review - Escaping Reality

	Escaping Reality by: Lisa Renee Jones | Website | Twitter Publication Date: July 22, 2013 Publisher: Julie Patra Publishing Series: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1 Format: eBook via Netgalley Page Count: 250 Genre: NA, Romance, Contemporary Get your copy: Amazon | B&N
Summary: Infinite possibilities…. Infinite passion….. Infinite danger…. His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need. At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run. On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes? Summary and cover image from goodreads. I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I received no compensation for my review.
Escaping Reality has been on the Amazon best sellers list for a while, so when I saw it on Netgalley, I quickly requested it. It was a little different than what I was expecting. The beginning and climatic ending were the strongest parts of the book. Being dropped right into danger on page one, had me flipping pages furiously. I wanted details to Amy's frantic flight from a possible attack, but I never really understood what she was running from, much less the odd relationship she had with her "handler." It is later revealed that her family had been killed in a house fire due to some possibly shady connections of her father and his job??? Still a little confused about the backstory and all! The few details surrounding Amy's past are vague, but I did enjoy trying to suss it all out. Let's take a moment to congratulate the winners of Insta-Love of the year! Not only of love, but there is also a case of insta-connection with another character. Between Liam (the future lover found at the airport gate) and Jared (the hunky and oh so familiar neighbor), I just couldn't help but think that Amy's feelings are too unbelievable. Two insta-guys in two days, really? The relationship between Amy and Liam did grow on me; he the overbearing billionaire that is finally allowing someone to break down his barriers. Amy also allows Liam into her life against what her head is telling her, providing her a human comfort she hasn't had in a long time. Liam has some interesting character traits/backstory. I really wanted to know more about him. I know the recluse billionaire has been done before, but I fell hard for this one. He was enigmatic, adding to the danger that Amy is in. She wants to trust him but knows that her involvement could bring him harm. Liam's friend/business associate, Derek, was an added bonus for me. Because for some reason, the ever-watchful and protective male friend always makes me swoon. Guy dynamics at their best! Amy's assumed identity from her handler had me scratching my head and questioning why she so blindly trust him. The apartment/job/boss setup seemed so convoluted that I had to suspend belief to make it through the whole situation. That is until things start to unravel…and get interesting. This building confusion and slipping of the truth had me totally hooked at the end. As referenced, the middle sort of lagged in that there were few answers to that initial jolt of suspense and action. There was something about the writing that was off putting as well. It seemed novice. There were also a couple of descriptive phrases that were overused, for instance, every touch from Liam was "like a branding." I loved that line the first time I read it, but after the sixth or seventh it lost its touch. This didn't detract from the story, but it could have taken it to another level. Overall an enjoyable read that stood out with its unique suspense angle. And for $.99, Escaping Reality is not be be missed. Plus, there is one awesome cliffhanger that will have you holding your breath. At least until October, when the sequel, Infinite Possibilities, is released.
What I like is him bare-chested and relaxed in his pajama bottoms, with sexy, mussed-up morning hair. And me, in his shirt, with his scent teasing my nostrils. I have never worn a man's shirt and that somehow makes wearing his shirt all the more intimate. Amy | page 160 This was my Swoon Thursday last week, and I still love this quote!
Have you read Escaping Reality? What did you think?