Title: The Lies That Define Us
Series: Us Series #2 (standalone)
Author: Micalea Smeltzer
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 9, 2016
Blurb
Ariella Geller is on the run from some very bad people and Liam Wade doesn’t know what he’s running from.
Freedom has been an elusive dream for Ari, but when her chance for escape comes, she takes it. She finds herself in California and forced to accept help from strangers in order to stay off the streets and avoid being found by those she ran from.
Liam Wade is sick of living in the shadow of his famous father. All he wants is to make a name for himself as a professional surfer, but it’s impossible when the media focuses on every other aspect of his life. All he wants is respect, a chance to prove himself, but when it never comes he finds himself running and hiding from the ones who love him the most.
When their paths collide Ari and Liam are forced to confront their demons, and in the process they just might find a reason to stop running.
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4.5 Stars
Review by Jen Skewes
The Lies That Define Us is Liam Wade’s story. I could not wait for this one. I was so curious about his character. This is Mathias’ son, so of course I wondered
how much like his father would he be but also what was troubling him. When we met him it seemed that he had moved to
California and has not been home, in a way pushing the people that he loves
away. So I needed to know his
story. And Micalea did not disappoint
with this one at all. This is probably my favorite book of hers and I have read
them all. There is a bit of a darker
side to it with some suspense and angst added it, being very different from her
other books. But I loved it!!
This is Liam and Ari’s story. Ari has just escaped the hell that she has
been living in for the past 5 years. She
is now free, but the problem is that she has nothing. No money, no ID, no place to go. She runs into Talia and Ollie, two strangers
who want to help her in any way that they can.
She really has no choice but to accept their help. While Talia and Ollie’s place is a bit too
small for the three of them, they find her a place to stay. Their best friend Liam has plenty of room and
he has agreed to let her stay there.
When Ari meets Liam she really is not sure what to make of
him. He certainly isn’t the friendliest
of people, and you have to wonder how two people like Talia and Ollie who are
kind and friendly, are even friends with Liam.
But just like Ari, he has his own secrets and demons that he has been
fighting. And those demons is what makes
Liam the bitter angry person that he seems to be. Well that and let’s face it, he is Mathias’
son.
Ari and Liam have an interesting relationship in the
beginning. It would seem that they hate
each other. But for some reason Liam
likes to push her buttons. And in a weird
way I think they have this connection that they cannot explain. As time goes on they learn to open up to each
other, fighting their demons together.
But Ari is running from her past.
And as much as she knows that she has completely fallen for Liam, she
knows that she cannot be with him. Her
past can hurt him in a very bad way. So
she has to decide if she is going to stay or if she is going run from the one man who she has
ever loved or felt safe with.
I really loved the chemistry and connection that Liam and
Ari had. I saw so much of his father in
him but at the same time he as also different.
When he finally opened up you saw this other side of him that was refreshing, I guess you could say. I
understood completely why he had his guard up.
Once you hear his story you will feel so bad for the guy. But Ari was what he needed, was someone that
he could trust but as I mentioned she had her own secrets. This girl had been through so much in the
past five years but she was so strong.
This book is a little different than what Micalea usually
writes. I was completely sucked in from
the prologue. I needed at that moment to find out what happened to Ari. You knew at any moment her past would come
back and it would come back in a huge way.
I was just waiting for it, with the turn of each page wondering if that
would be the moment. But when it did
happen, oh my God. I never saw it
coming. The twists in this book
completely shocked me. I had knots in my
stomach, tears in my eyes and prayed that it was not really happening. But it did and it’s those unexpected twists
and turns in this book that made this story even better.
I had trouble putting this book down from the moment I
started reading it. I needed to know if
Ari and Liam would ever let their guards own.
I needed to know how and if Ari would truly become free. This book had my emotions all over the pace. There was drama, angst and suspense. I not only fell in love with Ari and Liam but
Ollie and Talia managed to capture my heart as well. They were the best friends a person could ask
for and together they were just so adorable.
And I loved that we got to see Mathias and Remy. It is always fun to see the characters all
grown up taking care of their won children.
Another amazing job!!
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Excerpt
I laid my head against the cool glass of the bus window and watched the rain slick against it. The water beaded against the glass and then slid down in little rivulets that I traced with my finger.
I wouldn’t miss the rain.
I wouldn’t miss anything about Oregon.
That place wasn’t my home. Never had been, and never would be.
With a jolt, the bus roared to life, startling me, but I relaxed a moment later when we pulled out of the station.
Freedom was so close to being mine.
I watched the people on the street as the bus pulled away. I was searching for buzzed brown hair and eerie black eyes, but he wasn’t amongst them.
He didn’t know I’d left yet.
And hopefully, by the time he did, I’d be long gone.
I adjusted my hoodie so my face was hidden from the other people on the bus and wiggled around, settling myself in for the long ride to California.
Unlike the other people on the bus, I didn’t have a cellphone to keep me company. Cellphones were traceable so I’d ditched mine. I couldn’t risk him finding me, because if he had I was certain he’d kill me. He would’ve eventually killed me if I stayed, too. My only option had been to take the risk of running away. I would have rather died on my terms than his, but if everything went according to plan, I’d be free and he’d never find me.
He called me Scarlett, but Scarlett didn’t exist.
Scarlett was a lie.
My name was Ariella, and I was reclaiming my stolen life.
I wouldn’t miss the rain.
I wouldn’t miss anything about Oregon.
That place wasn’t my home. Never had been, and never would be.
With a jolt, the bus roared to life, startling me, but I relaxed a moment later when we pulled out of the station.
Freedom was so close to being mine.
I watched the people on the street as the bus pulled away. I was searching for buzzed brown hair and eerie black eyes, but he wasn’t amongst them.
He didn’t know I’d left yet.
And hopefully, by the time he did, I’d be long gone.
I adjusted my hoodie so my face was hidden from the other people on the bus and wiggled around, settling myself in for the long ride to California.
Unlike the other people on the bus, I didn’t have a cellphone to keep me company. Cellphones were traceable so I’d ditched mine. I couldn’t risk him finding me, because if he had I was certain he’d kill me. He would’ve eventually killed me if I stayed, too. My only option had been to take the risk of running away. I would have rather died on my terms than his, but if everything went according to plan, I’d be free and he’d never find me.
He called me Scarlett, but Scarlett didn’t exist.
Scarlett was a lie.
My name was Ariella, and I was reclaiming my stolen life.
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Author Bio
Micalea Smeltzer is a bestselling Young and New Adult author from Winchester, Virginia. She’s always working on her next book, and when she has spare time she loves to read and spend time with her family.
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