Thief by Tarryn Fisher

Caleb Drake's story



Thief (Love Me With Lies book 3 - Final Book)

By Tarryn Fisher

Book Blurb:
Caleb Drake never got over his first love. Not when he got married. Not when she got married. When life suddenly comes full circle Caleb must decide how how far he is willing to go to get the aloof and alluring Olivia Kaspen back. But for every action in life there is a consequence, and soon Caleb finds out that sometimes love comes at an unbearably high price.

Thief is the conclusion in a 3 part series, Love Me With Lies. They are not stand alone books. You must first read, book 1 - The Opportunist and then book 2 - Dirty Red.  This series is the most twisted, mind blowing love triangle ever written. They consumed me for days. 

Each of the books are told in that particular protagonist's point of view. Each of the books are written where every chapter is either in the past or in the present. They flowed together well and it was not confusing to flip between the years. 

Thief is Caleb's book. Caleb is desperately in love with Olivia. Leah is insanely in love with Caleb. Olivia is determined to believe that she is not worthy of the kind of love Caleb offers and self destructs and sees the worst in every situation. These three books will exhaust you. They will consume you. They will leave you with a book hangover. 

It is hard to write a review on Thief because in doing so, you would have to understand the depth of what occurred in the first two books. I am emotionally wrought. The series spans over ten years. Ten years of drama and one heck of a roller coaster ride. It was worth it. The writing is spectacular. I can't remember when I highlighted and quoted so much in books. These books could be a study of human nature. Absolutely amazing read. 

"I’ve got more of her in my veins than blood."

"Let me carry you out. I’ll never let you touch the ground. I was made to carry you, Olivia. You’re fucking heavy with all of your guilt and self-loathing. But, I can do it. Because I love you."

"She was like water. She moved through everything no matter how hard it was. If there was something she couldn’t control, she’d flow right over the top of it and keep going."

"Broken people give broken love. And we are all a little broken. You just have to forgive and sew up the wounds love delivers, and move on."

"I know, I know that I am the match and she is the gasoline and without each other we are just two objects void of reaction." 

Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher

Leah Smith's story



Dirty Red (Love Me With Lies book 2)

by Tarryn Fisher

Book Blurb:
Dear Opportunist,

You thought you could take him from me, but you lost. Now, that he's mine I'll do anything to keep him. Do you doubt me? I have everything that was supposed to be yours. In case you were wondering; he doesn't ever think about you anymore. I won't let him go....ever.

Dirty Red

Leah Smith finally has everything she has ever wanted. Except she doesn't. Her marriage feels more like a loan than a lifelong commitment, and the image she has worked so hard to build is fraying before her eyes. With a new role and a past full of secrets, Leah must decide how far she is willing to go to keep what she has stolen.

I would wager that the author Tarryn Fisher had a lot of fun creating this psychotic, unbalanced female character named Leah. Leah is the product of festering jealousy and an extremely unhealthy love attachment to her boyfriend and then husband, Caleb. 

"My name is Leah, and I will do anything to keep my husband."

"It was exhausting trying to hide yourself from everyone."

Dirty Red is the second book in a series called "Love Me With Lies." These are not stand alone books. You need to read book one "The Opportunist" first to fully understand Leah's crazy. Oh yeah, she is right crazy. Off the charts cracked. I can't remember reading a more despicable female character. If Leah ever makes it to a psychiatric ward, she'd never get out. Can I just add that the cover for this book is spectacular. Exactly Leah. 

Jealousy is the evil monster in Dirty Red. Leah's jealousy of Olivia (from book 1 The Opportunist) actually starts off being warranted. She has a boyfriend that she loves, that she has invested time and energy into and she feels she is starting to lose him to another woman. She does things that are a little crazy and granted there are a lot of women that have been known to be a little crazy in a similar circumstance. 

You see, Leah's jealousy starts off as a little slice and then has grown to a stage 5 raging cancer with no hope of remission. Leah ends up deranged and the reader is privy to everything she feels and thinks because Dirty Red is told from her first person point of view. The story flips back and forth from past to present and scenes that you read in The Opportunist are now revealed from another POV. I loved that! It was not repetitive as in did not feel like I was reading duplicated scenes at all. 

The author sometimes throws in tiny bits of information that can make you feel a tidbit of sympathy for Leah BUT then then turns around and makes her do something even more wretched. Reading Dirty Red is another roller coaster ride. Another 5 star roller coaster ride. At times the story made me think that Leah had forgot that this was about love and it became more of a determined goal. A goal that she will anything to reach. 

"I have done a number of things to keep this man. I have lied and cheated. I have been sexy and meek, fierce and vulnerable. I have been everything but myself."

I could not put this book down. It was unputdownable. I am so invested in these characters at this point. I am typing this review waiting for my iPad to charge so I can dive right into book 3, The Thief. I'm glad it is the last book because I don't think my emotions can take much more. 

Teasers: baby girl Estelle, day care disaster, Sam the manny, chocolate covered raisins 

The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher

Olivia Kaspen's story



The Opportunist (Love Me With Lies book 1)

By Tarryn Fisher

Book Blurb:
Olivia Kaspen has just discovered that her ex-boyfriend, Caleb Drake, has lost his memory. With an already lousy reputation for taking advantage of situations, Olivia must decide how far she is willing to go to get Caleb back. Wrestling to keep her true identity and their sordid past under wraps, Olivia’s greatest obstacle is Caleb’s wicked, new girlfriend; Leah Smith. It is a race to the finish as these two vipers engage in a vicious tug of war to possess a man who no longer remembers them. But, soon enough Olivia must face the consequences of her lies, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption.

When you finish The Opportunist you will do one of two things. You will either:

1) Go right back to the beginning and reread the entire story a right away because you want to read again knowing the ending
OR
2) You will right back to your bookseller and purchase the second book, Dirty Red. 

I did #2. So let me make this review short because I need to get to Dirty Red ASAP. 

The Opportunist does not end on a cliffhanger. You can easily stop reading the series right there. But why would you!?! You know that there is more of a story to be told here and YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. 

I don't even know what type of book to call The Opportunist. Yes it is New Adult, and it there is a story of romance but The Opportunist doesn't end with a "happily ever after". It ends, and it is tolerable but not what you would call the HEA. Regardless, it is a story that you MUST read. I made a new blog button just for this book. Hence my new "Roller Coaster Ride" button at the top. The Opportunist should be studied in a psychology class at school. I'd love to sit back and dissect this book with someone. 

I keep hearing a lot about this author Tarryn Fisher. She seems to write complicated, mind blowing scenarios that twist you all up. I know that I sure am right now. When I read the book blurb, I thought I was in for a sordid love triangle. It is not really. The reader goes back and forth from past to present and each of the scenarios of time are seamlessly stitched together. It was timed perfectly. Each word, each scenario, each paragraph has a relevance. I am quite overwhelmed right now and I really do need to go and read Dirty Red. 

Teasers: missed basketball shot, best friend Cammie, penny press

"I was a relationship retard. I kicked, shoved, and punched people out of my life, so they never had a chance to hurt me."

Ruined by Tracy Wolff

Ethan Frost and Chloe Girard's book



Ruined (Ethan Frost book 1)

By Tracy Wolff

Book Blurb:
He’s the last man Chloe Girard should love . . . but the first she ever could.

Ethan Frost is a visionary, a genius, every woman’s deepest, darkest fantasy—even mine. And, somehow, I am his.

He stole into my life like a dream. Turned my reality upside down and made my every desire come true—especially those I never knew I had. He demanded everything I had to give and gave me everything of himself in return.

But dreams don’t last forever, and ours is no exception. Because my nightmares are darker, and my wounds deeper, than I could ever reveal. And as much as Ethan wants to protect me, the secrets we we share will only tear us apart.

Ruined is being heavily marketed in the same bucket as Fifty Shades and Bared to You but I am not seeing the connection other than a super rich young billionaire and a tortured past. (But geez how many romances include that formula?)

I love a first person point of view story but if you read Ruined, you are going to spend a lot of time in Chloe's head. The entire book was pretty much her thoughts, her feelings and what secrets she is debating on sharing. I wasn't sure before what the difference was with "New Adult" books but now I understand. The maturity level is definitely evident. Chloe is young. She spends a lot of time worrying about what people with think. She has trust issues and when she finally reveals her past it is only in bits and leaves out major gaps. She also jumps to conclusions quickly. Basically I found a lack of maturity with Chloe; however it was actually quite realistic for her age. 

Chloe had a horrible event occur while she was a teenager and not enough time has happened between that horrific event and her current age. With only 5 years separating that dramatic event to the present day, I could really see how she still had a lot of healing to overcome. It sure seemed pretty obvious that Chloe should still be seeking counselling of some sort. 

Ethan of course is perfect. Body perfect. Rich perfect. Grounded. Smart. A surfer. A philanthropist. Knows exactly what to say and when to say it. Sexy. Hot. Knows the perfect romantic gifts to send and to top it all off, he knows how to build a sand castle. My eyes were rolling with how unrealistic Ethan was. In fact, his perfection was almost nauseating. I think that is one struggle I have with these billionaire stories. Ethan is so perfect in everything he does and to top it off, he seems to know how to handle an emotional train wreck of woman. 

Truthfully, I was not really enjoying Ruined but not enough to stop reading. Everything was so cliched and there wasn't any originality. Until the end. Until that cliff hanger. And now dammit, I have to wait until July to read what happens. I hate cliffhangers. 

Only For You by Genna Rulon

Hunter Charles and  Everleigh Carson's book





Only For You (For You book 1) 

By Genna Rulon

Book Blurb:
All Everleigh Carsen wanted to do was complete her final semester at Hensley University and begin the life she planned.

When a wave of violent crime seizes campus, Everleigh is persuaded by her best friend to attend a school sponsored self-defense seminar, where she meets volunteer instructor, Hunter Charles. After Everleigh’s biting sarcasm induces Hunter to eject her from class, an explosive relationship is born.

Everleigh is determined to forget the striking man, but fate—that fickle shrew— continuously intervenes. Unable to escape him, she casts Hunter as her prime adversary. The only complication…Hunter is resolutely pursuing his vindication…by any means necessary. Verbal warfare ensues, and despite Everleigh’s ingenious efforts, in Hunter, she has finally found her equal.

Only For You is a compelling tale of friendship, desire, and redemption—brimming with witty characters, intelligent dialogue, unexpected twists, profound sorrow, unfettered hope, and love’s unassailable perseverance.

Only For You is a blend of comedy, mystery, and romance, which offers laughter, suspense, tears, love and friendship.

Only For You was only .89 on Amazon. I picked up then and wow what a deal. I loved it!

I am thinking that Only For You is my first New Adult book. At least I think it is a New Adult book. I'm not one for getting caught up in labels much. Let's just say that the characters of Only For You are in their last year of university. 

I think I have girl crush on Everleigh. She is the best friend every girl wants. She is funny, smart, pretty and so loyal. Her best friend is Sam and they are more like sisters. They balance each other. Friendships like theirs are lifetime long and solid. They are #1 in each other's lives. I was kind of jealous of their friendship. 

Only For You moved me. I was so enthralled with the story. There are gruesome attacks happening to women on the campus and the story really highlights the real life insecurity women constantly feel. It was disturbing to have that fact revealed over and over again.  The women of the university are scared, transferring to different schools or even just dropping out. Everleigh and Sam are really trying to protect each other through this horrific time. They are vigilant with their protection and even sign up for a self defense class. That is where Everleigh meets Hunter. 

Hunter is a big mystery almost the entire story. The reader is constantly wanting him to just love Everleigh. He was struggling with his feelings to just remain friends but the reader has no idea why. It is obvious that he has fallen for her and it is frustrating to keep reading that he claims it is not the right time in his life for a relationship. You can't help but have the suspicion that there is more going on that we are not privy to. Is he already married? Regardless, their friendship is really special and as Everleigh says, he is her un-boyfriend that she goes on un-dates with. 

Only For You is so much more than a romance book. It is a story that captured me from beginning on different types of relationships. I read it in a day. I loved how much depth there was in regards to human nature. The way the book ends is not on a cliffhanger BUT (big BUT here) I just have to know what happens next. I need to still be involved with the group of friends and their lives so I am pleased to say, I am diving into the next book right away. (Pieces For You) 

Teaser: "You may have experienced a tragedy, but I will not let you become a tragedy."