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True #3
True Divide
Spitfire Lacey Mosely feels stuck in a life she didn’t necessarily want. But will she find a happy ending with the man who broke her heart? Liora Blake concludes her witty and poignant True series with this spirited romance.
What do you do when the one boy you were never quite able to forget lands on your doorstep?
Lacey Mosely feels stuck: in her rural town of Crowell, Montana, at her job as manager of The Beauty Barn, and in her lackluster love life. Enter Jake Holt, one-time misfit and Lacey’s secret high school love. Ten years later, Jake is a private pilot whose travels take him all over the world, and once he shows up in Lacey’s life again—at the most unexpected time—he can’t seem to stay away. Now it’s up to Lacey to decide if she’s ready to let go of the past…and take a leap of faith for love.
What do you do when the one boy you were never quite able to forget lands on your doorstep?
Lacey Mosely feels stuck: in her rural town of Crowell, Montana, at her job as manager of The Beauty Barn, and in her lackluster love life. Enter Jake Holt, one-time misfit and Lacey’s secret high school love. Ten years later, Jake is a private pilot whose travels take him all over the world, and once he shows up in Lacey’s life again—at the most unexpected time—he can’t seem to stay away. Now it’s up to Lacey to decide if she’s ready to let go of the past…and take a leap of faith for love.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2015
15 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
Liora Blake
14 books231 followersLiora is a contemporary romance author living in Colorado. She writes because it's what she's always wanted to do, she writes novels because she likes to tell the whole story, and she writes romance because a happily ever after is the best kind of story to tell.
Note: Liora is not active on social media and does not maintain an author website. And while she would like to claim that's because she's been busy doing Very Important Things, it's more likely that she's just watching Gilmore Girls again.
For rights inquiries, please contact The Bent Agency.
Note: Liora is not active on social media and does not maintain an author website. And while she would like to claim that's because she's been busy doing Very Important Things, it's more likely that she's just watching Gilmore Girls again.
For rights inquiries, please contact The Bent Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 13, 2017
Going in, I wasn't so sure I would like Lacey’s story as much as the others. What can I say, I’m a grudge holder and she had a few moments with Simon in True Devotion that kind of annoyed me on Devon’s behalf. I know, I know . . . I’m crazy. But don’t worry, within the first few pages, Lacey won me over. Getting inside of her head changed my entire outlook on her and the situation. She was just trying to avoid another inconvenient and nasty dust storm and find a standup guy of her own - can you blame her?
Second chance stories get me every single time. There’s something about a couple that has a history already that makes my giddy. Lacey was the high school cheerleader and Jake was the outcast emo skater boy, but they had a hot and heavy connection senior year. Only no one knew about it. After graduation, Jake just disappeared without even a goodbye, leaving Lacey to question if what they had was even remotely special to him.
That’s until he shows up randomly, ten years later. Seriously, only Jake could make the nickname ‘Shoelace’ sound adorable. He might pilot a private plane, but he’s not about the fancy. He’s a little rough around the edges, which I totally loved, but incredibly sweet and an open book. What you see is what you get. He says what he means. No games. No drama. Just truth. A case of opposites attract, he gives Lacey the push she needs to really live life and not wallow in fear of the unknown.
What makes this series so stellar is how easy it feels to relate to these characters. There's no over-the-top angst or drama; it's genuine, witty and full of my favorite - great banter. And the icing on the cake, getting to see more of Trevor and Kate (True North), who share some incredibly life changing moments in this book, and Simon and Devon (True Devotion).
December 18, 2015
This is my absolute favorite book in the series thus far! Really! The give and take, push and pull… the sheer attraction between Lacey and Jake is simply phenomenal. True Divide is one of those books that leave you with a smile for the entirety of the read.
Lacey, I feel, isn’t sure about much except what she does. She loves her job and place in The Beauty Barn. She left town once, for college, but barely made it through the semester. She has resided to the fact this is kind of it for her.
A blast from the past, Jake, just showed up out of the blue; the clear blue sky that is. A pilot now, and the only guy Lacey ever really loved. His no nonsense, say-what’s-on-your-mind, straight talking, sexy self is back. The chemistry is stronger than ever.
It’s a wonderful second chance romance, and one I’m already excited to read again. Fun, smart and adorable!
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Lacey, I feel, isn’t sure about much except what she does. She loves her job and place in The Beauty Barn. She left town once, for college, but barely made it through the semester. She has resided to the fact this is kind of it for her.
A blast from the past, Jake, just showed up out of the blue; the clear blue sky that is. A pilot now, and the only guy Lacey ever really loved. His no nonsense, say-what’s-on-your-mind, straight talking, sexy self is back. The chemistry is stronger than ever.
It’s a wonderful second chance romance, and one I’m already excited to read again. Fun, smart and adorable!
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October 19, 2015
4 stars
True Divide is such an endearing romance of second chances and reconnecting with your high school sweetheart.
Lacey is such a relatable heroine. Sometimes I feel as if she is too real. The kind of girl who care too much about how she looks to others, insecure about her future, envy of her sister, second guessing everything that might be too good to be real. She's the kind of girl who never had the guts for a one night stand. You know I live vicariously through the heroines in my books, when she refuse to hook up with Jake, I was so disappointed.
Jake Holt used to be the town misfit and when he left town after graduation, he didn't even say goodbye to Lacey. Now he reappeared in town 10 years later, looking like a hunk of a man rather than the skinny boy he used to be.
My favorite part of the story is how Lacey and Jake reconnect through emails and calls while they were thousand miles apart. I always love reading about distance relationship and how they can't wait to reunite and see each other again.
Jake is the perfect kind of swoon worthy hero. I just love everything about him. From the way he try to fix up everything and cook a mean meal. The only problem with Jake is he work all the way in Santa Monica and unable to be there for Lacey when she needs him. And the biggest conflict of all, he hates Crowell, which is Lacey's home.
Their difference view towards the Crowell Town causes a rift between them in the end when they need to decide how to be together and not living apart. To Lacey. Although I love the way Liora ended it, which is in a positive and hopeful note, I wish there is an epilogue.
A little something about Kate and Trevor.
True Divide is such an endearing romance of second chances and reconnecting with your high school sweetheart.
Lacey is such a relatable heroine. Sometimes I feel as if she is too real. The kind of girl who care too much about how she looks to others, insecure about her future, envy of her sister, second guessing everything that might be too good to be real. She's the kind of girl who never had the guts for a one night stand. You know I live vicariously through the heroines in my books, when she refuse to hook up with Jake, I was so disappointed.
Jake Holt used to be the town misfit and when he left town after graduation, he didn't even say goodbye to Lacey. Now he reappeared in town 10 years later, looking like a hunk of a man rather than the skinny boy he used to be.
My favorite part of the story is how Lacey and Jake reconnect through emails and calls while they were thousand miles apart. I always love reading about distance relationship and how they can't wait to reunite and see each other again.
Jake is the perfect kind of swoon worthy hero. I just love everything about him. From the way he try to fix up everything and cook a mean meal. The only problem with Jake is he work all the way in Santa Monica and unable to be there for Lacey when she needs him. And the biggest conflict of all, he hates Crowell, which is Lacey's home.
Their difference view towards the Crowell Town causes a rift between them in the end when they need to decide how to be together and not living apart. To Lacey. Although I love the way Liora ended it, which is in a positive and hopeful note, I wish there is an epilogue.
A little something about Kate and Trevor.
October 22, 2015
Sexy talker….
Jack Holt is definitely “lumbersexual delicious” but Lacey Mosely knows there needs to be more than physical beauty and sexual attraction to make a relationship. And Jack was definitely a flight risk.
Lacey loved him when he was not the most popular kid in school but the boy who really listened to her, who actually “got” her. Ten years later, Lacey is living in the same small town, with no real successes under her belt, while Jack returns a handsome professional who has seen the world. Did she want to resurrect what they once had?
“Besides, you’re the one humping my leg. People probably can’t see my hands all over your ass, but they sure as hell can see you trying to mount me, you little minx.”
Trust was definitely broken between the two and to say Lacey is wary is an understatement. While she definitely felt physically drawn to him, she was uncertain about her own feelings and even more so about Jack’s. Whether they stroll down memory lane or venture out and make new memories, the two have this wonderfully frank and funny way of speaking to each other. Deprecating humor and salty, sexy talk had me smirking and laughing throughout. They may be uncertain about each other’s feelings but they definitely know what each other likes in… other… areas. Oh yes, phone sex is taken to new heights or depths, depending on how you look at it, as they get down and dirty. When memory lane includes a cheerleading outfit, anything is possible!
Packed with emotions, this is a second chance romance that left me with a hopeful feeling despite a rather understated ending.
“I’m pretty sure I never stopped being in love with you, Lacey. Not for one damn second. This whole time, even when I was on the wrong side of the Continental Divide, my fucking heart was still here with you.” ~ Diane, 4 stars
Jack Holt is definitely “lumbersexual delicious” but Lacey Mosely knows there needs to be more than physical beauty and sexual attraction to make a relationship. And Jack was definitely a flight risk.
Lacey loved him when he was not the most popular kid in school but the boy who really listened to her, who actually “got” her. Ten years later, Lacey is living in the same small town, with no real successes under her belt, while Jack returns a handsome professional who has seen the world. Did she want to resurrect what they once had?
“Besides, you’re the one humping my leg. People probably can’t see my hands all over your ass, but they sure as hell can see you trying to mount me, you little minx.”
Trust was definitely broken between the two and to say Lacey is wary is an understatement. While she definitely felt physically drawn to him, she was uncertain about her own feelings and even more so about Jack’s. Whether they stroll down memory lane or venture out and make new memories, the two have this wonderfully frank and funny way of speaking to each other. Deprecating humor and salty, sexy talk had me smirking and laughing throughout. They may be uncertain about each other’s feelings but they definitely know what each other likes in… other… areas. Oh yes, phone sex is taken to new heights or depths, depending on how you look at it, as they get down and dirty. When memory lane includes a cheerleading outfit, anything is possible!
Packed with emotions, this is a second chance romance that left me with a hopeful feeling despite a rather understated ending.
“I’m pretty sure I never stopped being in love with you, Lacey. Not for one damn second. This whole time, even when I was on the wrong side of the Continental Divide, my fucking heart was still here with you.” ~ Diane, 4 stars
September 7, 2015
Finally book 3 and we get Lacey! I couldn't wait to see how Blake was going to write this and how things would turn out for her but I really enjoyed it.
The story starts off with Lacey driving her sister to the hospital because she is about to give birth. After the baby is born Lacey runs into her old flame Jake. These two couldn't have been more different in high school. Lacey was the cheerleader and Jake was the misfit who was dropped off in town.
Now that they reconnected they are getting to know one another all over again. I have to say I was so glad the author took time getting these two together. For awhile it's emails for months and some text messages before her and Jake even hook up.
Jake is just yummy! He's bold with his wants and desires. These two have a great chemistry and when they are together it feels like they are in high school all over again. I couldn't help but laugh when Jake asks Lacey to put her old cheerleader uniform on so he can live out his fantasy.
In the first few books I had mixed feelings about Lacey but after reading this book I felt she was just misunderstood and didn't have a real connection with anyone. She felt she was all alone but Jake helped her past that in high school and actually understands her then and now.
It was great seeing the other characters again from the first two books but one person I could have done without was dusty. At times I wanted to punch him for all his smart remarks. Ugh.
I really enjoyed reading this series and loved the main characters. I hope this series will continue but if it does I have no idea who would be next. This series is a little different but in a good way and I'm so glad I got to read them.
I can't wait to see what Blake will come up with next!
The story starts off with Lacey driving her sister to the hospital because she is about to give birth. After the baby is born Lacey runs into her old flame Jake. These two couldn't have been more different in high school. Lacey was the cheerleader and Jake was the misfit who was dropped off in town.
Now that they reconnected they are getting to know one another all over again. I have to say I was so glad the author took time getting these two together. For awhile it's emails for months and some text messages before her and Jake even hook up.
Jake is just yummy! He's bold with his wants and desires. These two have a great chemistry and when they are together it feels like they are in high school all over again. I couldn't help but laugh when Jake asks Lacey to put her old cheerleader uniform on so he can live out his fantasy.
In the first few books I had mixed feelings about Lacey but after reading this book I felt she was just misunderstood and didn't have a real connection with anyone. She felt she was all alone but Jake helped her past that in high school and actually understands her then and now.
It was great seeing the other characters again from the first two books but one person I could have done without was dusty. At times I wanted to punch him for all his smart remarks. Ugh.
I really enjoyed reading this series and loved the main characters. I hope this series will continue but if it does I have no idea who would be next. This series is a little different but in a good way and I'm so glad I got to read them.
I can't wait to see what Blake will come up with next!
September 19, 2022
4.5 Stars!
Thank you Liora Blake for getting me out of a massive book slump! The True series is exactly what I’ve been missing.
Lacey and Jake had a clandestine relationship their senior year of high school. But the day after graduation, Jake disappeared and Lacey never heard from him again. Now, over ten years later, Jake shows up as the pilot for Lacey’s brother-in-law’s chartered plane…
Of all the romance tropes, second chance is my absolute favorite (which is why I skipped book two in this series and went straight to book three!). And this one is GOOD. But True Divide got off to a rocky start because the single most important part of a second chance romance is the I’m sorry I was an ass grovel - which was a little underwhelming here. Also, I can’t stand when the heroine is quickly able to overlook her past hurt because of how hawt the hero is now that he's all grown up and manly…and there was a bit of that going on here.
But this is Liora Blake and she managed a story that made me feel ALL THE FEELS - the heroine’s contented disappointment with her small town life, her internally admitting to being jealous over her sister’s new marriage and desire for that herself, a hero who never felt like he belonged and was proud of the life he had scratched and scrambled to create, and the couple’s conflict of how to be together when they have lives that tie them to different parts of the country.
This book is filled with hilarious, witty dialog and heartfelt emotions. It’s also incredibly steamy. And it made me cry.
There’s not much more I want in a book.
Thank you Liora Blake for getting me out of a massive book slump! The True series is exactly what I’ve been missing.
Lacey and Jake had a clandestine relationship their senior year of high school. But the day after graduation, Jake disappeared and Lacey never heard from him again. Now, over ten years later, Jake shows up as the pilot for Lacey’s brother-in-law’s chartered plane…
Of all the romance tropes, second chance is my absolute favorite (which is why I skipped book two in this series and went straight to book three!). And this one is GOOD. But True Divide got off to a rocky start because the single most important part of a second chance romance is the I’m sorry I was an ass grovel - which was a little underwhelming here. Also, I can’t stand when the heroine is quickly able to overlook her past hurt because of how hawt the hero is now that he's all grown up and manly…and there was a bit of that going on here.
But this is Liora Blake and she managed a story that made me feel ALL THE FEELS - the heroine’s contented disappointment with her small town life, her internally admitting to being jealous over her sister’s new marriage and desire for that herself, a hero who never felt like he belonged and was proud of the life he had scratched and scrambled to create, and the couple’s conflict of how to be together when they have lives that tie them to different parts of the country.
This book is filled with hilarious, witty dialog and heartfelt emotions. It’s also incredibly steamy. And it made me cry.
There’s not much more I want in a book.
December 26, 2020
A boy comes back to his hometown and woos his old girl. Things heat up between them. They have personal issues to overcome. Do they have enough chemistry and feelings for each other to overcome?
A thumbs up. Good pace and easy to read. Well written. Good characters. A bit of steam. Lots to like for everyone if your in the mood for some tugging on your heart. Merry Christmas🙂
A thumbs up. Good pace and easy to read. Well written. Good characters. A bit of steam. Lots to like for everyone if your in the mood for some tugging on your heart. Merry Christmas🙂
November 1, 2015
ARC provided through NetGalley for an honest review.
2 Shoelace Stars
This is Lacey Mosely's story, Kate's sister from True North . She's been watching her sister and Trevor build their life together for the past three years and is a little jealous of what they have. she's resigned herself to the fact that, because she lives in a very small town, she may never find what her sister has.
That is until Jake Holt comes back into her life. Jake was Lacey's high school secret boyfriend. They had very different social circles, but somehow found each other. Lacey thought she would end up with Jake until he disappeared the day after graduation. Now he's back after flying Trevor and his family in to Crowell for the birth of Trevor's child.
Lacey and Trevor have to get over the obstacles of the past, the dust storm trying to get between them, and fears of what they want out of the future. Will Lacey be able to give Jake what he needs? Will Jake be the guy she always thought he was to be in her life? Hurt feelings, death and lots of email play a part in this couples future.
I'm really sad to say that this one fell really short for me. The first two books were cute and funny, with a few sad moments. But in this book, up to about 50% of the book was mostly Lacey thinking about Jake, thinking about what Jake said, emailing Jake, etc. It was a lot of internal musings, which is fine if something is happening. But nothing happened. Even when things happened, it felt like nothing happened.
I'm still going to give Ms. Blake the benefit of the doubt on her next book, because I really enjoyed the first two in the series.
2 Shoelace Stars
This is Lacey Mosely's story, Kate's sister from True North . She's been watching her sister and Trevor build their life together for the past three years and is a little jealous of what they have. she's resigned herself to the fact that, because she lives in a very small town, she may never find what her sister has.
That is until Jake Holt comes back into her life. Jake was Lacey's high school secret boyfriend. They had very different social circles, but somehow found each other. Lacey thought she would end up with Jake until he disappeared the day after graduation. Now he's back after flying Trevor and his family in to Crowell for the birth of Trevor's child.
Lacey and Trevor have to get over the obstacles of the past, the dust storm trying to get between them, and fears of what they want out of the future. Will Lacey be able to give Jake what he needs? Will Jake be the guy she always thought he was to be in her life? Hurt feelings, death and lots of email play a part in this couples future.
I'm really sad to say that this one fell really short for me. The first two books were cute and funny, with a few sad moments. But in this book, up to about 50% of the book was mostly Lacey thinking about Jake, thinking about what Jake said, emailing Jake, etc. It was a lot of internal musings, which is fine if something is happening. But nothing happened. Even when things happened, it felt like nothing happened.
I'm still going to give Ms. Blake the benefit of the doubt on her next book, because I really enjoyed the first two in the series.
October 31, 2015
I picked up True Divide by Liora Blake completely on a whim. I hadn't heard of Ms. Blake's writing yet. But I was intrigued by the dichotomy between the title of the book and the cover. The cover screams HOT romance but the title tells me that these two are worlds apart on something. Do I have you wondering? I was and if you know anything about me, you know I need closure in ALL things. So IN I dove!
First you'll notice that this book is the third in the True series. I had absolutely no problems jumping right in to Ms. Blake's world. Lacey's story actually begins with a major life event in her sister Kate's life. Since Kate had her happily ever after in the first True story, True North, we are quickly introduced to all the characters from all the previous books. We immediately see where Lacey fits in, or actually doesn't.
Lacey never left her small town. Right after high school, she stayed in town continuing to work at a beauty supply store. She tried college but found it just wasn't for her. She dated but no one ever lived up to her secret high school love, Jake Holt.
But Jake bolted from town as soon as the graduation ceremony was done. He never said goodbye or looked back. And he broke Lacey's heart.
When Jake shows up at the most inopportune time, Lacey isn't sure what to do. Her body says, "Hello hot stuff" but her head and heart put up their shields.
True Divide is different than any other second chance story I've read before in that Lacey and Jake both loved each other in high school but neither told the other back then. He was the class misfit and she was the head cheerleader, destined to be paired off with the quarterback of the football team. But Lacey and Jake really clicked; totally "got" one another back then. And then he goes and breaks her heart! You know Lacey is gonna be pissed!
And oh boy, ten years later Lacey is mad at Jake. He's in the mood to catch up on old times (silly, simple, dumb boy) and she's all about getting the last word and saving whatever shreds of her heart she has left. But Jake is nothing if not persistent. And so completely honest. Swoony, heart-stopping honest. Jake is not perfect by any means but he's an honest man.
Lacey, for her part, is a woman you can't help but root for. She's a heroine you have very little doubt that is worthy of the awesome hero ;)
Page after page, I enjoyed watching these two fall in love all over again. I loved their "correspondence" back and forth! You could almost go as far as to say that this story could be classified as a mystery because the question is how the story will end! How will our couple end up together? Will they or won't they?
I will say this, I took off a smidge of a star because the ending was entirely too short. I wanted more. No, wait, that's incorrect. I needed more!!! ∗shakes fist at Ms. Blake∗
Review appears on
October 19, 2015
5 "Shoelace" Fangs
I love this book! I actually love the series.
When Lacey appeared as a character on True North, I wasn't sure I was going to like her until she took care of Kate when she had her little break down. Then, she could have been a problem in True Devotion but she wasn't.
Lacey Mosely likes to dress up, wear make up and wear expensive shoes. She has worked at the same store since she was a teenager. Her life is in Crowell, Montana and she is happy that way. Nevertheless, she does long for a love like her sister has. She has dated the Sheriff who used to be a QB but her heart has always belonged to just one man, Jake Holt.
Jake was the troubled teenager who moved to a new town. He was the one other teenagers steered clear of except for the cheerleader, prom queen Lacey. He was in love with her but the town had nothing but bad memories for him so he left as soon as he was old enough. He wanted to make something of his life. After years of hard work he is now a private pilot. Fate brings him back to the small town of Crowell and to his first love Lacey.
I can't tell you how much I loved this book. Lacey and Jack had a true connection. This was their needed second chance at happiness.
It was great seeing how the other characters lives were progressing too.
I'm going to miss these characters.
"Sheets, Shoelace."
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 "Shoelace" Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter
I love this book! I actually love the series.
When Lacey appeared as a character on True North, I wasn't sure I was going to like her until she took care of Kate when she had her little break down. Then, she could have been a problem in True Devotion but she wasn't.
Lacey Mosely likes to dress up, wear make up and wear expensive shoes. She has worked at the same store since she was a teenager. Her life is in Crowell, Montana and she is happy that way. Nevertheless, she does long for a love like her sister has. She has dated the Sheriff who used to be a QB but her heart has always belonged to just one man, Jake Holt.
Jake was the troubled teenager who moved to a new town. He was the one other teenagers steered clear of except for the cheerleader, prom queen Lacey. He was in love with her but the town had nothing but bad memories for him so he left as soon as he was old enough. He wanted to make something of his life. After years of hard work he is now a private pilot. Fate brings him back to the small town of Crowell and to his first love Lacey.
I can't tell you how much I loved this book. Lacey and Jack had a true connection. This was their needed second chance at happiness.
It was great seeing how the other characters lives were progressing too.
I'm going to miss these characters.
"Sheets, Shoelace."
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 "Shoelace" Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter
October 16, 2015
4 second chances have to be earned stars. Lacey and Jake have a past which still haunts both of them in the present. The problem with giving something or someone a second chance is there's always the nagging voice in the back of your mind saying you're going to get burned again. From the read it was obvious that both Lacey and Jake struggle with this frustrating little voice while trying to be together. Insecurities run high when you can't see the person as often as you like and the person has either disappeared before or let you down in some way.
Lacey has a mediocre job and a boring life in a small town but is the sister to a famous rocker's wife. She watches the town and people around her and finds herself missing something. She wants a partner, to be completed, and to have what she sees the couples around her have. She's smart, sassy, passionate, and honest. When Jake breezes unexpectedly into her life she's thrown for a loop and isn't sure what to do when she instantly feels her body and heart wake up.
Jake's life since graduating high school hasn't been the easiest nor the prettiest but he's made a decent life for himself. He enjoys his job, the stability he's been able to provide for himself, and the travelling he's been allowed to do. He's kind, honest, loyal, caring, and rough around the edges. When Jake sees Lacey he can't stay away and does everything he can to have her, a chance with her, and a future with her.
The story brings about the couples from the previous stories since they are all quite tied together but gives Lacey and Jake center stage. The novel swirls around as small town politics, insecurities, love, and lust all bang into one another. Sometimes we have to remember that nothing in life is a guarantee and it isn't enough to just survive when you can really live if you take a leap of faith.
Lacey has a mediocre job and a boring life in a small town but is the sister to a famous rocker's wife. She watches the town and people around her and finds herself missing something. She wants a partner, to be completed, and to have what she sees the couples around her have. She's smart, sassy, passionate, and honest. When Jake breezes unexpectedly into her life she's thrown for a loop and isn't sure what to do when she instantly feels her body and heart wake up.
Jake's life since graduating high school hasn't been the easiest nor the prettiest but he's made a decent life for himself. He enjoys his job, the stability he's been able to provide for himself, and the travelling he's been allowed to do. He's kind, honest, loyal, caring, and rough around the edges. When Jake sees Lacey he can't stay away and does everything he can to have her, a chance with her, and a future with her.
The story brings about the couples from the previous stories since they are all quite tied together but gives Lacey and Jake center stage. The novel swirls around as small town politics, insecurities, love, and lust all bang into one another. Sometimes we have to remember that nothing in life is a guarantee and it isn't enough to just survive when you can really live if you take a leap of faith.
August 1, 2016
Just perfect. This was exactly what I was in the mood for.
Book three in a series of stand alones and this just might be my favourite.
This is Lacey's story....the once-cheerleader and homecoming queen sister of Kate (book one), who never left her home town Crowell. In the previous books she's portrayed as a bit of a man eater....a bomb shell femme fatale, which made me question how much I could relate to her, preferring my heroines as feisty, mouthy and smart.
But what a joy to get in Lacey's head....to witness all her self doubt and loneliness carefully hidden behind the hair and glossy lips and painted nails. She is drowning in this belief she has never really measured up and no one has ever REALLY seen her. I just fell in love with her.
Enter Jake, the misfit boy she had a secret tryst with years before (and possibly gave her heart to) who then up a left without a word. Jake, who was from the wrong side of the small town tracks has made good in his life and is eager to get to know the prom queen again. *Eyebrow waggle*
As Lacey worries: "it feels like I'm a twenty dollar bill he found in his coat pocket, the one he forgot about and can't wait to spend. Once he does, that's all there is."
What made this book perfect to me was the restraint of the author to not be switching between past and present....we only visit the past in the h/H's passing thoughts and quick recollections. It remains a bit of a mystery.
The relationship between Jake and Lacey feels tremulous and sacred, and while each is fearing the other is only curious about a past teen crush they are actually both so head over heels and terrified....sigh.
No one is kidnapped, in an accident, coma, tangled with the mafia! No forced suspense or soap opera drama. Just two imperfect people trying to love each other. Bravo!!! 5 glorious bleeding heart stars
Book three in a series of stand alones and this just might be my favourite.
This is Lacey's story....the once-cheerleader and homecoming queen sister of Kate (book one), who never left her home town Crowell. In the previous books she's portrayed as a bit of a man eater....a bomb shell femme fatale, which made me question how much I could relate to her, preferring my heroines as feisty, mouthy and smart.
But what a joy to get in Lacey's head....to witness all her self doubt and loneliness carefully hidden behind the hair and glossy lips and painted nails. She is drowning in this belief she has never really measured up and no one has ever REALLY seen her. I just fell in love with her.
Enter Jake, the misfit boy she had a secret tryst with years before (and possibly gave her heart to) who then up a left without a word. Jake, who was from the wrong side of the small town tracks has made good in his life and is eager to get to know the prom queen again. *Eyebrow waggle*
As Lacey worries: "it feels like I'm a twenty dollar bill he found in his coat pocket, the one he forgot about and can't wait to spend. Once he does, that's all there is."
What made this book perfect to me was the restraint of the author to not be switching between past and present....we only visit the past in the h/H's passing thoughts and quick recollections. It remains a bit of a mystery.
The relationship between Jake and Lacey feels tremulous and sacred, and while each is fearing the other is only curious about a past teen crush they are actually both so head over heels and terrified....sigh.
No one is kidnapped, in an accident, coma, tangled with the mafia! No forced suspense or soap opera drama. Just two imperfect people trying to love each other. Bravo!!! 5 glorious bleeding heart stars
January 5, 2016
3.75 stars
June 5, 2019
This is a very nice second-chance-at-love romance. Back in high-school heroine was the popular girl and the hero wasn't but they had a secret romance. The hero saw her when no-one else did and they spent so much time together. But after graduation the hero left without a word; he needed to make something of himself and had nothing to offer. The heroine went to college but returned a year later, settling in her home-town. She has a lot of insecurity and hang-ups. When she sees the hero ten years later she is caught off-guard. He is a pilot now and they still have that deep connection.
They start reconnecting over email, and it was nice to see how the hero was so invested in her and them. For me the stumbling block came from how many insecurities the heroine had and how she persisted on holding on to her small-town like a security blanket. Hell she chooses brick-and-mortar over a man who loves her and wants a life with her. She really hurt the hero at the end, and I wish we had gotten an epilogue to see where they finally ended up living.
They start reconnecting over email, and it was nice to see how the hero was so invested in her and them. For me the stumbling block came from how many insecurities the heroine had and how she persisted on holding on to her small-town like a security blanket. Hell she chooses brick-and-mortar over a man who loves her and wants a life with her. She really hurt the hero at the end, and I wish we had gotten an epilogue to see where they finally ended up living.
October 20, 2015
Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.
Note: This ARC was provided by Pocket Star Books in exchange for an honest review.
I loved both parts of Lacey and Jake's story--the one that began when they were seventeen and the one that started when they were nearly thirty. What they had before was filled with innocence and hope, both of them viewing each other as the only person to truly see who they are behind all the posturing that being a teenager entails. When they meet again, their lives have gone in different directions and there's a wariness that has emerged from losing that first great love, but there's also that anticipation at the greater possibilities that are before them should they pursue the feelings that have remained dormant for over a decade. This was such a fresh take on the whole second chance trope because it employed exchanging correspondence in order for them to get over the initial uneasiness of interacting with a former whatever.
If there is one thing that ties all three stories in the True series together, other than familial ties, it's that the relationships that each of the couples engage in are complicated from the beginning. They're forced to take on challenges that test the mettle of their commitment to one another and while at least one member of each couple does stumble, it's their ability to move beyond whatever's holding them back that makes these love stories heartwarming. All three can be read as standalones, but if you're familiar with my reviews, you shouldn't be surprised when I tell you to read the books in order. Heck, if they weren't part of a series, I'd still recommend them to you, albeit separately. The True trilogy is one of my best book finds for 2015, and with my five-plus stars for True Divide, the series gets an average five-plus-star rating too. ♥
Note: This ARC was provided by Pocket Star Books in exchange for an honest review.
I loved both parts of Lacey and Jake's story--the one that began when they were seventeen and the one that started when they were nearly thirty. What they had before was filled with innocence and hope, both of them viewing each other as the only person to truly see who they are behind all the posturing that being a teenager entails. When they meet again, their lives have gone in different directions and there's a wariness that has emerged from losing that first great love, but there's also that anticipation at the greater possibilities that are before them should they pursue the feelings that have remained dormant for over a decade. This was such a fresh take on the whole second chance trope because it employed exchanging correspondence in order for them to get over the initial uneasiness of interacting with a former whatever.
If there is one thing that ties all three stories in the True series together, other than familial ties, it's that the relationships that each of the couples engage in are complicated from the beginning. They're forced to take on challenges that test the mettle of their commitment to one another and while at least one member of each couple does stumble, it's their ability to move beyond whatever's holding them back that makes these love stories heartwarming. All three can be read as standalones, but if you're familiar with my reviews, you shouldn't be surprised when I tell you to read the books in order. Heck, if they weren't part of a series, I'd still recommend them to you, albeit separately. The True trilogy is one of my best book finds for 2015, and with my five-plus stars for True Divide, the series gets an average five-plus-star rating too. ♥
October 9, 2015
This book is a fun conclusion to the TRUE series. Lacey is Kate's sister who we met in True North and this is her story. While you do have some interaction with Kate and her husband, it does not involve too much so that you are not lost in any way. Lacey, we also met before in the other books but only briefly.
The author does a great job making this a fun read. Jake is super cute with a fun personality and the two of them together make a great couple. They both seemed to be mis-fits in the world. Lacey's sister has a super successful career and married a mega star but Lacey just runs a beauty store in a tiny town and doesn't have much ambition. Jake is her high school boy friend of sorts but he took off without a good bye. Now they are struggling to find their way back together again.
This is a quick read and one that is just right for lazy afternoon. It is enjoyable without a lot of drama and the perfect conclusion to the series. It is a sweet, romantic, funny, and sometimes steamy story that the author brings to the table. Perfect for the days you need to escape reality and climb into a book!
The author does a great job making this a fun read. Jake is super cute with a fun personality and the two of them together make a great couple. They both seemed to be mis-fits in the world. Lacey's sister has a super successful career and married a mega star but Lacey just runs a beauty store in a tiny town and doesn't have much ambition. Jake is her high school boy friend of sorts but he took off without a good bye. Now they are struggling to find their way back together again.
This is a quick read and one that is just right for lazy afternoon. It is enjoyable without a lot of drama and the perfect conclusion to the series. It is a sweet, romantic, funny, and sometimes steamy story that the author brings to the table. Perfect for the days you need to escape reality and climb into a book!
December 29, 2015
Lacey manages the Beauty Barn in the town where she grew up. She's never escaped, her one long-term relationship is with a man she barely likes, and she can't help but compare herself to her more successful sister. She's very lonely, and the quality of her loneliness is really well described.
One day, the boy she loved in high school flies back to town. They start an affair or an encounter or something and he's lovely - but every moment of it is all about how this, too, won't go anywhere. Lacey is certain that she will once again be alone.
I read about 70% before I skipped ahead and then finished on the final chapter. I really enjoyed Kate's story in the first book. I didn't mind the second one, although I thought it too closely repeated the format of the first. While I liked the quality of the writing in this book, I found Lacey's underlying sorrow and frustration with her life a little too much. I can see that this is a good book, but it wasn't for me.
One day, the boy she loved in high school flies back to town. They start an affair or an encounter or something and he's lovely - but every moment of it is all about how this, too, won't go anywhere. Lacey is certain that she will once again be alone.
I read about 70% before I skipped ahead and then finished on the final chapter. I really enjoyed Kate's story in the first book. I didn't mind the second one, although I thought it too closely repeated the format of the first. While I liked the quality of the writing in this book, I found Lacey's underlying sorrow and frustration with her life a little too much. I can see that this is a good book, but it wasn't for me.
October 23, 2015
I am completely smitten! Liora Blake is a new author to me, and receiving the opportunity to review True Divide was a lucky windfall. Reading the last in series FIRST is not ideal, but I read the synopsis and figured I’d give it a go. And I’m so very glad I did. True Divide is one of those smartly sweet contemporary romances where the characters are so wonderfully written that’s it easy to fall into the story and latch on.
True Divide explores life in a small town in Crowley Montana. Our heroine Lacey has been coasting along, running the town “Beauty Parlor” ( as it’s named) and living an existence that she calls “...safe and stifling…” Things get exciting for her when her very secret high school ‘boyfriend” lands back in town and the draw they feel toward each other is unstoppable. What we get to watch is just how the two start weaving themselves in a togetherness they never knew.
Liora Blake seems to have a knack for creating genuine characters who have crazy reasoning skills, who may or may not be able to cook, and with whom I share the same attraction with animal cracker cookies (unfrosted for me). The story is from Laceys point of view and I was immediately endeared to her. I bonded with her silliness and in fact learned some new terms; “mope-tasically” and “lumbersexual delicious”. But my favorite thing about Lacey is her magical thinking and her Mantra: “It’s simple: nothing bad can happen to you as long as you’re wearing a cute outfit”. She’s got a lot of nothing going on, then bam, she’s got the boy turned boy back in her life and everything goes off course..
I was enamored with Jake immediately and that feeling just kept growing. He was pretty damn perfect(well, until he wasn’t). But while he was, I found him to be funny, sweet, and sexy and I loved his passion life. Lacey and Jake are such contrasting characters who fit together so well. Jake and Lacey don’t really know what they are, what they have, but why label it? I was good with that. But, relationships being what they are, life-event changes impact the natural direction that seem to be on and without a charted path, with a map ( especially for these two), things get easily mucked up. They really have led completely different lives so it goes reason there will be some drama. Blake gets us through this by ensuring that Lacey and Jake share in the blame. I like that I didn’t have to chose one over the other (although I was strongly leaning towards Jake’s side).
Finally, the secondary characters really stand out and drive the storyline. First there’s Lacey’s ex named Dusty (idiot), Ruth Ann (shrewd motherly figure to Lacey) and finally Kate and Trevor, (sister and brother-in-law respectively).. What I learn about Kate and Trevor in this book led me to purchase books 1 and 2 in the series “Truth North” and “True Devotion” that tells you that you can read each of these as stand-alones. It also tells you Liora Blake's story-telling is solid. I have no doubt I will love these stories as well.
I highly recommend True Divide - its a great romance, the type that made me feel every range in emotion with characters that are easy to adore. The storyline flows so well you're likely to find you’re going through it quicker than you might want. I was happy to spend time with Lacey and Jake and you will be too.
True Divide explores life in a small town in Crowley Montana. Our heroine Lacey has been coasting along, running the town “Beauty Parlor” ( as it’s named) and living an existence that she calls “...safe and stifling…” Things get exciting for her when her very secret high school ‘boyfriend” lands back in town and the draw they feel toward each other is unstoppable. What we get to watch is just how the two start weaving themselves in a togetherness they never knew.
Liora Blake seems to have a knack for creating genuine characters who have crazy reasoning skills, who may or may not be able to cook, and with whom I share the same attraction with animal cracker cookies (unfrosted for me). The story is from Laceys point of view and I was immediately endeared to her. I bonded with her silliness and in fact learned some new terms; “mope-tasically” and “lumbersexual delicious”. But my favorite thing about Lacey is her magical thinking and her Mantra: “It’s simple: nothing bad can happen to you as long as you’re wearing a cute outfit”. She’s got a lot of nothing going on, then bam, she’s got the boy turned boy back in her life and everything goes off course..
I was enamored with Jake immediately and that feeling just kept growing. He was pretty damn perfect(well, until he wasn’t). But while he was, I found him to be funny, sweet, and sexy and I loved his passion life. Lacey and Jake are such contrasting characters who fit together so well. Jake and Lacey don’t really know what they are, what they have, but why label it? I was good with that. But, relationships being what they are, life-event changes impact the natural direction that seem to be on and without a charted path, with a map ( especially for these two), things get easily mucked up. They really have led completely different lives so it goes reason there will be some drama. Blake gets us through this by ensuring that Lacey and Jake share in the blame. I like that I didn’t have to chose one over the other (although I was strongly leaning towards Jake’s side).
Finally, the secondary characters really stand out and drive the storyline. First there’s Lacey’s ex named Dusty (idiot), Ruth Ann (shrewd motherly figure to Lacey) and finally Kate and Trevor, (sister and brother-in-law respectively).. What I learn about Kate and Trevor in this book led me to purchase books 1 and 2 in the series “Truth North” and “True Devotion” that tells you that you can read each of these as stand-alones. It also tells you Liora Blake's story-telling is solid. I have no doubt I will love these stories as well.
I highly recommend True Divide - its a great romance, the type that made me feel every range in emotion with characters that are easy to adore. The storyline flows so well you're likely to find you’re going through it quicker than you might want. I was happy to spend time with Lacey and Jake and you will be too.
October 21, 2015
My Thoughts:
The True Series by Liora Blake was one of those rare and treasured finds for me. When I saw the cover and description of True North, I thought, "This looks interesting." Little did I know that this whole series would sweep me off of my feet. Every book in this collection is a rare and beautiful gem. Ms. Blake is gifted with the talent of characterization. She has made me connect with these characters on a deep and intimate level. I relate to various aspects of their personalities, and genuinely like, if not love, all of them.
True Divide is Lacey Mosely's story. Lacey wants what most people want; true love, a sense of purpose, and a place that she can call home. Unfortunately, Lacey hasn't been lucky in the love department, has worked at the Beauty Barn since she was a teenager, and feel's lacking in career prestige. When her first and only love, Jake Holt, makes a reappearance, Lacey's world is turned upside down. As these two begin seeing one another, Lacey doesn't know if she should risk a broken heart. What if Jake isn't as serious about her, as she is about him?
While, I relate to Kate Mosley the most, because she is reserved, loves reading and writing, and is low key about her appearance, Lacey reminded me of my sister, who I adore. Lacey loves "retail therapy." She always has her hair and make-up fixed beautifully, and wears the latest trends in clothing and shoes. She is gorgeous, but has many of the typical insecurities that women face. She is hard on herself, and very critical of what she see's, instead of realizing her beauty and worth. Kate and Lacey share a strong, loving and loyal bond with one another, which has been an aspect of this series that I have loved from the start.
When Lacey and Jake reunited, I was giddy with anticipation. I really enjoy the second chance at romance trope. What can I say about Jake? Well, for one, he turned my insides to mush. With Jake, what you saw, is what you got. He was real, honest, passionate, giving, and knew how to give Lacey all that her heart desired.
I loved that when they initially met and fell in love as teenagers, Jake was the wierdo outcast, and Lacey was the popular cheerleader and homecoming queen. Their adult lives took them in different directions, yet when they reunited many years later, even though they changed in many ways, they still shared that special and unique connection. They both never found another person that could measure up to how they had felt about one another. For the romantic in me, True Divide, had me swooning time and time again. What a beautiful story! From tender words exchanged, loving looks glimpsed, and romantic actions witnessed, Lacey and Jake were the real deal.
My Rating:
I give, True Divide, by Liora Blake, 4 Raw & Tender, Toe-Curling, Frenzied & Fierce, Romance Filled Stars! I recommend this whole series! I love it!!!
*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com
The True Series by Liora Blake was one of those rare and treasured finds for me. When I saw the cover and description of True North, I thought, "This looks interesting." Little did I know that this whole series would sweep me off of my feet. Every book in this collection is a rare and beautiful gem. Ms. Blake is gifted with the talent of characterization. She has made me connect with these characters on a deep and intimate level. I relate to various aspects of their personalities, and genuinely like, if not love, all of them.
True Divide is Lacey Mosely's story. Lacey wants what most people want; true love, a sense of purpose, and a place that she can call home. Unfortunately, Lacey hasn't been lucky in the love department, has worked at the Beauty Barn since she was a teenager, and feel's lacking in career prestige. When her first and only love, Jake Holt, makes a reappearance, Lacey's world is turned upside down. As these two begin seeing one another, Lacey doesn't know if she should risk a broken heart. What if Jake isn't as serious about her, as she is about him?
While, I relate to Kate Mosley the most, because she is reserved, loves reading and writing, and is low key about her appearance, Lacey reminded me of my sister, who I adore. Lacey loves "retail therapy." She always has her hair and make-up fixed beautifully, and wears the latest trends in clothing and shoes. She is gorgeous, but has many of the typical insecurities that women face. She is hard on herself, and very critical of what she see's, instead of realizing her beauty and worth. Kate and Lacey share a strong, loving and loyal bond with one another, which has been an aspect of this series that I have loved from the start.
When Lacey and Jake reunited, I was giddy with anticipation. I really enjoy the second chance at romance trope. What can I say about Jake? Well, for one, he turned my insides to mush. With Jake, what you saw, is what you got. He was real, honest, passionate, giving, and knew how to give Lacey all that her heart desired.
I loved that when they initially met and fell in love as teenagers, Jake was the wierdo outcast, and Lacey was the popular cheerleader and homecoming queen. Their adult lives took them in different directions, yet when they reunited many years later, even though they changed in many ways, they still shared that special and unique connection. They both never found another person that could measure up to how they had felt about one another. For the romantic in me, True Divide, had me swooning time and time again. What a beautiful story! From tender words exchanged, loving looks glimpsed, and romantic actions witnessed, Lacey and Jake were the real deal.
My Rating:
I give, True Divide, by Liora Blake, 4 Raw & Tender, Toe-Curling, Frenzied & Fierce, Romance Filled Stars! I recommend this whole series! I love it!!!
*To Read More Book Reviews, Visit A Bookish Escape at http://www.abookishescape.com
October 21, 2015
Jake and Lacey used to be highschool-sweethearts. But only in secret. She was the famous cheerleader, he the town weirdo. When he left without a reason, she built a life for herself and ten years later, is still in her old town. Then fate steps in…
Doesn’t that sound amazing? Yes, it definitely does. A second chance romance is right behind a forbidden romance on the ranking of my favorite kind of books. But nevertheless, I was so very surprised and baffled by how much I loved this story of Jake and his Shoelace, as he’d loved to call her. Normally, a story without much plot or extraordinary characters involed soon bores me. So, I had no high hopes of loving this book, liking – yes, loving – not so much. So, yes it took me off guard.
“True Divide” was so heartfelt, loaden with emotions and the characters were so lovable! Sure, there was a lot of angst and one or two decisions I could not understand – but all in all, the characters win the price of the most mature and reasonable MC’s of the year 2015 from me. When I took a breather last night, I noted with horror, that I was almost through the book… The writing was excellent, it floated me through the book effortlessly. It made me feel so much. I laughed, cried and swooned over Jake through the whole story. The sex-scenes were – albeit only “ordinary” love-making-scenes – very delicious; tasteful and very fitting for the whole of the story. The fact, that the author did not write too long “10 years ago…” scenes, where the MC’s dwell on their history was another plus. The small backflashes from that time were just right.
The only thing I was missing was a small epilogue. The book felt a bit rushed toward the end. It was a beautiful end, but a small insight in the couple’s future – even if only for the span of a few weeks – would have been awsome. But beggars can’t be choosers, right?!
It was my first book by Liora Blake, but I’ll definitely check out her other books. I give “True Divide” 5 stars and can recommend it to everyone who loves sweet, slightly angsty and deliciously erotic books with lovable characters.
*** ARC kindly provided by Netgalley. Review is posted on Collector of Bookboyfriends.com ***
Doesn’t that sound amazing? Yes, it definitely does. A second chance romance is right behind a forbidden romance on the ranking of my favorite kind of books. But nevertheless, I was so very surprised and baffled by how much I loved this story of Jake and his Shoelace, as he’d loved to call her. Normally, a story without much plot or extraordinary characters involed soon bores me. So, I had no high hopes of loving this book, liking – yes, loving – not so much. So, yes it took me off guard.
“True Divide” was so heartfelt, loaden with emotions and the characters were so lovable! Sure, there was a lot of angst and one or two decisions I could not understand – but all in all, the characters win the price of the most mature and reasonable MC’s of the year 2015 from me. When I took a breather last night, I noted with horror, that I was almost through the book… The writing was excellent, it floated me through the book effortlessly. It made me feel so much. I laughed, cried and swooned over Jake through the whole story. The sex-scenes were – albeit only “ordinary” love-making-scenes – very delicious; tasteful and very fitting for the whole of the story. The fact, that the author did not write too long “10 years ago…” scenes, where the MC’s dwell on their history was another plus. The small backflashes from that time were just right.
The only thing I was missing was a small epilogue. The book felt a bit rushed toward the end. It was a beautiful end, but a small insight in the couple’s future – even if only for the span of a few weeks – would have been awsome. But beggars can’t be choosers, right?!
It was my first book by Liora Blake, but I’ll definitely check out her other books. I give “True Divide” 5 stars and can recommend it to everyone who loves sweet, slightly angsty and deliciously erotic books with lovable characters.
*** ARC kindly provided by Netgalley. Review is posted on Collector of Bookboyfriends.com ***
October 19, 2015
Leigh's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
3.75 stars
For the third book in the True series we get the story of Kate’s sister Lacey. And in true Liora Blake style, it is told with warmth and charm and enough sweet detail that we feel as if we are walking down main street in a small Montana town. However, while I have truly loved this series, and True Divide was a wonderful addition (conclusion?), I felt it was missing a bit of the spark that I found in the prior two books.
Don’t get me wrong. True Divide was still a good read. But it pains me to say that I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first two stories in the series. It’s just that in the first and second books, I felt that the characters were all so strong and full of fire and managed to be real, yet larger than life, all at the same time. There was a quality that all of these people exuded that made them interesting and passionate. And Jake had this quality as well.
As an outcast teenager who left small town American and never looked back, Jake was spontaneous and driven and a whirlwind that blew back into town. He was fascinating.
I just didn’t feel that same way about Lacey.
She was a sweet small town girl who tried going out into the world and realized that her heart truly was back home, and that’s where she wanted to stay. She was the cheerleader and home coming queen and has been questioning her achievements since. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong who she was and her struggles. They just didn’t make her particularly interesting.
Nonetheless, the love story between Lacey and Jake was sweet and rocky and full of history, and getting to see Trevor and Kate again made it worth the read. Overall, I completely enjoyed this series and I didn’t want it to end.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
3.75 stars
For the third book in the True series we get the story of Kate’s sister Lacey. And in true Liora Blake style, it is told with warmth and charm and enough sweet detail that we feel as if we are walking down main street in a small Montana town. However, while I have truly loved this series, and True Divide was a wonderful addition (conclusion?), I felt it was missing a bit of the spark that I found in the prior two books.
Don’t get me wrong. True Divide was still a good read. But it pains me to say that I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first two stories in the series. It’s just that in the first and second books, I felt that the characters were all so strong and full of fire and managed to be real, yet larger than life, all at the same time. There was a quality that all of these people exuded that made them interesting and passionate. And Jake had this quality as well.
As an outcast teenager who left small town American and never looked back, Jake was spontaneous and driven and a whirlwind that blew back into town. He was fascinating.
I just didn’t feel that same way about Lacey.
She was a sweet small town girl who tried going out into the world and realized that her heart truly was back home, and that’s where she wanted to stay. She was the cheerleader and home coming queen and has been questioning her achievements since. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong who she was and her struggles. They just didn’t make her particularly interesting.
Nonetheless, the love story between Lacey and Jake was sweet and rocky and full of history, and getting to see Trevor and Kate again made it worth the read. Overall, I completely enjoyed this series and I didn’t want it to end.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
October 19, 2015
My Review:
This characters have one of the best back histories that I've ever read. I loved their back story. Lacey and Jake hooked up their senior year in high school, but no one ever knew it besides them. Lacey was the head cheerleader and homecoming queen. Jake was the class misfit...all dark, pierced, and broody. But they were combustible even then...until Jake left town the day of graduation without a word and broke Lacey's heart. They haven't seen or spoken since until he shows up as Trax's (hero book #1 in this series) private pilot.
What unfolds after that is simply a good story about second chance love. Jake is a vagabond of sorts, but the worst place he ever lived was Crowell where his mother abandoned him. Lacey has never truly left Crowell. Her roots in this tiny town are deep and she can't see ever leaving it. In the long run, this isn't going to work for either of them. But just like when they were in high school, the feelings are still there. They are so good together. Jake and Lacey have a comfort and chemistry together that just works.
I liked this one. The conflict was believable. The sweet moments melted my heart and these two left the pages steaming with their chemistry. I loved their history and the scene with Lacey's cheerleading uniform had me cracking up. I loved how much Jake is truly and completely into her...no matter what she's wearing. Liora Blake does a fantastic job showing just how riled up Jake can get and it was really, really sexy.
This entire series has been great, and I can guarantee you that Liora Blake is on my author watch list. She just writes a great, entertaining, fun story with lots of sexy times...she's my kind of author!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This characters have one of the best back histories that I've ever read. I loved their back story. Lacey and Jake hooked up their senior year in high school, but no one ever knew it besides them. Lacey was the head cheerleader and homecoming queen. Jake was the class misfit...all dark, pierced, and broody. But they were combustible even then...until Jake left town the day of graduation without a word and broke Lacey's heart. They haven't seen or spoken since until he shows up as Trax's (hero book #1 in this series) private pilot.
What unfolds after that is simply a good story about second chance love. Jake is a vagabond of sorts, but the worst place he ever lived was Crowell where his mother abandoned him. Lacey has never truly left Crowell. Her roots in this tiny town are deep and she can't see ever leaving it. In the long run, this isn't going to work for either of them. But just like when they were in high school, the feelings are still there. They are so good together. Jake and Lacey have a comfort and chemistry together that just works.
I liked this one. The conflict was believable. The sweet moments melted my heart and these two left the pages steaming with their chemistry. I loved their history and the scene with Lacey's cheerleading uniform had me cracking up. I loved how much Jake is truly and completely into her...no matter what she's wearing. Liora Blake does a fantastic job showing just how riled up Jake can get and it was really, really sexy.
This entire series has been great, and I can guarantee you that Liora Blake is on my author watch list. She just writes a great, entertaining, fun story with lots of sexy times...she's my kind of author!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
October 19, 2015
‘He looks, I look away. I look, he sees, and the side of his mouth hitches up in faint acknowledgement. We both look, locking gazes until someone gives. It’s maddening. And fabulous.’
True Divide is the third standalone in the True series by Liora Blake. I first discovered this series on Netgalley and have been hooked since the first book. I am often hesitant to grab published books because more often than not I am let down and left feeling like it could have just been more. Not the case with this book, and series, as it is full of drama, emotion, character growth and supreme intense sexual chemistry.
“Can you handle everything, Lace? Are you fucking sure? Because if you say yes, I plan to go at this so gaddamn hard you won’t be able to do a fucking thing but take it. So be sure before you answer.”
More than ten years have passed since Lacey has laid eyes on the guy she was secretly involved with in high school. When he left without even a goodbye he took her heart with him and she never expected to see him again. So when Jake returns home to the small town he loathes her whole world is turned upside down. These two have a clear connection that has never gone away and an intense sexual attraction that had the pages melting.
Can two people leading conflicting lives find a way to come together or will their different paths lead them away from each other?
“Drugged by his touch, drowning in an ache I can’t control.”
I have loved each book in this series and am beyond excited to see what Liora has for us in the future. Great writing and a superb talent for storytelling has quickly made her a must click author for me.
~miranda
True Divide is the third standalone in the True series by Liora Blake. I first discovered this series on Netgalley and have been hooked since the first book. I am often hesitant to grab published books because more often than not I am let down and left feeling like it could have just been more. Not the case with this book, and series, as it is full of drama, emotion, character growth and supreme intense sexual chemistry.
“Can you handle everything, Lace? Are you fucking sure? Because if you say yes, I plan to go at this so gaddamn hard you won’t be able to do a fucking thing but take it. So be sure before you answer.”
More than ten years have passed since Lacey has laid eyes on the guy she was secretly involved with in high school. When he left without even a goodbye he took her heart with him and she never expected to see him again. So when Jake returns home to the small town he loathes her whole world is turned upside down. These two have a clear connection that has never gone away and an intense sexual attraction that had the pages melting.
Can two people leading conflicting lives find a way to come together or will their different paths lead them away from each other?
“Drugged by his touch, drowning in an ache I can’t control.”
I have loved each book in this series and am beyond excited to see what Liora has for us in the future. Great writing and a superb talent for storytelling has quickly made her a must click author for me.
~miranda
January 17, 2016
3.5
Lacey has been in Crowell her whole life. She's lived, loved, lost and rebuilt her life there. With hopes of leaving she realized early in her life that she might never leave. But when Jake comes back into her life she realizes that he can't stay in one spot for very long, especially if that spot is Crowell. A lost love rekindled Lacey is afraid of truly committing because he has left her once before without even a goodbye. Will it happen again? Will she ever leave Crowell?
This was a cute book. I honestly loved seeing where Kate and Trevor were with their relationship. They're one of my favorite book couples and so seeing them still going strong was nice. And then in comes Jake who is all around beautiful. Lacey and Jake have the kind of relationship that most people dream about. It seems to perfect to be real - and in some cases that's because they don't talk with each other about their plans for the future. But other than that they're perfect...maybe....
This was a quick read for me, I picked it up and a day later was finished. It's easy when you love the characters and are excited to see where the story is going to take place. And for me that's what this book was. I was excited, I saw more of Kate and Trevor than I expected - which I LOVED. Lacey had so much going for her, and I felt like she and I were basically the same person. We have a lot of characteristics that are the same at least. And Jake is the beautiful man that every girl wants with an adventurous heart!
If you want a quick and adorable read I would say to pick this one up! - Bri
Lacey has been in Crowell her whole life. She's lived, loved, lost and rebuilt her life there. With hopes of leaving she realized early in her life that she might never leave. But when Jake comes back into her life she realizes that he can't stay in one spot for very long, especially if that spot is Crowell. A lost love rekindled Lacey is afraid of truly committing because he has left her once before without even a goodbye. Will it happen again? Will she ever leave Crowell?
This was a cute book. I honestly loved seeing where Kate and Trevor were with their relationship. They're one of my favorite book couples and so seeing them still going strong was nice. And then in comes Jake who is all around beautiful. Lacey and Jake have the kind of relationship that most people dream about. It seems to perfect to be real - and in some cases that's because they don't talk with each other about their plans for the future. But other than that they're perfect...maybe....
This was a quick read for me, I picked it up and a day later was finished. It's easy when you love the characters and are excited to see where the story is going to take place. And for me that's what this book was. I was excited, I saw more of Kate and Trevor than I expected - which I LOVED. Lacey had so much going for her, and I felt like she and I were basically the same person. We have a lot of characteristics that are the same at least. And Jake is the beautiful man that every girl wants with an adventurous heart!
If you want a quick and adorable read I would say to pick this one up! - Bri
August 27, 2015
When his woman isn't happy with the way he sometimes words things he gets all alpha man and crude which was hot, “you’ve got unbelievable t**s and a** now. For days. I almost choked on my own tongue when I saw you stomping your way out of the waiting room with that a** wrapped in those crazy -tight little jeans you were wearing.” He tips his head and waits a beat. “Better?” Yeah Jake he appreciates his woman's assets, “Christ, I’m a man, honey. Those”— he waves his hand pointedly toward my breasts—“ seem way bigger than I remember, and you just displayed them on a buoyant little platter for my amusement. I couldn’t help it.” Jake sometimes just needs not to talk, that's how sexy he is, “besides, you’re the one humping my leg. People probably can’t see my hands all over your a**, but they sure as hell can see you trying to mount me, you little minx.” I liked this book, Jake was funny, and I loved his personality.
January 10, 2016
3.5 stars. Loved Jake... Lacey, not so much
The misfit and the cheerleader had a secret love affair their senior year. After graduation, Jake leaves town in a flash, and Lacey stays in the small town she grew up in. After a hard life, Jake has made someone for himself and is now a private charter airline pilot. Lacey is still in the town of Crowell and is now managing the beauty store she worked in as a teen. Having flown Trax back to Crowell for the birth of his son, Jake sees Lacey after 10 years and their connection immediately sparks, but time changes people, and the two have to find a way to blend their past and futures with the new Jake and Lacey they've become.
Jake was sweet, funny, and full of life. I thought Lacey was uptight, uppity, and cared too much about what others thought. It's was very annoying, but Jake and the whole together-again-love-story were enough to save the book for me.
The misfit and the cheerleader had a secret love affair their senior year. After graduation, Jake leaves town in a flash, and Lacey stays in the small town she grew up in. After a hard life, Jake has made someone for himself and is now a private charter airline pilot. Lacey is still in the town of Crowell and is now managing the beauty store she worked in as a teen. Having flown Trax back to Crowell for the birth of his son, Jake sees Lacey after 10 years and their connection immediately sparks, but time changes people, and the two have to find a way to blend their past and futures with the new Jake and Lacey they've become.
Jake was sweet, funny, and full of life. I thought Lacey was uptight, uppity, and cared too much about what others thought. It's was very annoying, but Jake and the whole together-again-love-story were enough to save the book for me.
November 10, 2015
Lacey Mosely loves the small town she's lived in her entire life but wants more than to be single, nearing 30, and working at the Beauty Barn. Then Jake Holt blows into town and shakes things up. When she was a popular cheerleader in high school, he was the broody outcast she'd secretly been involved with, until he left town without a word. Now that Jake is back in Lacey's life, they both are looking to finish what they started years ago, but may not see eye to eye about the future. This was a sweet story and the characters were likable but I had trouble getting through the book because it would get side-tracked with minutiae. Sometimes it was excessive detail about a minor event, and other times the heroine's thoughts would go on so long between sentences of dialogue that I'd forget what she had been saying to begin with. This is a stand alone and the third book in the True Series.
January 11, 2017
Really liked Jake and Lacey! Their back story was perfectly made into their present story! Loved them getting to know each other again. My only complaint is that I really wish there was an epilogue so I know where they ended up. I don't feel any closure...but I guess there was no perfect place so she didn't bother trying to figure it out.
October 19, 2015
4.5 Smooches review coming on Red Cheeks Reads
November 11, 2015
I really liked this book. Full review to come later
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