Marissa/Kristian/Alec

25% in I decided to give up and mark it DNF, so I skipped ahead and read the last chapter. What I learned there spurred me to read on and finish the book. Yeah, the story got better, good enough to give it 3 stars. ( )

ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR HONEST REVIEW!!!!

I really liked this book. I found it to be a fast paced book that was full of mystery, a bit of danger, romance, and lets not forget the sex. HOT, HOT, HOT!!! I couldn't put this book down. It drew me in from the prologue all the way to the end.

Marissa Chase and her friends are about to graduate from ASU and are headed to Fiji for Spring Break before finals and then graduation. After graduation she's headed off to the University of Wilmington to major in marine biology. What she wasn't counting on was tripping down the stairs with her suitcase and tumbling down them and right into the arms of Alec Holden the handsome guy who lives in the apartment below her.

Alec Holden has secrets and a past. He never planned on staying or making any attachments. The she comes tumbling down the stairs to land safely in his arms. She isn't like any girl he's ever known before. He can't help but feel drawn to her. He wants her but he wasn't expecting to fall in love with her. First though he has to tell her who he is and about his past. Hopefully she doesn't leave him.

Kristian is one Rissa's (Marissa) best friends. He's secretly in love with her, but she doesn't know. Alec does and he don't like it. He doesn't like Alec and blames him for the danger Rissa is in. He wants to be the guy who holds her, loves her, and protects her.

Rissa knows his past and is willing to accept it. She never planned on falling in love with Alec but she has. Is the love gonna be enough when someone from Alec's past comes looking for some revenge. What could be so bad in his past that someone wants to hurt Marissa? Will the police find him before he kills them. Will this end up being to much for Marissa to deal with and cause her to choose Kristian?

To find out you will need to pick up a copy of this book. I promise you won't be disappointed. I'm a huge fan of L.P. Dover and her Forever Fae Series and now I can add this book to my list of favorite books by L.P. Dover. Thank you L.P. Dover for another great read!!!! ( )

Love, Lies, and Deception was, hands down, a page turner! Contemporary romance meets thriller, this book had plenty of both. Alec was the epitome of a perfect lead male... strong, gorgeous, and with a mysterious past. Marissa hasn't had the easiest of lives in recent years, but she is intelligent and strong. The book revolves around the two of them and Emily (Marissa's best friend), Justin (Emily's boyfriend), and Kristian (Marissa's other best friend). Emily, Marissa, Kristian, and Justin seem like the perfect quad of friends, the kind that we would all like to have. It isn't until Alec comes on the scene that things begin to change.

There is a steamy factor to this book that cannot be denied, particularly between Alec and Marissa! But as hot as that is, it isn't all there is to the story. For me, the mystery and suspense took first place with the book. There were twists and there were turns and I repeatedly thought I knew the "whodunit" of it all. And I was always wrong. And just when we find out who the bad guy is? I thought I knew the whole story And I was wrong. Fabulous suspense!

The characters were great, although there were times when both Alec and Kristian annoyed me. Marissa is portrayed as a strong, intelligent, and capable girl but there were many times that one or both of the guys spent an inordinate amount of time assuming they knew best. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't. It was the overbearing attitude that set me on edge. But once I finished the book, and the whole story came together, it made sense to me.

The only thing that truly bothered me occurred at the end, and it is hard to explain without spoilers. I didn't like the end of Kristian's story. It seemed too easy, I think.

Things to love about Love, Lies, and Deception...

--Marissa and Emily. They were perfect BFF's... strong and intelligent and fully supportive of one another.

--The mystery. It was so engrossing and kept me guessing and turning the pages.

--The steaminess. Need I say more?

Things I wanted more of...

--Kristian. Without spoilers, I can't explain much about him, other than I wanted to know more about WHY?!

My recommendation: If you love steamy romance, a must read! If you love mysteries and thrillers, a must read! 18+ recommended ( )