Just One Lie by Kyra Davis

Title: Just One Lie
 
Author: Kyra Davis

Publisher: Gallery Books

Published Date: July 28, 2015

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  & Paperback
  
Author Website: http://new.kyradavis.com/

 

Synopsis: 

 

Melody Fitzgerald is the opposite of the “perfect” daughter. The lead singer of an indie rock band, she is impulsive and creative, with a rebellious streak that both defines her and becomes her greatest enemy. Her lover, the enticing and unpredictable Ash, shares her free spirit and penchant for trouble. On the face of it, he seems to be her perfect match.

So why is she so drawn to her soft spoken, reliable drummer, Brad Witmer? How can a man who wears polo shirts and reads the financial section of the paper be of any interest to her at all? And why on earth does someone like that appear to be so captivated by her?

Before she knows it, Melody finds herself on a path of self-discovery, passion, and affairs of the heart. But will a dark secret from her past derail it all? Or will its exposure be the very thing that unburdens her heart and allows her to seek a future with the one man who loves her completely?

My Thoughts:

Just One Lie, by Kyra Davis, is the follow-up story to her New York Times Best Selling book Just One Night.  Just One Lie is definitely a stand-alone book, as it is the first book I have read of Davis’.  However, after reading it I will definitely be reading Just One Night this summer!

Just One Lie centers on Mercy/Melody, a troubled singer in an independent rock band.  Melody is a loner who has done it all.  Her life has literally been drugs, sex, and rock and roll. However, things changed for her more than a year ago.  She fell in love after a one night stand with a mystery man, Ash, that changed her life forever and led to a severing of ties with her parents.  Melody felt that that one night killed her emotionally and physically.  She changed her name to Mercy and found herself in a new city.  Mercy gave up the hardcore drugs and became clean from the drugs for the first time in years.  She formed a new band, hid her past, and had been taking it one day at a time.

All of the effort Mercy put in to forget ‘Melody’ and her previous life comes crashes down around her. Mercy finds herself reeling after Ash shows up to her New Year’s Eve show speaking of forgiveness and soul mates.  Knowing all that she knows, Mercy still can’t stay away from Ash.  She keeps a huge secret from him that would undoubtedly change their relationship.  What unfolds is a complicated love story filled with ups and downs, shocks and plain craziness.  

Added to Ash and Mercy’s complex relationship is the fact that Mercy is starting to have feelings for her new drummer.  Brad is not someone she ever thought she would be attracted to.  He looks like an All American boy, not a drummer in a Rock Band. However, he listens to her and she finds herself opening up to him more and more.  They seem to connect, and this both scares and fascinates Mercy.  She has never known anyone like Brad, someone that would care about her wholeheartedly and not judge her for her past or present.

Kyra Davis’ Just One Lie follows Mercy from New Year’s Eve 

 1999 until present day.  Readers are able to watch Mercy grow and bloom, as well as witness her self-destructive tendencies come to the forefront and be dealt with.  I absolutely adored this story.  The characters were relatable and multifaceted.  I found myself rooting for Mercy throughout the book, wanting her to follow her North Star and embrace who she was. As I mentioned earlier, you do NOT need to read Just One Night in order to enjoy Just One Lie.  I plan on picking up Just One Night just because I enjoyed Mercy’s story so much as well as Davis’ writing.  She knows how to write a gritty, intoxicatingly sexy, coming of age story that kept me wanting more up until the last page. Just One Lie should most definitely be on your Summer 2015 ‘To Be Read’ list!  I know you will enjoy it as much as I did!              

Kyra Davis

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Just One Lie, for the purpose of review.*

Summer at Hideaway Key by Barbara Davis

Title: Summer At Hideaway Key
 
Author: Barbara Davis

Publisher: NAL

Published Date: August 4, 2015

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  & Paperback 
  
Author Website: http://www.barbaradavis-author.com/index.html

Synopsis: 

 

Pragmatic, independent Lily St. Claire has never been a beachgoer. But when her late father leaves her a small house on Hideaway Key—one neither her mother nor she knew he owned—she’s determined to visit the sleepy spit of land along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Expecting a quaint cottage, Lily instead finds a bungalow with peeling shutters and mountains of memorabilia. She also catches a glimpse of the architect who lives down the beach….

But it’s the carton of old journals in the front room that she finds most intriguing. The journals were written by her mother’s sister, an infamous beauty whose name has long been banned from the St. Claire home. The journals tell a family tale Lily has never heard, of her mother and her aunt as young girls in Tennessee and the secrets that followed them into adulthood. As she reads, Lily gains a new understanding: about her family and about herself. And she begins to open her heart—to this place, these people, and the man next door. But can she ever truly learn to trust, to believe that love is not a trap but a harbor? And is it true that hearts, even broken ones, can be forged anew?

 

 

My Thoughts:

I have always been a lover of Women’s Fiction for the pure ‘realness’ of the story. I love the feeling I get when I read about a character and feel connected to her, like she is just as real as I, knowing that the struggles she is going through are struggles that so many other women face, and finally seeing the personal growth the she goes through.  Barbara Davis’ Summer at Hideaway Key has all of these characteristics and MORE. 

Summer at Hideaway Key centers around Lily and her deceased Aunt, Lily-Mae.  Lily never met her aunt, as Lily-Mae’s name was basically a curse word to her mother, Caroline. Lily never understood the animosity that was obviously between Caroline and her sister, and neither Caroline nor Lily’s father ever spoke of it.  Lily-Mae remained a mystery in Lily’s life. However, all of that changed when Lily’s father died and left Lily-Mae’s Florida bungalow to her in his will.  Caroline is furious and insists that Lily dispose of it immediately, but something tells Lily that this may be the one and only chance she gets answers regarding her family history. Why else would her father leave it to her? 

I love how Summer at Hideaway Key is told from the view of Lily and Lily-Mae. Lily-Mae is definitely my favorite character. Her story is up front and center and Lily-Mae finds a voice through her journals which Lily stumbles upon.  In these journals Lily learns of horribly unspeakable things that happened to Lily-Mae, as well as her mother. Lily-Mae had a horribly sad life, with just bits of happiness mixed in. However, no matter what the consequences, Lily-Mae always put the needs and happiness of others in front of her own.  As more of Lily-Mae and Caroline’s past comes to light, the more questions that Lily finds herself asking.  There is definitely a good deal of mystery in Davis’ novel, as well as many twists and turns.  I was shocked to find out how Summer at Hideaway Key concluded.

Summer at Hideaway Key, by Barbara Davis, is a wonderfully touching novel, with romance and mystery mixed in.  It was a novel that truly resonated with me and I believe it will with you as well.  Enjoy!                        

 

Barbara Davis

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Summer at Hideaway Key, for the purpose of review.*

Sweet Muse by Ava Cummings

Title: Sweet Muse
 
Author: Ava Cummings

Publisher: Merrimack Media

Published Date: January 22, 2015

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  & Paperback 
  
Author Website: http://www.avacummingsauthor.com/

Synopsis: 

 

Determined to overcome her difficult past, Anna Starr lands a coveted job at the nation's biggest celebrity magazine in the center of the New York City power scene. She learns early on to make it on her own, and through sheer force of will she does. But frustration sets in when the dark side of tabloid journalism starts to poke through, and she gets duped while dating slicker-than-thou city boys.   Amidst a sea of cocktail parties, Anna meets rising art star Damien Wolfe. Their connection is dangerous, intense, and passionate beyond her imagination. He sees her in a way that she has never seen herself, setting her on a journey toward self-discovery-understanding what it means to be truly loved for the first time in her life. But she may lose it all when her blind ambition and his dark past lead to a crisis that changes everything

 

 

My Thoughts:

Sweet Muse, by Ava Cummings, is a modern day chick lit with a whole lot of sizzling romance. Anna Starr left her small hometown in order to follow her dream of making it as journalist in New York City. When Anna gets scared or feels like she needs advice, all she has to do is picture what her aunt would say to her.  Ever since Anna was a little girl she has looked up to her aunt, who was a journalist in a well-respected New York magazine. Anna knows that she will have to work her way to the top so she eagerly accepts a job at Celeb, a celebrity magazine that has recently started becoming more Perez Hilton than People. The juicer the story means the more magazines sold and Anna soon learns that Celeb draws no lines when publishing tabloid gossip.  In order to flourish at her job Anna has to eat or be eaten. Will Anna be able to make a difference with her writing or will the glamour of celebrity parties and rubbing shoulders with the Hollywood elite taint her?    

While pondering her life goals and trying to get over her insecurities, Anna is also adjusting to the city life. She finds herself thrust into an environment that is both foreign and addictive to her. Anna’s ability to trust men was ruined by her father walking out on her mother long ago.  This has deeply impacted Anna's psyche and relationships.  Unfortunately, Anna is quickly finding that the dating scene in New York isn't helping her get past her trust issues. Man after man continues to disappoint her, until she meets a mysterious guy who makes her question all she previously believed. Is their strong connection merely a coincidence or is there really something there between them?

I really enjoyed reading the different New York nightlife scenes.  Being a small town girl myself, going out on the town here is catching the latest movie.  Cummings really paints a detailed picture of big city life and celebrity parties in Sweet Muse. In particular, Cummings does a superb job of writing about the various New York City restaurants.  I could easily picture the atmosphere and smell the aromas she described.    

Sweet Muse is a fun and lighthearted book that leaves you with a smile on your face. I found myself rooting for Anna and hoping she would not only find love but see her dream of being a legit journalist come true.  Ava Cummings has a winner in Sweet Muse!  If you are looking for a new read to take to the pool or beach, this chick lit novel is for you!

 

Ava Cummings

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Sweet Muse, for the purpose of review.*