Book Review: A Risk Worth Taking by Brynn Kelly

A Risk Worth Taking

by Brynn Kelly

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: HQN (May 29, 2018)

He can’t outrun himself…

Legionnaire Jamie Armstrong lives in the shadows. A medic haunted by his mistakes, he knows better than to hope for redemption. But his latest mission brings a threat he doesn’t see coming—an attraction as irresistible as it is dangerous. Hacker Samira Desta is a woman he swore to forget, but as a key witness to a deadly conspiracy, Samira is his to protect.

But the woman he rescues might be the one who saves him

After a year in hiding, Samira’s worst fears come true when her cover is blown and the unlikeliest of allies comes to her aid—the secretive Scot with whom she shared one unforgettable night. Hunted by lethal forces and losing the battle against their desire, Jamie and Samira make a desperate play to take the fight to their enemy—but those at greatest risk of ruin may be themselves…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

A massive Christmas tree circled up to the dome, so laden with ornaments she could almost hear it groan.

I’m immune to you. I’ve developed antibodies against the virus that is James Armstrong.

I look forward to never seeing you again.

Jamie, if we’re going to judge on stereotypes you’d be grumpy and pasty and miserly and I’d be a kid with a bloated stomach and flies in my eyes.

That had gone so far beyond her expectations she couldn’t recall what she’d expected.

My Review:

I struggled with this book, valiantly I might add.  It was laborious work, as I had no knowledge of the characters or experience with the previous installments in this series, which left me frequently at sea as I made my way through this complicated story with a full roster of complex and terse characters.  Sigh, don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a badly written book, it just didn’t ring my bell.  I enjoyed several of the storylines that I could follow but I couldn’t keep all the balls in the air, which left me feeling dim-witted and exhausted…  I freely admit that I would make an extremely poor spy as I am far too lazy and wouldn’t be able to keep all the lies straight.

The main character of Samira had stumbled onto dangerous information through her deceased fiancé, information that had lead to his death and continued to place her life in jeopardy.  She had been living in the shadows for over a year, which only heightened her already anxious nature.  She was paranoid and prone to panic attacks as well as over thinking every single issue. She also repetitiously looped back to obsessive thoughts.  She was not a character I could warm up to, and I really tried but I didn’t find her endearing; I found her tiresome.  But of course, I would adore the flawed yet protective male lead of Jamie with his lovely Scottish burr – yummy.  Too bad they spent 95% of the book fighting their attraction.  

Empress DJ

About Brynn Kelly
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As a journalist, Brynn Kelly once spent her days chasing stranger-than-fiction news reports. Now she spends them writing larger-than-life novels, in a happy bubble of fiendish plots and delicious words. A New Zealander, Brynn is an RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards nominee and a former Golden Heart® nominee and has won the Valerie Parv Award, the Koru, and the Pacific Hearts Award.