Review by Tricia_6 -- Escape by Belle Ami
Posted: 10 May 2017, 14:38
[Following is a volunteer review of "Escape" by Belle Ami.]
1 out of 4 stars
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Escape by Belle Ami is about a Harvard student named Layla Wallace, who ends up getting unintentionally kidnapped while on winter break in Dubai, and then rescued by a spy named Cyrus Hassani. After meeting her Saudi boyfriend’s parents for the first time, Layla eventually finds herself in the torturous Evin Prison in Iran. Unfortunately, and to Layla’s great despair, after being reassured by her boyfriend that his father would rescue them, she eventually finds out from Cyrus that the rescue doesn’t include her.
Cyrus Hassani’s main mission in Iran has been to infiltrate its nuclear program, for Mossad. But when he takes on a second mission to protect American, Layla Wallace, he instantly becomes overwhelmed by her beauty. Doing his best to not let her beauty distract him, Cyrus is tasked with getting Layla out of Iran or kill her. But as that task makes him question himself about his true feelings for her, it is eventually found out that Layla’s father might be the key to her survival.
As I read this information-packed romance, I found myself disappointed by it. After learning about Cyrus and his dalliance with Zahra, I couldn’t help but question its authenticity. For example, when Zahra makes the statement, “You have brought me great pleasure” after their time together, within the context, the statement itself sounds more contrived than passionate. Another passage I questioned, regarded Jibreel and his homosexuality. Why was this information needed? How did it contribute to the overall storyline of the book? He could have just been written as a passing character. He didn’t need a developed past for his part.
Besides those two quandaries, when Israel’s Prime Minister is introduced, I couldn’t help but question who gave him the information regarding Layla’s situation. The question is brought up, but it is never answered. Also, when Cyrus and Layla are having a conversation in the kitchen of their first safe house, Cyrus asks Layla if he can call her by her first name, which Layla first denies, and then tells him to call her by her first name right after.
Despite the negatives I came across, I will say that I enjoyed most of the descriptiveness. The sex scenes could’ve been toned down a little and allowed for more imagination to be used, but otherwise, the descriptiveness kept me into the pace of the book. Unfortunately, because of the issues I mentioned above, until they are looked at and fixed, I would give Escape a 1 out of 4 stars and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
******
Escape
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1 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Escape by Belle Ami is about a Harvard student named Layla Wallace, who ends up getting unintentionally kidnapped while on winter break in Dubai, and then rescued by a spy named Cyrus Hassani. After meeting her Saudi boyfriend’s parents for the first time, Layla eventually finds herself in the torturous Evin Prison in Iran. Unfortunately, and to Layla’s great despair, after being reassured by her boyfriend that his father would rescue them, she eventually finds out from Cyrus that the rescue doesn’t include her.
Cyrus Hassani’s main mission in Iran has been to infiltrate its nuclear program, for Mossad. But when he takes on a second mission to protect American, Layla Wallace, he instantly becomes overwhelmed by her beauty. Doing his best to not let her beauty distract him, Cyrus is tasked with getting Layla out of Iran or kill her. But as that task makes him question himself about his true feelings for her, it is eventually found out that Layla’s father might be the key to her survival.
As I read this information-packed romance, I found myself disappointed by it. After learning about Cyrus and his dalliance with Zahra, I couldn’t help but question its authenticity. For example, when Zahra makes the statement, “You have brought me great pleasure” after their time together, within the context, the statement itself sounds more contrived than passionate. Another passage I questioned, regarded Jibreel and his homosexuality. Why was this information needed? How did it contribute to the overall storyline of the book? He could have just been written as a passing character. He didn’t need a developed past for his part.
Besides those two quandaries, when Israel’s Prime Minister is introduced, I couldn’t help but question who gave him the information regarding Layla’s situation. The question is brought up, but it is never answered. Also, when Cyrus and Layla are having a conversation in the kitchen of their first safe house, Cyrus asks Layla if he can call her by her first name, which Layla first denies, and then tells him to call her by her first name right after.
Despite the negatives I came across, I will say that I enjoyed most of the descriptiveness. The sex scenes could’ve been toned down a little and allowed for more imagination to be used, but otherwise, the descriptiveness kept me into the pace of the book. Unfortunately, because of the issues I mentioned above, until they are looked at and fixed, I would give Escape a 1 out of 4 stars and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
******
Escape
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like Tricia_6's review? Post a comment saying so!