5 Wine Glass #Review for Girl in the Water by Dana Marton

Title: GIRL IN THE WATER
Series: Civilian Personnel Recovery Unit #3
Author: Dana Marton
Format: Kindle, 288 Pages
Published: Dana Marton (October 11, 2016)
ISBN: ASIN: B01LW3QXT4
Links:  Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Author
Rating: 5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

He doesn't mind breaking rules, just never his own. Rule #1: You don't seduce the woman you protect.

An epic romantic adventure that will transport you to another world, a spellbinding story about love and hate, honor and evil, hope and justice set against the exotic backdrop of the teeming Amazon rain forest.

After the death of his wife and twin sons, Army vet Ian Slaney is a shadow of his former self. On the path of self-destruction, only his best friend's disappearance in South America pulls Ian back from the ledge. He rushes to Brazil, only to discover that his friend was murdered. The single lead in the case is also the single biggest obstacle--Daniela, a mysterious beauty very much in need of protection, with a host of secrets hidden in a dark past. As the two of them track down clues and try to untangle an impossible case, they draw the attention of all the wrong people, and danger follows them back to the US.

Ian wants the murderers. Daniela wants Ian to acknowledge the hot sparks of passion between them. But convincing Ian to set aside his protective instincts proves more difficult than turning an anaconda vegetarian.

Linda's  Thoughts:
She could live without her past. She was better off without her past. But Ian couldn’t live without his heart.

I was extremely fortunate to read two fabulous romantic suspense books back-to-back a few weeks ago. GIRL IN THE WATER by Dana Marton was one of those books! I can’t say enough amazing things about it. It’s an intense and intriguing epic romantic thriller that is both heartbreaking and heartfelt. It’s beautifully written, perfectly paced and highly poignant. The story takes place in various exotic locations and, as I read, I became privy to the culture and ways of the foreign populations featured. So, it doubles as being educational in an entertaining way. The passion and love in it will honestly blow you away.

It featured two emotionally scarred individuals who made outstanding characters. Our beautiful heroine was Daniela, who the book is named for, and Army vet Ian Slaney was our hero. He works for the Civilian Personnel Recovery Unit, (CPRU), a DOD department that deals with recovering US citizens who have gone missing abroad.  Ian’s army buddy has gone missing and Ian is determined to find him. He believes Daniela to be his best lead – only to discover that she desperately needs his protection instead.

You should know that this is a darker read than those I’ve previously read by Dana as the subject matter deals with serious issues including human trafficking, learning how to forgive yourself and others for doing what had to be done and becoming comfortable in your own skin even when others don’t accept you. The characters were extremely realistic - thanks to Dana’s strokes of rich strong and stirring visualization. I experienced a myriad of emotions along with the characters as I laughed, cried, felt cradled, horrified, hurt, scared, sickened, confused, breathless, proud and in love.

I could not help cheering for Daniela. Her strength of character was truly an inspiration. This story will make you think – really think – about how women are treated in other cultures and our expectations for those women. Daniela was given a rare opportunity to escape – but, in America, she was still judged by our standards and condemned for an upbringing that was considered normal in her culture and over which she had no control.

Ian served our country with honor and distinction. Then… he lost his entire family because he was away doing his duty and not home to keep them safe. The guilt he felt was unimaginable. He was at the point of not caring if he lived or died. When he finds Daniela, he vows to ‘save’ her – even though she doesn’t know that she needs saving. It may be that she actually ‘saves’ him. He thinks of her as his little sister…

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from GIRL IN THE WATER:

The Potomac had taken away Linda and the boys.
The Rio Negro had given him Daniela.
One river had swallowed his heart; another river, halfway around the world, had gifted it back. A different heart, beaten up, scarred, but a beating heart at least.
---

Quickly, Ian learned the danger of holding her. Once he allowed his arm around her, letting her go was nearly impossible.
---

As he waited for her, he braced himself for the sight of her, ready to turn out the light as soon as she reached her bed.
But when Daniela came in, she wasn’t wearing her nightgown. She returned from the bathroom in a bath towel. And then she locked the door behind her and dropped the towel. Drops of water glistened on her naked skin as if she’d been painted with diamonds.
“Christ,” he breathed.
---

“I love you more than piranhas love chicken wings.”

GIRL IN THE WATER is nothing short of amazing. I’m so enamored of it that I consider it to be a strong contender for one of my top ten reads list this year. GIRL IN THE WATER ranks up there with her very best!  Just a heads up - You will want to read this in one sitting. Your reward will be the huge smile on your face at the end.


Suggested Reading Order: 
Forced Disappearance (Book #1)
Flash Fire (Book #2)
Girl in the Water (Book #3)