Deception Island by Brynn Kelly
Deception Island is the debut novel of the author Brynn Kelly. Published today by HQN books, it is a great addition to the romance/romantic suspense genre, and it also makes for a great beach read.
Rafe Angelito is a guy with a troubled past who is trying to get on the straight path. Until his past catches up to him in the form of his ex-partner Gabriel kidnapping his son to force Rafe to abduct an American heiress called Laura Hyland, the pampered daughter of a rich American senator.
Under great moral constraints, he decides to do the deed, knowing that this is the only way to save his son from a life in captivity or worse. So he takes a couple of hired mercs and kidnaps the rich girl who was sailing around the world on her yacht, but much to his surprise, the girl doesn’t go down without a major fight.
What Rafe doesn’t know is that the girl on the yacht is merely a double for the rich senator’s daughter, who is hired to play her public figure. Holly Ryan knows to hold her own, having grown up quite poor, ending up in trouble and being just out from a 6 year vacation in prison, with this job as a double being her way out of the dark and sad life from before.
After some mishaps and several adventures on the sea, Rafe and Holly end up on a tropical island somewhere around Indonesia, originally used by honeymooners. This is the very island they have to spend their time secluded until Rafe gets word from Gabriel on where to take the girl.
After a few uncomfortable, but spark laden days, the first problems arrive in the form of pirates. And Rafe and Holly have to stay alive evade the pirates for their own good.
We readers knew from the very beginning what was going on. Knew Holly’s background, name and real identity. The author didn’t hold much back from us. However it was still extremely fun to observe Rafe learning the truth about Holly and him dealing with it in his own way. Especially when he right away realized that his chances of getting back his son were diminishing exponentially now.
The story is well crafted with the romantic elements well placed. The two main characters had sparks flying right from the start, develop a real chemistry, which only leads to stronger feelings the longer the story goes on.
Holly is a take no prisoners kind of girl, feisty and full of unspent energy, who wants a better life for herself. Rafe is a guy who lost it all and wants a bit of redemption and good luck on his side. But what both of them want most of all, without even realizing, is each other.
The conclusion brought a nice surprise to light which I didn’t see coming. The author knows to craft the words well, and it’s really not evident that this is her first published novel.
Overall I enjoyed Deception Island and I consider Brynn Kelly as a great and worthy new addition to the line of successful romantic suspense authors.
