REVIEW: Beautiful Liar by Tara Bond

Beautiful Liar by Tara Bond: When Nina’s mom is sent to rehab, her sister is placed in foster care, and a mafia boss is after her for her mother’s debt, Nina needs money, a proper apartment, and the only man she can go to is her deceased father’s old friend. But when she starts working in his night club, she meets Alex, the younger son and bad boy disappointment of the family.

He’s everything she needs to stay away from, and at the same time the answer to all her problems. Recruiting her as his new poker dealer in his illegal games, Alex pulls her more and more into his life as she tries to fix her own.

But just as I was considering whether there was any chance of the floor opening up to swallow me, Alex came over and bent down to whisper in my ear. I was expecting him to tell me to leave, but instead he said, “Just take a deep breath and calm down. You can do this. There’s no reason to be nervous.”
He squeezed my shoulder before moving off.
I wasn’t sure what it was – maybe the unexpected kindness – but Alex’s words had a surprisingly calming effect. I closed my eyes for a second, and di as he’d suggested – breathed in deeply, then slowly exhaled.

When all seems finally back on track, secrets involving her father’s death between the two families come to a head.

Beautiful Liar is definitely a rough story to be in. Both Alex and Nina are living hard lives, although in two very different ways, but when they come together it just works. I don’t feel I got to know them well, but how they felt and acted toward one another definitely said it all (and all of it was good), although Nina annoyed me at times by being a bit wishy-washy with her behavior towards Alex.

At times I can definitely say I didn’t like Alex or Nina, but when they were together, when they were good, I loved them and it made the story worth it. I loved Alex’s journey with Nina’s help to becoming a better person. And the end secret was definitely a surprise to me, and, although a bit extreme, worked well in upping the tension between Alex and Nina.

Not very sexy, but definitely hot and, in the end, romantic, far more so than I expected. A rough world, but Beautiful Liar definitely rewarded me by the end, so I recommend it for any reader who wants a bad boy going good.

Book Info:

Publication: October 6, 2015 | Atria Books |

Reliable
Nina Baxter has her life all mapped out. She wants to work hard, take care of her younger sister and not end up like her drunk of a mother. Most of all, she plans to stay away from bad influences.

Reckless
Alexander Noble doesn’t give a damn about anything or anyone. The heir to an unimaginable fortune, he’s never had to do a day’s work in his life, and devotes himself to pleasure and partying.

When opposites attract…
From their very first meeting, Nina knows Alex is bad news, and vows to stay away from him. But as their paths continue to cross, she can’t help being drawn to him – especially when he makes no secret of his interest in her.

Can they resist the pull?
For the first time ever, Nina is on the brink of following her heart. But can she believe Alex when he tells her to trust him? Or is he just another beautiful liar?