Alison Kent's THE PERFECT STRANGER

I love Alison Kent. No, I don't "love her" love her, but I do love her work, and I appreciate her wonderful sense of humor. I truly hope that I will be able to meet her one of these days. I never miss her blog, often stopping by a couple of times a day to see what is going on and what is being discussed. Sometimes I comment, sometimes I don't, but there's never a dull moment.
I have to throw out a huge "thank you" to my good pal, Barb Smith - Barb send me a copy of Mother, Please! - the only AK book that I didn't have. Thanks, Barb for completing my AK library!
Whenever I read an Alison Kent book, I have to stall for a day or two to completely absorb the goodness. An emotional marinade, of sorts. It seems like we've waited forever for THE PERFECT STRANGER; it was well worth the wait. Jack and Jillian are typical AK characters - obviously very deliberately thought out and excellently written.


*******POSSIBLE SPOILER - the only thing I didn't care for in the book was a love scene with anal sex. Maybe I'm a hag, but I just don't care for anal sex scenes. That said, I would add that it happened, was done, and the story kept rolling - I was not pulled out of the book because of it, so I'm not truly complaining.****


This is my review for THE PERFECT STRANGER:
When pilot Jack Briggs awakens with the worst hangover of his life, despite the minimal amount he had to drink at his friend Brad’s bachelor party the night before, he is somewhat confused. His confusion is exacerbated when he awakens to a gun in his face, a marriage certificate bearing his signature, a new bride who is very pregnant, and an order from the Comandante Mosquero to take his new wife to her village. With the San Torisco sun beating down upon them, the two set off in a donkey cart. Jack is extremely suspicious of his new bride, especially when the baby she is carrying turns out to be extra clothing for him, and even more so when she dons a nun’s habit. It turns out that Jack’s “wife” is Jillian Endicott of the elite Endicott family of Boston, who has turned her back on wealth and privilege to help the people of San Torisco. When Jack learns the reason behind his kidnapping and just what it is that Jillian wants him to fly out of the country, memories of a horrific tragedy invade him right down to his soul and despite an intense attraction to Jillian, he refuses to help her.
Jillian would never have taken such drastic measures to get Jack’s help if she wasn’t consumed by desperation. She has helped the people of San Torisco for years, selflessly giving of herself, often until there was nothing left to give. But now she is the one who needs help and there simply isn’t time for finesse or persuasion in getting Jack where she needs him. Jillian is unprepared for the feelings that Jack stirs in her; she hasn’t felt the spark of desire in a very long time. Jack is Jillian’s only hope. Life as she knows it, not to mention her sanity, depend on his skills at the stick of a helicopter, but she fears that she won’t be able to convince him to use those skills before time runs out.
This latest installment in Alison Kent’s SG-5 series is an excellent offering for readers. Jack and Jillian are both strong characters, but neither is perfect, and it’s those imperfections that make their relationship believable. The characters in this series are unfailingly larger than life, and Jack and Jillian are no exception, fighting enemies and situations that, I feel safe to say, most of us will never find ourselves in. Alison Kent never fails to successfully make her characters and their fearless determination come to life on the pages. If you like your suspense intensely dangerous, and your romance gritty and sharp, you will love THE PERFECT STRANGER.
I would encourage you to check out Alison's website - http://www.alisonkent.com/ - but don't blame me if you find yourself returning every single day!
Thanks!
Laurie