Review: Cabin 1

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Cocky, reckless, and die-hard playboy are just a few of the names Gage Steele has been called since he left the Marines and moved back to the small, southern town of Berry Springs to take over his father’s security firm. On the one-year anniversary of his father’s death, Gage has only two things in mind—endless whiskey and endless women. What he got was a battered, bruised spitfire stumbling through woods in the middle of the night. Newly-appointed prosecutor and unapologetic workaholic, Niki Avery has spent her life working toward one goal—never to have to depend on anyone but herself… until the day she gets brutally attacked on the side of the road. Stripped of her Louis Vuitton and her dignity, the fiercely independent ADA must submit to being under the watchful eye of a former Marine, a loose cannon with a temper as scorching as his looks. As cracks begin to show in the Steele family, including newly discovered evidence that their father’s death was no accident, Gage wrestles with his growing feelings for his client, knowing that Niki is off-limits. When a pair of bloody body parts show up at the compound, it becomes clear that Niki’s attacker hasn’t given up, and Gage realizes he’ll do anything to keep her safe… even as his own family is spiraling out of control.

Genre: romantic suspense

Publication date: September 2019

Mature content: yes

Review: Even when you're talking about your favorite author's works, there's usually always  at least one book that you love less or that just doesn't work for you. In my case, of all the books I've read so far by Amanda McKinney, Cabin 1 was that book. 

I didn't like any of the main characters, felt the suspense was flimsy at best, and the romance was as predictable as it was unrealistic.

 

Gage is clearly an effort of the author to create the perfect alpha male, but the stereotype went a bit too far in my opinion - he comes across as a violent, rude, irresponsible alcohol addict. No matter his physical attributes (and they do come described in great detail), I would most likely run the other way if we crossed paths in real life.   

 

And Niki? Well, there's no way I'm going to believe a woman who's just been battered and nearly raped - and who just killed a man in self defense - is going to lust about a stranger (again, no matter his physical attributes) right after she's rescued, much less have sex with him a day later. 

 

The compound where Gage lives with his brothers is supposed to be high security, but apparently a lot of people get to roam around unnoticed (or noticed too late), so their supposed fame as a security company also didn't convince me at all. 

 

The only reason I might consider reading the next book in the series? The fact that this one ends at a sort of cliffhanger (related with the international conspiracy that is spun as a secondary plot) and I'm curious about what happens next. 

Happy readings otherwise!

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