Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"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.

This is their story…"

Ariana's review:

5 HUGE stars!!!!

WOW! It is taking me awhile to be able to gather my thoughts in order to write this review. Another fantastic book by J.A. Redmerski! Can this author even write a bad book? I think not! Killing Sarai kept me on the edge of my seat, unable to put the book down from page one, all the way to the very end. Just be warned that there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the book!

The book begins with Sarai attempting to escape from Javier's compound in Mexico in which she has been forced to stay at for nine years. When she sees an American man meeting with Javier, she figures it is the perfect time to escape, thinking that he will most certainly help her get back across the border and away from Javier. However, things do not go as she expected them to, and Victor (the american) is very cold and uninterested in helping her, and he himself is a killer. Sarai ends up being held by Victor so that he can ensure that he gets the rest of his money from Javier once he completes the hit he was hired for. Needless to say, this enrages Javier, and Javier soon wants Sarai dead. In the begining it seems as if Victor could care less whether Sarai was to live or die.

As the story progresses you can see little glimmers of hope that Victor is starting to care what happens to Sarai, as he starts to open up and protect her against Javier and his people. You also begin to see a darker, less innocent side of Sarai which you did not see in the beginning.

"No, I felt only the satisfaction of revenge. I was glad to watch her die. Because she had it coming"

I cannot count the number of times where I was actually holding my breath waiting to read what would happen next in the story! 

Sarai ends up wanting to remain with Victor and have him train her to be like him. Help him carry out hits. But he will not allow it.... no matter how much she seems to have wedged herself into a piece of his heart. He still holds onto the hope that she is not beyond the point of being able to live a normal life. No matter how much it hurts, he must let her go... for her safety, but also for his. In the end, when Sarai realizes that he will be leaving, and she will most likely never see him again, you see just how much Victor has came to care for her. 

""But you did something else that no one else ever could." His features soften and my heart is slowly melting. "You made me feel real emotions. You unlocked me.""

It was in that moment that I realized just how torn up I was going to be now that he was leaving her. How can you say something as sweet as that and then leave?  *sad face* It made me want to both punch Victor in the face, and grab him and hold him and beg him to stay with her! 

Sarai tries to live a "normal life" once Victor is gone, but she doesn't seem to be able to fit into that mold just right. I think a part of her has forever been damaged both by the years she spent at Javier's compound surrounded by death and abuse, and also by having lost a piece of her heart to Victor. She is used to constantly having to watch over her shoulder, and it almost seems that despite spending 9 years wanting to be free and able to have a normal life, the normal life just isn't enough for her. She hasn't seen Victor in 6 months.... but time does not help heal her heart. Time also does not change that fire inside of her that yearns for a life above the norm... doesn't erase the scars and damage that her past has permanently etched into her being. She is not that innocent girl who was stripped of her youth. Sarai has unfinished business.........

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