Review: A Kiss at Kihali by Ruth Harris

 

A Kiss at Kihali by Ruth Harris
Publication: January 2014, 108 pages
My Source: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Description: ROMANCE SET IN THE ENCHANTED BEAUTY OF AFRICA
Lanky, dark-haired Renny Kudrow, Director of the Kihali Animal Orphanage in Kenya, is a brilliant scientist, a noted television personality, and an expert in animal communication. But human communication?

Not so much, thinks Starlite Higgins, the talented young vet he has hired over the objection of others. He is prickly, remote, critical, and Starlite, anxious to please and accustomed to success, is unable to win his approval.

When Renny and Starlite set out on a dangerous mission, they rescue a severely injured baby rhino whose mother has been killed by poachers. Upon their return to Kihali, they must work together to save the little orphan, now named Zuri--the word means "beautiful" in Swahili.

The little orphan's courage and determination and the idyllic beauty of Kihali, gradually break down Renny's and Starlite's emotional walls. Little by little, they each confront their own painful, invisible wounds.

But how can Starlite know the secret Renny guards is as shocking as the past she conceals?

A KISS AT KIHALI is an inspirational story of grief, healing, and second chances.

(A KISS AT KIHALI contains no sex or cursing and is appropriate for adult and young adult readers. A KISS AT KIHALI was originally published under the title Zuri.)

My Review: I skimmed through the description when I was asked to read this story and since I was swamped, it's been about 6 weeks since then. I was taken by surprise, since it's not my usual novel, but I found myself really enjoying it.

The first chapter starts out with Zuri's point of view. Zuri is a baby rhino. It made me stop and think--are there really people who study rhinos enough that they know how they're feeling and what they're thinking? I believe there are. The story then switches over to humans, with Zuri still in the picture. 

I loved Starlite, the vet. She had great ideas and was trying really hard to overcome a tragedy from her recent past, which came out bit by bit throughout the story. Renny, too, is struggling with things from his past and is trying to move on. I love that he is able to realize he was a little too quick to judge and stepped back to try and fix things. 

I'm trying to put my finger on what exactly it is about this story that I enjoyed so much. I loved the compassion and loyalty these vets and animal caregivers showed. They were persistent in trying to find the poachers and in trying to help these injured animals recover. I loved reading about the animals and the ways that they helped each other. And I loved the ending--everything came full circle.

Content: Two swear words, that I remember; very mild romance; some violence, mostly related to animals and animal cruelty, but it wasn't too graphic. Clean!

    

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About the Author: 

 

Ruth Harris is a New York Times and Amazon bestselling author and a Romantic Times award winner for “best contemporary.” Ruth’s emotional, entertaining fiction has topped Amazon’s Movers and Shakers list and her highly praised novels have sold millions of copies in hard cover, paperback and ebook editions, been translated into 19 languages, sold in 30 countries, and were prominent selections of leading book clubs including the Literary Guild and the Book Of The Month Club. In their e-book editions, Ruth's novels have been featured on Ereader News Today, Pixel of Ink and Kindle Nation Daily.

Ruth writes about strong, savvy, smart and witty women who struggle to succeed and, when sometimes they don’t get what they want, they find something even better along the way. Critics have compared Ruth to Nora Ephron and Joan Didion and called her books  "brilliant," “steamy,” "stylishly written," ”richly plotted,” “first-class entertainment” and “a sure thing.”

With her husband, Michael, Ruth indulges her wild side and writes bestselling thrillers with vivid characters, international backgrounds and compelling plots. Their thrillers have made numerous appearances in the top 3 of Kindle’s prestigious Movers & Shakers list;  in the Top 100 in the Kindle Store;  Hooked has appeared continually on three Medical bestseller lists since its publication;  #1 and #2 on two different Political bestseller lists;  #14 on the Thrillers bestseller list.

Publisher’s Weekly called Ruth's and Michael's thrillers "Slick and sexy [with] all the sure elements of a big seller written by pros who know how to tell a story.” Readers have raved, calling their books “awesome,” “gripping,” “chilling,” “a must-read,” and “a real page-turner.”

It's no surprise Ruth is a writer. Her Mom was an RN who had a trove of big-city hospital stories—some funny, some sad, some touching—and told them with great style. Her Dad loved words, word play and language (Ruth still has his collection of dictionaries) and he is remembered by those who knew him as "always reading." Ruth's paternal grandfather was noted for his extensive library and both her parents were avid readers: her Mom loved popular fiction and her Dad bought four or five newspapers every day and subscribed to what seemed to be every magazine published—from Life and Look to BusinessWeek and Organic Gardening.

As a girl, Ruth wanted to be a professional ice skater. In her teens, she wanted to be a lawyer—a summer job in a law office cured her! After college, she got a beginner's job in publishing and her career path—first as an editor and then as a writer—was set. 

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