The first sentence in the blurb of this book is - The only way out is through the blood!

Let me tell you this was a great book! loved the premise of the book and the characters.

That cover, title, and summary caught my eye right away. Intriguing.



The story follows Rebecca who is going away on holiday. Had a nasty break up with a jerk and is super ready to get away from it all. Can't blame a girl. There she meets Jack who is strange but alluring. Well...that trip turns into a living nightmare. Men take all the vacationers hostage including her. But where is Jack? Jack is missing from the hostages. Who can save them? Who are these men? What do they want?



I was drawn in from page one. It was a quick read, but an intriguing read. I had to know what was going to happen next.



Ugh poor Rebecca...she just wanted to get away from it all and relax....but no. Ugh men.



Jack was interesting. And really interesting when we find out there is more to him.



I wasn't aware of the romance aspect that was going to pop up. I was worried at first, but it didn't bug me. I actually enjoyed it. Not sure if I would follow through if it were me...



There was this random, but not random POV. I quickly read through it and didn't care much for it. It does help the story-ish, but not really. Meh. I want to read more about Rebecca and Jack. Don't care about the others. Heck, I didn't even care much about the other hostages. Yes, I'm cold-hearted I guess ;)



The ending took me by surprise. But at the same time didn't. They had a connection. I hope there is a book 2. I want to see more of their adventures. There is more story and more to learn about them. Maybe I'll care more about that random POV. We'll see.



What to say without giving away spoilers?



It was pretty dark and descriptive in parts, but it worked and it didn't bug me too much. I just feel for Rebecca. Poor girl. Sadly, I bet there is going to be some more dark times in the future if she stays on the path she is staying.



Overall, this was a quick read and it was captivating. I was invested and I want more. Screw the other POVs and other people. More Jack and Rebecca, please. I'll give this 4 stars.

This a confusing book.The plot goes between a current hostage situation and Jack and Rebecca's budding relationship with flashbacks to his past. Jack and Rebecca are fairly well developed and act like actual humans.Their relationship is dysfunctional and kind of off putting but compelling. However the actual writing is hard to get through.All the nicknames,long descriptive passages and the violence aren't handled the best and I would have to reread paragraphs to figure out who was speaking,screaming or thinking.The idea is good but the execution isn't the best.

Once again I must thank NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
The Poet of the title is an accomplished and ruthless hitman, this is the first book in the series, and an engaging well written start. Gripping from the first page descriptive with plenty of graphic violent action. Through flashbacks we learn about how the killer became the man he is today, and also whilst on his latest job meets a woman who will change his life. Action thriller love story page turner a thoroughly entertaining read.
Highly recommended.

THE POET REVIEW

I’m a great supporter of innovative writing being the goal of authors. Often my enthusiasm gets dimmed, however, when too many liberties are taken with grammar and correct writing practices. There are reasons for these principles and Stephanie Jo Harris’s dodge around some of them in “The Poet” left me somewhat cold.

For instance, her attempt at attaching too many descriptive adjectives to a large number of characters in the novel sent me back to creating a players’ list, something I don’t want to do in a pleasure read. So referring to people as Boss man, the man with the shaved head, Mr. Five Dollar, the assassin, Number Six, and similar vague identifiers had me scrambling to keep them all straight.

Many screams emanated from the prose. For some reason, I had difficulty deciphering who was screaming about what and from where. Again, I think the confusion was a product of the author’s style and apparent fondness for screaming. Also, Rebecca’s self-loathing and self-doubt got a little trying as the book sailed along, fitting in annoyingly with the many personal problems that all the characters experienced as the story unfolded.

The story was okay and moved along at a good pace. The prose was spare but seemed clipped. It didn’t take long to read but I didn’t miss it when it ended. I’m getting ready to read the next installment and if it doesn’t improve, it might be my last.

Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES

Thank you to NetGalley, Gatekeeper Press and the author, Stephanie John Harris, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Poet in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought this book provided a good, quick read. It is also the first in what promises to be a good series.

This was pretty good. The writing was a bit clunky and over descriptive at times but the story wasn’t so long as to turn me off. Decent characters, fleshed out enough so dialogue and relationships are believable.

I would have liked more background on the poet. Now that was a character, the flashbacks were chilling! I think in trying to lay enough groundwork to create a credible series the mystery of this one takes a bit of a backseat.

Decent start of a series with characters that have growth potential. Some surprises and a decent wrap up until the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Meryl L. Moss Media Relations for a copy in exchange for a review.

This book has a very good plot, with plenty of action, except for the last part where it gets a little tame. The characters are very interesting, and there is no dead meat.
Especially interesting is Rebecca's thought-process during the action.

This is the beginning of a new series featuring Rebecca Paige and Jack Shelley. Rebecca is the administrator of a psychiatric facility and Jack is a risk accessor.

Taking a much needed vacation, Rebecca stays at a small, isolated resort. On her last day there, she meets Jack, the man staying in the next cabin. It's an instant attraction for both of them.

While Jack is away for an appointment, several men with guns take over the resort, holding everyone hostage.

Who are these men? What do they want? How are they connected to the man next door?

And who is the Poet?

This is a fast action, hang on tight thriller. While not what I would call credible, it was an entertaining read with likable characters.

The Poet is the first installment in the new and captivating The Poet Series that will have readers thinking about the dark and wondering if love, redemption, and forgiveness really do apply to everyone.

POSSIBLE TRIGGERS -- Language, Sexual Assault, Near-Rape, Brutality

Many thanks to the author / Gatekeeper Press /Netgalley for the digital copy of this suspenseful thriller. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.