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A review by agrippinaes
Into the Storm by Rachel Grant, Rachel Grant
4.0
I’m worried I’ve been a little bit harsh with my rating of this book because honestly, I really loved reading it. For me, the vast majority of this book was a 5 star read: it was absolutely thrilling. I love Rachel Grant’s novels - I think she’s very talented at writing her very specific kind of romantic suspense - and she is absolutely in her element when writing a fast-paced story set over a short, narrow time period, featuring a romance with some kind of pre-established connection. I realise that’s a very specific set of criteria, but looking back over her other books, most of my favourites have been the ones where the couple have already met or been a couple at some point in the past.
For me, this book - particularly the first 70% or so - was a perfect example of Rachel Grant’s skill and writing. The execution of the tropes and the very complicated plot was spot on. Her writing is so readable and she really knows how to keep a reader’s attention. In the first half of this book, not a moment is wasted: Grant uses every moment of the story to ratchet up the tension. It was so exciting I almost felt breathless reading it. There were no dull spots, no slow moments: there was always something happening to progress the story, whether it was the intricate suspense plotline or Audrey and Xavier’s second chance romance.
To start with the suspense plotline, this aspect of the book was very thrilling. I’m not entirely sure I understood everything that was going on! But most of it was incredibly satisfying and exciting. I was on the edge for most of my time reading it and I had no idea where any of it was going or how it could possibly resolve, and parts of it were genuinely scary. It was just very well-done and I thought the inclusion of certain characters like George really made it for me. I loved how that all worked.
The romance was good, too. Grant is very talented at fitting the romance in, even when it seems like there can’t possibly be time for it. It really worked. She managed to pack in some really sweet moments and some really sexy ones, too, and the dynamic between them is just really fun. Grant mixes a few tropes here - and some of them won’t be for everyone - but I for one loved the choices and how it all played out. I was really rooting for them and I felt very satisfied with their happy ending.
However, I did feel like the last few chapters weren’t quite of the same quality; it lost some of its urgency towards the end and I felt like the ending meandered a little bit. There was a lot of filler that, personally, I didn’t find that interesting, before it began to get exciting again. It just felt a little bit protracted and dragged out.
But overall, this was a very, very, very good book. It was thrilling to read, and it was such a good blend of romance and suspense. Neither superceded the other: it was perfectly balanced, and I think that balance can be so delicate in a book like this, but Grant really pulled it off. I do wish the ending had been a little bit tighter, but it barely took any shine off it - this was a real thrill of a book and I had a great time reading it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Second chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity.
Warnings:
Other:No condoms, heroine is already pregnant, no discussion of STI status. , unplanned pregnancy, mentions of divorce, mentions of infidelity / cheating..
For me, this book - particularly the first 70% or so - was a perfect example of Rachel Grant’s skill and writing. The execution of the tropes and the very complicated plot was spot on. Her writing is so readable and she really knows how to keep a reader’s attention. In the first half of this book, not a moment is wasted: Grant uses every moment of the story to ratchet up the tension. It was so exciting I almost felt breathless reading it. There were no dull spots, no slow moments: there was always something happening to progress the story, whether it was the intricate suspense plotline or Audrey and Xavier’s second chance romance.
To start with the suspense plotline, this aspect of the book was very thrilling. I’m not entirely sure I understood everything that was going on! But most of it was incredibly satisfying and exciting. I was on the edge for most of my time reading it and I had no idea where any of it was going or how it could possibly resolve, and parts of it were genuinely scary. It was just very well-done and I thought the inclusion of certain characters like George really made it for me. I loved how that all worked.
The romance was good, too. Grant is very talented at fitting the romance in, even when it seems like there can’t possibly be time for it. It really worked. She managed to pack in some really sweet moments and some really sexy ones, too, and the dynamic between them is just really fun. Grant mixes a few tropes here - and some of them won’t be for everyone - but I for one loved the choices and how it all played out. I was really rooting for them and I felt very satisfied with their happy ending.
However, I did feel like the last few chapters weren’t quite of the same quality; it lost some of its urgency towards the end and I felt like the ending meandered a little bit. There was a lot of filler that, personally, I didn’t find that interesting, before it began to get exciting again. It just felt a little bit protracted and dragged out.
But overall, this was a very, very, very good book. It was thrilling to read, and it was such a good blend of romance and suspense. Neither superceded the other: it was perfectly balanced, and I think that balance can be so delicate in a book like this, but Grant really pulled it off. I do wish the ending had been a little bit tighter, but it barely took any shine off it - this was a real thrill of a book and I had a great time reading it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Second chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity.
Warnings:
Spoiler
Violence, gun violence, violence towards a pregnant woman, torture, blood, death, murder, decapitation, mentions of terrorism, mentions of chemical warfare / chemical attacks, concussion, head injuries, grooming of a child, death of a child (off-page but described on-page), strangulation, childbirth (non-descriptive).Other: