3 out of 4 stars
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Escape by Belle Ami is a love story wrapped in the intrigue of a spy novel. The writer quickly brings the characters into a crisis. The crisis produces the need for the title of the book.
Layla is a brilliant Harvard student who, controlled by her emotion, agrees to a getaway with a Saudi prince in Dubai. Her father objects, of course. But she goes anyway. As soon as she arrives, she is kidnapped, and the prince abandons her. Cyrus is a spy who is instructed to engineer an escape for Layla, and the story unfolds in that harrowing adventure. The writer treats the reader to all the intrigues of a spy thriller set in a Middle East context.
The story is full of emotional actions guided by instincts, love, hate, drama, and surprise. It is full of feeling that powerfully controls the narrative. The language of passion and love permeates the writing and action. It is a genuine love story. The author asks the reader the question that the novel addresses: “Can a spy and a student find love?” (p. 7)
I like the way the author develops the main characters, Layla and Cyrus, into people passionately in love as well as in danger. I like the adventures and the way the issues arise in the story. I like the style of writing that keeps the reader emotionally involved throughout. Something I did not like was the numerous sex scenes in the novel. They were very detailed and frequent. There is enough real-world information in the plot to balance the emotional tone of the story.
Travel descriptions are vivid complete with the morning fog and the dust of travel. The main characters are supported by an array of minor characters who serve as adversaries and friends. Kayla is a beautiful girl who is naïve and who has dubious friends. Cyrus is a handsome man with personal issues that plague him in life. He has dangerous enemies as well as powerful friends. Subplots show the reader the way spies have to operate and the dangers involved. The narrative glues the story into a coherent whole. The dialogue serves to not only to demonstrate the controlling emotions but to increase the drama. The author uses an intimate tone throughout the book. The pace is as rapid as one would expect in a thriller. The title of the book is well chosen.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend the book to romance lovers who want to see a heroine rescued by a hero. There is more than romance and international intrigue in this compelling tale. The reader will find thoughtful comments to ponder throughout the novel.
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Escape
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