The Island Novel

Novel: The Island

Author: Lisa Henry

Genres: Romance, Crime

Released: 2016

Part of Book Series: Standalone

Summary: Shaw is in Fiji to sell a stolen painting to the crime boss Vornis. It will be the deal of a lifetime, if Shaw can pull it off. But then Vornis parades his latest toy around in front of him—a captured DEA agent whose time is running out. It’s none of Shaw’s business, and it doesn’t matter that under any other circumstances Lee would be exactly Shaw’s type: he’s young, he’s hot, and he might even have a personality if they hadn’t beaten it out of him. Too bad there’s no way Lee is getting off the island. Too bad there’s nothing Shaw can do for him. And too bad there are some lines that even Shaw won’t cross.

Keeping his hands off Lee proves harder than he thinks, but Shaw’s not stupid enough to fall for the tortured captive of a dangerous crime boss, is he? If he did, it wouldn’t be just his job he would be risking—it would be his life.

Post’s Author Opinion:
Note: This is a personal opinion, it does not reflect YaoiOtaku’s official position towards the novel.

Half of this novel I wished Shaw and Lee wouldn’t end up together despite the obvious attraction. But I still was uncertain about Shaw. Then the last 10 chapters or so happened and I wondered how I did not pick up what was really going on earlier.

The plot is not the lightest, I mean there is torture and rape, but the writing is masterful and most of it happens off page, there’s not much detail.

The first three quarters or so of the plot happens on the island, but the last quarter is what really made me like this novel and boost my rating. Lisa Henry slipped in all kinds of hints and I almost want to read it all again, now that I have some clarity, and I probably would if there wouldn’t be a big list of books awaiting for me. After everything that happened on the island, I liked to read about how it all affected the main characters, especially Lee, and the supporting ones too. I found it to be realistic and that gains a big plus from me.

In the end I didn’t get to really like Shaw, but I understand why he acted the way he did. I wish him and Lee met under different circumstances, and I bet they would have liked that too. I’m conflicted about Shaw, is he really bad or not? He has some morals, that’s for sure, but is it enough? I don’t want to condemn him, but I can’t completely blame him either. Just by making me so conflicted this novel fully deserves all the five stars.

I liked the themes throughout the novel and I even liked the repetitions, they really set the tone of the story and it all came together in an intriguing, excellent novel.

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