Lies Unspoken

Flawed Love #1

by Lisa De Jong

I tried hard not to fall for the bad guy.

My new roommate, Blake, is a jerk—an unemployed artist with a chip on his shoulder. I can’t stand him unless his hands are on me. He makes me desperate for him, and everything he makes me feel.

And then there’s my new boss, Pierce--successful, charming, and extremely good-looking. He goes after what he wants, but what does he see in me?

I try to stay away, but I end up in the arms of exactly who I was hiding from. And when I find out what’s being hidden from me, my heart twists in ways it never should.

I thought I knew him.
I didn't.
The way he kissed me.
The way his hands traveled every inch of my skin.
I thought it meant something, but as it turns out, it was all lies unspoken.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Emotional, Erotica, New Adult Romance

326 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 2014

Reviews

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

”When I fall, I fall quickly. Love doesn’t come with a parachute; I learned that the hard way.”



Lila Fields has recently had her heart broken. She heads to Chicago to stay in her friend’s empty apartment for a fresh start. On Lila’s flight into town she is seated next to Pierce Stanley sexy businessman who seems totally taken with her. Pierce gives Lila his business information to connect for a job opportunity.

Once arriving at the apartment, Lila is surprised that her friend’s hot and broody brother, Blake is all set up to stay in another room. The two will have to be roommates until Lila can save enough money to get her own place.

Blake and Lila have some major chemistry and sexual tension to which Blake’s less than stellar personality puts the brakes on from the get go.

”And Lila, don’t think I didn’t notice how your body reacted to me just now. Don’t worry, though, because we’re never going to happen.”

Blake’s hot and cold persona did get a bit tiresome even though there are reasons given for his behavior. As for Lila, she can’t resist this tortured artist and falls for him body and soul.

”Everytime, it hurts a little more because every time, I fall further into him. Maybe, if I sink far enough, I’ll be in his heart, and he’ll feel the same.”

Working at a bar starts to wear on Lila and so when she hears from Pierce Stanley she jumps at the job opportunity and is confused by his attempts at getting to know her outside of work. Pierce seems to be wonderful and so Lila is fighting the battle between her heart and her mind.

"I wish things were different. I wish I'd fallen for him, but it's hard to fall when I'm already down."

Blake is a train wreck of bad decisions, want and protectiveness for Lila. He battles the will to push Lila away but whether he likes it or not, he has fallen for her as well.



The story takes some crazy turns and it is indeed a love triangle scenario but with a clear partner chosen. There is also a mysterious connection between the two men and please note there is cheating and a cliffhanger ending.

”Sometimes love just isn’t enough.”

Beta/ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

{ARC Generously Provided by Author in Exchange For an Honest Review}

"Love isn't defined by what you deserve. It's about finding that one person you know you can't live without and never letting them go."





Lila Fields is a young woman who decided to pack her bags and leave her home in Nebraska for a new life in Chicago. She was engaged to her college sweetheart who decided to dump her the day before their wedding. Too many things remind her of her ex and so she is determined to change things up.



She moves into the apartment of her best friend from college, who is away at school. She was offered the use of the apartment while she gets herself settled and can save up money for her own place. Lila gets a surprise her first night there when she finds out she has a roommate that her friend never warned her about. Blake, is her friend's older brother. He's devastatingly gorgeous and an artist! They get off on the wrong foot from the beginning but when she starts working at a local bar to make some extra cash, Blake keeps showing up to act like her protector. Sparks fly pretty quickly and these two will get hot and heavy. The problem is, Blake is tortured by something that happened to him in his past, and he makes it very clear that all they can have is a physical relationship. He never promises her love and commitment.



I found Lila to be a frustrating character. She just got dumped by her fiance, and she wastes no time jumping into bed with her roommate. She acted like Blake was THE ONE, when he would normally be considered the rebound guy. I had many issues with him. I didn't like his push & pull behavior. He would act all sweet and affectionate one minute, and then BAM, he was running away or being a complete douche. I wanted to knock some sense into Lila. I couldn't understand why she kept trying to work things out with Blake after he messed with her head so many times. Again, I have to say, he never outright told her that they were in a relationship.



Somewhere along the way, I let him crawl into my heart. That was the easy part...letting him out, that's not going to be so easy.



There is another man who is really into Lila as well. Pierce Stanley, is this rich businessman that she met on the flight from Nebraska to Chicago. During their brief conversation he offers her a job interview. After several weeks of living in Chicago, she takes him up on his offer. Now this guy seems amazing and has a lot going for himself. He makes it quite obvious from the get go that he is attracted to her.



Things become rocky between Blake and Lila because of his douche bag behavior and she ends up getting a little close with Pierce. BUT, it never goes too far because all she can think about is Blake and how things with Pierce seem fine but there is no spark like there is with the jerky roommate. At this point, knowing what an ass he was to her I was stunned she would even want to try and work things out with Blake.





Secrets will be revealed towards the end of the book and I ended up disliking Blake even more due to his actions which lead to a cliffy.


I don't know that I can say this is a "Love Triangle", or that it involves "cheating" because Lila and Blake were never dating. Blake told her not to expect a relationship out of him. Also it was pretty clear who Lila's heart belonged to. She was never torn between Blake and Pierce.


I really enjoyed this book and at first I was Team Blake because an artist is very sexy to me, but his behavior throughout the story and what he did at the end, made me switch teams. I didn't love Lila, but what really connected with me was that she just picked up and left her home and went to a brand new city to start fresh. It is a dream I've always had and I absolutely LOVE CHICAGO!!!! I hope that she'll be a kick ass heroine in book two and will be getting hot and heavy with the SEXY Guy in the suit!! Love a man who dresses like my David Gandy!!!


I can't wait for book two!!!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!



Lisa DeJong is one of those authors that knows how to bring out emotions in me. Lies Unspoken was intense. It was captivating. It was full of angst and heartache, and it made me feel. I was a mess while reading parts of this. It was an addictive book that I couldn’t put down.



Lila Fields needs a fresh start. A new beginning. After getting her heart broken by her college sweetheart, she gets out of town to start over. She has a friend in Chicago who is willing to let her use her place while she’s out of town until she finds a job/gets on her feet. On her way to Chicago, she meets a sexy man in a suit. But we’ll get back to him later... for now lets talk about my man Blake.

Blake is Lila’s friend Mallory’s brother and her surprise new roommate. He is sexy. He is damaged. He’s a tortured artist. Blake and Lila don’t click right away. Lila finds a job at a bar, Blake is very protective of her. It’s surprising for her to see. The more she gets to know him, the more she realizes the type of man he is. She wants to help him with whatever he’s going through.

Somewhere under that anger is misery and heartache. I see it. This man is drowning, and I’m trying to save him. If only he’d let me pull him to the surface.


Blake and Lila have this undeniable attraction and chemistry. No matter how they try to stay away from one another, it’s impossible. They can’t deny the pull between them. They both desperately want each other, and Blake makes it clear from the very start it can only be sex. He can’t handle anything else...

“Promise me,” he says. “Promise me that this is all there is. That you won’t let yourself fall into something deeper, because Lila, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Blake and Lila together just worked. Even if neither one wanted to admit it, they clicked. You can feel the intensity of their connection. It’s getting harder and harder (especially for Lila) to not feel for Blake. By the time she’s realized what’s happened, she’s already there. Already let him in her heart.

Somewhere along the way, I let him crawl into my heart. That was the easy part… letting him out, that’s not going to be so easy.


And even though Blake can’t admit it, you can just tell he’s let Lila in there too.



Things with Blake aren’t easy. On top of that, remember that sexy man in the suit? From the beginning? Yeah, thats Pierce. And he’s back in the picture. Lila got her dream job working for him. You can tell Pierce wants Lila. And he’s willing to give her everything... more than Blake ever could. But Lila’s heart wants what it wants. What can she do? My favorite quote in the book summed up Lila and Blake’s relationship so well. Some choices we don’t get to make. No matter how much Lila might want to move on with someone else, how can she with Blake in her mind and in her heart?

Blake and Lila. I liked them both so much. Even though Lila infuriated me at one point, and Blake completely shattered my heart in one part, I still loved them together. I rooted for them. It’s safe to say I am not Team Pierce. But that was a given for me. I love my men damaged and Blake is as broken as they come. These two together were steamy hot. Sexy, sensual and passionate.



My emotions were all over the place while reading this book. I didn’t know how to feel half the time. Gah! I love books that give me all these feels. There were so many revelations that shocked me. Especially seeing how a certain two characters were connected...

Lets get to the nitty gritty, shall we? Is there a love triangle? Hell yes. If there is more than one love interest at the same time, thats a love triangle to me. Is there cheating? Hell no. No cheating in this book. It may have some heartbreaking and hard to read scenes, but no cheating IMO. If you’re not in a relationship with anyone in the book, then you can’t cheat. It’s impossible to cheat when everyone remains single.

Lies Unspoken is a highly angsty, sexy, and emotional read that I couldn’t put down. Lisa DeJong’s writing is enthralling. This was a solid 5 star read for me for the first half. Nothing was ‘wrong’ with the second half, but I found the last 25% to be a bit much for me. I’m not sure how I felt about the direction it took. I’m still very excited and anxious to see how the next book turns out. I NEED to know what happens with my boy Blake!

For all those readers that love angst, steamy and sensual scenes, damaged men and mass twist and turns in their books- this is one you won’t want to miss out on!

“Love isn’t defined by what you deserve. It’s about finding that one person you can’t live without and never letting them go.”

[Lisa De Jong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lies Unspoken is ON SALE for 99 cents!

http://www.amazon.com/Lies-Unspoken-F...

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the hardest review I've had to write all year. Sometimes you read a book that's so magnificent, so completely perfect you literally don't have words to describe it and no matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you dig inside yourself, you can’t find the right ones.

This...

This book incapacitated me. It pulled emotions from so deep within my body that I swear, I didn’t even know they existed. Honest to God, I had trouble seeing past the F5 tornado that churned in the base of my chest.

Saying it was intense would be an understatement.

Saying it was riveting would not adequately describe how addicting it was.

Saying it was spellbinding would only be the tip of the iceberg.

It was ALL that and so much more. It was, what I would consider to be, the PERFECT book!

When I received Lies Unspoken, I hadn’t intended to read it right away. I had several other novels that needed to be read beforehand, but I was so intrigued by the sexy cover that I decided I was going to sample it, get just a teeny taste of what I was in for. Well.... that little taste turned into a full blown, devour it read.

I couldn’t stop.

I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t breathe.

Everything about the book from the enchanting characters, to the breathtaking writing, to the heart stopping emotion behind each word, claimed me, stealing a part of who I am.

I was enraptured, completely consumed.

I’ll tell you, I cried while reading the prologue! I freaking CRIED!!!!

That never happens! EVER! This book is packed solid with emotional angst, emotional angst that is so superb, it’s simply IMPOSSIBLE to look away from once you start. The words, the characters, they embed themselves in your pores and it becomes an obsessive addiction. It becomes a drug that you not only need but crave and after it’s all said and done an EXPLOSION happens in your soul.

It’s JAW DROPPING.

THIS book is blissfully painful. It is the book we search and search to find. It’s paradise, a book lovers HEAVEN! It’s EVERYTHING a book is supposed to be and more. Pure and utter perfection.

I know this review is rather vague and I wanted it that way. I honestly think you should go into this without prior knowledge of what’s going to go on.

The blurb says enough.

You know that Lila is going to meet two men. Pierce, a damn near decadent business man that will make you tingle and drool all over your kindle, and Blake, the complete opposite of Pierce, an artist, a bad boy, a moody but irresistible man with a past that is shrouded in heavy secrets and unbelievable pain.

There's sooooo much turmoil here. So much depth. These characters are well rounded and the book not only pulls on your heart strings but is also loaded with the heavy, shiver inducing dose of sexy times.

When I say this book is perfect, I mean it. It's the PERFECT compilation of angst, sex and raw, unbridled emotion. I don't know how the author did it, but she's literally written a book that is the very thing I search to find.

I could say so much more, but Lisa De Jong has stuck gold for a book junkie like me. She has made me feel deep. She has made a long lasting impression. Her characters have burst to life and found a permanent home in my heart.

I would HIGHLY encourage angst lovers to read this book. The twists and turns are body rocking, the sex scorching and body blazing, the writing top notch! I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment and I know you will feel the same thing. It's one hell of an addictive read, one that you are going to be screaming to everyone and their mother to start.

This is, without a doubt, a TOP five book of the year for me!

❤❤❤ FAVORITE QUOTES ❤❤❤

➔ "I knew the moment you walked out in that sexy little robe that I was going to f*ck you." When he slips one finger inside me, I gasp. "You're so f*cking wet and ready for me. I dare you to make me stop. This pretty little p*ssy would hate you for it."

➔ "He's going to be my vice and virtue all in one-- my wrongdoing and good deed. Every game has a winner and loser, but when he's buried inside me, the end game is the last thing I want to think about."

➔ He's created a sinner. I'm addicted to the fire with which he burns my skin--a slow singe that spreads until my whole body is aflame."

➔ "Is you heart beating for me?" His fingers curl around my wrist, bringing my hand to his bare chest. His heart pounds against my palm. "Feel that? Do you feel what happens to me when I'm touching you?"

➔ "Love isn't defined by what you deserve. It's about finding that one person you know you can't live without and never letting them go."

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[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

What do you do when the life you thought you had is complete destroyed. After her boyfriend of seven years decides to dump her weeks before their wedding, Lila decides to leave.



She spent her time moping, now it is time to move on. Since her best friend is in Europe for the next few months she offers her her apartment in Chicago. With a degree in interior design and no experience she sets out to change her life and move on from her past. Little does she know the first change will come in the guy sitting next to her on her flight.



On that flight she meets hotel mogul Pierce Stanley. He sees something in Lila whether it’s her looks or the lost look she has in her eyes, he decides he wants to help her and insists they exchange contact information.

Exhausted from her trip Lila is ready to settle into her apartment and get ready for her job hunt tomorrow. That is until she is confronted by her sexy new roommate, Blake. Her friend failed to mention her brother would be staying with her. It doesn’t take long for Lila to realize her sexy roommate is going to be a real pain in the ass. He is rude, sarcastic and inconsiderate, at least that is how it seems on the surface.



Lila finds a job at a bar and begins working, this is when you begin seeing the real Blake. He is cares about her, a stranger to him, but his sister’s best friend. He takes it upon himself to make sure she is taken care of and safe. The more time they spend together they find it harder and harder to fight their attraction.



While their physical connection is burning up the sheets, Lila gets a call from Pierce offering a job as a design apprentice in his company. It seems everything is coming together for Lila…until everything crumbles. Pierce her new boss seems interested in more then her design skills and Blake isn’t sure he can give her more.

I really enjoyed this story and the connection Lila formed. I liked both guys, and I really enjoyed the triangle aspect and angst involved. I loved Lila’s new friends and the relationships she formed with them. I thought their dialogue was entertaining and added some lightness to the book.

"Safe words are used to get out of uncomfortable situations. For example, I hate dancing so if anyone asks, I’m using our word.”

"Seriously, Reece? I really don’t think that’s what they’re for.”

For the most part I really enjoyed this one and up until about 60% I felt this could be a 5 star read for me. However, things just got a little too rocky towards the end. I felt things were flipping too quickly and too frequently. It felt like too much in my opinion. Will that stop me from reading the sequel, of course not! I need to know what happens next.

So until Unspoken Love...

"Love isn’t defined by what you deserve. it’s about finding that one person you know you can’t live without and never letting them go."

Disclosure: This does end in a cliffhanger. The “triangle aspect” Lila is never with Blake officially, he doesn’t date, they are just having sex. When Pierce gets involved she is not in a relationship with Blake. Hope this helps.

ARC kindly provided in the exchange for an honest review.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review☆



TITLE: Lies Unspoken
SERIES: (Flawed Love, #1)
AUTHOR: Lisa De Jong
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: December 14th 2014
MY RATING:★★★★

4 Panty Dampener Blake Stars

His grin could melt thousands of panties and break a million hearts

The last book I read of this authors I ended up crying ugly tears!! Thank god this didn't have me in that state!! But it did have me wanting to throw my ipad at the wall with Blake's indecisive attitude!!

"When I fall, I fall quickly. Love doesn’t come with a parachute; I learned that the hard way.”



Definitely enjoyed this book, BUT instead of a whiny assed female we have a hot and cold *inserts rolling of the eyes* male, he freaking gave me whiplash!! Though in his defence he did put rules in place concerning their whatever it was!! And even though I wanted to despise his hot ass I feel in love with everything that was Blake *sighs*

My best friends brother is an asshole

I felt everything Lisa De Jong wanted me to feel, one minute I was rooting for Blake, the jerk of a room mate and then the next minute I was so over him and was rooting for Pierce, gah!!

So the story starts off with Lila getting her heart broken over a long term relationship going down the tubes..Gets on a plane and heads off to Chicago, A fresh start. A new beginning..During the flight she is seated next to Pierce Stanley who seems to be captivated with Lila and hands over his business card which could lead to a job within his company..



"They say running won't solve your problems, but it certainly helps mask them."

Anyways now we hit the HOT nitty gritty bit of the story, Lila is under the impression that she will be the sole occupant of the flat (her best friends empty apartment) sooooo not the case..

"Who the fuck are you?" a shadowy figure asks, "You have two fucking seconds to answer me, or I'm going to pick your ass up and throw you out."

MEET MOODY/ASS-HOLE/ F*CKABLE BLAKE

He's the type of guy a girl wants to be with for one night just to see how good it could be.

AN UNDENIABLE ATTRACTION

I want to f*ck you so good that you'll be begging me to f*ck you again. Then tomorrow, I'll do it all over again so you don't forget how good my c*ck feels buried inside of you. But before we do this, you have to agree to one thing.

No feelings. No attachment. Just you and me, like this.

No bed sharing, cuddling, emotionally detached, no feelings, but somewhere along the way Blake crossed those lines numerous times..

"You want to know why I call you Lemon Drop"
Life handed me nothing but lemons. Shit. Heartbreak. Bad Luck.
And since I met you, things aren't as black, I even catch myself smiling sometimes. Life's sweeter with you."



Add Pierce into the mix and you have one big clusterf*ck going on.

One man knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it the other runs hot and cold and shoves up barriers..One minute you will be rooting for Blake the next you'll be all Team Pierce. This book definitely kept me on that crazy roller-coaster of who will she choose!!



Pierce He's sexy and intense, yet harmless. He hints, but he doesn't push. He's not the type to take what I haven't offered.

EXPOSED SECRETS, TRUTHS STILL UNSPOKEN

[Amy J RAREtte4Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5 stars.



I had to take a couple days away before writing this review, to collect my thoughts and to calm down.

Here are the characters (in order of appearance) at play in Lies Unspoken:

Lila Fields..typical college graduate, dumped girlfriend, pretty, naive, young, sweet, fun loving, ready to take on the adult world...and boy does she.

Derek......Baseball jock, college sweetheart
Pierce.....Mysterious stranger, rich, sweet, alpha, hot
Blake......Mysterious bad boy, infuriating, hot, tortured soul, artist

Lila's story tugs at my heart..for different reasons. We meet Lila before she takes on the grown up world, after suffering a devastating blow. Her life is about to change in ways she never thought she would ever have to face. The future was planned out perfectly ...until someone changed their mind.

We first meet Lila when she is suffering a great loss and the set up is written so well my heart hurt for her. It's just the beginning of her story but I think as women we all know what she was feeling, we could feel it with her. Lila then starts her unexpected but expected journey. While on her way to the big city , devastated she is being forced into a life she didn't expect, a wrench or path is thrown in front of her. The author does a great job at capturing this scene , I just want to nudge the hell out of Lila at this moment...wake up woman HELLLLLLLO!!! What is right next to you? This is only chapter one and we have already met Derek and Pierce. Right here at this point I knew I was in for a heck of a ride with this story ,what I wasn't prepared for was the colossal roll a coaster ride this story would take me on.

O.K. I know there are some of you out there that don't like love triangles but I love them especially because they usually lead to angst, and this story is no exception...Angst with a capital A. I love me some angst. Angst for the hot, sexy, I really want to be with you and your best for me but I'm not quite sure . Angst for the hot, sexy, tortured soul that will only torture her soul. Lila has equally hot moments with both but just isn't ready to accept one of them. Yes there is a sort of love triangle but not the typical so don't let the thought of the three lined creature keep you away from this story.

There were at least two different times I could have thrown my Kindle, O.K. there were probably more but you get the picture. I get why Lila is ready to go down with the ship per say, it feels so right and so sooooo hot. A connection. That said, she is in total denial as well. There is no repressing or denying the heat she feels with another and she knows it but when she is away she pushes that out of her mind. Convinces herself its not as strong, maybe it isn't and I as a reader wanted it to be? There will certainly be readers out there thinking I'm crazy. That right there is the beauty of reading, each reader interprets the story differently and in cases such as these creates the inevitable teams. #teampierce #teamblake #teamderek

Not sure how each guy will be received by the reader but I do know I was #angryamy at the end of the book. I mean really she makes one mistake ...caused by you and what the heck???? Please tell me this is a BIG AWAKENING for Lila??

"I think every girl hopes she'll get her chance to tame a bad boy, to bring a soulless creature out of the darkness, but Blake isn't my salvation. There's not a part of him that's mine...there never was"

"Google should cover the background check if you'd like me to wait out here"

"They say the awful things that happen to us in our lifetime only make us stronger. I think they just harden us until we can't feel anymore"

"Don't become someone you aren't just to be with him"


Lisa De Jong switches up genre's for this book and she transitions seamlessly. She can write HOT and ANGST and a grown up story. She is able to capture the moments in an adult frame of mind and go with them. The conflict between "right" and "wrong" , for lack of better words or words that give anything away. So happy this author did this story right and has the second one ready to go for us this February 2015 just enough time to debate the boys with all your book friends.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 'Lemon Drop' Stars

"I want what every woman wants . . . to feel wanted." 


Starting over in a new city after a failed relationship, Lila's creating a new life for herself. What she didn't expect was to meet two vastly different men simultaneously. One with soft and tender caresses, gentle and calming words; then his mean, angsty, brooding twin persona.

Love doesn’t come with a parachute; I learned that the hard way.” 

Blake, the enigmatic, sexy, arrogant, and resident pain in the ass, roommate. Whose rock hard body and fiercely protective persona draws Lila in.  There's an instant, unbridled chemistry between Lila and Blake. A sexual tension so intense and sharp that it  cuts through the air.





Slowly and passionately, Blake sneaks his way into Lila's heart. Unraveling her emotions and gluing her shattered pieces together. Even with Blake's no strings attached arrangement, he can't seem to control himself around Lila. His bipolar attitude has Lila's head spinning. He wants her but he doesn't want a relationship. And a girl like Lila deserves more than him.



After an earth shattering discovery and painful pleas, Lila leaves, only to return to despair. Blake's man-whorish ways finally take a turn for the worse, when Lila comes home to passionate moans that definitely do not belong to her. Devastated and heartbroken, mostly, betrayed by a man who fixed her in a few weeks, a man she fell head over heels for, a man whose past pain shines through and leaves a part of destruction in its way.



"I think every girl hopes she'll get her chance to tame a bad boy, to bring a soulless creature out of the darkness, but Blake isn't my salvation. There's not a part of him that's mine...there never was"

My biggest problem was with the heroine. She was frustrating and I couldn't understand her emotions at all. One minute she's heartbroken and leaves to start over and then bam! she's more than lusting after Blake and ends up in his bed in no time, whom she only just meets. Her fickle characteristics had me going crazy. Honestly, I couldn't get a connection with Lila at all. This one was difficult for me and I'm an avid Lisa De Jong fan.

*ARC provided by The Rock Stars of Romance on behalf of the author for an honest review* Thanks!!

[Chiara Cilli · Rating 5 out of 5]

E' questa la parola d'ordine di questo incredibile romanzo. Un tormento che proverete dall'inizio alla fine, in un crescendo che non vi lascerà neppure una via di fuga.
Vorrete urlare.
Vorrete piangere.
Vorrete spaccare tutto.
Vorrete fare qualcosa - qualunque cosa - ma non potrete.

Fin dal momento in cui aggiunsi questo libro alla mia TBR, sapevo che sarebbe stato la mia rovina. E adesso, a quasi un anno di distanza, io
sono
      letteralmente
                         d i s t r u t t a.

La colpa è di due persone.
Lila e Blake.

Il loro rapporto è travolgente, deleterio, ineluttabile.
TRASCENDE OGNI FOTTUTISSIMO CONTROLLO.

«E, Lila, non credere che non abbia notato il modo in cui il tuo corpo ha appena reagito alla mia vicinanza».

Raramente mi capita di leggere cento pagine in un solo giorno, ma il magnetismo che scaturisce ogni volta che Lila e Blake sono insieme . . . wow.

Impossibile resistere.
Impossibile smettere di leggere.

Non mi imbattevo in un legame così passionale da Arsen: a broken love story di Mia Asher.
Ma non è una passione bella.
E' brutta.
Fa malissimo.
Logora.

«Non...»
Un passo indietro.
«Lasciare...»
Un altro passo.
«Che lo faccia...»
Un altro passo, la sua schiena sbatte contro la parete della mia camera.
«Mai più».

Più si prosegue con la lettura, più il dolore che gronda dalle pagine ci soffoca.
Ci rende dipendenti da ogni più piccolo sfioramento.
Ci fa anelare a scambi di sguardi che sono più significanti di un Ti amo.
Ci fa bramare di essere sbattute contro il muro più vicino.
Ci fa desiderare qualcosa di impossibile.
Perché ci sono
bugie non dette,
segreti nascosti.

E poi c'è lui, Pierce.
Pierce, che hai incontrato per primo, cara Lila, ma poi hai avuto paura a contattarlo per il lavoro dei tuoi sogni.
Pierce, che sa bene quello che vuole.
Pierce, che possiede una potenza disarmante.
Pierce, che . . .

«Quando sarai stesa sul letto, stanotte, a pensare, ricorda che io sono qui e lui no».

Perché Blake non può dare più di quello che dà.
Perché per Pierce è tutta colpa sua.
Perché lei . . . LEI.

Non ho davvero parole per descrivere la perfezione di questo romanzo. L'ho finito in tre giorni ▬ avrei potuto farlo in due, ma le emozioni laceranti che impregnano le pagine finali erano veramente troppo da sostenere. E quel finale . . .
HO BISOGNO DEL SEGUITO ADESSO
(è uscito, ma sono sicura che per il cartaceo ci vorranno mesi e mesi, proprio come è successo per il primo libro)

I miei più sinceri e deliranti complimenti all'autrice, entrata di diritto nella mia Top Autori con questo capolavoro struggente ♥ e please, dai ancora più ascolto a Jessica, perché io voglio ancora più Pierce!

Questa sono io alla fine della lettura


____________________________________________


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[Brit · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review thank you

Title: Lies Unspoken
Series: Flawed Love, #1
Author: Lisa De Jong
Genre: New Adult, Tear-Jerker
Source: eARC
Release Date: December 14th, 2014
Characters: Blake, Lila
HEA: Not Exactly
Overall Rating: More than 5 emotionally unprepared stars

Character Casting:


Sometimes, love just isn't enough.

I am a devastating mess. I thought I was emotionally prepared for this book but I wasn't. My feelings were on a roller coaster while reading. I'm not sure if it was because I know what each of the characters were feeling or that the author just written it beautifully. My heart nearly broke and I'm not sure how many times I can say that has happen to me.

God, the chemistry between the main characters Lila and Blake were off the charts. The author made sure that you will fall in love with them. You will be rooting for them most definitely. You also connect to every single character which I know is hard for some people because you may only connect with one character or none at all but not this book.

When you're lying in bed tonight -thinking- remember that I'm here and he's not

To be truthful I wanted to hate Blake and his assholeness but I knew I couldn't. The way he jokes around, the way he dirty talks in the bedroom. It's just so hot. I seriously need book two in my hands like yesterday. Fully addicting book which will make you stay up all night and miss sleeping even when you have to work tomorrow

This is the book that you need to one click and just start reading soon after because seriously it's one of the best this year. And we have hot guys, two hot guys in fact.

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick review:

Cover: Pretty
Rating: NC-17
Steaminess: Hot
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: A good solid read
Characters: Well Done
Plot: Falling in love with the wrong man
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Blake

SUMMARY (80 words or less)
This is my first book by this author and I was recommended this read. At first its a little slow, but things do pick up. I didn't figure everything out, but unfortunately, I wasn't interested enough to move on to the next book. I did get spoilers though. :)

For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
COMING SOON

[mich]

“There’s not a whole lot in this world I care about, but every time I look in those green eyes of yours, I don’t have any control.”

*eyeroll* At least give me some believable build-up if you’re gonna start spouting cheesy nonsense shit like that.

And don’t get me started on the other dude who sits next to her on a plane ride and has a half-second conversation with her and now it sounds like he’s about to offer her a highly sought after apprenticeship in his company because he “saw something in her.” LOL, omg, I just can’t with this.

DNF @ 27%

[Wanderlust_Wanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Team Blake for now!!XD

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

'I can’t do this hot and cold bullshit. I moved here to make life less complicated, and you’ve turned it into a freaking Rubik’s cube.'

What if I said I can solve a Rubik's cube in under two minutes

It's been a week since I finished this book. Obviously, I haven't reviewed it yet, so from this point we can just pretend I know what to say in an eloquent way.

Lies Unspoken. New Adult. White girl move to new town to run away from her past. Meets broody white guy who is borderline stalker. Sounds familiar? It is. Lila is moving to Chicago after the "love of her life" left her the day of their wedding. Since her best friend is away studying in Europe, Lila is offered to live at her apartment for a while. On her first night there, Lila encounters her friend's brother, Blake. He's rude and frustrates Lila from the go. But, remember, he's hot. And not just a certain kind of hot.

Gorgeous, not in the magazine cover way, but the kind that makes you drool because there’s no way you can take him home to Mom on Christmas. He’s the type of guy a girl wants to be with for one night just to see how good it could be, to fuck away every bad sexual experience she’s ever had in her life.

People, you know what is coming.

Enter Blake. Blake, who had no idea his sister offered up their apartment for Lila to stay at. Of course, he is mad as hell, but since the new girl is good looking, why not make the best of it? Lila's first few days in Chicago, Blake follows her around. He goes to her job, demanding she walk home with him. He punches guys who are somewhat rude to Lila. Clearly, this is okay. Because a guy that broody must be carrying secrets to justify his behavior. Also, it's hot, right? A guy punching other guys before you even know him, that gotta be hot. At least Lila thinks so.

Soon enough, these two people strike up a friends with benefits kind of deal, no strings attached. Because Blake don't do emotions. Then again, Lila is offered insight to Blake's mood as they live together, and she can't help beginning to develop feelings for him, even though he treats her terribly at times. Remember, Blake has issues, so it is perfectly okay for him to behave any way he wants.

Blake did win me over to some extent. Ha, no, just kidding. Even after his "big secret" was revealed, nothing really made more sense. See, his past involves a former woman, and it didn't end too good. That explains his commitment issues, but it did certainly not explain his stalker-tendencies or why he treated Lila like crap at times. But Blake was just a minor issues. Really, I had one major problem with this story.

It’s why depressed people close themselves off; they’d rather not talk about any of it.

Yes... Lila. First off, that statement above is so offensive to me who has suffered through depression. People might had different experiences, but personally, I hated that quote. Hated that view on depression. Here's what depression was for me: I wanted to talk to someone. Hell, I'd tell anyone if I could. I would happily talk about my depression. The problem was that I did not know how to explain it. Couldn't give a reason for why I was depressed. I didn't understand it myself. It was a fucking black hole inside me that I couldn't explain what the hell it was. Had I known, I'd tell anyone just so they could help me get rid of it. So to say that depressed people close themselves of simply because they'd rather not talk about it, that is so offensive to me.

Moving on, because this was not my only issue with Lila. The thing is that she is such a white, privileged, unsympathetic girl. Yes, girl, because she's so immature. I get that she was pissed off, and hated her ex, but that hatred was so shortsighted. Derek, her ex, had reasons for breaking up, and I thought it was kinder of him to call it off instead of marrying the girl and end up resenting her. But Lila just can't let her hatred go. Then we have how she falls for Blake more or less day one (even if not specified in text, it really felt like that). She's jealous of other women that's with him after two days of living together. She constantly reminds the reader that Blake is bad for her, yet she continues to go after him and letting him use her as he pleases. She never demanded a thing of Blake. She never asked for explanations, didn't call him out on his stalker-tendencies.

This was another one of those, lust not love, and I am so over that entire thing. It wasn't exciting when I was twelve, and it still isn't. It never was.

New Adult Project
Items ticked off: 17

| BookLikes | Leafmarks |

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was like...



And then I was like...



But I'm not surprised...Lisa De Jong has the uncanny ability to evoke every single emotion in her readers...this book is no exception.

Full review to come...

**FULL REVIEW**

“I was almost there when I heard him yell my name. I didn’t turn around; I just kept going. I thought about everything I’d lost and everything I’d never have. I’d trusted my heart to him, and he left it in a million pieces. I said goodbye to my happily ever after.”

Lila is off to Chicago for a fresh start. Meeting a handsome businessman by the name of Stanley Pierce is a step in the right direction toward a possible career in her field, and staying at her friend’s place is her best option until she can find a good job, save up some money…meet her hot, brooding brother, Blake. Wait, what? No, that’s not in the plans!

But we all know what they say about plans…and Lila has no plans what so ever to get involved with Blake. Too bad her body and her mind don’t agree.

“In many ways, I’m starting to feel like Blake and I are similar. Not so much in personality, but how deep we bury ourselves in our secrets. And the feeling of being wrapped up in him is different than I ever could have imagined. It’s something I want, but I don’t. Having someone hold me again fills a hole I didn’t realize I had. I understand the idea of a rebound guy, and I’m not going to let myself go there, but this is just as good.”

This is one of those books where from the very first page, the first word, you are absolutely and completely sucked in. I couldn’t tear my eyes away for a second, other obligations be damned; I had to finish this book as soon as possible…I couldn’t stand not knowing what was going to happen! And then that ending—WTF!?!? I kept trying to flip the pages of my kindle, and I realized there aren’t any more pages!!!

I fell in love with Lila, Stanley, Mallory, Blake and even Charlie. I want more, and I cannot wait until the next installment of this book series. The feels...ALL the FEELS, they can’t be compared. It will break your heart, mend it, and break it all over again. Read it. Read. It. You won’t regret one single word.

“There are pieces of Blake I still don’t have, that is obvious, but I can’t shake this feeling. The way he kissed me. The way his hands traveled every inch of my skin…I thought it meant something, but it turns out, it was all lies unspoken.”

**5 Feel Everything at Once, Stars**

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog]

ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review

[jl ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No one ever said love was easy. It it were, it wouldn't be worth it."

I knew it, this book will slay me. I should have known that Lisa de Jong will have my heart broken and she did it again. Have you ever experienced that moment when you found yourself enjoying the book and then you have no words to describe it because it was so amazing and you can’t find the right terms to describe it? That’s what I felt after reading this book.

I really don’t know how people (and that includes fictional characters) bear this kind of pains.

“Love isn’t defined by what you deserve. It’s about finding that one person you know you can’t live without and never letting them go."

After getting her heart broken because her fiancé dumped her, Lila decided to leave those painful memories behind and have a fresh start. She traveled all her way from Nebraska to Chicago. She then met the gorgeous, sexy, and definitely handsome CEO, Pierce Stanley. Then, when she went to her friend’s place, she discovered that she will be having a roommate named Blake Stone. He is Mellory’s (friend’s) older brother who is a mysterious, handsome, sarcastic, inconsiderate, stubborn and an ‘asshole’, according to Lila.

“You're the type of woman that men don't know they want until they've already fallen. You're there, and then you're just...everywhere.”

Lila’s past was indeed painful but I love her determination to have a fresh start. I admire her courage to step on her own and move on. I admire her so much, I wanted to become an interior designer but I guess interior designing loathes me so much.

This book is intended for you to feel contradicting emotions. There are times that I wanted to stop reading the book because Blake is being an asshole but I can’t because his mysterious demeanor makes me want to read the book up to the end. Like you wanted to ship Lila and Pierce together but your heart is for Blake all along. This book is so unpredictable. There are a lot of twists and turns in the story that will make you feel happy at first and then it will leave you feeling as if your heart broke into million pieces.

This book is a page-turner for me. I love the connections build in the story and how the author keep the ‘relationship’ of the characters interesting. I really have to stop myself to open my e-reader and read while our instructor is having her lecture.

So there, 5 out 5 stars.

[Cinta · Rating 4 out of 5]

#TEAMPIERCE :(

Blake is TOO MERCURIAL and SELFISH !

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review can also be found on my blog: http://melissa-reads-books.blogspot.b...

*ARC received in exchange of an honest review*

Those who know me a little, know that I love When It Rains by Lisa. Lisa is an amazing writer. She makes you love her characters so much and she’s a pro in writing romances. This is why I was super excited when I got the chance to read this ARC. So thanks a lot, Lisa!

“Our bodies pressed together, singing a soulful duet while our tongues dance. He’s my air, my water… everything I need is right here.”

This book is about Lila. Her heart has been broken and she needs to move on. She takes a fresh start by moving to Chicago. Temporarily she is going to move in the empty apartment of her best friend, who’s currently living in Europe. But the universe has other plans for her.

“When I fall, I fall quickly. Love doesn’t come with a parachute; I learned that the hard way.”

On her way to Chicago, she meets Pierce Stanley, an extremely sexy businessman. He’s completely into her and during their short talk, he offers her a job opportunity.

But Lila has other things on her mind right now, because apparently she isn’t the only one settled to live in the “empty” apartment of her best friend. Blake, the hot brother of her best friend, is also living in the apartment. The sexual attraction between Lila and Blake is … oh so very strong!

“Life and its shitty circumstance made him this way, but I fell for him anyway.”

Lila is definitely a likable character. I could connect with her immediately. Me and her were a little similar and I liked that a lot. And Blake is… oh man. Where do I even start? He’s so sexy, hot and sexually frustrating. He definitely has a dark past and some serious problems he needs to get over. He also has these crazy mood swings, but I just couldn’t stop liking him. The way he was with Lila drove me crazy (in a good way!!). I couldn’t get enough of him. And oh god, he’s a painter! After Josh from Isla And The Happily Ever After (by Stephanie Perkins), I didn’t think I would come across another painter, but oh... what these guys can do with paint! Jeez… I might have to find one for myself too! I am obviously a Blake/Lila shipper, I just couldn’t help myself. I have a weakness for sexy mysterious guys :D

“Every time, it hurts a little more because every time, I fall further into him. Maybe, if I sink far enough, I’ll be in his heart, and he’ll feel the same.”

Although I liked him in the beginning, I couldn’t stop feeling a little annoyed with Pierce. Yes, he was still very nice and hot and sexy and extremely well dressed… but I don’t know. I always felt a little intimidated by him. Lila decided to work for him and he made it obvious from the beginning, that he was romantically interested in her. He still made me fangirl a few times, but I didn’t think he was ‘the one’ for Lila.

“Sometimes love just isn’t enough.”

Yes, there’s a love triangle in this book, but not one that drove me crazy because it wasn’t the typical type of love triangle. The unique thing in this book is that the boys share a history together! But it’s unknown to Lila and us (the readers). This mysterious part was so well written! It keeps you guessing through the whole book. Near the ending, truths are revealed and everything explodes in your face. I LOVED IT! But I warn you: there is a cliffhanger! I usually don’t mind cliffhangers, but I REALLY NEED BOOK TWO!! LIKE RIGHT NOW! Ugh… I’m an emotional mess…

"I wish things were different. I wish I'd fallen for him, but it's hard to fall when I'm already down."

So, PLEASE, go read this book! This book has two gorgeous love interests, an amazing main character and LOTS of sexy scenes! What else do you need, right? (except for the sequel haha).

PS: If you like LEMON DROPS… you won’t see them the same way after finishing this book. Made me want to have a Blake and a few lemon drops myself… *sighs*

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I want what every woman wants . . . to feel wanted."

A story full of hidden truths and two very different guys. I found myself torn between them!

Lila was all set to walk down the aisle, until her fiancé broke her heart. Determined to leave behind the painful memories, she heads to Chicago for a fresh start. Her plan is to take advantage of her friend's empty apartment until she can afford a place of her own. Well, it was supposed to be empty. Her friend failed to mention her moody brother, Blake would be living in the next room. Right from the start, their relationship is tense.

Lila was lucky enough to sit next to a hot CEO, Pierce Stanley on the plane ride to Chicago. He sort of promised her an interview for an interior design position. Her dream career. But for some reason, she doesn't have the confidence in herself to follow-up with him on her own. Instead, knowing she needs to start saving money for her own place, she takes a waitressing job in a bar.

Just so happens to be a place that Blake frequents. He's rude and gruff most of the time, but he becomes pretty protective of her. There's a different, almost sweet side to the tortured artist and it's not long before sparks are flying. They're up against-the-wall, no-holds-barred, hot! He makes it pretty clear though that what they have is purely physical, not a relationship. It starts to wears on Lila that one minute Blake is totally into her and the next he's just cold, pushing her away and disappearing for days with no explanation.

"He wants me, then he doesn't. He makes me believe that he's everything, then he's nothing at all. He tells me all the things I want to hear, then takes it all back."

It's sort of unexpected when, Pierce contacts her to let her know an apprenticeship has opened up in the design department of his firm. He wants her to come and interview with him, right away. Of course, he offers her the job but Lila can't help but to wonder if he's hiring her for the wrong reasons. There's something in his eyes that tell her he wants more. He's sexy, sweet and would easily make any girl happy. Only leaving Lila more confused.

"When you're lying in bed tonight - thinking - remember that I'm here and he's not."

While there is a love triangle aspect to the story and some major secrets, Lila does ultimately make her choice. But, not before leading one of them on for quite a bit first, so be prepared. It's kind of hard to watch because both guys are so great, just in different ways. One minute I was rooting for Blake and the next I was giddy over Pierce! She knows who her heart belongs to, but it doesn't mean she's going to get what she wants. There is one heck of a cliffhanger! I'm really looking forward to the next book.

4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It

*Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Nessuno ha mai detto che l'amore è semplice. Se lo fosse, non ne varrebbe la pena."

Prendetevi una boccata d'aria prima di iniziare questo libro, è un consiglio che viene dal cuore. Nonostante tutte le recensioni che ho letto prima di iniziarlo, ho comunque preso una tranvata in faccia. E' una storia intensa, molto sofferta, a cui mi sono affezionata sin dall'inizio. Mi sono affezionata a Lila, alla vita difficile che ha vissuto e che continua a vivere, mi sono affezionata a Blake e al suo dolore, mi sono affezionata a Pierce.

Lila sta scappando dal suo paesino in Nebraska, scappa da un ex fidanzato che stava per sposare, ma che purtroppo lui ha deciso di troncare tutto. Dopo sette anni insieme, non se la sentiva di sposarsi e di fare il grande passo.
Lila è convinta di stare nell'appartamento della sua migliore amica, ma scopre che ha un coinquilino. Il fratello di Mallory, Blake.
Blake ha un passato oscuro e tenebroso alle spalle, non lascia entrare nessuno, ma quando si rende conto che avere Lila intorno gli piace, decide di concederle solo quello che al momento riesce a darle. Sesso. Lila pensava di potercela fare, pensava che andasse bene questa cosa con lui, invece si innamora perdutamente, profondamente, di questo ragazzo turbato.

Le bugie non dette però cambieranno le carte in tavola.

Pierce invece è il nuovo capo di Lila, che ha conosciuto sull'aereo mentre era diretta a Chicago. Pierce l'ha conosciuto per primo, ma purtroppo gli eventi che si sono scatenati una volta conosciuto Blake l'hanno portata a non amare l'uomo giusto.
A me è dispiaciuto veramente tanto per Pierce, perchè è perfetto. Si prende cura di Lila in una maniera incredibile ed è molto passionale. Per Lila però non c'è paragone con Blake. Che con tutto il suo essere così misterioso e sexy l'ha subito conquistata, mandando Pierce in panchina.

Leggerò sicuramente il secondo libro, anche se so già come andrà a finire. In tal caso, spero vivamente che la signora De Jong abbia in mente una storia per Pierce, dove trova la persona giusta per lui e che riesca a farlo felice.
Ho quasi pianto in certi punti, pensando che lui non aveva speranze anche quando le meritava tutte.

#TEAMPIERCE ❤

[Cherry Hurtado · Rating 3 out of 5]

** arc received by author for honest review***

Truthfully I have been trying to figure out what to say in my review. I'm not saying I didn't like the story. Because I did end up liking certain things about it. Other things I just couldn't get pass.

Thinks I didn't enjoy:

1. It took me about 40 percent to actually get attached to the story. Usually I'm pretty good at knowing I'm liking a book after 2 or 3 chapters.
2. It was hard to get attached to the main girl for some reason. She was just I don't know, not what I would have thought. She was all over the place too fast for me.
3. This one is more of a personal one.. Love triangles kill me. And this one had it. But what I did like was the twist in this love triangle. Not something I was expecting.
4. I found myself skipping paragraphs. Ugh I hate when that happens but I was loosing interest fast.

Things I liked:

1. Blake was a broken character. That is a a major win for me. And he had his secrets. Loved it!
2. Pierce oh god loved him too. He was hot!! I just kinda wanted him to push a bit more lol
3. Dana and Reece I loved even Charlie! All these characters I enjoyed in this story! Each of them brought enough to this story!


The story has a good story line. The authors writing is lovely. I enjoyed the book as I got towards the end. I think it's because all the drama and all the secrets were coming out! Oh god but that ending killed me! Seriously I wasn't expecting it to end like that. I mean now thinking about it I should have seen the cliffhanger coming! Ugh but yes the turn of events on this story is not what I was expecting.

[Anne OK · Rating 5 out of 5]

When love just isn’t enough – even when there are lemon drops and frozen hot chocolate thrown into the mix – it’s heartbreaking, breathtaking, and at times terribly painful. The first book in a new series with a great start. It's an exceptionally terrific read!

Yes, there’s a triangle involved – but with a definite forerunner from almost the beginning! The characters are flawed, bruised and emotionally fractured. There is a ton of painfully agonizing angst to trudge through but it’s well-defined and captivating. Plenty of combustive chemistry between the three main characters kept me enthralled from start to finish.

Lisa DeJong has written another exceptionally well-developed and addictive story. She is fast becoming one of my favorites. Her books always seem to be just what I love in all my favorites, and exactly what I search high and low to find. And her characters are always wound tightly around my heart by the end of each book.

Anxiously awaiting Book #2 “Love Unspoken” with release date of March 1, 2015.

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another emotional read. Lisa De Jong really manages to captivate your attention with these characters. We have a tormented artist, a successful architect and an interior designer. This is a love triangle of sorts but with one partner chosen.

The push and pull is intense, the underlying not knowing eats away at you and the answers you want are not really revealed until near the end. Once again, I had tears (it has been such an emotional weekend of reads) and I am sucker and diving into book 2 straight away.

I need to know what happens. (full review to come)

[Lustful Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

**KIM'S REVIEW**

*4.5 Stars*

“When I fall, I fall quickly. Love doesn’t come with a parachute; I learned that the hard way.”

Lila always dreamed of one day marrying the man of her dreams. And when she met Derek in high school she thought he would be that guy. Eventually they got engaged but one day Derek decided he didn’t see Lila as his happily ever after and broke off the engagement.

“A fresh start. A new beginning. A life I’m creating for myself.”

Now Lila is moving to Chicago to get away and start new. Her old college roommate, Mallory, has offered for Lila to live at her apt. while she’s studying abroad. As luck shall have it she runs into a successful businessman, Pierce Stanley, on the plane. He offers her a position at his company, which is exactly what she’s always wanted to do with her life. They exchange numbers but at first Lila dismisses it due to lack of confidence.

“I give it one month.”

“One month for what?”

“Before you sleep with him.”

Funny thing about Mallory…she failed to mention Lila would be living with her brother, Blake! At first Blake was a bit of a jerk to Lila. He was rude and closed off but you could tell there was definitely an attraction there. Once he realizes he can’t fight it anymore he tells her he can do the friends with benefits thing but can’t give her anything more. Lila thinks she can handle this because she really doesn’t want to jump into anything either. Neither of them lets the other in on what happened in their pasts. But we all know that pasts, secrets AND friends with benefits can only last for so long before someone gets caught in the crossfire.

“I only have one rule.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t hurt me.”

For the time being, Lila gets a job at a questionable bar, that is until Pierce calls reminding her of his offer. Eventually Lila decides to take him up on it. Of course, Pierce offering Lila a job wasn’t his only intentions. Pierce is everything Lila should want and not just because he’s handsome and wealthy, but because underneath it all he truly is a good guy looking to take care of the right girl.

“We all have a story. The more we let people know, the better they understand us.”

Have I mentioned Blake and Pierce know each other? Oh yes they do! And they hate each other! Remember me mentioning something about pasts and secrets? Um yeah…and it’s pretty big! Lila knows who she should be with but she also knows who she wants. But with Blake offering her so little… is it more work than it’s worth? Both men are holding back something vital and once Lila finds out what it is, it could change everything. But for which man?

“Sorry…Maybe you’re just not meant to be.”

“Maybe we’re not.”

Whenever you have a love triangle you know there’s going to be angst and when there’s angst I’m right there waiting to eat it up! The only thing holding me back from giving this a full 5 stars is that I just needed a little bit more between Lila and Blake in the beginning. I felt like he was a complete jerk one minute and all of a sudden they were banging and she was falling for him. I just needed to see a little bit more of his softer side with her and see what made her fall for him besides the sex. With that being said, as I continued to read I could totally feel the chemistry between these two and I am 100% TEAM BLAKE!! She definitely yearned for Blake. I didn’t get that feeling with Pierce. He seems like a nice guy but just NOT for her! I feel like if she ends up with Pierce she’d just be settling. LISA…PLEASE DO NOT LET HER END UP WITH PIERCE!!! GAH!!! Now I am sitting here impatiently waiting for book 2!

“And then one day I realized I might be wrong…about everything.”

[GreenFairy · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this in exchange of an honest review**

This is the first book I've had the opportunity to read by this author. I didn't have any expectations going in. No prior readings to compare to. Nor have I even checked out other reviews that have been posted. Clean slate, as I like to say.

I have been having a really hard time connecting with lead female characters. Lila is no exception. Small town girl moving to a big city. Relied on her best friend to get herself set up. She did no research before moving. Didn't take any precautions. All because she was running from memories and a broken heart. And for what? More memories and heartache. Decision after decision was a mistake. She never learned!

Blake...yep, he's the epitome of broken bad boy. Sexy as hell but not someone to get wrapped up in. He tried to warn her.

Pierce...handsome CEO...aren't they all? Perfect gentleman, good looks, and money. He was honest at least.

At no point did I find this story a romance. But that's just how it read to me. The author did an amazing job of telling the story...even if I didn't like the characters. You watch the ebb and flow of emotions. You learn about events that happened in the past. More needed to be explained but maybe in future books. Depending how you like your stories, this is one worth picking up.

[HMS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, I am giving this story 4 stars. It has two things I loathe, a cliffhanger and a whining heroine who can't make up her mind or draw a sane conclusion on her own. The second installment better conclude this story. Move on to Dana or Reece finding their love and HEA.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable !

[Shyralf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I love when a book just fuckin flow. No regrets on this one.