Illegal by K.J. Gillenwater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This romantic suspense novel was a real page turner and I was hooked from page one. Selena Hernandez discovers that she was brought to the United States illegally as a child, and in order to become a legal immigrant, she must return to Mexico, a country she does not know. Selena meets Wyatt Demko, an embassy employee whilst at the US Embassy asking for help with a visa. Wyatt is happy to help Selena, but the more they discover about her past which includes connections to a notorious and dangerous drug cartel, Wyatt’s own carefully planned life is upended. Having escaped a hard upbringing in a Wisconsin trailer park, Wyatt has worked hard for his stable career with the State Department. However, he also wants to keep Selena safe, and maybe win her heart at the same time.
As Selena fights to be allowed to return home to the US, her complicated situation becomes an international affair, whilst she’s stuck in a unknown land. Wyatt and Selena only have a few days to attempt the impossible, including hiding from the brutal drug cartel and the corrupt law enforcement, to make a daring getaway. This novel kept me gripped from start to finish with its fast paced and action packed storyline, and plot twists that kept me guessing. The characters were likeable and relatable and I felt engaged with them, and the settings from the streets of Mexico City to the sandy beaches of the Yucatan Peninsula were brought vividly to life by the descriptive narrative. The chemistry between Selena and Wyatt really came across in the writing and I liked how their relationship developed. This was an enjoyable and exciting read, full of drama, suspense, and plenty of romance.

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