Dangerous Beauty

GIVEAWAY

KOSLIN, MELISSA

DANGEROUS BEAUTY

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 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 died in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her.

Meric Tolden was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Instead he became 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.

My Review:

This was definitely a tip-toeing out of my comfort zone read for me, but I'm glad I took the risk. 'Dangerous Beauty' was not at all what I was expecting and once I stared reading, I couldn't stop. Koslin has an easy-to-read writing style that flows, pouring out the story over an unsuspecting reader until she's smitten and hooked. At least, that was me.

An intense read with a very unique spin on the marriage of convenience trope. And if you like the strong, silent, take-charge, alpha hero types, Meric is definitely your man. A fierce protector who is on a mission and nothing can stand in his way. Not only is he tight-lipped with Liliana, but Koslin doesn't give us as many scenes from his POV so he remains a mystery for much of the story. We see his innate kindness through his actions but it's contrasted by a controlled ruthlessness that we don't understand until much later in the book. So he's an enigma to puzzle over.

Liliana has been through a horrific ordeal that is gradually revealed by slow degrees. No graphic descriptions, but the inference in some scenes was a bit unsettling. She managed to escape her captors early on in her captivity which shows her courage and tenacity and her flight-to-freedom opening scene is gripping. This is very much her journey of recovery.

The romance is on the light side (which was a relief, because I couldn't see how it could be all sunshine and rainbows for Liliana right away) but there is a gentle, sweet, grace-filled conclusion to Meric and Liliana's impetuous wedding. Definitely NOT a case of 'marry in haste, repent in leisure!" And there are suspenseful moments, but I wouldn't classify 'Dangerous Beauty' as outright suspense. Things heat up in the last quarter of the book and I breathed a sigh of relief when justice was finally served.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Goal Update: #4 Read more new-to-me authors, #5 Diversify my reading, #9 Read outside my comfort zone

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Dangerous Beauty , leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 8 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.