Author: J.A. Redmerski
Genre: Thriller, romance
Published on: June 18, 2013 (first edition), self-published
Sarai was only fourteen when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.
Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don’t go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.
While on the run, Victor strays from his primal nature as he succumbs to his conscience and resolves to help Sarai. As they grow closer, he finds himself willing to risk everything to keep her alive; even his relationship with his devoted brother and liaison, Niklas, who now like everyone else wants Sarai dead.
As Victor and Sarai slowly build a trust, the differences between them seem to lessen, and an unlikely attraction intensifies. But Victor’s brutal skills and experience may not be enough in the end to save her, as the power she unknowingly holds over him may ultimately be what gets her killed.
J.A. Redmerski once again pens a great novel with Killing Sarai. I admire how she writes compelling characters that stay with you long after you finish the book. If you've read The Edge of Never (my favorite Redmerski novel), know that this new book is very, very different. Whereas Edge was a New Adult romance, this is a dark, suspenseful thriller.
Sarai Cohen is a young woman who’s lived her entire teen years in captivity. A drug cartel boss named Javier has been keeping her against her will. He has other young female captives, but Sarai gets special treatment—the ruffian thinks he's in love. One day, fortune smiles for Sarai when an American (allegedly the first one she's seen in years—she is from the U.S. as well) comes to talk to Javier. She manages to slip inside the American's car. Unfortunately, Sarai has no idea she's jumped from the frying pan into the fire. The American, Victor, turns out to be an assassin for hire. He has half a heart to just bring Sarai back to Javier's compound. However, he makes a decision that'll change his and Sarai's lives.
Redmerski did a great job with this novel. It grabs you from the start and compels you to keep turning page after page. Sarai's personality is well fleshed out. She feels very much like a real person. It's quite shocking when you realize how much darkness she has inside. Victor himself believes Sarai to be unstable and very dangerous. It takes one to know one, I guess. Time taught Sarai to be tough and become desensitized to darkness. Unfortunately, it seems to have all but consumed her. The darkness is inadvertently fueled when Victor creates an alter ego for Sarai. To keep her safe, she must go by Izabel Seyfried from then on.
Sarai gets under the reader's skin with every new chapter, making you root for her. She's uncertain about her ability to lead a normal life. This leads Sarai to ask Victor to train her to be like him. Victor scoffs at the absurd idea. He then comes up with a plan to show Sarai that his life is not for her. Victor doesn't expect that his plan will have the opposite effect. She's become used to darkness and killing, and surprisingly good at Victor's job, for a novice. Sarai may not be a bad person, but still. She’s broken beyond repair and aspires to be a contract killer. I don't see the world in black and white, but Sarai still made an impression on me. I've never read about a character who desires to kill people for a living yet is not evil.
Although Sarai is dark, Victor is like night compared to her day. He's been training to become a contract killer since he was nine years old. The Order took him in and Victor's been with them ever since. Now, Victor is the top killer in the organization. He completes his missions without regret and trusts no one. While Javier is dangerous, Victor is absolutely, undoubtedly lethal. Something about Sarai compels him to keep her safe, though. The book is written in the alternating first-person POVs of Victor and Sarai, so you get to know their thoughts. There's a connection between Victor and Sarai from the start. He feels protective of her, for a reason even he's not sure of. I'm eager to find out what's in the cards for this duo.
Killing Sarai is an awesome start to a new series by J. A. Redmerski. I can't wait to read the next book and see what's in store for Sarai. Will it be inevitable for her to completely cross over to the dark side?
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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