A. L. Kent

        Welcome. I am an American author of Contemporary Fiction featuring female main characters who take readers along on their journeys. Each includes a passionate romance as part of the backdrop while the protagonist finds her way to personal understanding, maturity, and success through combinations of relationships, life experiences, and education. Being a lover of art, architecture, history, and travel, I weave these into my stories, along with a mix of emotions and a bit of humor. I invite you to be carried away now by my first story,  A Journey of Three Degrees (Riverside 1), and its conclusion in the 2020 New Release, 360 Degrees Home (Riverside 2).

 

        Others to be released soon.

 

Reviews for A Journey of Three Degrees: 

from https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KTY5663 & https://www.goodreads.com/ALynnKent

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April 12, 2020

4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Reviewer

"Love how vibrant A.L. Kent made her characters, and I especially love Anna! I found myself captured into the characters world which is always a HUGE plus when I'm reading a novel!"

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March 20, 2020

5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Reviewer & Blogger

A Journey of Three Degrees is a lovely YA novel of idealistic temptations pushing the boundaries of, what might otherwise be, 'reality.' From the perspective of the youthful reader, "The Journey' is a highly relatable story embracing the scope of this critical stage of development. Core values, intimacy, body image, relationships, and independence are topics Kent aptly addresses within the central theme of this book. Full review at: artofbeingauthentic.com/book-reviews/a-journey-of-three-degrees.xml

 

January 26, 2020

5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: Beautiful Writing!

I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to this book! The writing was passionately descriptive, leaving you feeling as if you were the main character herself! The affair with her professor was overwhelmingly raw and sizzling without being unnecessarily indecent. Her trip to France had wonderful details about the history and culture to the point that the descriptions of the food left my mouth watering! I am very impressed with this book and the editing was marvelous as I did not see one error! Well done!

 

September 21, 2019

5 out o 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: A journey into realism

A Journey of Three Degrees is the story of Anna's journey out of college into the next phase of life, but there is much more underneath the surface. While there is sex and fantasy, this is no ordinary erotic romance novel. This book is very much a journey into realism. Author AL Kent brings the reader through the everyday life of a young woman in college with vivid first person narrative that takes you into the character's mind. From there, the reader is brought through an unexpected affair with her professor and then into a far away world post graduation. The author lures you into this affair building the suspense and then pulls the rug out from under you. This novel challenges the line between lust and love, and then makes a huge connection to the importance of our global interconnectedness in history. A deviation of only three degrees can make a world of difference. We're not sure where Anna goes next, so I expect a sequel. This novel is an enjoyable read, and I think young twenty something readers of any gender could appreciate and learn from the narrative. Kent's debut novel shows promise for many more published stories.

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August 14, 2019

5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: A beautiful and engaging read!

This has been such a refreshing read. I was immediately immersed in this delightful story and invested in what happens to the protagonist, Anna, as I walked alongside her on her journey of self-discovery. The first part deals with her college life —we see how she spends her days in college in Ohio. The descriptions of nature during the winter and spring were so beautiful that I felt that I, too, was staring out of the window from Anna’s dorm and watching the seasons go by. Her first encounter with her love interest was so cleverly written — it was overwhelmingly pleasant. I really loved the opening paragraph which from the onset invites the reader to also retrospectively ponder about life, just like the main character does.

 

A trip to Paris and rural France gives the reader more than a glimpse of this beautiful country. Anna, together with her friend Sophie and her family, take us to places many tourists may not know, and we are treated to detailed and insightful images of art, architecture, and many historical monuments and buildings. The lovely moments spent cooking and eating delectable, mouth-watering French food was another surprising treat that awoke my senses, and the strolls around the manicured gardens added to the beauty.

 

Throughout the novel, we also witness the author’s knowledge and respect for the French language, and the French customs, as well as her knowledge for history. Anna is a passionate, intelligent woman who is thirsty for knowledge and finding her place in the world... (continues).

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August 14, 2019

4 out of 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: A slice of life

An interesting story following a college girl and professor.

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August 11, 2019

5 stars

Goodreads Reviewer

Such a poignant book! I loved the author’s descriptions and willingness to dive into the tough topics. This book doesn’t hold back. Although the ending is bittersweet, there are enough moments of hope to keep you excited for the sequel. I can’t wait to read more!!

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August 2, 2019

5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: Beautiful Setting

When a college professor and a student strike a romance, they both end up with more than broken hearts. The author implements excellent imagery, setting, and dialogue.
I was a little sad where the story ended, but it sets up future installments. On a picky note, the texting language was off, especially as I am a reader who recently graduated college.
Overall, the author delivers a story that shows an excellence of craft, and I enjoyed symbolism and ties to stories like the Woman at the Well.

 

Blog Interview:

June 17, 2019

https://onthearmofthesofa.blogspot.com/2019/06/catch-up-on-sofa-with-l-kent.html

Author of A Journey of Three Degrees A. L. Kent has taken a seat on the sofa to share some thoughts.
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?
I've always liked writing. As early as I was able to form words on paper, I started journaling. By my early teens, I was writing poetry, too. My first stories came as a result of course work in high school and at university. In my twenties, I felt the initial stirring to become an author. And the seed of that was first nurtured at the 1st book signing I attended, where I met and was inspired by Nicholas Sparks, in 1998! Now I am bursting with material which has been collected over two decades, practiced, and hopefully perfected and ready to be given to an audience. I have several works in process, multiple genres, and am excited to finally have reached the point in my life to start publishing.

What was the first book that made you cry?
The first book that made me cry was The Diary of Anne Frank. I had to read that in English class in 4th grade, I think it was, and it of course left a lasting impression.

What was your favourite book as a child?
There were a few. But I remember reading Peter Pan over-and-over. And I was very taken with Little Women.

What are you reading right now?
Right now I am reading books from authors I've recently met in order to give them reviews. Once I do, I will post about them. Until then, I'd rather not disclose the titles.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
When I am not writing, I enjoy supporting others, especially other creatives. I dream of becoming seriously involved in philanthropy in the future. There are so many causes I wish to support. Top of my list is enjoying & supporting my family, my husband and our two children, and extended family, as well. Travelling, cooking, walking and cycling in the great outdoors, these are also activities I treasure.

What was your inspiration for A Journey of Three Degrees?
A Journey of Three Degrees literally began as a dream! As I was sleeping, I saw a scene that, although highly edited from its original form, still exists near the ending of the book. The main character Anna's emotion grabbed hold of me just before I awakened and spurred me to begin writing her story. I had to work backwards, to create a beginning, then a middle, and to connect all with the ending. It was quite an adventure, as the story seemed to write itself - bits from dreams, inspirations from films and songs, all mixed with elements from my own life. Every time I sat down to write, it all just flowed through me and took me on a journey, which I had not planned. Every session came with adventure & surprises, emotional ups & downs, and I became hooked on the process.

Do you have ideas for future books you might want to write?
Currently, I am finishing edits on the sequel to A Journey of Three Degrees that I plan to publish this summer. In it, Anna's journey comes full circle. I plan on writing many more novels and trying several different genres. An idea for a thriller is brewing in my mind...

 

May 23, 2019

4 out of 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: Intriguing book

Really enjoyed reading this. Different to what I would normally choose but glad that I did. The story follows Anna as she finishes her university studies and then takes some time out in France. Beautifully written and very enjoyable.

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Blog Review:

May 20, 2019

http://onthearmofthesofa.blogspot.com/

Sofa Spotlight - A Journey of Three Degrees, A. L. Kent

Well this was a different kind of novel, for me, not the genre I normally choose. The basic premise is that of a student - professor romance. And immediately my mind went to The Professor by Charlotte Bronte. Of course there were similarities but in other ways it was vastly different.

 

I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more when I was a student. It’s been a few years now since I was at uni so it took me a bit longer to get my head back into that world, but I have to say it was well constructed in this book. Particularly when Anna is packing up and leaving her uni accommodation on her final day, it certainly rang true. One of the obstacles my mind had was that this was an American university experience and I only have knowledge of my British uni. I spent quite a bit of time making comparisons between the two but this was actually quite enjoyable

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So anyway back to the romance aspect of this book. Because it is this that drives the story forward. Firstly I should say that this book has some fairly explicit scenes in it. I’m a bit squeamish when it comes to this so I didn’t enjoy them. And I don’t think the story would have lost anything by losing these.

 

When the romance starts to unfold you can’t get away from tension of how this all might go wrong. Or at least that’s how I felt. But you do get sucked into this story no matter how you feel about what is going on between Anna and her professor and also between Anna and her friend Justin. Her professor was not my favourite character. I think what he tries to do in the end is good, but I also think that it wasn’t fair of him to do that after what he started.

 

What surprised me is how it turned out. I hadn’t anticipated how the story ended as a possible outcome. This would be a spoiler so I’m not going to tell you, but I think it worked as an ending, so it was a pleasant surprise. And I like not being able to guess how things will turn out.

 

However, for me the strength of this book was in the second half. Anna heads off for two weeks in France, starting in Paris. What made it so good was the way I was completely transported to Paris or any of the other locations that she visits. As she is staying with a friend who lives in Paris we get an opportunity to explore more than just the obvious tourist spots. And this made for a really refreshing description. I loved this part of the book and was very sorry when it came to an end. If ever writes travel books I wouldn’t hesitate to read them.

What was also interesting is her French friend’s take on romance. Although I’m not unaware of French culture it was nicely juxtaposed with the main characters thoughts and feelings.

 

So yes I was out of my comfort zone with this one but ultimately enjoyed exploring two different cultures to my own in one book.

 

May 8, 2019

5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: Life Unfolds Like a Mystery

The story begins with: “Life unfolds like a mystery. Similar to a puzzle, the big picture eludes us while we go about our day-to-day and pieces either fall into place or are set aside to fit in the future.” That’s Ana’s story, a young college student who decides to follow her dream and travel internationally. Her adventures and friendships in France are fascinating. The description of the scrumptious French dishes and the scenes make you feel like you are traveling along with Anna. I loved all the twists and turn that kept me wondering what would happen next.

 

 

April 8, 2019

5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: A good story about overcoming life's challenges

A fascinating story about Anna, a young college student whose life is changed by unexpected circumstances. After graduation she decides to follow her dreams abroad. Her adventures and friendships in France are a wonderful read. The examples of the delicious cuisine she enjoys and the scenes in her travels are so vivid. Looking forward to more adventures by this author.

 

 

March 17, 2019

5 out of 5 stars

Amazon Reviewer: Great story full of adventure!

I loved everything about this book... Anna kept me interested and entertained, and I am fascinated with her story. I can't wait to see what happens in Book 2! ❤

 

(Same reviewer on Twitter) I am not a fast reader, but I couldn't put this book down, "A Journey of Three Degrees" by @ALKentBooks. The main character, Anna, kept me interested, entertained, and I saw France through her eyes and experiences. It's definitely an emotional story full of twists & turns!

 

 

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