For a limited time only, enjoy this e-book title for only $ .99 in honor of upcoming book #2 in The Sophia Series | The Paradise Garden is coming soon!What would you risk to chase your destiny? Hauntingly beautiful, Sophia is a survivor. After a tragic accident that changes the course of her life, she is struggling to find her way. When she stumbles across a picture of a Caribbean beach in a … beach in a magazine, she convinces herself that this is the answer to all of her problems…Secret desires, personal devastation and obsession torment her dreams.
When she meets a mysterious and worldly businessman, everything starts coming together. Slipping across invisible social lines, and ultimately becoming one of them. Her inexperience leads her away from what she came for. Trapped in a spider web, she sinks deeper into the world of fast money, luxury living and organized crime.
One fateful night, she meets a free-spirited photographer and everything changes again…Can Sophia ever find the peace she so desperately needs? Or will corruption and deceit destroy, before she discovers the truth for herself?
An adventure meets grown-up fairy tale, filled with unforgettable twists and turns. Experience the real Caribbean, where everything that glitters is not gold…
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I’m an ardent fan of suspense and multi-book series. When the debut novel, Escape into the Blue A suspense thriller, from the Sophia series published in 2015 by Bibiana Krall, crossed my desk, I needed to give it a chance. What an intense ride!
The novel is a slow-burner until it’s NOT… Sophia is on a plane seemingly only to escape some drama going on in her life. She’s been hurt physically somehow, but also emotionally. We don’t know why. An escape into the blue sounds amazing, right? Unfortunately, this girl seems to be a magnet for trouble. When she arrives in her destination, things begin to get a little aggressive. It doesn’t happen right away, but by midway in the book, she’s become attached to a few men who aren’t very good for her. And by ‘aren’t very good,’ I mean…. does she want to live or die?
Anger, love, violence, threats, and so much more ensure in the coming days and weeks. Paradise is never quite paradise, it it? Krall is very talented in describing scenes and settings. You will feel like you’re there down to every small detail. Her vocabulary is top-notch and offers a wonderful approach to feeling words transcend off the page.
Her characters are flawed, and while I can’t say I particularly loved any of them, it’s only because so much dimension was added to them that it makes you really wonder… does this really happen to people? And if it does, how would you handle dealing with it? I’m sure the answer is yes… and it’s quite a difficult life. Sophia is a survivor, and knowing this was a series, I knew she’d make it out. But the harm that came with it… wow. Poor girl needs a break. Krall likes to torture but find redemption and safety. Good approach!
Kudos to Krall for showing how mastering the right words and descriptions can make the difference in a story. From the cover, you’ll think beauty and peace. From the action, you’ll be far from it. I’m curious to see what else might happen to this courageous and dynamic woman… but I guess we’ll have to wait until the next book is released. If you’re looking for a character and action-driven story, this is one to check out. You’ll feel surrounded exactly as Sophia is, but there are other points of view in the book to take notice of, too… so get ready for a wild ride… a few lessons in how to pack a punch into your words, and some unexpected consequences.
As I started Sophia’s Caribbean journey, I felt elated as I thought she was embarking on a tropical island adventure. However, when Sophia steps off the airplane, I realize this isn’t a typical vacation getaway, but her escape from a painful past, an adventure of self-discovery.
“A particular speck on a map became the promised land… Serendipity would be found. Leaving her old life like an unwanted pair of shoes.”
Underneath Sophia’s youthful, golden blonde façade, lives a splintered soul seeking a meaningful reality of sandy, blue beaches to drown her sorrow, after a tragic accident ruined a promising career. Sophia’s anguish isn’t visible to the human eye, she hides it well, wielding lies like a shield to protect herself.
“Dissatisfaction creeps like a wild animal, wreaking absolute havoc. She wanted it all. That lust for life had vanished…Life had stolen it…The gravest mistake in only ever wanting one thing…the dream had been only a mirage.”
But Sophia is embarking on a dangerous journey. With no money, or place to sleep; she island-hops for gainful employment, winding up on the Isle of St. Demetria. To townspeople, Sophia is a mysterious beauty, and to men, a prize to be won. This archetypal Caribbean town, paved with the blood, sweat, and tears of poor locals, is the underbelly of crime. St. Demetria is a hotbed of carnal desires, swept with intoxicating sultry breezes, the air, redolent of sweet nectar. Icy, cool Cervezas, rum-laced mango drinks, sensual Merengue across local dance bars and a swim in eternity shaped pool at beautiful island homes, inspires nightlife.
“It is difficult to listen to our inner voice when we are blinded by the other things. Decadent parties, delicious wonderful parties, Sophia knew something was wrong with this life, these men. Ignoring things only postponed the inevitable.”
Corruption, deception, lust, love, and murder lives in the heart of St. Demetria’s men and they all want to own Sophia body, heart, and soul. But they will never have her. Herein lays the problem when Pedro, a powerful drug lord, lets her slip into his heart.
“Sophia brought chaos, making him act like a lovesick boy. His choices muddled together creating a tension he could not risk.”
Armando, Pedro’s partner also has eyes for Sophia.
“He dreamed of Sophia…Stretched out like a cat…a brand new white bikini accentuating her tan athletic hips…She had the power to ruin it all.”
Now caught in a dangerous web; she must hide from the very men who coveted her. These men, this way of life isn’t what Sophia came searching for, but now dangerous circumstances force her to flee and find a new strength within.
“It finally dawns on her, geography cannot heal these wounds…Sophia finally understood.”
Escape into the Blue, told beautifully in the third person POV is crafted so descriptively, it titillates the senses. The story’s pacing is just right. Mrs. Krall pulls the reader into subplots with just enough information about subordinate characters to support the main plot. A fast-paced conclusion will leave readers on the edge of their seats, fearing for Sophia’s life. Mrs. Krall’s descriptive style of writing and character development is so detailed I felt I was inside Sophia’s head always. If you’re looking for suspense, thrills, action, and adventure, Escape Into the Blue is the right book for you. I highly recommend Mrs. Krall’s novel.
Clever, Beautiful, Unique, and Witty. Those are the words I’d use to best describe this book. Escape into the Blue is definitely a story unlike any other I’ve ever read. The writing is very descriptive and deep. ‘Poetic Even’. The storyline was very intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat. When Sophia, a very beautiful and complex woman, tries to escape her tragic past, she soon finds major trouble in paradise. I will definitely be reading other titles from this author. Simply superb.
Escape into the Blue is a combination of character and prose unlike anything I’ve read before. I’m not sure what genre this one falls in, and I hesitate to call it literary fiction for fear of scaring off those in search of the simpler form. In short, Bibiana Krall’s writing is hypnotic and her characters addictive. I found myself reading passages over and over again from sheer amazement and at the same time longing to get back to the story.
Sophia is the kind of protagonist you find yourself rooting for on one page and wanting to smack her around a bit on the very next, or at least say, “girl, are you serious?” She’s beautiful but not perfect. I’ve never been drawn to freckles so much. Krall does an excellent job giving you the good and bad on every level, emotional, physical, and mental. Sophia’s the kind of girl you should never fall in love with, but any man who comes in contact almost certainly will.
Along with its characters, Escape into the Blue goes places you never expect, completely unpredictable. Twists and turns that don’t feel contrived or outlined again give it that literary fiction feel and definitely must be character driven. The supporting cast of characters are also well developed and a mystery as well. There’s so much contrast, so much depth in Pedro and Armando, the animal that is Dante, and bizarre beauty and mystery of Tafari. I couldn’t help but feel that burning desire welling up in me to see this one on the big screen. The imagery, narrative, and descriptive writing no doubt played a part in the growing emotion. The dance scene is spellbinding and the action scenes keep you glued to the spot. I would be remiss if I didn’t add some of the beautiful passages contained in the pages in this review.
About Sophia: “[She] was a firecracker in a room of willing matches.” And “She was bulletproof, a dancing goddess.”
About Dante: “Taking the strength of another living creature energized him. He liked to taunt, play games to see how far things might go. This was his only hobby and it felt like good training for the world above the water. He understood sharks, people were tricky, untrustworthy.”
“Colors mimicking the rainbow competed with wild foliage planning a hostile takeover.”
“Lonely is the place you live, when everything is a lie.”
“Inextricable death is the one who decorates a cubicle, hoping for it to change into another realm.”
“It was going to be a steamy day, the breeze in a coma for now.”
“Dark mascaraed eyes yearned for carnage.”
“Morning heat pushed at her shutters like a criminal.”
“His gun was worn out in the open, announcing his readiness for battle.”
“Tangled in a net, our fears will kill us. A thousand deaths imagined before the actual one.”
“Toasting her own courage, a female comet cometh. Recklessness is best served flaming hot.”
“Tears don’t mean as much when you cry alone.”
And many, many, more.