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The Unexpected Hostage
Winner, 2023 Best Political Thriller, Best Thrillers Book Award
Kirkus Star, August 2023
BookLife, Editor's Pick, August 2023
Nothing in her life has been stable since Tess's beloved fiancé Kyle died in a tragic accident. She's spent the past year hell-bent on outrunning her grief, jetting between high-stakes meetings and the rock clubs where she can disappear. Avoiding her pain was working--almost--until she and her colleagues are taken hostage by a violent Eastern European terrorist group.
With no means to escape her captors, Tess and fellow captive Mark must rely on one another to survive. Together, they'll risk their lives and endure a brutal journey toward freedom as they forge a bond that neither can forget.
The mysteries of the past refuse to lay dormant for long as Tess is thrust into the center of another international cybercrime and uncovers the shocking truth about Kyle's death. This time, she'll need Mark's help to avenge her losses as she races across the globe to save her company...and their lives.
Kirkus Star, August 2023
BookLife, Editor's Pick, August 2023
Nothing in her life has been stable since Tess's beloved fiancé Kyle died in a tragic accident. She's spent the past year hell-bent on outrunning her grief, jetting between high-stakes meetings and the rock clubs where she can disappear. Avoiding her pain was working--almost--until she and her colleagues are taken hostage by a violent Eastern European terrorist group.
With no means to escape her captors, Tess and fellow captive Mark must rely on one another to survive. Together, they'll risk their lives and endure a brutal journey toward freedom as they forge a bond that neither can forget.
The mysteries of the past refuse to lay dormant for long as Tess is thrust into the center of another international cybercrime and uncovers the shocking truth about Kyle's death. This time, she'll need Mark's help to avenge her losses as she races across the globe to save her company...and their lives.
388 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2023
25 people are currently reading
6073 people want to read
About the author
Allison McKenzie
1 book45 followersAllison McKenzie has never shied away from adventure. She is at home skiing Canadian glaciers, exploring Scottish castles, and retrieving cultural artifacts from a Rarotongan jungle as she is at her writing desk. After graduating magna cum laude from Wellesley College with honors in English literature, she attended the University of Cambridge’s International Art History Programme in England. She spent most of her career in the software industry, including a stint in cybersecurity.
Allison’s debut novel, The Unexpected Hostage, earned a Kirkus Star and was named 2023’s Best Political Thriller by https://bestthrillers.com/best-thrill.... Allison won the 2020 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Contest and was a Finalist for the 2021 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense from RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter.
She lives in Seattle with her husband, daughter, and two rambunctious cats. Her passions include travel, skiing, Peloton biking, and '80s New Wave music.
Allison’s debut novel, The Unexpected Hostage, earned a Kirkus Star and was named 2023’s Best Political Thriller by https://bestthrillers.com/best-thrill.... Allison won the 2020 Pacific Northwest Writers Association Contest and was a Finalist for the 2021 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense from RWA’s Kiss of Death Chapter.
She lives in Seattle with her husband, daughter, and two rambunctious cats. Her passions include travel, skiing, Peloton biking, and '80s New Wave music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 11, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley, Allison McKenzie and The Wild Rose Press for letting me read this!
3,5 stars. I am conflicted about this book, some parts had me hooked to where I could not put the book down and others made me yawn and wanting the endless conversations to be over. Some parts felt rushed, and I was not extremly satisfied with the ending. Again, it felt abit rushed in my opinion.
The parts were there were action was amazing, I liked Tess as a badass female character and the raven has a special place in my heart in this book. Its also extremly funny to see Norway and norwegian mentioned in books when you are norwegian yourself - a few sentences in norwegian did not make a whole lot of sense to me, but still - extremly fun!
3,5 stars. I am conflicted about this book, some parts had me hooked to where I could not put the book down and others made me yawn and wanting the endless conversations to be over. Some parts felt rushed, and I was not extremly satisfied with the ending. Again, it felt abit rushed in my opinion.
The parts were there were action was amazing, I liked Tess as a badass female character and the raven has a special place in my heart in this book. Its also extremly funny to see Norway and norwegian mentioned in books when you are norwegian yourself - a few sentences in norwegian did not make a whole lot of sense to me, but still - extremly fun!
August 8, 2023
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of The Unexpected Hostage. I was not a big fan of this cyber terrorism book. It combined the danger with romance. It was not action packed with twists and turns along the way which is what I prefer. If you are interested in cyber terrorism and romance, go for it. I gave it a 3 star rating.
February 11, 2024
'The Unexpected Hostage by Allison McKenzie' , is the first novel by the author.We've Tess, a cybersecurity expert who lost her fiancé Kyle in an car accident. She is kidnapped by a terrorist group during a business trip in Eastern Europe, along with Mark, a doctor who works for a humanitarian organization. They soon realize that their abduction is not random, but part of a bigger scheme involving cybercrime and corruption.
Tess and Mark are both widowers who have been avoiding their grief and guilt. They find comfort and attraction in each other as they face danger and hardship together. They also discover the truth behind Tess's fiances death and the secrets of their captors.
The book is well-written and engaging, with a lot of action, intrigue, and a touch of romance.
I liked reading The Unexpected Hostage and I think it is a great debut one by Allison McKenzie. I recommend it to fans for a pleasant read from a debut author whose future books I'll be following closely.
Overall reading of 3.5 stars.
Tess and Mark are both widowers who have been avoiding their grief and guilt. They find comfort and attraction in each other as they face danger and hardship together. They also discover the truth behind Tess's fiances death and the secrets of their captors.
The book is well-written and engaging, with a lot of action, intrigue, and a touch of romance.
I liked reading The Unexpected Hostage and I think it is a great debut one by Allison McKenzie. I recommend it to fans for a pleasant read from a debut author whose future books I'll be following closely.
Overall reading of 3.5 stars.
August 22, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic suspense novel filled with jet setting, cyberwar intrigue, and a steamy romance that kept the pages turning. An action-packed distraction from the drudgery of daily life. Highly recommend! I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
March 15, 2025
Whoa my goodness. I enjoyed this book, but would have loved for Tess to be able to focus and keep her head on straight without chasing behind a man.
Outside of that, the plot was really good. I loved the techie/cybersecurity aspects of the book. the cyber crime, all of the life & death shit.. all of it.
David!? I would never ever trust him. Mark, I get it.
I just, you can’t give too much without spoiling it.
Outside of that, the plot was really good. I loved the techie/cybersecurity aspects of the book. the cyber crime, all of the life & death shit.. all of it.
David!? I would never ever trust him. Mark, I get it.
I just, you can’t give too much without spoiling it.
August 6, 2023
I love it how the story goes from thrills to danger to love and takes you to Canada, the US and Europe. Total page turner.
The web of cyber terrorism is fascinating. Tess ultimately outsmarts it and at the same time overcomes a painful past to move on. I was rooting for her all the way.
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
The web of cyber terrorism is fascinating. Tess ultimately outsmarts it and at the same time overcomes a painful past to move on. I was rooting for her all the way.
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
October 8, 2023
It has been a year since Tess Bennett lost her fiancé Kyle MacTavish in what she thought was a tragic accident, which is still haunting her. She has thrown herself into her work with Kingsley Tech as the Senior Vice President, while also going out partying and drinking to cope. She was supposed to be off to visit her best friend Sophie in Paris, but gets a call in the early hours from their CEO David Kingsley, asking her to go to Canada for the Timberline security summit, to cover for him as he was stuck in Berlin. They wanted her to speak with one decision makers, George Bouchard, to try and get more funding for their new encryption technology and help get moved into health care as well as banks. The summit was being held at Cedarcliff in Vancouver, out in the middle of nowhere. A colleague who is trying to take her position in the company, Kavita Chakyar, is there, as is Tess’ mentor Riku Yamashita, who gives her a warning of possible danger. The encryption keys Kyle coded are about to be sought after items by lots of Eastern European terrorist groups, as if they can steal them, they will have access to a large number of banks across the world and would be able to steal money to find their theorist activities. Just as she finished her conversation with Riku, the lights suddenly went out and with his recent warning, she wanted to find a way out of the room but she was too late. A group of terrorists enter with automatic weapons and start to herd everyone together. They are after David, whose pass Tess has used and so they think he has registered!
One of the gang gets a bit too trigger happy and shoots into the crowd, seriously injuring Riku and injuring others as a glass chandelier comes down from the ceiling spraying people with glass shards. Tess immediately asks for help for Riku and a man on the other side says he is a doctor and comes across to help, after the leader Yuri allows it! When Yuri finds out that David is not there, he gets angry and when Tess speaks out, she is hit across the face for her trouble. He soon realises she has David’s lanyard and asks her identity and position within the company. She doesn’t want to say, but Kavita shouts it out! Yuri and his men take Tess and the doctor Mark (Dr Markus Henrikson Nygaard), as one of the terrorists has also been injured, with them as they leave the building in the middle of the night. They have no idea where they are being taken but Tess is determined to escape. She was brought up as a US State Department brat and her father and the embassy gave the children training in what to do if they were taken. She needs to run, hide or escape, if she is to survive. She and Mark find themselves locked up in an old stable stall and closely guarded. They are going to have to work together if they are to have any chance of escape, but Mark isn’t quite as keen to do anything they might need to, to escape with his oath as a doctor!
When they do finally manage to escape, it is not without it difficulties and both are badly injured as they try to make it to civilization without being caught by the remaining terrorists. On her return home to Seattle, she receives a letter from her mother, which encloses a letter from her late husband, giving her a puzzle to solve that will help stop the terrorists from accessing the banks of her customers. What she finds has her diving back into the past and her husband’s supposed accident, which is now more likely to have been murder instead, and having to get help from a stranger, with warnings not to trust most of those in the company! Tess is supposed to be resting after her surgery, but hears of a meeting in London and her colleague taking her place, leaving her asking Mark if he would come with her, but as a doctor he tells her to stay and rest! Not that she will listen. She soon ends up sidelined, but can’t allow the techy guy to pass on the goods requested by the terrorist after they kidnap another member of the company. She manages to get Mark to come to the site of the Culloden battle with her and then back to get the police to help them with a hand over, but a high level betrayal puts them all at risk. She helped save Mark in the barn, but he saved her after she was injured, now it looks like they are going to do the same again as danger calls. She has fallen for Mark, having thought she would never love someone else after losing Kyle, but the danger and close proximity they have been in, helped to form their bonds faster than normal. Not that it will exactly be a smooth ride for the pair as there is a lot of baggage to unload after everything that has happened to them now and in the past to overcome first. A modern twist on a thriller with terrorists, cybercrime and a tech company whose employees are being chased by terrorists looking for quick funds. A fantastic effort for a debut novel and I can’t wait to read more form this author who is writing from a lot of experience in the cyber world. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
4 ½ stars
One of the gang gets a bit too trigger happy and shoots into the crowd, seriously injuring Riku and injuring others as a glass chandelier comes down from the ceiling spraying people with glass shards. Tess immediately asks for help for Riku and a man on the other side says he is a doctor and comes across to help, after the leader Yuri allows it! When Yuri finds out that David is not there, he gets angry and when Tess speaks out, she is hit across the face for her trouble. He soon realises she has David’s lanyard and asks her identity and position within the company. She doesn’t want to say, but Kavita shouts it out! Yuri and his men take Tess and the doctor Mark (Dr Markus Henrikson Nygaard), as one of the terrorists has also been injured, with them as they leave the building in the middle of the night. They have no idea where they are being taken but Tess is determined to escape. She was brought up as a US State Department brat and her father and the embassy gave the children training in what to do if they were taken. She needs to run, hide or escape, if she is to survive. She and Mark find themselves locked up in an old stable stall and closely guarded. They are going to have to work together if they are to have any chance of escape, but Mark isn’t quite as keen to do anything they might need to, to escape with his oath as a doctor!
When they do finally manage to escape, it is not without it difficulties and both are badly injured as they try to make it to civilization without being caught by the remaining terrorists. On her return home to Seattle, she receives a letter from her mother, which encloses a letter from her late husband, giving her a puzzle to solve that will help stop the terrorists from accessing the banks of her customers. What she finds has her diving back into the past and her husband’s supposed accident, which is now more likely to have been murder instead, and having to get help from a stranger, with warnings not to trust most of those in the company! Tess is supposed to be resting after her surgery, but hears of a meeting in London and her colleague taking her place, leaving her asking Mark if he would come with her, but as a doctor he tells her to stay and rest! Not that she will listen. She soon ends up sidelined, but can’t allow the techy guy to pass on the goods requested by the terrorist after they kidnap another member of the company. She manages to get Mark to come to the site of the Culloden battle with her and then back to get the police to help them with a hand over, but a high level betrayal puts them all at risk. She helped save Mark in the barn, but he saved her after she was injured, now it looks like they are going to do the same again as danger calls. She has fallen for Mark, having thought she would never love someone else after losing Kyle, but the danger and close proximity they have been in, helped to form their bonds faster than normal. Not that it will exactly be a smooth ride for the pair as there is a lot of baggage to unload after everything that has happened to them now and in the past to overcome first. A modern twist on a thriller with terrorists, cybercrime and a tech company whose employees are being chased by terrorists looking for quick funds. A fantastic effort for a debut novel and I can’t wait to read more form this author who is writing from a lot of experience in the cyber world. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
4 ½ stars
December 25, 2023
*ARC kindly provided by the author and I’m leaving an honest review*
✔Contemporary romance
✔Romantic suspense
✔Romantic Thriller
✔Political Thriller
✔A high-tech executive
✔A Norwegian physician - doctor
✔Cybersecurity / Cyber terrorism
✔Strangers to lovers
✔Shared trauma trope
✔Unpredictable twists and turns
✔Gripping / gritty /raw / dark
✔Page turner
✔Emotional roller-coaster
✔The mystery, secrets and danger the main characters are thrown into
✔Enough suspense, pain and emotional baggage to fill a room
The Unexpected Hostage is mind-blowing, intense, all-consuming book filled with plenty of suspense, danger, love and healing. It's everything I want in a romantic thriller: surprising love in most unexpected places, suspenseful, dangerous, full of intrigue, twists and turns, beautiful settings that gave me feeling that I was traveling through book and character driven storyline.This book has blown me away. The Unexpected Hostage is so perfectly executed, skillfully interwoven and crafted masterfully. This riveting, engaging, compelling, one hell of a ride story will keep a reader on the edge of the seat from the first to last scene.
Tess Bennett, a vice president for a Cybersecurity firm, attending a Canadian technology retreat, finds herself a hostage - kidnapped and transported to a remote location. A handsome Norwegian physician - doctor, Mark Nygaard, who spent years in a war zone, is also captured - kidnapped. These two find themselves in a twisted dark web of a cyber terrorism and danger. Using their skills, they need to begin to trust each other and lean on each other in order to escape from their captors - bad guys. I love how their story goes from thrills, chills, intrigue to danger, love and healing. This page turner takes main characters and reader through the US, Canada and Europe. Both Tess and Mark have experienced a trauma / loss / hardship. They simply challenged each other, never giving up even when they could. Love how the author portrayed their gradual change, development and feelings.
I absolutely loved reading this book. The author does an incredible job. It's one of those stories that grab your heart and hold tight, make you think about them long after you read them. Can't wait for more from this author.
✔Contemporary romance
✔Romantic suspense
✔Romantic Thriller
✔Political Thriller
✔A high-tech executive
✔A Norwegian physician - doctor
✔Cybersecurity / Cyber terrorism
✔Strangers to lovers
✔Shared trauma trope
✔Unpredictable twists and turns
✔Gripping / gritty /raw / dark
✔Page turner
✔Emotional roller-coaster
✔The mystery, secrets and danger the main characters are thrown into
✔Enough suspense, pain and emotional baggage to fill a room
The Unexpected Hostage is mind-blowing, intense, all-consuming book filled with plenty of suspense, danger, love and healing. It's everything I want in a romantic thriller: surprising love in most unexpected places, suspenseful, dangerous, full of intrigue, twists and turns, beautiful settings that gave me feeling that I was traveling through book and character driven storyline.This book has blown me away. The Unexpected Hostage is so perfectly executed, skillfully interwoven and crafted masterfully. This riveting, engaging, compelling, one hell of a ride story will keep a reader on the edge of the seat from the first to last scene.
Tess Bennett, a vice president for a Cybersecurity firm, attending a Canadian technology retreat, finds herself a hostage - kidnapped and transported to a remote location. A handsome Norwegian physician - doctor, Mark Nygaard, who spent years in a war zone, is also captured - kidnapped. These two find themselves in a twisted dark web of a cyber terrorism and danger. Using their skills, they need to begin to trust each other and lean on each other in order to escape from their captors - bad guys. I love how their story goes from thrills, chills, intrigue to danger, love and healing. This page turner takes main characters and reader through the US, Canada and Europe. Both Tess and Mark have experienced a trauma / loss / hardship. They simply challenged each other, never giving up even when they could. Love how the author portrayed their gradual change, development and feelings.
I absolutely loved reading this book. The author does an incredible job. It's one of those stories that grab your heart and hold tight, make you think about them long after you read them. Can't wait for more from this author.
January 16, 2025
I do not generally read blurbs and this one is no exception. I’ve had it sitting in my Kindle library for quite a while and picked it out to read. I was not expecting this story … at all. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was not disappointed.
I enjoyed reading Tess’s story. She is suffering from the loss of Kyle a year ago, is having trouble at her company (Kingsley Tech), comes face to face with some really bad guys, and is fighting the attraction she feels to Mark, a man she met at a function they both attended. Tess is tough, she’s strong, she’s committed to finding answers no matter the cost.
Mark is facing his own losses in life and wasn’t expecting to meet Tess, which is one thing they could agree on. He also wasn’t expecting to be put in the situations he found himself in.
There are a whole host of other characters – Declan, David, Kavita, The Raven, the bad guys, the police who were involved.
I enjoyed reading about all that Tess and Mark were facing, how they were both dealing with their own inner turmoil, trying to find some healing, some justice in what they went through. I like how the author portrayed this relationship as up and down as these two were going through their emotional baggage, not to mention some other trauma-filled events through these pages.
For a debut novel, this one is extremely well written, I thought, and played out the events well. It has just the right amount of action, the right amount of intrigue, the right amount of attraction between Tess and Mark. If you like reading about cybercrimes, I highly recommend you pick this one up. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
I enjoyed reading Tess’s story. She is suffering from the loss of Kyle a year ago, is having trouble at her company (Kingsley Tech), comes face to face with some really bad guys, and is fighting the attraction she feels to Mark, a man she met at a function they both attended. Tess is tough, she’s strong, she’s committed to finding answers no matter the cost.
Mark is facing his own losses in life and wasn’t expecting to meet Tess, which is one thing they could agree on. He also wasn’t expecting to be put in the situations he found himself in.
There are a whole host of other characters – Declan, David, Kavita, The Raven, the bad guys, the police who were involved.
I enjoyed reading about all that Tess and Mark were facing, how they were both dealing with their own inner turmoil, trying to find some healing, some justice in what they went through. I like how the author portrayed this relationship as up and down as these two were going through their emotional baggage, not to mention some other trauma-filled events through these pages.
For a debut novel, this one is extremely well written, I thought, and played out the events well. It has just the right amount of action, the right amount of intrigue, the right amount of attraction between Tess and Mark. If you like reading about cybercrimes, I highly recommend you pick this one up. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
August 22, 2023
3.5/5 stars
1/5 spice
Full of suspense and intrigue. I really enjoyed the cyber terrorism story with all the twists. Would I call this a romantic suspense? Probably not, even though there was a romance brewing.
Tropes:
Cyber terrorism
Strangers to lovers
Trauma bonding
Hurt/healing
Doctor MMC
Single POV
I think if there was no romantic subplot, then this book would still be enjoyable. In my opinion, the romance started to early and felt forced. I don't trust relationships born from traumatic experiences, especially if they were strangers at the beginning of the story. I think with this story, a slow burn with tension would have worked better. Tess & Mark both experienced loss, and it was something they bonded over. However, Tess was far from coming out of her grief, which made the relationship a little too rushed, in my opinion.
Aside from the romance, the story had an interesting premise. The cyber terrorism was intriguing and kept me going. Everything happened so quickly that there were times I got lost, but I think the story wrapped up well.
Overall, this was a fast-paced suspense with a bit of light romance in between.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trigger/Content warnings:
Torture, violence, gun violence, murder, kidnapping, hostage situation, PTSD, panic attacks, injury details, grief, depression
1/5 spice
Full of suspense and intrigue. I really enjoyed the cyber terrorism story with all the twists. Would I call this a romantic suspense? Probably not, even though there was a romance brewing.
Tropes:
Cyber terrorism
Strangers to lovers
Trauma bonding
Hurt/healing
Doctor MMC
Single POV
I think if there was no romantic subplot, then this book would still be enjoyable. In my opinion, the romance started to early and felt forced. I don't trust relationships born from traumatic experiences, especially if they were strangers at the beginning of the story. I think with this story, a slow burn with tension would have worked better. Tess & Mark both experienced loss, and it was something they bonded over. However, Tess was far from coming out of her grief, which made the relationship a little too rushed, in my opinion.
Aside from the romance, the story had an interesting premise. The cyber terrorism was intriguing and kept me going. Everything happened so quickly that there were times I got lost, but I think the story wrapped up well.
Overall, this was a fast-paced suspense with a bit of light romance in between.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trigger/Content warnings:
Torture, violence, gun violence, murder, kidnapping, hostage situation, PTSD, panic attacks, injury details, grief, depression
February 26, 2024
My 6P review
Tess lost the love of her life, Kyle and she has been trying to work through the pain ever since. She is taken hostage alongside Mark, a trauma surgeon from Norway, by an Eastern European terrorist group in Canada. Together they risk their lives to escape, forming a bond together. An international cybercrime uncovers the truth about Kyle’s death and Tess and Mark are once again thrust into the spotlight.
Tess and Mark are both widowers and grieving in their own way. From the mutual trauma, they form a relationship with each other. The other characters aren’t particularly well developed and I don’t know the purpose of some of them, especially that of Kavita.
The sense of place was great. I liked the imagery of Norway and Canada. I had a sense of the weather as well.
The initial terrorism threat and abduction was great. I felt this should have been the main focus of the story though. This part ended abruptly and then the story continued into another cybercrime scenario. I wasn’t sure what genre the author was writing. Was this a romance or a cybercrime/terrorism/thriller? I was awaiting the twists which just never came.
The prose was well written and I had no problems reading it although I did skip some of the romance.
I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy a romantic thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy from this author.
Tess lost the love of her life, Kyle and she has been trying to work through the pain ever since. She is taken hostage alongside Mark, a trauma surgeon from Norway, by an Eastern European terrorist group in Canada. Together they risk their lives to escape, forming a bond together. An international cybercrime uncovers the truth about Kyle’s death and Tess and Mark are once again thrust into the spotlight.
Tess and Mark are both widowers and grieving in their own way. From the mutual trauma, they form a relationship with each other. The other characters aren’t particularly well developed and I don’t know the purpose of some of them, especially that of Kavita.
The sense of place was great. I liked the imagery of Norway and Canada. I had a sense of the weather as well.
The initial terrorism threat and abduction was great. I felt this should have been the main focus of the story though. This part ended abruptly and then the story continued into another cybercrime scenario. I wasn’t sure what genre the author was writing. Was this a romance or a cybercrime/terrorism/thriller? I was awaiting the twists which just never came.
The prose was well written and I had no problems reading it although I did skip some of the romance.
I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy a romantic thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy from this author.
March 26, 2024
The Unexpected Hostage follows Tess who is still reeling from the death of her fiancé who died in a tragic accident the year prior. She uses work as her way of coping before the unexpected happens. She and her colleagues are taken hostage. She soon finds out that the same people who have taken her hostage aren’t just your average kidnappers and Tess’ fiancé's death doesn’t seem to be an accident anymore.
This was fun!
It was hard not to be sucked into the story from the very first pages. I felt like they were laced with something because how was I expected to put this book down when I needed answers??
It’s always nice to see some romance sprinkled in with the suspense of the book. I especially loved the hacking and cyber part of this book and the feeling of impending doom that relied on whether Tess was able to successfully figure out how to save everyone and the company.
My only criticism is that it felt slightly instant love to me but that is very well a me thing and doesn’t affect the overall writing of the book.
This was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what comes next for this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was fun!
It was hard not to be sucked into the story from the very first pages. I felt like they were laced with something because how was I expected to put this book down when I needed answers??
It’s always nice to see some romance sprinkled in with the suspense of the book. I especially loved the hacking and cyber part of this book and the feeling of impending doom that relied on whether Tess was able to successfully figure out how to save everyone and the company.
My only criticism is that it felt slightly instant love to me but that is very well a me thing and doesn’t affect the overall writing of the book.
This was a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what comes next for this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 2, 2024
Not since Robert Crais’ Hostage have I read a thriller like The Unexpected Hostage. Allison McKenzie reels in the reader through intense action scenes, amped tension, and a layered plot. The characters leap from the page. Hands down, you’ll be reading late into the night with The Unexpected Hostage.
Let’s start with the premise. The story is like something ripped from today’s news headlines. It grabs the reader’s attention from the very first page. The action is intense. The tension is high. The dialogue and narration moderate the high-octane suspense.
The characters drive the plot. I connected with Tess right away. She’s dealing with a lot of emotions and the deeper I delved into the story, the higher the emotions ran. Tess is a strong heroine and I loved how she overcame all that she goes through. She didn’t crumble into a heap and sob.
The rest of the characters are well-written. Each character has their own backstory, motivations, and voice.
The writing is superb. Allison McKenzie is a gifted author who writes immersive thrillers. I look forward to reading more from her.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Reviewed by: Nancy
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
Let’s start with the premise. The story is like something ripped from today’s news headlines. It grabs the reader’s attention from the very first page. The action is intense. The tension is high. The dialogue and narration moderate the high-octane suspense.
The characters drive the plot. I connected with Tess right away. She’s dealing with a lot of emotions and the deeper I delved into the story, the higher the emotions ran. Tess is a strong heroine and I loved how she overcame all that she goes through. She didn’t crumble into a heap and sob.
The rest of the characters are well-written. Each character has their own backstory, motivations, and voice.
The writing is superb. Allison McKenzie is a gifted author who writes immersive thrillers. I look forward to reading more from her.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Reviewed by: Nancy
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
March 7, 2024
I really really wanted to love this book - i’m in my thriller era and the concept of the story was extremely intriguing - cyberterrorism mixed with multiple kidnappings.
I felt like the first 15ISH% of the book had me hooked and was extremely well down - when our two MCs were kidnapped. It had you on the edge of your seat and made you want to keep reading. I felt that ended extremely abruptly and felt the book took a giant turn into more romance than thriller.
While i do like both thrillers and romance and when they’re done intertwined i have enjoyed that as well, but this felt like the author couldn’t decide which genre to focus on so it felt disjointed. I feel like if the story would have contained more twists and unexpected turns, and had the romance woven into it still i would have enjoyed it more.
I also felt very bored during the middle to like 80%. It dragged in my opinion and just kept talking about the same things - her flying with her foot, not taking her injury seriously etc etc.
I would definitely give this author another chance and while it wasn’t for me i don’t think it was a bad debut novel!
I felt like the first 15ISH% of the book had me hooked and was extremely well down - when our two MCs were kidnapped. It had you on the edge of your seat and made you want to keep reading. I felt that ended extremely abruptly and felt the book took a giant turn into more romance than thriller.
While i do like both thrillers and romance and when they’re done intertwined i have enjoyed that as well, but this felt like the author couldn’t decide which genre to focus on so it felt disjointed. I feel like if the story would have contained more twists and unexpected turns, and had the romance woven into it still i would have enjoyed it more.
I also felt very bored during the middle to like 80%. It dragged in my opinion and just kept talking about the same things - her flying with her foot, not taking her injury seriously etc etc.
I would definitely give this author another chance and while it wasn’t for me i don’t think it was a bad debut novel!
December 30, 2023
After Tess loses her fiancé in a tragic accident, she buries herself in work at a her high tech cyber company job and has little time for else in her life. And that is how she likes it. She fills her free time with evening parties and anonymous hook ups and overindulgence.
Until she takes her boss's place at a super, secure getaway weekend focusing on a new cyber tech program being introduced at a Canadian retreat complex and is taken hostage by a group of middle Eastern type terrorists.
Her life changes within days as she and another hostage, a doctor, manage to escape, while others are murdered.
and suddenly her work consumed life becomes a fight to stay one step ahead of what is happening in the attempted takeover of the technology by a dark web group.
Absolutely fascinating with non stop suspense peppered consistently with high tech terminology and tech info that is easy to grasp and not over stated..
Just a great story by McKenzie with well defined characters and a super plot.
5 stars all the way.
Until she takes her boss's place at a super, secure getaway weekend focusing on a new cyber tech program being introduced at a Canadian retreat complex and is taken hostage by a group of middle Eastern type terrorists.
Her life changes within days as she and another hostage, a doctor, manage to escape, while others are murdered.
and suddenly her work consumed life becomes a fight to stay one step ahead of what is happening in the attempted takeover of the technology by a dark web group.
Absolutely fascinating with non stop suspense peppered consistently with high tech terminology and tech info that is easy to grasp and not over stated..
Just a great story by McKenzie with well defined characters and a super plot.
5 stars all the way.
February 7, 2024
2.5/2.75 ⭐️⭐️’s
Tess Bennett is just trying to survive - after the devastating death of her fiancé Kyle, she’s just searching for a distraction. When Tess is sent to step in for her boss, David, at an event for their tech firm, she and a doctor at the event are taken hostage. Now, the two are in a race against time to escape their captures and make it out alive.
My thoughts 💭
I really enjoyed the initial set up of this book - at first, I thought that the plot from start to finish completed in the first 100 pages but it’s detrimental for the rest of the book and sets up the rest of the plot. However, as the book went on, I really struggled to stay focused. There was a lot of cyber, techy jargon that just didn’t hold my interest.
I also thought that this book would have a romance aspect to it judging from the beginning but there was no real connection that I could grasp from this.
It’s not a bad read but it’s also not one that I would immediately recommend to just anyone. I think you have to have a specific liking for this type of plot to enjoy the book fully.
Tess Bennett is just trying to survive - after the devastating death of her fiancé Kyle, she’s just searching for a distraction. When Tess is sent to step in for her boss, David, at an event for their tech firm, she and a doctor at the event are taken hostage. Now, the two are in a race against time to escape their captures and make it out alive.
My thoughts 💭
I really enjoyed the initial set up of this book - at first, I thought that the plot from start to finish completed in the first 100 pages but it’s detrimental for the rest of the book and sets up the rest of the plot. However, as the book went on, I really struggled to stay focused. There was a lot of cyber, techy jargon that just didn’t hold my interest.
I also thought that this book would have a romance aspect to it judging from the beginning but there was no real connection that I could grasp from this.
It’s not a bad read but it’s also not one that I would immediately recommend to just anyone. I think you have to have a specific liking for this type of plot to enjoy the book fully.
February 13, 2024
Omg u guys!!! Be ready to brace yourself for a pulse-pounding, heart-stopping thrill ride! The Unexpected hostage is a high-octane political thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. With a fierce and relatable protagonist in Tess, you'll be dragged into a world of terrorism, cybercrime, and international conspiracies that will leave you breathless.
As Tess and Mark fight for survival, the stakes are raised to explosive levels. Every page turn is a countdown to disaster, every twist a hairpin turn that will keep you guessing. The tension is suffocating, the action heart-pounding, and the betrayals gut-wrenching.
This book is a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any moment. With its razor-sharp plot and breakneck pace,,it will obliterate your sleep schedule and leave you begging for more. The Allison Mckenzie’s mastery of the genre is evident in every expertly crafted sentence, every clever misdirection, and every heart-stopping revelation.
Don't dare miss this thrill ride that will push you to the edge and beyond!
As Tess and Mark fight for survival, the stakes are raised to explosive levels. Every page turn is a countdown to disaster, every twist a hairpin turn that will keep you guessing. The tension is suffocating, the action heart-pounding, and the betrayals gut-wrenching.
This book is a ticking time bomb, ready to detonate at any moment. With its razor-sharp plot and breakneck pace,,it will obliterate your sleep schedule and leave you begging for more. The Allison Mckenzie’s mastery of the genre is evident in every expertly crafted sentence, every clever misdirection, and every heart-stopping revelation.
Don't dare miss this thrill ride that will push you to the edge and beyond!
August 7, 2023
Tess and Mark have both experienced hardship and loss and both could have given up. Instead, thrown together, they both show an internal strength that is inspiring. Set against the backdrop of cyber terrorism, this story keeps you turning pages as Tess and Mark battle terrorists and the wilderness to find safety. However, safety is not to be had as the real threat in the story unfolds once they have been rescued. As an IT person myself, I was curious to see how the author would handle the tech side. It is interesting and suspenseful and well done. Mark and Tess may have got there happy ever after but in the world of high tech and big money, that happiness may be short lived and fraught with challenges as this book is. It will be interesting to see if Mark and Tess reappear in another high tech adventure.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 20, 2023
Allison McKenzie tells a well-paced story of intrigue, danger, romance, and other things unexpected.
Funny how things can change on a dime. Tess was supposed to be marrying, not burying, her fiance last year. She was supposed to be building memories with him, not trying to forget by overworking and frequenting thought-drowning clubs. She was supposed to be enjoying the travel perks that came with her position, not trips like this one. She agreed last-minute to cover for her boss at a conference in British Columbia, but she was supposed to be vacationing in France. Instead of drinking Bordeaux with her friend, she faced the gun-waving men that burst in on the opening night gala. And instead of finding the person they were looking for, they took her. Now Tess was the Unexpected Hostage.
Funny how things can change on a dime. Tess was supposed to be marrying, not burying, her fiance last year. She was supposed to be building memories with him, not trying to forget by overworking and frequenting thought-drowning clubs. She was supposed to be enjoying the travel perks that came with her position, not trips like this one. She agreed last-minute to cover for her boss at a conference in British Columbia, but she was supposed to be vacationing in France. Instead of drinking Bordeaux with her friend, she faced the gun-waving men that burst in on the opening night gala. And instead of finding the person they were looking for, they took her. Now Tess was the Unexpected Hostage.
August 13, 2023
This book is an excellent first by Allison McKenzie. It starts at breakneck speed and continues until the very end as Tess Bennnet attends a Canadian technology retreat and ends up kidnapped along with a handsome doctor, Mark Nygaard. The dark web becomes a focus of this narrative while giving us lots of information about computer security. My favorite scene is during Tess and Mark’s escape from the bad guys and involves the two spending a romantic night in the woods! After this escape they travel to England and kick off a great relationship and have adventures involving the dark web and meet a key player in that world while in the highlands of Scotland.
This book kept me up at night reading all the escapades Allison McKenzie has crafted and I look forward to her next book!
This book kept me up at night reading all the escapades Allison McKenzie has crafted and I look forward to her next book!
September 6, 2023
The Unexpected Hostage is the book for you if need a strong dose of the thinking person’s tech/adventure/romance combination!
Tess is nobody's fool and never seems to give up even after losing the love of her life and then finding herself embroiled in sudden danger. It was enthralling to follow along as she got herself, and a new acquaintance turned more, to safety.
As a fellow tech industry veteran, I enjoyed the realistic plot lines around cyber security. Most of all, I loved the interactions between Tess and her best friend Sophie. Crossing fingers for a follow up story here!
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
Tess is nobody's fool and never seems to give up even after losing the love of her life and then finding herself embroiled in sudden danger. It was enthralling to follow along as she got herself, and a new acquaintance turned more, to safety.
As a fellow tech industry veteran, I enjoyed the realistic plot lines around cyber security. Most of all, I loved the interactions between Tess and her best friend Sophie. Crossing fingers for a follow up story here!
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
February 20, 2024
A touching Romance mixed with a bit of a Techno-Thriller in Allison McKenzie’s, THE UNEXPECTED HOSTAGE . . .
‘Recent memories of [His] bare skin against hers juxtaposed with visions of Kyle so vividly, she swore he had returned from the afterlife, alive again. But every time, the images vanished, shrinking from the edges before they curled inward like a burning photograph dissolving into ash.’
Though the pacing is slow at times, overall, I love the writing and story.
Recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press, Inc., for providing me with an eBook of THE UNEXPECTED HOSTAGE at the request of an honest review.
‘Recent memories of [His] bare skin against hers juxtaposed with visions of Kyle so vividly, she swore he had returned from the afterlife, alive again. But every time, the images vanished, shrinking from the edges before they curled inward like a burning photograph dissolving into ash.’
Though the pacing is slow at times, overall, I love the writing and story.
Recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press, Inc., for providing me with an eBook of THE UNEXPECTED HOSTAGE at the request of an honest review.
March 3, 2024
2.5 I enjoyed the initial first 3rd of the book. It was action-packed and suspenseful and I felt like I could follow along well. After that, I really struggled to remain invested and focused on the story. The plot felt choppy and incoherent. The amount of political, cyber, and tech jargon increased without satisfactory explanation, and it was difficult for me to fully understand the intricacies of the cyberterrorism plot. By the time we got to the climax of the plot, I had a hard time remaining invested. I also felt like I was waiting for this big reveal or twist or betrayal, but was disappointed when there really wasn’t one.
July 31, 2023
Think you are safe as a high-tech executive? Think again. Attending an international conference, Tess Bennett, a vice president for a Cybersecurity firm, finds herself a hostage, transported to a remote location. A Norwegian physician who spent years in a war zone is also captured. Will The skills that made Tess a success in business, enable them to escape their captors? Once you start reading “The Unexpected Hostage” you won’t put it down.
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book and am providing this review voluntarily.
September 7, 2023
From the first chapter to the last author Allison McKenzie ramps up your adrenaline. She lets it drop to a simmer and then continues to spike it with great action scenes only giving you periodic lulls back to simmer. The suspense is well timed and keeps you turning the pages to find out what could possibly happen next. What a great debut book. This was a true thrill ride from beginning to end. I cannot wait for what she writes next. Of course, there is a wonderful HEA to boot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 2, 2024
The Unexpected Hostage kept my interest until the end. I wanted to keep reading to figure out what happened next. The book was a "page-turner". I did not want to put the book down!
Now I am waiting for the sequel. What is the next adventure?
And I want to travel to the Northwest to explore the environment and to Norway to see what they are like. Cold, snowy and different from the East where I live or the South where I spent my formative years.
A fun book on many levels!!!
Nancy Lawrence
Now I am waiting for the sequel. What is the next adventure?
And I want to travel to the Northwest to explore the environment and to Norway to see what they are like. Cold, snowy and different from the East where I live or the South where I spent my formative years.
A fun book on many levels!!!
Nancy Lawrence
March 13, 2024
4⭐️!
I enjoyed the book! This took me a while to read because I was worried what would happen to the characters!
This was a great read! I loved the way the main characters bonded with their trauma and were able to find each other to help heal.
The tech company and the problem with the threatening from the killers was so interesting! I just kept thinking why were the codes so important! How were they able to get the codes!
This book shocked me in the end but in a good way!
I liked the book a lot!!
I enjoyed the book! This took me a while to read because I was worried what would happen to the characters!
This was a great read! I loved the way the main characters bonded with their trauma and were able to find each other to help heal.
The tech company and the problem with the threatening from the killers was so interesting! I just kept thinking why were the codes so important! How were they able to get the codes!
This book shocked me in the end but in a good way!
I liked the book a lot!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2023
I love me a spy/thriller type story and this was a gem! Cyberthreats are the topic du jour and with the addition of two highly attractive and attracted characters who are remarkably resourceful and easy to like. Just the right mix of action, dve4nture and of course burgeoning romance to keep this story a gripping read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 15, 2023
After the first few pages, I knew this was a book I wasn’t going to be able to put down, until I got to The End. Compulsive and gripping! Suspenseful, addictive and complex! Will keep you swiping the pages furiously. If you like absolutely unpredictable, twisted suspense as much as I do, you can't go wrong with this book!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
October 2, 2023
This was a fun and propulsive thriller. McKenzie has done a great job with this debut novel: it's fun and exciting, addictive and consuming. I enjoyed the main characters Tess and Mark especially. Their relationship was enjoyable. McKenzie shows just how well she understands the dark web, cyber security, and terrorism, too. I am already looking forward to her next book!
(This is not my usual reading fare, but I am a fan of the author and I'm glad to have read this.)
(This is not my usual reading fare, but I am a fan of the author and I'm glad to have read this.)
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