A picture-perfect small town holds a dark and dirty secret in this suspenseful mystery novel by USA Today bestselling author Jeana E. Mann. Stella Valentine has traveled the world as a free-lance photographer, but there is only one place she calls home. After a decade on the road, an unexpected inheritance brings her back to Corbett, Indiana, where her life took an ominous turn. The last person … an ominous turn.
The last person Stella expects to see in Corbett is Owen Henry. Convicted murder. Liar. Sexy as sin. He’s out on parole and part of the crew hired to renovate her house. Sparks fly between them from the minute he knocks on her door.
As Stella and Owen endure a reunion complicated by painful secrets and mistrust, it becomes obvious that one of them lied about what happened on the night of the murder. Their relationship heats up while they untangle the events that changed their futures forever.
Someone in their small town killed Owen’s brother. No one can be trusted. Not even the person she loves the most.
**Formerly published as Monster Love.
more
Then and now.
And the lies in between.
Eighteen years ago, Owen Henry met Estelle Strunk. She was the edgy foster girl new in town.
Now, she’s Stella Valentine and Owen is an ex con working as part of the crew renovating her house.
Then and now and what lies in between.
An intriguing 4 star story that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Stella comes face to face with her past. She never thought she’d ever see Owen again.
It was an intriguing and suspenseful kind of story with a second chance. I never thought that the turn of events would leave baffled. It was beautifully written with a seamless plot that flowed well.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I recommend this story.
I’ve been looking forward to picking up Ms.Mann’s work and I’m glad I got the chance to with Lies We Tell! I really liked how this story pulled me in. This was a unique kind of read that I so enjoyed!
Stella and Owen’s journey was one that made me feel so many different things. It wasn’t an easy one and I felt for these two. I wasn’t sure which direction it was going to go which I really liked.
Ms.Mann created a great read with Lies We Tell! I can’t wait to read more from her in the future! (:
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from the author*
Sometimes love will stand the test of time
Jeana is fast becoming one of my go-to romance authors for stories with a different twist and suspense. I was drawn to the story of Owen and Stella’s tragic past and hoped that fate would be kinder to them this time as they learned about each other again. I was pulled in to their discovery of what really happened that night and Jeana carefully orchestrated all the pieces to fall in to place.
Lies We Tell by Jeana E. Mann is a romantic suspense 2nd chance romance that will have you on the edge of your seat, guessing quite literally til the end. Great twists and turns, fabulous characters like Owen and Stella who have quite the chemistry between them and also both hiding secrets. This is one story that has romance, suspense, intrigue, passion, feels, twists and great storytelling.
My Rating: 4.5 stars ********
Wonderful story of love and sacrifice
Once upon a time, a man named O. Henry wrote a classic love story about an impoverished young husband and wife who loved each other so much that each one sold their most precious possession to give the other a worthy Christmas gift. (“The Gift Of the Magi” by O. Henry – read it. It is unforgettable.)
Jeana E. Mann’s Lies We Tell is O.Henry’s story on steroids. High school lovers Owen and Stella are the real deal, but what Owen sacrifices for love, what Stella sacrifices for love and duty, and what other people around them sacrifice to keep things quiet is monumental, life-changing, heartbreaking – and something that can never be undone… Eighteen years later, when their lives unexpectedly intersect, the under-the-table truth they have resisted for so long calls that permanence into question. But Stella and Owen are scared, and scarred, and they must risk everything they’ve worked to protect if they wish to claim the love they still have for each other. The author’s keen sense of conflicting human emotions and her skilled characterizations put readers into Owen’s and Stella’s lives and hearts, and make us care so much about their outcome. Parts of this book are emotionally raw and hard to read, but Mann never milks it for melodrama, and the HEA ending soothes the readers’ grief and outrage with peace restored and justice served. Fabulous! (This is a voluntary ARC review)
The sacrifices we make for love. A wonderful second chance romance that had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put it down. Stella has lived her life in the foster care system, she just inherited a house from one of her foster parents the one place she stayed the longest, also where she fell in love and had her heartbroken. Feelings come back full force when she comes face to face with Owen her ex and one of the construction workers repairing her house. One tragic night and one lie eighteen years ago devastated both their lives, can these two get the answers they need and move on to the HEA. Love these two and the love they shared.
I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.
4 1/2 Stars
I really loved Stella’s strong personality and grit in this romantic and painful second chance romance.
Eighteen long years have passed since the tragic events that stoke Stella’s future with Owen.
When they met again while Stella was trying to renovate her previous foster home, it started a series of events that brought their shared past into the present day.
Very well written with an even and moderate pace that was filled with intense emotional drama.
I liked the way the author tied the loose bits and pieces up in a realistic way. The underlying message of sacrificial love was shown in the strong way Owen was able to love Stella even though they weren’t together.
A worthwhile read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3.5 Stars
This is Stella and Owen’s story a second chance romance that is told in both past and present. I am so conflicted with this review, the story had so much potential and I liked it but didn’t love it.
We learn about Stella’s past in foster care and how she met and fell in love with Owen. We know something happened that tore them apart and as we read we slowly put the pieces together. As a reader I figured out the twist pretty early on but it don’t stop me reading. I have a couple of issues and that is the main characters, yes we get to know them but I didn’t connect with either of them and I’m not sure why. Also it may seem a small thing but Owen’s boss has everyone call him “Dad” and it everytime it was mentoned it just felt weird and slightly icky. Jeana is an author who I like and enjoy her writing but this one just wasn’t one of favourites.
LOVED so much!
Second chance love story with a twist. Stella and Owens story was a good one and sad for how certain events transpired. Owen and Stella were high school sweethearts with plans that never came to fruition due to a tragic event. Fast forward 18 years later and they are back in each other orbit and there connection is just as as strong. I adored Owen and my heart broke for him, Stella was a bit more challenging for me but I began to connect with her as the story went on understanding she really had more then her fair share of responsibilities on her shoulder.
This was a great read, emotional, steamy, passionate, dramatic, sweet, and intense. This was well written, the characters have great chemistry, and their story kept me engaged. I recommend this book!
HIGH OCTANE AND COMBUSTIBLE!!!
Get it girl! Jeana just rocked my world and rang my bell with this off the charts, sensational approach, weaving a cocoon so intricately and precise, drawing you deeper into this tangled web until everything else ceases to exist. Sparks fly as drama, intrigue, tension, turmoil, secrets, mounting suspense and unexpected situations along with a boatload of heartache while dodging disaster, you have one mind-blowing masterpiece. A tumultuous wild ride full of baffling circumstances and fervent events set the stage as shenanigans run rampant with such wonder, fusing this bad boy together sleek, shiny and tight. Anarchy, escapades and havoc run amuck, kicking this bad boy into a roaring tempest, blasting it into a tailspin with an explosive finale. The characters are complex and authentic with depth and traits that blend and flow smoothly transforming into genuinely relatable personalities. Cognizant of the instant realization and charged atmosphere, along with a slew of nerve racking twists and shocking turns, testing our characters in ways they could have never envisioned. Satisfaction rocks this jewel, bringing it home with such intensity and precision, riding roughshod and delivering one block busting delight. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and descriptions you have no problem picturing each scenario creating a colorful backdrop that makes the storyline pop. Remarkable job Jeana, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
Lies We Tell is Stella Valentine & Owen Henry’s story. This is a standalone, second chance romance.
Stella was given a house that she lived in with her Foster Parents while she was a child in Foster Care. Her Foster parent had died and left the house to her. Stella had hired a general contractor to get her house back into shape. Owen Henry worked for Dad, the general contractor.
Stella never expected to see Owen again. Owen had gone to jail for the murder of his brother, 18 years ago. But was he guilty? You will have to read this book to know and if he wasn’t guilty who was?
This story has suspense, romance & a good story. I loved reading Stella & Owen’s story & how they got together again after 18 long years.
I received an ARC of this for an honest review.
Originally released as Monster Love in 2017, it was renamed and new content added. I did not read the original so I have nothing to go on when it comes to comparing. This is also my first Jeana E Mann read and she definitely can write an amazing story.
Lies We Tell is the story of Stella and Owen, a second chance romance that has a bit of suspense and a whole lot of emotion in it. From the beginning, you want to know what’s happening and what is going on. I loved the peeks in to the past, showcasing how they met and fell in love.
I will say that I couldn’t connect with Stella. I don’t know why, but there was no solid connection with her. Owen, I had more connection to, but not as much as I would have liked. Without that solid connection, I didn’t feel like I really connected with the book, but that is a personal thing and didn’t take away from the storyline at all.
The underlying story was beautifully written, although at times it felt slightly rushed and that didn’t help with the disconnect that I felt. I did enjoy the suspense in “not knowing” and overall, the story was captivating and held my attention, even when I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on.
Four stars for this nicely written second chance romance that will have you questioning things throughout but have you smiling by the end.
Lies We Tell by Jeana E.Mann was a gripping tale of second chance love! The story was a riveting mix of heartbreak, sweetness and angst. The author succesfully put loads of emotions in the characters and and I am in love with their love.
Stella is back to the small town holding bad memories and good moments from her complicated past. Her foster parents have left her the house in their will. And she is here to renovate it. She had no idea she will meet Owen again. The boy who stole her heart eighteen years back. Her first love. Her first heartbreak. The murderer. But is he really guilty? The sweet, happy and cheerful jock has disappeared in rude reality of prison days. Can she trust this jaded and broken man?
Owen is the dream man. The kind of boy who sweeps your heart with his boyish charm and swoonworthy caring gestures. But his love and protection goes deeper. He has a big secret that destroyed his life completely and changed him forever. And my heart is hopelessly in love with this brooding, hurting and vulnerable man. Stella had a tough beginning as she bounced from one foster home to another with her sister. It hardened her and she used to be a rebellious teenager. But Owen changed her. First by making her feel special and then pushing her away. She has made a name as celebrity photographer but she is still lonely. She has responsibilities for her sister and her kids and everyone. But no one is there for her. Her character is really inspiring with her fierceness and ability to love everyone unconditionally. Owen and Stella has this electrifying energy between them. They have a history but moreover they have chemistry. They have years of misunderstanding and guilt and suffering. But their love is totally palpable in every encounter. The romance was steamy and angsty and intense! Their happily ever after brought me to tears.
Lies We Tell by Jeana E.Mann was a loving and intense romance with raw and gritty emotions! I loved the characters. I loved the writing. There is nothing much I did not like.
Received ARC for honest review
3.5 stars. I really loved Owen and Stella and their love story that transcended time. Stella hasn’t seen Owen in 18 years. Owen went to prison for voluntary manslaughter so the town he grew up in is trying to push him out. He is working on a construction crew that starts work on Stella’s house she inherited and sparks fly immediately. Stella doesn’t think that Owen committed the crime he was punished for and I really liked trying to figure out the mystery. The enjoyed the story jumping back and forth between then and now so we could understand what they shared when they were younger, but it felt very rushed towards the end of the book.
I also understood why Michael was there, but he was such a terrible person and had such double standards I wanted Stella to stick up for herself and basically she just was made to feel bad about herself. The story line with Michael was all over the place for me and not really feasible. The premise of the book was so interesting and I did enjoy the outcome.
Lies We Tell by Jeana Mann is the tale of Stella and Owen. Stella first met Owen at the principal’s office. She is a foster kid and like most she has attachment issues. Owen comes into her life and breaks down her wall but fate has other plans for them. 18 years later Stella has inherited her old foster father’s home. She is back in that town that broke her heart. When the renovation crew comes to work on the old house Owen happens to be part of the crew. He was her first and only true love. She knows he has spent 10 years in prison for killing his brother and refused all her visits. Now face to face where do they go from here. Owen did what he had to do to save the woman he loves. Prison was tough and he did his time. How one decision can have such an effect on so many lives. Their story is how the lies one tells can change everything. The author tells a web of a story while trying to get to the truth. The attraction between Owen and Stella never died if anything the sexual tension between the two has grown. A really good story with an even better ending. In fact the conclusion to this story was everything to me. I was left with a big fat grin on my face. Enjoy reading this author’s stories. 4.5 stars for me. Looking forward to her next tale.
Lies We Tell by Jeana E. Mann was a second chance romance with so many feels. Owen and Stella’s journey was heartbreaking, heartwarming and emotional. They shared a young love that was shattered when tragedy struck. Now years later they are face-to-face again. Can she give him a second chance or is it too late already? But can you truly ignore the other half of your heart?
Stella and Owen have so much history and each have been following their own journey until they meet again. Fight as they may, their chemistry is undeniable. There are surprises and twists and when truths are revealed, will they be able to move forward together? An emotionally charged second chance romance!
Read and reviewed for Reviews From the Heart.
Happy reading!
Stella and Owen were together in high school until a tragedy separated them, and now 18 years later Stella is back in town to renovate a house that has been left to her. Owen is part of the construction crew, but can they deny the explosive connection between them? No spoilers: this is a definite must read, you will not be disappointed. This is a well written flawless tale which is filled with angst, suspense, emotion, heartbreak, secrets, twists and love. I was totally enthralled throughout this riveting story and I highly recommend for all readers.