Fate is relentless in its pursuit of Talia Jacobs. Presented with unimaginable turns of chance, she is drawn into the depths of tragic losses then catapulted to the extraordinary heights of life’s joy. Take the journey with Talia as she undergoes her sexual, social and physical metamorphosis from a vulnerable girl into a mature young seductress. Nothing in life is ever as it seems. Is she blessed or cursed? Will she ever find the man who will love her like no other, fearlessly caressing the deepest part of her being while intertwining his soul to hers in a dance that holds the unspoken promise of forever?
Talia is the type of character that not many of us know in real life, but wish we did. She’s not afraid to show her true self and she bounces from one emotion to another freely. At times Talia is vivacious, confident, scared, stubborn, lonely, sexy, emotional, detached, strong, and lost. Creating a character this complicated and conflicted makes the story come to life. Talia is flawed like the rest of us and doesn’t hide behind her imperfections. She embraces the good and bad and shows the reader how to become a stronger person by being honest with everyone starting with yourself. This is a risk since many readers will have a hard time seeing Talia for who she is and may consider her overly cocky. Others will see the magic the author has created.
Not only does Talia embark on a personal journey she lives and travels to fascinating places including Haiti, Australia, Thailand, and France. The author does a wonderful job of capturing the essences of these places and incorporating them into the story in such a way that doesn’t distract the reader but enhances their experience. Along the way Talia meets various individuals who help her grow as a person. At times the story may seem to wander off course but this may be the author’s intention. Talia is lost and is trying to find her way. This book reads more like a memoir than a novel and this gives the author more wiggle room to explore Talia’s character and journey without the confines of strict plotting. Again this is a risk the author takes and it depends on each reader to decide if it works for them.
During the story there are lots of twists and turns. In the beginning a mystery man is introduced and then he disappears for the majority of the novel. However his presence lingers in the mind of the reader and this heightens the intensity of the emotions. While Talia doesn’t know what she’s looking for or what she wants the reader does. The author drops crumbs for her main character to find her true path and when she loses sight of the way it’s difficult for the reader not to shout, “No, you have it wrong!” To engage a reader fully in a story is an amazing accomplishment.
This doesn’t mean that the novel is perfect. No novel is. There are some things that may strike the reader as odd, such as the aunt and uncle who take Talia in after her parents die. On her twenty-first birthday they present her with photos and contact details for people who knew her parents, including Talia’s grandparents. It seems odd that none of her relatives besides her aunt and uncle tried to contact the child after her parents died and why did the aunt and uncle keep this from her for more than a decade? However, the reason for withholding all this information becomes clear and many readers may overlook it and get swept away by the story once again.
Wantin is the first book in the series and it’s a captivating start. For those who are hooked, don’t fret, the next two are already published so make time in your schedule to devour the trilogy. It should be noted that this book has mature scenes and language.
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