Review: Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, theNew York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.
Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.
After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.
But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.
As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…

Publishes in US:
Genre: ya thriller
Source: Simon Teen
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.
Series? No

My reviews of her previous works:
 Black Ice
Crescendo

Buy it: Amazon IndieBound Book Depository Barnes and Noble

Author stalk away: ~site ~twitter ~facebook ~blog

 

    Simon Teen sent me Dangerous Lies in the mail, and I almost didn't pick it up because thrillers and murder aren't usually my thing. But then I read Alyssa's review (Eater of Books) and saw it entailed a hot cowboy and a good romance. Also I then remembered I gave her other thriller 4 stars, so I decided to give it a chance. 

    Stella, the main character is in witness protection because she witnessed her mom's boyfriend and testified against him. Her boyfriend Reed also is in protection, but not in the same place as her. Stella has given up on her mom ever getting sober, so she is with a woman posing as her foster mom, and all of the sudden in a small country town when she is used to a city. She is understandably prickly and upset about the changes. 

    Carmina, the woman she is living with now, is strict and no-nonsense, which Stella doesn't like since she has always had freedom. But I love the bond that eventually forms between them. They open up to one another and there are times when Stella is surprised by how deep her bond with her has become. On the other hand, Stella has been burned by her mom so many times, her mom chosing drugs over her, and the stealing, lies, and neglect. But she has to face her still, and wonder if this rehab might finally take, or if she will be disappointed again. 

    She keeps bumping into older, handsome Chet, from him taking care of the lawn and grounds for Carmina, to running into him when she goes to town to try and contact Reed. They have chemistry right away, but she is in denial because she is still fighting the relocation, and still hoping for things to work out with her and her old boyfriend Reed. But the more time she spends with them, the more they banter, the more Chet is there for her when she needs someone, and she sees his character tested and it proves over and over how good of a guy he is. 

    The ending wasn't what I expected, but it worked for the book, and I like the way that it left the characters with lots of promise and hope for their futures. 

Bottom Line: Nice romance and character growth.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Would you testify against someone if it meant your life was in danger?