Reviewed by Jen
Book purchased by the reviewer
Originally posted at Romancing the Book

I could not put this book down. I was drawn in from the first page, which happened to be a flash back to a teenage Kat on her high school graduation day. I enjoyed the characters and the situation Ms. Blake placed them in. The isolated tropical island, a couple bad guys hunting down Brock, a little suspense and a red-hot romance make for an intriguing story. I think my only complaint is that I figured out who the mastermind criminal was almost from the minute he was introduced. Granted he wasn’t the smartest criminal, but it would’ve been nice to have been in the dark a little longer. That said, this one thing did not diminish my enjoyment of the book. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on my books from Ms. Blake and highly recommend this one. ( )

**Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques**

Desperate to escape from the pre-wedding madness and relax before exchanging vows with her fiancée in five days, Kat secretly vacations on her family’s private island. She’s only there one day when the completely unexpected happens – the one man guaranteed to make her loins quake, her heart ache and to make her seriously rethink her engagement walks out of the surf and back into her life. Not only is Brock the one who got away, but his rejection devastated Kat to the point that she shut her heart away for good, never again willing to love.

Seeing Brock again stirs long-buried feelings inside Kat that endanger her emotional well-being, her future with her intended husband, and all of the plans she has made for her life. But she can’t ignore her feelings for Brock for long, especially when the goons chasing him threaten both of their lives, forcing them into close proximity as the sexy FBI agent pulls out all the stops to protect her.

The more I read of author Toni Blake’s work, the higher the regard I have for her talent. Swept Away is the fourth story I have read by her, and proves to this reviewer the consistent high quality in Blake’s work.

From page one, Blake creates empathy for the characters she pens, engendering a feeling within the reader that they are a part of the story, instead of being on the outside looking in. You don’t read a story by this writer as much as you feel it. In my opinion, that is the mark of a truly great author.

Kat and Brock are a fantastic romantic duet! Each of them brings to the story a considerable amount of trepidation regarding love – especially with each other. Kat is frightened to give her heart to anyone again after the way Brock rejected her when she was just 17 years old, and Brock is convinced that love and commitment can never be in the cards for a man with his dangerous lifestyle. Watching the fireworks commence as these characters fight what is oh so obviously a losing battle is riveting!

In the end, Blake once again delivers a beautiful HEA (happy ever after). While happy endings are the stuff fairy tales are made of, this author ensures that her couple has a realistic happy ending, working out both their individual issues and their issues together before finally culminating in a very satisfying finish. I highly recommend Swept Away!

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