352 pages
Melissa Koslin
Revell, 2022
Amazon Description: 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?
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This book was provided to me for review by Revell Reads. All opinions are my own.
Wow, I loved this book! Marriage of convenience stories are catnip for me, and I absolutely could not put this one down because I had to know what happened next as Liliana and Meric got to know each other. One thing that I really liked about this story is that we quickly realize that even though Meric rescued Liliana, he has trauma from his own past that she can help him with too. I loved that they were patient with each other, mostly managing to be kind even when angry or frustrated. It was clear that both of them were interested in what was best for the other even if they didn’t understand exactly what they needed.
I do have to give a trigger warning here. The main plot points in this book revolve around human trafficking and sexual abuse, so if this is something you are extra sensitive to, read some reviews before you jump in. I thought this element was handled in an unflinching but sensitive, non-graphic way, but you know you best.
If you like a clean romance with that digs into deeper topics, then Dangerous Beauty is good fit for you. Liliana is definitely not a victim in this story. She is a strong character with integrity and a kind heart. Meric is fantastic hero because he isn’t too perfect. Even though he clearly wants the best for Liliana, he also messes up a few things, which made their relationship seem more real.
I reviewed Melissa Koslin’s debut novel Never Miss last year, and I have to say, I liked Dangerous Beauty even better.