Title: The Poet’s Secret
Author: Kenneth Zak
Publication: August 31, 2015
Publisher: Penju Publishing
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pages: 354
Source: PR by the Book
Synopsis: (From Goodreads)
The Poet’s Secret is an upmarket romantic suspense adventure novel powered by two remarkable yet fractured characters: Elia Aloundra, a young lit student, and Cameron Beck, the reclusive, suicidal poet she is on a quest to find. Decades earlier, Beck penned his acclaimed masterwork inspired by an anonymous muse, only to thereafter disappear. Elia always found sanctuary within the works of the literary greats and considered Beck worthy of that pantheon. Hoping that the poet will unveil the secret to eternal love, Elia faces off with Beck’s protective circle on an exotic island hideaway, the same island where decades earlier a Spanish shipwreck entombing mystical Aztec relics was found. What Elia cannot fathom is that Beck’s secret will change both of their lives forever.
REVIEW:
After reading the publishers blurb on this book I was excited to get going on it. However when I started to read, I was really disappointed. It was slow and very confusing with how the author jumps from past to present and through various characters story. By the time I got to about the halfway point though I couldn’t put it down. When it was done, I was sad there wasn’t more.
The story opens with Elia, the main character, as she presents her thesis idea to her Literature class. They make fun of her because she thinks that she has discovered the once famous poet, Christopher Beck, is still alive and writing poems after seeing him in a local bar during a poetry reading. Her Professor tells her she needs to go talk to the Dean of Literature to secure the funding for her to find him for her thesis. Much to Elias’ surprise, the Dean knows about the poet and actually knew him personally when they were younger. He gives her permission to go and look for the poet in the Caribbean. The story weaves the tale of Christopher Beck and his muse who becomes his soulmate and his obsession, and the story of Elia and how she discovers who she is as a person. She learns that she needs to let go of her past and her childhood no matter how sad it was being raised by nuns and without a mother. The book has a surprise ending that I do not want to ruin so I will stop right there.
The book made me feel like I was actually on the sunny island. The author does an amazing job with the description of the warm ocean water, the color of hibiscus flower and the taste of the pomegranates. This book has everything that you need to help break those fall/winter blues: sun, sand, wildlife, romance and adventure. The only reason that I am giving this book 4 stars is because of the confusing way the novel flows. One page you are reading about Elia and the next page you are reading about the past with Christopher Beck. I found the format at times jarring.
The other reason is, though it only happened a few times, you are reading along with a nice story and all of a sudden it jumps to the past and two characters having sex. Not just in a “oh they had sex” sort of way. The author doesn’t short change you on the details. In all honesty it didn’t add anything to the story and felt like it was tacked on.
You can pick up your copy of “The Poet’s Secret” on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Indiebound. Also add it to your TO READS list on Goodreads! And lastly check out the author, Kenneth Zak, on his official website!
For a more visual approach, check out “The Poet’s Secret” book trailer!
