REVIEW: Vengeful Love: Deception by Laura Carter

In Deception (Vengeful Love #2) by Laura Carter, ever since meeting Gregory Ryans, Scarlett Heath’s life has changed. Some for the better, some for the worse. Who knew a hostile takeover could leave such a destructive path in its wake? Scarlett is determined to protect Gregory by admitting the truth of just who killed the person in his apartment to the police, but he’s got other plans; plans he doesn’t seem to trust her with. What’s a woman supposed to do when the man she loves doesn’t trust her? Does she walk away for good, or push until he gives her some idea of what he’s up to and what he wants out of their relationship?

How can you be so calm?”
“It’s life, Scarlett.”
“I’m not even going to pretend I understand that comment.”
“Look at me. Stop biting your lip. Tell me what else John said.” I shrug. “He said the longer it takes for the CPS to make a decision the better. We’re another day closer to putting that night behind us, baby.”

Although I was given this as well as the third and final book of this series to review, it is not something I would have normally picked for myself to read. So, even though I liked the plot, of how Scarlett, Gregory and their friends and family have to deal with the aftermath of the hostile takeover, and the events of what happened in the end of the first book (Vengeful Love), I was frustrated how the two main characters kept diverting from their problems through intimacy.

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories, and the investigation of the person who was killed. Did whoever killed someone do it for revenge or to save someone they love. Scarlett goes through a lot in this story, and I really liked her. Can she convince Gregory that he deserves love and happiness? Can she convince him to share his past, a past he believes if he shares will send her running from him?

Scarlett is strong, brave, and tenacious. She’s determined to do the right thing to protect those she cares about, but it’s hard when everyone else is against the idea and keep giving her — what may be false hope – that everything would work out. How is it supposed to when nothing about the shooting adds up to the story they’ve given the police? I also enjoyed how Scarlett pushed Gregory to reveal more about himself. He knew a lot about her, but she didn’t know much about him. What could possibly be so bad that he didn’t want her to know? While Gregory, he’s arrogant and determined to make sure Scarlett can go on with her life without fear that she’s going to end up losing all she’s worked hard for. Even if it means doing something that could get him into trouble.

Hot, fan-your-face sex scenes heated up the story, illustrating the strong chemistry Scarlett and Gregory had. Yet, there were too many of them for me to enjoy this story as a whole, which was a shame because I immensely enjoyed the suspense side of it.

Overall, this was a very good story where I liked that Scarlett’s best friend isn’t above telling the heroine what she thinks of her relationship with Gregory. Again, this second book in Ms. Carter’s Vengeful Love trilogy ends with a cliffhanger just as the first book did, and it was an ending I cheered for. Because Gregory was never going to let her in on his past unless she did something that made him realize that she was a woman that would love him no matter what he told her. I would recommend Vengeful Love: Deception by Laura Carter, if you enjoy romantic suspense mixed with plenty of steamy romance.

Book Info:

Publication: April 11th, 2016 | Carina Press | Vengeful Love #2

How far would you go for the one you love?

Would you keep a deadly secret?

Would you risk everything?

I would. And I did. Because living without Gregory Ryans is unthinkable.

But I can’t keep living a lie. He can’t see that the only way to be free is to reveal the truth.

I’m ready to put my faith in the law, but he’s doing what he does best: buying a contingency plan.

He tells me I’m his light, his one bright spot in all the darkness that surrounds him. But his past is creeping forward from the shadows, and the secrets he’s guarded with his life are destroying him.

There are some things money can’t buy.

If he won’t let me in, I’m not sure my love is enough to save us.