Deep Green by Trisha Haddad

Adrift in a lifeboat with strangers, each holding a deep secret…

Leah Taylor prefers the quiet adventure and romance of books, but during a cruise with her parents, a terrorist attack leaves her adrift in a lifeboat with strangers.

University student, Blue McCree impresses her immediately with his knowledge of literature and philosophy, but equally thrilling is strong, dark ,Musir. While Musir is slow to speak, translating his thoughts from Arabic to English, his chivalry and wisdom capture Leah’s curiosity.

Together they face danger after danger as they fight for survival. Leah also struggles with the growing attention from the men she's stranded with, and her mixed emotions toward them.

When Leah learns the dark secrets her fellow survivors hold, the truth will blow apart any semblance of civility and test Leah’s preconceived notions of just how far dedication can go before it crosses over into fanaticism.

Picture and description from Goodreads.com 

  My Review

 I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

   When I started this book I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Honestly with all of the fear and bigotry directed toward people of Arabic descent lately I was a bit worried about how the author would address this and create a great story.  I loved that the author was able to show how misplaced the bigotry toward people just because of how they look while at the same time creating a beautiful and sweet love story.

   The story begins with Leah, her parents and her aunt enjoying their vacation on a cruise ship.  They are walking around the deck when they pass a young Arabic man.  Much to Leah’s dismay her aunt feels the need to wonder loudly and out loud why the ship would let a ‘terrorist’ on board the cruise ship.  Leah admonishes her aunt so that the young man will know she does not feel the same way as her aunt.  She and the young man do not talk but Leah feels she did the right thing in making sure he knew she did not judge him just because of where he came from.  Later that night as Leah is on her way to the Captain’s Dinner she runs in to the Arabic young man, Musir, again.  This time he is in a panic and cannot think clearly enough to speak English.  Leah finds a young man to translate named Blue McGee.  By the time Blue tells her that Musir saw people on the ship with guns the gunfire erupts inside.  Blue runs off in a panic leaving Leah and Musir behind.  After a moment of thinking Musir picks Leah up and tosses her over the side of the ship in to a lifeboat.  What comes next is a story of survival with Blue, Musir, Leah and a couple of others that the young men rescued.

   It is always nice to find YA books that are clean reads.  This book has nothing inappropriate for teens or older readers.  In the beginning Leah is drawn to both Blue and Musir.  I will not give away the guy she ends up with but I will say it was the one I was rooting for all along.  The plot was very interesting and I was a bit surprised to find out who the ‘terrorists’ were that took over the ship.  It was heartbreaking to find that people were hurt just for some people to force their views on others.  The only thing I wished were different in this story was that I would have liked to have more of an idea what happened after the ending.  In my imagination Leah and her man are able to be together back in the real world.  I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone that loves a sweet and innocent YA love story.