Jennifer Williams hoped her budding relationship with her newly single boss would make this year’s real estate conference bearable. Then she caught her boss in bed with a coworker and sped off into the desert, leaving the conference, the hotel, and the Las Vegas Strip in her rearview mirror.
Lost and alone, she stops for directions at a small-town truck stop and disrupts a robbery in progress. Her presence threatens to escalate the situation, until another bystander—a man running from his own tragic past—steps forward to protect her. She soon learns that the attempted robbery wasn’t what it appeared and that this small town west of Sin City is home to a big secret.
Wesley S. Lewis grew up in Lubbock, Texas, and now resides in a small lakeside community outside Austin. Wes’s non-writing résumé includes stints as a filmmaker, skydiving instructor, political activist, and commercial real estate agent.
A good opening chapter tells us the main character Jennifer Williams is hurt and angry and so she has run away from her works conference stumbling into a whole lot of worst trouble, the type of trouble she could never have envisaged!
The book is packed full of everything you would want in a good thriller starting with an excellent opening chapter that invites the reader in with its excitement, drama, action, intrigue, and much more.
At first Jennifer Williams, comes across as an ordinary lady but as you read on you realise she has a good head on her shoulders and is prepared to do anything, has lots of guts, and plenty of courage. The other main character, Matt Williams, has had a tragic past but he too is determined and strong. Both characters are very well described and came across realistically. Another likeable person in the book is Vegas and my heart went out to her as she put herself on the line to help.
The story was so thrilling, hard to put down, and it had so many different elements to it. The further I read the more twists and turns I found. It’s not for the faint-hearted though! West of Sin is a great book to get your teeth into and my interest was kept right to the end.
Well done Wesley S. Lewis for writing such a brilliant, action-packed story filled with lots of drama, twists, turns, and romance, what more can u ask for? I would definitely recommend West of Sin.
*I was sent this book for an honest review by the author. Thank you so much!*
Jennifer Williams runs away after finding her boss, whom she is in love with, in bed with another woman. She decides to leave Las Vegas in her bosses rental car and head west to escape her heart break. When she stops at a gas station just outside of Las Vegas, she and one other customer encounter a robbery in progress. Matt Crocker is a man who is trying to forget the heartache from his past. When he sees Jennifer is distress, he immediately takes it upon himself to keep her safe. But neither Jennifer or Matt are prepared for the aftermath of the robbery.
This book was action packed from beginning until end. When I thought the plot was starting to even out, another thing would happen and speed up the suspense all over again. I really enjoyed this book because of all the action. You can tell the Lewis did a lot of research for this book.
While I did enjoy this book, I felt that some of the scenes were a little too dramatic and over the top, but they still fit well in the story.
If you like a book that is full of action, that is fast paced and that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is the book for you!
Not long after I started reading this book, I found myself wondering if it should come with a warning, something like, “Caution: reading this novel may cause unacceptable spikes in heart rate and blood pressure. Taking a valium or a good strong drink beforehand is recommended.” By midway through, I felt as though I were careening down a twisty, narrow mountain road with no guardrails and no brakes!
I loved the quote attributed to Robin Williams at the beginning: “[Las Vegas] may not be the end of the world per se, but you can certainly see it from there.”
Realtor Jennifer Williams is having the worst day of her life. At a real estate convention in Las Vegas, she is hoping to deepen a budding relationship with her recently divorced boss. Alas, it is not to be. In a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, she walks in on a robbery-in-progress at a convenience mart, and her life is forever changed. All hell breaks loose—again and again and again!
To call this simply “a thriller,” as noted in the subtitle, is like calling the Indie 500 “just another car race.” This is a page-turning, breathlessly-paced, action-packed tour de force of a debut novel. Lewis shows a mastery of dialogue, humor, character development, suspense, and plot twists that we might expect from a seasoned author who has already written a dozen novels. I can’t begin to imagine how he will follow up with his next book, but I can imagine his making a big splash in the literary world and, hopefully, beyond. (Amazon Prime Video, are you listening?) As a Texas Hold ’em player on the Vegas strip might say, Lewis’s book is “the nuts.”
A fun read, not too complex or confusing, just a great action, mystery and romance filled story. The characters are realistic and the paving was good, a little slow at the offset but it soon picks up. Good twists and turns, keeps you interested , my first read by Wesley but won’t be my last.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
3.5 ⭐️ I want to say thank you to the author for sending me this book for an honest review. The storyline for this book is interesting and has potential. However, I wasn’t invested into the story and I think it lacked the excitement factor. Although, there are moments of suspense I think it took quite a while for the story to build up. I would recommend this if you’re interested. The writing style and characters are very well written. In some aspects the author knows how to tell a story. But for me I had a hard time keeping up with all the information. I was trying to remember all the names and the details that I didn’t find myself immersed into the story.
Excellent debut novel that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I expect a successful for this author as books continue to be written and published and this author grows in strength. I will gladly read more in the future if the stories are as good as this one.
What I liked: * The main characters were not young but mature and had life experiences behind them. They were intelligent and thought things through while never giving up. * Jennifer Williams may have found herself in a bad situation but managed to come through more than one such situation and so with aplomb. * Matt Crocker was strong, skillful, intelligent and capable and yet very very human. * The supporting characters added just the right touch without overpowering the main characters * The plot and pacing and writing were excellent * Being drawn into the story and feeling that I KNEW Jennifer and Matt * That the bad guys were thwarted...eventually * The twists, turns and surprises that popped up here and there * The potential happiness for more than one at the end of the story
What I did not like * The bad guys...they were despicable and deserved to be sent to a fiery end * The loss of at least one character that bit the dust * Having to say goodbye to the story when I finished the last page
Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Red Granite Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
Wow, for a first novel it gets 5 stars, it held my attention from the first page.....great characters, and just an all around great story with some twists and turns along the way......loved it!
This book was such a pleasant surprise! It doesn’t immediately sound like something I’d love, but once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. It’s much more straight-up action (think Ocean’s-Eleven-heist-type book) than mystery/thriller, and I think what made it work for me were the characters. They were lovable (or hatable) and the author did a great job distinguishing everyone within a pretty large cast of characters.
I was impressed when I realized what felt like should have been the climax happened at around 150 pages, which left over 200 pages where I had no idea what else could possibly happen. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and enjoyed everywhere the story went.
The romance felt a bit rushed - it’s a long book, I could have waited a bit longer for the trust and connection to be built. And then at the end I would have enjoyed a little bit more time of resolution, etc. to really feel like it was rounded out. But maybe this leaves room for a potential sequel...?
Overall definitely recommend this book to those who feel like action is missing from their reading life, and I am extremely grateful to the author for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.
1. I finished this book in one day 2. good storytelling, keeps you on the edge of your seat 3. interesting, flawed and relateable characters
That being said, the story is a little slow to get started and the blurb and cover are a little misleading. I'm ok with the story starting out slow here because it picks up and keeps going, like an in your face over the top action movie, which was presentably surprising as I thought it was going to be an over the top sex and romance story.. and while there is a whiff of that. The story does indeed focus more on the two main characters going up against the russian mafia.
Honestly, don't want to say too much about the story..because it sort of gives it away and it's a little mystery thriller that has some twists and some points that are predictable.. sort of unavoidable I feel.
The story starts at a slow-paced but it picks up very quickly and it makes it for a one-sitting read. I got invested in the book overall, it has a bit of everything from the great characters and their relationship, along with their romance and time together as the cover will imply, there’s a lot of fast-paced action then and a few twists and turns that will keep you on the edge. I’d say romantic suspense very well done and will definitely recommend it.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book. The characters are believable, realistic, and easy to relate to. There is plenty of action, although not a lot of suspense, to keep the reader engaged to see what's next. It is your typical (to a certain extent) romantic thriller in that the female lead meets the male lead and one thing leads to another. I usually avoid romance and romantic suspense because I prefer my mysteries & thrillers to focus on the mystery and thrills. This book didn't do too badly in that department. At least the requisite sex scene was not overly graphic, and for that I was thankful. The only criticism I have is the overuse of profanity. I know, I know, you can't write an action story without it. Well, I beg to differ because I've read quite a few amazing thrillers that didn't use any expletives and I didn't feel cheated or that the story was unrealistic. But I do acknowledge that that's just me. Obviously, it didn't hurt my rating. However, I could have done without all the "religious profanity" and would have been a much happier camper. The one compliment I want to be sure to pass on since I can be a bit OCD about it is on the editing. I don't think I saw a single typo in the entire book. That is extremely rare in e-books these days. Now I will admit that I don't know if Mr. Lewis is self-published or if he has a publisher who provided editing services. Whichever it was, it was terrific. I will be looking for additional books from Mr. Lewis. He is an excellent writer.
First of all I'd like to thank Books Go Social for sharing an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.
We start out with Jennifer in Las Vegas for a work conference. She's particularly keen because this is supposed to be the time for her to finally make a connection with her boss (whose marriage ended a year ago). Everything is set for her but then she finds him in bed with her co-worker and she runs away from the hotel and the conference. She thinks life can't get much worse but then she gets lost and stops at a convenience store where she interrupts a robbery in progress. Life just got a whole lot crazier.
This book was a bit of a mixture of action and adventure with some curious characters plus a few baddies along the way. I quite enjoyed this for what it was. The supposed plans to deal with the mobster types were probably a bit unrealistic but they involved a lot of excitement and a few surprises along the way, Not to mention a potential romance.
A good read that I will give a solid 3 stars. Review to be published a week ahead of release.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This book is packed full of everything you would want in a good thriller, starting with an excellent opening chapter that invites the reader in with its excitement, drama, action, intrigue, and much more.
We are proud to announce that WEST OF SIN by Wesley S. Lewis is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money
thriller heist romance, snappy characters, laugh out loud dialogue. Cliff hanger at the end of each chapter making it a real page turner. Loved the ending! Highly recommend.
A book that will keep you interested from the first page until the last. Jennifer Williams is in Vegas with her company for a convention but also wanting more from her job and her boss. When she thinks her boss is not giving her the time she needs she decides to go for a drive. The problem is she is not from Vegas, has no idea where she is going. She ends up on a small two-lane road and stopping at a service station convince store. Her day becomes worse here and when she returns to her hotel room in Vegas everything about her day, night and the past 24 hours has gone from preparing for a PowerPoint presentation to trying to save her life and co-worker along with the people she meets after the convince store situation. Matt who she meets and helps her at the convince store stays with her and they work well together. The author then adds other characters from there and each one adds to the story, even when you think at the beginning of the scene why are they there it all works when you start getting into it. The author has you thinking about multiple items while you are reading which was good. A very good story with very good characters. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
While on a business trip in Las Vegas. Jennifer catches her boss, who also happens to be her lover, in a tryst with another coworker. All she cares about is leaving, so she does. Down the road, she finds herself caught up in a robbery. Saved by a man known to her as Crocker, she soon finds herself in a whole lot more trouble than just a failed relationship and a simple robbery. She finds herself in danger.
I had no complaints about this book. It was written very well and in a manner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It was fast-paced and full of danger. The characters are real and easy to like and relate too. The only real complaint was the ending. It was a bit abrupt. I would have liked to know more about Crocker and Jennifer.
Overall, this book was jam-packed with danger. It was fast-paced from start to finish. I hated putting it down. I have read a good crime thriller in a while, and this hit the spot.
Bryan led her to believe that after his divorce that they had a future, but Jennifer Williams finds him in a compromising position with her friend. Upset, she flees the hotel and ends up lost. Stopping at a gas station, she steps right in to the middle of an armed robbery. She is saved by Matt Crocker, a fire arms instructor, who takes down the three robbers. When the police arrive, Crocker realizes that they may have become involved in a much more dangerous situation than the robbery of a gas station ATM. An entertaining read with humor, romance and danger as Jennifer and Crocker try to stay alive. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
I thoroughly enjoyed this page-turning thriller by Wesley Lewis. The exceptional writing, character development, and plot twists kept me engaged to the very end. It's clear the author put a lot of research and attention to detail into writing this book. Can't wait to see what he has in store for the next novel!
I'm setting this aside for now. As much as I wanted to like this book, it just did not appeal to me. I want to thank the author for sending me a copy. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to get to read upcoming books. This is due out on Feb. 4, 2020. If it's something that looks interesting to you, definitely give it a go. I really liked the characters and I thought the writing was good. I just wasn't into the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it had everything I was looking for in a mystery novel and I also really liked the characters and the way they were written. I hope to read more from the author as I really enjoyed this one.
The plot is fast and quite interesting. I was hooked into the characters almost from the start of this Mystery/Suspense action-packed story.
Jennifer has waited a year for her boss, Bryan, to get a divorce. She knows that when he does they can be together. But - things happen on a drunken evening at the Las Vegas hotel Bryan's real estate company is staying at.. Impulse moves by a few of the real estate group send the reader on a superbly written journey!
A MUST READ!
Many Thanks to BooksGoSocial / Red Granite Press & NetGalley.
I love this book because for once a male author did not write a female character as a woman with bouncing boobs and a big ass. The characters felt like everyday people that you would meet on the street and I loved every moment of this book. Everything felt so flawless although I'm slightly concerned that she keeps seeing Ashley naked with a strong man's hands on her waist. This is a book that embraces girl power and is not ashamed of it. Definitely a reread.
West of Sin may be my first read by Wesley S. Lewis (and his debut novel), but it won't be my last, as the story was an unexpected pleasure. This book has romance, humour, mystery and a little darkness too. There is a lot going on and many characters to keep track of, but well worth the read and thoroughly entertaining. I’m happy to recommend this book and readers who take the chance won’t be disappointed.
This was a fun, romantic romp. It was not what I expected at all! It was funny, it had a mystery, and it kind of read like a dark film noir. I did have trouble at times keeping up with all of the characters. But I was drawn into the story and enjoyed it!
Thank you to The publisher and net galley for the ARC which did not impact my review.