I wasn’t always a bad guy, but betrayal has a way of finding your darkest inner demons. Great friends and family weren’t enough to save me. I wanted revenge. When the opportunity presented itself, I felt justified. That’s karma, right?Turns out, karma has a way of circling back.If only I hadn’t been so stupid.If only I’d known what my deceit would cost me.It will take a lot of work to unravel the … will take a lot of work to unravel the damage I’ve done, but I’ll do it. I’ll do anything to keep from losing her.
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Brennan Dixon seemed to have it all. A wonderful family, friends, the girl of his dreams. That is, until the ultimate betrayal by those closest to him, forcing him to watch the future he had planned out dissolve before his eyes. Anger, betrayal, and heartache have a way of changing a person. Brennan is done being Mr. Nice Guy. He wants revenge and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process.
Skyler Griffin recently moved to Seattle, transferring schools so she could be closer to her father. Skyler is a no-nonsense kind of girl. She’s smart, she’s direct, and she doesn’t fall prey to college boy’s flirtatious banter and cheesy come-ons, until…she does.
Practice to Deceive is not your typical romance novel. One thing that sets this novel apart from others is that it takes you inside Brennan’s head through his journal entries. As the reader, you are privy to what drives him to do what he does, what he’s feeling and what he’s thinking in this rather unique way. Skyler is a strong, female lead who you can’t help but sympathize with and root for.
I have read every one of Olivia Evans’ books and she never fails to deliver a story that is unique, incredibly well written, witty, and worthy of 5 shining stars. The masterpiece that is Practice to Deceive is no different. It’s not every day that an author can take a character who has done horrible, outrageous things in the first half of a book and have you rooting for him by the end. This is a testament to Evans’ ability as a writer. Her dialogue and character development are some of the best I’ve seen. Every character has a purpose and a story. No one is there just to be there; they all have a reason. This is storytelling at its finest.
Practice to Deceive will take you on a roller coaster of emotions and you will love every single minute of it. If you’re looking for a book full of drama, angst, humor, romance and more, then look no further, Practice to Deceive is a must read for sure and worthy of 5 shimmering gold stars.
Deceived by his Best Friend, Brennen wants revenge. But it comes at the cost of the girl of his dreams that he never knew he could fall for. When Skyler finds out that she’s been played by Brennen, she leaves but her heart is already gone. Brennen must work to regain Skyler’s trust and love before they can move on either together or separate.
This book is the book you need to read this year! I cannot remember the last time a book has put me through so much while keeping me glued to the pages the entire time. I delayed finishing the last two chapters because I just did not want it to end. Following a path of discovering what trust really means, what real friendship is and uncovering what true love is the characters take you on a winding journey that keeps you guessing and hoping and praying they do the right thing!!! Olivia Evans knocks it out right of the ballpark with this one!
This is my first book from this author and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! I love romance reads and this was the perfect book for me. I enjoyed the main characters Brennan and Skylar, but I also loved the side characters; Drew, Rachel, Jared, Clint, Maureen and Martin. This story had it heartbreaking, frustrating, sweet, funny, steamy, regretful and betrayal moments and it made for one hell of a story. The back and forth banter between Brennan and Skylar was non-stop, but there was no denying the chemistry and love between the two. I devoured this book and I truly loved every minute of it. I will definitely be reading more books from this author and recommending this one to family and friends that also enjoy romance reads.
Brennan had it all the woman he loved, college of his choice and supportive family and friends. He ends up losing everything because of lies and betrayal. He’s bitter and wants revenge then he meets Skylar, a young woman living her life. The two have an unconventional meeting but end up together. I HATED that Brennan made the decision to continue his plan. He ends up with a hefty dose of karma. Skylar ends up hurt but also realizing the love she has is real. Can it last after all the chaos?
“I think at some point in our lives, we’ve all made decisions that seemed like a good idea at the time, only to regret them later. What you do to fix it, that’s what matters.”
Practice to Deceive is my first time read of this new to me author. It’s a contemporary, new adult, bully/ revenge with second chance romance mixed in and told mostly through the hero’s POV.
Without giving so much away, it’s the story of Brennan who was betrayed by his bestfriend and girlfriend when he caught them doing the deed. After that nasty episode, Brennan became a different man and when an opportunity to get back at his bestfriend by moving on to the girl he likes, he didn’t hesitate. But you know what they say, secrets has its way of making itself known, no matter how hard you tried to hide and karma is not something you mess with.
“People make mistakes. It’s up to us who we forgive or don’t forgive. It doesn’t matter what other people think. It’s what we can live with.”
“I was terrified, but nothing worth having was ever easy.”
What I loved about this story is how the author showed us the whole process of Brennan’s revenge, his bitter determination to make his bestfriend pay by using Skylar as collateral damage, how his revenge plan backfired and his feelings of remorse and guilt, to redeeming himself and making it all up to Skylar. The story pulled me in with its realistic take of the angst, drama, family and friendship goals, and the hard won love by the characters. Loved it and a must read for those who love this trope.
Revenge is the name of the game in this story. When Brennan found his girlfriend Terri having sex with his best friend Matt, he was devastated. It happened at the end of the second semester, and he was looking forward to getting engaged with Terri and starting to live together next semester. All this was gone and he turned from the cocky, easy going fellow into an embittered, angry man. When the next school year began and he saw that Matt was hooked on a girl, he immediately concocted a vengeance plan.
Skylar recently moved from Austin to Seattle to be near her father. She’s sassy, witty and a cute smartass. When Brennan started to stalk her, trying to get to know her, she blew him off, but there were little hints that she was attracted. He used all the tricks in the book to hook her until they were a couple. All this time, he was writing things down in his journal, all his feelings, his rage, his attitude towards her and women in general. It contained the musings of a bitter man bent on revenging against his ex-best friend and taking his girl away from him.
Many things happened, of course, including Brennan fell for the girl, he didn’t confess his plan, his family and friends loved Skylar and recriminated his actions. As with all deceits, it all explodes in the worst circumstances ever and Brennan is now the victim of his hate and broke the heart of the woman he loves.
This plot was riveting, because you sort of know what will happen but want to know when and how it will happen. I didn’t feel a lot of sympathy for Brennan because he was a conniving jerk and a liar. At the very beginning of the book, he was kind and gentle, then he turned into this obnoxious a-hole, except when he was with Skylar, buttering her up. Then as the book progresses, he starts to change back into the nice guy he used to be. Regardless, his plan was to use a woman to plot against a friend, and he was an idiot who didn’t check into matters very deeply. When his family and his friends don’t like a girlfriend, something is wrong with that girl. When he saw how Matt was suffering, he should have checked again. Matt acted wrong but he wanted to uncover Terri and it backfired. (Moral here: never get stinking drunk when executing a plan.) If you ask me, Brennan was an idiot first, then a jerk and then he finally matured and turned into a reasonable man. I hated his guts until the end when he was suffering, yearning for his girl and waiting to see if she could forgive him. Life gives you lessons and that is what separates the men from the child. I believe Brennan got a baptism of fire in this story.
The final part of the story was a little drawn out but I liked it because it felt like a prolonged epilogue, so kudos to the author, I love detailed epilogues. I hope the author decides to write Matt’s story because I liked him and saw him as a victim too.
I have never been so angry at a character before!! Olivia writes about Brennan and I want to drop kick this guy in the di**!
Skyler is a character I can totally love and relate to.
A tangled web of lies and deceit come between true love.
Their chemistry makes you root for them. The lies make you wonder how they can come back to each other after everything that has happened.
Loathed, loved and adored how their story came to be!!!!
Brennan Dixon used to be a good guy but when he is betrayed by those closest to him he vows revenge and goes to hurt those who hurt him. As he spiraled down a dark path he lied to everyone around him and began his revenge.
Yet suddenly karma struck and he realized that he was in over his head but what would coming clean cost him?
OMG – this book was sooo good and I couldn’t put it down!!
I think this is the first time I have read this author and I will definitely be grabbing all of her books after reading this one!
I loved Brennan and did understand why he wanted revenge. He was such a jerk about what he was planning on doing but I think because I knew that he had another side to him, I was really enjoying what was going on. I knew all along he was going to fall and it wasn’t going to be pretty and I was not disappointed at all!
Brennan was absolutely destroyed at the beginning of the book by the betrayal and he wasn’t really think properly when he vowed revenge and he also never really had the full story about everything. He also lied to so many people but I was anticipating everything falling apart so I just took a deep breath and soaked it all in. I loved how much he evolved in the book as it went along and how he finally found himself again but it took a long time.
Skylar as a great character who had already been through her share of pain in the past and moved to Seattle to begin again and really wasn’t looking for a relationship but slowly she let her guard down around Brennan. She found herself happy around him and trusting him until it all fell apart. I completely understood why she reacted the way she did and how she never wanted to give him a chance to explain as it was his own words that did him in.
Brennan was absolutely destroyed and really hurt so many people around him and I must say I was freaking out a little and really wondered what he was capable of in his own state. It was obvious how remorseful he was and how willing he was to do whatever it took to repair the damage he had done.
I liked that Brennan really worked on improving himself although he really mainly kept to himself. I loved how the fishing trip really woke him up and made him focus on what he needed to do and how he was going to fix everything.
I liked that he successfully completed something and I was sad in a way at Skylar’s reaction as I didn’t think she understood the mental place that he was in. Although he caused everything it didn’t mean that he wasn’t suffering as well. I loved when Skylar tells Brennan to prove that she can trust him and how he goes about doing it.
I loved when Skylar gets a new “look inside” Brennan and sees how he has changed and then everything he does one night to prove everything to her!!
The end was awesome and I would really like a book on Matt next so we can see him reform and fix all the mistakes like he began doing this book!
By Rebecca
Now that I am over the emotional turmoil this book has placed me in (or am I over it). I am looking for words. Words that can relate all this book says.
I love bad guys! I want the a**holes, but I need to know they are redeemable.
Brennan in hell bent on revenge and thinks he has found the perfect patsy in his scheme. Skylar is sassy, fun and gets caught up in the mess that is Brennan. “Revenge is a dish best served cold” and Brennan takes that to heart. But aww what the love of a good woman can do. Melt the coldest of hearts, open the eyes of the blind and straighten the cooked path.
This was my first Olivia Evans book, but rest assured it will not be my last.
I love Olivia Evans books, I never know what to expect as she always surprises me. I love jerks so this was right up my path. Brennan and Skylar have an amazing story you just start reading and can’t put it down until the end. Phenomenal read, on a story that has betrayal, heartbreak, lies and everything I love in the trope. Great emotional ride. Kudos Olivia as always on my one – click list.
Do you need a love story where the angst and feelings will rip your heart out and make you feel destroyed? Do you need a love story with love so sweet and extraordinary that you cannot handle the epicness? Practice to Deceive by Olivia Evans is your answer.
Three things I loved about this story.
First, The characters. Brennan and Skylar both are hundred percent relatable characters with flaws and faults. They are real with their emotions. Brennan has so many shades. His dark side with bitterness, anger and resentment made him a toxic person to everyone around. But I absolutely understood his darkness and my heart was bleeding for him. Because behind the scarred and broken soul, there is a sweet man who can love like no body. And that charming, captivating and soft side was equally attractive. Skyler has her heart shattered and bruised way too many times. But that does not stop her from being a smart, sassy, confident, funny and compassionate woman. She can love with all her heart and be hurt. It doesn’t mean she will take the hit lying down. She will protect her pride and heart and still be someone to put everything in line for true love.
Second, the storyline. The relationship of Brennan and Skylar started from a cruel idea of revenge. The plot has so many twists and turns. You will be floating in blissful glow of sweet romance and in the next moment you will be thrown in the hell of angst, heartbreak and tears. Never a dull boring moment in the story. The hits will keep coming. They may be sweet or hard.
Finally the writing. This is my first book by Olivia Evans. And my mind was completely blown away by her amazing writing! She created such a beautiful chaos of intense emotions. I felt every single emotion in my heart! The pain. The happiness. The break up. The reunion. The deceit. The redemption. The passion. Every single thing was incredible.
Practice to Deceive by Olivia Evans has won me over completely. You will connect with the characters immediately and the feelings will capture your heart. Five Star Read without a doubt!
Received ARC for Honest review
Hurt, betrayal, and anger lead to anger, betrayal and hurt. You get it—you give it. That’s the lesson Brennan Dixon decides to show the person who hurt him.
Except his plan fails when the victim of his revenge becomes the person who saves him.
A boy you love to hate becomes the man you hate to love as he grows, changes, and learns.
Angsty, hard to read at times, but so worth it in the end, this book will leave you with a major book hangover.