FORSAKEN (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen 3) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review and Giveaway

Forsaken
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen 3
by Lisa Renee Jones
Genre: new adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: August 18, 2015

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 18, 2015

In this third book in the sexy, suspenseful “The Secret Life of Amy Bensen” series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, we meet Amy’s brother Chad—and the woman who either loves him or wants him dead.

Six years ago, Chad’s hunt for a dangerous treasure turned deadly when his family home was set on fire, his parents killed. Faking his and his sister Amy’s death to protect her from further retaliation, he set her up in a new life with a friend’s help, letting her believe he’d died.

But now the men who hired Chad to find the treasure have found him, imprisoning and torturing him to learn where it’s hidden. A dark-haired beauty named Gia helps him escape, promising him access to his worst enemy. And as he tries to unravel the deep secrets of the past, he starts falling for her…only to discover she’s not what she seems.

Unable to trust anyone, Chad focuses on only two things: protecting his sister Amy and getting revenge. Is love even possible in the midst of heartache?

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REVIEW: FORSAKEN is the third installment in Lisa Renee Jones’s new adult, contemporary The Secret Life of Amy Bensen romantic, suspense series. This is Chad and Gia’s storyline. Chad is Amy’s (aka Lara) brother and one of the reasons Amy has had to go into hiding. Although FORSAKEN can be read as a stand alone I would recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and history as some of the events in FORSAKEN answer many of the questions in the first two installments -ESCAPING REALITY and INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

Told from Chad’s first person point of view FORSAKEN focuses on Chad’s need to run. Escaping from the people who are currently searching for the ‘treasure’ they believe Chad has in his possession, Chad finds himself allied with Gia-a woman who claims to want the same things as Chad- but a woman who hides many secrets beneath a false bravado. Chad and Gia’s action packed adventure slowly reveals the players in a game of international espionage and domination.

Chad is an anti-hero; a treasure hunter, like his father, whose past dominates his present placing everyone he loves in danger. Following the murder of his parents from a deliberate house fire set by the people gunning for Chad, Chad sends his beloved sister, now known Amy, into hiding. While Chad tries to stay one step ahead of the bad guys, he finds himself falling for the woman whose past is almost as dark as his own. Gia is on the run, and hopes Chad is the man in whom she can confide.

If I had one complaint, it is Chad’s attitude and constant need to threaten our storyline heroine. Chad has issues of trust but his back and forth personality, and deep seated hatred directed at a woman he barely knows was a point of contention with this reader. Sometimes too much is just too much; in the end I had a difficult time liking our storyline ‘hero’.

FORSAKEN is an intriguing, suspense-filled, action packed storyline of betrayal, revenge, power and control. Chad has something everyone wants but only a few are aware of its’ existence. FORSAKEN also reveals the background and history into what sparked Amy’s need to go into hiding, and the players in a battle of power and greed. Chad’s overriding need to protect his sister and Gia uncovers a potential betrayal at the heart of everything that has gone wrong.

Lisa Renee Jones writes an intense, dramatic and revealing storyline. FORSAKEN will captivate your imagination as you enter a world of suspense, betrayal and overwhelming guilt. The premise is exciting and engaging; the characters are colorful and charismatic; their tenacity is relentless. The building romance is emotional and oft-times heartbreaking; the happily ever after has yet to be told.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Sandy

Escaping Reality
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1
by Lisa Renee Jones
Release Date: July 22, 2013

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Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ESCAPING REALITY

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 22, 2013

Infinite possibilities….

Infinite passion…..

Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard down, the ghost’s of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes.

______________

Infinite Possibilities
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #2
by Lisa Renee Jones
Release Date: November 11, 2013
Genre: New Adult, contemporary, romance, suspense

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Click HERE for Sandy’s review of INFINITE POSSIBILITIES

INFINITE POSSIBILITIES (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #2) by Lisa Renee Jones

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 11, 2013

Secrets and lies. They are everywhere: haunting her, tormenting her. In the midst of it all, he’d been her escape, her passion. The only person she’d trusted in six years. And then he’d made her doubt that trust, cutting her deeply. But as she’d once told him, she was damaged, not broken. She is ready to fight and not just for survival. She is fighting for the truth and she won’t stop until she has it, not even for…him.

ABOUT LISA RENEE JONES

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT TRILOGY which has sold to more than ten countries for translation with negotiations in process for more, and has now been optioned by STARZ Network for a cable television show, to be produced by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland).

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 30 books with publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, NAL, Berkley and Elloras Cave, as well as crafting a successful indie career. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her through her website and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.

The Reading Cafe and Lisa’s publisher are offering a papercopy of FORSAKEN to ONE(1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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9. Giveaway runs from August 18-21, 2015