Review: Deceiving Lies (Forgiving Lies #2) by Molly McAdams

Deceiving Lies (Forgiving Lies #2) by Molly McAdams

Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Page Count: 336
Published by: William Morrow & Company
Source: Review copy received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

New Adult Contemporary Romance **Contains Mature Content**
Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Rachel is supposed to be planning her wedding to Kash, the love of her life. After the crazy year they've had, she's ready to settle down and live a completely normal life. Well, as normal as it can be. But there's something else waiting—something threatening to tear them apart.

Kash is ready for it all with Rachel, especially if "all" includes having a football team of babies with his future wife. In his line of work, Kash knows how short life can be and doesn't want to waste another minute of their life together. But now his past as an undercover narcotics agent has come back to haunt him . . . and it's the girl he loves who's caught in the middle.

Trent Cruz's orders are clear: take the girl. But there's something about this girl that has him changing the rules and playing a dangerous game to keep her safe. When his time as Rachel's protector runs out, Trent will turn his back on the only life he's known—and risk everything if it means getting her out alive.

I knew I wanted to read Deceiving Lies after Forgiving Lies ended with that cliffhanger. I haven't read any of the author's previous books, but I was willing to give this series a chance. There was a bit of a twist in this book that I thought I would not enjoy, and I really can't believe that the author went there. But she did, and things turned out okay in the end. Although, I must admit to having the same mixed feelings about this book that I did with the first book.

Kash is still the same swoony hero, just waiting to swoop in and save the day. That's his specialty, and he does it so well. Especially when he has the help of his trusty sidekick, Mason. I loved Kash's devotion to Rachel throughout the book, and his unwavering faith that she would return to him. I never doubted that he would do anything to get Rachel back.

Rachel is trying to be strong and keep her shit together. I could understand how her situation directly affected her actions, and I really felt bad for her. I thought she lost some of her spunk while she was being held, and I think being away from Kash really affected her decision making. That's not to say her feelings for Kash lessened. If anything, her love and devotion to Kash increased, because she never doubted that he would rescue her.

I was pretty satisfied with Kash and Rachel's story in Forgiving Lies, and I would have been happy with just the one book. I don't feel that Deceiving Lies added anything to their relationship, but rather added more drama and heartache to an already slightly unstable foundation. You could say that they come out of Deceiving Lies more committed than ever, but I'd like to think that they would have gotten there on their own, without any outside interference. I wish that Kash and Rachel hadn't been apart for the majority of this book. It was really difficult to remember what they were like as a couple and what made me like them together so much.

I'm hoping that Mason gets his own story soon, and I pray that he is not paired with Candice, who has to be the worst female character ever written. Am I the only one who thinks Trent should get his own story? Call me crazy folks, but I think some kind of redemption story would do all sorts of things for me. I'd like to see how he does without the bad influences, and experience him getting a girl of his own.

Overall, Deceiving Lies was an enjoyable enough read, though not entirely plausible. There is a LOT of drama and heartache in this book, and tons of angst and action. Kash and Rachel faced so many obstacles in their relationship that it was time for them to get their happily ever after.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars