoiler in light of the potential for Iris’s past to come back and haunt her. That’s the real meat of the story in my opinion.

Read this one if you’re looking for a fast-paced romantic suspense story with a good balance of psychological drama and a promising new relationship. Iris’s hidden previous life keeps you on the edge of your seat as she attempts to rise above her past and learn to value herself and open up to others.