RELEASE WEEK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Hard Rules (Dirty Money #1)

What a fantastic start to this new series by Lisa Renee Jones! Check out my review and enter the giveaway...

Hard Rules (Dirty Money #1), by Lisa Renee Jones
Publish Date: August 9, 2016
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Wall Street meets the Sons of Anarchy in the smoldering, scorching first novel in the explosively sexy new Dirty Money series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones.
How bad do you want it?

The only man within the Brandon empire with a moral compass, Shane Brandon is ready to take his family's business dealings legitimate. His reckless and ruthless brother, Derek wants to keep Brandon Enterprises cemented in lies, deceit, and corruption. But the harder Shane fights to pull the company back into the light, the darker he has to become. Then he meets Emily Stevens, a woman who not only stirs a voracious sexual need in him, but becomes the only thing anchoring him between good and evil.

Emily is consumed by Shane, pushed sexually in ways she never dreamed of, falling deeper into the all-encompassing passion that is this man. She trusts him. He trusts her, but therein lies the danger. Emily has a secret, the very thing that brought her to him in the first place, and that secret that could that destroy them both.

Hard Rules is all about the sacrifices one is willing to make in order to do the right thing. Are you willing to compromise your morals? Your ethics? Your relationships with those you love? All for the greater good?

Brandon Enterprises is a company with lots of fingers in lots of pies, and nearly all of them are mired in criminal dealings that are sure to eventually blow up in the owners' faces. This is why Shane Brandon has abandoned his dream job in Manhattan - to come clean up his corrupt father and brother's actions and take over the family business and run it cleanly.

However, Emily is someone he didn't count on in his carefully laid out plans. They meet, and the connection is too much for either of them to ignore. Emily wasn't looking for a connection with anyone - in fact, she was looking to lay low and keep her secrets. But, Shane has made that impossible. Now, she's thrown in the middle of a family feud the likes of which you've never seen before, and that will only expose her more. 

In all the books I've read that feature dysfunctional families, the Brandon family may very well be the most dysfunctional of them all. Not only does none of the four of them (father, mother, older brother Derek, younger brother Shane) trust any of the others - like AT ALL - but, they flat out hate each other. Dad is dying and is pitting his sons against each other as they jockey for the CEO position that will soon be up for grabs. Mom is trying to manipulate all three of them, for reasons unknown, and her actions are absolutely inexcusable. It's no wonder Shane has serious trust issues.

So, needless to say, it's a really bad time for him to start a relationship with a woman, especially one keeping so many secrets like Emily is. Shane waffles back and forth between believing Emily is on his side or on his dad's side. Emily waffles back and forth between wanting to trust Shane with her secrets and wanting to run in order to keep him safe from them.

For my part, I was screaming at Emily to tell him. Because as well all know, secrets have a way of coming out whether we want them to or not, and if it's not from the secret-keeper's lips, nothing good happens. I will tell you - we don't find out what Emily is hiding in Hard Rules. And, honestly, I have no idea what it is. And that's killing me! I have to know! 

Shane and Emily are very on and off, hot and cold, in Hard Rules. One minute, Shane doesn't want her with him so that he can keep her safe. The next minute, he can't stop ripping her clothes off. This isn't the only thing Shane is conflicted about. He's determined to run a clean company, but in order to get there, he has to do some dirty things. It's hard for him to justify, and when he does, it makes him feel slimy. Like he's no better than his father and brother. This poor guy is trying to do the right thing, but the right thing is making him feel like crap. 

One thing is for certain - I'm absolutely hooked. I can't wait to find out what Emily is hiding and how Shane might take it once he finds out (IF he finds out?). I want Shane to take his awful family down so badly, and I can't wait to see that happen. And I hope Emily is by his side when he does it.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series, which is now in development for a television show to be produced by Suzanne Todd of Team Todd (Alice in Wonderland). Suzanne Todd on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy - a modern girl we all can identify with. I’m thrilled to develop a television show that will tell Sara’s whole story - her life, her work, her friends, and her sexuality.

In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin's Press.

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: All of Me (Inside Out #6)

The end is finally here. ALL OF ME tells the rest of Sara and Chris' tale, and even puts an exclamation point on Mark and Crystal's story too. Read on for my review, an excerpt and a giveaway as we say goodbye to Lisa Renee Jones' Inside Out series.

All of Me (Inside Out #6), by Lisa Renee Jones
Published February 2, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-ARC, provided by TRSOR Promotions
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble


 Rating: 4 STARS


(Synopsis) Passion. Mystery. It all collides in the breathtaking conclusion to the New York Times bestselling INSIDE OUT series, ALL OF ME.

He's rich and famous, his past dark, but so is hers. Can they save each other? Or will the darkness tear them apart?

The time has come to say goodbye to Chris Merit and Sara McMillan as they embark on the rest of their lives together and we continue on in the Inside Out spin-off series. I can't think of a better way to send this couple off - it's been a very long, hard road for these two. I can't think of another couple that really deserves a little bit of happiness finally.

Sara and Chris are trying to plan their wedding and tie up loose ends from Paris while continually working to put their demons to rest for good. None of it is easy, though, as it seems like no matter what they do, there are always people trying to get in their way.

For a book not considered a full-length novel, All of Me sure felt like one. So much happens within these pages that I forgot that it's actually a novella. But, ever since the beginning, we've been working toward a happy ending for this couple, and we finally get it.

Chris, although more self-contained when it comes to controlling himself when he's distressed or sad, hasn't changed much since the first book in the series. And, that's a good thing. I've always felt that Chris was this dark avenging knight, out to save defenseless and clueless damsels from all the bad things. I know he certainly wouldn't see himself that way, but I do. Chris kind of loathes himself, especially after everything that has happened to Rebecca, Sara, and now Amber. But, Sara sees him as I do - a guy who just wants to help in his own way.

All of Me opens in Paris where Chris is dealing with the aftermath of what happened to Amber and Sara is trying to plan her wedding and still trying to find out what happened to her friend Ella. There's a lot of residual hurt and angst between Tristan and Chris regarding Amber and her life, and those encounters made my heart hurt for everyone involved.

Sara holds herself together through all this stress remarkably well. She never walks away - she's learned that standing by her man is the best way to turn his frown upside down. Bravo, Sara. I love a woman who learns from her mistakes and doesn't repeat them.

Eventually, they make their way back to the states for their wedding, and while there hook up with Mark and Crystal. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship through Sara's eyes. It made Mark seems so much more charming and endearing than he ever has before.

In the days leading up to the wedding, Chris continues to battle his past so that he can put it behind him and move forward in his new life with his wife. This guy just makes me swoon all over the place until I'm a big puddle of swoony mess. Even when he's struggling, he still thinks of Sara and how his decisions might affect her. He's come a very long way.

My only complaint is the lack of closure on the Ella situation. I sort of expected it since I know the spin-off series is about her. But, I still hoped that, since this big mystery started within this series, that it would come to some sort of end here too. But, alas - there are no answers.

Despite that, this really was the perfect ending to Sara and Chris' epic story. I hope this isn't the very last we've seen of them.

I step into the hallway and Mike is waiting, looking sharp in a tuxedo. "I have the rings." He takes my arm. "And now I have the beautiful bride."

I cling to his arm. "Thank you. I feel unsteady."

"I won’t let you fall. And I promise you, neither will Chris."

There’s a tiny pinch in my chest at his sincerity, and a wish that my father could say such things and mean them, but I quickly shove it aside. "I know," I say, eager to get to Chris.

Jacob and Blake are at the exit when I arrive, and Jacob hands me my bouquet, giving me a grand bow before he opens the door for me. I pause and kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks for taking good care of us."

"What about me?" Blake demands.

"You stole Jacob from us. You get no kiss." I walk out of the chateau with Mike, and freeze with the realization that hundreds of eyes are upon me.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today lists.

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 40 books translated around the world. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at on her website and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.

Learn more about Lisa --> Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

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REVIEW: I Belong To You (Inside Out #5)

 

I Belong To You (Inside Out #5), by Lisa Renee Jones
Published November 18, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-book, obtained from NetGalley
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Master…

Being that person, that man is how I define myself, how I allow the rest of the world to define me as well. And now, with a terrible loss shredding me inside out and someone trying to destroy my family to punish me, control is more important than ever. It is everything. It is what I need. It is all I need. Or maybe I just need…her.

Oh, how far the Master has fallen. Mark is different in I Belong To You than he was when he first met Sarah in the first book of this series. And, yet... he's still the same in some ways. Still domineering, overbearing, douchey. And, yet, we get to see him in a different element in I Belong To You, as he rushes to his mother's side to help her as she undergoes treatment for cancer. 

It's clear from what we've learned of Mark so far that he's a man who needs to be in control. He didn't earn the name Master in Rebecca's journals for nothing. After Rebecca's death, Sarah's attempted murder, Allure's closing, Mark's legal battles, and now his mother's illness, the man has been put through the ringer. He's lost himself in Crystal, the manager of his mother's New York gallery, a few times before, but thinks any sort of meaningful relationship with her is doomed. She's as dominant as he is. And, he can't fall in love again. Look what happened the last time.

It's impossible to not feel bad for Mark. How much crap can be piled on one guy at a time? On the heels of him finally being cleared of suspicion in Rebecca's murder, he has to run to New York to be with his mother, who isn't well. They're close, and seeing Mark the Son was eye-opening. He's completely different from Mark the Master and Mark the Boss. He's softer and kinder, yet still demanding. THIS is a Mark I really loved. 

Crystal is pretty awesome. She's so confident and sure of herself. She's an amazing business woman, and despite the fact that Mark makes her head spin, she still manages to keep it on straight when she's around him. For the most part, anyway. She knows she's not immune at all to him, but she also knows he's not in a right place at first for a relationship. She refuses to be dominated. And, she definitely won't be calling anyone Master. Rock on, Crystal. 

But the best thing about Mark and Crystal is that they find a way to meet somewhere in the middle. Mark sheds some of his dominance and lets Crystal take over when things just get too heavy for him. And, Crystal recognizes Mark's need to control something in his life, and since she cares about him, she gives him that power over her sometimes. It's a give and take that eventually makes Mark realize that, despite how much it might hurt sometimes, that love is worth it. That, even though he lost Rebecca and even though he has some crazy guilt over what happened to her, he can't go through the rest of his life denying himself someone to love. Especially when someone so perfect for him is standing right in front of him.

While Mark is trying to take care of his mother in New York, he's also still trying to do damage control with the Ava situation on the West Coast. Chris and Sarah have run to Paris, Ava has disappeared, and Mark is not only trying to find her so that he can get some answers once and for all, but he's also trying to find her accomplice, a really nasty hitman who seems to be gunning for Crystal. His fear for her life activates his protective instincts, which appear to be his undoing when it comes to Crystal. When he allows himself to care for her and her well being, he's done for.

The ending of I Belong With You was super exciting. And, although it seems like we tie up more and more loose ends in each book, there are always still some hanging out there. Since this was the final full-length novel of the series, I had hoped for some more closure in some areas, particularly in regards to Ella. But, I'll take the closure we get on Mark and Crystal's relationship. It ended just perfectly. 

 

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: All of Me (Inside Out #6)

It feels like I've been waiting forever for Chris and Sara to make it official. And now, the wait is almost over! Read on for an excerpt from ALL OF ME, the final book in the Inside Out series by Lisa Renee Jones.

All of Me (Inside Out #6), by Lisa Renee Jones
To Be Published February 2, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
(From Goodreads) From the moment I met him, I was forever changed. From the first look in his eyes, the first touch of his hand. He has become my passion, my life, the missing part of my soul. He is the reason I am all I can be, not just some shadow of the possibilities. And together, we are the sum of all the broken pieces of our lives made whole again. Nothing will destroy us. Nothing, and no one, will keep us from the ultimate promise, to spend the rest of our lives living on the edge of absolutely everything and doing it together. I won't let it.

Excerpt

Entering the kitchen, I find Chris leaning on the marble countertop by the coffeepot, shirtless and in his pajama bottoms, the long strands of his blond hair a wild, sexy mess I’m pretty sure I created last night.

He glances up from the paper he’s reading, then picks up his coffee cup. “Morning, Ms. McMillan.”

“Morning, Mr. Merit,” I reply, grinning as I join him.

He offers me his coffee cup and I happily accept it, taking a drink of the perfectly flavored coffee and creamer. Sharing a cup with Chris has this sexy, intimate feel to it that always does funny things to my belly.

“Your last day as a free woman,” he comments.

“Why? Are you planning to tie me up sometime soon?”

He covers my hands on his cup. “Is that an objection, or wishful thinking?” He tilts the cup and drinks, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I plead the Fifth. It’s more fun that way.”

“That it is,” he agrees, but a sigh follows. “I wish I could do the same, but you’d better look at the newspaper.” He sets the cup on the counter, then hands me the Arts section of the local paper.

Dread fills me as I read the headline: “Acclaimed Artist and Philanthropist Chris Merit to wed Sara McMillan on Valentine’s Day in Star-studded Event in Sonoma.” I set it down. “We went to so much trouble to get the press off our backs before the wedding, and now they’ve found us! I knew when all these famous people showed up on the guest list, it was going to turn into a zoo.”

“Walker Security anticipated the press, and they’re staffed and ready for it. It’ll be fine. We’ll be shielded.”

Nerves the size of birds, not butterflies, attack my stomach.

“We should have eloped.”

“We still can. Let’s do it. Now. Today.”

“We can’t elope,” I say, sounding appalled, as if he’d suggested it, not me. “People who respect you are coming a long way to see us. And Katie has planned this for months.”

“Baby, we can do whatever we want. This is our day.”

“No. We can’t. Not this far into this. Which reminds me— you can’t stay here tonight. It’s bad luck to see the bride the night before the wedding.”

“I told you how I feel about that. We make our own luck.”

“Chris—”

He kisses me. “I’m staying here tonight, and I’m fucking you like I won’t see you ever again, just to be sure you walk down that aisle.”

“If you’re waiting for me at the end of that aisle, I’ll be there. And if you’re staying here tonight, we can use separate bedrooms.”

“Does today count as part of that eve-of-the-wedding rule?”

“Yes.”

He scoops me up and I yelp. “What are you doing?”

“I’m a renegade, baby. Let’s go break the rules.”

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland, Austin Powers, Must Love Dogs) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today lists. 

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 40 books translated around the world. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

STALK HER: Website | Facebook | Sulia | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Google+ | Pinterest |Goodreads

Giveaway

iPad Mini 2 (WiFi, 16GB)

$100 Amazon gift card

INSIDE OUT prize pack (James Avery rose necklace, SIGNED set of INSIDE OUT books, swag, and INSIDE OUT tote bag)

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REVIEW: No In Between (Inside Out #4)

No In Between (Inside Out #4), by Lisa Renee Jones
To Be Published August 19, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-ARC, obtained from NetGalley
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) The fourth in the Inside Out erotic romance series by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, this steamy novel resolves Chris and Sarah's relationship and leads into Mark's story.

"Chris and I have faced our demons and bared our souls to one another in Paris. Now that we are back home in San Francisco, I want to believe that nothing can tear us apart. Not Ava’s accusations against me to the police, or Chris's fear that he will destroy me as he feels he did Amber. And not Mark, who was once too intimately a part of our lives, and who I can see crumbling inside out. He believes he is invincible, just as I want to believe Chris and I are invincible. We have to be invincible. We need each other too much for any other ending."

I saw that No In Between was going to be the final full length Sara and Chris novel. And that meant answers! And sexy times! And closure! And I was all...

Aaaaaaand... well, the sexy times and all things Chris (*sigh*) were definitely there. The rest - the answers and closure - eh... not so much. I think I beat my head on my Kindle cover when I finished. Because, the book was good. The writing was fantastic. And, Chris - have I mentioned my obsession with Chris? - was wonderful. But, GAH! What does a girl have to do to get some finality??

Apparently, the answers we have all been so desperately seeking will come in Mark and Crystal's book, I Belong To You, due out in November. So, no answers and no closure, but thankfully, there was still plenty of sexy times. And lots of Chris. Chris is just... I love him so much (yeah, Krista, we know. Moving on.).

Chris and Sara have come home from Paris to a mess. She's still being accused of having a hand in Rebecca's murder. The police are all up in hers, Chris' and Mark's business. Mark seems to have completely given up. And, Allure is being run into the ground. Meanwhile, although Chris and Sara are engaged, neither one feels like the other completely trusts that the other can withstand the stress and difficulties that being together will bring with it.

Both Chris and Sara have come a long way from the very first book. Sara has grown out of many of her insecurities, thanks to Chris and his support. She's achieved this sort of inner strength thanks to Rebecca. She was able to read how Rebecca lost herself in her master, and therefore, lost control of her life. Sara decided that was not going to happen to her, despite the similarities she sees between her and Rebecca. And, I say, good for her.

Chris, too, has made a lot of progress. And, he had a lot of progress to make. I love that these two found strength in each other, and through that shared strength became better individuals.

Mark, however, has gone in the opposite direction. His guilt and discontent has destroyed the control he so tightly clings to. He's angry and frustrated and grief-stricken. He's got cops accusing him of things he didn't do, and Sara always...there... trying to help, but only succeeding in being a nuisance. I felt so badly for Mark. I get that he screwed up in how he treated Rebecca. But, he didn't deserve this. And, I am so excited to see how Crystal pulls him out of his slump. Because, she will. Right?

The story was good, although a bit slow at times. It didn't seem like a ton of things happened. My main drive was a.) find out for sure who killed Rebecca and where her body is, and b) find out what happened to Ella. When I looked down at the status bar on my Kindle and saw I was at 95% with still no answers, I had a sneaking suspicion they weren't coming. I can appreciate a good mystery as much as the next girl. But, four books with no closure is testing my capacity to hang on.

My love of Mark, Crystal, Chris and Sara will drive me forward through the next novellas and full-length novel. I don't know if we will ever get the answers we seek. But, I do think we will see these four find happiness, and at this point, that's enough for me.
 

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY: The Inside Out Series

I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour for Lisa Renee Jones' INSIDE OUT series, organized by Inkslinger PR. This series... wow. Read on for a series review and then enter the giveaway for a Waterford Crystal rose and a $50 Amazon gift card!

The Inside Out Series, by Lisa Renee Jones
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: e-ARCs, provided by Inkslinger PR and Gallery Books
Genre: adult contemporary romance

Series Rating: 4.5 STARS

If I Were You (Inside Out #1):

When Sara McMillan finds a stack of journals in a storage unit, she's shocked and enthralled by the erotic life the writer led. Unable to stop reading, she vicariously lives out dark fantasies through Rebecca, the writer--until the terrifying final entry.

Certain something sinister has happened, Sara sets out to discover the facts, immersing herself in Rebecca's life. Soon she's working at the art gallery Rebecca worked at and meeting Rebecca's friends. Finding herself drawn to two dangerously sexy men, the manager of the gallery and a famed artist, Sara realizes she's going down the same path Rebecca took. But with the promise of her dark needs being met by a man with confident good looks and a desire for control, she's not sure anything else matters. Just the burn for more.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Rebecca’s Journal—A Novella:

Kept under lock and key, discovered by chance, dangerous new secrets and scintillating adventures lie within Rebecca’s private diaries—searing scenes from a passionate journey inside a world where pain is pleasure, pleasure is pain, and where every limit she once had is no more.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Being Me (Inside Out #2):

I arch into him, drinking in his passion, instantly, willingly consumed by all that he is and could be to me. . . .

Sara McMillan is still searching for Rebecca, the mysterious woman whose dark, erotic journal entries both enthralled and frightened her. Tormented by a strong desire to indulge the demands of her new boss while also drawn deeper into her passionate bond with the troubled artist, Chris Merit, Sara must face a past as deeply haunting as Rebecca’s written words. In one man’s arms, Sara will find the safe haven to reveal her most intimate secrets and explore her darkest fantasies. But is safety just an illusion, when the truth about Rebecca has yet to be discovered?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

The Master Undone—A Novella:

I told him goodbye, and I will not call him. I know if I do, it will be my undoing, and I’ll once again be caught up in his spell. I will once again be…lost.

In her private journals, Rebecca laid bare her soul, revealing her obsession for the one man whose erotic demands captivated her imagination—and enslaved her forever. Now, with Rebecca no longer in his life, her former Master is lost—questioning everything he thought he knew about himself, and the control he holds in such high regard. One woman will reach out to heal him and then turn away, leaving him haunted. She is nothing he thought he wanted, and somehow everything he needs. He tells himself to forget her, but he cannot escape his desire for her. He has to have more...

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Revealing Us (Inside Out #3):

You've discovered Rebecca's secrets. You've discovered Sara's secrets. Now Sara will discover "his" deepest, darkest secrets...but will those secrets bind them together--or tear them apart?

Amazon | Barnes and Noble




My Review

I've got to be honest with you. Before a week ago, I had never read anything by Lisa Renee Jones. I'd heard of her Inside Out series, and had it marked to read, but, like many books on my TBR, I hadn't gotten around to it yet. So, I started If I Were You in preparation for this tour, and before I realized it, I had blown through all three full-length novels, purchased the novellas for my Kindle and flagged the remaining novels for my TBR on Goodreads.

Sara McMillan's BFF, Ella drops a stack of journals and a storage shed in her lap before running off to Paris to get married. Sara reads the journals and is intrigued by the sexy and somewhat scary life the journals' owner, Rebecca, led. Sara is compelled to try and find her to return her things. As Sara searches for Rebecca, she's led into a life she's only dreamed of having before. She meets the famous artist Chris Merit and falls in love with him. But, he demands she let him in on all her secrets, and Sara's not sure she can do that. Because Chris is hiding a lot himself, and how can they have a relationship without honestly and trust?

Chris is absolutely the best kind of alpha. He's demanding and controlling but not degrading or douchey. He's extremely protective of Sara and incredibly romantic. But, he has some deep seated issues that he fears nothing and no one can help him with. Sometimes he seems well on his way to doing what needs done to make a life with Sara, and then something happens and he regresses.

Sara has her awesome moments and her WTF moments. She had some nasty stuff happen to her in her not-so-distant past, some of which at the hand of her father, so I can certainly see how she might be a little messed up still. I love her determination and her fierce need to be independent. I love that money means nothing to her. I love her love of art and all things beautiful and that when an opportunity is very unexpectedly dropped in her lap, she goes for it wholeheartedly.

However, Sara's indecision and insecurities frustrated the hell out of me at times. One chapter she was solid in her feelings for Chris and had a good plan for finding Rebecca and living the rest of her life the way she wanted to. The next chapter, she was running away from Chris without talking first, had convinced herself that Rebecca was dead and decided that she couldn't fit in in the art world and she should just go back to teaching high school English. She would read Rebecca's pain-filled journals and paint herself and Chris in the roles of Rebecca and her Master, which would send her into a downward spiral. Then, Chris would give her a pep talk and she'd once again be sure of her relationship with him. GAH - make up your mind, woman!

For a bit in the beginning of the series, I was afraid there was going to be one wicked love triangle between Sara, Chris and Mark, the owner of the art gallery where Sara takes a job (and where Rebecca worked too). Thankfully, that never materialized. There's bad blood and jealousy between Chris and Mark, but once Sara spent a little bit of time with Chris, she was ruined for all other men. Thank goodness.

This series has been likened to the Fifty Shades of Grey series, and I can see why. Chris is a rich, powerful, enigmatic gorgeous hunk of a man whose past continues to affect his present. He appears outwardly to be all together, but inside, his past continues to haunt him to the point where he needs physical pain to help him deal with it. This leads him into the BDSM lifestyle, which he lives, but doesn't particularly enjoy. Then, along comes a girl at the most unexpected time, and she makes him feel and do things that he has never done before. Before he knows it, he's fallen completely in love with her, but that scares the crap out of him, because she could run when she learns more about him.

Sound familiar?

But, here's the thing. I found the Inside Out series so much more compelling and Chris Merit so much more interesting. Using Rebecca's journals as an initial hook to draw the reader into the story was brilliant. I was captured from the first paragraph by this girl and what happened to her. Then, later, the addition of Chris and Mark helped speed along the story. I had a yearning to know all of Sara's and Chris' secrets. Chris' took a lot longer to come out than Sara's did, but that slow reveal is why it only took me five days to finish all three books. I simply could not put these books down. The mysteries, the incredible characters, the fantastic writing, and the super steamy scenes between Sara and Chris kept me reading well past my bedtime for several nights in a row.

I'm completely hooked on this series now. I can't wait to find out what has happened to Ella (she's been missing almost since the very beginning of the first book) and what is in store for Sara and Chris next, as well as Mark who seems to have a story to tell of his own. Despite Mark's sketchy moments and my waffling feelings for him (sometimes I love him, sometimes I think he's a class-A jerkface), I do think he deserves a HEA.

I'm moving on to the novellas next, and although I'll be reading them out of order (check out the correct reading order here), I still am anxious to find out what other secrets they hold. I'm especially interested in getting inside Chris' head, since all the full-length novels are told from Sara's POV. That man... *sigh*  Christian Grey who?

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland, Austin Powers, Must Love Dogs) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today and USA Today lists.

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 40 books translated around the world. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

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