Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin | A Book Review of a Thrilling Romantic Suspense Novel Based On Human Trafficking
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links. You can view my affiliate disclaimer here.
High Stakes Thriller
Absolutely Riveting… Koslin has masterfully created a daring, suspense-driven thriller that is not to be missed!
From the first chapter, Koslin tugged me into the dark underworld of human trafficking and fully immersed me in her brand new release, Dangerous Beauty. With a fast-pace, dynamic main characters and a captivating story line, I simply couldn’t put this book down!
Scroll down for my full review!
What is the price of freedom?
Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She's not a victim, she's a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she's determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers. But she can't stay safely in America--unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her.
Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Instead, he becomes the key to Liliana's rescue. If he can keep his secrets hidden, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.
"Do not start this book until you have the time to read it in one gulp. This is a really fresh twist on a marriage of convenience. It's also a sweet story of the healing power of hope. Highly recommend."--Cara Putman, award-winning author of Flight Risk and Lethal Intent
MY REVIEW: ★★★★★/5
Oh friends, I can hardly string together words after finishing this newest release from author, Melissa Koslin. I absolutely loved this novel. From the very first chapter, Koslin captivated me with the suspense, the characters and her story line centered around human trafficking. As Liliana Vela flees for her life after being trafficked across the border, Koslin had my heart racing. When Meric Toledan steps in to rescue Liliana from her dire situation with a marriage proposal, I was instantly hooked.
What I liked:
Everything! I loved the unconventional plan, the blind trust, the dark secrets, the hidden underworld… Koslin masterfully wove this story together creating a desire in me to see it through to the end. Her main characters left nothing to be desired as they were the epitome of multi-layered, diverse and dynamic characters.
Liliana’s bold character was the embodiment of courage, selflessness and hope at her refusal to be victimized and her inner strength. Meric’s brooding, dark character captivated me as his background and story were revealed a little at a time. He was the ultimate “beastly” hero with power, money, and prestige. I loved him from the moment Koslin introduced him and only loved him more as the novel continued.
Related Post: Enjoy Intense Human Trafficking Stories? Try Willow, Book 2 in the Metcalfe Series by Ronie Kendig!
The push-pull of romantic tension between Liliana and Meric was the ultimate hook for me in this story. I so very much wanted to see a romance between them and Koslin did not disappoint. A handful of moments between Meric and Liliana completely melted my heart, despite Meric’s foreboding, grim personality (Read: I loved the moments more BECAUSE of his personality and the personal glimpses into the depths of his true character).
I also found the pace of this story to be very well done, keeping me highly entertained with moments of quiet inner depth, high stakes action and heart-pounding suspense.
There were some beautiful, light faith elements, some mentions of swearing with no words spelled out and of course, the heavy and difficult topic of human trafficking which Koslin handles both delicately and tastefully, maintaining the gritty reality of it all.
Summary:
In summary, Dangerous Beauty was absolutely riveting. I had a very hard time putting the book down and enjoyed watching it unfold. The ending had a nice little twist I wasn’t suspecting and a handful of moments that did feel forced, but that did not detract from the rest of the story for me. I believe Dangerous Beauty was well written and think fans of writers such as Ronie Kendig, Susan May Warren and James Hannibal would enjoy this story.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Image Courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.
Melissa Koslin is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. The author of Never Miss, Melissa lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her husband, Corey. Find more information on her books at www.MelissaKoslin.com.om/
Never Miss: Melissa Koslin’s Debut Novel with Revell.
With everything from an intriguing super virus to riveting suspense and mind-blowing lead characters with unique skill sets, Melissa Koslin captures readers attention with this epic page-turner. Readers will find themselves a captivated audience in this detailed race against time.
