Island Peril

Aftershock #3.5

by Jill Sorenson

Red-hot writer Jill Sorenson brought readers to the edge of their seats in Aftershock. Now they can catch the beginning of Paul and Ella's relationship in this fast-moving novella packed with danger and delight!

It started as a girls' outing to California's beautiful Channel Islands State Park. When Ella Hammond embarks on a kayaking trip with sexy adventure guide Paul Dawson, sparks fly—but so does gunfire from a boat of drug smugglers.

Now Ella and Paul are on the run, soaked and stranded in a rocky hideout. Ella feels like she'll never be warm again. Until Paul shares his body heat—igniting a fire between them that's nearly too hot to handle!

The adventure continues in Backwoods, and pick up Paul's sister's novella in Passion and Peril, both from Harlequin HQN!

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, Novella, Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks

54 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Jill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen novels, including the Aftershock series with HQN.

Reviews

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing much went on. I only enjoyed it because of JS's writing. She writes believable characters and plausible predicaments. Great dialogues too.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Island Peril is for people who...

...enjoy two people getting stranded somewhere dangerous together.
...think body heat should always be shared.
...like when sexy times happen outdoors.
...enjoy a little suspense with their romance.

Not going to lie, the sharing body heat while in a dangerous situation scenario is always a favorite of mine. BRING ON THE NAKED CUDDLING. And the naked groping. And all the other naked stuff that goes along with that.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit that I have not read the first books of this series...and it did not affect my enjoyment of this story. In fact, it made me want to immediately read the others in this action-packed series.

I can also admit I am not a fan of novellas. I like my stories meaty. Long. Page after page of excitement and spellbinding. But, a novella is a great way to introduce a new-to-me author and a way to see if this series would be something I would want to continue reading.

Island Peril is compact, but provided it all. Great sexual chemistry, enough action to get your blood pumping, and an engaging read until the last page was read. It whetted my appetite for more.

When Ella Hammond takes a kayaking trip with her sister and niece, things quickly turn from good to bad.

The trip is lead by the very sexy Paul Dawson. Picture tall, dark, athletic. Sexy. Charming. He has it in spades. And when Paul and Ella find themselves marooned on a deserted island with bad guys shooting at them, things quickly go from bad...to deadly.

All in all--Island Peril is a captivating tale filled with danger and steamy romance.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An everyday kayaking tour on the Channel Islands State Park takes on an entirely new twist when they come across drug-smuggling cargo. Stranded on an uninhabited island, the sexual chemistry flies while they are pursued by angry drug traffickers.

Island Peril is a quick novella short read. There is a lot of action, steamy sexual chemistry, and not much room for much more. For an easy, fast-paced, entertaining read, this book hits the spot.

I received this ARC copy of Island Peril from Harlequin HQN in exchange for an honest review. This book is set for publication May 1, 2014.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Island Peril was a fast, fun, flirty novella that could be read at any time during the Aftershock series. It is a good introduction to the talents of Jill Sorenson, who weaves a good story. It is also a glimpse into the characters that inhabit the series but it doesn't spoil anything for the reader. The characters are strong, the dialogue quick, the settings beautifully detailed for a novella, and the story well plotted and fast paced. I have read the rest of the series and this story is one that adds to the overall series arc.
*I received mu copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Hbeebti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good but I wish it was longer.

[Edna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Angela]

25 April 2014: $0.00 FREE (pre-order) on Kindle

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this short foray into the “Aftershock” world. I could have used a bit more tie-in information, though I suspect what was included was just right for someone with a better memory than mine. I continue to appreciate Ms. Sorenson’s ability to whisk me right to some amazing outdoor adventure situation. Looking forward to the follow on to this story in the next book.

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

jill sorenson writes enjoyable thrillers. while her characters are always thrust into extreme situations, she does a good job making their reactions and abilities feel realistic. solid airport read.

[Peg O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short thriller-sounds like set up for next book.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Island Peril was a fast-paced, yet fluffy short novella.  Truth be told, there really isn't much to this particular story aside from an insta-lust romance, a lot of talk about geophysics, a random side plot with drug smugglers... and that's about it.

Ella and Paul are practically the only two people in this entire book, with Ella's sister Abby, and Abby's daughter Brooke, making a brief appearance--I understand that Abby will be front and center in the fourth Aftershock book, Backwoods.

We don't even really see the drug smugglers, though the couple gets chased by them.

The descriptions of the island were nice...

There really wasn't much story to this novella, really.  And Ella and Paul's short romance feels like a mere teaser, though I'm not sure we'll get to see much of them in Backwoods.

Overall, an okay way to pass an hour or so of time, but not a novella I'd go back to anytime, as it seemed kind of pointless, outside of introducing Abby and Brooke, as well as telling a fluffy romance.

[Kbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I love Jill Sorenson's writing because she creates complex lovable, imperfect characters. The characters in Island Peril felt a little flat for me. It's a nice easy read, lots of action, some romance. Not bad, but not her best.

Reviews.

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:
This is a sexy, quick little novella and as such there's just not a lot of development to it. To make that more obvious is the fact that most, if not all, the story is told from Ella's point of view. As a result, I just didn't feel like I got to know who Paul was. But for what it is....short and action-packed, the book works for an hour or so of entertainment and as a sampling of Jill Sorenson's romantic suspense writing.

The entire book (except for the final scene) takes place over two days on a kayak trip gone wrong. Ella along with her sister (Abby- who has her full-length story coming out in a few weeks) and niece hire Paul as their guide to go on a quick island explore. Ella's sister starts feeling sick so it ends up just being Ella and Paul...oh and some drugs and bad guys shooting at them. It's adrenaline and action packed along with some pretty good sexual chemistry.

I enjoyed Ella's attitude toward the chemistry. Paul is someone that she sees as out of her league, but she can see he's interested so she wants to explore that chemistry. Paul's a little more reticent. And this is where I wish there were scenes more from his POV because he seemed a little bi-polar at times. He obviously likes her, but doesn't act on it or suddenly pulls back. It would have been helpful to know what was going through his mind.

But overall, this was a good little taste of some adrenaline packed romantic suspense from Jill Sorenson. I own the other novella featuring Paul's sisters story. I need to go back and read it now and I'm definitely looking forward to Abby's story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The heroines in this books is Ella Hammond, (Her sister Abby is the heroine of Aftershock 4 -- Backwoods), who survived the Great San Diego earthquake, central to the first Aftershock novel. The novels in this series are not closely interconnected so it is possible to enjoy without having read previous books. One thing all the Aftershock novels I've read so far have in common is how much I really love the heroines, who are realistically strong and determined without having to be perfect in every way.

In Island Peril, Ella a geologist, has joined her sister Abby and Abby’s daughter Brooke for a kayaking tour of San Miguel island when Abby’s ex-husband’s backs out of a long planned father-daughter trip. Ella and Paul Dawson (their sea-kayaking tour guide) end up separated from Abby and Brooke and stranded on San Miguel.

Island Peril is a novella and it really delivers a breezy action packed story. Paul and Ella are really likable characters without deep emotional damage that move from flirting to bonding as they try to hide from drug dealers after they accidentally interfere with a drug drop.

What I liked:

Paul loved his previous girlfriend, who stood by him after the death of his parents in the San Diego Quake. Their relationship didn't endure but he is not an emotionally stunted hero afraid to own his feelings, he is just starting to want to date again. He finds Ella’s incredibly sexy, and is not threatened by her intelligence or dismissive of her geeky interests. They are both smart and ready to love and I totally believed in the HFN, because their story was about opening up to something new and seeing a future with someone.

4.5 out 5 stars

[Stacy Sabala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review- Island Peril by Jill Sorenson


Ella Hammond and her sister Abby decided to fill in on the father-daughter trip that Brooke, Abby’s daughter, planned with her dad. He backed out yet again. These three have been almost inseparable since Abby and her husband, Ray’s, divorce.
The trip has brought them to the Southern California Channel Islands. They all three start a kayak trip with their hot guide Paul Dawson. When Abby got ill, Brooke had to return her to the dock. Paul and Ella were left to continue on to see the caves, the beach and the seals. Ella is unsure if her sister’s sudden illness is real or a matchmaking ploy.
Ella and Paul make a discovery in the caves and have no clue that what they find floating would throw them into a race for their lives. They end up being hunted and must rely on each other while they hide to stay safe.
This novella was a very fast read. It sets the stage for the next novel. The storyline reveals how Ella and Paul met and survived the ordeal that could have driven them apart. They worked well together and the physical chemistry they had with each other was almost tangible to the reader. I liked the ending and am anxious to read the next book to see what happens next. This novella was a fun exciting read. I give it a 4 out of 5.

[Margreet Asselbergs · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ella goes along on a kayaking trip with her sister and niece, she is hoping to get a closer look at some interesting lava-rock formations. Instead, she finds herself isolated on a small deserted island off the California cost with the delicious adventure guide Paul, with holes in their kayaks, put their by gun-toting drugsmugglers!

Not quite the vacation she had envisioned, but despite their rather precarious situation, Paul and Ella manage to spark some life into their campfire gathering of two!!

Short, full of hot promise and brief spurts of action, well-written as always by Jill Sorenson, it did not, however, live up to the full measure of her complete novels. Too little time for much character development or context, the 'insta-love' connection seemed a tad forced and oh so predictable. I was also a bit disappointed to find that the entire smuggler-interlude ended on a mere sizzle.....

I understand this novella serves as an opening to the next full novel BACKWOODS - which I will undoubtedly be reading, since I don't like missing any of Jill's books - and as such, can really not be judged by its own merit, in my humble opinion. There simply isn't enough story. However, the consistent quality and the faith I have that Ms. Sorenson will ultimately deliver, prompts me to rate this novella with three stars.

[BBMoreB ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Island Peril is a fitting title for this vigorous excursion through California’s Channel Island State Park. This is a standalone novella from the Aftershock series; the short length makes it a perfect lunchtime read.

Ella Hammond tags along on a kayaking trip with her sister, Abby, and her niece, Brooke. Ella quickly finds herself alone with the sexy guide, Paul Dawson – lucky girl. I was quickly enamored by Ella and Paul. Ella is nerdy and shy – Paul is playful and flirtatious – making the chemistry flirty and fun.

Things become intense when they are trapped on a deserted island, hiding from drug smugglers. The author stuffed action, suspense, and some naked island fun into a short story. I hope we get future glimpse of this couple in Abby’s upcoming story, Backwoods.

This review also appears on Harlequin Junkie.

Disclosure: This book was provided to me free of charge for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.

[Douglas Meeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well first thing to know is that this is a short novella, 60ish pages according to Amazon.

The setting is a short kayaking trip that turns into a life and death situation running from drug smugglers.

They get marooned a bit and need a bit of heat to stay warm. Assuming you are reading this you can figure out the general direction of things from here but it was a bit more involved and a perfect reading length for a late evening or maybe during lunch (might leave you daydreaming for the afternoon so approach with caution as a lunchtime reading )

Bottom Line: Good quick story with enough detail and realism to make it believable, leads into what looks to be a really good much longer novel about her sister to be released shortly after this one. I would recommend reading it for the above mentioned reasons and also to see if you might like the longer novel Backwoods. 4 Stars for what it was and I think it accomplished what the author set out to do with this quick reading experience.

[Kaetrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I read it: I was provided with a review copy by the publisher via NetGalley.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Ella is on a camping/hiking long weekend with her sister Abby and Abby’s teenage daughter, Brooke. When Brooke’s father cancelled at the last minute, Ella and Abby stepped in to save the trip. They are planning a day kayaking trip over to nearby San Miguel Island off the Californian coast. Their guide is the sexy Paul Dawson (brother of the heroine, Paige, from Scenes of Peril). Because: reasons, Paul and Ella end up kayaking alone. They are both single and have both been significantly affected by the San Diego earth quake (featured in Aftershock) and it is clear that there is chemistry and attraction between them. There is a “no fraternising” rule though so Paul is cautious about pursuing things.

Read the rest here: http://www.kaetrinsmusings.com/2014/0...

[Trader (RedHotBlueReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series and tend to eat up these stories like a box of bonbons. There's a good amount of adventure and suspense and characters that are interesting and real. Island Peril introduces the reader to some new characters in this series, Paul and Ella. Paul's sister Paige was a main character in Passion and Peril, so if you haven't read that one, I would recommend it.

Anyway, Paul is the outdoorsy type, an ocean kayaking guide. Ella is his client. They step into some activities they shouldn't and so the adventure begins. This story is short, just perfect for when you are between book and you want something good to read. It also is a great prelude to Backwoods, the next full book in this series.

Like all of what I've read from Jill Sorenson, I enjoyed Island Peril. Although its a novella, there's lots of adventure and smexy times between Paul and Ella. It made me want to go back to the beginning of the Aftershock series and read them all again.

[Katie_la_geek · Rating 3 out of 5]

For this review and more visit my blog


Island Peril sounded like a bit of fun and that’s pretty much what it was. It was a short romantic novella packed full of action.

Island Peril is not quite as developed as the other books in the Aftershock series and it felt a little rushed but for the most part it was really enjoyable. Jill Sorenson is good at writing romances but excels at action scenes so those really stood out for me.

I liked the character, Ella was really sweet and really smart but she put herself down a lot. Paul was also great but I didn’t get to know him as well as I would have liked to.

Island Peril is a good action romance if you are looking for a short and light read.



The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is hard to review. I love Sorenson's writing and will pretty much read anything she puts her name on. However, my favorite thing about Sorenson's books are that her characters have to battle messy family relationships and emotions as well as bad guys (and sometimes the family drama is more dangerous than the guy shooting at them). This story is too short for those subplots.

If your favorite things about Sorenson's books are the writing, characters, and hot sex in cool locations while surrounded by dangerous people, the story has all that.

ETA: I got the story from Netgalley. Sorenson and I interact on Twitter and have exchanged a few emails.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks netgalley for a free read in exchange for a review. What I like best about this author is that even though this is part of a series, it can be a stand alone. Author does a great job of back tracking, and I was really comfortable with the story and plot. I actually read backwoods first because I didn't realize this was a series. I really wish the author would let me read all of them but only those two were available on netgalley. Low ratings for this one probably because it's novella sized but it was simple and sets us up for the next book. Overall entertainment is four stars. I would definitely read more from this author.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another awesome Jill Sorenson story. I think the Aftershock series is my current drug of choice - which makes the fact that I only have one book left pretty painful. I loved seeing how all of the characters connected.

I'm just amazed at how much of a punch this author can put into 50 pages. There are some authors who barely manage to make their characters believable in that space limit, let alone actually make the story something worthwhile. But Jill Sorenson makes it look effortless.

I guess I will have to start going through her backlist of titles to find more by her to read after I finish this series. Just Backwoods left!

[Ebony · Rating 4 out of 5]

short, sweet and a lot of fun.
Island Peril tells the story of why people should never go kayaking. Abbey, her daughter Brooke and Abby's sister Ella are having a girls weekend filled with all sorts of exercising, outdoorsy stuff I hate to do, when Ella and their guide Paul go adventuring on their own and land in a heap of trouble. They catch the eyes of some shady looking drug smuggling guys and have to spend the night fighting both the weather and their attraction to each other.
This was a great, quick read that was filled with action, suspense and some hot,sexy times.

[SuperWendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this novella. I appreciated that the author kept her suspense subplot uncomplicated and didn't try to cram too much into the shorter work count. I also liked that the romance, especially on an abbreviated timeline, wasn't written as some grand love affair where the couple is talking marriage after a couple of days together. They seem happy, and I think they'll stay together for the long haul. But the author doesn't make the mistake of knocking up the heroine with triplets in the final chapter. Praise saints!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great fast paced little story. I thought I had forgotten a character (Abby) from the original Aftershock book, but the author caught me up efficiently with out distracting from the story. I like the way this sets up the next book Backwoods, but still holds its own. 4 Stars

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most novellas I found this one way too short! I love this series so any time I see a new one I pretty much read them in one sitting and this one being only 54 pages, it only took about an hour. But the thing is, as with most of Ms. Sorenson's books, it was pretty action packed. Looking forward to reading the next book which features Abby, the main character from this book sister.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book & the story, I know that I would really like this author. Great book, and great story. BUT I wanted more!

Because this author was actually pretty good, I will definitely read more! I am going to go back & read a full length book. I don't think this would give her justice at all...

The problem with this book was that it was so short, with no finality so it fell short of a true novella. It read like a sample. I wanted more, but didn't get it. By then it was over. HUH?!?