Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost a 5 star read,June 19, 2012

From the moment I started reading this book I could not put it down. The story is very touching and can hit close to home for anyone. From the moment you start this book you will not want to put it down. It was a quick read but a very enjoyable read. I suggest this book to anybody with a heart.

The basic story history was laid down first, so the reader meets the characters, becomes comfortable in their home in paradise, and is lulled into a laid back Key West style frame of mind. Then, with a loud blast, the action begins. We have developed an attachment to characters, and suddenly, they are gone. The story unfolds, and we learn more facets about the 50 year stand-off between the US and Cuba. But this isn’t a political book. It is a story at the personal level of people who have been separated by those 90 miles, or have lost families, sometimes forever, and the people who risk everything to help.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Things got off to a very slow start as the foundation was laid, and I found some of the things revealed at the very end were implausible, and not in keeping with how the story had developed to that point. I did like the surprise twist at the end, but it is some of the details after that where things didn’t quite mesh.

One minor correction – one would build a raft and an oar, not an ore.

A gentle book about quiet heroism. Collin has an ideal family life, the perfect parents, an adoring brother and a loving fiancée. But one day everything goes wrong and his parents are killed in a violent and unexplainable way. Everyone thinks Collin makes his money from taking tourists fishing off the coast of Florida. But he doesn’t. His brother thinks he has given up on him after their parents are killed. But he hasn’t. We follow a man trying to escape the poverty of Cuba and are lead to believe he died. But he didn’t.
This book weaves these threads together and just when you think it’s all ended in tragedy – it – that would be telling.

Book Review – 90 Miles to Freedom by K C Hilton

by Debra’s Book Cafe

I bought 90 Miles To Freedom because K.C. Hilton, the author, is a Twitter friend. I had no expectations or preconceived notions about the book. Had I had any expectations they would have been exceeded. KC weaves the fabric of 90 Miles To Freedom from
surprises, twists, and action. Her well crafted story is not only entertaining it is educational; a rare combination to discover these days. I’m not prone to give away the story in a review and I’ll not make an exception today. I’ll simply say that if you are looking for a great read, you don’t need to look any further – and I’ll add, as soon as I post this review I’ll begin reading The Magic of Finkleton, also by… you guessed it, K.C. Hilton.

I’m quickly becoming a fan of Hilton and will continue to read her books. This book is a big step-up from a children’s book. I didn’t know what to expect and I liked the book description. I learned a lot interesting stuff and it made me want to do my own research on the embargo set on Cuba. It made me think differently about a few things. I’m glad I read it.

ARC – Wow! This is definitly my kind of read. At the end of the fourth chapter I was literally screaming (in my head) “What the heck are you doing? You cant’ do that!” It got my attention that’s for sure!Collin’s secret, in my opinion, can easily be compared to secrets other people have and keep hidden from their families. Examples: Being a drug dealer or a thief. Collin’s secret was different than the normal and it threw me for a loop. I commend Hilton for her research. It was very informative and made me think a little differently about certain things.The story revolves around Collin and his family, living in Key West, Florida. The description of his home and family were wonderful. I enjoyed his parents George and Betty, they were quite the happy/funny couple. At times I felt bad for his brother Joey and his finance Morgan, but they stood their ground and made good points. I could relate to one particular character (I won’t say who) because of his escape, because I always felt like I was running away from something in my life.When a person has ‘skeletons in the closet’ they always comes back to bite them, either getting caught or something… And ‘something’ is what happened in this story. (I won’t spoil it).The chain of events that happen because of Collin’s secret kept me intrigued and held my attention. The story really gets interesting when it all comes out. And as my girlfriend is always saying, “OMG!” And there’s always a bad guy isn’t there?I was so drawn into the story, that when something urgent happened, I would think to myself, “How would I react in that situation?” I have to admit my emotions got the better of me towards the end of the story. I’m a guy, so I won’t say too much about that part, but I will say it ‘got’ to me.

! I was sent a copy of this by the lovely K.C Hilton and it arrived just in time for me to take it to London with me – perfect reading for the return journey because I’d spent the entire ride to London AND the first hour of the return on the less-than-awesome Mist Over Pendle so it was great to have on hand something I knew I could finish before arriving home (thus meaning I could make a start on book #3) and that I also knew I’d really enjoy.Well, that an educated guess told me I’d likely really enjoy! I actually didn’t know much about the book at all before I read it. The blurb is deliberately vague about what all actually happens, which I reckon is a good thing in this case because there are so many surprises and so it works best when you don’t know exactly what to expect. Thus, a spoiler cut.

***** SPOILER BELOW *****(view spoiler) It begins quite gradually, eases you into this simple tale of a guy and his family… and then, wham! Not so simple after all. I liked the flashback-and-forward layout a lot, telling us what happened and then slowly explaining what led up to that.I was fascinated to learn about Collin’s business in transporting Cuban refugees to American soil on his boat, and was especially enamoured by the chapters detailing Adelio’s father’s own journey across the sea. Just… wow. Easily not something I’d ever read about before, or even known/thought much of. I didn’t know a thing about Cuba save for the fact that they have cigars so this book was really interesting as well as otherwise gripping! I was shocked when it was made clear that the car explosion that had killed Collin’s parents (which broke my heart, I adored them!) was not an accident but was meant for him, on behalf of the human traffickers who were, well, a bit miffed at him stealing their cargo. I have to admit, I browsed on sites like www.cigaremperor.com/shop-cigars-malaysia/ looking for Cuban cigars, I don’t even smoke but I was enthralled by the story and how epic it made cigars sound.
ALSO, this book made me want to watch a whole ton of Sea Patrol.The ending was awesome as well – I almost cried when Adelio as shot, and then Joey died, and then we find out Perez was Adelio’s father and they were so close to being reunited! So the whole “second chance” twist, with Collin awaking on the same day as when everything went wrong and KNOWING that so now he can fix it all, was just perfect. I was so glad for a happy ending, especially after my hopes for one had been so dashed!  (hide spoiler)

K.C. Hilton is a great writer & storyteller, I was drawn into this book & couldn’t put it down. I read it in one day & I would suggest everyone to pick this book up.

K C Hilton’s 90 Miles to Freedom,August 20, 2011

K.C. Hilton is a very talented writer. While reading this book I was drawn in by the realness of each character. This story will have you on that emotional roller coaster
that is promised on the back cover! Giggles, tears and goosebumps!George and Betty are a happily married couple. A beautiful home. With 2 wonderful children.Collin is a sea loving, happy young man, engaged to Morgan.With a great life ahead of him.Joey is a bright young man, just graduated from high school, with a thirst for knowledge of the ocean.But things aren’t always what they seem. Someone has a secret. And life can change in an instant!

“Collin had the perfect life. He had a loving family and everything money could buy. A life envied by all. But Collin wasn’t perfect. He had a secret, one that came with a price. A secret that could destroy his life and everyone in it.”

So begins K. C. Hilton’s remarkable novel. Not that it starts off with a bang,
because it doesn’t; it starts off as a very likable family story about two
loving parents and their two sons. Then, all of a sudden — Blam! — it hits
like a thunderbolt, and I was in for the ride. Whew! What’s going on? What
happened? There was nothing that was going to tear me away from this book until
I found out. And I did, and so will you.

K. C. Hilton is a very skillful story teller and, in my opinion at least, it takes one to tell this kind of story, a story that could have been maudlin in less capable hands, but never
does in hers. Interestingly, the significance of book’s title “90 Miles to Freedom” may not hit you at first, as it didn’t hit me. Then it appears and Collin’s secret and its significance begins to dawn and build to a dramatic, gut-wrenching climax. Then K. C. Hilton delivers her surprise, about which I’ll say nothing. You have to get there and read the book to catch its impact. I was awe-struck, and still am. Another one of the best reads I’ve had in a year filled with great reads.

When is your next book out, K. C.?

The description pulled at me until I purchased this book and I’m glad I did. It’s a great story. I don’t write reviews often, but I had to with this book.

First off, over the years I’ve heard many people say this-and-that about Florida being over-run with Cubans. To ALL those people that have said anything similar – YOU NEED to read this book! If you know someone who is slightly prejudice towards Cubans or any race for that matter – BUY them this book! It’s a lesson to learn.

This story doesn’t revolve around Cuba entirely, but it’s a story within a story and
it’s a good one. To walk in another person’s shoes… You get the picture.

The main story revolves around Collin and his family. Collin helps people, but what he’s doing is illegal in the United States and he keeps it a secret from everyone, including his family. But even a good-deed secret can become dangerous.

For me it was a quick read and not overly descriptive. Straight to the point. Sometimes less is more. I could easily see this being a movie full of susepense. I’ve read books of similar length, which were made into movies.

Also, I only gave this book a 4 star rating because I beleive books can be written without curse words. If memory serves me correctly; I counted 5 of them. No big deal I suppose to most people. It’s just my opinion.

The Scott’s were a close family and funny. Collin’s parents, George and Betty, were my favorite and they were what made parts of the story fun. My feelings were tossed back and forth throughout the book. One minute I was laughing, the next I was upset. At one
point I was even angry! One secret can tear a family apart. The same secret can make you a better person. I enjoyed reading this book and couldn’t put it down. It caught me off gaurd.

How many families are without drama? How many have secrets? Collin’s secret was a surprise. I’ve never read anything about human trafficking before, it was unexpected and very good. Although Collin was on the good side and doing a good thing, the opposing side didn’t like it too much. And this ‘My Friend’ creates a conflict and puts his family and life in danger. I liked the plot and the twist. It kept me guessing until the very end.

Check this book out. It’s a great read. Just as the description states, it’s an emotional roller coaster. This is a very well written book that pulls you in from the start and is full of
twists that keep you guessing. It’s hard to put down because you can’t wait to see what happens next. It’s a normal happy family one day, then everything quickly turns upside down. It kept me thinking the entire time and the events have Joey and Collin struggling. I won’t go in to detail to spoil anything. You will have to get the book and read for yourself. GREAT BOOK A+++++

I loved the family dynamic. And the twists and turns that this books takes. I experienced several different emotions reading this book. I would have given it a 5 star but I was a little put-out because of MORGAN! I’m a romantic at heart and I wanted MORE of Morgan and Collin. I want to know what happened after the phone call! I know it was
meant to leave the reader to draw their own conclusions… But darn! It really
grabbed my heart.

The actual subject of this book appears to be being kept under wraps, so I am not going to spoil that.

So instead I will say that the writing is both sharp and smooth and the topic is a really important one, taken from an unusual angle.

We all make mistakes, but some mistakes kill.

Occasionally we get the chance to be heroes, and we may end up killing someone that way too as collateral damage.

Does it matter if we kill by mistake or for the greater good?

This book may help you make up your mind.

And even if it
doesn’t, you will probably have enjoyed every word anyway.