✰ Bianca ✰ Janeane ✰ 
4.125 Stars!
Betty Dawsey knows that breaking things off with Thom Lange is for the best. He’s nice, but boring, and their relationship has lost its spark. But steady and predictable Thom, suddenly doesn’t seem so steady and predictable when their condo explodes and she’s kidnapped by a couple of crazies claiming that Thom isn’t who he says he is.
Thom is having a hellish week. Not only is he hunting a double agent, but his fiancée dumped him, and thanks to his undercover life, she’s been kidnapped.
Turns out Thom is Operative Thom and he’s got more than a few secrets to share with Betty if he’s going to keep her alive. With both their lives on the line, their lackluster connection is suddenly replaced by an intense one. But in his line of work, feelings aren’t wanted or desired. Because feelings can be a lethal distraction.
Thom is having a hellish week. Not only is he hunting a double agent, but his fiancée dumped him, and thanks to his undercover life, she’s been kidnapped.
Turns out Thom is Operative Thom and he’s got more than a few secrets to share with Betty if he’s going to keep her alive. With both their lives on the line, their lackluster connection is suddenly replaced by an intense one. But in his line of work, feelings aren’t wanted or desired. Because feelings can be a lethal distraction.
This time we get something a little different from Kylie Scott.
We have 26 year old florist Betty. Who is about to leave her fiancé Thom (34). He's just so boring and never home and ugh. It's just not what she expected her life as an almost married woman to be. But suddenly she's being kidnapped and just like that her boring Thom is not as boring anymore. He never was. He just pretended to be the boring average guy. In real life he's a secret agent. An operative - or whatever you want to call him.
He's suddenly all sorts of hot and interesting! And he's also responsible for the fact that they're running for their lives! LOL!
This time Kylie doesn't give us a #RockStarRomance or a sweet little cutie romance.
It's a James Bondy kind of thing! But we still have lots of funny and adorable and sexy moments. Don't expect something completely suspensy and actiony and dangerous.
Yes, we are in dangerous and exciting situations most of the book, but all through the action and the running and waiting and looking for the bad guys and whatnot, we're trying to figure out if Betty can forgive Thom for lying - because our Thom doesn't want to give up on the first real relationship he has ever had. He loves being Betty's fiancé - he loves that she makes him feel like a normal guy.
Adorable!
I really adored those two!
It was a great spy-dramancedy. ☺
I had some tiny little problems.
Betty is 26. Had someone asked me how old I would guess she is? I would've said at least early thirties - she does not come across that young at all.
And then, just like in Kylie's last book - this book starts and we're right in the story. There's no warm-up - no foreplay - no prologue. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I kinda like it, because I hate unnecessary bla bla - but I also wanted a bit MORE before the real action begins.
It feels like the book was a hundred pages longer, but an editor told Kylie she had to cut this and that and that and so much more ... it would've been better with some more pages.
But other than that - it was a cute little thrillery romance! I liked reading it! I wouldn't mind seeing it on TV one day!
And I REALLY love the cover!!!!!
LIES was a fun & sexy James Bondy dramance! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Thom - this one is MINE!!!
ARC received for an honest review
Firstly, I am in love with this cover and all its John Wick-ishness. Every time I have seen it over the past few weeks I have had to stop and have another look.
I am also a fan of when an author steps out of their usual zone and tries something different.
Kylie Scott has ramped up the adrenaline with Lies.
And oh my, how this story is full of lies upon lies upon lies!
Thom and Betty's story is on the go right from the first chapter to the last. You don't get time to catch your breath as our lovelies go from one Jason Bournesque adventure to the next. You never know what is going to happen next and who the bad guys are going to be - and I loved it!
I liked how Betty, when learning everything that has been happening, doesn't act like a petty little teenager. Sure, she is p!ssed, sure she has every right t be, however i liked that she saw the big picture and acted accordingly.
There are some great secondary characters that I neeeeeeed to know more of - and some that got their just desserts.
I hope we get more stories like this from Ms Scott like this in the future.
♥ Excerpt ♥
“You’re going to break his heart.”
“No, I’m not,” I say. “That’s sort of
the whole point. If I really thought leaving him would break his heart, then I
probably wouldn’t be leaving him in the first place.”
My best friend, Jen, does not look
convinced.
Boxes fill a good half of the room.
What a mess. Who knew you could accumulate so much junk in only twelve months?
At least we weren’t together so long that I can’t remember who owns what. One
year is about the sweet spot for this issue in relationships, apparently.
“The fact of the matter is, we’re not
in love. We have no business being engaged, let alone getting married.” I sigh.
“Have you seen the packing tape?”
“No. He’s just such a nice guy.”
“I’m not debating that.” I climb to my
feet, then head up the stairs to the second bedroom. Thom’s unofficial workout
room/home office. Not a room I normally go into. But it only takes a bit of
rummaging to find what I’m looking for. Whatever else might be said about them,
insurance assessors are organized. The bottom drawer of Thom’s desk has a neat
stash of stationery. I grab a couple rolls of thick tape.
“And leaving him this way…” Jen
continues as I head back down.
“How many times have I told him we need
to talk? He’s always putting it off, saying it’s not a good time. And now he’s
away again. I’ve been messaging him for the last week and he barely replies.”
“You know he has to drop everything
once a job comes up. I realize he’s not the most exciting guy, Betty, but—”
“I know.” I smack down a line of tape
with extra zest, sealing the lid of the last box. In this Operation Abandon
Ship Posthaste, I know I’m definitely slightly the bad guy. But not totally.
Say sixty/forty. Or maybe seventy/thirty. It’s hard to tell to what degree. “I
do know all of that. But he’s always busy with work or away on some business
trip. What am I supposed to do?”
A sigh from Jen.
“When you realize you’ve made such a
monumental mistake, it’s hard to sit and wait to fix things. Nor is it fair on
either of us to keep up the pretense.”
“Guess so.”
“And the fact that he’s yet again made
no effort to prioritize our relationship and make a little time for me in his
busy schedule is just further proof that I’ve made the right choice in ending
this now before it gets any more complicated. End of rant.”
Nothing from her.
“Anyway, you’re supposed to be on my
side. Stop questioning me.”
“You wanted to get married and have
children so badly.”
“Yeah.” I sit back on my heels. “I
blame it all on playing with Ken and Barbie’s dreamhouse when I was little. But
it turns out that being in a relationship with the wrong person can be even
lonelier than being alone.”
Jen and I have been friends since
sharing a room in college. We’ve witnessed the bulk of each other’s dating ups
and downs. For some reason, I’m the type of girl who guys will go out with, but
don’t tend to stick with. Apparently, I’m fuckable—just not girlfriend
material. Maybe it’s my smart mouth. Maybe it’s the whole not fitting current
societal expectations of beauty i.e. I’m fat. Maybe I was born under an unlucky
star. I don’t know; it’s their loss. Like anyone, I have my faults, but all in
all, I’m awesome. And I have a lot to give. Too often in the past few months,
I’ve had to keep reminding myself of this fact.
“There are just so many jerks out
there,” Jen says. “I was happy that you’d found a good one.”
“I think I’d prefer a jerk who was
genuinely into me than a nice guy phoning it in.
Honestly, I’d rather go adopt a dozen
cats and settle into old age and isolation than be with someone who treats me
as if I’m an afterthought.”
She looks at me for a long moment, then
nods slowly. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Me too.”
“Time to start filling up the cars.
Boy, do you owe me.”
I smile. “That I do.”
Jen stands and stretches before picking
up one of the boxes labeled kitchen. “I just didn’t want you to do
something you’d regret, you know?”
“I know. Thank you.”
Alone in the two-bedroom condo,
everything is silent. My parting letter sits waiting on the coffee table with
his name written on the front. A slight bulge in the envelope betrays the shape
of my engagement ring. It’s a sweet, simple ring. One small diamond perched on a
band of yellow gold. My hand feels wrong without it. Naked. They say there are
different love languages and you have to take the time to learn your partner’s
needs. It’s like he and I never quite got there. Or maybe I’m just crappy at
relationships.
The bridal magazines I’d collected are
in the trash. Perhaps I should have taken them into the florist shop where I
work so someone could get some use out of them. But this feels more symbolic,
more definite. My family are a couple of states away, and I have only a few of
what I’d classify as good friends. Being an introvert makes it hard to meet
people. A boyfriend, a husband, would mean I’m no longer alone. Someone cares
about me and puts me first. At least part of the time. Only Thom doesn’t any of
the time, so here we are.
I tighten my ponytail of long dark
hair. Then, in a rare display of dexterity that my yoga instructor would be
proud of, I stack three boxes in my arms and head outside into the hot
afternoon sun. Jen’s Honda Civic is parked at the curb, the trunk standing open
as she moves things about inside. My old Subaru sits in the driveway waiting to
be filled. Birds are singing and insects chirping. It’s your typical mild
autumn day in California.
That’s when the condo blows up behind
me.
↓ LiNKS TO THE BOOK AND AUTHOR ↓
Kylie's YA dramance TRUST
Standalone Age-Gap Romance
#MustRead #StageDive Series!
#STRONG – A Stage Dive Novella
BOOK #2
BOOK #3
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.
