Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Review of That's a Lie by Victoria Klahr

Synopsis: Seth is back.

When he walked back into my life, it almost felt like the pieces of my broken heart could be fixed. I thought we could go back to being best friends, but then I started to feel what I had been blocking out for years. I tried. Boy, did I try! But once I started to let him in, I wanted nothing more than to cross that line from friendship into something more…

Just when I think I can move on and let myself be happy, an ugly reminder from my past comes storming in and threatens to destroy the sliver of hope that's been growing since Seth came back. 

Do I even deserve to be loved? 

“I’m not asking to fix your heart. I’m not asking to mend you. I love each and every shattered piece of you. I’m asking that you let me love you. Let me love each piece of your broken heart, and I swear to you I will make up for every heartache you have ever experienced.”

I came back for Josie. 

I knew I'd have to fight for her, but with the loss of her dad and the truth about what happened with her and Blake, I quickly realized that making her mine was going to be a lot harder than I first thought. The problem is, I can’t pretend like she’s just my best friend. I can’t pretend I don’t want more.

I'm willing to do anything to get her to admit she has the same passionate feelings for me, because I know once she opens up and stops lying to herself, I can show her what it really means to be loved. It's a battle of wills, but my love for her is stronger than her will to stop me. 

So I fight for her. I fight because I know she deserves it.

**This is book two in the Promises, Promises series, and book one should be read before you read this one. Also, this book is for mature readers (17+), so if you do not like getting turned on or reading hot steamy scenes, this book is NOT for you!**

4 Stars!

Review: Well, Josie is still her own worst enemy, when it comes to her love life. So...she is staying consistent, but she still drives me a little nuts. If you have not read the first book, please stop now and read it because you will need to prior to this one. 

At the end of the first book, Blake, who I did think Josie mistreated, due to her own indecisions about life, inability to make a decision about love, and both of their lies, does pull a total douche move and leaves Josie after she makes a confession to him of one of her toughest decisions in her life. In many ways, I understand both of their hurts. She was too scarred by her past and how it connected to him, and he was not given any say, or even knowledge, in a decision that she made that concerned both of them. I'm sure many people might disagree with me on that, and arguments of choice or no choice may commence. At the end of the day, her decision, to me, felt like it was just as much retaliation as it was to anything else. To be clear, I think she should have the ability to make the choice, but I think it would have been more ethical and honest on her part to tell Blake before she made the choice - and at least hear him out. 

First, the inconsistencies. I felt like the Blake that I read about in the first book and the Blake described in the second book were almost two different people. Josie felt so guilty for loving Seth even while in a relationship with Blake, but then she is so hurt in the second book and feels so damaged that he hurt her. She pretty much never acknowledged that she had hurt him, as well, until the very end. Then, suddenly, she is flooded with peace...out of nowhere. Ugh, I could go on about that, but just know that I did feel confused as to whether or not Blake was a consistent character. I know Seth hated him, and as this book has his POV (which I LOVED), we get to see that Blake was a total jerk to him, but that makes sense because Blake is a guy that felt like he won. Of course he's going to be a jerk. Seth kind of is, too, once he and Josie are together, so it feels like the reader is supposed to hate Blake for made up things, and then he suddenly turns into this evil person a few times, then apologizes, then we're good? Yikes! Feels like a lot!

One other side note - at one point, Seth, whom I can't say enough about how much I love, but he "diagnoses" Josie with PTSD, based on an internet search. I don't actually disagree with this assessment, but Josie's reasoning for not going to a therapist was that she didn't want to ruin her chances of becoming a counselor. This bugged me for the whole rest of the book because...therapists, counselors, psychologists...you name it...we're all actually recommended very highly to go to regular therapy to deal with issues like she has been through. Seth then also suggests that she change things in her dreams from bad thoughts to happy thoughts, and she sort of magically does it that same night. Also probably not very realistic. 

Now, for what I did like about this book because, aside from Josie being, let's face it, a typical mid-20's female that either doesn't know what she wants or has a hard time expressing it, I did like her and Seth's story. They both have their own demons, and they've both suffered. Seth has pretty bad Depression, so he also struggles with some self-esteem issues and struggles with whether or not he is worthy of Josie. She continues to push him away...over and over...and over and over again. But...Seth fights for Josie. For the first time in the four years that they have been doing this dance, he fights for her. He doesn't let her get into her own head too much, and he doesn't let her push him away for very long. His dedication to getting her and making her happy redeemed this story. I guess it's true that love can be ugly. 

There is a cliffhanger-ish, so I'm assuming that there will be more to this story. I almost wouldn't mind a book from Blake's POV, either, so that I can maybe finally try to get a feel for what and who he is.

Jessica

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