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Time heals all wounds.
Eager to put a dark, troubled past behind her, Trinity Ewing buys an old house that will make the perfect refuge for her and her young son once renovations are complete. The last thing on her mind is finding someone new…but the contractor she’s hired is an irresistible distraction—and Trinity can’t help but fantasize about all the business they could be doing behind closed doors.
So does one man’s touch.
Noah Benningfield thought he’d put his demons behind him. But the moment he lays eyes on Trinity, the temptation he feels is too powerful to deny. Soon the attraction between them explodes into something neither of them could have imagined. But their desire will be put to the test when a shocking local murder has them dodging danger at every turn. Can the beautiful and damaged Trinity trust someone like Noah, whose own past is as haunted as her own? The only thing she knows for sure is that she can’t live without a man who makes her feel this good—over and over again…in Deeper Than Need by Shiloh Walker.
"Shiloh has a unique way of drawing you in, making you feel like you are right there with the characters."—Harlequin Junkie
"[Shiloh] writes well-defined characters, great storylines, and most importantly - great smut."—The Book Vixen
"Her writing just gets better and better...her plots twist in very interesting ways, never giving fans the feeling that they’ve read this one before. The sex is sizzling, but never intrudes on the plot." —RT Book Reviews
CHAPTER ONE
Noah Benningfield was a man who understood temptation.
That’s all there was to it.
He’d spent a good seven years all but stuck inside a bottle, and when he wasn’t stuck inside a bottle he’d been happily trapped inside a woman.
Sometimes he’d done both. No, often he’d done both.
The demons that had chased after him were called guilt and grief and no amount of alcohol could silence their voices for long. No woman could ease the ache for any longer than it took to bring her to climax.
Nothing brought him any kind of peace during those dark, awful years.
Noah … just trust me.… Those words whispered to him during the long, miserable nights and the only thing that silenced the voice of a girl long gone was another drink or sometimes the arms of whatever female was willing to let him crawl into bed with her.
Trust … that hadn’t ever been the problem. Trust. That was what had led him down this path. He’d trusted a girl, one he’d loved more than life itself. Trusted her … and twenty years later blood-drenched screams still haunted his dreams.
Trying to hide from those dreams sent him spiraling down a one-way road to nowhere, fueled by booze, losing himself in the arms of whichever female would take him. That had lasted seven years. By the time he pulled himself out of that hole, he’d already lived a lifetime of regrets.
Now, at thirty-seven, he still had to fight the demons of grief and guilt and he sometimes still woke from blood-drenched dreams, the sound of a desperate scream echoing in his ears. They weren’t as bad now. He could go days, sometimes even weeks, without the nightmares.
He’d settled into a blank, grey existence.
It was empty. It was easy. It was safe.
All until he’d taken this job.
A job that landed him in the middle of hell.
A job that landed him in the middle of Temptation City.
Both at the same time. The stress was something he didn’t need.
It wasn’t even eight o’clock, but he was already on the site for the biggest job he was currently dealing with. Rehabbing the old Frampton place.
Pulling to a stop in front of the old Frampton house, he tried to silence the whisper of her voice, dancing in the back of his mind.
Just trust me.…
It was a twist in the gut. The blistering, white-hot heat of the late summer sun beat down on him, but he felt chilled. A cold little bead of sweat rolled down his spine.
It had been twenty years since his girlfriend Lana had come out here. Nobody knew why. Not even him. Plenty of people had suspicions. Even he had some, although nobody in town would have believed him. Not that he cared.
All that really mattered, in the end, was that she was out here that night. And that was the last time anybody saw her, as she walked down this street, toward this very house. Inside, on one window, they found a set of her fingerprints, smeared and bloodied.
There were a few other sets of fingerprints—one belonging to David Sutter—and another partial, but it couldn’t be matched.
There was also blood. On the porch. In the kitchen.
A broken piece of jewelry—found near the stone wall that bordered the property. It had been a dog tag–styled necklace, belonging to David Sutter.
Not much evidence, but that was all anybody ever found.
Eying the looming shadow of the Frampton house, Noah blew out a breath and wondered if he could get done what needed to be done. Now.
Before …
The door opened and the breath was just knocked out of him.
Trinity Ewing. Mistress and ruler of Temptation City. Every muscle in his body clenched, while the blood in his brain started a slow, steady journey south. Hunger, hot and potent, punched through him as the woman saw him and smiled.
“Coward,” he muttered as he forced himself to climb out of the truck.
Trinity, the new owner of the old Frampton place, probably had no idea that she had taken the starring role in most of his dreams for the past week. The kind of dreams he hadn’t had in far too long. The first one had caught him off-guard—he didn’t dream about women, didn’t think about women, people in general, not in a personal sense.
He got through each day by just … easing through life. It was simple. It was easy. It was safe.
Noah had existed in a fog, a grey, colorless fog.
That grey fog no longer existed.
One look, that was all it had taken for the quiet, grey existence to just … disappear. It hadn’t evaporated. That was a slow thing, wasn’t it? No, this was like it sizzled away in a heated rush the second her misty grey eyes had connected with his.
Now everything was fused with hot, vibrant color and the world felt alive again. He felt alive, his body pulsing with needs he’d ignored for more years than he cared to recall. It was wonderful and it was awful and it was driving him nuts.
All the more reason for him to get this job done, so he could get his butt out of Temptation City.
That was the plan. It was a good plan, too.
“Mr. Noah!”
He watched as the door opened yet again and a pint-sized tornado with a head of messy yellow curls came tearing outside and down the sidewalk.
Despite himself, he grinned. He braced himself, shifting automatically so preparing for the brunt of Micah Ewing’s full-body tackle-hug on his hip. Once, he hadn’t been prepared. Once. Only once. It had been enough. The kid’s head was solid as a rock and right on level with a sensitive part of Noah’s anatomy. He wasted his time, though … this morning, Micah stopped a few feet away, eyes wide and locked on Noah’s face.
“Mama cussed this morning.”
Trinity scowled, a flush rising up her neck to paint her cheeks pink. “Micah, get your tail back inside and finish breakfast.”
Micah spun around and held up a mangled piece of toast. “I got it with me.” As if to prove he wasn’t going to waste that bit of bread, he shoved it in his mouth and then turned back around to stare at Noah as he chewed. “She’s going to yell at you, too.”
Noah ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I think I ate my breakfast … at the table, even.”
“Not about your breakfast. It’s about the water. I heard her in the bathroom, talking about the stupid shower—that’s what she called it—then the water came on and she screamed and started cussing.”
* * *
Trinity just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Right there.
Noah Benningfield, a man who was probably just about the sexiest creature she’d ever seen, stood there with Micah and he was grinning down at her precocious child like he’d never seen anybody so entertaining. The grin made the deep grooves in his cheeks even more apparent and he stood there, arms folded over a wide chest, the muscles in his arms bulging under the short sleeves of his faded blue T-shirt.
He was so mouthwatering, it hurt to look at him.
And the way he smiled at her son made her heart ache. Noah looked at Micah like he was the most amazing, amusing child he’d ever come across.
Trinity had to admit, Micah amused and amazed her often.
But did he have to mention the shower thing?
Naturally.
She might laugh about it. Later. She could remember Micah’s big eyes, peering around the door at her as she fought with the shower, trying not to get her boobs, her belly, every last inch of her, burned.
The damn shower had gone from lukewarm—yuck—to scalding her skin off in the blink of an eye. Just her luck, Micah had come in while she was wrestling with the shower, with trying to keep the towel wrapped around her, and she’d sat there explaining to him that no, she shouldn’t have said those words and absolutely he wasn’t allowed to say them.
She and Micah had reached a compromise—the one her dad had started using after Micah had picked up on his cussing. The swear jar.
Now she had a mason jar sitting on the counter with a quarter in it. Micah already wanted to use the quarter to buy bubble gum.
She’d forgotten Noah was coming out early today to check on the progress, and of course she looked like complete crap. If it was any other man, she wouldn’t even think twice about standing there talking to him—she’d made that promise to herself when she left New York, and her ex, behind.
But Noah Benningfield made her tongue stick to the roof of her mouth and her hands got all sweaty just thinking about him. They’d met just a few short weeks ago, saw each other in passing while he set up everything for the renovations on her house.
A few meetings here and there, a few phone calls. Not much, right? So why did she keep waking up hot and sweaty from all of those dreams? The hottest, dirtiest dreams, where he ran those rough, calloused hands over her, where he pressed his lips to her neck, skimmed them down, down, down …
Her mouth went dry as she thought about the most recent dream, the one that had sent her into the shower, seeking some sort of release. Instead, she’d gotten her boobs burned and her son had poked his head in when he heard her cussing.
Noah hadn’t done anything to encourage her. Well, except for being beautiful. Kind. The “beautiful” part she could probably handle. The “kind” part … that was a little harder. If he’d been an asshole, she could write him off.
Instead, he was decent and funny and he treated her son better than Micah’s own dad had treated him. Noah made her smile and he made her blood heat just by being in the same room with her. She didn’t even know how many months of this she had to look forward to, and she didn’t know if her libido could handle it.
She should have gone with the other general contractor the Realtor had mentioned. He’d had a picture on his Web site. He was in his sixties or thereabouts. He had a snowy white beard. If he wore red, he’d be mistaken for Santa Claus. She wouldn’t lie awake at night fantasizing about the slow, lazy way he talked or the slow, lazy way he moved. Or the way his hands looked as he gestured at this part of the house or that. The shade of those surreal blue eyes or the way they crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
Yeah.
She should have gone with the other guy.
But she hadn’t. Noah had been able to knock the price down more than a little since some of the smaller projects he was taking on himself. He was starting on those tomorrow with a crew of older teenagers. The company he’d reached out to do the projects he’d taken on couldn’t fit it in for several weeks and these weren’t anything that could be left alone, so Noah, his beautiful hands and his more agreeable schedule won out.
Noah’s laugh drew her attention back to what was happening and she mentally kicked herself. Fantasize later—and she would. Focus now.
Micah was rocking on the back of his heels and grinning up at Noah, a perfectly angelic smile on his sweet little face. Her apprehension grew. Micah looked his most innocent when he was up to his absolutely most mischievous.
“She did.” Micah looked over at her. “I heard her. The water got all hot on her and she screamed really loud and then she cussed.”
“Micah.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Don’t you have anything better to do than go running around telling people what I did this morning?”
Micah stared at her guilelessly. “No. She said she cussed ’cuz the water got too hot.”
She bit back a groan.
From the corner of her eye she saw a grin curving Noah’s mouth. He reached out and ruffled Micah’s hair. “You know, I’d probably get pretty mad if I was taking a shower and the water got all hot and burned me.”
“Would you cuss?” Micah’s eyes rounded as he stared up at Noah. There was something near adulation in those eyes.
It made her heart hurt to see the hero worship in her son’s eyes. It was understandable, but it was still a blow to her heart. Next to his grandfather, Noah was the only man who’d ever shown Micah any real kindness. Practically a stranger, but the man made Micah feel good. Noah made Micah laugh and talked to him like … well, like he mattered. His own father hadn’t done that. Maybe that was why she put up with these bizarre conversations more than she should.
Curling a hand over Micah’s shoulder, she squeezed lightly. “Come on, buddy. You don’t go asking people stuff like that.”
“But I wanna know.” He poked his lip out. “You tell me if I want to know something, I have to ask.”
Noah laughed, and the sound, deep and amused, rolled out of him, echoing around them. “The kid has a point. But no, I doubt I’d cuss. I’d probably be really surprised, though. Pretty mad if the water went from warm to hot in the blink of an eye while I was showering.”
Trinity fought the urge to fan herself. She’d just gone from warm to hot herself … all because Noah had to make her go think about him in the damn shower. Water sliding over that beautiful body of his. Warm water, sluicing down, sliding down, soap slicking over his flesh.
“It could burn your penis!” Micah practically shouted, and then he started to giggle.
Oh. Man.
She swallowed, hard, as a band threatened to constrict around her chest. Now she had to think about Noah and showering and his damn penis. Oh, hell. She blew out a slow, careful breath and glanced at Noah out of the corner of her eye. Forcing herself to breathe, she managed to say, “Micah, that’s enough.”
“Would you cuss if you got burnt there?” Micah asked. Obviously, he didn’t see the warning on her face. Of course not. He was too busy thinking penises. Boys and their toys—she’d already learned that a male’s fascination with the penis started pretty young.
“Ignore him,” she said to Noah.
He was a little red in the face, but the grin on his lips was echoed in his eyes. “He does come up with the craziest questions.”
“I’m trying to decide if it’s a Micah thing or a boy thing or a child thing.” Before Micah could come up with anything else, she shifted her attention to Noah. “You know why the hot water keeps jumping up and down like that? It’s the second time it’s happened. I thought you said the hot-water heater was in okay condition.”
Under the faded material of his T-shirt, broad shoulders lifted in a shrug. “It might not have anything to do with the hot-water heater … probably doesn’t. I’ll take another look at it while I’m here and see if I can’t get the plumber to move things up a little. It could be a simple solution, though—obviously Micah wasn’t in the downstairs bathroom, flushing the toilet, since he … ah, overheard you. But other things can cause the problem besides the water heater, and sometimes it’s an easy fix.”
“An easy fix?” She eyed him warily. “Just how easy?”
“Easier than you think.” He smiled and grabbed a few more things from his truck. “Won’t even cost that much, but I need to poke around first and see if I’m right.”
Trinity sighed and looked up at the house. She’d known this was going to be a costly mess. But she’d also seen the house, looked at pictures of the pretty little town, the river that rolled so lazily by. She’d felt it, deep inside. She belonged here. This was someplace she needed to be. She just felt a weird little click.
Of course, it was possible she was insane, because when she saw Noah for the first time she’d felt the same damn click.
She’d looked at him and it was like, There you are. Where have you been?
She felt like she’d been waiting her whole life for him, only she hadn’t realized it until the very second their gazes locked.
Yeah, it was very likely she’d lost her mind.
Copyright © 2014 by Shiloh Walker
Excerpt from Sweeter Than Sin copyright © 2014 by Shiloh Walker
Anonymous
Posted Wed Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2014
This is apart of a series. The mystery is still unknown to me and I don't want to read the next book to figure out who the killer is. There were too many points of views, about 6 different characters to follow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sophia-Rose1
Posted Thu Oct 02 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I was so unprepared for the intensity of this story. I read it more slowly than I'm want to do with books because of how hard hitting it was and that was without getting the full feel of things since its a suspense plot that continues through the whole series. I just kept thinking as I read, 'This- this is what romantic suspense ought to be'.
This story follows a three-part series of novellas that are an introduction to the small town of Madison, IN and some of the characters that live there, but the romance and suspense plot begin right with this one so a person would be okay to start here. Personally, I recommend at least the first of the novellas to get to know some of the people that are referenced here.
The story opens shortly after Trinity Ewing along with her little boy move to town and purchase the old Frampton place. It is in bad shape so she hires Noah Beddingfield as the contractor to supervise the repairs and remodeling. Noah is both a welcome and unwelcome distraction from her worries about starting fresh and the house, but she really doesn't dare get involved with another man particularly one that screams relationship material to her. At night, she alternately dreams about Noah and feeling restless in her new house. The house has an atmosphere to it that makes Trinity nervous, but she has vested a lot into this new start where nobody knows her past and she won't quit just because the house gives her a case of the nervous, but then the body is found.
Noah has lived with his personal demons and fought them a long time, but he does it through detachment instead of the bottle and gratuitous sex these days. The second he set eyes on Trinity; he knew that his life was changed. She was bringing him to life again and making him feel. He needs to let the past go. But that body might be her- Lana, the girl he loved and that disappeared twenty years ago at the same time as several others leaving only the horror of blood in the house Trinity now lives in. Repairing the old place forces him to face down his bad memories and nightmares and being near Trinity soothes him and gives him the impetus to do it.
Others watch as the new family settles in and the repairs are made and tensions really rise as the body is discovered. Some its curiosity, but for others it’s with knowledge and a desire for the past to stay safely buried because something evil happened there and its still hiding in Madison.
This story was a fantastic blend of romance and suspense. It developed and built at just the right pace for me. Noah was emotionally vested in the suspense portion of the plot, but in a sense he and Trinity's story was separate so it was like getting two stories in one.
The main characters were Noah and Trinity, but they are also part of a larger cast that played significant roles. I loved how many ambiguous roles there were. I kept asking myself is this a friend, a foe, or somewhere in between. Some were terribly flawed, weak or fearful people, but not necessarily evil. However, I'm pretty sure there were some truly evil types in the mix too. This book ended without giving away too much of that sort of thing.
That leads me to speak to the suspense plotting. I loved how the author was able to set just the right tone. It is so atmospheric at times. Even Trinity mused that she hoped she hadn't moved to Amityville. This part of the story began long before the events of this book in the past. The mystery began with the disappearance of four people. They are thought to be dead, possibly by foul play since there was a lot of blood at the old abandoned Frampton house, but the truth is not known. It’s a small town so people can only speculate. Noah feels guilt about one of the disappearances because she was his high school sweetheart. The girl acted strangely that last day and told him to just trust her when he wanted to know what was going on. Now with the dead body, the past and its secrets are stirring again. This book took the mystery only so far. There are a few tantalizing unknown narrator parts that I could only puzzle out up to a point. I absolutely cannot wait for what is to come.
As to the romance, Noah and Trinity were a beautiful couple. Two broken people that really needed each other. Trinity needed someone who was good through and through and who had faith in her no matter what. Noah needed someone who knew what it was to feel shame and need for understanding. Unconditional love and acceptance was something they gave to each other and it was so lovely to see it when they both had a chance to give it and experience it. They were so hesitant to put themselves out there because of not feeling worthy or ready for a relationship, but it didn't feel overly angty. Now that being said, these two took a while to get their sexy on in person which was built up to rather nicely I might add, but in the mean time, they scorched the clothes off each other in their thoughts and dreams. I found their distractedness rather humorous at times and it was a nice foil to the heavier feeling given by the suspense side.
“I don't think I'm going to be very patient," he muttered against her lips.
She chuckled and cupped his face in her hands. "I'll believe that when I see it. Patient is your middle name, isn't it?"
"No." He sank his teeth into her lower lip. "No it's not."
Just then he thought Hunger might be.
Loc. 82% Noah and Trinity, Deeper Than Need
So, to wrap it all up, this was abso-fab and I am glad to have the second book at hand. Romantic Suspense lovers who enjoy their suspense dark and gritty and their romance on the spicy side with the added plus of some really well developed characters should snatch this one up and clear your evening.
asgoodrich
Posted Sat Aug 16 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I Also Recommend:
5 stars = I freaking LOVED this book
Having read two of the novellas that precede this book in the Secrets & Shadows series, I was familiar with Ms. Walker’s writing style and was looking forward to reading a full-length novel to see what she could do with it. She did not disappoint me at all. Deeper Than Need is a romantic suspense that sucked me so far into the story that I devoured it in one sitting and found myself at the end, not ready for it to be over. Fans of the series will be pleased to see Jensen, Dean and Ali make an appearance in this book. However, you don’t need to read the novellas first to enjoy this book as its storyline is separate from that of the novellas.
In this installment in the Secrets & Shadows series we meet Noah and Trinity. Noah is a Madison native who experienced a tragedy as a teenager that left him numb and merely existing for most of his adult life. That is, until Trinity moved to town and bought the broken down house that served as a constant reminder of all that he lost. As the contractor who agreed to help her fix the place up, he can’t escape the pain the house invokes nor can he escape the desire that Trinity ignites – a feeling he hasn’t had in over a decade. One of the things I enjoyed about the sexual interactions between Noah and Trinity is that most of them occur in dreams they have about one another, which left me anticipating what it would be like when they finally acted upon their attraction. While this did not occur until around the 80% mark in the book, it was SOOOOO worth the wait. Preach is HOT and he knows exactly what to do to unleash the fire that rages between them. That he loves Trinity’s son Micah just makes him that much hotter.
As this is a romantic suspense, readers will realize rather quickly that there is far more going on in the story than the obvious, and as hints were dropped and the clues were revealed I really didn’t want to believe what they seemed to be indicating. And once the news it out, the little town of Madison is shocked to its core. Because this is a series, the next book Sweeter Than Sin seems to be set up to continue with this underlying storyline while giving us Adam’s story – something I am really looking forward to. I enjoyed Adam’s character and the role he played in this book, so I am looking forward to learning more about him. But what I really want to know is whether or not Caine is who I think he is. Well done Ms. Walker, you have me hooked.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
CrystalCB
Posted Thu Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I have to say the more I read of Shiloh Walker's work the more amazed I am by her talent. Ms.Walker is very talented and I always enjoy each book I have the chance to read.
Deeper than Need reached out and grabbed my attention from page one and sure did not let go even at the end. I can not wait to read the next book in this series.
Trinity Ewing and her young son Micah have been through so much, they are in need of a fresh start in a new place. So they buy a old fixer up house. Little do they know what they are getting themselves into. OH my goodness, someone should have told this poor woman more about the house she was buying.
Trinity has no intention of ending her single status. She's just gotten done with a rotten marriage that was worse then even she suspected. She plans on staying single, that is until she meets the very handsome and sweet Noah. Noah has been through a lot in his life as well. These two have so much baggage between the two of them and so many emotional wounds they just might be perfect for each other.
I don't want to tell you too much about this dramatic, suspense filled story, but I will tell you there is a lot going on around town. There are many dark secrets that are being kept, people are missing, accidents are happening, and I think there is more to be revealed later on. This is one amazing page turner of a book. If I found myself not able to set this book down. When I got close to the end there was not setting it down, I had to finish it and find out what in the world was going to happen.
I loved watching Trinity, Micah, and Noah form their relationships. I loved how Noah interacted with Micah. Micah is one sweet, smart, adorable, and active little boy. He has no problem getting himself into some mischief that under covers something. Yes, that is all I am going to tell you about that.
I can not wait to read more of this series and see what else Shiloh Walker has planned for this town that is full of secrets. I will be anxiously awaiting the release of the next book. I anxiously await the release of all Shiloh Walker's books though. They are all great.
If you enjoy a very suspenseful romance that is full of drama and secrets you really need to check out this series. Oh yes, did I mention there are some steamy scenes as well? If this sounds like your kind of book, don't wait HURRY! Go grab your copy of Deeper Than Need.
I was given the opportunity to read this book so that I may share my thoughts with you. As always it has been my great pleasure to share my thoughts with you on Deeper Than Need.
Barb-TheReadingCafe
Posted Tue Jun 17 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Deeper Than Need is the 1st full length book in Shiloh Walker’s Secrets & Shadows series. The series started with three novellas, which I did not know about, but it did not matter when reading this book, as it read very well without reading the others. Though after reading this book, I am interested in reading the novellas.
The story takes place in a small town, where our heroine, Trinity Ewing having recently arrived in town with her young son, has purchased a house, which is in need of much repair. The house also unknown to Trinity has a tragic history, which will drive this story.
Noah Benningfield is our hero, a former preacher, who now has his own contracting business. Noah is fixing up Trinity’s house, and both of them feel the immediate sparks between them. But neither is able or willing to act on those feelings. Trinity has run away from her past, with her ex-husband, and has no desire to become involved with any man. Noah spent 20 years trying to get over the tragedy of a lost love when he was a teenager, which drove him to become an alchoholic. He has since recovered and aside from his business, he also helps with phone support for teenagers, with problems.
Though both have major obstacles, they are drawn together with the restoration of the house, and the mystery that begins to surface when a body is found in the cellar. Shiloh Walker does a wonderful job of building this romance, even with each having terrible demons of the past. You can feel the heat between them, and Walker does not rush this. One of my pet peeves is when other stories have the couple fall in love on page 2, not giving any time to a romance. Not so here. This was done perfectly. I loved watching them fight their feelings; watching them become closer, trying to help each other; and loved the interaction with Noah, who was adorable. By the time we got ¾ through the book, I was anxiously rooting for them to act on those feelings NOW. When they finally succumbed, it was well worth the wait, as everything sizzled around them. Very well done.
The mystery was the main focus of the story, with the entire town involved to discover the truth about what happened 20 years ago. There were quite a few twists and turns, keeping us on our toes. If you didn’t pay close attention you would miss something important. I was at times a bit confused at what was happening, as Walker kept us guessing throughout. We do have a resolution though it did come fast and furious at the end. The next book in this series may give us more information, as one of the main characters is the hero in it. Deeper Than Need by Shiloh Walker was an excellent romance suspense story, with a great couple. I recommend that you read this book.
In Deeper Than Need by Shiloh Walker, Trinity is starting fresh, and has moved with her son to Madison, into a wonderful old house she's renovating. As soon as she saw the house she felt like she was home. She was completely unprepared for the 'click' she felt when she met contractor Noah. He is hot and she is going to be seeing a lot of him when he works on her home.
Noah has existed but never really lived since the disappearance of his teenage girlfriend. He does not feel he has enough life in him to offer anyone, nor is he interested in relationships. He keeps to himself a lot, and spends a lot of time helping troubled youth in Madison. As Noah begins working on Trinity's home and seeing her every day, he is unable to deny the attraction and connection he feels for her. He is also unable to avoid the past that confronts him every time he sees her house. Noah's emotions are in conflict...
Trinity was so sure about her new home...it felt so right but now that she's in it she is creeped out at night and hears things. When a horrible discovery in her home bursts open a mysterious past, questions and secrets about the town she now calls home start to come out. There is evil lurking, and some people want the secrets of the past to stay there. Will the truth ever come out, or will it stay hidden in the shadows? As the number of mysteries involving Madison become more abundant and unclear, the relationship between Noah and Trinity becomes clearer, as if they were meant to be together. With pasts that haunt them both and the wariness only a broken heart can evoke, will they take the chance with each other?
Although there are 3 Secrets and Shadows novellas that precede Deeper Than Need, they are only very loosely tied to Deeper Than Need and this novel can be read alone. Deeper Than Need is a much darker, much more complex story, but just as intriguing as the novella's. I did expect there to be more of a relationship to the novella's, so that was a bit disappointing for me.
The main characters in Deeper Than Need are strong and outside of the mystery, Noah and Trinity's romance and feelings are believable. Trinity's background is a bit more mysterious and the telling of it is more drawn out, but in an intriguing I want to get to know her way. They are both hurting and I loved how Shiloh brought them together. There are a lot of secondary characters in Deeper Than Need, and Shiloh will give you POV's from some of them too, which really makes things interesting! I did find that there were so many secondary characters they and their stories were at times difficult to keep track of, a little confusing, and a little distracting.
Noah and Trinity's relationship was secondary to the mysteries surrounding the town of Madison in Deeper Than Need. Shiloh will keep you guessing with twists, turns and plot surprises. She will keep you guessing for some of the story also as we wait for the next book in this series to come out.
Shiloh's writing is fabulous and the foundation of Deeper Than Need is strong, but I felt like it was a bit crowded in the book at times.
Romantic Suspense readers who like deep, layered plots will enjoy Deeper Than Need.
¿Unique love connection, dark mystery, glorious writing.....¿
My rating: 4.5 of 5 ¿¿
For about two decades, Noah Benningfield has existed the best he knew how. Almost half of the years he can barely recall and the rest of the time he was stuck in a shadowy limbo, while doing his best to keep himself and others from sliding into the deep dark. But when a single mother with a young son came to town and hired him to fix up the old house she bought, he felt his lungs filling with air for the first time in twenty years.
Slightly disturbed, Trinity Ewing wondered how it was possible the town and the house had felt exactly right when she bought it, yet made her uncomfortable now she lived in it. Perhaps when all the necessary renovations were done, things would be different. But that would mean she wouldn't have Noah around every anymore, and nothing felt right like Noah did. The town, the house, the man, from the moment she laid eyes on them she knew she was home.
Both still showing the scars from painful histories, Noah and Trinity are hesitant to act on their unusual response to each other. But once they discover those intense feelings are mutual it is difficult to control their instinctive need. When the discovery of a dead body sets a sequence of events in motion that shakes up the entire town, it also stirs up a slew of unresolved questions dating back decades. And brings to light some issues long thought to have been dead.
As a many years' old status quo starts to crumble, Noah and Trinity grab for the one thing that is pure and true amid the resulting chaos......
*****
I'm in love with Shiloh Walker's writing........ It's broody and moody, mysterious and sensitive, it feels and tastes, smells, sees, hears and senses.....
Reading anything by Shiloh is a full six-sense experience. Her descriptive abilities are such, that every word becomes tangible, like a flavour on your tastebuds. And it's not just in the descriptions, it is the way she has her characters experience things with the full engagement of their senses, being completely in the moment. Every scene becomes a multi-dimensional experience for the reader, with not just the mind, but the emotions as well as most of the senses stimulated. And all of those different layers simply enchance the 'scene' into something we don't just read, but if we let it, "experience".
I get lost, when reading Shiloh's books, as in, I disappear into myself, get pissed off at interruptions, not wanting to be pulled out of my 'zone'. I like it there. I like the sensation of floating in someone else's imagination so completely.
This story is the first full novel in the Secrets & Shadows Series. I reviewed the three novellas that came before and loved them. I loved DEEPER THAN NEED as well.
The characters are so sympathetic and I was so drawn to them. Even Trinity's little boy has such a distinct personality, making for some entertaining and lighthearted moments. Trinity herself may be bruised from her experiences, but I don't think she is damaged, not really. I think she is scared, for sure, and who wouldn't be. She is hurt, but she is also very strong and determined, with an amazing faith in her heart.
Noah is a tougher nut. I would venture to say he is a little more beat up. Granted, he did a lot of that himself, but his demons are darker and deeper with much more conflict at the root. And as becomes clear, the scope is beyond his control alone. But he does recognize his future when it appears to him and he doesn't hesitate then, to grab onto it with both hands.
The backstory is a dark one and although this novel is by definition a standalone HEA for Trinity and Noah, the story is not over. Some of the mystery surrounding the backstory is a little confusing at time and is slowly coming together. I am sure over the next few novels, the full scope will become clearer. But because of the 'piecing' of some of the context and the resulting loose ends, I am keeping it to 4.5 instead of the 5 stars I would not have hesitated granting!!
If you have not yet read Shiloh Walker, you are truly missing out!!!
¿Unique love connection, dark mystery, glorious writing.....¿
**Copy provided in return for an honest review**
BooksnKisses
Posted Fri Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 3 1/4
REVIEW:
Deeper Than Need is the first full length novel in Shiloh Walker’s new Secrets & Shadow’s series. Just like the pre-quel novella’s, Deeper Than Need is shrouded in mystery and a lot of unanswered questions. Most of those questions revolve around one night. A night that changed the lives of so many people. A night that left so many questions. But unlike the novella’s I didn’t find myself as drawn to these two characters.
Noah & Trinity are thrown together under terrible circumstances. Yet, they find a way to cope. They both have demons from their pasts that they are ashamed of. Yet, the have learned to live again. The biggest questions is will the ghosts of the past keep them apart or bring them closer together.
This was a good story and Shiloh does a great job of keeping you guessing as to the why’s, who’s, and how’s. I just didn’t feel the connection to Noah that I would have liked. I am not sure what it was, because Noah is a good guy. But other then that this was a good read. If you are suspense fan you will enjoy this book .
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Shiloh Walker in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
amdrane2
Posted Thu Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I'm not sure what to think about this book. I wasn't aware that there were three novellas before this book and still haven't read them and honestly, I don't think I will. There were so many POVs in this story I kinda got confused. I liked Noah, who is an ex-preacher and alcoholic and is just trying to live his life trying to help teens. Trinity and her son were a nice fit for Noah. They certainly turned his life around for the better. Micah, the son, was my favorite of the book. The sitting was hard for me to see this happening in since I've been to the real Madison countless times. The character of Adam is intriguing and I might read his story, but I'm not sure yet.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Anonymous
Posted Tue Jun 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Hello Blackshadow? Im here.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Noah's life is in a rut. He goes through the motions but is spinning his wheels. He has a past that he can't escape and he struggles with alcoholism daily. All this is true until he sees Trinity Ewing.
Trinity and her son Micah need a fresh start and they've chosen Madison, Indiana. She bought a house and has no idea of the horrors that were committed there. All she knows is that the contractor she hired to do repairs, Noah Benningfield, sets her heart fluttering and her body on fire.
This sleepy little town has secrets that will shock the most jaded of us all. The atrocities committed there, past and present, are jaw dropping. The mystery and intrigue in this story line is captivating. It was like a movie playing in my head with creepy music and all. It's hard t write more without spoilers and I don't do spoilers. This is a must read if you like a great mystery, suspense with a steaming hot romance running alongside. It's BRILLIANT and I highly recommend this entire Secrets & Shadows series. Shiloh Walker never disappoints!
Received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Anonymous
Posted Tue Jun 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Here
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.4.5 Stars
~Reviewed by FRANCESCA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog
Well, Shiloh Walker has done it again. After a series of novellas that introduce us to the town of Madison, Ohio and the creepyness that crawls around it’s streets, houses and lakes…Here comes the bigger picture, and the bigger suspense. If you enjoyed the novellas, you won’t want to miss DEEPER THAN NEED.
First of all there’s Noah. Yeah, he used to be a preacher and an alcoholic. But don’t let that steer you away. Noah fell into everything that has happened in his life due to the tragic disappearance of his high school girlfriend. A dark and bloody mystery that has cloaked the town in suspicion and theories of what may have happened. Noah dealt with it the only way he knew how at the time. Drowning his sorrows in a bottle. Since then, he’s recovered and found that inner strength to make him continue living. If you can call his lonely existence that. Until Trinity and her son come into town and need his services.
The slow burn of their relationship, filled with sexual tension to the max, kept me glued to the pages because of the romance. But the suspenseful plot is what keeps me eating up these books by Ms. Walker. She has a talent for weaving in all these little clues, and intertwined elements that your mind tries to process and connect as you bounce from one suspect to the other. I love how she keeps you guessing.
The different POVs in this story is also something I find perfect for the telling of this type of story. Yes, we are mostly in the minds of Noah and Trinity. But on occasion we get to see more other people in the town. I can’t wait to dive into the culprits minds a bit more so I can get truly creeped out!
Crackling chemistry and bone chilling suspense. DEEPER THAN NEED will leave you bouncing off the walls waiting for the next one. The official beginning of this series starts off with a bang and I can’t wait for the next installment. Is it September yet?
Overview
Time heals all wounds.
Eager to put a dark, troubled past behind her, Trinity Ewing buys an old house that will make the perfect refuge for her and her young son once renovations are complete. The last thing on her mind is finding someone new…but the contractor she’s hired is an irresistible distraction—and Trinity can’t help but fantasize about all the business they could be doing behind closed doors.
So does...