The Life You Stole by Jewel E. Ann Series: Life #2
Published by Self-Published on February 20, 2020
Pages: 376
Format: ARC
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Amazon
Sex. Lies. Revenge.
On the heels of a devastating loss, Evelyn fights to put her life back together.
Only … part of her husband belongs to another woman, and the devil owns her soul.“If you tell her the lie, I will tell her the truth.”
When her best friend goes to great lengths to protect Evelyn from destruction and devastation, mistakes are made, lines are crossed, and all trust is shattered.
“We weren’t unbreakable.
I just needed to believe we weren’t unrepairable.”Don’t miss the explosive conclusion to this unforgettable thriller by Jewel E. Ann, bestselling author of The Transcend Series.
The conclusion of the Life Duet is every bit as riveting as I anticipated. The Life You Stole is twisted and dark on a totally different level than book one. I feel like I’ve been emotionally pummeled.
Once again, the story is told from Evelyn and Ronin’s points of view, only this time around Lila and Graham’s perspectives are added to the mix. Between the four of them, we are privy to a variety of tender, heartbreaking, conflicted, and creepy thoughts. Whether you like all the characters or not, the character development is phenomenal. Evelyn is filled with honor and goodness. I loved her most of all.
Jewel E. Ann is such a gifted, bewitching storyteller. Many of her books have pushed the boundaries of what I consider comfortable, normal, or moral. This story is no exception. Much of the book is just plain gut-wrenching, but it is so gripping that I could not put it down. I wore the dark circles under my eyes as a badge of honor.
A minefield of potential triggers makes this a tough read, so proceed with caution—particularly if you are a sensitive reader. Personally, as much as I love an angsty read—and I did relish the many mind-bending, suspenseful aspects—I felt a profound sense of sadness throughout. I think it affected my overall enjoyment of this conclusion, and it took some time to shake off the funk I was in.
When looking at the entire arc of the duet it is clear that it is plotted with precision. The story stayed with me long after “The End”. I had an overwhelming urge to go back and analyze small details and character choices. This complex and haunting story would make a fantastic book club selection.
* I received and early copy to voluntarily read. *
Excerpt from The Life You Stole
“It’s not even seven.” I tucked my bare feet beneath me, still wearing my navy skirt suit and silk scarf—my long hair in loose curls down my back and around my shoulders just like Graham liked it.
He took calculated steps toward me, completely untying his tie, letting it drop to the floor before working the buttons to his starchy white shirt. I tried to forget my internet search, not that it mattered because I couldn’t hide anything from my husband. He elicited a warring of emotions from me. An icy tingle slithered along my spine, making every muscle rigid, while the warmth in my heart fed on the way my pulse reacted to his proximity, the way it always had done. That never changed. It was how I knew we weren’t broken.
“Did you miss me?” He smirked, shrugging off his shirt, revealing his defined torso—abs for days beneath a thin smattering of dark hair on his chest.
I was the envy of so many women. Every day I reminded myself of that.
“Nice scarf.” He knelt in front of the chair.
I returned a nervous smile, hoping the man before me was the man I loved. Graham untied the scarf, sliding it from my neck as slowly as he’d slid off his tie just seconds earlier. The scarf floated to the floor. Gentle fingers swept my hair off my shoulders, exposing my neck.
With the same feather’s touch, he traced the bruises. “It’s nothing …” His lips replaced his fingers, kissing my neck. “You’re fine. Right?”
I wanted to believe him. Could denial become truth if we just believed hard enough?
“I’m fine,” I murmured, closing my eyes.
“Want me to show you how much I missed you?” he whispered next to my ear.
Was he asking me for permission? Governor Graham demanded me. Pre-marriage, pre-Governor Graham asked … begged me to surrender to him.
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About Jewel E. Ann
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
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Great review!! I’ll definitely have to save this series for a time when I’ve had enough of light and fluffy for a bit. I can tell I’ll have to be in the right place emotionally for it.
I have been waiting for someone to review book 2. I still can’t decided if I want to read it or not! It just sounds so mentally draining. I don’t know if that’s what I want right now.