Reviewed by Lesley
TITLE: The Lies We Tell
AUTHOR: Alex J. Adams
PUBLISHER: Self published
LENGTH: 214 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 8, 2023
BLURB:
“Lies destroy – especially the ones we tell ourselves. But reality can destroy too, revealing a truth that can shake you to the core.”
Nate
My marriage was done. The criminal I was chasing was giving me the runaround. I was doubting everything, wondering where my life was going.
I’d given everything to the job, but it had cost me everything, including my family and my home.
When Oliver Farnham gave me the lead I’d been looking for, I couldn’t pass up the chance to put a murderer behind bars.
I’d promised to protect him, and I always kept my word. If he would give up his life as he knew it, to get justice for a man he never knew, I’m sure I could do what it took to keep him safe.
What I didn’t expect was to love him and if that meant giving my life to keep him alive, it was the price I’d pay.
Ollie
How much was my life worth? That was the question I asked myself. Was it worth losing everything for? Damn right, it was. I’d give up my identity if it meant keeping ME safe.
Witnessing a murder and running away from the life I knew, it should have been a difficult decision, and if my ‘boyfriend’ knew that I was the one that had given him up, I’d have a target on my back for the rest of my very short life.
Then I met Nate. He’d sworn to protect me in exchange for my testimony, but the closer we became, the more I realised I’d give it all up to be with him.
I just wondered if he’d do the same for me.
The Lies We Tell – a gritty, dark MM romance featuring plenty of spice, steam, an age gap, and bisexual awakening. This is a standalone novel.
Trigger warnings for kidnapping, torture and assault
REVIEW:
In The Lies We Tell, Ollie, a man who wants to escape his abusive relationship with a local gangster, finds love with Nate, the “straight ” detective who wants to lock the gangster up. Unfortunately, Ollie sees something he shouldn’t, putting a target on his back.
Nate is going through a divorce when we first meet him and has never been attracted to a man before. Apart from a little questioning, he doesn’t struggle with his attraction to Ollie which is nice for a change. The angst in this book has to do with the gangster not the sexuality of the characters.
Ollie and Nate were likable characters and Gazza a truly unlikeable character. Reading the book I felt invested enough I wanted them all to get what they deserved, but not quite enough to “yell” at the book when things got tense.
This book is set in Manchester, England, and I love that I immediately recognised the pub closing times, British culture, and weather. I could picture the opening chapter like a scene from a TV series.
This was my first book by Alex J. Adams and I wasn’t disappointed. I will read more by her.
RATING: 
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