Love, Lies, and Deception

by L. P. Dover

Melissa Ringsted (Editor)

• ISBN10: 1491299568
• ISBN13: 9781491299562
• Publish Date: 9 August 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 280
• Language: English

Reviews

[Lynn]

The author is new to me and I picked up this book blind, unsure what to expect. There is always a level of expectation when you begin a new book and this managed to hit the spot for me. It's a fun, quick and highly entertaining read which I finished in one sitting.

Marissa Chase bumps into Alec ,who lives in the apartment below the one she shares with Emily just as she's heading off to Fiji with her friends Emily, Justin and Kristian. The holiday is a last hurrah before college finals and a move to Wilmington where she will continue her studies to become a marine biologist. Newly single, Marissa hopes to see more of her gorgeous neighbour when she gets home. It isn't long after her return that Marissa begins dating the enigmatic Alec Holden, becoming increasingly aware as time goes on that he's hiding something from her.

Alec has kept a low profile whilst living an anonymous life in the Appalachian town of Boone. For a guy who loves surfing, he's swapped the ocean waves for the mountains and goes hiking whenever he has any spare time. He's not had a relationship in a long while and Marissa, the girl living in the apartment above his would be a welcome distraction. Only, can he gamble on her not leaving him if he confesses his dark secrets from his past?

Marissa and her best friend Kristian Mabe are competitive and studying the same major. When they are not studying, they hang out Emily and her boyfriend Justin. They are best friends and never been tempted to date one another. However it soon becomes apparent that someone is not happy with Marissa's new relationship with Alec. Something triggers a string of incidents leaving them both in danger. Alec has been careful to conceal his background, is it possible his past is catching up on him or is there another explanation for the chain of the turn of events?

The plot is a fast paced, hot/sexy romance with a dollop of murder/mystery adding some welcome intrigue that keeps you on-your-toes right up until the very end. Not forgetting to mention a love triangle too - adding plenty of angst and jealousy to the emotional pot! The twist at the end was a surprise, I love it when an author adds an unexpected element to a plot. Overall this is well written book and I'll look out for more by this author in the future.

4 Stars

***arc received in exchange for an honest review***

[Kim Deister]

Love, Lies, and Deception was, hands down, a page turner! Contemporary romance meets thriller, this book had plenty of both. Alec was the epitome of a perfect lead male... strong, gorgeous, and with a mysterious past. Marissa hasn't had the easiest of lives in recent years, but she is intelligent and strong. The book revolves around the two of them and Emily (Marissa's best friend), Justin (Emily's boyfriend), and Kristian (Marissa's other best friend). Emily, Marissa, Kristian, and Justin seem like the perfect quad of friends, the kind that we would all like to have. It isn't until Alec comes on the scene that things begin to change.

There is a steamy factor to this book that cannot be denied, particularly between Alec and Marissa! But as hot as that is, it isn't all there is to the story. For me, the mystery and suspense took first place with the book. There were twists and there were turns and I repeatedly thought I knew the "whodunit" of it all. And I was always wrong. And just when we find out who the bad guy is? I thought I knew the whole story And I was wrong. Fabulous suspense!

The characters were great, although there were times when both Alec and Kristian annoyed me. Marissa is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, and capable girl but there were many times that one or both of the guys spent an inordinate amount of time assuming they knew best. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't. It was the overbearing attitude that set me on edge. But once I finished the book, and the whole story came together, it made sense to me.

The only thing that truly bothered me occurred at the end, and it is hard to explain without spoilers. I didn't like the end of Kristian's story. It seemed too easy, I think.

Things to love about Love, Lies, and Deception...

--Marissa and Emily. They were perfect BFF's... strong and intelligent and fully supportive of one another.

--The mystery. It was so engrossing and kept me guessing and turning the pages.

--The steaminess. Need I say more?

Things I wanted more of...

--Kristian. Without spoilers, I can't explain much about him, other than I wanted to know more about WHY?!

My recommendation: If you love steamy romance, a must read! If you love mysteries and thrillers, a must read! 18+ recommended