Away From The Dark

The Light Series – Book 2

By Aleatha Romig

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Women are disappearing. What is happening when they step into The Light?

Nine months ago, Sara Adams awoke with no memory. The man holding her hand told her she’s a member of The Light, a tight-knit religious group led by the terrifying and charismatic Father Gabriel. As a woman in the community of The Light, her duty is to be unquestionably obedient and to submit to the will of her husband.

But as Sara’s memory starts to return and she remembers her past, she sees that everything she’s been told is a lie. The Light is an insidious and dangerous organization, and its corrupting influence reaches well beyond the confines of the remote campus where Sara is being held.

With everything at stake, Sara struggles to sort out her true memories from her indoctrination. The desire to escape consumes her, but who can she trust? And what other followers of The Light were forced into this life, brainwashed to believe they belonged? The more she remembers, the mort it becomes clear that Jacob, the man who calls himself her husband, is keeping shattering secrets of his own.

But Sara cannot flee alone, leaving innocents behind. She must fight to extinguish The Light.

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Sara

Shrill screams echoed throughout our dimly lit bedroom, accelerating my heartbeat and pulling me from the terrible nightmare. I waited for more, until the realization struck. The screams were my own.

“Jacob?” I called, my voice shaking with dread as I reached for my husband. Instead of reassurance, my fingers met cold empty sheets. He was gone—still away at another campus.

What just happened? Was it a dream?

I clung to the covers as I puffed my cheeks and slowly exhaled. While each breath helped to still the chaos, the exercise wasn’t enough.

Who am I? Who is he?

Jacob’s questions from months ago came back. They were my security. They’d worked before.

I am Sara Adams and my husband is Jacob Adams.

Pushing the images from my dream, or nightmare, away, I imagined Jacob’s comforting embrace. Slowly I threw back the down comforter and willed the cool air to soothe my perspiration-drenched skin. From the way my heart galloped in my chest, I might have been running a marathon, not sleeping.

In my sleep I’d been battling to escape a vehicle, and then an explosion of heat.
It had been a dream, I reassured myself—a nightmare. The accident I’d had, nearly nine months before, had been different. I couldn’t remember it, but I’d been told that I’d been injured and gone unconscious. In the nightmare I had been out and away from the wreckage.

I shook my head.

It seemed so real.

In my dream I hadn’t been able to see past the darkness, yet I’d known I wasn’t injured.
My arms surrounded my midsection as the memories replayed like pictures in my mind. Someone was hurting me—purposely harming me, and there was a voice—a deep voice.

Jacob’s voice?

No. He wouldn’t hurt me.

My entire body shuddered as goose bumps peppered my skin. Sitting upright, I reached for the bedside lamp. With trembling fingers I turned the knob and my eyes adjusted as the soft light combined with the sun’s perpetual summer glow.

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on Jacob’s questions.

Who am I? Who is he?

This time I said the words aloud, praying that if I spoke the truth, the images would disappear. “I am Sara Adams. He is my husband, Jacob Adams.” I pulled myself from the bed and walked to the bathroom. Turning on the light and the faucet, I cupped the cool water and splashed my face. As I reached for the cup and began to fill it, a metaphoric dam that had been constructed to hold back my past burst.

My mind was flooded—no longer with simple images, but with scene after scene.

For the first time since I could recall, I knew the woman in the mirror.

I knew me.

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Robin’s Review

Have you been “Aleatha’d”? It’s a phenomenon experienced by those of us who have finished reading an Aleatha Romig novel. You’re in shock. Left with SO many questions. Wondering…..what the heck just happened? This is EXACTLY how I felt after finishing the first book of The Light series, Into the Light. Thank goodness we are now able to find the answers to all of our questions with the release of Away from the Dark, the final installment of Romig’s mystery/psychological thriller duology.

It’s been nine months since Sara Adams woke up without her memory at the Northern Light. Her husband, Jacob, nursed Sara back to health and filled in all of the blanks – teaching her about the ways of The Light. Father Gabriel’s doctrine. The obedience and submission expected from his spouse. Her role as the wife of an Assemblyman. Sara carefully studied the doctrine, faithfully attended services, and during those nine months, she fell in love with Jacob.

Jacob doesn’t know this, but Sara’s memories from before have recently been slipping through, and now she questions everything – her feelings for Jacob, who she is, and who she can trust. Lies. Everything she’s been told is a lie, and Sara realizes her life is in danger. The Light is a dangerous and far-reaching organization, and somehow, Sara needs to escape. And, if she can escape, will Sara be able to protect those who are innocent while she brings down Father Gabriel and The Light?

Romig begins this novel with Sara, one week prior to the events which conclude Into the Light. At the end of the first book, I was left with some pressing questions concerning Sara, and Romig gets right to the point. True to her writing style, Romig unfolds her story in layers. For me, this means the answers we are given just lead to more questions. I find Romig’s writing style entertaining. She is careful to reveal pertinent details about the plot and characters at just the right moments – answering our questions about Sara, Jacob, Stella Montgomery, Dylan Richards, Father Gabriel and the organization known as The Light.

Romig alternates between Sara and Jacob’s first person perspectives throughout most of the novel, but later in the book she adds the first person perspective of Dylan Richards. Adding Dylan’s point of view was a great move, opening my eyes to a whole new layer of the story.

Romig did a fantastic job of developing her primary characters. Jacob and Sara’s natural personalities consistently fight brainwashing throughout the entire story, which makes this story feel authentic. After regaining her memory, Sara continues to struggle with being submissive and not questioning, while her naturally strong personality has a tendency to question everything. Jacob struggles with the need to dominate and “correct” Sara, while his natural tendency is to protect her and treat her as an equal. It’s absolutely brilliant.

In summary, I feel the strength of Away from the Dark lies in the writing and character development. The story is also unique and very creative, as Romig’s always are. Aleatha Romig leaves readers with a finish that is open-ended, which I never like to see. I’m not sure if Romig’s intention is to write more story in the future or if it’s left to the reader to decide what happens next. Either way, I would have personally loved more closure to this series, and I think this held me back from going with a 6-star rating for Away from the Dark. Even so, I REALLY enjoyed reading Away from the Dark and The Light series! If you love mysteries and/or dark psychological thrillers, I highly recommend it! Five stars.

Michel’s Review

Away From The Dark by Aleatha Romig is the second book in The Light Series.  It should not be read as a stand alone novel.  It is the stunning conclusion of the first book, Into The Light.

Away From The Dark begins one week prior to where Into The Light left off.  Aleatha quickly brings the reader up to date, filling in the blanks of how Sara fell into the predicament that once again put her in danger with The Light.

Away From The Dark differs from the first book in presentation and delivery.  Rather than getting background that led Sara to The Light, the reader is getting a more in depth insight of The Light itself.  Questions are answered as to what The Light really is and how The Light obtains new members.  The very thorough revelations drive the story and validate the momentum building in the intense conclusion.

Readers also get more insight to who Jacob Adams really is and how he obtained his status within the community.  The readers are also given an in depth insight into Father Gabriel, the Assemblymen, and the inner workings of The Light.  This is where Dylan Richards becomes an integral part of the story.  His connections to The Light are revealed. His role within the organization is shocking.

What I found most fascinating about this series was the immersion into an occult.  The brainwashing of intelligent individuals had me mesmerized.  Even though Jacob and Stella were both strong willed and undercover within The Light, they both struggled with their real personalities and the personalities they took on within the fellowship.  They were each two separate people within one mind.  Their two separate personalities battled with one another even though they consciously knew who they really were.

Away From The Dark was fast paced and brilliantly delivered.  Each revelation was perfectly synchronized to drive the story forward while having an enthralling shock factor. It was a page turner.

While I was completely mesmerized with The Light series, the ending left me a little stupefied.  Away From The Dark had an opened ending that didn’t give the readers complete closure.  I’m not sure if Aleatha intends to take this series in a new direction or if readers are to conclude the ending for themselves.  Personally I was satisfied with Jacob and Sara’s ending.  I am not sure if I want to pursue the next transition of The Shadows.  Their part in the story was surreal and bit too much.  This is what held me back from giving this book 6 Stars.  Overall… The Light Series is a 2016 Favorite.

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The Light Series

Book 1: Into the Light

An investigator’s search for a friend draws her into a world darker than she could have imagined.

Sara Adams awakes bling, unable to remember the most basic details of her life, but her darkness seems a blessing when she discovers the terrors of The Light.

Stella Montgomery investigates the news on the mean streets of Detroit, where she’s noticed a disturbing trend: young women are vanishing. When her best friend disappears, Stella investigates—despite warnings from her police detective boyfriend—following a twisted trail that leads her through the city’s most dangerous and forsaken precincts. There she uncovers something more sinister than she could have imagined: a shadowy organization known as The Light, led by the enigmatic Father Gabriel.

As Sara struggles to understand her place in these strange world she’s awakened to—an oppressive cult demanding unquestioning obedience—and her feelings for Jacob, the husband she can’t recall and whose harsh and tender attentions confuse and beguile her, Stella risks all to discover the truth. But enlightenment always comes with a price…

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Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raise three children with her high school sweetheart and husband or nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. The standalone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat.

In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romance with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK will be published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

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