Book Review: Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen) by Lisa Renee Jones

Oh, Ms. Jones; how you torment me so with your cliffhangers. Sigh. Being that I have read Lisa Renee Jones' Tall, Dark & Deadly series and the Inside Out series, I'm a big fan and familiar with her writing style. So yes, I totally expected there to be a cliffhanger at the end of Escaping Reality. But damn if I'm still not all flustered by it.

No one knows who Amy Bensen really is, least of all Amy herself. Something happened when she was 18 that completely threw her life off course; causing her to run across the country with a new identity. And although she knows what happened, she can't remember all of the details of how it happened. Or why exactly she is in hiding or who she is hiding from. Now, her past has caught up with her, sending her on the run once again. On her plane ride out of town, fate lands her in the seat next to sexy billionaire Liam Stone.  They are immediately drawn to each other but Amy holds back knowing that getting close to someone puts both herself and them in danger. But Liam is relentless and refuses to let her walk out of his life.

"I told you I do not do anything because I have to. And I don't. But to be inside you right now, baby, I have to. I need to. And, yes - right here in the kitchen."

Liam is a sexy, possessive alpha male (do you see a trend in the books I read?) who you just can't help but want. Seriously. He is a bit over the top at times with his possessiveness, but Amy doesn't have a problem telling him to stop. Their chemistry is pretty darn hot which results in intense and sometimes erotic lovemaking. It doesn't take long for their casual affair to turn into something more. And as their relationship grows, Amy decides she doesn't want to have to run and hide anymore. So she starts researching into her past, to the tragedy that changed her life. But answers are extremely hard to find.

As I was making my way through the final few chapters, I could feel my anticipation start to build. I knew something big was coming, but I couldn't really figure out what. And then BAM, Lisa hits me with a twist that simultaneously pissed me off and filled me with despair. Will Amy have to go on the run again? Is Liam really who he says he is? (I kind of want to punch him right now). And was it really fate that put them on the plane together and living in the same town? Escaping Reality doesn't leave you with any answers, but a whole bunch of questions.

Once I turned on my Kindle and started reading Escaping Reality, I couldn't put it down, so I ended up reading this in one afternoon. Lisa Renee Jones is a master of mixing sexy romance with a little bit of suspense to keep you at the edge of your seat and guessing as to what is really going on. If you are already a fan of hers, I know you will enjoy this read. And as long as you don't mind a good cliffhanger, new readers will like it too.

"If you're worried I'll bite, I promise to tell you first."

Book 2, Infinite Possibilities, is scheduled to come out this year but there isn't an exact date as of yet. Hopefully it is sooner rather than later because I would really like to know what the heck is going on!

Escaping Reality will be available to purchase on July 22, 2013.

Marianna's Rating:

**I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: Escaping Reality
Author: Lisa Renee Jones
Series: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Romantic Suspense
Social Media: @lisareneejones; www.facebook.com/Lisareneejones
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/17671483-escaping-reality

Book Description: At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loved to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she's finally dared to believe she is forgotten-even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets her guard down, the ghosts of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take "no" as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes?