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That ending was shocking, unexpected, and amazing!  Okay, I just had to get that off my chest.

Broken by Lies will pull you in right from the beginning and keep you immersed in the story until the very end.  The author has created characters who will tug at your emotions and have you completely invested in their lives. 

Emilia grew up in a rundown trailer, never knowing whether or not she would have enough to eat at her next meal.  She was raised by a mother who suffered from depression and who was not always emotionally available for Emilia.  She may not have had much, but she knew that her mother loved her more than anything.  Despite being dealt a crummy hand in life, Emilia was a strong young woman.  Sure, she had her vulnerabilities and was a bit naïve, but she was young and inexperienced. It was impossible not to feel for her and her situation.  She was the type of character that you wanted to root for and see succeed. 

When Emilia tragically loses the one person who has mattered the most to her, she has nothing left to keep her in her small Illinois town. With limited belongings and money, she buys a bus ticket and travels to Phoenix to try and find the father that she never knew.  She has no other family, no close friends, she is essentially alone in the world.

Alejandro (Alex) is another lonely soul. He may have family (oh boy, does he ever), a good education, and money, but he has also been dealt a less than stellar hand in life. His life is not his own.  It was chosen for him.  Alex would like nothing more than to be able to break free from the burden of his life, his family career, and have a normal life like everyone else. 

When Alex sees Emilia for the first time at a seedy motel in Phoenix, he feels the urge to protect her and warn her of her dangerous surroundings.  When he meets the broken hearted, lonely, sad young woman a second time, his need to protect and help her are even stronger.  He knows that she should probably stay as far away from him as possible, but his compulsion to save her outweighs his common sense.

When he offers to let her stay with him until she gets on her feet, she foolishly accepts.  She realizes that it’s foolish.  Who would jump into a car with a complete stranger?  Her options are limited.  She has fifty dollars to her name and she’s alone in a new city.  What she does know is that she feels safe around Alex.  She doesn’t believe that he would ever harm her.  

Alex tries to keep Emilia out of his professional life as much as possible.  He leads a very dangerous life. One slip-up, one untrustworthy employee, one faulty transaction could upend his whole world – or just end it altogether.  He is keeping secrets from her.  Her safety is dependent on her lack of knowledge of his business dealings.  But when they begin to develop feelings for each other, things become even more complicated. His secrets have a way of straining their budding relationship.

This book is filled with emotion, intensity, danger, and deception.  Despite the fact that I knew that it was the first book in a series, the ending really surprised me!  I never saw some of the twists coming.  I’m pretty sure that I had to pick my jaw up off the floor after I read the last page.  What a way to end a book.  I can’t wait to read book two!

*4 Stars*