The Man In The Black Suit
Book Review - THE MAN IN THE BLACK SUIT by SYLVAIN REYNARD
Sylvain Reynard is a master at painting a story full of intrigue and suspense with complex characters that draw you in. This book is full of detail so much so that every word paints a picture. I imagined this playing out like a movie as I read it. Nicholas and Acacia so starkly different at first but as the story unravels both have secrets and pasts that have defined who they are today. As they come together there is more intrigue, more suspense and their relationship continues to become more intense. With every chapter there is a new adventure it seems. Nicholas was protective, determined and came across as someone who calculating and careful in every aspect of his life. Acacia was just as strong of a character as Nicholas and I felt that these two were the perfect fit for one another. I could even say they challenge each other as well as compliment one another. I tend to have difficulty with reading books in the third pov such as this one was written but the way Sylvain Reynard paints a picture is so vivid that for me this is what story telling is at its finest. The Man In The Black Suit will take you on an adventure with two people who almost seemed destined to be together. One chasing his past and one running from hers, it’s a story of survival not just of life itself but of the human soul.
Acacia Santos excels at her job as concierge at the prestigious Hotel Victoire in Paris. When her superior, Marcel, is attacked in a supposed random mugging, she is tasked with serving one of the hotel’s most mysterious and attractive guests. Nicholas Cassirer checks into the hotel under an assumed name every three months. Usually, he stays in the penthouse suite with a beautiful female companion but on this occasion, he arrives alone and is displeased in having to deal with someone new. A match of wits ensues as he tests Acacia’s expertise with a series of almost impossible demands. Her intelligence and creativity rise to the challenge, earning his respect. They strike a tenuous accord until Acacia discovers a famous stolen painting in his suite, she contacts a former boyfriend who works for the elite BRB, a unit of French law enforcement that deals with art thefts. Nicholas is questioned by police and released when it is revealed the painting is a reproduction. Irked with her behavior, Acacia’s supervisor demotes her threatening dismissal and the cancellation of her work permit. But Acacia has already attracted Nicholas’s attention. Remorseful that she may lose her job on his account, he offers her a choice – she can wait until her supervisor dismisses her, or she can leave the city of lights behind and become his personal assistant. Acacia initially refuses his offer, but Nicholas is persistent. He reveals himself as a man who quietly acquires stolen art in order to restore it to its rightful owners. Faced with mounting familial debts and the possibility of dismissal and deportation, she agrees to work for him. Nicholas opens up a whole new world of beauty and intrigue to Acacia as they travel the globe. Soon the line between employer and assistant is blurred, and the two lonely people embark on a passionate relationship.
