Title: My Risky Romance In Turkey
Author: Karen Carlson
Publisher: Bookside Press
ISBN: 978-1-990695-58-2
Pages: 202
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis
Pacific Book Review
This story had me blissfully traveling the world, biting my nails over the character’s decisions, and feeling a sense of peace at the end with a good resolution. Without being told My Risky Romance In Turkey was a true story, I would have said the author had quite an imaginative take on the world.
I am an avid traveler myself but have never had the time nor money to just take off on a long adventure. The thought of just leaving life behind and seeing what the world has to offer is exhilarating. The book was filled with the sights and sounds, customs and languages of many countries which was both educational and enjoying. It took me to places and cultures I have not been and had me “seeing” places that my eyes have never looked at. It is easy to admire the author for her courage and audacity to leave what is known and seek an adventure.
However, what was not as captivating was her choice of men. She had the particular knack of picking those that seemed to bring trouble from the beginning. Most of the book was spent biting my nails and willing her out of the situations she found herself in. I guess, however, love is also a journey; one that must often be navigated alone. There are consequences to every action, and her behavior in a very conservative country at that time surely brought those to fruition. Loving with such abandon is admirable.
As far as the story telling, the book was easy to read and easy to get caught up in. I liked how the beginning of the book set a mystery for me to want to keep reading the story to find out. At time, however, it felt a little more like a play-by-play and less storytelling. For those with a sense of adventure and little flair for dabbling in danger, I would recommend this book.
