Review: Loved this book!  Fantastic debut!  Sexy Scotsman!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 5, 2014
I'm trying to gather my thoughts and figure out how to begin this review.  Ahead of the Darkness was very different from what I expected and well, just different all around.  BUT, different in a good way.  A very good way.  I found myself immersed in the story quickly and thoroughly enjoyed Simone Nicole's writing style.  I've been finding myself bored as of late.  I blame my choices in books or maybe genre or maybe it's just me.  I don't know what's caused this I only know that Simone Nicole lifted my spirits and engaged my brain.  I feel rejuvenated and enlightened.  There are good stories out there being told and we just need to give these new authors a chance.This particular story is about a young woman on the run.  From what we can tell Amelia has been running for a very long time.  It does take quite a while to get the bits and pieces of her story out, however I appreciated that.  It definitely leads to the suspense.  Why is she running?  From whom?  What's going to happen if she's caught?  As it turns out Amelia or Mia as she now goes by, ends up in a small town called Seaford.  Mia has spent many years trying to blend in.  She doesn't do exciting.  She doesn't really live at all. She's too busy hiding and trying not to make attachments.Still, I always wish I'd make a different choice, take a different path, be stronger somehow.  Now I just keep praying that it's all a bad dream and any second now I'll wake up, for real this time.  Please, wake up.Drew is a Scotsman.  He owns a bar.  He works out.  In fact he meets Mia at the gym.  I was immediately taken with Drew.  I loved how the author wrote his dialogue.  I could hear him in my head and it was delicious.  It didn't even matter that sometimes I had no clue what he was saying.  I understood enough.  Mia helped with her description of him oh wait that was the author too.  I was so enthralled with this man that I almost forgot Mia was on the run.  The sexual tension between the two of them was hot.  I had butterflies!!  Been a long time since a book gave me butterflies.  And when they finally do get together, I don't know how it's possible but I was even more in LUST with Drew."Ye left me sleeping, and I woke late." Oh, oops.  "I cannae work smelling like ye, now can I? Ye were all over me when I woke.  I could smell ye on my skin, my hair." He breathed me in.  His nose grazed my neck as he pulled back.  My eyes fluttered closed, and then burst open.Sigh......*ahem* oh yea um where was I?  Oh right the review!  This book was so much more though than sexual tension and a sexy Scot!  Although....no seriously, for whatever reason the connections Mia makes in this small town are more meaningful than ever before.  She finds herself opening up more and more and it scares her.  Some of my favorite parts of the story were when she interacted with Jules.  I loved his character, he was flirty and fun and added some "light" to this otherwise heavy story.  Jules and Drew together were downright hilarious at times."Ye dirty bastard.  Ye best not smell of sex, ye wee prick, or I'll have to hose ye down."Despite the reason Mia is running, this story is a story about family.  We don't always get to choose who we're related to but we do get to choose who we surround our self with.  Mia despite her best efforts, has surrounded herself with people who care about her and they care about each other.  These interactions are crucial and the catalyst for the decisions she makes throughout the story.One of my favorite parts of the book, and there are many, is when it occurs to Mia that Drew is Scottish and so that could mean he may own a kilt."You have a kilt?""Aye...""Upstairs?"  Please say yes, please say yes!"Nope, I'm nae putting it on.  So ye can stop looking at me like I'm hiding ye Christmas presents."He totally had a kilt and let me just say, the following scene was HOT!  If only I had pictures!This story is not all smiles and laughter.  Not at all, it's an emotional, dark story about a girl on the run.  The humor just adds some levity.  There were some confusing sentences and timeline issues that I had but the story itself is so good that I couldn't even bring myself to take anything away from the rating.  I hope that everyone reads this book.  Oh and the end!!!  Hmmm....I was yelling at my kindle.  My husband was alarmed, he thought I got bad news.  Well I did!!  And that my friends means it does end in a cliffhanger.  Do not let this deter you!  Read it, it's an amazing debut!*A copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*