Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin is a story that delivers in the suspense and romantic drama genres, with moments of action balanced with great depth when an impulsive marriage of convenience (!!!) grows into a situation involving secrets, risk, trust, and emotional healing — with a story twist, of course!

I thought it clever that the reader gets Liliana’s POV mostly at first, letting the mystery of Meric, his unknown business activities, and other secrets uncover slowly along with her learning of each circumstance. The reader will gradually sense his involvement in something bigger and the danger surrounding it. While the subject matter of human trafficking is a sad reality, Koslin handles its portrayal with a balance of sorrow and hopefulness in the form of the people stepping in to stop its cycle.

Liliana is an admirable and smart heroine, and I was instantly in her corner. I appreciate how she grows throughout the story, overcoming much while facing some harrowing truths. Meric hides behind an enigmatic, cold exterior, but underneath is a vulnerable and fiercely protective hero whose own past motivates his work for good. His championing of Liliana and her strengths from the very beginning had me falling for his tortured heart right along with her :).

Fans of Susan May Warren and Dani Pettrey will enjoy Koslin’s captivating writing style — this is the first book of hers I’ve read, but it won’t be the last!

Thank you to Revell Reads for the copy of this novel. This is my honest review.

Emotional:
I enjoyed this Christian romantic suspense story and thought the marriage-of-convenience angle was a novel idea. The author did a good job of tackling all of the complexities tied up with human trafficking without being too explicit. However it was quite a heavy and emotional book to read.
I liked Liliana and Meric as a couple and seeing them both find healing and happiness together. However I would have liked to have seen greater spiritual growth and for faith to have featured more prominently. It was however an emotionally gripping read full of hope and healing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Trafficking is a serious issue, modern slavery is still a mega problem. Therefore it's important to address this issue in novels. But I think this one is going over the top as far as regards Meric. He's a kind of hero that does not exist in real life. That makes the story unbelievable and takes away the awareness for the underlying issue.

Thanks to Revell for the free book.
I have lots of conflicted feelings about this book. I think that the author did a great job of taking this hard topic and wrote it in a way that was approachable but not too graphic. She was able to capture the real problem there is with human trafficking, and I hope this book can bring more awareness to this topic.
But with a topic like this and using the characters to 'heal' each other absolutely did not work for me. There is therapy for a reason - and a good Christian counselor, even, would've helped me like the resolution better. Both of these characters had dealt with extreme trauma, and I just don't buy the whole healing each other. With this being a Christian publisher, I would've even liked to see something about God doing the healing within these characters, but two people who have just going at it alone trying to heal with another broken person didn't seem realistic, so I didn't buy into the romance at all.

I don’t read a lot in the marriage of convenience trope, but I must say, this one is really good! I love when a story grabs me from the beginning.

Dangerous Beauty is a Christian suspense story by a new-to-me author, Melissa Koslin. She creates great characters and settings, is a wonderful storyteller, and I enjoy her writing style.

There are some awful people and circumstances in this story, but Ms. Koslin doesn’t get too graphic. And Liliana is such a strong and spirited character that my mind dwelled more to her resilience than the circumstances. She is easy to connect with and empathize with. Parts are heartbreaking, but overall this leaves you with a feeling of hope.

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.

If you enjoyed redeeming love by Francine rivers you’d love thus book!!! Excellent! Gripping! I couldn’t wait to finish it!

I absolutely loved this novel and I'm struggling to string words together after finishing it. From the very first chapter, Koslin captivated me with the suspense, the characters and her story line centered around human trafficking. As Liliana Vela flees for her life after being trafficked across the border, Koslin had my heart racing. When Meric Toledan steps in to rescue Liliana from her dire situation with a marriage proposal, I was instantly hooked.

I loved the unconventional plan, the blind trust, the dark secrets, the hidden underworld… Koslin masterfully wove this story together creating a desire in me to see it through to the end. Her main characters left nothing to be desired as they were the epitome of multi-layered, diverse and dynamic characters.

Liliana’s bold character was the embodiment of courage, selflessness and hope at her refusal to be victimized and her inner strength. Meric’s brooding, dark character captivated me as his background and story were revealed a little at a time. He was the ultimate “beastly” hero with power, money, and prestige. I loved him from the moment Koslin introduced him and only loved him more as the novel continued.

The push-pull of romantic tension between Liliana and Meric was the ultimate hook for me in this story. I so very much wanted to see a romance between them and Koslin did not disappoint. A handful of moments between Meric and Liliana completely melted my heart, despite Meric’s foreboding, grim personality (Read: I loved the moments more BECAUSE of his personality and the personal glimpses into the depths of his true character).

I also found the pace of this story to be very well done, keeping me highly entertained with moments of quiet inner depth, high stakes action and heart-pounding suspense.

There were some beautiful, light faith elements, some mentions of swearing with no words spelled out and of course, the heavy and difficult topic of human trafficking which Koslin handles both delicately and tastefully, maintaining the gritty reality of it all.

In summary, Dangerous Beauty was absolutely riveting. I had a very hard time putting the book down and enjoyed watching it unfold. The ending had a nice little twist I wasn’t suspecting and a handful of moments that did feel forced, but that did not detract from the rest of the story for me. I believe Dangerous Beauty was well written and think fans of writers such as Ronie Kendig, Susan May Warren and James Hannibal would enjoy this story.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Dangerous Beauty is the newest novel by Melissa Koslin, a fresh new voice in Christian fiction! I was immediately intrigued by the marriage of convenience plot combined with suspense, and the story did not disappoint! Liliana is a captivating heroine - smart, strong, and tough as nails, yet vulnerable. The blend of heart-pounding action, compelling characters, and powerful storytelling will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages late into the night! Fans of hope-filled romantic suspense will enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Can we pause a moment to admire Dangerous Beauty's gorgeous cover art? As someone who works with a book design company, I am painfully aware of shortcuts and cheats you often see in covers. So it's a genuine treat when I'm impressed as I was by Revell's design team. To the person(s) who worked on Dangerous Beauty, wherever you may be, you deserve all the praise for your gorgeous color dynamics. Why am I waxing poetic about this book's cover before we even dive into the plot? The cover sells the book. Most people will barely look twice at a book by an author they aren't familiar with. A brilliant cover can make a book, and it certainly caught my attention. If I'd seen this in a bookstore, I would have picked it up because of the contrasting colors and haunting imagery.

Now let's officially dive into why you should read Melissa Koslin's Dangerous Beauty. Without involving major spoilers, we are given a marriage of convenience trope but with a much darker edge. Liliana has just managed to escape the cartel trafficking her and other enslaved women. Meric happens to be in the right place at the right time. When we first meet them, it's hard to tell who Meric will be to Liliana. Is he a savior and potential ally? Or will he be yet another man who has let Liliana down in perhaps the biggest betrayal of all?

I loved the tension Koslin expertly built, not only throughout the novel, but between Meric and Liliana. We know there is a "big bad" somewhere out there that wants her back. But Meric is no pushover and seems to live by his own set of rules apart from society. Liliana is just as much of an outcast, and the author does a fantastic job of presenting her struggle to learn English and integrate into American society. Here is a perspective we don't often read but which is absolutely relevant to so many. 

To those of you who have read your fair share of romance, you'll recognize what I mean when I say this is a "slow burn." The characters are tied to a marriage of convenience, and as a woman of faith, Liliana tries to honor Meric while also looking to maintain her independence. And Meric, that gorgeous hunk of repression, bends over backward to make sure Liliana knows she is safe and protected. I'm a huge fan of emotionally backward cold men of power becoming soft for the women they love. Liliana's struggle to overcome her traumatic experiences felt visceral, and in an ironic twist, she too becomes a safe place for Meric to open up. 

Excellently paced and executed, Dangerous Beauty is perfect for fans of romantic thrillers with hopeful endings and messages of faith.

**I was provided with a copy of Dangerous Beauty by NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.**

This story was so good. I was thinking about it whenever I wasn't reading it and I couldn't wait to pick it back up again when I had to put it down.

We start off with a bang as Liliana is running from her captors. She is from Mexico and has been brought into the USA as part of a human trafficking ring, or so it seems. She is rescued by an eccentric and curious man, Meric Toledan, who offers her an unbelievable offer. Marry him and he will protect her. So, this is also a marriage of convenience story for the modern generation. That is my favorite trope so when an author writes this for the contemporary, I get super excited to see their take. This was very good.

Liliana, we are told, is of exceptional beauty, possibly why she may have been targeted. Her backstory is heartbreaking, and she has much to overcome. Not only does she need to get better at the English language, but she is also trying to get stronger, and trying to figure out the enigma who is her husband. Her growth, what she overcomes, and her strength shine through this story.

Meric, what can I say. He is a knight in shining armor. He is moody, secretive, super rich, and hiding so many secrets. His weakness, his wife Liliana. Yet he does not feel he deserves her. His backstory is also heartbreaking, and he is fighting his many demons. But he is such a great protector and his love and desire for Liliana is deep.

So many secrets were unraveled. The danger to both Meric and Liliana was always bubbling just under the surface. And the story took many directions I was not expecting. This story does deal with the horror that is human trafficking. This is the second novel I have read by author Koslin and her stories are really a unique addition to the romantic suspense category.

I received a copy of this novel from Revell Publishing through Interviews and reviews. I was not required to post a positive review and all views are my own.

This is a good novel exploring a very important topic today. It is an emotionally engaging novel as we find out how intense a human trafficker can be in pursuing his desired conquest. We also get a real sense of the emotionally rewarding feeling in frustrating the illegal acts of traffickers and working to rescue women.

I liked Liliana. She is an intelligent and feisty woman. She has courage and the desire to help others. Meric is an odd character. I felt he was overly characterized. Yes, he had hurts from his past and he did not want to fall for the traumatized women he rescued. But it seemed like nearly every look was cold. Every response was cold. He seemed to show no compassion in the early part of the book. I kept on wondering why he would rescue Liliana if he had such a cold heart. We find out in the end but it was a bit much before then.

The plot was okay except I wondered how realistic it would be for the rescue to happen the way it did. There is a good deal of suspense along the way and there was a great twist near the end. An interesting issue Koslin explores is thinking that you have inherited a terrible trait from a parent.

Other than the over characterization of Meric's coldness, I generally enjoyed this novel and I will be looking for the next from her.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Liliana Vela is no fragile flower. She may have been seized and taken against her will, with her family left dead behind her, but she isn’t just going to bemoan the unfairness of it all. She finds a way to break free of her captors and run, but they’re closing in on her. A fortuitous encounter at a truck stop sees her rescued, her captors in custody, and Meric Toledan asking her to trust him and marry him so he can keep her safe. Meric happened to be in the right place at the right time, and he didn’t hesitate to do the right thing. But is this just a marriage of convenience, or can Liliana and Meric work through their pasts to find something more?

Melissa Koslin grabbed my attention with this story from the get-go. The tension started on page one and remained nearly constant, with moments where it ramped up big time. Even when she was doing something seemingly simple like leaving the apartment to get a bite to eat, the tension is still lurking. I felt like I was always on the edge of my seat, just waiting for that other shoe to drop, waiting for the bad guys to jump out and grab Liliana.

Liliana is so much more than just a fragile flower, and it frustrates her that Meric seems almost to shy away from her or shut her out. She doesn’t know, though, that he’s battling his own demons. He fears that if he lets his emotions show, he’ll lose control, like the father he never knew but who hurt his mother so badly. Yet even as he resists his attraction to her, he does his best to keep her safe, to protect her from the wealthy buyer who’s determined not to let the prize – Liliana – escape. When Liliana volunteers to go in and try to help rescue other trafficked women, Meric is beside himself. But I love that she’s willing to put herself back in harm’s way for the good of others, and I love that Meric is willing to let her do it, but still does his best to protect her without blowing her cover. They are both such good, decent, likable characters, I couldn’t help but cheer for them.

Koslin does an excellent job of drawing out the suspense, and the big reveal near the end of the book was quite a surprise to me! I knew something was not quite right with the characters that turned out to be the Big Bad, but I couldn’t put my finger on it before all came to light.

Dangerous Beauty deals human trafficking, and it’s a timely and difficult topic. Here in my part of the world, Interstate 10 is a major trafficking corridor. I’m glad there are people who are trying to make a difference and shut it down. I think Koslin addresses it in a way that is as sensitive as it can be while still painting an accurate picture of the ugliness of the situation.

Content matters to be aware of: there are some violent scenes that are part of the story, because the traffickers are violent men, and sometimes the good guys have to fight fire with fire. I didn’t feel like any of the violence was gratuitous or overly graphic, though. The romance is clean and doesn’t go beyond some steamy kisses. There are mentions of faith, and Liliana trusts in God and asks for His help.

Overall, Dangerous Beauty was a timely and thoroughly engrossing book. The story is well constructed, the good guys are good (if conflicted sometimes), the bad guys are obviously bad (and some worse than others), and good wins the day. It was tough to put down, and I lost sleep over it.

If you want a clean, compelling read with characters you can cheer for, I highly recommend Dangerous Beauty. Five stars for keeping me up past my bedtime.

Dangerous Beauty by Melissa Koslin is an intense thriller that grabs you from the first page and leaves you completely riveted until the very last word. While there is romance, it is not as prominent as I would’ve liked, but that makes sense considering the subject matter of this story.

I really liked both main characters. Liliana was so strong and had a heart for helping people. Even after what she had been through, she still wanted to help others instead of hiding away, which given Meric’s wealth and connections, she certainly could have. I was really intrigued by Meric! The second he appeared on the page, I wanted to know everything about him! I really wish we could have spent more time in his head, because I wanted to know exactly what he was thinking every second of the story. I also felt like the suspense and action were well done - not too much and not too little.

I’m so glad I took a chance on this new to me author. This story was different and intriguing!

I received a complimentary of this book. All opinions are my own. The faith thread is very light. 4 stars!

We are not bound by our circumstances; life is what we make of it.

This tale is one of courage, strength, love, and understanding. Liliana has all of these in spades, and it shines throughout the book. Yes, she may have arrived in the US under some harsh conditions, but she doesn't let this bring her down. Meric has his own demons he is battling that make it hard for him to recognize that life doesn't have to be mired in the past.

This book addresses a difficult topic, trafficking. This happens more than we probably realize, and possibly in our own neighborhoods and cities. However, we see that there are people out there that try and stop this from happening when they can. Meric just happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to extract Liliana from a potentially harmful situation. His actions at the beginning and throughout the book reflect the type of man he is. But these are also his weaknesses because he saw Liliana and fell in love with her beauty right away. But because of his own history, he holds himself back, knowing that Liliana needs to heal from her ordeal. But holding back sends mixed signals, and if I were in Liliana's shoes, I know that I would be confused as she was.

Liliana is more formidable than Meric gives her credit for. She is not afraid of much and is willing to fight for what is right. She dives head first into helping rescue other trapped women so they don't endure a fate that might be worse than death. I was in awe of her character and wondered if I could do the same if I were in her shoes. I think Meric's past held him back, and while he wanted Liliana to heal, it was apparent that he had his own issues that he wasn't addressing, and it took nearly the entire book to fully understand his position.

The story encompasses approximately a month, but a lot happens during that time; it kept me wondering what could possibly happen next for these characters. Will they stop others from trafficking women? Will they stay safe and away from harm? The story is like an onion, and each chapter peeled back layers of the characters and the various situations. The various characters will either endear you to them or despise them.

I was surprised at the number of characters that thought Meric was holding Liliana captive. She was free to roam about as she pleased, which was not the case for some others we discover later in the book. Their hearts might be in the right place, but they couldn't have been further from the truth.

This book may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it and look forward to this author's next book.

We give this book 4 paws up.

What a beautiful cover for a beautiful book! But being beautiful cost Lilana the lives of her family as she was targeted for human trafficking. In her case, beauty was not just skin deep. She had to rely on bravery, cleverness and ultimately God and a stranger. This stranger was just at the right place at the right time for her, to escape her captors. Meric was so committed to saving her that he dared to marry her, though not sleeping with her. He hid behind a cold facade, but Liliana learned to look deeper. Thankfully, this book is fiction and reminded me of a fairy tale where the beautiful lady is rescued by powerful, kind man and together they fight the bad guys. The danger described was so harrowing and unnerving, and reminds us that while this book is fiction, trafficking is a nightmare for theses victim/survivors. Those who fight this terrible situation are unsung heroes.
I am grateful to Baker/Revell Publishing Company for the opportunity to read this book. The opinions expressed are all my own.

I had no idea what this book was about, but I was looking for a good Christian read when I found Dangerous Beauty. Oh my, this book had me from the first line. The subject matter is intense dealing with sex trafficking but Koslin does such a great job with the storyline; it doesn’t leave you drained and feeling hopeless. The two main characters Meric and Liliana must learn to trust each other in order to survive; they are so real, you ache with their pain, and you root for their success.
This romantic suspense is a must read!!!!
Thank you NetGallery for my ARC.

Powerful story!
A difficult and dark topic but with the healing power of hope and love. Both heartbreaking and challenging.
I couldn’t put it down!
“A wave of rage rolled over her as she realized the man possibly responsible for the deaths of her family was in the next room.”
I received an ARC of this book for review. I was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions in this review are my own.

A story with a lot of depth and tackling hard issues that will put a twist on how we look at marriage and hopefully not take for granted what we have.

Lilliana Vela is determined not to be seen as a victim. She is able to escape the world of human traffickers with the help of Meric Toledan. Lilliana was taken from her Mexican village and brought to the United States. When Meric finds her trying to escape, he knows she can’t return to her village; there is a target on her head, and she will be snatched again. He does the only thing he can think of to do at that moment, he asks her to marry him so she can legally stay in the United States. He is a very wealthy man and has connections to try and fight those trying to get her back.

Melissa Koslin pulled me in quickly with her first book and I was eager to read this one ready for another non-stop adventure. While the premise of this is hard hitting and might be difficult for some readers to handle, it does make for a great romantic suspense read. I loved the way she wrote Lilliana, she has been through a lot but refuses to be a victim through it all. Meric got on my nerves at times but he overall he was a good character that was trying to do his best, even though he was a little over the top with his own guilt for things out of his control. The way they had to figure out how to go through the stages of a relationship in a reverse order made for an interesting story. The action moments made the story fly and kept me engaged with the characters. This is a great story for readers that enjoy suspense with romance sprinkled throughout.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Wow! Talk about a read!

From page one, Dangerous Beauty had me absolutely at the edge of seat, wanting to know what was going to happen next. Even in the slower moments, I never knew when the action would start again... and I absolutely could not stop reading. Given the subject matter, this was actually quite surprising.

This is not the first book that I have read that takes on the subject of human trafficking... far from it, really. Typically, I find that when I am reading books on that subject, I find myself needing to step away for periods of time as they tend to weight very heavily on me. Dangerous Beauty did not shy away from the tough stuff, far from it... and yet I didn't feel that heaviness that I so often do. This book brought a much needed awareness to an important topic, and it did so with a message of grace and healing. I also found it to be quite the unique take on a marriage of convenience, and I loved the sweet romance between Meric and Liliana.

Overall, I found this to be a fantastic read and one that fans of romantic suspense are sure to want to experience for themselves.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Couldn’t put it down!

Warning: do not start this book right before bedtime unless you’re prepared to stay up all night reading it to find out what happens. “One more chapter” just won’t cut it!

I enjoyed the sexual and romantic tension between Liliana and Merick and the high stakes of knowing that the buyer was still out there and after Liliana. This story kept me on my toes and the twist at the ending surprised me.