review || TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE

Two Truths and a Lie by Ashley Stoyanoff

Publisher: Ashley Stoyanoff Books (2/28/2015)

Series: PRG Investigations, book 1

Genre: New Adult, Romantic Suspense

Source: Xpresso Book Tours

Purchase links || amazon | bn || add to goodreads

Rating: ★★★★★

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One year ago, I became a missing person. I left everything behind—family, friends, school. It seemed like a good idea at the time. My only option, really, until I realized running from a police officer isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. 

It’s been exactly three-hundred and sixty-five days since I left home, but I’m finally ready to take the step I should have taken a year ago. I’m done hiding. I’m done running. I’m going to take my life back. 

It was supposed to be easy. A meeting with Jason Pierce, a private investigator, was set up for me. All I had to do was go to him, let him do his thing, and then I could go home, or so I thought. 

That is, until I met Jason and things got … complicated.

Ashley Stoyanoff is an author of paranormal romance books for young adults, including The Soul's Mark series and the Deadly Trilogy. She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, Jordan, and two cats: Tanzy and Trinity.

In July 2012, Ashley published her first novel, The Soul's Mark: FOUND, and shortly thereafter, she was honored with The Royal Dragonfly Book Award for both young adult and newbie fiction categories.

An avid reader, Ashley enjoys anything with a bit of romance and a paranormal twist. When she's not writing or devouring her latest read, she can be found spending time with her family, watching cheesy chick flicks or buying far too many clothes.

Ashley loves hearing from her readers, so feel free to connect with her online, or by email (ashley@ashleystoyanoff.com)

website | facebook | goodreads | twitter

 

{ excerpt } .

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

I didn’t.  I couldn’t have.  No.  No, no, no.

Holy crap, I did.  I just shot Jason Pierce in the chest with a Taser.

My eyes bug wide open as I watch Jason fall.  “Oh my God,” I say out loud, dropping the incriminating device.  It tumbles to the carpet, the thump sounding louder in my ears than possible.

Wes is laughing.  Not the small, amused chuckle from before, but a loud howl of a laugh.  He laughs as though it’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen.

My cheeks flame, my heart races.  Clicking fills the air, each one sending another shock into Jason.  A small grunt of pain escapes from his lips, but he doesn’t move, frozen in place as the shocks keep coming.

I can’t look away.  I want to.  I want to get up and go to him, but I can’t.  All I can do is watch.

Thirty seconds.  Thirty excruciatingly long seconds tick by before the awful clicking stops.

Jason lets out a loud breath, and slowly pushes himself back to his feet.  He glowers, first at me, and then at Wes.

Wes doesn’t seem bothered by the furious glint in Jason’s eyes.  He only laughs some more and says, “Told you to wait in the car.”

“You didn’t tell me you were giving her a fuckin’ Taser,” Jason grumbles.

Glancing down at his chest, his jaw clenches as he looks at the barbs and wires.  He takes hold of one of the barbs, wincing as he yanks it out, and then does the same with the other.

I want to say something, anything, but I’m mute.  Stunned silent.  Good God, I can’t believe I did that.  Why the hell did Wes give me a Taser?

Minutes pass.  Long drawn out minutes of Wes chuckling and Jason scowling down at the barbs and wires clutched in his hand.

Finally letting the wires fall to the floor, Jason asks, “You two about done in here?”

He doesn’t look up as he speaks.  I think I should probably be thankful for that.  His tone carries an undercurrent of hostility and the sound is more than enough to freak me out, without seeing it mirrored in his eyes, but still, I wish he would look at me.

“I’m sorry,” I blurt, ignoring his question.  “I’m really, really so sorry.  You startled me and I …”

Jason’s gaze snaps to mine, freezing me mid-sentence.  He lowers his chin, glaring at me.  His hands open and close by his thighs.  “It’s fine.  Forget it ever happened.”

It’s not fine, though.  I can see the annoyance lurking in his eyes.  I can feel his tension radiating through the room.

“Don’t think I’ll forget that,” Wes says, grinning wide.  “Shit, I wish I took a picture.  Fuckin’ priceless.” 

{ review } .

I really hate to be that person but...

...I don't think I found a damn thing wrong with this book.

My old qualms about books in first person?

Totally worked for this book. Not only did they work, but they pulled me in. I don't know that Ashley could have done better in order to get into Jason or Elena's heads.

The title, another point of contending for me? Yeah. Totally worked. Not only because it's a trick Jason teaches Elena (because, as he says, she can't lie for shit), but because it's a game the group ends up playing (dang, how I love when the group gets together).

Elena is a strong girl, but has allowed fear to overcome her life -- rightfully so. After being on the run for a year, she decides to do something about it and get her life back. Doesn't mean she's not timid and shy about it. Granted, moments of her strength peek through during her first encounter with Jason -- and honestly, I think that speaks for the impending relationship between the two. With him, she loses her tempter. But also with him, she can be her timid and shy self -- after all, her only other relationship certainly wasn't healthy.

He laughs under his breath, and flashes his dimples. "You know, you're really cute when you're not running away from me."

And then, he leans forward and kisses me.
- my first heart clench, aka the point where I know the romance and relationship is spot on.
 

Jason is protective, sure... it comes with his profession. But the protective streak he has with Elena is just so damn satisfying and it's one that is noticed by all. I loved every moment of his being with Elena. He always has to touch her -- holding her hand, his hand on her knee, squeezing her neck gently. Even when he's mad and frustrated, he's gentle with her -- something that baffles Elena. He even enjoys waking up with her -- and decides from the first time, that it is something that has to continue, even though they are just sleeping.

Jason isn't the only one protective over Elena, though. Wes has his moments of guarding her -- from Jason, nonetheless -- and proves to be a stand up guy, himself.

This is a book that made me want to keep reading. I was so very much engrossed in it. 

Not only that, it made me laugh.

I've read so-called romantic comedy books that I've just mustered a smile, but this book brought huge feels, wide smiles, and literal laugh-out-loud moments -- and not just from Jason being tasered, but from Wes's reaction to it. I have to say, Wes's reactions certainly managed most of my laughs.

I loved how Jason was shooting off darlin's before he even knew the girl -- add that to the fact that Wes calls every female babe, too. The dialogue is written in a way that you can hear these people talking -- there's the not full -ings, there's the ain'ts and the other slang... You could get a feel for these people and you knew they weren't some pedigree people pretending to be someone they weren't. I also love Jason's raw masculinity. Sure, he's thinking f-bombs in his head left and right, but they help show every ounce of his feelings -- whether he's mad or happy.

• I fucking love it that she does.
• ...but I'm so goddamn proud of her.
• Elena sings in the shower.

I'm lying on the bed, listening to her. She can't hold a tune for shit and when she doesn't know the words, she hums. Her humming is even worse than her singing, but I swear it's still the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

She's happy.

I made her happy.

And that makes fucking ecstatic.

I honestly could go on and on and on about this book. I'll probably hit 'publish' and in a few hours be all, "Oh, shoot, I should have added such-and-such!" and who knows, maybe I'll revise this, because there's just so much I'd love to share with you.

As for the fact that this is book one in a series... we didn't meet too much of Vance, but we certainly met a whole lot of Wes and what can I say -- I cannot wait until that man's book comes out. I loved him almost as much as I did Jason.