“Book Review: No Way Out”

Reviewed by Chika Anene

A quick romantic thriller so full of twists that you’ll be leaving with whiplash

Sara and Chris have an undeniably intense connection. They might be different from one another, but the passion is real and palpable. While Sara is more of the conservative type, Chris likes to live on the edge. He’s a bit of a wildcard, and he has an uncanny ability to pull Sara out of her shell and heading out on some sort of adventure.

But there are problems in paradise. Despite their feverish passion, Chris still refuses to open up to Sara. It seems that the more she wants to know about him, the further away he drifts. And things only become more eerie once Sara finds out just what type of company he’s keeping.

No Way Out by Betty R. Wall may start off a bit slow, but once it gets going, it really gets going. With each page-turn, a new event unfolds and the reader gets swept away into the thrills. We’re dropped off abruptly on the last page, forced to stew on what in the world just happened. This heart-pumping pace works wonders in creating a smooth and quick reading experience.

While the plot will capture many thriller readers’ interests, I can’t help but feel irritated by our main characters. Chris won’t take accountability for his actions and decisions, and Sara seems unable to even question his bad actions. Chris divulges very little information about himself, and he’s constantly making questionable decisions, but Sara remains entranced by him.

But he’s not perfect either. Whenever Sara does ask questions about the people in Chris’s life, he acts as though she’s being a nuisance. It’s clear on the page how bad he is for her, and how much I dislike him as a choice for her, but she refuses to acknowledge the relationship is wrong. If she can’t see something as clear as this, I’m left disappointed in her as a romantic lead and it causes my reading experience to grow more frustrating.

Even though the characters could use some work, the book does a great job of getting readers thinking about dysfunctional relationships in today’s society. Yes, the characters can be frustrating, but at least the world feels accurately portrayed in its pages. It communicates themes of codependency, abuse, and power dynamics while keeping us engaged in a heart-racing plot.

Even though No Way Out won’t be making my favorite books of the year list, it certainly does a good job of covering some important societal topics that could be the right choice for the right reader. If you’re looking for a quick romantic thriller that engages with important topics on contemporary relationships, this could satisfy you and also frustrate you, but toward the end, leave you feverishly curious of what’s coming next.

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Category: Romantic thriller

Print Length: 70 pages

ISBN: 978-1649219213

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