Tag: Melissa Koslin

There’s a way I can keep you here. But you’d have to trust me. You’d have to marry me.

Book Review | Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin

After Liliana Vela’s family is murdered and she is trafficked from Mexico to Texas, she escapes at the first opportunity and is rescued by the mysterious Meric Toledan. Meric then offers a marriage of convenience as a way of keeping her safe, so she doesn’t have to return to Mexico where she fears she’d just be kidnapped and trafficked again.

(I’m fairly sure that it takes more than marriage to a stranger to be allowed to stay in the USA, but we’ll let that minor detail pass. The “billionaire marrying a stranger” did remind me of Streiker’s Bride by Robin Hardy, if you’ve been reading Christian fiction long enough to remember that one.)

I initially hesitated to request Dangerous Beauty for review because the topic was human trafficking. I read for entertainment, and there’s nothing entertaining about forcing women into sexual slavery.

But after reading Melissa Koslin’s debut novel, Never Miss, I decided to give Dangerous Beauty a chance and I’m glad I did. While trafficking provides the main tension in the plot, there is nothing explicit about trafficking (although there are a couple of well-written fight sequences).

Liliana is an excellent character.

She’s strong, intelligent, and determined. She’s also brave – she’s not afraid to trust Meric, to leave the apartment, to learn new things, even when that will potentially put her at risk.

Meric is more of a mystery, one that is uncovered slowly as the novel progresses. It’s obvious he’s hiding something from Liliana, but it’s also clear that she trusts him. It’s a credit to Koslin’s writing that she convinces me that because Liliana trusts Meric, I should as well.

The story is fast-paced to the point where I didn’t stop to ponder the logic or possibility of plot points like the marriage of convenience or even Liliana’s feelings towards Meric. It swept me along to the inevitable yet satisfying conclusion that answered all my questions, including one I hadn’t even realised I had.

Recommended for romantic suspense fans who enjoy authors such as Dee Henderson and Dani Pettrey.

Thanks to Revell Books and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

About Melissa Koslin

Melissa KoslinMelissa Koslin is a fourth-degree black belt in and certified instructor of Songahm Taekwondo. In her day job as a commercial property manager, she secretly notes personal quirks and funny situations, ready to tweak them into colorful additions for her books. The author of Never Miss, Melissa lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her husband, Corey.

Find Melissa Koslin online at:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

About Dangerous Beauty

Liliana Vela hates the term victim. She’s not a victim, she’s a fighter. Stubborn and strong with a quiet elegance, she’s determined to take back her life after escaping the clutches of human traffickers in her poor Mexican village. But she can’t stay safely over the border in America–unless the man who aided in her rescue is serious about his unconventional proposal to marry her.

Meric Toledan was just stopping at a service station for a bottle of water. Assessing the situation, he steps in to rescue Liliana from traffickers. If he can keep his secrets at bay, his wealth and position afford him many resources to help her. But the mysterious buyer who funded her capture will not sit idly by while his prize is stolen from him.

Melissa Koslin throws you right into the middle of the action in this high-stakes thriller that poses the question: What is the price of freedom?

Find Dangerous Beauty online at:

Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong

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Do you know any Christian fiction with a cat as a major character?

Bookish Question #238 | Do you know any Christian fiction with a cat as a major character?

I’ve read a lot of Christian fiction with dogs or horses, and some with more unusual pets. Novels will often have cats as pets, but there is only one Christian novel I can think of where I would describe the cat as a major character.

Melissa Koslin’s debut novel, Never Miss, features a Maine Coon cat called Mac who often acts more like a dog. Mac it a big cat and has an attitude to match. Mac and his owner, Kadance, help Lyndon Vaile stay alive long enough to figure out who wants him dead … and why.

I do enjoy a good romantic suspense novel, and Never Miss was a solid debut that has the added advantage of a cat.

What about you? Do you know of any Christian fiction with a cat as a major character?

You can read the introduction to Never Miss below:

First Line Friday

First Line Friday | Week #244 | Never Miss by Melissa Koslin

It’s First Line Friday! That means it’s time to pick up the nearest book and quote the first line. Today I’m sharing from Never Miss, a Christian romantic suspense from debut author Melissa Koslin. Here’s the first line from the Chapter One:

"Sarah Jean Rogers," she muttered. "Elizabeth Jeane Jones." Which ID to use this time?

What’s the book nearest you, and what’s the first line?

 

About Never Miss

Former CIA sniper Kadance Tolle possesses a special set of skills and a rare pedigree. She comes from a family of assassins, and by saving Lyndon Vaile’s life she risks being found by them. Despite the danger, Kadance feels compelled to help Lyndon discover who is after him–and his research that seems to prove that the Ebola virus was manmade and is about to be weaponized.

With shadowy figures pursuing them and a Mastermind watching their every move, Kadance and Lyndon must scramble to stop an impending bioattack at the State of the Union address. But their warnings fall on deaf ears, and it becomes increasingly clear that there’s no one they can trust–except perhaps each other.

Strap in for a breakneck story that will have you up all night, hurtling toward the last page as the clock ticks and time runs out.

You can find Never Miss online at:

Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads | Koorong

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Share your first line in the comments, and happy reading!

Don’t forget to click here to check out my Amazon shop for my top picks in Christian fiction!