Review of Anissa's Redemption by Zack Love

Title: Anissa's Redemption

Author: Zack Love

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance

Cover Design: Ashley Byland

Cover

Synopsis

Anissa Toma fled war-torn Syria after narrowly escaping the massacre of her Christian family by Islamists. Fortunate enough to rebuild her shattered life in New York City, the young refugee gained admission to an elite college, where she excelled. Her beauty, brains, and purity soon captured the interest of two powerful men: Michael, an activist working to establish Antioch, the first Mideast Christian state, and Julien, her professor and one of the city’s wealthiest bachelors.

As Anissa's saga continues, the refugee-turned-rising-star must navigate between Michael and Julien, while trying to help her surviving relatives and other vulnerable Christians in Syria. As she gets closer to both men in a complex and evolving love triangle, can she unlock Julien's traumatic childhood to open up his heart? Or will Julien find greater solace from his nightmares and other demons in the sessions with his intriguing therapist? What will Michael do for Antioch and for Anissa, and what will Julien's role be? How far will each person go to help Anissa's remaining family and other persecuted Christians at risk in Syria? Find out in this stunning sequel to "The Syrian Virgin".

My Review

Zack Love's "Anissa's Redemption" can be read as a standalone novel or as the sequel to "The Syrian Virgin." It's an innovative love story that's different from anything on the regular romance shelves. The characters are beautiful and flawed. They struggle to survive their brokenness. I've read a lot by this author, and I think this is his finest work in the romance field so far. Lots of plot twists and turns, but without jumping the shark and I really just love how it all works out in the end.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excerpt

“It’s OK, Anissa. We don’t need to rehash that incident now. I’m just reminding us both that – even though you are the most angelic woman I’ve ever met – you’re still human,” he added with a gentle smile, as he lightly put his hand on mine. “So I’m still taking a risk by sharing this with you.”

“I understand that,” I conceded.

“Good. So before I take that risk, I need your most solemn oath that – whatever happens between us – you will never repeat what I’m about to uncover for the first time ever... ” His stare seemed to penetrate my eyes, probing deep into my interior. With so much solemnity surrounding his revelation, whatever it was, I almost didn’t want him to tell me anymore. “Because once I tell you this, there’s no going back.”

I took a hard swallow and braced myself to receive something that I could never share with anyone. “I swear to you, Julien, on the memory of my blessed parents, and on the future of my people, that I will never tell a soul.”

He nodded slightly, as if to acknowledge my vow, and took his hand back. He let out a deep breath, and his hands began to fidget a little, as if he was trying to decide where and how to begin. I put my glass down on the coffee table, wanting to concentrate as much as possible on whatever he was about to say. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke.

Teaser

About The Author

Zack Love graduated from Harvard College, where he studied mostly literature, psychology, philosophy, and film. After college, he moved to New York City and took a corporate consulting job that had absolutely nothing to do with his studies. The attacks of September 11, 2001 inspired him to write a novelette titled “The Doorman” and heightened his interest in the Middle East. A decade later, that interest extended to the Syrian Civil War, which provided the backdrop for his latest work. In late 2013, Zack began releasing his unpublished works of fiction and became a full-time author. He has published comedy, psychological and philosophical fiction, and romance. Zack enjoys confining himself to one genre about as much as he likes trying to sum up his existence in one paragraph.

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