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The Legionnaires #1
Deception Island
A stolen boy A haunted soldier A cornered con woman… Rafe Angelito thought he was done with the demons from his past—until his son is kidnapped. Blackmailed into abducting an American heiress, the legionnaire soon finds himself trapped in paradise with a fiery, daring beauty who's nothing he expects…and everything he desires. But when he uncovers her own dark secret, Rafe realizes he's made a critical mistake—one that could cost him everything. Playing body double for a spoiled socialite was supposed to be Holly Ryan's ticket to freedom. But when she's snatched off her yacht by a tall, dark and dangerous stranger, the not-quite-reformed con artist will make a desperate play to turn her captor from enemy to ally, by any means necessary. Yet as scorching days melt into sultry nights, Holly is drawn to the mysterious capitaine, with his unexpected sense of honor and his searing touch. When they're double-crossed, they'll have to risk trusting each other in ways they never imagined…because in this deadly game of deception, it's their lives—and hearts—on the line.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2016
76 people are currently reading
1407 people want to read
About the author
Brynn Kelly
8 books330 followersAs a journalist, Brynn Kelly once spent her days chasing stranger-than-fiction news reports. Now she spends them writing larger-than-life novels, in a happy bubble of fiendish plots and delicious words.
She's a RITA® winner and an RT Book Reviews Reviewer's Choice Awards nominee.
She has a journalism degree, and has won several other prestigious writing and journalism awards, including the Valerie Parv Award, Pacific Hearts Award and Koru Award. Her debut novel finaled in the Golden Heart®. She’s also a bestselling non-fiction author, in her native New Zealand.
She's a RITA® winner and an RT Book Reviews Reviewer's Choice Awards nominee.
She has a journalism degree, and has won several other prestigious writing and journalism awards, including the Valerie Parv Award, Pacific Hearts Award and Koru Award. Her debut novel finaled in the Golden Heart®. She’s also a bestselling non-fiction author, in her native New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
June 29, 2016
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
Deception Island pinged my radar because it had the trifecta of summery goodtimes – an island (duh), a fall-for-my-captor storyline, and of course . . .
Good thing the plot delivered because if I had been reading only for the humpty dance????
Ouch my blueballs. Yep, this one only had ONE SEX, but it made up for it with plenty of stabby action instead.
The basics are that Holly recently was released from prison and due to being quite a decent doppleganger, has been hired to play the part of a socialite with a jet-set lifestyle by said socialite’s Senator daddy. Rafe is a former bad-guy turned good who is willing to return to the dark ways of his past in order to save his son. His mission? Kidnap the Senator’s daughter for a hefty ransom and kill her if things don't go according to the plan.
So obviously this one might piss half the universe off because of the whole “body betrayal” malarkey that is par for the course with these types of stories. The difference this time was the kidnappee learning the truth about the kidnapper pretty pronto and then vice/versa before any sexual shenanigans ever went down.
It was kind of guaranteed to be a winner for me once I found out it featured a French speaking bad guy turned good too because . . .
Yep. That’ll get her done.
And while there was talk about things like being “engorged” (*shudder*) during la petite mort, I discovered that “wet chatte” is far less vomit inducing than talking about . . .
Finally, Deception Island delivered a deliciously cheesetastic rescue scene that could have only been improved had this happened in the middle of the cyclone . . .
Obviously this isn’t going to win a Pulitzer, but come on - it’s summer and it’s been a thousand and twelve degrees for weeks now so if you don’t like that I get my kicks off this kind of stuff then . . .
Kathleen takes the credit (blame?) for this one. She gave it all the stars and had me running to NetGalley in order to “wish” for it (then by the time said wish was granted my dumb ass had to try and figure out what the heck book it was).
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
3.5 Stars
Deception Island pinged my radar because it had the trifecta of summery goodtimes – an island (duh), a fall-for-my-captor storyline, and of course . . .
Good thing the plot delivered because if I had been reading only for the humpty dance????
Ouch my blueballs. Yep, this one only had ONE SEX, but it made up for it with plenty of stabby action instead.
The basics are that Holly recently was released from prison and due to being quite a decent doppleganger, has been hired to play the part of a socialite with a jet-set lifestyle by said socialite’s Senator daddy. Rafe is a former bad-guy turned good who is willing to return to the dark ways of his past in order to save his son. His mission? Kidnap the Senator’s daughter for a hefty ransom and kill her if things don't go according to the plan.
So obviously this one might piss half the universe off because of the whole “body betrayal” malarkey that is par for the course with these types of stories. The difference this time was the kidnappee learning the truth about the kidnapper pretty pronto and then vice/versa before any sexual shenanigans ever went down.
It was kind of guaranteed to be a winner for me once I found out it featured a French speaking bad guy turned good too because . . .
Yep. That’ll get her done.
And while there was talk about things like being “engorged” (*shudder*) during la petite mort, I discovered that “wet chatte” is far less vomit inducing than talking about . . .
Finally, Deception Island delivered a deliciously cheesetastic rescue scene that could have only been improved had this happened in the middle of the cyclone . . .
Obviously this isn’t going to win a Pulitzer, but come on - it’s summer and it’s been a thousand and twelve degrees for weeks now so if you don’t like that I get my kicks off this kind of stuff then . . .
Kathleen takes the credit (blame?) for this one. She gave it all the stars and had me running to NetGalley in order to “wish” for it (then by the time said wish was granted my dumb ass had to try and figure out what the heck book it was).
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
May 26, 2016
Release Date : May 31st 2016
Story Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Hero Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Heroine Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Heat Level ~ 3 Stars
Action Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Ending ~ 5 STARS!
Overall Rating ~ 5, Two Wounded Souls Stars!
I was in the mood for an actioned packed read and boy did I ever get it! This book was exactly what I was looking for and then some.
I was quickly pulled into this story, the action started immediately. I have to tell you, I love a story when the heroine is feisty and does a little ass kicking. Holly was also smart, brave, and strong. She definitely knew when to play dumb. Her backstory was dark, all she really wanted was to live a quiet existence alone. That was NOT what she got.
Rafe had a VERY TORTURED past. He tried very hard to forget all the dark ugly things from his past.
The story line starts off that Holly is just out of prison. She was set up to take the fall from the man she thought she loved. While in jail, she swore she would never fall for another man. She ends up being released early because she made a deal to pretend to be Laura a spoiled socialite sailing around on a yacht.
Rafe’s son has been kidnapped and the only way he can get him back is to kidnap Laura and trade her back for his son. He thought it would be an easy thing, kidnapping a spoiled rich socialite. Well, was he ever surprised when this socialite was not as the easy prey he thought she would be.
These two did not trust easy. At every turn she tried to escape but Rafe was always there to catch her. The banter between these two was fun even when things were so dark. As time passed they became attracted to each other, It seemed they were constantly trying to cool off. Then as their trust grew and the bad guys were on the way, they stole a night of wild passion. I was quite surprised as I thought this one was supposed to be low on the heat. I found the love/sex scenes were HOT and SENSUAL. OK this book is not filled with sex but what was offered up I took it and went to my happy place.
These two had it rough. At every turn there was another villain trying to kill them. This book goes into very dark places and these villains were bad to the bone. The violence that accrues might not be for readers who are faint of heart.
They go through battle after battle trying to stay alive, trying to get Rafe’s son. I was glued to the very last page hoping for a HEA. Did I get one, yes I did with a wonderful epilogue included.
Overall this was a great read for me. I look forwards to reading more of Brynn Kelly’s books.
*I received an ARC from HQN Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Story Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Hero Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Heroine Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Heat Level ~ 3 Stars
Action Rating ~ 5 STARS!
Ending ~ 5 STARS!
Overall Rating ~ 5, Two Wounded Souls Stars!
I was in the mood for an actioned packed read and boy did I ever get it! This book was exactly what I was looking for and then some.
I was quickly pulled into this story, the action started immediately. I have to tell you, I love a story when the heroine is feisty and does a little ass kicking. Holly was also smart, brave, and strong. She definitely knew when to play dumb. Her backstory was dark, all she really wanted was to live a quiet existence alone. That was NOT what she got.
Rafe had a VERY TORTURED past. He tried very hard to forget all the dark ugly things from his past.
The story line starts off that Holly is just out of prison. She was set up to take the fall from the man she thought she loved. While in jail, she swore she would never fall for another man. She ends up being released early because she made a deal to pretend to be Laura a spoiled socialite sailing around on a yacht.
Rafe’s son has been kidnapped and the only way he can get him back is to kidnap Laura and trade her back for his son. He thought it would be an easy thing, kidnapping a spoiled rich socialite. Well, was he ever surprised when this socialite was not as the easy prey he thought she would be.
These two did not trust easy. At every turn she tried to escape but Rafe was always there to catch her. The banter between these two was fun even when things were so dark. As time passed they became attracted to each other, It seemed they were constantly trying to cool off. Then as their trust grew and the bad guys were on the way, they stole a night of wild passion. I was quite surprised as I thought this one was supposed to be low on the heat. I found the love/sex scenes were HOT and SENSUAL. OK this book is not filled with sex but what was offered up I took it and went to my happy place.
These two had it rough. At every turn there was another villain trying to kill them. This book goes into very dark places and these villains were bad to the bone. The violence that accrues might not be for readers who are faint of heart.
They go through battle after battle trying to stay alive, trying to get Rafe’s son. I was glued to the very last page hoping for a HEA. Did I get one, yes I did with a wonderful epilogue included.
Overall this was a great read for me. I look forwards to reading more of Brynn Kelly’s books.
*I received an ARC from HQN Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
May 21, 2016
I love when an author gives us a strong female lead. This chick is a bad-ass and is matched with a sweet bad-ass of a handsome devil who happens to have a not only a conscience, but a big secret. Ahhh, but our darling bad-ass chick has a secret too!
The story is exciting, fast paced, intriguing with amazing development in each part of the story. There was never a dull moment with plenty of action and suspense to keep the pages turning. The author also brings a lot of tough issues to the table such as human trafficking and child abuse. This is not a lighthearted story but one full of raw grit, deep emotion and even some light smack talk to balance out everything.
Deception Island is a unique story loaded with action, sexual tension, great character development, hot tropical locales, and plenty delectable writing to keep us on our toes. I love this read and this new author is one to watch in the romantic suspense genre. I know I will be!
The story is exciting, fast paced, intriguing with amazing development in each part of the story. There was never a dull moment with plenty of action and suspense to keep the pages turning. The author also brings a lot of tough issues to the table such as human trafficking and child abuse. This is not a lighthearted story but one full of raw grit, deep emotion and even some light smack talk to balance out everything.
Deception Island is a unique story loaded with action, sexual tension, great character development, hot tropical locales, and plenty delectable writing to keep us on our toes. I love this read and this new author is one to watch in the romantic suspense genre. I know I will be!
July 28, 2023
This review was copied from my blog: romanticallyinclinedreviews.blogspot.com
First and foremost, I am going to warn you that this romance novel is not for everyone. Deception Island by Brynn Kelly is dark, disturbing, and wildly violent at times. Reading the description on the back of the novel gave me no indication of how distressing this read was going to be.
Rafe Angelito is a former child soldier who thought he had finally escaped his past. When his son is kidnapped in order to ensure his cooperation in a ransom scheme he discovers that his worst nightmare has come true. Holly Ryan isn’t the daughter of a wealthy presidential candidate, she’s just a recently released convict with a desperate need for money to start her new life. Playing rich Laura is a dream job, until she’s kidnapped by people who want to trade Laura for ransom. When her identity is discovered she and Rafe find their lives, and the lives of Rafe’s son, at risk. Two people who have never learned to trust anyone are going to have to trust one another or face terrible consequences.
The rest of my review should not be a reflection of Brynn Kelly's writing abilities or style. I thought she did a wonderful job of setting the scene and creating unique, though damaged, characters. I'm afraid this novel was just not one that I enjoyed overall.
Based on the description I thought I was in for a thriller romance with the typical good versus bad plot line. I never expected that I was going to fall into a world of former child soldiers, torture, executions, and rape. When I am not reading romance novels, I’ll admit, I usually read about serial killers or other such crimes (think Lindberg kidnapping). When I’m reading a romance novel, I would really prefer that the execution of other characters be kept to a minimum. That was not the case in this book.
In romance novel the main characters are supposed to trust one another, sacrifice for one another, but above all, develop a believable love for one another. This novel fell short of that description. I normally avoid spoilers in my reviews, but I feel that this is an important spoiler to give. About midway through the book, following the reveal of Holly’s true identity, Rafe is so enraged that he chokes Holly. She survives this only by pretending to die. He is shown to be remorseful (and man, does he have some PTSD), she forgives his actions and the story moves on after that.
I did not forgive. I know that Rafe had a horrific childhood, and I am not surprised that he reacts violently, but I wanted to stop reading right there (I didn't, however). I find it hard to consider a man who would choke a woman nearly to death to be a hero. Not to mention that the choking incident is not the only moment in the book where Holly fears Rafe may kill her. I do not feel that, in a romance novel, the characters should ever have to fear for their lives from their counterpart.
I know that there are some people out there who might enjoy this novel, but I cannot consider myself one of those people.
First and foremost, I am going to warn you that this romance novel is not for everyone. Deception Island by Brynn Kelly is dark, disturbing, and wildly violent at times. Reading the description on the back of the novel gave me no indication of how distressing this read was going to be.
Rafe Angelito is a former child soldier who thought he had finally escaped his past. When his son is kidnapped in order to ensure his cooperation in a ransom scheme he discovers that his worst nightmare has come true. Holly Ryan isn’t the daughter of a wealthy presidential candidate, she’s just a recently released convict with a desperate need for money to start her new life. Playing rich Laura is a dream job, until she’s kidnapped by people who want to trade Laura for ransom. When her identity is discovered she and Rafe find their lives, and the lives of Rafe’s son, at risk. Two people who have never learned to trust anyone are going to have to trust one another or face terrible consequences.
The rest of my review should not be a reflection of Brynn Kelly's writing abilities or style. I thought she did a wonderful job of setting the scene and creating unique, though damaged, characters. I'm afraid this novel was just not one that I enjoyed overall.
Based on the description I thought I was in for a thriller romance with the typical good versus bad plot line. I never expected that I was going to fall into a world of former child soldiers, torture, executions, and rape. When I am not reading romance novels, I’ll admit, I usually read about serial killers or other such crimes (think Lindberg kidnapping). When I’m reading a romance novel, I would really prefer that the execution of other characters be kept to a minimum. That was not the case in this book.
In romance novel the main characters are supposed to trust one another, sacrifice for one another, but above all, develop a believable love for one another. This novel fell short of that description. I normally avoid spoilers in my reviews, but I feel that this is an important spoiler to give. About midway through the book, following the reveal of Holly’s true identity, Rafe is so enraged that he chokes Holly. She survives this only by pretending to die. He is shown to be remorseful (and man, does he have some PTSD), she forgives his actions and the story moves on after that.
I did not forgive. I know that Rafe had a horrific childhood, and I am not surprised that he reacts violently, but I wanted to stop reading right there (I didn't, however). I find it hard to consider a man who would choke a woman nearly to death to be a hero. Not to mention that the choking incident is not the only moment in the book where Holly fears Rafe may kill her. I do not feel that, in a romance novel, the characters should ever have to fear for their lives from their counterpart.
I know that there are some people out there who might enjoy this novel, but I cannot consider myself one of those people.
January 12, 2017
An action packed novel from the opening, Deception Island by Brynn Kelly, combines suspense and romance together. This is the story of Holly, a professional con artist, who accepts an assignment from a prominent senator, to pose as his daughter while embarking on a sailing trip. Rafe is the leading man in Deception Island, on a mission to save his son from kidnappers but he is forced to kidnap the senator’s daughter in exchange for his son’s life. When Holly and Rafe meet, complications arise, leading to plenty of drama, romance and of course – deception.
Deception Island is the debut novel by author Brynn Kelly. It is an adventure style novel, filled with story twists and high tension. The romance the plays out between the kidnapper Rafe and con artist Holly, offers a strong dose of sexual chemistry. There are plenty of narrative fillers thrown at the reader in Deception Island, from duplicity, pirates and kidnapping to a number of dangerous confrontations. It is offset by a tender back story involving the main protagonists, who each have their own meaningful reasons for carrying out the acts they do in the novel.
On the outset, Deception Island looks like a typical marooned on a tropical island novel. However, if you select this book to read, you will be in for a high voltage ride, powered by two fearless leads, who engage in an unexpected but tender romance. Deception Island is a solid read that is perfect for those looking for an escapist style of novel.
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Deception Island is the debut novel by author Brynn Kelly. It is an adventure style novel, filled with story twists and high tension. The romance the plays out between the kidnapper Rafe and con artist Holly, offers a strong dose of sexual chemistry. There are plenty of narrative fillers thrown at the reader in Deception Island, from duplicity, pirates and kidnapping to a number of dangerous confrontations. It is offset by a tender back story involving the main protagonists, who each have their own meaningful reasons for carrying out the acts they do in the novel.
On the outset, Deception Island looks like a typical marooned on a tropical island novel. However, if you select this book to read, you will be in for a high voltage ride, powered by two fearless leads, who engage in an unexpected but tender romance. Deception Island is a solid read that is perfect for those looking for an escapist style of novel.
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
May 1, 2016
My review for "Deception Island" by Brynn Kelly, will be featured at Romancing the Book Blog on May 26, 2016.
Check it out by clicking on this link:
http://romancing-the-book.com/
Check it out by clicking on this link:
http://romancing-the-book.com/
May 23, 2016
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Holly is fresh out of prison after serving a six year sentence, when a senator running for President of the United States proposes her a deal to pose as his daughter. The money is life changing and so she decides to set sail but if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Rafe had a brutal childhood as one of "The Lost Boys" and now as a French Legionnaire, his whole life has been soldiering. When his son is kidnapped by a former acquaintance, he must in turn kidnap a senator's daughter and hold her for ransom.
Holly and Rafe both have been forged in the fire but will they be able to raise whole from the ashes?
Deception Island is full of multi-layered, fresh, and fascinating characters. Our heroine came from an abusive home, learned different ways to physically defend herself, and served six years in prison. Holly was a character that initially you will have your guard up around, thinking she overplays her feminine wiles but as her background and personality is flushed out more, my respect for her grew; she's a fighter. She has a few moments that verge into eye-rolling but they are always linked to the overstating of the attraction and lust she has for Rafe. Our hero is the first of his kind that I have ever read and intense in the compelling story of his life. We never get a direct statement as to where Rafe's original home was but the term "The Lost Boys" is mentioned numerous times, which with the time period and description of how Rafe was kidnapped, forced to do horrendous things, and turned into a child solider, leads me to think he is from Sudan. His story is heartbreaking and a riveting tale of how the human spirit endures.
Our two main characters and the secondary characters mainly involving Rafe's former friend, the new leader of the child army, and the one forcing him to kidnap Holly (who Rafe thinks is the senator's daughter) and the women being held to be sex trafficked that Holly gets placed with, had incredibly riveting bullet points. The action, whether it was a dark night in the ocean fight scene with sharks or a chase through the jungle with a spider employed as a weapon, was engrossing. The author's writing really shined as she gripped my attention. It was the romance aspect of the story that I struggled with as Holly and Rafe's attraction started a little too immediately and involved insta-lust. Their feelings never had a chance to gradually build and develop into deeper ones that were more believable as their "hots" for one another took center stage. The middle of the story where Rafe and Holly were alone and dealing with their attraction was where it sagged the most for me as I couldn't connect with that part. The second half of the story, where the action picks up again, is where I locked back in.
The emotion between our couple failed me but my feelings ended up getting hit hard from a later surprising source. Holly ends up getting placed with a group of women who are going to be forced into the sex trade. When Holly first walks in and sits down in a dark, overfilled, foul smelling hut full of women and younger girls, the woman next to her grips her hand and squeezes. Little and big moments of solidarity between the women are showcased throughout their scenes and it will break your heart as, again, the human spirit is revealed. In fact, this wasn't so much a romantic suspense story to me as surviving human spirit suspense; Holly learning her own strength, survival instinct, and capacity to trust and Rafe learning how to have emotions, process, and feel them. The villain of the story was amazing in his shades of grey and will have you revisiting the argument of nature vs. nurture.
As I said, the components of the story were all captivating; it was the flow of their arrangement and the romance that didn't always work for me. If looking for wholly unique characters, an unflinching look at enduring human spirits, and absorbing action, then you will want to give Deception Island a try.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Holly is fresh out of prison after serving a six year sentence, when a senator running for President of the United States proposes her a deal to pose as his daughter. The money is life changing and so she decides to set sail but if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Rafe had a brutal childhood as one of "The Lost Boys" and now as a French Legionnaire, his whole life has been soldiering. When his son is kidnapped by a former acquaintance, he must in turn kidnap a senator's daughter and hold her for ransom.
Holly and Rafe both have been forged in the fire but will they be able to raise whole from the ashes?
Deception Island is full of multi-layered, fresh, and fascinating characters. Our heroine came from an abusive home, learned different ways to physically defend herself, and served six years in prison. Holly was a character that initially you will have your guard up around, thinking she overplays her feminine wiles but as her background and personality is flushed out more, my respect for her grew; she's a fighter. She has a few moments that verge into eye-rolling but they are always linked to the overstating of the attraction and lust she has for Rafe. Our hero is the first of his kind that I have ever read and intense in the compelling story of his life. We never get a direct statement as to where Rafe's original home was but the term "The Lost Boys" is mentioned numerous times, which with the time period and description of how Rafe was kidnapped, forced to do horrendous things, and turned into a child solider, leads me to think he is from Sudan. His story is heartbreaking and a riveting tale of how the human spirit endures.
Our two main characters and the secondary characters mainly involving Rafe's former friend, the new leader of the child army, and the one forcing him to kidnap Holly (who Rafe thinks is the senator's daughter) and the women being held to be sex trafficked that Holly gets placed with, had incredibly riveting bullet points. The action, whether it was a dark night in the ocean fight scene with sharks or a chase through the jungle with a spider employed as a weapon, was engrossing. The author's writing really shined as she gripped my attention. It was the romance aspect of the story that I struggled with as Holly and Rafe's attraction started a little too immediately and involved insta-lust. Their feelings never had a chance to gradually build and develop into deeper ones that were more believable as their "hots" for one another took center stage. The middle of the story where Rafe and Holly were alone and dealing with their attraction was where it sagged the most for me as I couldn't connect with that part. The second half of the story, where the action picks up again, is where I locked back in.
The emotion between our couple failed me but my feelings ended up getting hit hard from a later surprising source. Holly ends up getting placed with a group of women who are going to be forced into the sex trade. When Holly first walks in and sits down in a dark, overfilled, foul smelling hut full of women and younger girls, the woman next to her grips her hand and squeezes. Little and big moments of solidarity between the women are showcased throughout their scenes and it will break your heart as, again, the human spirit is revealed. In fact, this wasn't so much a romantic suspense story to me as surviving human spirit suspense; Holly learning her own strength, survival instinct, and capacity to trust and Rafe learning how to have emotions, process, and feel them. The villain of the story was amazing in his shades of grey and will have you revisiting the argument of nature vs. nurture.
As I said, the components of the story were all captivating; it was the flow of their arrangement and the romance that didn't always work for me. If looking for wholly unique characters, an unflinching look at enduring human spirits, and absorbing action, then you will want to give Deception Island a try.
September 12, 2019
Ex-con Holly Ryan was released from prison and handed a job. She is posing as a U.S. Senator's pampered daughter who is sailing solo around the world. Holly just has to live on her boat and make occasional appearances in ports, and the Senator will give her money to start a new life. What she doesn't plan on is getting kidnapped by pirates. Rafe Angelito is being blackmailed. A group from his past has his nine-year-old son. They will kill him if he doesn't abduct the Senator's daughter for them. Now Rafe finds himself trapped on a deserted island with the wrong woman, hoping that the killers who have his son will not back out of the deal.
This is Brynn Kelly's debut novel and I found it very entertaining. It has an island with a hot, sticky jungle and lots of poisonous snakes and spiders (my nightmare), and a hot guy that keeps apologizing for kidnapping Holly. There was a lot of action and a good dose of romance. My only problem was near the end when the villain took pages and pages to explain his actions. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This is Brynn Kelly's debut novel and I found it very entertaining. It has an island with a hot, sticky jungle and lots of poisonous snakes and spiders (my nightmare), and a hot guy that keeps apologizing for kidnapping Holly. There was a lot of action and a good dose of romance. My only problem was near the end when the villain took pages and pages to explain his actions. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
May 26, 2016
An ARC was generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For a debut novel, Brynn Kelly hit this out the park. I was captivated from the first page. The first scene sets you up to have a great action-packed, thrilling, heart racing, amazing time!
The entire book was go go go and there was never a dull moment. Wonderful job with the pacing here.
As for character development, I'm not sure if it would even be possible to know these characters better than I do right now. Although Holly and Rafe weren't completely relatable, they were extremely likeable and soon after their introduction, I was rooting for them all the way.
Holly was an incredibly strong female lead with a tender and vulnerable side. She was burned by love before and was hesitant to open her heart again. However, Rafe left her with no choice. His Alpha ways totally threw her for a loop and I loved every minute of it! He himself had a tortured past and through torture and brainwashing, he had just about given up on living a normal life or experiencing real human emotions. Until he fell for Holly.
Honestly, there wasn't much to complain about with this book. The biggest issue was the formatting because there were many words that were split in weird places. I'm sure that's an easy fix.
This book was an exciting read and I can't wait to see what's next from this author.
Enjoy!
For a debut novel, Brynn Kelly hit this out the park. I was captivated from the first page. The first scene sets you up to have a great action-packed, thrilling, heart racing, amazing time!
The entire book was go go go and there was never a dull moment. Wonderful job with the pacing here.
As for character development, I'm not sure if it would even be possible to know these characters better than I do right now. Although Holly and Rafe weren't completely relatable, they were extremely likeable and soon after their introduction, I was rooting for them all the way.
Holly was an incredibly strong female lead with a tender and vulnerable side. She was burned by love before and was hesitant to open her heart again. However, Rafe left her with no choice. His Alpha ways totally threw her for a loop and I loved every minute of it! He himself had a tortured past and through torture and brainwashing, he had just about given up on living a normal life or experiencing real human emotions. Until he fell for Holly.
Honestly, there wasn't much to complain about with this book. The biggest issue was the formatting because there were many words that were split in weird places. I'm sure that's an easy fix.
This book was an exciting read and I can't wait to see what's next from this author.
Enjoy!
May 21, 2016
3.5-stars
The blurb pretty much tells what’s in the storyline. The novel has a great start, stays a bit dull in the middle, but still pulls off a win in the end. Here’s what works for me:
~The setup is fresh.
~Rafe is not a manwhore.
~Holly is not TSTL.
~An exploration of human trafficking, child soldier and slavery add depth to the characters and make this story steer clear of any cheesy stuff that I often find in a typical RS book.
~The action-packed scenes are very well-written.
Miss:
~There is a lack of spark in the exchange between Rafe and Holly. Too many internal dialogues about lust and feeling.
~What’s up with the repetitive mention of chapstick?
~I have no idea what Rafe really looks like.
All in all, both MCs are well developed and for a debut, the plot is well thought out. Glad I have a new RS author to watch out for :D
#steamy # a bit dark #honorable hero # strong heroine
arc provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you~
The blurb pretty much tells what’s in the storyline. The novel has a great start, stays a bit dull in the middle, but still pulls off a win in the end. Here’s what works for me:
~The setup is fresh.
~Rafe is not a manwhore.
~Holly is not TSTL.
~An exploration of human trafficking, child soldier and slavery add depth to the characters and make this story steer clear of any cheesy stuff that I often find in a typical RS book.
~The action-packed scenes are very well-written.
Miss:
~There is a lack of spark in the exchange between Rafe and Holly. Too many internal dialogues about lust and feeling.
~What’s up with the repetitive mention of chapstick?
~I have no idea what Rafe really looks like.
All in all, both MCs are well developed and for a debut, the plot is well thought out. Glad I have a new RS author to watch out for :D
#steamy # a bit dark #honorable hero # strong heroine
arc provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you~
August 16, 2019
Rated 4.8 Stars
Simply amazing.
You gotta read it to see for yourself.
HATE
LOVE
BETRAYAL
KIDNAPPING
ESCAPE
HUNTED
MINDFUCK
BEAUTY
BROKENNESS
HEARTBREAK
ABUSE
HAPPINESS
HEA
READ IT PEOPLE!
Simply amazing.
You gotta read it to see for yourself.
HATE
LOVE
BETRAYAL
KIDNAPPING
ESCAPE
HUNTED
MINDFUCK
BEAUTY
BROKENNESS
HEARTBREAK
ABUSE
HAPPINESS
HEA
READ IT PEOPLE!
June 5, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I really liked this book, but I felt it lagged a bit in the thrilling aspect. The really liked the writing, but I did feel like the characters fell flat at the ending of the book. The setting was exquisite, and I wish we would've spent a bit more of time in the island.
More of my thoughts will be coming soon in a video review.
More of my thoughts will be coming soon in a video review.
March 3, 2016
WOW WOW WOW! There are only a few books I've read over the years that have affected me as much as DECEPTION ISLAND. This is a MUST READ for everyone, not just fans of romantic suspense.
When The Lost Boys kidnap Rafe Angelito's son, his fury and fear know no bounds. In exchange for his son, the former Lost Boy must kidnap Laura Hyland, daughter of a US Senator, for them. Holly Ryan made a bargain with Laura's father after she got out of prison--pose as socialite Laura as she sailed around the world on one of her crusades in exchange for some serious cash and the ability to start a new life. Sailing in supposedly safe waters, Holly is horrified when her yacht is boarded by pirates and she's taken hostage, but not before making sure two of the three captors are dead. Now it's just her and pirate "Jack," who she sure as shit shouldn't think is sexy.
His captive is NOT what Rafe expected from a pampered socialite, and he can't help but admire her wit, athleticism, cool head, and if he's honest, her looks are no hardship either. Soon, they find themselves having to work together to fend off the real pirates, giant soul killing insects and eventually the very bastards that have Rafe's son. Neither deserve a shot at a normal life, but that may be what they find with each other...if they survive The Lost Boys' ultimate plan.
DECEPTION ISLAND is the wildly captivating debut novel by award winning journalist Brynn Kelly, and if this is any indication of future books, count me all in as a huge fan. I was transported immediately to this tropical paradise/hell that Holly and Rafe found themselves in, feeling as though I was right there with them, fending off pirates and smashing mosquitoes and making love on hammocks. Good was bad, bad was good, everyone was more than what was presented to the outside world.
When I excitedly explained the plot of this incredible story to my hubby, he thought there was too much going on to keep straight, however that's simply not the case with DECEPTION ISLAND. The plot was paced out perfectly, making chase scenes and intimate moments feel similarly important. This is the first book I've read that described the horrors of human trafficking and child soldiers in such graphic and disturbing details. However I have to admit that Ms. Kelly's story made me immediately research such atrocities and look at ways I could help. If it takes a romantic suspense story to make people aware of the heinous crimes that humans commit against one another, then kudos to you, Ms. Kelly, for bringing this to us in a way we just can't ignore.
On a lighter side, Holly and Rafe have some undeniable chemistry, and I loved the sensual dance they played, even though the two of them only had sex once. On a personal note, as a fellow lip balm addict, I empathized way more than was normal with Holly's ChapStick obsession and am pretty sure I went through an entire tube just reading this story. I am so impressed by this first offering by Ms. Kelly. It was rough, raw and real, with a storyline that hypnotized me and some of the best character development I've had the fortune of reading.
Bottom Line: Pick up this gem as soon as it's available. It's NOT light fluffy reading, and it's not for the faint of heart, but you will not regret hearing Rafe and Holly's story. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
When The Lost Boys kidnap Rafe Angelito's son, his fury and fear know no bounds. In exchange for his son, the former Lost Boy must kidnap Laura Hyland, daughter of a US Senator, for them. Holly Ryan made a bargain with Laura's father after she got out of prison--pose as socialite Laura as she sailed around the world on one of her crusades in exchange for some serious cash and the ability to start a new life. Sailing in supposedly safe waters, Holly is horrified when her yacht is boarded by pirates and she's taken hostage, but not before making sure two of the three captors are dead. Now it's just her and pirate "Jack," who she sure as shit shouldn't think is sexy.
His captive is NOT what Rafe expected from a pampered socialite, and he can't help but admire her wit, athleticism, cool head, and if he's honest, her looks are no hardship either. Soon, they find themselves having to work together to fend off the real pirates, giant soul killing insects and eventually the very bastards that have Rafe's son. Neither deserve a shot at a normal life, but that may be what they find with each other...if they survive The Lost Boys' ultimate plan.
DECEPTION ISLAND is the wildly captivating debut novel by award winning journalist Brynn Kelly, and if this is any indication of future books, count me all in as a huge fan. I was transported immediately to this tropical paradise/hell that Holly and Rafe found themselves in, feeling as though I was right there with them, fending off pirates and smashing mosquitoes and making love on hammocks. Good was bad, bad was good, everyone was more than what was presented to the outside world.
When I excitedly explained the plot of this incredible story to my hubby, he thought there was too much going on to keep straight, however that's simply not the case with DECEPTION ISLAND. The plot was paced out perfectly, making chase scenes and intimate moments feel similarly important. This is the first book I've read that described the horrors of human trafficking and child soldiers in such graphic and disturbing details. However I have to admit that Ms. Kelly's story made me immediately research such atrocities and look at ways I could help. If it takes a romantic suspense story to make people aware of the heinous crimes that humans commit against one another, then kudos to you, Ms. Kelly, for bringing this to us in a way we just can't ignore.
On a lighter side, Holly and Rafe have some undeniable chemistry, and I loved the sensual dance they played, even though the two of them only had sex once. On a personal note, as a fellow lip balm addict, I empathized way more than was normal with Holly's ChapStick obsession and am pretty sure I went through an entire tube just reading this story. I am so impressed by this first offering by Ms. Kelly. It was rough, raw and real, with a storyline that hypnotized me and some of the best character development I've had the fortune of reading.
Bottom Line: Pick up this gem as soon as it's available. It's NOT light fluffy reading, and it's not for the faint of heart, but you will not regret hearing Rafe and Holly's story. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
June 26, 2016
*I received this book from the publisher as part of a booktube tour in exchange for my honest review*
VIDEO REVIEW: https://youtu.be/6OeiymdeeQc
When a group of soldier who call themselves The Lost Boys kidnap Rafe Angelito's 9 year old son, Theo, he is beyond furious. In order to get him back safely, Rafe is blackmailed into kidnapping Laura Hyland, an American Senator's daughter. Ex-con Holly Ryan made a deal with the Senator to work for him and his daughter once her 6 year prison sentence was complete. When Rafe boards her yacht, he doesn't expect this spoiled socialite to put up such a fight. Once he has finally secured her, they realize that they can work together in order to rescue Theo from The Lost Boys.
This book DOES NOT feel like a debut novel at all! It was very fast-paced, right from the beginning you are pulled in. The book takes place over the span of two or three days, which doesn't seem long at all. The romance in the book happened to quickly for my liking, total insta-love feels. The sexual tension between the two characters drove me insane though, I mean you two clearly want to get it on so just do it already!! I found the beginning of the book to be very action packed and exciting and then in the middle it slowed down and I was a bit disappointed. The story did pick up again and dragged me back in near the ending once the action resumed. Although the book and plot line could get confusing at times, if you paid attention to what you were reading it became easy to follow. I think the author brings forward many difficult topics such as human trafficking, child abuse and slavery in a very effective way. Definitely an emotional read with some steamy scenes thrown in for good measure!
Holly was such an amazing character! She was so strong and totally bad-ass, she didn't take any shit from anyone, which I loved! Rafe was a total hunk and although he could be terrifying at times, I couldn't help having all the feels for him. I would have liked the characters to be developed more, as we don't really get to know them much, other than that they both had a troubling childhood and are very attractive. Although Rafe and Holly were not relateable to me in anyway, I still enjoyed both of them as characters.
Overall, an awesome debut novel and I will definitely pick up more of Brynn Kelly's work in the future!
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
VIDEO REVIEW: https://youtu.be/6OeiymdeeQc
When a group of soldier who call themselves The Lost Boys kidnap Rafe Angelito's 9 year old son, Theo, he is beyond furious. In order to get him back safely, Rafe is blackmailed into kidnapping Laura Hyland, an American Senator's daughter. Ex-con Holly Ryan made a deal with the Senator to work for him and his daughter once her 6 year prison sentence was complete. When Rafe boards her yacht, he doesn't expect this spoiled socialite to put up such a fight. Once he has finally secured her, they realize that they can work together in order to rescue Theo from The Lost Boys.
This book DOES NOT feel like a debut novel at all! It was very fast-paced, right from the beginning you are pulled in. The book takes place over the span of two or three days, which doesn't seem long at all. The romance in the book happened to quickly for my liking, total insta-love feels. The sexual tension between the two characters drove me insane though, I mean you two clearly want to get it on so just do it already!! I found the beginning of the book to be very action packed and exciting and then in the middle it slowed down and I was a bit disappointed. The story did pick up again and dragged me back in near the ending once the action resumed. Although the book and plot line could get confusing at times, if you paid attention to what you were reading it became easy to follow. I think the author brings forward many difficult topics such as human trafficking, child abuse and slavery in a very effective way. Definitely an emotional read with some steamy scenes thrown in for good measure!
Holly was such an amazing character! She was so strong and totally bad-ass, she didn't take any shit from anyone, which I loved! Rafe was a total hunk and although he could be terrifying at times, I couldn't help having all the feels for him. I would have liked the characters to be developed more, as we don't really get to know them much, other than that they both had a troubling childhood and are very attractive. Although Rafe and Holly were not relateable to me in anyway, I still enjoyed both of them as characters.
Overall, an awesome debut novel and I will definitely pick up more of Brynn Kelly's work in the future!
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
May 29, 2016
Sadly this book didn't work out for me. But I may just be hitting a reading slump, so take my review with a grain of salt. I will lay out what worked and what didn't... and the things that didn't work for me might be what you like. Goodness knows I am not the end-all be-all of reviewers, and there are many that loved this book on Goodreads. I will commend Brynn Kelly on this debut novel at least, for I know it was no easy feat. While the execution didn't work for me, she has put together a great premise and I love the hero's background in the French Foreign Legion. I am also curious about the hero's friend and teammate from the FFL (Flynn I think his name was), and if he gets his own book, I will give Ms. Kelly another shot.
The heroine in this book is a down-on-her luck con artist who has spent the bulk of her 20s in prison for robbing banks. Holly Ryan let love blind her to the faults of her boyfriend, Jasper, who set her up to take the fall while he reaped the rewards of their criminal enterprise. Shortly after Holly is released from her imprisonment with nothing to her name, she is plucked from parole by a presidential candidate and hired to play a body double for his daughter who has announced she will sail around the world alone. All seems to be going well for Holly until several months into her sailing trip she is kidnapped by masked men who believe she is the senator's daughter, Laura.
Our hero, Rafe Angelito, was quite the nice specimen. Dark, tortured, broody and kickass... some of my favorite things in a hero. Orphaned after an attack on his village, Rafe is forced to become part of a gang known as the Lost Boys. Forced to do horrendous things from only nine years old have understandingly had a lingering effect on Rafe, despite his being rescued and rehabilitated by a humanitarian organization in his teenage years. Now a widowed single parent, and believing he cannot feel emotion, Rafe has left his son with his mother-in-law and takes off on long and dangerous missions with the French Foreign Legion. As I stated above, I liked this aspect and it was unique to me as I don't think I have encountered another hero in the Foreign Legion. When Rafe's son is kidnapped by the Lost Boys, his only option to see his son safely returned is to kidnap a senator's daughter from the high seas and hold her until the ransom is paid.
The suspense parts of this book did work for me, particularly the earlier action sequences when Laura/Holly was kidnapped and again when they encounter pirates on their island. As long as things were fast-paced and moving the story along at a good clip, I was content. What didn't work for me was everything between the action sequences. I didn't feel connected to either character or buy into their romance. Those in-between times made the story drag for me and it felt like there was nothing happening. I thought the latter part of the book would pick up when they got off the island, but I was disappointed and often found myself impatient and yelling at the characters to "stop jawing already and get on with it!" I can't say with certainty if the problem was with the story itself, or my mood at the time I was reading... but I just felt grumpy and annoyed by the end and I started skimming a lot.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Harlequin/HQN via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 2 stars / 2 flames. Full review posted at Bambi Unbridled.
The heroine in this book is a down-on-her luck con artist who has spent the bulk of her 20s in prison for robbing banks. Holly Ryan let love blind her to the faults of her boyfriend, Jasper, who set her up to take the fall while he reaped the rewards of their criminal enterprise. Shortly after Holly is released from her imprisonment with nothing to her name, she is plucked from parole by a presidential candidate and hired to play a body double for his daughter who has announced she will sail around the world alone. All seems to be going well for Holly until several months into her sailing trip she is kidnapped by masked men who believe she is the senator's daughter, Laura.
Our hero, Rafe Angelito, was quite the nice specimen. Dark, tortured, broody and kickass... some of my favorite things in a hero. Orphaned after an attack on his village, Rafe is forced to become part of a gang known as the Lost Boys. Forced to do horrendous things from only nine years old have understandingly had a lingering effect on Rafe, despite his being rescued and rehabilitated by a humanitarian organization in his teenage years. Now a widowed single parent, and believing he cannot feel emotion, Rafe has left his son with his mother-in-law and takes off on long and dangerous missions with the French Foreign Legion. As I stated above, I liked this aspect and it was unique to me as I don't think I have encountered another hero in the Foreign Legion. When Rafe's son is kidnapped by the Lost Boys, his only option to see his son safely returned is to kidnap a senator's daughter from the high seas and hold her until the ransom is paid.
The suspense parts of this book did work for me, particularly the earlier action sequences when Laura/Holly was kidnapped and again when they encounter pirates on their island. As long as things were fast-paced and moving the story along at a good clip, I was content. What didn't work for me was everything between the action sequences. I didn't feel connected to either character or buy into their romance. Those in-between times made the story drag for me and it felt like there was nothing happening. I thought the latter part of the book would pick up when they got off the island, but I was disappointed and often found myself impatient and yelling at the characters to "stop jawing already and get on with it!" I can't say with certainty if the problem was with the story itself, or my mood at the time I was reading... but I just felt grumpy and annoyed by the end and I started skimming a lot.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Harlequin/HQN via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 2 stars / 2 flames. Full review posted at Bambi Unbridled.
June 1, 2016
Review
Holly is just out of prison when she gets her real ticket to freedom playing body double for a well-known politicians daughter while on a yacht traveling the seas. Things get complicated when she is abducted. Rafe's son is kidnapped and the only way to get him back is to do a little kidnapping of his own. He is tasked with abducting a well known American politician's daughter. Unfortunately for him, he gets Holly the imposter and not the real thing. As the two spend time together on a remote island Holly finds herself drawn to Rafe. Can the two both find a way out and keep everything they want and need - Holly her freedom and Rafe his son - while keeping each other?
There was a lot about Deception Island I enjoyed. First was the setting. They are on this amazingly beautiful remote island. It sounds amazing except for the snakes and spiders they always talk about. Second was the action and suspense. This story started off with a bang and really kept it going most of the story. It was definitely a page turner towards the end with me needing to know how everything fit together and how it would all resolve itself. The characters of Holly and Rafe definitely were two I liked a lot. Holly was pretty kick ass. She had a rough time growing up and clearly got mixed up in some bad things landing her in prison but she was scrappy and loyal when it came down to it. Rafe was the reformed bad (and I mean really bad) boy with a heart of gold. With the love of his son pushing him forward he would do anything to get him back. I loved when we got these two getting to know each other, bond and really understand their motivations. Plus these two had good chemistry and things got a little steamy on the island at certain point.
My only real issue was even with all the action in the beginning it took me a while to really get into it and become invested. I really needed to get to know Rafe and Holly for that to happen which was a little bit into the book. Also at the end there was a LOT going on and it was a bit much I thought and a little hard for me to take it all in and follow it. Still neither of these was something major that it took too much away from my enjoyment.
If you like romantic suspense heavy on action with great complex characters this would be one to pick up!
This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
Holly is just out of prison when she gets her real ticket to freedom playing body double for a well-known politicians daughter while on a yacht traveling the seas. Things get complicated when she is abducted. Rafe's son is kidnapped and the only way to get him back is to do a little kidnapping of his own. He is tasked with abducting a well known American politician's daughter. Unfortunately for him, he gets Holly the imposter and not the real thing. As the two spend time together on a remote island Holly finds herself drawn to Rafe. Can the two both find a way out and keep everything they want and need - Holly her freedom and Rafe his son - while keeping each other?
There was a lot about Deception Island I enjoyed. First was the setting. They are on this amazingly beautiful remote island. It sounds amazing except for the snakes and spiders they always talk about. Second was the action and suspense. This story started off with a bang and really kept it going most of the story. It was definitely a page turner towards the end with me needing to know how everything fit together and how it would all resolve itself. The characters of Holly and Rafe definitely were two I liked a lot. Holly was pretty kick ass. She had a rough time growing up and clearly got mixed up in some bad things landing her in prison but she was scrappy and loyal when it came down to it. Rafe was the reformed bad (and I mean really bad) boy with a heart of gold. With the love of his son pushing him forward he would do anything to get him back. I loved when we got these two getting to know each other, bond and really understand their motivations. Plus these two had good chemistry and things got a little steamy on the island at certain point.
My only real issue was even with all the action in the beginning it took me a while to really get into it and become invested. I really needed to get to know Rafe and Holly for that to happen which was a little bit into the book. Also at the end there was a LOT going on and it was a bit much I thought and a little hard for me to take it all in and follow it. Still neither of these was something major that it took too much away from my enjoyment.
If you like romantic suspense heavy on action with great complex characters this would be one to pick up!
This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
May 17, 2016
Two lost souls, fighting for a chance to survive, in the midst of fast paced, brutal action and heart-stopping suspense.
I am still gasping for a breath. What an amazing suspense story, filled with gruesome, cruel action, close combat, kidnappings, human trafficking, destinies that make you want to cry out loud, with the heartbreaking doom. The twist in the plot kept coming, the events escalating, the mistakes made by characters having disastrous consequences.
Everything in the story is moving fast, also the attraction between Holly and Rafe. The lies they tell to each other, to survive the situation, starts to unveil, and a fragile trust is formed in-between them. But to survive, they have to keep a clear head, and the fighting mode, or everything is lost.
I loved the characters, they had survived, so far, the unthinkable, both of them. But they had not only survived, but soared to a new level, fought away from their past, and made a better chance with the future for themselves. Now everything was in peril. Yes, the feelings between them develop fast, it is fiery, and passionate as they come together, the danger around them fueling them on.
The beautiful tropical scenery around them captured my mind, and lulled me into a false security of the peaceful, yet ardent, moments between Rafe and Holly.
There were moments, especially with young Theo, that broke my heart, and I felt like I was right there, facing the unthinkable actions, they were forced to perform.
I fell in love with the story, with the characters, the rapid action, got emotionally involved with the story, and prayed for hope, for a brighter future for all of them. What a whirlwind experience this story is, one not to be missed by any romantic suspense fans!
~ Five Spoons!
I am still gasping for a breath. What an amazing suspense story, filled with gruesome, cruel action, close combat, kidnappings, human trafficking, destinies that make you want to cry out loud, with the heartbreaking doom. The twist in the plot kept coming, the events escalating, the mistakes made by characters having disastrous consequences.
Everything in the story is moving fast, also the attraction between Holly and Rafe. The lies they tell to each other, to survive the situation, starts to unveil, and a fragile trust is formed in-between them. But to survive, they have to keep a clear head, and the fighting mode, or everything is lost.
I loved the characters, they had survived, so far, the unthinkable, both of them. But they had not only survived, but soared to a new level, fought away from their past, and made a better chance with the future for themselves. Now everything was in peril. Yes, the feelings between them develop fast, it is fiery, and passionate as they come together, the danger around them fueling them on.
The beautiful tropical scenery around them captured my mind, and lulled me into a false security of the peaceful, yet ardent, moments between Rafe and Holly.
There were moments, especially with young Theo, that broke my heart, and I felt like I was right there, facing the unthinkable actions, they were forced to perform.
I fell in love with the story, with the characters, the rapid action, got emotionally involved with the story, and prayed for hope, for a brighter future for all of them. What a whirlwind experience this story is, one not to be missed by any romantic suspense fans!
~ Five Spoons!
June 2, 2016
Buckle up for one heck of a ride with debut author, Brynn Kelly's Deception Island. This story had it all. Action, adventure, thrills, twists and turns, a haunted hero and a tough as nails heroine. I loved how this author jumped right into the action and it rarely slowed down. Just long enough at times to have a bit of sexual chemistry between the main characters. The wit and traded barbs between these two was entertaining and hot as anything. The heat between them was electric. Although how she squeezed that into the almost non-stop action and danger, is beyond me. It totally worked though and had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put this book down. She doesn't pull any punches or water stuff down, though, so if you're squeamish with violence and human atrocities you might want to skip it. For those of stronger stuff, I'd highly recommend. And hope she has something else coming out soon.
June 22, 2016
Deception Island by Brynn Kelly
HQN Books
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: May 31, 2016
Rate: 4.5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of Deception Island at BEA in my blogger bag. This has in no way affected my review and was given for an honest review.
I really enjoyed Deception Island it has Action, Romance, and Suspense, all the things you could want from a nail biting read!!! The cover alone had me excited for this book. The action starts from the first chapter and doesn’t stop until the last page. So many things to fight against, criminals, sharks, snakes, spiders, pirates, and your own instincts. This book has it all. We get rotating POV’s from Rafe and Holly.
FULL REVIEW GO TO: https://takemeawaytoagreatread.com/20...
HQN Books
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Release Date: May 31, 2016
Rate: 4.5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of Deception Island at BEA in my blogger bag. This has in no way affected my review and was given for an honest review.
I really enjoyed Deception Island it has Action, Romance, and Suspense, all the things you could want from a nail biting read!!! The cover alone had me excited for this book. The action starts from the first chapter and doesn’t stop until the last page. So many things to fight against, criminals, sharks, snakes, spiders, pirates, and your own instincts. This book has it all. We get rotating POV’s from Rafe and Holly.
FULL REVIEW GO TO: https://takemeawaytoagreatread.com/20...
June 3, 2016
Fast paced romantic suspense - a good beach read. Here is a link to my review:
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
Read
February 14, 2017DNF'ed around 40%. Despite there being some over-the-top elements to the plot and set-up, I was rolling along just fine with this book until the heroine's Big Secret was exposed. That would be when our "hero" finds out that she's not the Senator's daughter. Since his 9-year-old son is being held hostage in order to the force the hero to kidnap the heroine and The Bad Man who has his son is a guy the hero was a child soldier with - well, he's understandably freaked out. He snaps and CHOKES THE HEROINE! Yes, he chokes her. And the only reason he stops choking her is because she "plays dead" and that snaps him out of it and he's all like "what have I done?" Then they have this heart-to-heart and she's all like, I want to help you find your kid and he's all like, "this isn't your problem and I almost killed you" and she says - get this - "But you didn't. I don't believe you're capable of it."
HE JUST TRIED TO CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU AND THE ONLY REASON HE STOPPED IS BECAUSE YOU PLAYED DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If that doesn't scream "capable of it" I'm not sure what would!
I don't want to read a romance about these people. The hero is obviously mentally and emotionally unstable (yes, he was a child soldier and that's horrific but this is a romance novel and I don't care how crappy your life is YOU DON'T ALMOST CHOKE THE HEROINE TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) And the heroine is supposedly a reformed con woman and spent time in prison and yet she has so little self-preservation that she's falling for a guy who ALMOST CHOKED HER TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No. Just no. A bazillion times no. Never, ever again.
HE JUST TRIED TO CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU AND THE ONLY REASON HE STOPPED IS BECAUSE YOU PLAYED DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If that doesn't scream "capable of it" I'm not sure what would!
I don't want to read a romance about these people. The hero is obviously mentally and emotionally unstable (yes, he was a child soldier and that's horrific but this is a romance novel and I don't care how crappy your life is YOU DON'T ALMOST CHOKE THE HEROINE TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) And the heroine is supposedly a reformed con woman and spent time in prison and yet she has so little self-preservation that she's falling for a guy who ALMOST CHOKED HER TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No. Just no. A bazillion times no. Never, ever again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2016
Deception Island is a book that had me glued to the pages as I followed the thrilling story of a kidnapper and his victim. All isn’t what it seems from the get go with these characters, and the tension is high from the start. This one was a page turner that I read in one day on a flight to Hawaii! While this story isn’t light and fluffy romance, it’s a thrilling, dark and intense, often dangerous glimpse at survival at all costs.
Holly Ryan is sailing around the world on an expensive yacht, documenting the experience she’s been paid to perform in place of a United States senator’s daughter. Posing as Laura Hyland while sailing in the more dangerous parts of the world while the real Laura lives a life of luxury outside of public view on another luxury yacht between public appearances, Holly is enjoying her newfound freedom and new lease on life post prison—until three pirates board the yacht with the intentions of kidnapping her to demand a three million dollar ransom from the senator. If only she can keep up the ruse that she’s the senator’s daughter, but for how long?
Rafe Angelito’s life hasn’t been an easy one, especially since he was orphaned and forced to join a militia at the tender age of nine. He’d thought that he had put that part of his life behind him—until his own son is held hostage while his former militia demands that he kidnap the American heiress and hold her on an isolated tropical island until the ransom money is paid. Rafe abruptly takes a leave of absence from his French Foreign Legion post to do this one thing—and things go wrong as soon as he steps foot on the yacht with his two cohorts who don’t make it out of there alive.
Both Holly and Rafe are so layered and complex. I really liked how it took quite a while to get to know all about them, and their lives and pasts were revealed throughout the different parts of the book. Both of them know that the other isn’t what they seem to be right off the bat, and as they try to figure each other out and survive, the romantic tension skyrockets. The will-they-won’t-they isn’t overly played out here, and I definitely enjoyed their relationship as it developed throughout the book.
I give Deception Island a five out of five. With gorgeous settings and descriptions, these complex characters really come to life on the page as they struggle to survive—all while finding their way around each other. The suspense, danger, adventure, and thrills are abundant in Deception Island while the pacing flows nicely. Covering topics of human trafficking, kidnapping, international pirating, and abuse, serious topics were integrated into the story without being heavy-handed or sticking out.
(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Book received for free in exchange for honest review for book tour.)
Holly Ryan is sailing around the world on an expensive yacht, documenting the experience she’s been paid to perform in place of a United States senator’s daughter. Posing as Laura Hyland while sailing in the more dangerous parts of the world while the real Laura lives a life of luxury outside of public view on another luxury yacht between public appearances, Holly is enjoying her newfound freedom and new lease on life post prison—until three pirates board the yacht with the intentions of kidnapping her to demand a three million dollar ransom from the senator. If only she can keep up the ruse that she’s the senator’s daughter, but for how long?
Rafe Angelito’s life hasn’t been an easy one, especially since he was orphaned and forced to join a militia at the tender age of nine. He’d thought that he had put that part of his life behind him—until his own son is held hostage while his former militia demands that he kidnap the American heiress and hold her on an isolated tropical island until the ransom money is paid. Rafe abruptly takes a leave of absence from his French Foreign Legion post to do this one thing—and things go wrong as soon as he steps foot on the yacht with his two cohorts who don’t make it out of there alive.
Both Holly and Rafe are so layered and complex. I really liked how it took quite a while to get to know all about them, and their lives and pasts were revealed throughout the different parts of the book. Both of them know that the other isn’t what they seem to be right off the bat, and as they try to figure each other out and survive, the romantic tension skyrockets. The will-they-won’t-they isn’t overly played out here, and I definitely enjoyed their relationship as it developed throughout the book.
I give Deception Island a five out of five. With gorgeous settings and descriptions, these complex characters really come to life on the page as they struggle to survive—all while finding their way around each other. The suspense, danger, adventure, and thrills are abundant in Deception Island while the pacing flows nicely. Covering topics of human trafficking, kidnapping, international pirating, and abuse, serious topics were integrated into the story without being heavy-handed or sticking out.
(Also on Bewitched Bookworms. Book received for free in exchange for honest review for book tour.)
April 12, 2017
2.5 out of 5 stars
*I was given this book by the publisher through BookTube Tours in exchange for an honest review*
Video review: https://youtu.be/6yYI553vswg
Win a copy of Deception Island: http://bit.ly/1WAiaam
Deception Island follows Rafe Angelito, a soldier whose son has been kidnapped. In order to save his son he must kidnap the Senator's daughter, Laura Hyland. After successfully kidnapping her, he takes her to a deserted island and that's where the story starts. However, who he thinks is Laura Hyland is actually Holly Ryan, an ex-con woman. From there, craziness and romance ensues.
This book just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I didn't feel any attachment to the characters and it was quite slow in my opinion. Please respect my opinions, and I am in NO WAY meaning to say that this was a bad book, it just didn't work for me personally!
Characters
For most of the book we only see the two lead characters Holly and Rafe, so I'll only talk about them here.
Holly - I didn't feel any attachment to Holly or her story really. She also seemed a bit stupid at times and she made really silly decisions.
Rafe - again, I didn't feel any attachment to him, but i did want to see him get his son back.
Also, there didn't seem to be a true romantic connection between them, it seemed very forced to me. As well as that, it was a major case of instalove.
Plot
The first third of the book was exciting, because it involved the kidnapping and a fricking shark attack! As well as that, it wasn't ENTIRELY about the sexual tension, which is what I was expecting. However, I did find the pacing to be a bit weird, because it seemed to be split into distinct sections. There was the kidnapping, then the stuff on the island and then a completely different plot point for the last third of the book, which I won't go into because of spoilers. As well as that, the ending was way too convenient in my opinion, and the time frame was unrealistic, as the book only spanned 3 days, but seemed much longer than that.
Writing
I found the writing to be really cheesy. As well as that, there was random French thrown in throughout, which was then translated into English, as Rafe is French, but I found that this took me out of the story quite a bit because it was so random. Finally, I felt like the 10-PAGE sex scene was really awkward, it's probably just me, but it just didn't seem to be written in a way that flowed, and it wasn't sexy at all to me.
*I was given this book by the publisher through BookTube Tours in exchange for an honest review*
Video review: https://youtu.be/6yYI553vswg
Win a copy of Deception Island: http://bit.ly/1WAiaam
Deception Island follows Rafe Angelito, a soldier whose son has been kidnapped. In order to save his son he must kidnap the Senator's daughter, Laura Hyland. After successfully kidnapping her, he takes her to a deserted island and that's where the story starts. However, who he thinks is Laura Hyland is actually Holly Ryan, an ex-con woman. From there, craziness and romance ensues.
This book just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I didn't feel any attachment to the characters and it was quite slow in my opinion. Please respect my opinions, and I am in NO WAY meaning to say that this was a bad book, it just didn't work for me personally!
Characters
For most of the book we only see the two lead characters Holly and Rafe, so I'll only talk about them here.
Holly - I didn't feel any attachment to Holly or her story really. She also seemed a bit stupid at times and she made really silly decisions.
Rafe - again, I didn't feel any attachment to him, but i did want to see him get his son back.
Also, there didn't seem to be a true romantic connection between them, it seemed very forced to me. As well as that, it was a major case of instalove.
Plot
The first third of the book was exciting, because it involved the kidnapping and a fricking shark attack! As well as that, it wasn't ENTIRELY about the sexual tension, which is what I was expecting. However, I did find the pacing to be a bit weird, because it seemed to be split into distinct sections. There was the kidnapping, then the stuff on the island and then a completely different plot point for the last third of the book, which I won't go into because of spoilers. As well as that, the ending was way too convenient in my opinion, and the time frame was unrealistic, as the book only spanned 3 days, but seemed much longer than that.
Writing
I found the writing to be really cheesy. As well as that, there was random French thrown in throughout, which was then translated into English, as Rafe is French, but I found that this took me out of the story quite a bit because it was so random. Finally, I felt like the 10-PAGE sex scene was really awkward, it's probably just me, but it just didn't seem to be written in a way that flowed, and it wasn't sexy at all to me.
May 15, 2016
Splendid debut novel by Brynn Kelly. Before I get into how much I loved this book I would like to thank. NetGalley and the author and publisher for my copy for an honest review.
WOW Amazing read. I am a big fan of suspenseful romance novels and this one does not disappoint at all. Rafe and Holly are the hero and the heroine in this story and I love them. Both damaged souls with a dark past that brings them together. The plot of the story is different than most might be use to but its really a heart pumping fast read .
When The Lost Boys kidnap Rafe Angelito's son, his fury and fear know no bounds. In exchange for his son, the former Lost Boy must kidnap Laura Hyland, daughter of a US Senator, for them. Holly Ryan made a bargain with Laura's father after she got out of prison--pose as socialite Laura. Holly is horrified when her yacht is boarded by pirates and she's taken hostage, but not before making sure two of the three captors are dead. Now it's just her and pirate "Jack," who she sure as shit shouldn't think is sexy.
His captive is NOT what Rafe expected from a pampered socialite, and he can't help but admire her wit, athleticism, cool head, and if he's honest, her looks are no hardship either. Soon, they find themselves having to work together to fend off the real pirates, giant soul killing insects and eventually the very bastards that have Rafe's son.
I don’t want to give away the story I will just say I loved it! 5 stars all the way.
WOW Amazing read. I am a big fan of suspenseful romance novels and this one does not disappoint at all. Rafe and Holly are the hero and the heroine in this story and I love them. Both damaged souls with a dark past that brings them together. The plot of the story is different than most might be use to but its really a heart pumping fast read .
When The Lost Boys kidnap Rafe Angelito's son, his fury and fear know no bounds. In exchange for his son, the former Lost Boy must kidnap Laura Hyland, daughter of a US Senator, for them. Holly Ryan made a bargain with Laura's father after she got out of prison--pose as socialite Laura. Holly is horrified when her yacht is boarded by pirates and she's taken hostage, but not before making sure two of the three captors are dead. Now it's just her and pirate "Jack," who she sure as shit shouldn't think is sexy.
His captive is NOT what Rafe expected from a pampered socialite, and he can't help but admire her wit, athleticism, cool head, and if he's honest, her looks are no hardship either. Soon, they find themselves having to work together to fend off the real pirates, giant soul killing insects and eventually the very bastards that have Rafe's son.
I don’t want to give away the story I will just say I loved it! 5 stars all the way.
April 17, 2016
Actual Rating 4.5 Stars
Kelly’s debut is an impressive emotionally intense, pulse-pounding page-turner. Set in a stunning array of exotic locales her matter of fact, school of hard knocks dialogue is the perfect choice to bring readers her timely tale of sea pirates and human trafficking. Her characters run the gamut from innocent to irredeemable including her complicated and damaged stars. The climactic finish, the sexy French phrases and her couple’s courage make this an unforgettable premier.
To save his son, who’s been abducted by a former friend turned criminal fiend, Rafe Angelito is forced to go against his French Foreign Legion code and revert back to his dark child-soldier past, kidnap an American heiress and hold her for ransom. The first thing he learns is that this US princess has claws.
After six years in prison Holly Ryan accepts the ruse to pose as a US Senator’s daughter on a Pacific Island solo sailing journey. Just as she’s enjoying the wide-open spaces, she’s grabbed by pirates. Now she’s got to keep the hoax going hoping it will save her life.
Alone on a deserted island Rafe and Holly fight to keep their secrets while fighting each other, their mutual attraction and outside forces too. Relying on well-honed defenses may not be enough to keep them mentally and physically safe.
Kelly’s debut is an impressive emotionally intense, pulse-pounding page-turner. Set in a stunning array of exotic locales her matter of fact, school of hard knocks dialogue is the perfect choice to bring readers her timely tale of sea pirates and human trafficking. Her characters run the gamut from innocent to irredeemable including her complicated and damaged stars. The climactic finish, the sexy French phrases and her couple’s courage make this an unforgettable premier.
To save his son, who’s been abducted by a former friend turned criminal fiend, Rafe Angelito is forced to go against his French Foreign Legion code and revert back to his dark child-soldier past, kidnap an American heiress and hold her for ransom. The first thing he learns is that this US princess has claws.
After six years in prison Holly Ryan accepts the ruse to pose as a US Senator’s daughter on a Pacific Island solo sailing journey. Just as she’s enjoying the wide-open spaces, she’s grabbed by pirates. Now she’s got to keep the hoax going hoping it will save her life.
Alone on a deserted island Rafe and Holly fight to keep their secrets while fighting each other, their mutual attraction and outside forces too. Relying on well-honed defenses may not be enough to keep them mentally and physically safe.
May 15, 2016
Deception Island promised to be an action packed romantic suspense. I was looking forward to reading this one because I was in the mood for some great action. In the end it was just OK for me. Holly is posing as a body double on a yacht that has been at sea for months. She is mistakenly kidnapped by Rafe because he thinks she is the debutante she has been playing for months. He son has been taken hostage and his only recourse is to give in to blackmail and kidnap Holly.
I thought the book opened up really strong. There was action right from the start and I was quickly sucked in. The shark scene gave me chills. I enjoyed the book for the intrigue and action. I thought those were written really well. What I had a hard time buying into was the romance. I just didn't see that attraction between Rafe and Holly other than being told it was there. I also had issue with one scene in which Rafe almost strangles her to death, but then in the next scene Holly is OK with it because he is just troubled and she understands. That did not sit well with me and kind of ruined the rest of the book.
I think this was a good first debut. The author has a really good handle on writing action scenes. I think I would have enjoyed it more had there been no romance.
I thought the book opened up really strong. There was action right from the start and I was quickly sucked in. The shark scene gave me chills. I enjoyed the book for the intrigue and action. I thought those were written really well. What I had a hard time buying into was the romance. I just didn't see that attraction between Rafe and Holly other than being told it was there. I also had issue with one scene in which Rafe almost strangles her to death, but then in the next scene Holly is OK with it because he is just troubled and she understands. That did not sit well with me and kind of ruined the rest of the book.
I think this was a good first debut. The author has a really good handle on writing action scenes. I think I would have enjoyed it more had there been no romance.
September 27, 2016
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
What. A. Ride. Deception Island held me in its clutches from the very start. From the ambitious storyline to the well-crafted characters, this debut novel speaks of a promising future in fiction for author Brynn Kelly.
“This. It kind of works, right? We work, somehow.”
He nodded, an unfamiliar feeling drying his throat. “I don’t want to hurt you. And I would, eventually. Two wounded souls will only wound each other deeper.”
Deception Island was a truly gripping tale where the action started immediately. I’m talking, from page one! There were modern day pirates, sharks, spiders and snakes, parachuting, hand-to-hand combat and much more. But through all of the exciting fight scenes and the romance, what really stood out to me was the overall sense of humanity in the story.
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What. A. Ride. Deception Island held me in its clutches from the very start. From the ambitious storyline to the well-crafted characters, this debut novel speaks of a promising future in fiction for author Brynn Kelly.
“This. It kind of works, right? We work, somehow.”
He nodded, an unfamiliar feeling drying his throat. “I don’t want to hurt you. And I would, eventually. Two wounded souls will only wound each other deeper.”
Deception Island was a truly gripping tale where the action started immediately. I’m talking, from page one! There were modern day pirates, sharks, spiders and snakes, parachuting, hand-to-hand combat and much more. But through all of the exciting fight scenes and the romance, what really stood out to me was the overall sense of humanity in the story.
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June 1, 2016
4.5 stars
Deception Island is a wild ride! If you like a lot of suspense with a side of romance, this is for you.
This story is packed with action and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I’m usually pretty good and predicting outcomes and the paths the characters take to get there but Deception Island had me second-guessing myself throughout. There was a lot of butt-kicking and Holly, the female lead, has some serious courage and tenacity. Add in a moderate amount of slow-burning romance between two damaged souls and this story is an intense blend of anxiety and passion.
If you enjoy well-plotted, action-packed romantic suspense stories, pick this up! I’m already anxious to dive back in and relive it all.
Deception Island is a wild ride! If you like a lot of suspense with a side of romance, this is for you.
This story is packed with action and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I’m usually pretty good and predicting outcomes and the paths the characters take to get there but Deception Island had me second-guessing myself throughout. There was a lot of butt-kicking and Holly, the female lead, has some serious courage and tenacity. Add in a moderate amount of slow-burning romance between two damaged souls and this story is an intense blend of anxiety and passion.
If you enjoy well-plotted, action-packed romantic suspense stories, pick this up! I’m already anxious to dive back in and relive it all.
May 8, 2016
Loved the theme of the lost boys,Seeing what made Rafe tick was a great journey,Gabriels story was so sad I wanted him to change and be more human.Holly and rafe made such a good couple and I was so happy they ended up together but what a journey to get there.I received this book free as part of goodreads giveaways.I will look for more work by this author.
April 26, 2016
Incredible debut novel! Bryan Kelly's thriller bursts with action-packed adventure. The characters are well-developed and larger than life. The tension between Rafer and Holly sizzles. I love finding a new author to follow.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
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