Review: Denial, by Lisa Renee Jones

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Synopsis

Book one in the CARELESS WHISPERS series. This is a standalone spin-off of the INSIDE OUT series (soon to be a TV show) that follows Ella Ferguson, Sara McMillan's best friend.

Ella Ferguson awakes alone in Italy, unsure of who she is, and a gorgeous man has claimed her as his own. He’s tall, dark, and sexy, with money and power, the kind of man who makes a girl want to be possessed. And he does possess her, whispering wicked wonderful promises to her, stealing her trust and her heart. Soon though, the past finds her, yanking her from a cocoon of passion and safety. Everything is not how it seems. The truth will shatter her world, but it can set her free, if it doesn't destroy her first.

Review
5 out of 5 stars

I'm a fan of Lisa Renee Jones, and it seems with each book of hers that I read the bigger of a fan I become.  I LOVED this Inside-Out Series and therefore I knew of Ella through her friend Sara.  Like Sara ,throughout the series I too wondered how she could disappear so mysteriously.  So needless to say when the ARC of this book arrived on my doorstep I put everything else on hold and dove right in.  I guess it's safe to say I love a good mystery!

When we meet Ella she is just waking up to find herself in a foreign hospital, with no memory and in the company of a handsome, dream worthy man; so dreamy in fact she isn't sure whether or not he is real.  Kayden, however, is definitely not a figment of her imagination and as it turns out he might be the only person interested in claiming her, in figuring out why she was in the alley unconscious in the first place.  He may be her rescuer but I'm not sure he's the hero of this story and neither is Ella.

There is no doubt Ella is drawn to Kayden.  She senses a connection, like maybe they know one another, however he is adamant the night he rescued her from an apparent mugging was the first time they met.  Ella can sense Kayden's protectiveness of her, she is attracted to him and it appears as he is to her as well.  Ella's gut is telling her to trust him but her mind is cautiously warning to not let herself be made a fool.

Sometimes though the heart wants what the heart wants and before long Ella finds herself on the road to falling in love with Kayden, and honestly who can blame her I was on that same road!  He's strong, protective, possessive, mysterious and he seems to genuinely want to help Ella.  He always knows exactly what to say and the perfect way to communicate it.  He's a broody hot mess and there is no way Ella could help but fall for him.  She promises both Kayden and herself that she can handle his profession right along with his demons.  She needs someone to trust and even though her mind is fighting her heart it's a loosing battle because she needs someone to trust and she knows it's him she's already placed her trust in.  So, even though we are left with many unanswered questions and possible doubts of Kayden's motivation for helping Ella I cannot help but root for these two.  

What I love most about a Lisa Renee Jones book is that she keeps me on my toes.  No doubt she has mastered the process of taking readers deeper into the mystery she is weaving while simultaneously throwing us clues as to what's really going on.  One minute you might find yourself a step closer to figuring out the answer or at least a possible theory only to be thrown a curve ball in the next chapter which pushes you two steps behind.  Its frustratingly brilliant and the end result is this stunning book you literally cannot put down!  Denial was nothing short of an amazing, intense 5 star read that commanded my attention from page 1 and quite honestly the book may be over but my mind is still reeling from the ending.  I am desperate for the next installment.