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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Tell Me Pretty Lies
Book 1 Heartbreak Hill
Charleigh Rose
5 Stars
Loved! An amazing sexy angst second chance romance!
Very beautifully written! Highly recommend!
“You’re lucky you’re so pretty.”
“Finding a love like ours is like catching lightning in a bottle.”
Can not wait for the next book in the series!!
FIVE THUNDER STARS for Shayne and Thayer !!!
LOVE THIS BOOK!
“Tell Me Pretty Lies” is a new adult and ex-stepbrother romance with a lot of twists and turns that will make you read this book without break just to find out what will happen the next.
Shayne and Thayer’s relationship is unusual and complex.
They fought against their feelings for each other but in the end attraction and love which they felt for one another won.
I love their chemistry!
Shayne is a female character who usually doesn’t show her emotions no matter how much her feelings are hurt.
Her love for Thayer is strong and unconditional even when he broke her heart for a thousand times.
Thayer is a male character who is fear to show his emotions because he was hurt in the past and that’s the main reason why he is hot and cold to Shayne.
But, in the end, everything change…
If you loved Charleigh’s previous books, then you should read this one!
P.S. Can’t wait for Valen and Holden’s book !!!
Highly recommended!!!
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/ : Tell Me Pretty Lies is a full-length new adult standalone by Charleigh Rose. Told in dual POV has everything that makes up a captivating new adult romance for me. Taboo-ish stepbrother romance, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, heartbreak, longing, suspense, secrets, mystery, angst, and a whole lot of steam. Now although I LOVE bully romances, I wouldn’t necessarily call this one a bully romance, most definitely a friend’s to lovers – enemies to lovers, but not quite a bully romance.
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I have been a fan of ever since I read . With every release, she reminds me exactly why I always pre-order and one-click EVERYTHING she writes. She has no problem sucking you in and causing you to be so invested in her characters that you HAVE to keep reading to find out what happens next.
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Shayne and Thayer first met when their parents became engaged. Although soon to be stepsiblings, they are drawn to one another.
Their relationship has been complicated from the very beginning but after a death in the family under circumstances shrouded in mystery, everything changes…
Their parent’s relationship fizzles out and Shayne and her Mom leave town for a little while, only to come back a few months later. But everything has changed.
The boys are looking for answers about what happened to their brother and at this point, EVERYONE’s a suspect and NOONE is to be trusted.
No matter how Thayer may still feel about Shayne, he’s possessed with the need for the truth about the death of his brother and he’ll do anything he has to do to find out what happened to him…
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() : Thayer Ames is the unapproachable broody bad boy with a HUGE chip on his shoulder. He’s a bit rough around the edges but can you really blame him? He’s lost his brother and has no idea what really happened to him so he lashes out. You can’t help but feel for him. Thayer is for sure an a-hole but he’s not really a bully. I love that was told in dual POV because getting a look into Thayer’s thoughts really helped me understand him better, if it hadn’t of been, I probably would have really hated him.
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() : Shayne Courtland. My feelings are a bit conflicted when it comes to Shayne. There were times that she was a spitfire and she would give as good as she got. But then there were others that she was a bit of a pushover. I like a heroine that although being bullied will stand up for herself and not stop. That wasn’t the case with Shayne. Maybe it was because of how much she loved Thayer, but all the boy had to do was give her a “look” and she was putty in his hands.
ℎ ℎ ℎ ℎ , ℎ ℎ’ ℎ.
/ : Shane and Thayer have a bond unlike any other. As tough as Thayer is, Shayne has always been his one weakness and all it takes is one little look from Thayer and Shane melts. The chemistry is off the charts hot and the forbidden-ISH aspect only makes things hotter.
: Nope, no cliffhanger. Thayer and Shayne have a perfect happy ending… but, I need Valen and Holden’s story like YESTERDAY! Enemies to lovers, love triangle romance? Um, I think yes! Can’t wait for the next installment of Heartbreak Hill.
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: There are difficult subjects that could be considered triggers. E.g. there is a little OW drama. But again, it’s because he’s TRYING to push her away/hurt her. If you would like to know more about what those subjects are, feel free to DM me!
would have been a six-star read for me but the ending (the mystery around Danny’s death) was a little of a let down for me. Maybe it’s just my dark mind but I would have liked a bit of a more sinister ending to that situation…
If you like your new adult reads with a touch of forbidden and a bit of angst and suspense, then I highly recommend checking out .
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**3 1/2 stars**
I loved the premise and the notion of the plot.
But the flow of the book was a bit choppy and somewhat disjointed.
Thayer and Shayne have had a crush on each other since the first time they meet.
After the breakup of their parents they lose contact with one another.
A year later they reconnect but things are now totally different between them.
Thayer is cold and mean towards Shayne.
I thought he wasn’t a bully so much as he was cruel.
He didn’t care at all what he was doing to her or how it emotionally broke her.
I felt Shayne was just a glutton for punishment and pain.
She never really stood up for herself.
The sexual and physical chemistry between Shayne and Thayer was definitely there.
But I didn’t really feel an emotional bond or connection between them.
I loved Holden.
He did give Shayne a had time.
But he truly was remorseful for his actions.
And that showed and could be felt as they moved forward.
Thayer though never really redeemed himself in my eyes.
Even till almost the very end Shayne was still expecting him to leave her.
Because of all her past experiences with him.
Even though the mystery is finally revealed that started all the chain of events of the past year.
A few of the main characters that were involved in the incident,no closure or mention is given to what happened with them.
Just to add what I really loved was the storm moment with the lightning and the tattoo
Damn… This book gave me all the feels…
I loved everything about this book, except that it ended way too soon! I got a major book/reading hangover from this work of perfection.
Seriously, every aspect of Thayer and Shayne’s story drew me in from the first freaking page! Just the names that Charleigh comes up with! Thayer and Shayne, the two spellings even complement each other!
Okay, okay, I know I need to cool it with the exclamation marks already. For real though, Charleigh Rose has been one of my “automatically buy their new books, even if I don’t know what the story is because I already know I will love it”, authors from the second I read her book, Bad Habit. Bad Habit was actually the first book I ever bought on kindle! Best freaking decision I ever made, FYI. Charleigh is an incredible writer and I ALWAYS love her books. Now I am just waiting for the second I can order a paperback copy of Tell Me Pretty Lies because this book needs to be appreciated up close and in person.
When I saw that Charleigh plans to write at least 1 (maybe more) connected books, I freaked out. So exciting! Now I will obsessively think about the next book until it comes out.
I don’t want to give away ANY, even slight, spoilers because this book deserves your attention all on its own, sooo… Just know that this story is a MUST READ! You will fall in love with Thayer and Shayne and never want the book to end.
Seriously, go read this book now. Go on, stop reading this review, just go read it…
Shayne & Thayer’s story
*arc generously provided by the promo team in exchange for an honest review*
What’s this book about? (I’m trying to give as little spoilers as possible)
Shayne and Thayer had a thing going on until tragedy struck and they ended things abruptly. Now that some time has passed, she’s making a comeback to town and there’s one person that’s not happy about it.
This might be my second read by Charleigh Rose. First, I must clarify how much I love this cover. I’ve been swooning over it for months ever since it was released. I didn’t truly understand what the book would be about, but it didn’t matter to me since I was curious anyway. We received this book after a long wait for it. This was a quick read. Both characters are relatable and interesting enough to spend time with. Their chemistry is intense and the steam is superb. I wanted to know more about the leads and whenever it was just their drama that was going on, I was invested. There’s a subtle mystery in the story, however, instead of drawing me in, it kind of left me cold after 50% of the book was over. It could’ve worked better for me if there was more sentimental drama in the characters’ families about that part of the plot. I loved the side characters and I can’t wait to check out what’s next in this series. The final quarter didn’t feel rushed per se; it simply was there to tie up loose ends. I knew it was coming, but I hadn’t expected it to happen that way. I had fun with this read, but something was missing. Perhaps the next book will explain certain situations better than this book did.
I recommend this read to lovers of steamy romance, a tortured leading guy with an attitude problem and a sweet little not-so-good girl with questionable piercings.
Charleigh Rose is back and better than ever with all her NA, deliciously angsty goodness! I’ve been waiting for what seems like forever for Tell Me Pretty Lies and it was well worth the wait! Angst, steam, twists, and a couple that owned my heart.
Thayer and Shayne are all the things! These two have steam for daayyysss! Their chemistry, the sexual tension between them, and all their banter just added to my ever growing list of why I loved TMPL. They snapped, crackled, and popped louder than a bowl of Rice Krispies and I ate that whole shizz up!
Tell Me Pretty Lies was great NA read and i can’t wait for the next book in the series. 5 stars.
“How can you simultaneously love and hate how a person makes you feel?”
Forbidden love wrapped with mystery and deceit. Who is your friend and who is your enemy. Who can you trust when you are alone? Shayne and Thayer are two people who weren’t meant to be but fate doesn’t always align with your plans. I didn’t quite feel the connection between them but they did have an intense sexual chemistry. I enjoyed this book and am excited to read the next one in the series.
”Like catching lightning in a bottle.”
3.5 stars
~ Read on behalf of Two Darlin Dolls and a Book Review Blog
Tell Me Pretty Lies by Charleigh Rose is the story of Thayer Ames and Shayne Courtland.
Shayne was once a step-sister to Thayer and his brothers. When tragedy strikes down Danny Ames what friendship and feelings between Thayer and Shayne became damaged. Now in their present day Shayne is back attending her school where she will be seeing Thayer again. There reunion isn’t a good one and things don’t get much better. But there is still their underlining feelings that they have not been able to move past. Their story if very complex and not a easy one but overall I enjoyed their story. Enjoyed this author’s writing.
New Adult | Angsty Romance
First and foremost, I need to address the fact that Charleigh Rose writes incredible romances. She amps up the angst like no other and continuously writes characters that her readers WANT to read about. Her love stories are gritty, but the underlying emotion is epic. You can feel the chemistry hit you intensely, and you can also see it happening like a movie. I truly admire the way she writes, and this book is no different than what I felt about her previous novels. If you have yet to read one of Charleigh’s books you are truly missing out. I highly recommend giving any one of them a try so you can see what I mean!
With that being said, Tell Me Pretty Lies is a standalone, new adult romance that takes place in a high school setting. I consider it to be new adult rather than young adult because there is quite a bit of detailed sex in the book. I also don’t think the characters necessarily act their ages (17 and 18) and consider them to be a little bit older based on their actions. Charleigh mixes both an angsty, enemies to lover’s trope with a little bit of suspense and mystery. There’s drama, bully tendencies, and a ton of grit between these pages. Some may say this is also a stepbrother romance as the characters USED to be step siblings. I don’t particularly consider it this type of romance because the parents never married, but some might based on the fact that they could have potentially become related.
Shayne and Thayer are at the forefront of this story. They had a little love connection in the past, but when Thayer’s brother dies, he cuts it off immediately because he thinks her brother had something to do with his brothers’ death. Shayne moves away for a year hoping to get over the brooding bad boy but when her mother moves them back to town a showdown occurs. Good girl versus bad boy. Bad boy can’t stand her anymore and does everything in his power to make her WANT to move away (this is where the bullying comes in). But the good girl won’t take his crap and fights back. So, what will become of them?
As with any bully type romance you know eventually that the characters will get together. Doesn’t matter if one is painted a murderer or the other is painted as a villain for the traumatic things her does. It’s the journey to the HEA that makes the story what it is. I won’t detail every little thing that happens because that would spoil it for any reader, but I will say that it’s certainly a rollercoaster ride. I don’t mean in an emotional sense either. It’s harsh, sometimes cruel, but also dizzyingly romantic. I loved Thayer and Shayne together- through all the ups and the downs- and watching the two come together through everything was extremely enjoyable. I do wish the author added a few more details (the prologue discussed some stuff that didn’t come through the rest of the book), but for the most part liked this one a lot. There were some fantastic secondary characters who I hope get books next too and turn this standalone into an interconnected series. Fingers crossed!
If you’re looking for an angsty and gritty read, then this is definitely a great book to pick up! Charleigh can write the heck out of romance and I recommend many of her books to fans of the genre!
Anger, hurt and revenge take control-kicking reason aside in Charleigh Rose’s Tell Me Pretty Lies for a story drowning in anguish and the seemingly unobtainable.
The consequences of a devastating event were the mechanisms that drove Thayer and Shayne’s estrangement and left them heartbroken. Caught up in other’s webs of deceit this couple appeared to have no chance at being together but with lots of obstacles staged in just the right way this author was able to keep this couple together for the long haul. A burning chemistry that at times was just as uncomfortable as it was steamy Thayer and Shayne maintained a dangerous and forbidden tension in their attraction throughout this work. Thayer was a sexy contradiction of disinterested and aloof and all consuming and possessive displaying each of these sides when you least expected it. Shayne carried her heart on her wrist in a lightening produced scar. This pair’s back and forth attraction kept this work lively and moving briskly.
Charleigh Rose excels in capturing young love on the side of edgy. She has a natural aptitude for portrayals grappling with personal struggles that reach beyond their backgrounds and find common ground in their angst. Tell Me Pretty Lies gave a candid look at family dynamics and how the actions of a few can determine the paths of many. A strength of this author is showing how an event can result in pain in many different forms. Charleigh Rose brings secrets, lies and heartache to a hard earned HEA in Tell Me Pretty Lies.
*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.*
*While part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone.*
Tell Me Pretty Lies is the kind of story that will suck you in from beginning to end. In the first few pages, my heart broke from the situation our characters found themselves in. Their pain was palpable. The emotion on the pages was written beautifully and I was hooked.
Those Ames boys! Man oh man they are the kind of book boyfriends that you squeal over. Holden with his seemingly carefree lighter attitude, though you know his anguish is just bubbling under the surface; and Thayer with his angry, guilt-ridden cold demeanor—they are both deeply layered characters. Though Thayer took the spotlight in this story, I’m just as anxious to see where Holden’s story goes in the next book!
Our dear sweet Shayne is somewhat jaded by life and the crushing rejection by Thayer and the destruction of her newly formed family. She’s determined to keep living so she can finish school and get on with her life. The last thing she expects is for Thayer to come stomping back into her life begrudgingly. Secrets and suspicions make their story anything but smooth. Even with the constant threat of another heartbreak, Thayer and Shayne’s emotional and physical connection is off the charts steamy and heart-achingly touching.
TMPL has tragedy, pain, tension and suspense, and undeniable love. The story and characters are fantastic. 5 stars for this bewitching book!
4.5 ‘Lightning Love’ Stars!
ARC provided via Candi Kane PR in exchange for an honest review.
It seems many of us have been waiting for Charleigh Rose’s new release for a while. Now it’s finally here and trust me, the wait was completely worth it! When I think of this author, I expect an engaging story, complex characters, a whole lot of angst and full-on steam and Tell Me Pretty Lies does not lack of any of that. Oh yes, get ready for Thayer and Shayne (and the whole Heartbreak Hill crew) because this ride is sure a wild one!
Tell Me Pretty Lies is a NA romance and it looks like it’s becoming the first installment of a new series called Heartbreak Hill. As I said, it’s the story of Thayer Ames and Shayne Courtland. A forbidden romance that takes a turn after the death of Danny Ames, Thayer and Holden’s brother and Shayne’s step-brother. Thayer and Shayne had an instant connection and a secret relationship but their world is shaken after that tragic event. 9 months after, Shayne is back and lives are turned upside down all over again. Things have changed. Does Thayer really hate her now or is fate making its way in to make sure these two realize they need to be together?
How can you simultaneously love and hate how a person makes you feel?
I just knew Charleigh would not disappoint us! She keeps working her unique style, with new storylines and characters that I completely fell in love with. I loved Thayer, Shayne, Holden and Valen. What a wonderful crew! I am already loving Heartbreak Hill and all the mysteries around it. Tell Me Pretty Lies is surely a romance but it also has suspense and drama, and that is what made it such an entertaining read. I literally could not stop reading after I started it. I enjoyed every single moment of it and you’ll understand why if you read it too.
“Tell me another lie.” His hand flattens against my stomach and slides beneath my shorts and underwear. My grip on his wrist is loose, hardly a protest. “Tell me more pretty little lies from these pretty little lips.”
I loved the back and forth between Thayer and Shayne, the hate that is not really hate at all, their past, their connection and the emotions surrounding everything around them. Of course, do not doubt, Charleigh knows how to bring the heat and the chemistry was absolutely off the charts HAWT! But what makes this couple so wonderful is everything, that including their chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed this whole story, with all its characters and the outstanding couple. So glad these two found their way back to each other after all!
The lightning might have branded my skin, but Shayne branded whatever’s left of my heart.
Therefore, I am rating Tell Me Pretty Lies with 4.5 STARS because the story was so entertaining, suspenseful, angsty and with some crazy hot and sweet moments that I loved. Thayer and Shayne’s connection was amazing and their chemistry explosive and just perfect! I cannot wait for Hunter’s story because I loved him just as much and I hope he ends with Valen lol Highly recommend this NA romance!
3.5
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I didn’t really know what to expect.
This author has a really nice writing style but I feel like this time the story wasn’t really for me. This book has the sort of forbidden love between step brother and step sister is not really my favorite thing but either way this book will defiantly keep you guessing all the way through. This book does have it all suspense, mystery, secrets, forbidden love, twists and much more and with such a dangerous kind of love someone is bound to get hurt.
Thayer is a total alpha male and is really not a nice guy really. He doesn’t really let people see the real him and
Shayne was such a beautiful kind of person and has a lot of strength and fight in her and its wonderful to see the journey that she gets on throughout this story.
These two characters go through so much together, a real journey and you don’t know weather they will get there happily ever after or not. When feelings are thrown into the mix everything gets thrown out of the window but will love prevail?
This book does have some twists that you wont see coming and is quite suspenseful and parts of this book are quite steamy and h.o.t. This book does have a few moments that will play will your heart strings and will have your emotions up and down and this author really knows how to connect with the reader which is always excellent.
This book is a real taboo read but it also smothered with twists, I also love book that have prologue because I feel it always adds something extra special to the story.
This author has written these characters excellently and it leaves you hoping to see the secondary characters in there own story real soon.
Thank you to the author and the publishers for allowing me to read an early copy of this book.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This book is out now.
*NOW THOSE LIGHTENING BOLTS TOTALLY MAKE SENSE!*
This book was SO SO GOOD!
I think it was my favorite from Charleigh Rose.
Yes, Thayer and Shayne are up there in my top fave couples of hers. This book had all the angst, high school drama, family issues galore, not to mention THE BEST SECONDARY CHARACTERS EVER WRITTEN!!! I cannot wait to get Holdens book! Dare I say Val is the heroine?! Please oh please?! What about Grey?! I wouldnt mind maybe alittle M/M with him…hahaha..
Back to my fave couple. Shayne was a great feirce heroine. I loved her spunk and her determination to see things through with Thayer. And Thayer. Man on man. He was just the cream of the crop. Got me day dreaming of some lip ring young men. He was troubled but protected his family with everything he had. The people I thought were bad, werent. I was thrown for so many loops. Without going into anymore detail and spoiling anything, this book was such a major 5 star book for me. I loved it. Love this author. I cannot wait to read more from her. Totally recommend.
3.5 stars
Writing a review about a book that left you with mixed feelings, is always not that easy for me. I really wanted to love this book. But there were too many things that either rubbed me the wrong way, or were I felt things were left out, or things were not clear to me (things didn‘t really add up to me).
For example, I expected a lot more bullying. More meanness, not only from the male main characters, but also from the female villian. The whole book felt like a soft bullying story. And that‘s not what I expected.
I also had trouble to really feel the connection/attraction between Shayne and Thayer.
However, the overall flow of the book and it‘s pace was really great. It definitely is a entertaining and interessting story. The writing style is captivating and will keep your eyes clued to the pages, in spite of the mixed feelings I was left with.
How can you describe this book in only a few words? I‘d say: The title says it all – This story is full of lies that keep those characters thriving in their development and are the main driver of their relationships and interactions.
I wish I could give this book way more than 5 stars!
This has to be Charleigh’s best book yet, I could not put it down for even a second. I was on the edge of my seat trying not to read it fast because I just didn’t want it to ever end. This book was a enemies to lovers, but boy was it everything.
Thayer and Shayne were FIRE, these two stole my heart right from the start. The book starts off with a bang and it just keeps getting better and better as we keep on reading. Shayne was someone I just loved, she was fierce and strong, she didn’t let anyone bring her down, i loved how she sticked up for herself and didn’t let what others did to her dictate her life. Thayer, he was someone who was hiding so much, he was broken and lost.
When Shayne and Thayer were together, it was literally like lightning. These two have won my heart and they will never leave it. I wish this book didn’t have to end, seriously one of the best books in 2020. Charleigh, YOU ARE A QUEEN!!!! You just delivered a book that will leave everyone speechless and wanting more of this world.
Tell Me Pretty Lies by Charleigh Rose
5 STARS
LOVED IT.
Angst, steam, enemies to lover, secret, mystery, suspense, twist and turns, THIS BOOK had it ALL.
Loved Shayne, loved Thayer and definitely loved Holden.
In my opinion the book had a great and unique plot and story.
I was hooked from the start to the end of the book.
Thayer is dark, broody, mean, doesn’t enjoy the popularity and attention. Holden is the exact opposite to Thayer. Holden being the soul of the party, the joker.
Shayne & Thayer were brought together by fate. Her mother was engaged with his father. Shayne gained 3 stepbrothers. Thayer, Holden and Daniel.
The story starts with Daniel funeral. Even if Thayer and Shayne feel something deep for each other, they can’t be together. Thayer is hurting because he lost his brother and pushes Shayne away.
Shayne is is hurting to. She loved Daniel. Now, after a year she came back, but nothing is the way it used to be. She lost her family, because even they were her stepbrothers, she loved them as a true family. Now they hate her, and she doesn’t know what. That day, a year ago, she not only lost Daniel, she lost them all.
I liked Shayne as a heroine, she was calculated, she was strong enough to face her ex-stepbrothers and fight them.
The side characters were epic. Can’t wait to read their story. They definitely add “that” something important and good to the story.
Definitely a MUST read.
This story took a while for me to get into it. When I started it I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but around 25% into the story things started to pick up with the story for me. However, one thing throughout was I couldn’t connect to any of the characters. I don’t know what it was about them but I just wasn’t feeling it. That being said, the mystery of the story I did enjoy. It kept me going because I wanted to know what happened.
There is chemistry between Shayne and Thayer, you can’t deny that. It was the typical bully high school romance when it came to their relationship. There is the forbidden aspect to their relationship, which I enjoy. Overall, there wasn’t anything special about their relationship to me, but again, maybe it was the fact I couldn’t connect with the characters.
The mystery of what happened to Danny held my attention and kept me from stopping. At the rate it was going I had doubts there would be answers by the end of the book and this was going to continue into a second one. Answers are given as to what happened the night Danny died, however, more questions also come up.
Tell Me Pretty Lies is full of angst, steam, mystery and suspense.
OMG! OMG! OMG! I absolutely loved this book and to find out there will be a book two just tickles me pink! As soon as Tell Me Pretty Lies landed on my kindle, I dropped everything and devoured the entire book all in one day. I always enjoy a story that keeps me guessing up until the very end, and this one did just that. Thayer and Shayne’s story is super steamy, complex, intriguing and held me completely captivated as each twist unraveled and revealed the hidden truths. Told in dual point of views, this is a must read for any and all lovers of new adult romance. 5 Lightning in a Bottle Stars for Thayer, Shayne and Tell Me Pretty Lies!