Where Love Lies

by Raz Tal Schenirer

When Ella Davidson’s world is turned upside down, and she is forced to transition from her picture-perfect all-American life to two years of mandatory military service abroad, the last thing on her mind is finding love. Then she meets the officer in charge of her unit, Liam Levine. Mysterious, confident on the verge of cocky, and unbearably gorgeous, Liam is everything Ella never knew she needed. And the spark between them? Magnetic. Undeniable. Dangerous. But as she and Liam navigate their secret love affair, Ella finds out that Liam is hiding a secret of his own—one that could ruin them both.

Building to an unforgettably emotional climax, Where Love Lies delves into the longings and lies of falling in love, the slippery slope of controlling relationships, and the strength it takes to find your own voice, reminding us of how hard it is to let go when everything in you wants to keep holding on.

Genres: Romance

296 pages, Paperback

Published August 20, 2024

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and Greenleaf books for an advanced copy for my honest review.

Ella Davidson is living the All American spoiled rich girl teenage dream. One night her parents drop the mother of all bombs, they are moving back to Israel and Ella has to join the Army in 2 weeks. As Ella is sulking on the beach in Tel Aviv with her Louis Vuitton purse and drinking a bottle of wine from paper cups, she meets her dream guy.

Liam Lavine is a gorgeous 20 something who throws sand on her as he is running by on the beach. He apologizes by taking her to a pineapple bar to get drinks and pizza. They seem to connect to the point that they start talking about sex, but no plans are made to meet again.

As Ella enters the army, supposedly the worst experience of her life, all she can think of is Liam. But, a surprise to both of them, Liam turns out to be Ella’s commanding officer.

This book was bad. Bad from page one. I truly thought this was a fake book written by AI that Netgalley was going to rate my reviews on because it was the first one. I thought they wanted to see if I would really leave an honest review. I had to stop shortly after starting chapter 10 because I was getting eye strain. Eye strain not from reading but from rolling my eyes. I was pretty appalled by the Author’s depiction of the army. Being in the army myself, I could tell the author had no military training or even an attempt to learn military procedures, codes, rules, training. Men do not command women during basic training. Liam demanded to be called Commander Levine but he calls his second command by her first name Commander Mia. All soldiers are referred by rank and last name, just rank or just last name, but never by first name.

Basic training is to break a soldier down first, then build them back up. Ella's one objection of getting through bootcamp was to get Liam. I would have been thinking I don't want to be killed especially if rockets were being fired right outside the camp. But no, she talks constantly of wanting to F#!$ him. There is no mention of the strenuous training that gives you no energy to think of anything else but eat, sleep, next mission. But somehow Ella has time to make her bed in pink sheets and a pink comforter. She has time to run to the bathroom to straighten her hair. She asks her mom to alter her uniform so she can show off her curves-have fun crawling around in skin tight clothes. Ella is basically Barbie at Bootcamp, PLEASE! And don't forget this is taking place in 2022. You know, during the Isreal-Palestine conflict. Bombs and rockets going off, people being shot and killed and the author treats this like a teenage summer camp. Disgraceful.

Things that happen in the real army during basic training:
-They don’t get their phones every night for an hour
-You do not choose your bed linen, its given to you
-Soldiers have to clean their space from top to bottom, this was never done
-Female soldiers are NEVER alone with male soldiers especially commanding officers
-You don’t get an M16 as soon as you get off the bus. You wait until you have been trained and then you are issued one
-You don’t get to talk to your commanding officer ever unless they speak to you first
-You don’t get to have mommy get your uniform altered so you can show off your curves and have it delivered by a taxi with gummy worms
-you don't get to leave bootcamp until training is over
-You don’t get time to put on makeup or do your hair especially with a flat iron

My final eye roll, when I decided I am not finishing this book, was when Ella became upset at a grandmother who took her phone to tell her sister the way to win a man's heart is through his stomach. Ella said the older lady was vulgar. VULGAR. I just read 9 chapters of either Liam or Ella (mostly) talk about f@#%ing and she is appalled by this grandmother. Nope, I’m done.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Greenleaf Book Group for choosing me.

I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, but I did scream at Ella ALOT. I also cheered her on at the end, I was happy for her!

I'm probably going to be judged harshly for saying this, but the entire time I read this story, I wanted to strangle Ella. She had every opportunity to put a stop to it. She had her family's support and money backing her, and she just didn't. I know, I KNOW how awful it sounds to judge someone who's going through such a terrible situation, but I couldn't stand it. She wasn't stuck with Liam in any way. For goodness sakes, she managed to leave him and stay away for months and moved to a different country all to just fall at his feet the moment he came back? I'm sorry, but NO. I know this is a fictional story, but there are so many people (men & women) who go through this on a daily basis and they don't have their family's support or money backing them who are truly stuck in horrible situations at the hands of people who claim to love them and at times the entire book just felt like a slap in the face. I'm not saying leaving a relationship is easy. It never is, but Ella was insufferable at times. Even before they were officially together, there were signs and red flags she could have paid attention to, signs and warnings she immediately caught onto and yet willingly chose to ignore. I understand that at the beginning, she could be slightly naive, but why in the world would she choose to invite him back into her life after everything he did to her in Israel?

I am fully aware that he only came back because she reached out first, but the whole premise of the book just didn't sit right with me. Then, to make matters worse, her mother is all happy-go-lucky as she plans her daughter's wedding to this awful, narcissistic man?! Even though she KNEW he'd already laid his hands on her in the past. I'm sorry, but waiting until her wedding day to speak up is not going to fly with me. I understand Ella is an adult and can make her own decisions, but watching her sit back and do absolutely nothing while her daughter is flailing was almost unbearable.

The 3 stars are for the ending. If this had gone any other way, I wouldn't have been able to rate it anything higher than 1 star. I'm happy she FINALLY stood up for herself. I'm happy she picked herself. I'm happy she chose herself.

PS This book should include trigger warnings: DV & SA (although it's not super explicit).

[Cindy W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where Love Lies
Rating: 1.5⭐️

I truly wish I could have finished this book, as I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, I found myself overwhelmed by confusion and random moments that made me want to throw the book across the room in frustration with Ella, the main character.

Ella often seemed childish, shifting between discussing serious topics and then reacting in ways that felt disjointed. While the book addresses domestic violence—which could be a trigger for some—there were elements I appreciated, particularly the family dynamics. However, I ultimately wouldn’t choose to read it again.

Around the 10th or 11th chapter, I encountered a character whose behavior became intolerable for me, and it detracted from my enjoyment of the story.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to read and rate this book, as I was initially hopeful given its premise. I look forward to discovering more compelling reads in the future, but sadly, this one falls short, and I won’t be finishing it.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book was put down a few times im glad i stopped and actually finished this wild ride. This book starts like a Nicolas Sparks novel in a way you have a great one nighter love and have that love meet again at a time in your life when you needed a pick me up. Instead of continuing your love for each other your environment stops you from pursuing it but you work around it and see a future for yourself.

This is Ella Davison's love story finding the man of her dreams to later learn its the man of her nightmares. Even after she leaves Liam she cant seem to get away since the good times were great. She keeps living in a fairy tale of the good times until she finally breaks.

[Stenasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you green leaf book group for sending me a copy! 🩶

While I did enjoy the book it has its moment where I was like HUH?!

firstly from what happened throughout the book I was shocked and I hope trigger warnings are being promoted because I didn’t know! I thought this would be a cutesy romance, it was not! But like I said I enjoyed it.

The book felt very YA to me , especially with how the character acted and talked and the type of references she used.


the MCC is trash and I can’t believe how the FMC repeatedly went back to him when she knew what he was like … so much happened that shouldn’t have but I suppose that’s to be expected in the situation the FMC was in.



Also the beginning of the book maybe should’ve been a whole different plot considering I don’t think that’s what actually happens in the army? But I don’t know .


I did enjoy the family dynamic with the dad he stuck beside his daughter not even knowing what truly was wrong , but the mom is iffy though.

I wish we got more of the friend dynamic and I wish we could’ve seen what her life would’ve been like after the fact (more in depth)

[Michelle Glogovac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella is an Israeli born American citizen who is forced to serve in the Israeli army for two years as part of her citizenship and her family moves to Tel Aviv after being the victims of antisemitism. It's obvious that Ella is trying to find her way early on and is swept away by a man who claims he doesn't want to be his father, yet is exactly the same. It was heartbreaking to read and I kept cheering for Ella to find her voice throughout and stand up for herself because she deserved so much better.

My stomach was in knots reading this because I believe there is truth in how abusive relationships are played out behind the scenes. Ella's family knows something is off but refuses their help time and again.

This book is not light by any means but it will grip you and you won't be able to put it down. It's something that will also stick with you for awhile.

[Leah M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Raz Tal Schenirer for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My apologies that it took me so long to read and review this one.

I’m finally starting to get somewhat caught up with ARCs, and have been able to get to some that have been on the back burner recently. This was a read that I was looking forward to, although it wasn’t anything like what I thought it would be. However, I’m glad I read it, and I’d like to ask you to take my reviews for what they are: simply my own personal opinion of a book.

This was a tough one for me to read and review. I loved the way Schenirer writes, and how this story unfolded. Her writing is beautiful: realistic and descriptive without being too flowery (check out this post for an example). The storyline feels realistic, and unfolds at a steady pace, making this a quick yet powerful read.

One aspect of the story I struggled with was the main character, Ella. I knew that this would be a New Adult story, but having grown up as very privileged and spoiled, I didn’t realize how immature she would read. At some level I had to be aware—kids who have grown up with money and privilege in America are different from those abroad. Ella moves to a country where young people mature faster, and often deal with heavier situations on a regular basis.

It isn’t a surprise that Ella is resentful of her parents’ decision to uproot all of their lives in America and move, because her father has accepted a promotion. This understandably upsets all of the plans that Ella has made for the near future: attending Columbia University with her friends, studying premed, and living in Manhattan instead of suburban Connecticut. Instead, she’s planning for a move to a distant country that includes a mandatory two years of military service. She understands the language because it’s where her parents came from and the country where she was born, and her parents speak the language at home, even if Ella is so embarrassed of how it sounds and what her friends will think that she refuses to speak it at all.

Predictably, Ella throws a tantrum and proceeds to spend all of her time sulking. I get that, and probably would have done something similar at her age, but she spent so much time being negative and grieving what she is missing out on that she completely ignores all of the potential positives that can come from this move. Unfortunately, she went from being her father’s little princess to thinking that she needs someone to protect her, to get her through her military service.

In the American military, they ship you somewhere across the country for boot camp where you have limited contact with anyone outside the military for several months, then they assign you anywhere in the world. But in the army Ella joined, she’s able to bring a comforter set for her bunk among other things, she can speak to family or friends on the phone or by text at least one hour a day, and she got to go home and visit every single weekend. Knowing how different it is from the American military, I really had a hard time feeling too bad for Ella. She struggles in the early part of the book, but looking back on this as an adult, she makes all of her own problems and waits for someone to swoop in like the hero her father has been for her entire life.

“As long as I knew deep down that a part of Liam wanted me, I had something to work with. All I wanted from Liam, at least as a start, was for him to give me a sign, some sort of signal, that I was special and different, that I wasn’t like the rest of the girls. I wouldn’t be able to survive here if I didn’t have him looking out for me.”

Naturally, this leads her to the least appropriate love interest—her commanding officer. In her efforts to get close to him so she could pursue him, she sets herself up for some issues. But just as focused as she is on Liam, he seems to be doing his best to stay away. Of course, he isn’t working too hard to fight her off, and she’s busy ignoring red flags to continue engaging with him. They develop such a toxic dynamic right from the start. With a power imbalance, the relationship wouldn’t be based on mutual respect and trust. And what starts out as an unhealthy obsession with each other soon becomes an unhealthy relationship that neither can let go of.

What really got under my skin about Ella was the way that she actually started making progress, and then she ignored the warning signs that the relationship isn’t a healthy one. Abusive relationships are never easy to escape from, and far too often, the victim blames themselves for their partner’s behavior. Schenirer does a fantastic job of getting inside the head of a woman in an abusive relationship, and the reader gets to see it from the very beginning, in all of its ugly glory. It was so hard watching Ella take a step forward and two steps back, and knowingly make the same mistakes over again.

Overall, this was a pretty good read, even if I really had a hard time with the main character. I didn’t want to give up on her, and she did finally show some growth, although it took her a really long time. By then, it felt too late for me to genuinely like her, even though I was able to empathize with her. It wasn’t the fact that she stayed in an unhealthy relationship for so long, it was that she constantly sabotaged her own independence, for almost the entire book. But as far as the abusive relationship and the thoughts of the partner being abused felt accurate. All of the red flags were present, and something I’m not sure that Ella ever noticed is that in the beginning of the book, she talks about her friends and engages with them and her family regularly. As she gets deeper into the relationship, she not only socializes with them increasingly less, she also speaks and think of them increasingly sporadically, isolating herself further from anyone who cares about her in a healthy way, and furthering his need to control every aspect of her life. So while I can’t say that I enjoyed it, because who really enjoys reading books about abuse, but it was a powerful read written in a short, snappy way that made it easy to read.

[Lauren Bayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know what the world did not need? An off-brand "It Ends With Us" that romanticizes the Israel-Hamas war.

Because when someone writes a book about the IDF, and includes the date of 2022 as the start of a two-year conscription, it goes without saying that Ella is serving during the conflict. Yet the author essentially writes boot camp and service as summer camp, occasionally gross but otherwise crawling with hot people. The original premise of an American girl forced into mandatory service was intriguing, but the writing treats boot camp like Love Island. Knowing as a reader that her cutesy relationship is going on while thousands of innocent people are dying? It made me feel sick to my stomach.

Of course, Ella's situation is heart-wrenching as the person she deemed as her protector ends up being her abuser. It's all too real. But in the first half, Ella just comes off as a brat (and not in the fun brat summer way, in the spoiled way). She purposely ignores the red flags then acts surprised when they wave. No one deserves abuse, but it made the reading painful. I wish there was a deeper examination of culture, especially for a girl trapped between two, but any deeper look was neglected in favor of yet another example of verbal abuse. Again, reading was painful. Not in the rip-out-your-heart way, but in the keep-checking-Instagram way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. Sorry it ended up with brutal honesty.

[Hailey Honea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where Love Lies" is a touching romance that beautifully explores love and heartache. The characters feel real, and the story is written in a way that’s easy to enjoy. Well written, highly recommend.

Ella is an Israeli born American citizen who is forced to serve in the Israeli army for two years as part of her citizenship and her family moves to Tel Aviv after being the victims of antisemitism. It's obvious that Ella is trying to find her way early on and is swept away by a man who claims he doesn't want to be his father, yet is exactly the same. It was heartbreaking to read and I kept cheering for Ella to find her voice throughout and stand up for herself because she deserved so much better.

My stomach was in knots reading this because I believe there is truth in how abusive relationships are played out behind the scenes. Ella's family knows something is off but refuses their help time and again.

This book is not light by any means but it will grip you and you won't be able to put it down. It's something that will also stick with you for awhile.

[Shir Ezrati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautifully written, emotional journey through love, loss, and self-discovery. The story weaves between past and present, slowly unraveling the complexities of relationships and the choices that shape us.

Raz’s writing is poetic yet easy to connect with (and so funny! at times i actually laughed out loud), making the characters and their struggles feel incredibly real. There’s a deep emotional pull in the way the novel explores heartbreak, longing, and the search for meaning in love. The shifting timelines add an intriguing layer, keeping you hooked as the story unfolds.

What makes this book stand out is how deeply it makes you feel. It’s not just a love story—it’s an exploration of the human heart in all its messy, beautiful, and painful moments. I feel any woman would connect to this. If you’re looking for a novel that’s both thought-provoking and deeply moving, Where Love Lies is definitely worth a read.

[Sarah Wakeford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I have mixed feelings about this book.

Firstly the whole army bit:
- she takes pink satin sheets to the army? Pretty sure that wouldn’t be allowed
- she’s given a gun as soon as she gets off the bus?
- pretty sure I would be more concerned about staying alive then worrying about ‘getting the boy’.

Then she gets with Liam the first time and she notices what happens to her and she escapes it and moves away. Even her parents know what’s been happening and where it’s going. THEN she gets back with him and marries the guy? Surely her parents aren’t that naive and think this is a good idea. If that was my daughter I’d drag her kicking and screaming away from him.

To me it’s kind of along the vibes of it ends with us. But why does it take her parents so long to help her escape it.

Not to mention she has the relationship with the other guy and the whole shower situation.

The book is written well, it did take me a little bit to get into it. It wasn’t a bad book- it just frustrated me the lack of input from her parents. And she knew herself it was all wrong but kept on going with it.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll start this review by saying if you were not a fan of "It Ends With Us", you won't like this one either, as it's just another version of that book.

The book starts with Ella's getting ready to graduate from high school and go to college, when her family informs her that they are moving back to Israel for her father's job. In addition, because Ella was born in Israel, she is required to serve 2 years in the Israeli army. That's when she meets Liam, who is her commanding officer.

From there, the story bounces around quite a bit as Ella and Liam's relationship goes from her falling in love, to him becoming abusive.

Ella's character is really unlikeable, so it's hard to have empathy or sympathy for her. The whole part of the book about her time in the Israeli army seems unrealistic.

Overall, it could be a tough book for people to read. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it either.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[TheLisaD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope many young women see and read this because so many get trapped in relationships like this. Ella this bright woman who has passion and drive falls for a soldier and things are going great, until they aren’t and he gets very angry suddenly. Ella doesn’t know how to get out of this after repeating the same behaviors time after time. This story is so many peoples story trying to decide what is best for you and not wanting to hurt or upset a person you really care for. I feel it was very well written especially at the worst parts of Ella’s life you could feel how dark it was for her.

[Sofi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Where Love Lies" by Raz Tal Schenire is a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery. Schenire masterfully weaves emotional depth into each page, creating characters that feel achingly real and relatable. The prose is beautifully lyrical, pulling the reader into a world of heartfelt moments and introspective journeys. It's the kind of book that lingers long after the final page, offering both comfort and a profound understanding of the complexities of the human heart. A truly captivating read!

[Katie A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. Just. No.

This felt more like an outline for a book than an actual book.
It starts with an interesting (even if it's completely unrealistic) premise. But then it completely falls flat.
There is ZERO chemistry between the main characters. Just because you write something once doesn't make it believable.
I won this book--incredibly thankful I didn't spend money on it. I had to force myself to finish this, even though I should have stopped at 30%.

Don't waste your time, it was terrible.

[Susan P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and there were some aspects that I really enjoyed and some aspects not so much. I thought this was going to be a cutesy romance story but it turned to something else. It was a fast read and kept me turning the pages, it had relatable characters and an interesting premise. I felt it was YA read which I didn’t mind. The parts of the story set during her time in the army were a bit unbelievable, I found some of the story very repetitive. Definitely check the trigger warnings before picking up this book.

[Jenn (booksspicycoffeeicy09) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story telling

I really loved this story. It was steamy without being raunchy. The author is an amazing story teller and really paints a gorgeous picture with their words. I was rooting for the main characters but then when the MMC started showing his true colors I was literally like jaw dropped! This book had me in tears more than a few times. I do really recommend this book for everyone to read!

[Melissa Steiner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway and felt obligated to finish it.
This book started out alright, but I quickly realized that this author has no actual knowledge of military training or rankings work, which became annoying. This book also very quickly felt like the “Wish” version of It Ends With Us. This could have had so much more potential but definitely missed the mark.

[Kayla Lister · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because it was different. I have never been to Israel, so it was great learning about another country as I read. It was a quick read with themes I could relate to, and you really felt for the main character. This book was funny at times and sad at times-overall a read I could appreciate

[Angela Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started this book, I found the main character a bit annoying. By the time I finished, I was cheering her on. This was an enjoyable read that deals with the important topic of mental and physical abuse.

[Shayna Eagle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75

[Mariam Mirza]

This is not in line with my values. It speaks about Israel and IDf, which are not anything I would prefer to read. Free Palestine!

[Laura Holley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway and I was disappointed. It is a well-written book, however the story was extremely similar to It Ends With Us.

[Annazetta Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book! Proves that women are capable of more than being a wife and a mother. This writer displayed every option she could come up with to prove that she is a true woman and deserving of her choices. The bite was the impitimany of not allowing ourselves to be less than what we are!

[Julia Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

DNF. I only got a few chapters in and I couldn’t go further. It felt like this book was written. by AI. It jumped around too much and felt disconnected.

[Devon (tips_and_tropes) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐
I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway, so thank you to Greenleaf and Raz Tal Schenirer for the opportunity. It ended up being not for me.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was mainly focused on a relationship in tough times. This was a Goodreads giveaway winner.

[Livia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed following Ella and the storyline. Maybe having met the author made it that much more special, but regardless it was a great read!

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just why

[Jenny K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this based on the description. It's about a girl who's uprooted from her life and sent to the army. The family moves due to anti-semitism, and there's a romance and chance for reinvention. These issues are dealt with in the story.

Unfortunately, this really didn't work for me. The very first paragraph is meant to be some existential questions the main character is thinking about, and they were way too melodramatic. Not a great start.

The biggest problem was an extraordinarily unlikable main character. Ella is a brat. She is given a trite description as the perfect American girl; beautiful, stinking rich, with a near-perfect SAT score. Spare me. But she is insufferable and selfish. All she does is complain and speak poorly. Unbelievably, when she develops a relationship with someone who says he can't get involved with her at the risk of losing his job, which he desperately needs to support his family, she just thinks about ways to snag him. I couldn't find myself rooting for her.

Oh, and about that relationship. It's not very credible. They meet on the beach and three seconds later are talking about intimate stuff...a normal person would run the other way. Somehow we're supposed to be convinced that he really loves her, even though they only met once in a completely superficial way. And that he think she's special...even though she's only acted horribly. Huh?

The next problem was that the language is terribly vulgar. Why? I had to skip over many lines.

Finally, this is supposed to be like boot camp. But there is zero respect or discipline. It makes a real joke out of combat training.

I just didn't find this endearing, realistic, or even fun. I hope other other readers enjoy it more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy for review.