Denial: The Careless Whisper Series, Book 1

This is the first book in the Careless Whisper series, a spin-off of the Inside Out series.For those who’ve read the Inside Out series this story follows the missing friend of Sarah McMillan, the woman who first found Rebecca’s journals, leaving them with Sarah when she left the country with her fiancé. This series can stand-alone, some readers will recognize the tie-ins to other series.A woman wakes up in a hospital in Italy with no memory of who she is.Amnesia is a strange thing, it’s a partial or total loss of memory. It can let you remember the foods you like and that you’re an American but not what state or city you’re from or even your name. Imagine waking up in a hospital in a foreign country where the language spoken you don’t comprehend. The first face you see is that of a gorgeous sexy blue eyed stranger, a man who found you in the streets. He feels familiar and you don’t seem to fear him, at least not yet. When he asks for your name you can’t answer, for you honestly don’t know. Confusion overwhelms you, terror at what must have happened to you threatens your peace of mind. You have no identification and no one to call for assistance. When you finally see yourself in a mirror there’s something not right about the image that stares back at you. The few memories that start to seep through the fog in your mind scare you, you know that you’re running, hiding, but not from what or whom. Do you trust this man who has stayed by your side? A man who you find yourself magnetically drawn too.And so begins Ella Ferguson’s journey of discovery, to find herself. She’s aligned herself with Kayden Wilkens, the man who saved her and took on responsibility for her life, a man whose true agenda she doesn’t know. For the moment he’s all that she has. She’s going on instinct, praying her gut is right.With seductive words and a suspenseful storyline the reader is thrown into a web of deceit, your attention captured from the opening scene and maintained throughout as the mystery unfolds. We follow Ella as her fractured memories return, like a jigsaw puzzle she rebuilds her life piece by piece and with every answer she obtains more questions arise. Danger is around every corner, nothing is as it seems.Kayden’s a wonderful alpha antihero, possessive, dominant with many layers to him, his tragic past has defined his present. Ella is a kick-ass heroine, she may not know who she is but she’s intelligent and a fighter by nature. The chemistry between these two was off the charts, their passion intense. Ella may want Kayden but her trust only goes so far. Will he prove to deserve her trust?I loved this start to a new series. Lisa Renee Jones does romantic suspense like it should be done, there’s a well-written storyline with a complex mystery to solve amidst fast paced action and suspense, intrigue, dark secrets, lies, betrayals and a sexy romance. The characters are compelling with much emotional depth. The myriad twists and turns keep you thoroughly engaged, the cliff-hanger ending astounds. Kayden has some serious explaining to do and this reader is dying to hear what he has to say.ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Secrets, Lies, and Mysteries! Denial has them all and will keep you glued to the pages, thinking and wondering what has happened and who can Ella trust. Who is she? Where does she come from? What is her connection to Kayden?Book 1 in the Careless Whispers Series and a spin off from Inside Out, Denial is Ella’s story and written in her POV. Afflicted with a severe case of amnesia after an attack and major concussion, Ella struggles to remember the important aspects of her life. She appears to have been rescued by Kayden but why is he so familiar to her? Is it really a coincidence that he found her or is there something more dark and sinister lurking in the shadows? Why does he feel an obligation to protect her?The reader should be warned that this is a Series that needs to be read in order but you do not have to read the Inside Out series first. I started with Denial and I did not feel lost or deprived in any way by doing that. Obviously, there is a cliffhanger and the story continues but the good news is Demand, which is book 2, is already released and the final book, Surrender, will be out soon. I’m not a particularly patient person when it comes to a Series and thus I tend to wait until they are all released before I begin. I absolutely love flying through that last chapter, my heart racing with the realities that are being revealed, only to be able to open the continuation of the story immediately. Denial has sat on my kindle for 7 months because after reading the sample, I just had to have it. That first chapter will lure you in and open a world of questions in your mind. Somehow, life got in the way, and I didn’t have a chance to read it until now, which has worked our perfectly for me – book hangover averted.All of the books I have read by Lisa Renee Jones have had an air of mystery mixed in with intrigue and romance along with a super sexy alpha billionaire who knows how to handle himself in the bedroom. This series is no different and I am loving it. Ella is shaping up to be a very strong character who can take care of herself and with a backbone to be proud of. I have never been disappointed by the words from this author and this story is no different. I’m anxious to dive into Demand and unearth more secrets about the truth behind Ella and Kayden’s past and how they intertwine.Read and Reviewed on behalf of My Timeout Book Blog.

Denial is the first book in the Careless Whispers Series. It’s told through the eyes of Ella, best friend to Sara from the Inside Out Series. In classic Lisa Renee Jones fashion we’re treated with some twists and turns! I was constantly waiting for the proverbial bomb to drop!Ella wakes up to find herself in an Italian hospital with no memory of who she is, staring into the blue eyes of a sexy stranger claiming to have saved her from a mugger. Kayden is controlling and protective of her from the start and she has a sense of familiarity with him leaving her to wonder about their potential connection. Did they know each other from the past or do similar souls just recognize one another? One thing for certain is that the chemistry is immediate.“He just stands before me, power and sex wafting off him like a seductive drug that if tried once would surely become a dangerous addiction.”But it doesn’t take long before it’s clear that this was not a simple mugging. There are much larger and more dangerous secrets lurking in the back of Ella’s mind that could cost both her and Kayden their lives. Ella has upset some dangerous people. To add to the intrigue, Kayden himself has secrets that he is keeping from Ella. Regardless of motives, Kayden sets her up with a new identity and takes Ella to his castle in an attempt to keep her safe while she heals and tries to recover her memories.With limited options, Ella has no choice but to accept his help even as she’s fully aware that she needs to be careful who to trust. That includes Kayden…Kayden has experienced devastating loss and to protect himself has erected walls around his broken, guilt ridden heart. At least, that is, until he meets Ella. The two feel a pull that’s undeniable but Kayden insists on fighting it. In the beginning Kayden’s off and on attitude toward Ella was starting to get a tiny bit annoying. First he’s flirting with her and in the next breath he’s rejecting her and after brooding a bit he’d make declarations about how much he wants her. It was starting to give me some serious emotional whiplash. I could understand where he was coming from though 😉As they spend more time with each other trying to piece Ella’s past together, it’s evident they won’t be able to fight the attraction. Kayden FINALLY pulls his head out of his ass realizing he can’t and won’t fight their connection anymore.“I want more.” “More what?” “Everything,” he says, his lips nuzzling my ear as he repeats, “Everything, Ella. Can I have it?”When these two come together in explosive passion it is HOT! Seriously smokin’ mixture of tender and sweet with dirty rolled into one. LOLAs Ella’s memories start to return it becomes even more apparent that not only is the danger more pressing than originally thought but things are turning out to be much more complicated. As layers to the mystery are slowly peeled away we’re seemingly left with even more questions and doubts. But just when things seem to be moving forward and the relationship between Ella and Kayden is stabilizing, Ella makes a discovery that could destroy any and all trust she had! Darn you Lisa Renee Jones! hahahaWith betrayals, secret agendas, lies, obsession and a willingness to do anything for a price, the author intricately weaves together a story that kept me questioning the motives of everyone around Ella. I did find this particular book to be a tiny (I mean tiny) bit slow but that makes sense considering this is the first book in the series. The stage is being set. But trust me when I say as you progress through the series you’ll be in for a hell of a ride 😀 Highly recommended!

Yet again, Lisa Renee Jones has written a winner. The brilliant skills of her talent showing through the pages. The book tells of Ella's story from waking up in hospital and the torment of emotions that fill her every day. It was a great spinoff, can't wait for the next book

Wow. What an amazing book.. need the next one noww

Love the storyline, suspense and heat in this book. Well written Lisa, kept me up past midnight I was so into Ella's story

This book is amazing and I couldn't put it down . It is very descriptive and intense from start to finish . It's a real rollercoaster of a ride , with twists and turns a plenty .The book is seen from Ella point of view , she has amnesia from a head injury and wakes up in a strange hospital bed in a strange country . Watching over her is Kayden , a gorgeous , mysterious man who claims he saved her and wants to protect her . As the story evolves , she has flashbacks which are scary but also show her who she is . This book is a journey of discovery to find out who is Ella , but also what's happening with Kayden .I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone .