I met Marcus at a crematorium. That should have been my first clue to keep away. He was nothing I wanted. Yet, everything I needed. He was dark, dangerous. And I couldn’t stay away. Even when I wanted to. We made a deal—just our bodies. But lines got blurred. I asked for more than one night – I ended up asking for forever. What a mistake that was. What a mistake he was. Sometimes love burns.And … mistake that was.
What a mistake he was.
Sometimes love burns.
And sometimes kisses and lies are all you get.
more
Well f&ck me ! What a book , dark, brooding, sexy and dangerous! . Also had some light moments … snow! That’s all I’ll say got to read this! I had to read it in nearly one setting started at work then finished it later at night couldn’t stop had to find out what happens ! Loved it all Marcus wow what to say gotta love him right ? Love the hate love relationship between them all. It’s so well written and such a unique, different love story.
Blaze’s story I hope is next gotta and wanna hear it and then hopefully will hear more of al the other characters in this story ! 5 ‘s for bl@@dy sure!
How to describe this story as with alot of this authors books is hard because I don’t want to give anything away. If you like light flowery one dimensional characters then this is not for you but if you like your heroines strong and your heroes complicated then Marcus and Rochelle will delight you. Marcus is definately someone who will divide opinion and honestly I loved and hated him depending on which chapter I was reading. Rochelle is broken but not down is vunerable but strong, she’s a fighter who loves with everything she has but don’t underestimate her. I’m not sure how the author manages to meld the darker moments with a soul deep love but she does it with ease.
Buckle up readers and get ready for Marcus and Rochelle.
Kisses and Lies by T.L. Smith is one those reads you can expect to hold until you’ve finished. It’s one to literally make you cry and feel as though you’re a part of the story. This book destroyed me, and I probably say that about all of T.L.’s books but this one has risen to the top of my list.
YOU NEED TO READ THIS!! xx
You could class Rochelle as a ‘good girl’ so when she meets Marcus at his crematorium she should have every instinct to stay away; but feelings and bodies get involved, mistakes get made and deals get broken.
Is there a middle ground or is it time to walk away?
I’m finding this hard to write without any spoilers, but my honest opinion is to just pick this book up and devour it! It hooked and slayed me right from the beginning.
Every character, every plot and twist were perfection and beyond my expectation.
This is one I would read over and over and it would each feel like the first time.
I highly recommend this.
T.L. Smith did a great job on this story. Kisses and Lies was a great story, the plot was strong, it was filled with many emotions that’ll take you on a rollercoaster. The story was written well. Marcus and Rochelle were strong characters, nothing about their relationship was easy, they went through a lot, many ups and downs but they were stronger together than apart. They were drawn to each other, the connection between them was intense, their chemistry was off the charts. They were great together.
This was a great story. I enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading more.
Thank you, T.L. Smith. Great work 🙂
Kisses and Lies was a dark, emotional book that I couldn’t put down until I finished. It started off with a prologue that captivated me and made me wonder how Rochelle and Marcus got to that point and how they would make it back.
I’m not really sure how I feel about Marcus. I hated him at times. He could be so cruel and he doesn’t always treat Rochelle well. Then at other times, I loved him. He would be caring and I felt he honestly wanted to try to help Rochelle through her pain. He’s definitely not a lighthearted fellow, but his intensity was part of his charm.
Rochelle was suffering throughout much of the novel. She had lost her grandparents and she didn’t know how to cope with the loss. While she was bold in parts of her life, she was passive in others. Sometimes I wanted to shake her and say snap out of it. Marcus becomes her lifeline until suddenly he isn’t.
This wasn’t an easy read, but it was angsty and heartbreaking and emotional. I love all of those things. I’m intrigued by the ending and hope that means that Kat and Blaze will be getting a book. This book definitely transfixed me and intrigued me until the very end.
I always fall deep for TL’s books. Before I started Kisses and Lies, I tried to tell myself not to fall but It was all lies. I fell hard. Marcus is this dark, mysterious man that I couldn’t get enough of. Rochelle couldn’t get enough either.
Rochelle and Marcus are the perfect storm, pushing and pulling at each other through out the entire book. It kept me on edge and turning the pages.
There was the perfect amount of angst, sex, and darkness. If you like those things, this is the perfect book. It has it all.
*ARC given for honest review.
4 1/2 stars
Living in Australia I love reading stories set here, especially in Queensland, with Australian characters and this one ticked all of those boxes.
Ah, the mysterious Marcus Stone! You are pulled in wanting to know more about Marcus simply because you don’t get told told much at all, little tiny tidbits that make you more and more intrigued. He is very dark, very intense and perfect to be the owner of a crematorium. Slowly, oh so slowly, his character profile is built up but even then it isn’t exactly a full folder.
Rochelle was such a despondent young woman who has lost people close to her but learns some hard life lessons through this loss. I liked her, how she stood up for herself when she needed to and pulled that inner strength out like a virtual sling shot. Yes, she was a tad dramatic but she was only in her mid-twenties too.
There is a lot of pain behind this story, explored in very serious issues yet done in such a way that, yes, while heartbreaking it seemed balanced with life. An extremely clever thing to balance when you think about it and must have been so complicated to write plus the reason for my extra half a star.
This is a fast paced story that honestly you will find hard to put down once you start, it is that good. I truly hope we get Blaze and Kat’s story as I can see it being a beauty!
I basically read this 6 star story in one sitting. It was so addicting that I had a difficult time putting it down for very long.
Rochelle met Marcus at a crematorium. Imagine the rest.
It is somewhat darkish but just the right amount that I enjoy reading. It was entertaining and highly addicting. I loved the unique storyline that flowed well. There was never a dull moment. I never knew what to expect, it had surprises at every turn.
The characters were really colourful and entertaining, they were even funny at times. Bottomline this is a must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.
4.5 stars
Oh wow, the queen of none flowers and romance has done it again!
Dark, gripping, edgy, I freaking loved it!
“I’m unsure if I will survive Marcus. His speciality is death. My chances of survival are slim”
Marcus reminded me so much of Death in Disbelief from T.L Smith’s previous Mafia series and I couldn’t get enough of that series either, I am so excited, I want more.
Marcus owns a crematorium, his brother is president of an MC, I am dancing in my pants to get to Blaze’s story.
Marcus is dark he shows no emotion, spends his days with dead people and prefers their company to the living.
The man is a mystery, a dark puzzle and you have to really get close to know were the pieces fit and no-one gets close accept his brother.
Rochelle is feisty, a redhead, it really suited her character, she is definitely a woman with backbone, she first meets Marcus when her grandparents die and she’s at the crematorium, there’s no zinging moment when she meets Marcus, it’s pure light being drawn to darkness that lures Rochelle in and the want to get to know Marcus more.
They become each other’s obsession.
Kisses and Lies is one roller-coaster of a read, prepare yourself not to get off until you reach the end.
Told in first person dual pov and leads to hea
Kisses and Lies is a new standalone from an author that I adore her books. That might be too light and fluffy sounding for an author that writes dark books. And Kisses and Lies is indeed a dark book.
I read this book late into the night until I could no longer keep my eyes open. You can bet when I got up this morning I had to finish this book.
Now I am not sure how I feel about the book. It is dark and at times kind of creepy. But then the setting is kind of creepy. Marcus and Rochelle meet in a graveyard and Marcus owns a crematorium.
At first Marcus and Rochelle only got together for sex. They are drawn together like moths to a flame.
Probably like how I feel about the book too, drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
This book is dark but not the darkest thing that I have read by this author. More creepy than dark.
I am hoping that the next book will be Blaze’s story. He is Marcus’ brother and I think Blaze needs his story told! Will he be with Kat, Rochelle’s sister? I hope so!
I’m actually feeling a bit torn on how to write this review. I liked the beginning of the book, felt the middle was forced and didn’t flow easily, but then the last several chapters picked up and overall I enjoyed reading Kisses and Lies. I had been really hyped up to read this book and am left feeling a little disappointed and flat. Not sure whether I had built up an unrealistic expectation. Reflecting, I think it was a lack of dialogue between the characters in the middle of the book, which stilted the character development.
Rochelle is grieving for her grandparents, she’s never had to face death and is lost. Mason is nothing like anyone she has ever met and not her usual type. She is so ready for the house with the white picket fence and 2.5 kids. Being in a relationship just for sex or one night stands don’t sit well with her. Emotions get in the way so she avoids them. However there is something about Mason she is unable to resist, like that bar of chocolate we shouldn’t eat, but just have to devour.
Black sheep Mason Stone works in a crematory, is surrounded by death daily and will never live anyone. He shows no emotions, is all about casual sex and leaves his feelings at the door. When he finds Pretty Girl (Rochelle) laying on the ground outside of the crematorium, he knows there is something different about this girl. Mason was tempted to kiss her, but knowing he’s bad for her he tries to put some distance between them. However she is alluring and he wants to savour every inch of her.
We are left with wanting to delve into her sister Kat’s story now.
Kisses and Lies by T.L. Smith is a dark and sad powerful novel. The main characters Rochelle and Marcus are two strong but so different.
Rochelle a character I should have tormented. I had a hard time connecting with her at first but as I got to know her more deeply I realized her feelings. The concerns and feelings involved in it.
Marcus, on the other hand, is a dark figure, but there is something about him that draws you to his opal. And in all this darkness you have learned that there is tremendous vulnerability, sensitivity.
The storyline between these two characters suggests that people will do everything for love. There were situations I wanted to hit and on the other hand to hug them.
Like all of Smith’s stories, this story got to my heart
Kisses and Lies by T.L. Smith is a standalone dark and gritty novel. We meet the main characters Rochelle and Marcus in a graveyard. Rochelle is there mourning the death of close family members which have left her devastated and Marcus is there because he is the owner of the crematorium. Thus, the story begins. Both characters are so uniquely different. Rochelle is one of those characters that you don’t know whether you like them or hate them and that’s mainly due to her incessant downer feelings and emotional dependency on people. But saying that, she is one of those characters that lives with you because she doesn’t realise how strong she is and she goes through an awful lot in this book that might break a saner person.
Marcus on the other hand is just one of those dark characters that you never really get to know fully. Even though we see him through Rochelle’s eyes and his brother, Blaze, there is just something so damaged about him as a person that you wonder if he truly feels emotions. That is what is so wonderful about both of these characters, they certainly don’t fit into a mould.
This story is like a dark soap opera as you delve into the drama which is Marcus and Rochelle, what people will do for love and what happens to people who feel unworthy of that love. There are some scenes in the book which are really hard to read and may be a trigger for some reader and I don’t think you’ll ever be emotionally ready to read some of the characters stories but man, are you intrigued by them.
The relationship that Marcus has with his brother is unique and I’m hoping that Blaze gets his own story (he needs it!). If you like your stories dark, emotionally raw and written in a way that will leave you bleeding and wanting more…then this is the book for you!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: https://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
Speechless! Talk about smashing it!!!
Five stars will never be enough for this story!
I loved it; from Chapter 1 I was drawn in and unable to put it down until the very last word…it was truly captivating!
There’s an aura of darkness around TL Smith’s books and this one relished in it! There were a few ‘uncomfortable for some’ moments but nothing to major or repulsive etc but it’s the feeling you get about the characters, Marcus and Blaze, you know, you just know that they are Dangerous with a capital D!
But yet they draw you in, you want to be around them, you want to know them….
Rochelle seems like a level-headed fun and cool lass but heartache happens and I’ll admit, I shed a year for her! I really felt her pain – it was truly amazing that the author can do that, not just wrote a story but create a world were you go and stay there, even after you finish reading!
An excellent read that I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed!
Roll on Blake and Kat’s story…please tell me we’re going to get their story?!?!?!
I voluntarily received an arc from the author and this is my honest review.
5 stars!! This book is yummy, tragic and just what a girl needs!!
Rochelle has seen better days. Actually the day this big, tall, a little scary man walks into her life is one of the worst days ever. But that day was the day her world was flipped upside down.
Marcus doesn’t love. He’s a hit it and quit it kind of guy. But one day this tiny, innocent, pretty girl is laying on the ground and he knows this up and coming journey is going to change life itself.
“..I’m unsure if I will survive Marcus.
His specialty is death.
My chances of survival are slim.”
Wow! I love how this author is gritty yet romantic in a non romantic way. That sure sounded confusing but ladies who are into alpha men understand. I am in love with Marcus!! That dead loving jerk!! I’m so curious about Snow and Blaze, I need more!!
I think the book was written beautifully and from chapter one you are hooked. I think any man in this book would drag you in and never let you go. I also love that the heroin, Rochelle, is not a helpless woman. She can handle her own. Shit she took on Marcus and won!!
If you can’t tell by this review the characters are phenomenal! This is a book you want to read!!
**I received this book as an ARC and in return gave my honest review**
OMG what have I read! SSSOOOO Many feels…………..all good though
The characters in this one seriously embed themselves in your soul. I know in my had I shouldn’t like Marcus, he is the complete anti-hero, the brooding, mysterious, a*hole that keeps you at a distance. He wants things his way and that’s the end. Rochelle I loved this girl, she was broken when he met her, the feisty girl broken in grief.
As much as I don’t want to like Marcus I did. Even though I wanted to junk punch him many many times, when push came to shove and Rochelle needed him he was there, giving her strength. ”
This was definitely a mix of Lovesick and Disbelief which I absolutely loved. This man who finds it hard to relate to the living will do it for Rochelle. She makes him want more if he can just admit it.
Rochelle and Tanika’s friendship really imbedded itself in my heart too. Honestly I think this broke me.
It’s now been 24 hours since I finished this book and all the emotions have stayed with me. it took a while for my mind to stop racing when I finished it last night and all I want to do is pick it up and re-read it again.
Well done TL on an absolute amazing read <3
Kisses and Lies is addictive!!! I couldn’t put it down. Rochelle and Marcus’s story tore my heart apart and put it back together. I cried. This book spoke to me. Thank you T.L. for your amazing words. I hope Blaze gets his story told.
Why am I even surprised?
I know I shouldn’t be, but yet here we are.
I’m literally sitting here still completely baffled as to how I fell in love with a first class a-hole.
Yes people, Marcus is an a-hole of EPIC proportions and I am totally in love with the guy.
Marcus left me all kinds of hot and bothered with a side of I want to kill him. I can’t tell you how many times I went from loving him to hating him in a millisecond. He managed (and I have no idea how) to weave his way into my very soul, taking from me, melting my heart…..Then BOOM, within seconds I was hating him for the evil that he is. Whiplash, that’s what I got because man this guy is all kinds of whacked.
Rochelle. All I can say about her is that she is a beautiful woman, damaged and broken from extreme grief and hurt who just so happens to fall hard for a man who’s just plain wrong for her in every single way.
But like me, Rochelle never stood a chance because Marcus…..He’s all kinds of dark and dangerous, mysterious, a man of few words that completely captures your soul.
Kisses and Lies is simply PERFECT peeps. With just the right amount of angst, darkness and obscurity with an edge that will leave you completely stunned, you just can’t look past it. Alluring, seductive, disturbing and simply addictive. As much as Marcus and Rochelle’s story left me emotionally and psychologically drained, I couldn’t get enough, it consuming me until the very last page.
Get on it people, you are going to fall hard, and I mean hard!
Kisses and Lies is EVERYTHING a dark heart craves!
5 stars.
I went into this book not knowing what to expect but I should never have doubted TL Smith. Yet again she brought an amazing story to life with Kisses and Lies. Marcus and Rochelle’s story is one that will steal your heart and keep you captivated till the end. 10 star read.
I devoured this book tonight, and have no words to express how much I absolutely loved it. It was raw, powerful, full of heartbreak, full of love, passion and so much more. These two completely opposite people, broken in different ways, have taken a hold of my mind and I can’t stop thinking about them. This is one of the best books I have read from TL Smith yet, amazing 5 plus star read. I loved Marcus and Rochelle, I didn’t want this book to end