From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: Deception Island by Brynn Kelly

Author: Brynn Kelly
Publisher: Harlequin
Date of publication: May 31, 2016

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.

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.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About Brynn Kelly

As 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. Brynn has a journalism degree and has won several prestigious writing and journalism awards, including the Valerie Parv Award and Pacific Hearts Award. Her debut novel Deception Island was a Golden Heart finalist. She’s also a bestselling non-fiction author in her native New Zealand.

Connect with Brynn

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Brynn Kelly’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, May 2nd: Bewitched Bookworms

Wednesday, May 4th: Worth Getting in Bed For

Friday, May 6th: Just Commonly

Monday, May 9th: Read Love Blog

Wednesday, May 11th: A Holland Reads

Thursday, May 12th: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Friday, May 13th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, May 16th: Books and Spoons

Tuesday, May 17th: Books a la Mode – author guest post