J.A. Belfield

Disclaimer: I did my usual trick and didn’t read the blurb, so if anything I crop up with should have been obvious before I began reading, I apologise. It’s just the way my cranky head works.

Okay, Wild Encounter at first glance, appears as though it will be a simple tale of kidnap and relationships developed through that—typical Stockholm Syndrome, in other words.

However, I’ve got to admit, it totally surprised me and turned out to be so much more than that.

From the off, this book is exciting, filled with action, and puts you on the edge of your seat as all thrillers should. The main character, Clare is kick-ass in that subtle, unassuming way I prefer. Simon … there’s just something about this dude, even from the beginning when you (or I, at least) have no idea he’s not just one of the other bad guys, you just know there is some decency there to be found. Whilst after reading the entire book, I could not for the life of me tell you what this guy looks like as easier as I could Clare, fear not. Because it doesn’t matter. Not when, in my head, I’ve made him hot and rugged and capable and kind, whilst undoubtedly able to scrub up well and be hot and capable and commanding. So, yeah, there’s definitely something about Simon.

And let me just tell you the action and excitement doesn’t end along with Clare’s kidnapping ordeal. I won’t go into details because I’m a hater of spoilers. Just know this. 1) The plot is thick and twisted, and I didn’t predict it for one minute. The entire turns and kinks totally took me by surprise. 2) The characters are great. Not just the two MC’s, but the entire cast. Each and every one of them had their own personalities and quirks, and no matter the time you get to spend with each individual, the reader still manages to get a grasp on ‘who’ they are. 3) The action, when it’s time for it to arrive, is there in abundance. It’s exciting. It’s thrilling. It made me read faster and want to read faster still just to see what the heck was going to happen. 4) The ending, whilst predictable (hey, it has romance) and slightly cheesy, was still smile-worthy and sigh-worthy and all that.

So why the drop of star? I guess you’re wondering. Well, I hate to plant it on there, but it’s actually the intimate scene that left me wanting. I’m of two minds when it comes to intimacy in books. You either have to make it freakin’ awesome … or you have to downplay it. Which way you swing should depend on a) whether or not you can pull it off, and b) how important the scene is to the character development/portrayal. In Wild Encounter, this scene was definitely a big deal for character/relationship development. But I just didn’t feel it as strongly as I hoped. I’m not sure if it was some of the word usage, or the descriptions, or the portrayal of emotions … I’m not sure.

BUT, as the rest of this book was such a great read, I found it didn’t mar my overall enjoyment of the book.