Three things my mother acquired when she became engaged:1. A brand new Tiffany’s ring.2. A lavish home on Heartbreak Hill.3. Three privileged stepsons.The last thing I expected was to fall for one of them, least of all Thayer Ames.Beautiful, brooding, and untouchable.I knew it was a bad idea. He warned me himself.But he was a thunderstorm, and I never could resist the rain.It was perfect… could resist the rain.
It was perfect…
Until it wasn’t.
One night was all it took for our world to crumble, leaving only secrets and lies between us.
Now, I have to face him again, but the boy I used to know has become the man who loves to hate me.
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{I recieved this as an ARC in exchange for an Honest review}
I loved this book. It was not what I was expecting but I loved it so much. This is definitely a book you want to go into blind. It is incredible. Thayer and Shayne blew me away. This book is angsty and sexy and so suspenseful. The flow of this story is so good. Thayer and Shayne have the hottest sexual tension. The build up with these two was everything. I am so obsessed with this couple and their journey. Seriously this book surprised me so much. Charleigh writes the mystery so well. I never saw the ending coming. This book is full of characters who will have you falling in love with them and hanging on to their every word. I can not get enough of these characters. This book is a wild ride. I want you all to read about Thayer and Shayne. Their story will have you entranced. It is absolutely Wonderful. Charleigh hit it out of the park with this one! I loved it!
P.S. I am so looking forward to what the rest of this series will bring. Charleigh once again has me hooked. I’m so ready.
Tell Me Pretty Lies is an incredible, emotional, and addictive read! I loved it from start to finish. This angsty romance left me breathless. Shayne was absolutely amazing, I fell so hard for her as a character. Thayer is perfectly alluring in the best way and I loved the emotional push and pull between them. Their chemistry was off the charts, keeping me blazing through the pages to watch them find their way back to each other after such an earth-shattering loss. I loved all of the characters and can’t wait for more of this world!
Wow this book made me have all the feels I thought it was going to be a regular bully stepbrother romance but it was so much more. What Thayer and shayne had to go thru to get there happy ending. Everyone needs to go read this book asap
The mother of our heroine, Shayne Courtland, and the father of our Hero, Thayer Ames, are engaged, making the two almost step-siblings. The story opens with the reception following the funeral service for Thayer’s older brother, Danny. Not long after, their parents break up and Shayne and her mother move back to their old town. A few months later, her estranged grandmother passes away and leaves her house on Heartbreak Hill to Shayne’s mom so they move back. She’s not only shunned by her former high school classmates, but the Ames brothers and cousins all treat her like a pariah as well, and she doesn’t know why since she used to get along with all of them. This story is told from both Shayne and Thayer’s point of view so we know some of the reasons, but there are details left out which keep us guessing.
I admired Shayne for taking a stand on her life and to fight back rather than to let them continue to treat her with such animosity. The sparks between Shayne and Thayer continue to ignite after every confrontation they have until Thayer’s control finally breaks. In his heart, he knows Shayne doesn’t hold the answer to the truths he seeks surrounding his brother’s death. Will the truths they eventually uncover shatter their tenuous relationship?
“ Finding a love like ours is like catching lightning in a bottle. And I’m never letting go.”
I’ve come to the conclusion I can never get enough of Charleigh Rose’s teenage angst. Never. And, we can’t forget this book had a touch of my favorite, forbidden! I’m here for all things forbidden, so Shayne and Thayer owned me in that aspect.
Not going to lie, it took some time for me to warm up to Thayer. His broody-self trying to break our girl Shayne’s heart was killing me! But, once he began opening up, and a softer side of himself came to surface, I was 100% Team Thayer!
Also, the added suspense and mystery that surrounded them had me hooked from beginning to end!
Now, I’m going to close this out by saying: I LOVE HOLDEN and NEED his book!
This book was a phenomenal read! Tell Me Pretty Lies was my first book by Charleigh Rose and I’m obsessed! I loved it, all of it! The characters steal your heart, the family drama is addictive. It’s emotional and extremely steamy! There’s mystery, pain, bullying, secrets, and surprise twists! The storyline keeps you intrigued and consumed! Thayer and Shayne have such a strong pull to each other, when they’re close they spark like lightning in a bottle! This book has an enemies to lovers / bully romance feel, it’s also a stepbrother romance. So all the angsty tropes you crave. I read it pretty quickly, too caught up to keep my nose out of the book for more than a few minutes. I was pretty shocked there at the end I never saw those twists coming! Rose did an awesome job keeping the suspense up and pulling one over on her readers! I fell so hard and fast for our smooth-talking comedian, Holden, I’m crossing my fingers extra tight for his book! This is one of those reads that just consumes your brain and gives you one heck of a book hangover! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The death of their brother changed everything!
They closed ranks and froze her out, leaving her alone and lost. Life around them moved on, and her family left town.
Now their paths cross once again as fate brings her back to where it all began. Can there ever be anything but hate in their eyes..?
Another devastatingly brilliant emotional read from Charleigh Rose.
My heart broke for what they all lost, and all she endured as a result.
One night that should of been everything became nothing, and I must admit I did tear up a little.
The mystery that surrounded his death along with the constant angst and drama had me glued to my kindle app.
Shayne and Thayer won me over by the end of chapter one. There’s nothing like the taste of something forbidden to get your heart dancing with joy!
If you like broody intense alpha guys, and intense chemistry, then this is definitely one book you need to read!
Emotional roller coaster with a swoon-worthy romance and a side of mystery. Heartbreak Hill indeed! That’s where the pretty rich boys live and one not so rich girl with a broken heart. Shayne went from living in the mansion with those pretty boy stepbrothers, one of the forbidden variety, until tragedy strikes and one of the boys is lost forever. The cushy life explodes and Shayne is back in her old hometown until the unthinkable happens and she back in Heartbreak Hill, a place she thought she had left behind with her heart. But things are different without the love and protection of the rich boys and her former love is so cold. Mean kids reign at school until Shayne toughens up and takes control. And what’s up those Ames boys? So cold until they’re so HOT! Thayer is the ultimate black sheep, bad boy. So sexy with his broody self and hot body. Loved him even when he was mean! Shayne is a fantastic heroine as she comes into her own and finds her strength. Plus she doesn’t give up on her man. Thayer is meant to be hers and he knows it. But the mystery of what really happened to Danny hangs over their heads and Shayne’s brother, Grey is in the mix and not in a good way. The parents in story this are interesting and there’s not much parenting going on. All the Ames boys are swoon worthy especially the cute Holden. I loved his goofy side. I can’t wait for his story. And the tease of his involvement with Shayne’s bestie, Valen was killer. Valen is another terrific character in the story as she supports Shayne in the best way. Ride or die! This grabbed me from the beginning with moody, tense feel, the forbidden stepbrother romance, a murder mystery and the terrific secondary characters. The author did a fantastic job with this group of young characters and an emotional storyline that wasn’t angsty or overwrought. So worth the read and I can’t wait for more stories from Heartbreak Hill. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
Tell Me Pretty Lies was my first read from Charleigh Rose and she totally bought me with this new adult romance mixed with a pinch of forbidden relationship . When it comes to the story with suspense and mystery plot, I’m 100% in. Author gave me all the feels with this one. Truth is that I didn’t know what to expect from this book but I really love author’ style of writing and she quickly mesmerized me with her words. Whole story was greatly thought, with interesting plot and profound storyline.
We met Shayne and Thayer under tragic circumstances and from the very beginning I was drown into the story. But then whole plot twists and turns in the book and I was rushing through the pages with many questions to find out the truth in the maze of lies and secrets.
This new adult romance brings so many emotions through the main heroes. They were fighting against each other’s feelings but at the same time their lust and desire to one another were too strong to resist. They’re two individuals who didn’t show up their own feelings easily but I loved their strong attitudes even my heart was aching so many time over their behavior and heart wrenching choices.
Charleigh Rose delivers great story and I’ve spent an amazing time reading this romantic suspense. Highly recommend it to all of you.
Charleigh Rose knows how to bring the angst and I think Tell Me Pretty Lies is the most mysterious and angsty book from her yet.
Thayer Ames and Shayne Courtland are not your typical former “step siblings” (I use this word loosely) that are now divided by hate and circumstances. Their families have been torn apart by a devastating loss, but that loss has also turned former friends into enemies. I actually liked Shayne and Thayer’s hate/love relationship. Thayer’s motives are not truly wicked and Shayne is a strong girl who can handle the actions of her former “stepbrother”. What really pulled this story down for me is the mysterious storyline surrounding these characters. I was shocked and a little bit confused by the twist in this story. Even after I finished reading, I wondered if the twist was even needed?
Tell Me Pretty Lies feels like a standalone and a cliffhanger. While Thayer and Shayne do achieve an HEA, there are certain parts of the story that have not been resolved. Even though I struggled with the storyline, as a whole, I have high hopes for future books in this fictional world.
Overall Grade: 1/2
Charleigh Rose’s Tell Me Pretty Lies released almost a week ago, and I finally sat down to read it. I had been anxiously awaiting it, hoping for my ARC before release. That wasn’t to be, so forgive the late review.
Here’s the thing: I am a fan of bully romance. I’ve read some great authors who have written it well, and some who could have done a bit more work. Some readers struggle with it because it can be overwhelming emotionally, especially since the heroine tends to be the object of the bullying. Charleigh Rose tends to have a knack for writing this type of romance, and early readers espoused their love for Tell Me Pretty Lies. My review is a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest.
Let me begin with my struggles.
For one, the beginning of this story is very confusing. I stopped my reading of the story and began reading other early reviews because I thought I had missed a novella or another story somewhere. When I saw that I wasn’t the only reviewer confused by a lack of details, I ignored my confusion and kept reading. This was a good tactic. As the story progresses, I fell further into the story, absolving Rose of keeping her reader in the dark. The confusion of the story lies in “why” the hero, Thayer, and his brother, Holden, turn their backs on Shayne, the heroine, and why they are insistent on “destroying” her life. Thayer hates her immediately, and the reader doesn’t understand why until much later in the story. To be honest, I’m not sure how Rose could have made it less confusing unless she developed more background to the story. Character development was lacking at first, assuming the reader was already familiar with the characters and their world. Offering this sooner in the story might have alleviated the confusion.
Secondly, even after the revelation of Thayer’s disdain for Shayne, it felt contrived. I hate using that word as it oftentimes undermines the writer’s purpose. Yet, I struggled with accepting Thayer’s issues with Shayne. Yes. I understood them, but they seemed like a stretch at best.
These two issues are the core of the reason for my overall grade. That being said, there is much that I loved about the story.
For one, I couldn’t put this story down. I began it in the late afternoon and didn’t sleep until the last page (somewhere around 3 a.m.). Rose drives the story forward with the conflict between Thayer and Shayne’s strong attraction and aversion towards each other. In fact, the push and pull of their relationship is the strongest part of Tell Me Pretty Lies.
As characters, Shayne and Thayer are typical of this genre of romance. Thayer is the rich guy with a rebellious attitude, and Shayne is the “good girl” who is finding herself as the story progresses. As Thayer’s attraction to her both compels and repels him, Shayne develops into a stronger heroine. Given her background, she already holds many positive character traits: persistent, tenacious, strong, insightful. Yet, Rose evolves her into someone who becomes more self-assured that she can stand against Thayer when “enough is enough.” Until that moment, though, be prepared to become frustrated with her, as she acts on her attraction to him time and time again, while being rejected shortly after. When she finally strengthens her backbone, Shayne becomes the heroine you want her to be.
This story is also romantic suspense. There is a suspicious death that creates the underlying drama of the romance. This too propels the reader further into the story. The perpetrator of the situation isn’t initially obvious, but I did figure it out before it was eventually revealed. If you love this type of romance, then Rose offers a story that will engage you.
Charleigh Rose’s Tell Me Pretty Lies offers a story of personal resilience. Shayne’s journey to embracing herself and falling in love with Thayer is worthy of a read. Nonetheless, I was underwhelmed by the romance. I had such high expectations for it, but it confused me as much as it titillated me. I’ve read Charleigh Rose previously and professed my interest in her storytelling. Tell Me Pretty Lies has a story that will grab you, but you may finish it wondering if you missed something. I will say that I plan to read Holden’s story, the next book of the series, so there is much in Rose’s world that will keep me reading.
Tell Me Pretty Lies by Charleigh Rose is a bully romance with lots of angst and drama. Our heroes have history but have not seen each other in a while. Thayer hates Shayne and will not let her forget it, no matter how she feels. Now she is back and nothing will be the same. Thayer Ames is cocky, confident and very determined. Shayne is harder to describe. She loves Thayer so much and so she lets him get away with more than she ever should. The sexual tension and back and forth between is intense.
Read and reviewed for Reviews from the Heart.
Happy reading!
Tell Me Pretty Lies by Charleigh Rose is a forbidden/bully romance with suspense, mystery, and lots of love to hate! I absolutely love everything Charleigh Rose writes and could not WAIT for more from her. Her writing has such an emotional and angsty/forbidden vibe.
Shayne and Thayer have all the makings to be a five start couple, but I’m so bummed to say this one just didn’t get there for me. It had the forbidden element, the bully, the heat, all the things, but lacked the depth and emotion readers expect from Rose. I loved the premise and the concept, but missed all the angst I so wanted from this book. The mystery and danger was exciting, and kept me reading because I just had to know, but the relationship left a lot to be desired. If you’re looking for something suspenseful with a forbidden element, this could be the read for you, however it is light on the emotion. I look forward for more from a usually amazing, can’t get enough author!
“Tell me more pretty little lies from these pretty little lips.”
Thayer and Shane were FIRE. The chemistry was crazy hot, the build up was intense, and the mystery kept me reading.
Thayer is your typical bully. Possessive. Alpha. Hot. Brutal. But beneath all of those layers is just a confused boy.
I wish Shane would’ve fought back a little more than she did but I did loved character. I loved the side characters as well. I can’t wait to read more from this world!
“I’m drawn to her for the same reason I hate her. She makes me feel.”
After this book I seriously doubt I will EVER EVER look at lighting and barns the same EVER again.
This was one of my most ANTICIPATED reads of 2020. Charleigh is a saint! She knows how to pull you in just from a blurb and a few teasers. She lit this book on damn fire. And I loved it.
This story isn’t your typical bully/stepbrother romance. It has mystery, comedy, anticipation, angst and some steamy af moments. That keep you begging for more.
Shayne is a very strong girl/woman. The things and situations that she has to deal with makes her who she is. Makes her able to stand up to the people who TRY to knock her down. She does take anyone’s shit least of all Thayers. And she loves him with everything she is. But he can push her to her breaking point. But to watch her get back up is amazing. And then putting him in his place 🙂
Thayer has his demons and regrets. He lost his brother senior year. They were a group. And to lose him the way they did leaves you in edge. Wondering why and how. Thayer loves Shayne but doesn’t know how to feel. Doesn’t know how to figure out the way she gets to him. He tried to push her away but it just first bode well for him. And watching them fight and come together is HOTTTTTT. And so well worth it.
These two are life! I love everything Thayer is and everything Shayne is. They are so each other’s equals and I love them!!
Charleigh thank you for this amazing opportunity to read and review my FIRST ARC of yours! You have officially left me to die with a #bookhangover.
3 Stars
This is my first book by this author and although I did like it, I felt like it could have been so much more. There were parts of the story that didn’t flow very well for me and made me feel like I was missing quite a bit of the story, but in the end I still enjoyed it.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
“Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know Thayer is going to be my downfall. I’ll worry about the consequences later, but right now? Right now, I’m happy.”
Whew…..the heat, the intensity, the dizzying back and forth, I was sucked in to this story and didn’t come back up for air until I inhaled the entire thing. Thayer was fire, Shayne his gasoline and I couldn’t look away as they burned each other’s and everyone else’s worlds to the ground. Insanely sexy, and heart pounding, I never wanted this to end! The little world that the Author created was so intoxicating, I hope I can visit again someday!!
“The lightning might have branded my skin, but Shayne branded whatever’s left of my heart.”
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
Charleigh Rose is an ARTIST. She has the ability to create worlds and characters that suck me in and make me fall in love! Tell Me Pretty Lies and the characters within are no different! I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK!!
Shayne and Thayer were prefect together. The magnetic pull between these two is fate-like. You could tell from the very beginning to the very end that they needed to be together, even when it seemed like their situation, the people in their lives, and even themselves were conspiring to keep them apart.
Oh, the angst! This author sure knows how to give you all the feels with the push and pull between the characters, and I’m not just talking about Shayne and Thayer.
This books was filled with the forbidden, with suspense, and with mystery. I honestly didn’t know what would happen next or who the “villain” was until the very end.
I cannot wait for BYLH!
What an awesome lovestory! I love how Charleigh Rose uses names that are not used often. It makes her characters stand out more and more unique. I also love her heroines. They are always strong women!
This book deserves all the stars!! I’m a HUGE fan of all things Charleigh Rose, devouring every book she writes. But this book… Holy friggin’ heck! I was hooked from the first page and left with a book hangover that I’m not sure has yet to subside since I finished it several days ago. I am on pins and needles waiting for he rest of this series to release. I want more! So, so much more.
You will not be disappointed jumping into this story that is hands down the best we’ve received from Miss Rose.
PS… I have such a different outlook on piercings now… Whew!