Cover Image: The Exile

The Exile

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Member Reviews

"The Exile" was a bit difficult to follow. The story being spoiled from the beginning kind of made this a bit of a slog to get through but I stuck with it and it's an overall okay story.

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I was really into reading this book but something stopped me and forced me to just drop it.

The start is quite simple as it starts out of the blue. I assumed that was the past and then we moved into a future that didn't quite have any background to follow the story, then again the format and the file itself was all jumble up and I just couldn't get into the book. It was so confusing... sorry

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I was very excited about getting to read this book. I always love a good romance novel but this one was special because of the historical context of the Colombian civil war, which is something that caught my attention.
I liked the book, the characters, the way the story was told - I'm not a fan of parallel plots, especially when the author spends long spans of time on one then the other, but it worked here - the pacing was good....it was all going very well. Until life got in the way for me, and I didn't get to finish it.
For what it's worth, I'd still really like to finish this book one day, when I manage to find the time and mood to read again.

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An enjoyable and suspenseful tale of a Colombian immigrant’s journey to a better life and the swift loss of that life. This story illustrates the lengths to which one will go to be with the one they love in a very unique premise and storyline.

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The Exile by Gregory Erich Phillips is simply one of those unexpectedly great books. Good plot, Good characters, I adored it. I wish there were more to read.

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This book kind of lost it's way. The whole point of the book was spoiled from the very beginning, and it spent way too much time talking about Leila and her life in America, when the story of her surviving on her own was much more exciting and interesting to read. I wanted to know less about her time with Ashford, and more about her time on her own. I thought she was a much more interesting character that way. When she started to really take care of herself, that's when I was the most drawn into the story.

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This book is about a journey of a family struggling with the issues that face many imagrant families . Mostly in finding the true meaning of home and with finding encouragement through the trials, tribulations and struggles that life throws our way.

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A potentially exciting and compelling novel that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It’s the story of Leila who escapes a grim life in Colombia for a successful career in the US. As the book opens, however, she is back in Colombia for reasons that become clear as the novel progresses. With its exploration of immigration and deportation the book has much to recommend it, but I found it overwritten, and with many melodramatic incidents when just dramatic would have sufficed. A few plot twists challenge credulity, too. There’s rather too much about Leila’s work with sub-prime mortgages (fascinating up to a point but unnecessary in the context). Characters are one-dimensional and tend to talk in clichés and the dialogue in general lacked authenticity. Some ruthless editing would have helped, especially with the dialogue. So not a bad book, by any means, and it kept me reading to find out what happens, but a tighter narrative structure would have been beneficial.

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The Exile was a gripping drama featuring a very real issue of immigration. It is about love, fear and hopes to find freedom at any cost. Mr. Phillips portrays the complexity of the issue well in the character Samantha, who has no problem employing minorities but when one wants to be involved with her son, it’s another matter. Samantha was a good character to hate from the beginning as her prejudice becomes more evident; however, another villainous character, I feel fell short of being a character to fear. I knew Leila would be able to get away from this character and he wasn’t an important issue to deal with than Leila trying to get home. I recommend The Exile as a beautiful story of love and sacrifice and where home really is.

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The Exile by Gregory Erich Phillips is the story of Leila del Sol, a young woman in Phoenix, Arizona who came to the United States as a young girl, finds herself on a plane and deported back to her native Colombia. The story opens with Leila on the plane, scared and unsure of what she’s going to do when they land. Rewind to a time when her life was good. She was a successful loan officer for a mortgage company and the rising star for her boss, Samantha. At the company Christmas party, she meets Ashford, Samantha’s son and there’s an instant connection but they keep their distance. With time and chance meetings, Leila and Ashford fall in love, but they must keep their relationship a secret because Samantha would not be too happy. A series of events occur, and Leila is confused as to why she is picked up and deported since she has a legal visa. Ashford is determined to find out why and bring her home. Will Leila be able to come home? Will Ashford find her in time?
The Exile was a gripping drama featuring a very real issue of immigration. It is about love, fear and hopes to find freedom at any cost. Mr. Phillips portrays the complexity of the issue well in the character Samantha, who has no problem employing minorities but when one wants to be involved with her son, it’s another matter. Samantha was a good character to hate from the beginning as her prejudice becomes more evident; however, another villainous character, I feel fell short of being a character to fear. I knew Leila would be able to get away from this character and he wasn’t an important issue to deal with than Leila trying to get home. I recommend The Exile as a beautiful story of love and sacrifice and where home really is.

The Exile
will be available April 6, 2019
in hardcover, paperback and eBook

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A great read! Flipping between Arizona and Columbia, the present with the housing crash in the United States and the past, the revolution attempt in Columbia.
The book is a beautiful story of love, politics, history and evil. A real page turner.

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The synopsis for The Exile seemed okay. The story does have an interesting premise, but it fell short. I found it too technical with not enough of an engaging story line. More about the main character would have been great. Just felt a little dry. Unfortunately, this one is not for me. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the copy of this book. This novel hits on many topics- the recession, Colombuan history, and immigration. Leila, an immigrant from Colombia is living a good life until her past comes back to haunt her. I enjoyed most of this book. I would have enjoyed less mortgage background and more about the characters and Colombia.

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I went into this book, almost blind, as not much information was given on NetGalley.
That being said, it was well written, and an original plot.
I did find the pacing to be a little off, in some scenes, the pacing seemed to drag out action sequences and in soft tender moments, they often felt rushed.

A good read though.

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