Reviewed by Irene
Title: The Truth About Riley
Author: Henrietta Clarke
Publisher: Bottom Drawer Publications
Length: 79,000 words
Blurb:
Riley Aylworth’s life has been completely devoid of intimate contact since a fire three years ago left him with horrific facial scarring, so when he finds an ad for a phone sex service, he decides to give it a call. Except that the number is not a phone sex service—it’s the revenge Cameron Kirkwood’s ex-boyfriend took on him after their bad break-up. And after a series of horny, unwanted phonecalls, Cameron loses his temper and yells at Riley. What he doesn’t expect is for Riley to hit redial and yell right back.
The argument helps both Cameron and Riley vent about their issues, and when they’ve calmed down, they decide to exchange numbers and talk again. From this decision springs a friendship that, over time, grows into a gentle romance—all over the phone, because Riley is too scared to meet Cam in person.
Meanwhile, Cam is haunted by the scarred blond he seems to be seeing everywhere, and Riley can’t get the handsome brunet who always seems happy to see him out of his mind…
Small excerpt:
Shaking his head, Cam hung up. When his phone rang yet again within a minute, he could feel the end of his tether rapidly approaching. His patience had never been great at the best of times, and today he just wanted to get home and put his feet up, maybe order in some takeout and watch a movie.
“Cameron Kirkwood.”
Wow. He hadn’t realized he could get so sick of the sound of his own name.
Silence. Well, apart from an odd noise that may have been a nervous gulp.
“Hello? Can I help you?”
“I-is this the guy I just spoke to?” The same soft voice as last time, and Cam cursed under his breath, a suspicion niggling in the back of his mind.
“Yes. Why are you calling this number, precisely?”
“Because it’s the one in the ad?” The voice sounded unsure.
“Ad?”
“N-never mind. I guess they misprinted. Sorry to bother you.”
The dial tone sounded before Cameron could press the guy further, and he cursed again. Well, if his suspicion was correct, there’d be another call sooner or later, and he could grill that caller instead. For now, he’d put the matter out of his mind, gather up his stuff, and head home.
Review:
If you’re looking for fast-paced, quick romance, this is not the story for you. But, if you’re in the market for a solid, gut-wrenching, all-consuming read, do continue. It’s the kind of story you want to crawl into and never leave again.
The Truth About Riley will hit you right in the stomach – and it will stay there for a long time. And if you’re anything like me, you will fall in love with Riley’s gentle soul immediately. The friendship building between Cameron and Riley is beautiful – and the love even more so. Their eventual exploration of phone sex (no, they don’t jump into that immediately) is hot, hot, hot! And when finally do meet, it’s so sweet it will give you a tooth-ache.
Without the author resorting to clichés and without the usual frills and big arm gestures, this is a quiet lovestory that creeps into your head and your heart, consumes you even when you’re not reading – I found myself thinking about it when I did the dishes, walked the dog, folded laundry. Every chance I got, I was reading, and when it finished, I just wanted MORE! (Luckily, there’s a sequel in the works).
The only thing preventing me from rating it a five-star story is the double-edged sword of long and detailed phone conversations. It’s a useful tool for building their relationship, but eventually, you just want them to move on from talking and into doing. And being a bit impatient, I thought she could have moved the story along just a little bit faster. That said; don’t miss out on this beautiful love story! It’s worth every minute, and it will give you chills and have you in tears more than once along the way.
Rating: 
Buy link: Bottom Drawer Publications Amazon
Thanks so much for this review. I bought the book earlier but haven’t read it yet. This has me absolutely salivating to get started!
I’d already received a recommendation from a friend for this book and then saw this review. I had to buy it!
I’m so glad I did.
I totally agree with your reviewer on all points. This is a beautifully crafted story that slowly builds as we get to know Riley and Cameron. Yes, some of the phone conversations are overly long – I may even be guilty of some not-so-accidental skimming – but I can forgive that because those conversations covered such a lot of diverse ground and really added humour to their evolving relationship. The growing sexual component was tastefully done and never gratuitous, refreshing when I’m trying to wipe from my memory all those over-the-top ‘oh, harder, baaaaaaaby’s that some writers seem to think we all want. That’s what internet porn is for, people! I’m one of those readers that wants my fantasy overlaid with a healthy dollop of realism and this hit the spot.
I particularly liked the ending – and from reading lots of reviews, I seem to be in the minority here – because I like some mystery left to my imagination. I don’t like to be spoon-fed the happy ever after when an author can leave it up to me to work out how I want it to continue. Surely, that’s what keeps characters in your head long after the last page is turned? Obviously, however, I shall be looking out for the sequel – I won’t be able to resist – but the romantic in me was more than happy with my last view of Riley and Cameron’s moments together.
I highly recommend.
You want to apply for a guestreview spot sarah ? Love your comment ! X dani