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Liar, Liar
Just another day at the office. For some people that means spreadsheets, and for others it’s stitching endless hems. For Jacob Archer a day at the office is stealing proprietary information from a bioengineering firm for a paranoid software billionaire. He’s a liar and a thief, parlaying a glib tongue and a facile conscience into a lucrative career. He just has one rule—never get involved with a mark. Well, had one rule. To be fair, though, Simon Ramsey is dark, dangerous, and has shoulders like a Greek statue. Besides, it’s not as though Jacob’s even really stealing from Simon… just his boss and his brother-in-law. Simon didn’t buy that excuse either after he caught Jacob breaking into the company’s computer network. That would have been that—one messy breakup, one ticket to Bali booked—but it turns out that the stolen information is worth more than Jacob thought. With his life—and his ribs—threatened, Jacob needs Simon to help him out. Or maybe he just needs Simon.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2017
19 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
T.A. Moore
45 books390 followersTA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide. As her grandmother always said, ‘she’d laugh at a bad thing that one’, mind you, that was the pot calling the kettle black. TA Moore studied History, Irish mythology, English at University, mostly because she has always loved a good story. She has worked as a journalist, a finance manager, and in the arts sectors before she finally gave in to a lifelong desire to write.
Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.
Website: www.nevertobetold.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TA.Moores
Twitter: @tammy_moore
Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.
Website: www.nevertobetold.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TA.Moores
Twitter: @tammy_moore
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
May 6, 2019
***3.5 Stars***
Intriguing enemies-to-lovers-backwards story
Yep, you heard me right. Actually, it's a lovers-to-enemies-over-allies-of-necessity-back-to-lovers story. ;-)
I'm usually not the biggest fan of stories with an already established couple - or as in this case... kinda... sorta... established? - but although I had no clue what was going on, the beginning had me captivated, even if I was not sure I really liked either Jacob or Simon and it took me a while to feel their connection. Like the title suggests, there are a lot of lies in this book with Jacob being an almost pathological liar and I don't think I would have been as patient and forgiving as Simon in the end, but maybe I just haven't met the right person yet not to give a damn.
This book is hard for me to rate, though, since I found the premise and how the story unfolded arresting and I didn't even mind that I pretty much knew the identity of the perp early on, but I found the writing a bit... convoluted? It could be totally me, though, and the fact that my brain wasn't wired the way it should be over the last couple of days, but I had to read some passages twice to understand them and that pulled me a bit out of the story. Overall, I'm going with 3 stars for the story because I still couldn't put it down in order to see how it all would pan out and an added half star for Fozzy. I know, I know, put a dog into a book and I'm a goner, don't judge me... ;-)
The story ends on a HFN and I wouldn't mind revisiting these guys one day and since the author left a few threads unresolved, chances might be good that there will be a sequel. :)
Intriguing enemies-to-lovers-backwards story
Yep, you heard me right. Actually, it's a lovers-to-enemies-over-allies-of-necessity-back-to-lovers story. ;-)
I'm usually not the biggest fan of stories with an already established couple - or as in this case... kinda... sorta... established? - but although I had no clue what was going on, the beginning had me captivated, even if I was not sure I really liked either Jacob or Simon and it took me a while to feel their connection. Like the title suggests, there are a lot of lies in this book with Jacob being an almost pathological liar and I don't think I would have been as patient and forgiving as Simon in the end, but maybe I just haven't met the right person yet not to give a damn.
This book is hard for me to rate, though, since I found the premise and how the story unfolded arresting and I didn't even mind that I pretty much knew the identity of the perp early on, but I found the writing a bit... convoluted? It could be totally me, though, and the fact that my brain wasn't wired the way it should be over the last couple of days, but I had to read some passages twice to understand them and that pulled me a bit out of the story. Overall, I'm going with 3 stars for the story because I still couldn't put it down in order to see how it all would pan out and an added half star for Fozzy. I know, I know, put a dog into a book and I'm a goner, don't judge me... ;-)
The story ends on a HFN and I wouldn't mind revisiting these guys one day and since the author left a few threads unresolved, chances might be good that there will be a sequel. :)
September 25, 2024
Corporate espionage + m/m romance = Me in my happy place. Although I'd never heard of TA Moore, I couldn't resist taking a chance on this book despite the staggering size of my TBR pile. And it delivered so much of what I'm always hoping to find in fiction:
Moral ambiguity? Check. Flawed hero? Check. Bad guy I can't help but like? Check. Plot that I can't predict? Check. Hot sex and snarky humor? Check and check.
What this story doesn't have is a single sappy moment. And that was kind of like the cherry on top.
Simon, retired Marine and head of security for a high-tech company, is more driven by loyalty to the people he loves than by concern for the niceties of law. Jacob is an "information acquisition specialist," aka corporate spy, which makes him something of a cross between a hacker, a thief and a con man. He enjoys his work and the here-today-gone-tomorrow lifestyle it entails.
When their relationship of 7 months blows up in their faces courtesy of Jacob having betrayed Simon in order to pull off his latest job, the two go their separate ways -- in spite of each almost-but-not-quite admitting to himself that he's fallen for the other. Neither wallows or whines about it; they're both tough, pragmatic professionals who know when to accept that life has dealt them the "tough shit" card. But the ever-escalating consequences of Jacob's theft throw them back together. As they work together out of dire necessity, they get a second chance... a second chance that neither of them is entirely convinced he should take.
I did encounter a few problems while reading this. It was hard for me to orient myself in the first chapter. I figured out the evil mastermind way too early. And I noticed a few continuity errors, along the lines of: they lived in a house, wait what now it's an apartment?? It was minor stuff, but stuff that should have been caught in the editing process. This book is too good to be saddled with mistakes like that.
I'm looking forward to seeing what TA Moore comes out with next.
Moral ambiguity? Check. Flawed hero? Check. Bad guy I can't help but like? Check. Plot that I can't predict? Check. Hot sex and snarky humor? Check and check.
What this story doesn't have is a single sappy moment. And that was kind of like the cherry on top.
It looked like Jacob wasn’t the only one who knew how to manipulate people. The only difference was that Jacob had natural talent, and Simon had studied interrogation techniques. He wasn’t sure who came out ahead there, morally speaking.
Simon, retired Marine and head of security for a high-tech company, is more driven by loyalty to the people he loves than by concern for the niceties of law. Jacob is an "information acquisition specialist," aka corporate spy, which makes him something of a cross between a hacker, a thief and a con man. He enjoys his work and the here-today-gone-tomorrow lifestyle it entails.
When their relationship of 7 months blows up in their faces courtesy of Jacob having betrayed Simon in order to pull off his latest job, the two go their separate ways -- in spite of each almost-but-not-quite admitting to himself that he's fallen for the other. Neither wallows or whines about it; they're both tough, pragmatic professionals who know when to accept that life has dealt them the "tough shit" card. But the ever-escalating consequences of Jacob's theft throw them back together. As they work together out of dire necessity, they get a second chance... a second chance that neither of them is entirely convinced he should take.
[Jacob] was a liar. He was a criminal. Simon glanced to where Fozzy was lying on the backseat. He was possibly a dognapper. And he was leaving. None of it mattered. Simon still wanted to drag him into his lap and kiss him until he stopped being an idiot. Although that would probably take more time than they had.
I did encounter a few problems while reading this. It was hard for me to orient myself in the first chapter. I figured out the evil mastermind way too early. And I noticed a few continuity errors, along the lines of: they lived in a house, wait what now it's an apartment?? It was minor stuff, but stuff that should have been caught in the editing process. This book is too good to be saddled with mistakes like that.
I'm looking forward to seeing what TA Moore comes out with next.
February 23, 2019
I’m always happy when I find a new-to-me author who lives up to my expectations and T.A. Moore certainly did, with a well-written, action-packed espionage story and a pair of complex, flawed and realistic characters.
It could be considered a bit lacking on the romance side, I suppose, if you’re looking for a classic romance, but I think it suited the characters and the overall tone of the story.
Simon and Jacob aren’t two hearts-and-flowers kind of guys, although they can still be sweet in their own way. And in their own head, for the most part.
They managed to win me over anyway, Simon a lot faster than Jacob, but that could be just because I’m a sucker for traumatized characters. Or because, as Simon is fond of repeating, Jacob is a liar and a thief. :D
Just kidding, that was part of his charm. Kind of. Just ask Simon.
It was fun reading about Jacob’s worries every time he caught himself telling the truth, though.
Truth be told, there wasn’t much I didn’t like about this book, although objectively is not perfect.
The first chapters were a little disorienting: the story starts right in the middle of the action and the reader is expected to pick up important details about the backstory on the run and follow the story enfolding, all at the same time. Not impossible, but not ideal either.
It got better soon enough, though.
Another thing I found distracting is a little difficult to explain, but I’ll try anyway.
The story is told in third person, but still in alternating POVs.
So you may have a scene told in Jacob’s POV and you would expect to have descriptions and such to be coherent to what Jacob knows or can see or deduce, right? Wrong, because, out of nowhere you get something like: “(the man talking with Jacob) squinted as his contacts caught in his waterline”.
Now, Jacob could have seen the man squinting, but how was he supposed to know that it had anything to do with his contacts?
This is just one example that I remember, but something similar happened a couple of other times and it was distracting.
There was also an instance of a gun flying out of a character’s hands, only to be back in his holster one page later, without him ever recovering it.
I also guessed pretty soon who was the “bad guy”, even if I still had a couple of moments of doubt until it became obvious.
I know, I’m being fastidious. That’s actually because the rest is so good, that I wish the minor things that could have been caught in the editing process were fixed before I could complain about them.
All that said, I’m looking forward to read more about this author.
Last, but not least: special thanks to Teal for bringing this book to my attention. You have good taste, my friend. ;)
It could be considered a bit lacking on the romance side, I suppose, if you’re looking for a classic romance, but I think it suited the characters and the overall tone of the story.
Simon and Jacob aren’t two hearts-and-flowers kind of guys, although they can still be sweet in their own way. And in their own head, for the most part.
They managed to win me over anyway, Simon a lot faster than Jacob, but that could be just because I’m a sucker for traumatized characters. Or because, as Simon is fond of repeating, Jacob is a liar and a thief. :D
Just kidding, that was part of his charm. Kind of. Just ask Simon.
It was fun reading about Jacob’s worries every time he caught himself telling the truth, though.
Truth be told, there wasn’t much I didn’t like about this book, although objectively is not perfect.
The first chapters were a little disorienting: the story starts right in the middle of the action and the reader is expected to pick up important details about the backstory on the run and follow the story enfolding, all at the same time. Not impossible, but not ideal either.
It got better soon enough, though.
Another thing I found distracting is a little difficult to explain, but I’ll try anyway.
The story is told in third person, but still in alternating POVs.
So you may have a scene told in Jacob’s POV and you would expect to have descriptions and such to be coherent to what Jacob knows or can see or deduce, right? Wrong, because, out of nowhere you get something like: “(the man talking with Jacob) squinted as his contacts caught in his waterline”.
Now, Jacob could have seen the man squinting, but how was he supposed to know that it had anything to do with his contacts?
This is just one example that I remember, but something similar happened a couple of other times and it was distracting.
There was also an instance of a gun flying out of a character’s hands, only to be back in his holster one page later, without him ever recovering it.
I also guessed pretty soon who was the “bad guy”, even if I still had a couple of moments of doubt until it became obvious.
I know, I’m being fastidious. That’s actually because the rest is so good, that I wish the minor things that could have been caught in the editing process were fixed before I could complain about them.
All that said, I’m looking forward to read more about this author.
Last, but not least: special thanks to Teal for bringing this book to my attention. You have good taste, my friend. ;)
May 24, 2017
Liar, Liar - A fun book, that will keep you guessing.
Small lies, white lies, fibs, and half truths - Jacob is a master at them all ... one lie he didn't expect was the one he was telling himself "I can walk away...I don't love Simon" --- it takes, being framed for murder, almost killed, shot at, almost blown up, and much more to get Simon and Jacob to both admit...the heart doesn't lie.
☆☆☆
Liar, Liar from T.A. Moore is a fun book that will keep you guessing as to what will happen next. When you start this book you are quickly thrown into the "meat" of the story as you watch a corporate espionage event in action. As more is revealed it quickly becomes clear that Jacob is not only a master con artist who can acquire "knowledge" for anyone, about anything -- for the right price. But he is also in the middle of a sticky situation with a mark he has gotten just a little to close to...enter Simon.
Simon is the head of security for the company that Jacob is targeting. While Jacob never meant for his heart to become involved it seems he has messed up and not only fallen for Simon but allowed himself to be caught in the act of knowledge acquisition (stealing). Jacob has never messed up like this and he can only blame his stupid heart for making him act out of the norm. Just when Jacob is about to cut his losses and head for an island -- people start dying!
This leaves Jacob and Simon being forced to work together while attempting to stay alive. Even though Simon knows Jacob is a professional liar. Even though Jacob knows his heart his getting more attached. Its either work with the enemy you know or die trying to figure out why the code Jacob "acquired" is so important...and to who?
I enjoyed this story and even though I figured out the "bad guy" quite early - I think it was still a fun story. I enjoy movies such as Oceans Eleven, James Bond, and other action/mystery movies and this story was a lot like those stories. I wish I could rate this story higher.. but, even though I think its a fun story, there was just something missing. I felt like this story just didn't delve deep enough into the what, why, etc., also, would have loved to have more backstory about Jacob and Simon.
Overall, a quick light-hearted fun read that will keep you entertained!
3.5 Stars
Small lies, white lies, fibs, and half truths - Jacob is a master at them all ... one lie he didn't expect was the one he was telling himself "I can walk away...I don't love Simon" --- it takes, being framed for murder, almost killed, shot at, almost blown up, and much more to get Simon and Jacob to both admit...the heart doesn't lie.
☆☆☆
Liar, Liar from T.A. Moore is a fun book that will keep you guessing as to what will happen next. When you start this book you are quickly thrown into the "meat" of the story as you watch a corporate espionage event in action. As more is revealed it quickly becomes clear that Jacob is not only a master con artist who can acquire "knowledge" for anyone, about anything -- for the right price. But he is also in the middle of a sticky situation with a mark he has gotten just a little to close to...enter Simon.
Simon is the head of security for the company that Jacob is targeting. While Jacob never meant for his heart to become involved it seems he has messed up and not only fallen for Simon but allowed himself to be caught in the act of knowledge acquisition (stealing). Jacob has never messed up like this and he can only blame his stupid heart for making him act out of the norm. Just when Jacob is about to cut his losses and head for an island -- people start dying!
This leaves Jacob and Simon being forced to work together while attempting to stay alive. Even though Simon knows Jacob is a professional liar. Even though Jacob knows his heart his getting more attached. Its either work with the enemy you know or die trying to figure out why the code Jacob "acquired" is so important...and to who?
I enjoyed this story and even though I figured out the "bad guy" quite early - I think it was still a fun story. I enjoy movies such as Oceans Eleven, James Bond, and other action/mystery movies and this story was a lot like those stories. I wish I could rate this story higher.. but, even though I think its a fun story, there was just something missing. I felt like this story just didn't delve deep enough into the what, why, etc., also, would have loved to have more backstory about Jacob and Simon.
Overall, a quick light-hearted fun read that will keep you entertained!
3.5 Stars
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September 4, 20175 Hearts!
First, why haven’t I read T.A. Moore before and second, I am so freaking glad that I have now remedied this situation because this book was so damn good!
What a refreshing way to start a book, meeting our first MC Jacob as he is doing his job – stealing from the company where he is cleaning floors – and getting caught by the chief of security who also happens to be his lover, Simon. Yup, that first chapter starts off so good and I loved it so much I read it twice. But the action and adventure doesn’t wane in the book because Jacob is on to much more than he was hired to recover.
Jacob is a liar, he admits it because it’s his job and he’s good at it. When he was hired to get information from Syntech to see if they had stolen code from PeaPod, Jacob finds the answer and then finds himself deep into the espionage between two men and the corporations they head and being this deep can cost him his life. Jacob is in way over his head and even his lies can’t get him out of this situation but he knows the man who saved his life once before, the man who shares his life and bed with Jacob won’t turn his back when he asks for help.
Simon is an ex-marine who now works for his brother-in-law after the death of his sister and being medically released from the military. Simon trusts his employer and brother-in-law Dev but Simon also trusted Jacob or rather who Jacob said he was and finding out he was lied to has thrown Simon for a loop. But Simon, as gruff and freaking tough as he is, has it bad for Jacob. And the emotions he has are hard to toss aside when the man, who’d made himself at home in Simon's apartment, life, and heart, calls Simon because he’s been kidnapped and people want him dead.
EEP!
I have so much I want to say about this book and how much I loved reading it and being part of Jacob and Simon’s romance and this truly is a romance but not the sort you are used to. Kinda?
I mean, we get our couple long after the meet cute and awkward stage of newness and we are dropped into their lives as they’ve been together or months and now? Now Simon knows that Jacob has been lying but he doesn’t know what was a lie in their relationship, beyond the obvious and at times, Jacob doesn’t even know. But this is more than Jacob lying to his lover, this is a romance where when all the cards are laid out, will love win?
I simply adored this so much. It was ridiculously swoony with more moments than I can count. It was action packed with both Jacob and Simon running for their lives. It was intriguing to figure out who was behind it all and it was so romantic. I can’t even begin to describe the level of feels you get in this book from simple touches and words… but this was also hilarious and snarky! Jacob and Simon truly complement one another and their banter was fun to witness. They know each other better than anyone could regardless of Jacob’s lies which honestly, we – along with Simon – never really get which was the truth and which were lies but it doesn’t matter, Simon and Jacob are meant to be and that’s it.
That end was the best thing and SO on point for the couple. I think had it been anything more, it wouldn’t have been believable but it left me with a silly soppy grin on my face that’s present as I write this just thinking about Simon calling Jacob and “asshole.” Yeah, it’s that kind of book. *winks*
Liar, Liar was one hell of a ride that I am glad I finally decide to jump on. I can’t imagine not meeting Jacob, Simon and Fozzy, witnessing the adventures they have nor being happily brain squished between the snarky and sexy sandwich they present.
First, why haven’t I read T.A. Moore before and second, I am so freaking glad that I have now remedied this situation because this book was so damn good!
What a refreshing way to start a book, meeting our first MC Jacob as he is doing his job – stealing from the company where he is cleaning floors – and getting caught by the chief of security who also happens to be his lover, Simon. Yup, that first chapter starts off so good and I loved it so much I read it twice. But the action and adventure doesn’t wane in the book because Jacob is on to much more than he was hired to recover.
“…I’m not a con artist,” Jacob said.
“You’re a thief.”
“I prefer Confidential Information Acquisitions.”
Jacob is a liar, he admits it because it’s his job and he’s good at it. When he was hired to get information from Syntech to see if they had stolen code from PeaPod, Jacob finds the answer and then finds himself deep into the espionage between two men and the corporations they head and being this deep can cost him his life. Jacob is in way over his head and even his lies can’t get him out of this situation but he knows the man who saved his life once before, the man who shares his life and bed with Jacob won’t turn his back when he asks for help.
Simon is an ex-marine who now works for his brother-in-law after the death of his sister and being medically released from the military. Simon trusts his employer and brother-in-law Dev but Simon also trusted Jacob or rather who Jacob said he was and finding out he was lied to has thrown Simon for a loop. But Simon, as gruff and freaking tough as he is, has it bad for Jacob. And the emotions he has are hard to toss aside when the man, who’d made himself at home in Simon's apartment, life, and heart, calls Simon because he’s been kidnapped and people want him dead.
EEP!
I have so much I want to say about this book and how much I loved reading it and being part of Jacob and Simon’s romance and this truly is a romance but not the sort you are used to. Kinda?
I mean, we get our couple long after the meet cute and awkward stage of newness and we are dropped into their lives as they’ve been together or months and now? Now Simon knows that Jacob has been lying but he doesn’t know what was a lie in their relationship, beyond the obvious and at times, Jacob doesn’t even know. But this is more than Jacob lying to his lover, this is a romance where when all the cards are laid out, will love win?
"Simon, fuck, this wasn’t meant to happen.”
I simply adored this so much. It was ridiculously swoony with more moments than I can count. It was action packed with both Jacob and Simon running for their lives. It was intriguing to figure out who was behind it all and it was so romantic. I can’t even begin to describe the level of feels you get in this book from simple touches and words… but this was also hilarious and snarky! Jacob and Simon truly complement one another and their banter was fun to witness. They know each other better than anyone could regardless of Jacob’s lies which honestly, we – along with Simon – never really get which was the truth and which were lies but it doesn’t matter, Simon and Jacob are meant to be and that’s it.
That end was the best thing and SO on point for the couple. I think had it been anything more, it wouldn’t have been believable but it left me with a silly soppy grin on my face that’s present as I write this just thinking about Simon calling Jacob and “asshole.” Yeah, it’s that kind of book. *winks*
Liar, Liar was one hell of a ride that I am glad I finally decide to jump on. I can’t imagine not meeting Jacob, Simon and Fozzy, witnessing the adventures they have nor being happily brain squished between the snarky and sexy sandwich they present.
May 26, 2022
3.5 rounded down. Solid read, though not my favorite from this author.
It starts essentially in the middle of the action, which was a bit confusing at times as it felt like the author almost assumed we knew things we definitely didn't. The relationship between the MCs essentially begins at the ~reveal/betrayal~ mentioned in the blurb, and while I thought it was all handled really well, I did miss the beginning of the relationship. I'm not sure if it's where the author started the book or just the story in general, but I sort of felt like I was playing catch up the whole time in terms of plot details and just the depth of caring about the relationship and even the characters themselves. There was... idk, it's not that it felt like fanfic exactly, but it had that quality of fanfic where an author is writing about characters you already know/love so they don't really need to build that in for you. The mystery was obvious from the start, and there was a lot of back and forth on the same issue from the MCs. And with all that, I did enjoy it overall, the dynamic really worked for me (it usually does with this author) and the writing was stellar, as always. Enjoyable, if not her best imo.
It starts essentially in the middle of the action, which was a bit confusing at times as it felt like the author almost assumed we knew things we definitely didn't. The relationship between the MCs essentially begins at the ~reveal/betrayal~ mentioned in the blurb, and while I thought it was all handled really well, I did miss the beginning of the relationship. I'm not sure if it's where the author started the book or just the story in general, but I sort of felt like I was playing catch up the whole time in terms of plot details and just the depth of caring about the relationship and even the characters themselves. There was... idk, it's not that it felt like fanfic exactly, but it had that quality of fanfic where an author is writing about characters you already know/love so they don't really need to build that in for you. The mystery was obvious from the start, and there was a lot of back and forth on the same issue from the MCs. And with all that, I did enjoy it overall, the dynamic really worked for me (it usually does with this author) and the writing was stellar, as always. Enjoyable, if not her best imo.
May 20, 2019
As I expected after reading Digging Up Bones series, this book is really enjoyable. I like the way TA Moore writes her characters. This story was a bit convoluted at times, some not so good decisions are taken and some unbeliable things happened, but... it worked. I knew who was the culprit behind the whole scheme since the very begining, but that didn't make the book less enjoyable. On the contrary, I liked gathering the clues the author left behind and pulling them together. I thought because I had been on fantasy land lately, it was going to take more time to discover, but it didn't. I suppose I'm a mystery reader at heart :D
A good and enjoyable mystery read.
A good and enjoyable mystery read.
May 14, 2017
What a ride!
The book opens up with Jacob, posing as a member of a cleaning crew doing some very illegal computer hacking at a computer firm's offices. He's nearly in the clear when he gets caught by the company's head of security...his boyfriend Simon. Jacob runs away and breaks off all contact with Simon until the deal goes bad and he needs help. What follows is a crazy ride of love, lies, and corporate espionage gone wrong - and two emotionally compromised guys in the middle of it.
I loved this book so much. Jacob is the titular liar and we don't really find out what the real stuff is behind the lies - but it's ok. Simon is an ex-marine turned security guard who has just as many trust issues as Jacob but still is willing to give the thief the benefit of the doubt and help him. We get small glimpses of our heroes' past lives, all the action is in the present - so it gives the reader a chance to make up the puzzle themselves, no sweeping backstory here!
I really loved Jacob and Simon's relationship. It was clear from the start that this was no casual hookup for either one and Jacob's actions caused hurt for both parties. They have angry, petty arguments and intense I-shouldn't-but-I-want-you-anyway sex but despite the deceit and the lies they do still care about one another. It's really quite lovely.
The ending was just perfect for this story, hopeful and kinda happy but not promising anything definite for the future - leaving the rest to the reader's imagination. The whole book was tight, well-written and exciting, I'd give it a whole lot more than five stars if I could!
The book opens up with Jacob, posing as a member of a cleaning crew doing some very illegal computer hacking at a computer firm's offices. He's nearly in the clear when he gets caught by the company's head of security...his boyfriend Simon. Jacob runs away and breaks off all contact with Simon until the deal goes bad and he needs help. What follows is a crazy ride of love, lies, and corporate espionage gone wrong - and two emotionally compromised guys in the middle of it.
I loved this book so much. Jacob is the titular liar and we don't really find out what the real stuff is behind the lies - but it's ok. Simon is an ex-marine turned security guard who has just as many trust issues as Jacob but still is willing to give the thief the benefit of the doubt and help him. We get small glimpses of our heroes' past lives, all the action is in the present - so it gives the reader a chance to make up the puzzle themselves, no sweeping backstory here!
I really loved Jacob and Simon's relationship. It was clear from the start that this was no casual hookup for either one and Jacob's actions caused hurt for both parties. They have angry, petty arguments and intense I-shouldn't-but-I-want-you-anyway sex but despite the deceit and the lies they do still care about one another. It's really quite lovely.
The ending was just perfect for this story, hopeful and kinda happy but not promising anything definite for the future - leaving the rest to the reader's imagination. The whole book was tight, well-written and exciting, I'd give it a whole lot more than five stars if I could!
January 12, 2023
The first (and only other) book I've read by T.A. Moore was positively stunning and the instant I read the blurb for 'Liar, Liar', I knew I would feel the same way when I finished. Jacob and Simon are complex characters, the suspense had me on the edge - constantly! - and their relationship was definitely not easy. A perfect recipe for reader satisfaction.
“Thinking about where it all went wrong,” Jacob said.
“When you took up a life of crime, maybe?”
“Nah, I think it was Friday.”
Simon bit his lower lip, folded it tight between his teeth, and looked up at the ceiling. He didn’t want to laugh, but Jacob’s deadpan refusal to be anyone else but himself was… Jacob.
I didn't expect to like Jacob, much less be crazy about him, but I have to respect someone who makes no bones, absolutely none, about his character traits. He has no shame, lying comes naturally to him, and his moral code is somewhat skewed. Simon is a whole different entity, enveloped in a white knight syndrome. Former Marine who spent a lot of years killing a lot of people for Uncle Sam until someone screwed up, he got injured, and booted back to civilian life. Simon is the head of security for Syntech, brother-in-law to the CEO, and reluctantly faced with working with Jacob to figure out why some third party is willing to kill for the information Jacob got from Syntech's system.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
“Thinking about where it all went wrong,” Jacob said.
“When you took up a life of crime, maybe?”
“Nah, I think it was Friday.”
Simon bit his lower lip, folded it tight between his teeth, and looked up at the ceiling. He didn’t want to laugh, but Jacob’s deadpan refusal to be anyone else but himself was… Jacob.
I didn't expect to like Jacob, much less be crazy about him, but I have to respect someone who makes no bones, absolutely none, about his character traits. He has no shame, lying comes naturally to him, and his moral code is somewhat skewed. Simon is a whole different entity, enveloped in a white knight syndrome. Former Marine who spent a lot of years killing a lot of people for Uncle Sam until someone screwed up, he got injured, and booted back to civilian life. Simon is the head of security for Syntech, brother-in-law to the CEO, and reluctantly faced with working with Jacob to figure out why some third party is willing to kill for the information Jacob got from Syntech's system.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
January 31, 2025
Really interesting prose. I would almost call it purple if it weren't so efficient. Fabulous characterization and a snappy plot. This starts explosively and doesn't stop. Everything was extremely plausible and the story was believable. I will definitely be reading more of this author.
May 12, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Oh, I loved this story and was totally drawn in from the very start. T.A. Moore does something really interesting here and starts the story as Jacob is breaking into the bioengineering firm and getting caught by Simon. That puts us right in the middle of the action and we are immediately focused on the aftermath of the betrayal and the suspense as the men try to figure out the bigger picture about what is really going on. Sometimes this strategy can leave me feeling like I have missed out on the relationship development and put some distance between me and the characters. But here I think it totally worked as the relationship these guys have had pretty much implodes as soon as Simon catches Jacob stealing. That allows us to see the rebuilding process, as well as the strong connection between the two men as they fight to keep their distance despite their feelings for one other.
The story is suspenseful and quite exciting. I think things are nicely twisty without being overwhelmingly complicated. The book goes in lots of interesting directions. There are moments of high action and suspense, and others where we get to follow along with the mystery and investigation. The story maintains a lot of intensity, but also allows for quiet moments where we can see the relationship between Jacob and Simon slowly recover. Even as we know Jacob’s betrayal has left them broken, we never doubt the connections and feelings the men have for each other.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Oh, I loved this story and was totally drawn in from the very start. T.A. Moore does something really interesting here and starts the story as Jacob is breaking into the bioengineering firm and getting caught by Simon. That puts us right in the middle of the action and we are immediately focused on the aftermath of the betrayal and the suspense as the men try to figure out the bigger picture about what is really going on. Sometimes this strategy can leave me feeling like I have missed out on the relationship development and put some distance between me and the characters. But here I think it totally worked as the relationship these guys have had pretty much implodes as soon as Simon catches Jacob stealing. That allows us to see the rebuilding process, as well as the strong connection between the two men as they fight to keep their distance despite their feelings for one other.
The story is suspenseful and quite exciting. I think things are nicely twisty without being overwhelmingly complicated. The book goes in lots of interesting directions. There are moments of high action and suspense, and others where we get to follow along with the mystery and investigation. The story maintains a lot of intensity, but also allows for quiet moments where we can see the relationship between Jacob and Simon slowly recover. Even as we know Jacob’s betrayal has left them broken, we never doubt the connections and feelings the men have for each other.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
June 19, 2017
4.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
It didn’t take long for this one to reel me in and keep me hooked right to the end. Jacob is a thief, or as he terms it, in Corporate Information Acquisitions. He steals data for his clients, and is an expert liar and manipulator in order to be successful. But, he has bitten off more than he can chew this time around.
As a means to pull of the current job, he became involved with Simon, the head of security of the firm with the wanted information. Things start to go south when Simon actually catches him in action, but he manages to get away hoping to go forward with his plans to disappear. When things go bad with his trade of information for payment, he calls the only one he can think of to help – Simon.
Simon wants to find Jacob badly to get that information back, but when Simon calls for help, things get more complicated very quickly. They still have an unbelievable attraction to one another, but to Simon, everything else was a lie, which it mostly was. As the two are forced to work together to get to the bottom of the mystery, their feelings and a certain level of trust regrow. But there is still the whole lying/betrayal business and Jacob’s plan of disappearing off to a tropical land that keeps Simon from fully giving in.
This was fast-paced and well written, and I was on the edge of my seat through most of it. I loved Simon and Jacob together. They had great banter – each having a great sense of humor at random times, and they were smoking hot together in bed (or out of it, depending on where they were when things heated up). There were a lot of twists and high intensity, suspenseful moments throughout, but also some tender and quieter moments where the relationship (such as it was) worked itself out. This was my first book by this author, but I will definitely be on the lookout for more.
January 24, 2020
Holy guacamole...
This was amazing.
I'd had this for a while, and I just never got around to reading it. I won this one a while back in a raffle thing on Twitter (if I remember correctly) and I was excited enough because it was the first time I had won anything lol
This was all kinds of amazing! It was action packed, with a bunch of cool plot twists, and a pretty cute romance, given the circumstances. Which is kind of ironic if you take into account that the romantic plotline is interwoven by angst from the start.
Simon and Jake are great characters that complement each other in the most delicious way, and the chemistry is off the damn charts! It definitely helps that, regardless of the situation, both characters are equally likeable and it's quite easy to root for them. That definitely adds another hook to my attention throughout.
Even though this was a plot for a Bond movie or something, I appreciated how ridiculously human it all was. It made me buy the whole thing a bit easier, if I have to say it.
Overall, I'm really glad I apparently found just the right mood for it, and I could enjoy it properly.
Thank you, T. A. Moore (and C. S. Poe, who hosted the giveaway... All the way back in 2017! Sorry I'm so late!)
This was amazing.
I'd had this for a while, and I just never got around to reading it. I won this one a while back in a raffle thing on Twitter (if I remember correctly) and I was excited enough because it was the first time I had won anything lol
This was all kinds of amazing! It was action packed, with a bunch of cool plot twists, and a pretty cute romance, given the circumstances. Which is kind of ironic if you take into account that the romantic plotline is interwoven by angst from the start.
Simon and Jake are great characters that complement each other in the most delicious way, and the chemistry is off the damn charts! It definitely helps that, regardless of the situation, both characters are equally likeable and it's quite easy to root for them. That definitely adds another hook to my attention throughout.
Even though this was a plot for a Bond movie or something, I appreciated how ridiculously human it all was. It made me buy the whole thing a bit easier, if I have to say it.
Overall, I'm really glad I apparently found just the right mood for it, and I could enjoy it properly.
Thank you, T. A. Moore (and C. S. Poe, who hosted the giveaway... All the way back in 2017! Sorry I'm so late!)
September 21, 2021
I can honestly say that was the longest time I've ever spent on a book. It was good, I mean not my favorite but good but being interrupted so many times spoiled the experience for me ;-;
Read
January 6, 2019Talk about falling in love with the “wrong” person! But, while a large part of the plot revolves around the unconventional and rather inconvenient romance between Jacob, a technology thief/corporate spy, and Simon, a security guard, there is much more to this story. The mystery of what is going on, the thriller-like aspect of some bigger villain behind the scenes, and the exciting setting of the biotech industry make this a suspenseful read that had me glued to the pages for the characters as well as the events they get involved in without realizing it – until it is too late and they end up fighting for their survival. Working in an office is rarely this exciting or dangerous!
Jacob is a thief, though he would describe himself as someone who “acquires knowledge”. He is a smooth operator who knows what he is doing and seems to be self-confident, he doesn’t hide his lack of morality, and he regrets nothing. But much of that is a front – in reality he is a loner who doesn’t get along with his sister and hasn’t had a meaningful relationship – ever.
Simon works in security, is a former Marine, and I have to admit that I expected him to be completely honest and straight-laced. “Dark and dangerous” is one way to describe him, but I think conflicted is a better way to think of him. No wonder after he lost his sister, survived a military injury, and grappled with alcoholism! He is trying to stick to the right side of the law now, but with his history, he can also understand Simon a lot better, at least on an emotional level, than most.
Both men feel that they are not good enough for anyone, and that a relationship, never mind true love, are just not for them. But when they meet, they can’t resist each other, and when Simon catches Jacob in the act of breaking in the company’s computer network, it is the beginning of a rather complicated and extremely turbulent long-term relationship neither of them saw coming. I loved watching them deal with each other as well as with the event and revelations as they unfolded, and it turned out to be quite the journey!
If you like thrillers in modern settings, if complicated characters who battle their demos, each other, and the law in almost equal measure are your thing, and if you’re looking for an exciting read with lots of surprises, danger, and action, then you will probably love this novel as much as I do.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
Jacob is a thief, though he would describe himself as someone who “acquires knowledge”. He is a smooth operator who knows what he is doing and seems to be self-confident, he doesn’t hide his lack of morality, and he regrets nothing. But much of that is a front – in reality he is a loner who doesn’t get along with his sister and hasn’t had a meaningful relationship – ever.
Simon works in security, is a former Marine, and I have to admit that I expected him to be completely honest and straight-laced. “Dark and dangerous” is one way to describe him, but I think conflicted is a better way to think of him. No wonder after he lost his sister, survived a military injury, and grappled with alcoholism! He is trying to stick to the right side of the law now, but with his history, he can also understand Simon a lot better, at least on an emotional level, than most.
Both men feel that they are not good enough for anyone, and that a relationship, never mind true love, are just not for them. But when they meet, they can’t resist each other, and when Simon catches Jacob in the act of breaking in the company’s computer network, it is the beginning of a rather complicated and extremely turbulent long-term relationship neither of them saw coming. I loved watching them deal with each other as well as with the event and revelations as they unfolded, and it turned out to be quite the journey!
If you like thrillers in modern settings, if complicated characters who battle their demos, each other, and the law in almost equal measure are your thing, and if you’re looking for an exciting read with lots of surprises, danger, and action, then you will probably love this novel as much as I do.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
June 15, 2017
Really enjoyed this.
May 17, 2017
Jacob Archer has a job to complete—stealing intel from Syntech.
Jacob is pretty much a loner. The only family he has is his sister and her children, but they don’t get along very well. He also has rules about doing any job, one of the main ones being he does not get involved.
Simon Ramsey works for Syntech, as security. His brother-in-law, Dev, has been supportive of Simon through the loss of his sister, a military injury, and alcoholism. Simon struggles, still, with his feelings, and thinks he’s not good enough for anyone.
Simon and Jacob have been involved before. When Simon almost catches Jacob in the act of stealing corporate intel, it makes him see red. He also has a hard time with Jacob being a liar and a thief, and it brings more emotional stress on Simon.
Jacob also feels he’s not good enough for anyone, so being alone is a good choice. But, he can’t resist Simon, and Jason breaks his own rule. When he goes to collect what’s due him for the job, he finds out that the intel is being taken back by its rightful owner. The owner puts the blame on Dev, Simon’s brother-in-law. Then the owner of the intel is kidnapped right before Dev’s eyes, and Jacob right along with him. When Jacob makes an escape, he finds himself in big trouble. And there’s no one to help except for Simon Ramsey. Even though Jacob and Simon struggle to trust one another, they have to team up and wade through a pool of suspicious characters to find the criminal.
TA Moore didn’t disappoint with this suspense, espionage thriller. Liar, Liar is a fast-paced page turner. There is a lot of reference to technology going on, and it will make your head spin, but it will also keep you riveted. With so many suspicious characters and twists in the plot, it took me a while to figure out the guilty party.
Jacob and Simon are a definite odd couple: Jacob is messy and Simon orderly. They both have a similar vulnerability, and in their own ways, they both need each other. All in all, this was an entertaining read.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach
Jacob is pretty much a loner. The only family he has is his sister and her children, but they don’t get along very well. He also has rules about doing any job, one of the main ones being he does not get involved.
Simon Ramsey works for Syntech, as security. His brother-in-law, Dev, has been supportive of Simon through the loss of his sister, a military injury, and alcoholism. Simon struggles, still, with his feelings, and thinks he’s not good enough for anyone.
Simon and Jacob have been involved before. When Simon almost catches Jacob in the act of stealing corporate intel, it makes him see red. He also has a hard time with Jacob being a liar and a thief, and it brings more emotional stress on Simon.
Jacob also feels he’s not good enough for anyone, so being alone is a good choice. But, he can’t resist Simon, and Jason breaks his own rule. When he goes to collect what’s due him for the job, he finds out that the intel is being taken back by its rightful owner. The owner puts the blame on Dev, Simon’s brother-in-law. Then the owner of the intel is kidnapped right before Dev’s eyes, and Jacob right along with him. When Jacob makes an escape, he finds himself in big trouble. And there’s no one to help except for Simon Ramsey. Even though Jacob and Simon struggle to trust one another, they have to team up and wade through a pool of suspicious characters to find the criminal.
TA Moore didn’t disappoint with this suspense, espionage thriller. Liar, Liar is a fast-paced page turner. There is a lot of reference to technology going on, and it will make your head spin, but it will also keep you riveted. With so many suspicious characters and twists in the plot, it took me a while to figure out the guilty party.
Jacob and Simon are a definite odd couple: Jacob is messy and Simon orderly. They both have a similar vulnerability, and in their own ways, they both need each other. All in all, this was an entertaining read.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach
May 31, 2017
Review can be read at It's About The Book
I loved this book! From the very first page I was immersed into this story. The non-stop intrigue creates an intensity that never really lets up. The MCs were complex and fascinating. Jacob and Simon have every reason to stay apart but what they have between them is undeniable. It’s SUPER sexy! There’s tons of on page action as the guys fight for their lives. Mind games. Brilliant characters. This book was fantastic.
Jacob steals information for a living. He’s been setting up his current job for months. The problem starts when he breaks his own rule and starts sleeping with the head of security for the company that’s his mark. When he’s busted by his lover Simon the betrayal cuts deep. Simon is an ex marine working for a major bioengineering firm. A firm his late sister started with her husband Dev. Simon is loyal to Dev. He’s family. Jacob is a professional liar. He’s not the kind of guy to get into a relationship because of his job and well because he lies about everything. He knows this about himself. Feelings between them were never supposed to happen. It was supposed to be just sex. When the espionage turns into murder things change. Circumstances force Simon and Jacob to have to work together to solve the mystery.
I loved Jacob and Simon. Jacob has always been unapologetic for who he is and what he does. Guilt is a new thing for him. He struggles with the new sensation. Simon should hate Jacob but he can’t. He’s angry but he still feels the spark for him. He also needs him to help figure out what’s going on. Their chemistry is smoking hot. The tension is amazing as the guys work through their issues. I enjoyed their alternate POVs. Both for the mystery aspect and the emotional turmoil they find themselves in. I highly recommend this book. I did not want to put it down. I could have happily just kept reading about these guys.
I loved this book! From the very first page I was immersed into this story. The non-stop intrigue creates an intensity that never really lets up. The MCs were complex and fascinating. Jacob and Simon have every reason to stay apart but what they have between them is undeniable. It’s SUPER sexy! There’s tons of on page action as the guys fight for their lives. Mind games. Brilliant characters. This book was fantastic.
Jacob steals information for a living. He’s been setting up his current job for months. The problem starts when he breaks his own rule and starts sleeping with the head of security for the company that’s his mark. When he’s busted by his lover Simon the betrayal cuts deep. Simon is an ex marine working for a major bioengineering firm. A firm his late sister started with her husband Dev. Simon is loyal to Dev. He’s family. Jacob is a professional liar. He’s not the kind of guy to get into a relationship because of his job and well because he lies about everything. He knows this about himself. Feelings between them were never supposed to happen. It was supposed to be just sex. When the espionage turns into murder things change. Circumstances force Simon and Jacob to have to work together to solve the mystery.
I loved Jacob and Simon. Jacob has always been unapologetic for who he is and what he does. Guilt is a new thing for him. He struggles with the new sensation. Simon should hate Jacob but he can’t. He’s angry but he still feels the spark for him. He also needs him to help figure out what’s going on. Their chemistry is smoking hot. The tension is amazing as the guys work through their issues. I enjoyed their alternate POVs. Both for the mystery aspect and the emotional turmoil they find themselves in. I highly recommend this book. I did not want to put it down. I could have happily just kept reading about these guys.
May 26, 2017
This book was all kinds of fun! I absolutely adored Jacob. His chemistry with Simon was off the charts. I liked that Simon took his time and worked through his anger and disappointment. That even though he was all kinds of hurt, he recognized that Jacob needed him and did not abandon him. This was a detailed, intricate story but at the same time easy to read. I sure hope we see more of Jacob and Simon.
December 30, 2022
Seriously good.
Interesting men doing
hot, dangerous things.
3.5 rounded down, because it’s not that good.
Interesting men doing
hot, dangerous things.
3.5 rounded down, because it’s not that good.
May 18, 2017
2.5 stars rounded up
These days I tend to only buy books by authors I know, or that have been recommended to me, especially in romance. I was actually buying a book of poetry, when the 'inspired by your recent purchases' popped up with this.
It looked intriguing, so I bought it.
It's an easy enough read, and well written- but the MC's were generically self loathing and the 'forced to work together/ hate love' conflict has been done with better chemistry. The bad guy was pretty obvious as well.
However what frustrated me was the setting - GenericVille USA and then I discovered that the writer was from NI, now of course she may be from the US (or anywhere else on the world) and living in NI but it doesn't read like that . I would have enjoyed this so much more if the setting had felt more authentic.
I did however appreciate the ending .
These days I tend to only buy books by authors I know, or that have been recommended to me, especially in romance. I was actually buying a book of poetry, when the 'inspired by your recent purchases' popped up with this.
It looked intriguing, so I bought it.
It's an easy enough read, and well written- but the MC's were generically self loathing and the 'forced to work together/ hate love' conflict has been done with better chemistry. The bad guy was pretty obvious as well.
However what frustrated me was the setting - GenericVille USA and then I discovered that the writer was from NI, now of course she may be from the US (or anywhere else on the world) and living in NI but it doesn't read like that . I would have enjoyed this so much more if the setting had felt more authentic.
I did however appreciate the ending .
June 4, 2017
I started this last night at Midnight. I ended it at 4AM.
While I enjoyed Jacob, I didn't really like Simon and the gang. There were times when I liked Simon, but for the Head of Security he didn't really do much, in my opinion.
I did love when Simon went Billy BadAss though ;)
I would to have liked to have seen more of an ending.
Overall it was good and I believe this was my first TA Moore book. I'll try another one :)
NTS: I waited til it was $5.38 and not the $6.99 price tag.
While I enjoyed Jacob, I didn't really like Simon and the gang. There were times when I liked Simon, but for the Head of Security he didn't really do much, in my opinion.
I did love when Simon went Billy BadAss though ;)
I would to have liked to have seen more of an ending.
Overall it was good and I believe this was my first TA Moore book. I'll try another one :)
NTS: I waited til it was $5.38 and not the $6.99 price tag.
February 3, 2021
Is it a lie if you just don't tell someone something? Anyway, a fun read about a industrial espionage guy who gets involved with the head of security (totally as an aside - not part of the spying) then has to ask for help when everything starts going crazy and someone is out to kill him.
I liked Jacob's matter of fact attitude about his "job" but he wasn't completely ruthless and he felt badly hurting Simon. I did guess the bad guy but it was still a fun read.
I liked Jacob's matter of fact attitude about his "job" but he wasn't completely ruthless and he felt badly hurting Simon. I did guess the bad guy but it was still a fun read.
December 27, 2020
This was a high octane exciting read that I enjoyed reading. The characters were nicely twisted up with issues but just enough to still root for them. Some of the technical details went over my head a bit but it was mostly a real page turner.
CW violence often graphic including guns, a lot of mentions of blood, alcoholism.
CW violence often graphic including guns, a lot of mentions of blood, alcoholism.
June 1, 2019
Never a Dull Moment
A liar, a thief, a con man meets a war ravaged, alcoholic security team leader for an technology development company, what could go wrong? If you read this you will find out. An off beat and totally intriguing read.
A liar, a thief, a con man meets a war ravaged, alcoholic security team leader for an technology development company, what could go wrong? If you read this you will find out. An off beat and totally intriguing read.
May 12, 2017
4 Stars!
So, this is a fun and sexy corporate espionage novel. Jacob has been hired to find out if the CEO of the bioengineering company, Syntech, has stolen a code written by his old college frenemy and Social Media developer. While Jacob may be good at what he does, this time he's made a mistake, a big one. He's gone and fallen for Syntech's head Security Specialist, a former Marine who's none too happy to find out his boyfriend is a lying thief.
What I Loved: I really enjoyed the opening scene when we get to see Jacob at work. It reminded me a little of Mission Impossible or something. I had a vivid picture of it in my head. It's not the only scene where we get to see Jacob in his element and those to me are the best parts of the book.
I also loved the humor. This book is full of humor and I had quite a few laugh out loud moments. Jacob's character is extremely charming and it has everything to do with his snark and witty banter. I couldn't help but love him.
What I Liked: this story isn't filled with sex even though there is a huge amount of sexual tension from beginning to end. The few scenes there were, though, were pretty steamy and the men had undeniable chemistry in bed.
Simon wants to hate Jacob but he can't and that makes his life difficult. He already had trust issues to begin with and now Jacob has caused him to spiral back to a place he didn't want to go. As much as he'd like to turn his back on him, when he finds out someone is trying to hurt Jacob, Simon can't stop himself from trying to protect him.
What I Didn't Like: Truth be told, I didn't like Simon all that much. He might've had great chemistry with Jacob but I thought he had too much anger and resentment to actually be with him. Obviously, he had good reasons to be pissed but he couldn't stay away from Jacob and since he didn't seem to be able to forgive him or even stop throwing the lies in Jacob's face, it seemed unhealthy. I can't really see anything but disaster with him.
I don't mind reading about broken men but Simon didn't really redeem himself. I assume this will not be the only book we see these men in, so I'm hoping Simon can pull himself together better. However, if this is a standalone, I'm not sure I feel like they are settled.
Overall, this was a fun read. I really liked it but something held me back from loving it. It could be my dislike of Simon or maybe the fact that it just didn't seem finished, I'm not sure. Either way, I think people who love spy and books about thieves and the like, will enjoy Liar, Liar.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
So, this is a fun and sexy corporate espionage novel. Jacob has been hired to find out if the CEO of the bioengineering company, Syntech, has stolen a code written by his old college frenemy and Social Media developer. While Jacob may be good at what he does, this time he's made a mistake, a big one. He's gone and fallen for Syntech's head Security Specialist, a former Marine who's none too happy to find out his boyfriend is a lying thief.
What I Loved: I really enjoyed the opening scene when we get to see Jacob at work. It reminded me a little of Mission Impossible or something. I had a vivid picture of it in my head. It's not the only scene where we get to see Jacob in his element and those to me are the best parts of the book.
I also loved the humor. This book is full of humor and I had quite a few laugh out loud moments. Jacob's character is extremely charming and it has everything to do with his snark and witty banter. I couldn't help but love him.
What I Liked: this story isn't filled with sex even though there is a huge amount of sexual tension from beginning to end. The few scenes there were, though, were pretty steamy and the men had undeniable chemistry in bed.
Simon wants to hate Jacob but he can't and that makes his life difficult. He already had trust issues to begin with and now Jacob has caused him to spiral back to a place he didn't want to go. As much as he'd like to turn his back on him, when he finds out someone is trying to hurt Jacob, Simon can't stop himself from trying to protect him.
What I Didn't Like: Truth be told, I didn't like Simon all that much. He might've had great chemistry with Jacob but I thought he had too much anger and resentment to actually be with him. Obviously, he had good reasons to be pissed but he couldn't stay away from Jacob and since he didn't seem to be able to forgive him or even stop throwing the lies in Jacob's face, it seemed unhealthy. I can't really see anything but disaster with him.
I don't mind reading about broken men but Simon didn't really redeem himself. I assume this will not be the only book we see these men in, so I'm hoping Simon can pull himself together better. However, if this is a standalone, I'm not sure I feel like they are settled.
Overall, this was a fun read. I really liked it but something held me back from loving it. It could be my dislike of Simon or maybe the fact that it just didn't seem finished, I'm not sure. Either way, I think people who love spy and books about thieves and the like, will enjoy Liar, Liar.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
May 13, 2017
Mystery and Action Abound
This was my first TA Moore book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Corporate espionage isn’t something I read about often, so that added a dimension that I found I really liked. Jacob is hired to obtain documents from a company, but stomps all over his own rules by getting involved with the CEO’s brother-in-law, Simon. Simon is the head of security for the firm, and the book starts well into their relationship, but abruptly at the end of it. Getting caught has never been in the plan, so seeing Simon crossing the floor the night Jacob finishes the upload to his private server tosses quite the kink in operations.
The plot wends around and about this theft, with Jacob and Simon paired up to figure out who killed Jacob’s buyer and why. The technical information is fairly in-depth, but not to the point of confusion, and I enjoy when authors take the time to really research their subjects. It creates more depth in the overall storyline.
The characters are quite varied. There are a whole slew of people introduced, but they each play a relatively small role throughout the entirety. There are a notable couple of exceptions, but I never particularly connected to them.
The chemistry between the two main characters is hot when it is happening, but I didn’t see or feel any of that attraction in any of the outside scenes. That left me a bit disappointed, because I could see it simmering, it just wasn’t really brought to the fore. However, being advertised as action/adventure, I suppose perhaps this was more an afterthought than a plot objective.
The mystery pleased me the most, by far. I was so certain I knew who was behind the entire thing, and when I was proven quite wrong, all I could do was grin. I love being wrong!
I’m rating this at 3.5 stars. I do recommend this action/adventure, mystery/suspense novel, and look forward to reading more of Ms. Moore’s works in the future.
I voluntarily read an ARC copy of this book for Divine Magazine from Dreamspinner Presswith hopes for but no obligation to provide a review.
**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.**
This was my first TA Moore book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Corporate espionage isn’t something I read about often, so that added a dimension that I found I really liked. Jacob is hired to obtain documents from a company, but stomps all over his own rules by getting involved with the CEO’s brother-in-law, Simon. Simon is the head of security for the firm, and the book starts well into their relationship, but abruptly at the end of it. Getting caught has never been in the plan, so seeing Simon crossing the floor the night Jacob finishes the upload to his private server tosses quite the kink in operations.
The plot wends around and about this theft, with Jacob and Simon paired up to figure out who killed Jacob’s buyer and why. The technical information is fairly in-depth, but not to the point of confusion, and I enjoy when authors take the time to really research their subjects. It creates more depth in the overall storyline.
The characters are quite varied. There are a whole slew of people introduced, but they each play a relatively small role throughout the entirety. There are a notable couple of exceptions, but I never particularly connected to them.
The chemistry between the two main characters is hot when it is happening, but I didn’t see or feel any of that attraction in any of the outside scenes. That left me a bit disappointed, because I could see it simmering, it just wasn’t really brought to the fore. However, being advertised as action/adventure, I suppose perhaps this was more an afterthought than a plot objective.
The mystery pleased me the most, by far. I was so certain I knew who was behind the entire thing, and when I was proven quite wrong, all I could do was grin. I love being wrong!
I’m rating this at 3.5 stars. I do recommend this action/adventure, mystery/suspense novel, and look forward to reading more of Ms. Moore’s works in the future.
I voluntarily read an ARC copy of this book for Divine Magazine from Dreamspinner Presswith hopes for but no obligation to provide a review.
**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.**
May 10, 2017
Liar, Liar by T.A. Moore
3.5 stars - review by Dawn Honeycutt
Jacob is a liar and a thief. He has a set of rules that he lives by and he never gets involved. The only family he has is his sister and her kids and she’s not a very nice person so Jacob is basically alone.
Simon is an ex marine and now head of security for his brother-in-law’s company. Simon is also good with not getting involved.
When Jacob spends a great deal of time getting the information needed to complete a job, he doesn’t have any problem seeing Simon on the side. He’s confident that when the job is done he’ll be able to walk away like he always does. Unfortunately, walking away is not as easy as he thinks and Simon struggles with letting Jacob go. The job goes horribly wrong and both men are caught up in a game of “who did it” and running for their lives.
I think I had an equal amount of things that I liked about this book and things I disliked about the book. There were just too many characters for me to keep track of and honestly in the end, I couldn’t remember who the bad guy was in the story. That being said, I liked that the book kept me guessing as to who the bad guys were. It was obvious to me as a reader that Jacob and Simon really liked each other, but there was no romance – at all. There was some great sex and while it was apparent that they wanted one another, it would have been nice to have it written that they at the very least liked each other. I was fairly certain I knew who the bad guy was through most of the book and was wrong which left me feeling like the person I thought was the bad guy was actually just a real jerk and I didn’t like that. This book is definitely not a romance so if that’s what you’re looking for you’re going to be disappointed. If you like to read action packed novels, you will probably enjoy this book. I liked the story, but I didn’t love it.
3.5 stars - review by Dawn Honeycutt
Jacob is a liar and a thief. He has a set of rules that he lives by and he never gets involved. The only family he has is his sister and her kids and she’s not a very nice person so Jacob is basically alone.
Simon is an ex marine and now head of security for his brother-in-law’s company. Simon is also good with not getting involved.
When Jacob spends a great deal of time getting the information needed to complete a job, he doesn’t have any problem seeing Simon on the side. He’s confident that when the job is done he’ll be able to walk away like he always does. Unfortunately, walking away is not as easy as he thinks and Simon struggles with letting Jacob go. The job goes horribly wrong and both men are caught up in a game of “who did it” and running for their lives.
I think I had an equal amount of things that I liked about this book and things I disliked about the book. There were just too many characters for me to keep track of and honestly in the end, I couldn’t remember who the bad guy was in the story. That being said, I liked that the book kept me guessing as to who the bad guys were. It was obvious to me as a reader that Jacob and Simon really liked each other, but there was no romance – at all. There was some great sex and while it was apparent that they wanted one another, it would have been nice to have it written that they at the very least liked each other. I was fairly certain I knew who the bad guy was through most of the book and was wrong which left me feeling like the person I thought was the bad guy was actually just a real jerk and I didn’t like that. This book is definitely not a romance so if that’s what you’re looking for you’re going to be disappointed. If you like to read action packed novels, you will probably enjoy this book. I liked the story, but I didn’t love it.
October 21, 2017
4.5 stars
Synopsis: Jacob is a thief. He steals things from corporations for other corporations or individuals, and he is very good at his job. For the past few months, he has been working as a janitor for a company, and everything is finally coming to fruition. There's just one little thing: Jacob gets caught by the head of security, the man that he has been sleeping with the past few months. Although Jacob doesn't go to jail, due to lack of evidence and his lawyer, his idea that Simon might come with him on a vacation is dust.
Simon blames himself, and Jacob, for allowing Jacob to steal from his brother-in-law's company. He attempts to track Jacob down, but everything has been wiped out. When Jacob calls him out of the blue, Simon heads over in an attempt to get what he stole back, and to make sure that Jacob ends up in prison, he finds Jacob being abducted. Simon rescues Jacob on the understanding that Jacob will give him the information he stole. When things start happening around the two of them, such as people turning up dead, and a group of highly trained people after them, Simon realizes that there is more going on then either of them knew, and that they have to work together in order to figure things out.
What I liked: Simon and Jacob together. Even though they were mostly adversaries throughout the story, their real feelings leaked through quite often. I liked the build in story, both between Simon and Jacob, and in the mystery. Even though I spotted the perpetrator from almost the moment Of meeting (read a lot of mysteries, wasn't too subtle), I enjoyed the journey that both Simon and Jacob took in figuring things out. I liked that Jacob wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be, and that he was very perplexed to find out that he could feel guilt.
What I didn't like: I felt that the mystery could have been a little more difficult without losing any of the story value.
Synopsis: Jacob is a thief. He steals things from corporations for other corporations or individuals, and he is very good at his job. For the past few months, he has been working as a janitor for a company, and everything is finally coming to fruition. There's just one little thing: Jacob gets caught by the head of security, the man that he has been sleeping with the past few months. Although Jacob doesn't go to jail, due to lack of evidence and his lawyer, his idea that Simon might come with him on a vacation is dust.
Simon blames himself, and Jacob, for allowing Jacob to steal from his brother-in-law's company. He attempts to track Jacob down, but everything has been wiped out. When Jacob calls him out of the blue, Simon heads over in an attempt to get what he stole back, and to make sure that Jacob ends up in prison, he finds Jacob being abducted. Simon rescues Jacob on the understanding that Jacob will give him the information he stole. When things start happening around the two of them, such as people turning up dead, and a group of highly trained people after them, Simon realizes that there is more going on then either of them knew, and that they have to work together in order to figure things out.
What I liked: Simon and Jacob together. Even though they were mostly adversaries throughout the story, their real feelings leaked through quite often. I liked the build in story, both between Simon and Jacob, and in the mystery. Even though I spotted the perpetrator from almost the moment Of meeting (read a lot of mysteries, wasn't too subtle), I enjoyed the journey that both Simon and Jacob took in figuring things out. I liked that Jacob wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be, and that he was very perplexed to find out that he could feel guilt.
What I didn't like: I felt that the mystery could have been a little more difficult without losing any of the story value.
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