Liberty Begins

The Liberty Series #1

by Leigh James

My name is Liberty and I'm a good girl. I come from nothing. I have no one but myself. Sometimes I do things I don't want to -- I do them because I have to. Stripping. That's my life in Vegas. And my boss keeps pressuring me to do more than just take my clothes off...

Then John Carter Quinn crashes into my life. He's an older, gorgeous billionaire in a thousand dollar suit. He keeps coming to see me, night after night. I'm not sure what he wants -- but I know what I want. One night he pulls out his gun at my club to take down a bad guy, and I find out what type of business he's actually in. Hint: he doesn't sit at a desk, he employs a bunch of ex-Navy Seals, and it's lethal to be on his bad side.

Like me, John has his share of secrets. Dark secrets, dark pain. One of his secrets involves my past. These secrets will bring us together. And then tear us apart.

18+ due to mature content. Contains a cliffhanger, but the finale, Liberty At Last, is available now!

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Amazon, Contemporary, Ebooks, Adult

198 pages, ebook

First published August 19, 2013

About the author

USA Today and Amazon Top-10 Bestselling Author Leigh James is currently sitting on a white-sand beach, watching the sunset, dreaming up her next billionaire. Get ready, he's going to be a HOT one!

Just kidding! Leigh is actually freezing her butt off in Maine, USA, where she lives with her awesome husband, their great kids, and her BFF Choco the chocolate lab. But she promises that billionaire is REALLY going to be something!

Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, and Portuguese. Leigh also writes Young Adult Paranormal Romance as Leigh Walker. Her smash-hit series Vampire Royals was previously optioned by Netflix.

Sign up to get new release notifications at: http://www.leighjamesauthor.com/subsc...!

Reviews

[Leigh James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I'm the author...it's a little weird to give a review! So I'll just tell you some pertinent details:

*Liberty Begins is intended for mature audiences because of sexual content and some violence.

*It's a cliffhanger. I'm sorry!!! The story naturally flowed that way, and I felt I had to stop where I did.

*The next Liberty book will satisfy everyone, I promise!!!

*When I was writing, I did casting for the characters...here's how I pictured Liberty:



*And here's John...yes I know, I know! I'm drooling, too:





In any event, I hope you enjoy the book! Feel free to picture Daniel Craig!!! It will brighten your day!

xoxoxo

Leigh

[Brittany Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I'd been gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

3.5 Stars.

I liked this story. I like the elements of action and suspense embedded within it, and I also liked the fact that this was a younger woman/older guy story because there aren't many out there so this one sort of stands out.

I liked Liberty, and honestly I liked the fact that she was stripper...well, I mean I thought it was unfortunate, but I liked the fact that she didn't let it define her. I also liked the way the author described the grittiness of strip bars, and how Liberty often felt degraded because of what she did.

Okay, moving on...I thought the plot was paced well for the most part. There were certain parts that seemed a bit slow- moving, but I was intrigued enough to continue reading. The story shifted from past tense to present tense then back to past, which was a little weird.

John was likeable enough. I can't necessarily say that he was swoon-worthy, but I can understand why Liberty was attracted to him. He was much older, but Liberty was mature for her age so the age difference didn't really bother me.

This ends in a cliffhanger. I don't normally like them, but with this story it seemed fitting. It wasn't like other stories where you feel cheated as if the two books should've been one. I've also been given the second book to review, which I will start soon so I'm lucky in that aspect. Overall, it was a good story--one that I feel comfortable recommending.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

***. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.***

3.5 out of 5 stars

I don't usually read older guy younger girl romances, not because I don't like them, I just don't come across too many of them. I like the idea of this book, I definitely like John, I dig badass guys, and he fits the bill for sure. What I can't stand is when the heroine who has trust issues and daddy issues and all other sorts of issues falls for the guy just like that. And, a virgin stripper???? I'm not trying to insult the profession...but do they exist??? I'm honestly curious.

Anyway, I will say that the first book was good enough to compel me to read the sequel.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (7/10/2022)! 🎁

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy provided by Author for Honest Review

When we first meet Liberty she’s a shy and introverted stripper working in Vegas. More shocking is the fact that she still holds onto her V-card. It’s easy to say this girl has trust issues and letting anyone in is not only something she never does but also something she never thinks will happen. Liberty feels lost in the world. She may be surrounded by glitz, glamour and more people than she could imagine but she can’t help but feel alone.

Being a stripper was never Liberty’s life goal. But then again she never thought she would leave home or lose her mother and sister in the way she did. So instead of embracing life Liberty hides away, when she’s not on stage she’s got her nose in a book and never once has she done more than work the stage. Lap dances and parading the club floor are a big No No in her book. When her boss asks her to have a drink with a friend all she wants is to say no, but it’s just a drink after all.

Little does Liberty know, meeting eyes with John Carter Quinn will change her life forever from that day forward. The first meeting between John and Liberty is semi-comical since John befuddles Liberty and his eyes alone make her question her sanity. Even though she knows it’s wrong Liberty can’t help but want to see him again. Imagine her surprise when she receives daily gifts from John at her dingy, bed-bug infested apartment.

Luckily Liberty has a brain so she doesn’t immediately accept John into her life or his gifts, not to say there isn’t some intense insta-lust happening. But of course those eyes work magic on Liberty and she can’t wait to see him again even if it is to tell him off and to stop sending gifts. Of course the night Liberty finally has the nerve to be frank is the night everything goes to hell.

John isn’t just some businessman in town. No he has a dangerous job, one that requires he carry a gun and deal out retribution as he sees fit.

Liberty and John are around twenty years apart. For some this may be a deal breaker as far as reading goes but it wasn’t written in a gross or jailbait sort of way. I will admit that Liberty is very immature at times but she’s a girl thrown into a world way out of her comfort zone so it’s easy to cut her some slack. What I found more disturbing was that John had a daughter a few years older than Liberty. With this in the equation it did feel a bit awkward at times. But then again John’s daughter was kidnapped when she was eighteen so it’s not as if she’s a constant reminder of the age difference.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I wasn’t expecting the end or the turn it took but I think for these characters it made sense. Sure they weren’t the brightest bulbs in the shed but that made them perfect for each other. John makes Liberty question her reality and gives her the opportunities to question her choices and make different ones. Alone these two are lost but together they are the solid life-force that keeps the other moving. On a side note make sure you have book 2 ready to jump into because you will be left with question marks floating around your head and you’ll need to know what the hell happened to even make them appear in the first place.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 HOT,CAPTIVATING & SUSPENSEFUL STAR THOUGHTS

OMG how has no one told me about this book before? I can't believe it is not blowing up and people begging for Book 2! Because personally I am freaking out! I am so thankful I got a chance to read it! This book is AMAZING!!! Crazy good! The dark secret man whom I am in love with and the lady who may be a stripper but she knows who she is and doesn't let anyone get close! AHHH I can't say enough about it! Ok so let me see if I can calm down and tell you about Liberty Begins!

Liberty Davis is a stripper in Las Vegas. She had a horrible childhood and when her mother passed away she left town and came to Vegas. In order to be able to make it she started stripping. Although her boss is always on her to do more than just take her clothes off, Liberty is only comfortable enough to dance on stage. She is no where near ready to give lap dances or more like the other girls do. Working as much as possible to barely make ends meet she is beginning to wonder how long she can keep just dancing.

"If I was being honest, I would say maybe I liked stripping a little. I felt something when I was up there, dancing with only a thong on, with a hundred guys staring at me like they were hungry. I felt powerful."

When her boss comes up to her and needs a favor one night, she immediately is nervous! Favors were free for the recipient, but they always cost the giver something and that scared Liberty. Her boss says he just wants her to go to the bar and talk to a man. When she walks out there she never expected to be immediately attracted to John Quinn. He literally takes her breath away and she is afraid of losing control. He is older than her but SEXY!!! OMG he is gorgeous! She knows he is a business man but when things happen and she is thrown head first into his world she learns she has no idea what type of business John's actually in.

"I was safe now, finally. Nothing was going to hurt me anymore, unless I let it."

As things quickly change and she is swept away with him and the ex-Navy Seals he employs, she knows she never wants to be on John's bad side. When he takes her to his compound asking her to join him on an assignment that involves Liberty's past, she is scared of the dark secrets that will be revealed. But John has secrets of his own as well. Things quickly heat up between Liberty and John and I swear it is HOT!!! Like off the charts sexual energy and beautiful at the same time! AMAZING! They are in love and are making plans for after the mission, but is that the end of their story? Will their pasts and secrets tear them apart?


I don't think I can even tell you how much I LOVE LIBERTY BEGINS! There are not enough words to explain how HOT this story is but at the same time CAPTIVATING and SUSPENSEFUL! I can't wait for Liberty At Last! Leigh James had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! AMAZING!

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

*****Received this book for free via the author and goodreads in exchange for an honest review*****

I have mixed feelings about this book. There are things I liked and disliked. First off it started off a little slow for me. It didnt pick up until 20% into the book. Secondly, for the books I like to read, I need more interaction, more conversation between the lead characters. I dont want to read what the "inner voice" is saying. Or be told what happened through inner dialogue. I want to read what was said between each other. Thirdly, the age gap between John and Liberty kinda bothered me. There is a 20+ age gap there. Can we say sugar daddy? LOL! It normally doesnt but in this case it was kinda weird. John had a daughter who was around the same age as Liberty and was attracted to her and wanted her. In my eyes, since she was the age of his daughter Catherine, shouldnt he look at her like a daughter??? Being that Liberty knows he has a daughter her age, shouldnt that bother her? I know it would bother me. He is old enough to be her daddy and that is just yuck to me. LOL! But to each its own is all I have to say. Fourthly (is that a word? lol), that darn cliffhanger of an ending. I HATE them, but at least the 2nd book is already out and I can dive off into book 2.

After getting over those hangups the book was ok. I liked the mystery and suspense that the author gives us with John and his past as well as what is going on with Liberty. I like the supporting characters and the visual that is given of the workouts and training Liberty receives. It makes her a little bad a**. This is book is different from others that I have read because Liberty is a virgin who is a stripper, who in the world does that??? Again, I like different so kudos to the author for giving us something different. The storyline is good and interesting if you can get passed the minor hangups I mentioned earlier. With that being said, I will continue this journey in book 2, Liberty at Last.

[Sgiova · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book and book 2 in return for an honest review...Where to begin? The synopsis was spot on – the story went where it said it was going. The book started off promising. But in the end I think it was an epic fail, at least for me. I really wanted to like the book, the drama, the story the characters all had a fighting chance but I don’t think it was developed well. The love interests although obviously fictional, was WAY too unrealistic even for me. Not the age difference not the social class difference not any of the obvious reason why it might not work other than the fact that the situation was rushed from the drama unfolding , the meeting, the falling in love or lust (I'm still not convinced it's love) and the character's personalities. One minute she’s portrayed as a survivor – someone strong enough to overcome and struggle to survive what life’s going to throw next and then she naïve and rather...(I hate to say it,but) dumb. He’s a hard ass bounty hunter turned whipped pansy who likes to say "totally" a lot,– it’s like their personalities are schizophrenic and can’t make up their mind. It made me hate Liberty so much that I was hoping someone would give Catherine more cigarettes to use on her to be honest. I will say that although this was supposed to be a dramatic romance I found myself laughing at some of the comedic remarks and situations like Matthew making stepmother references or my favorite...Lib’s suggestion to stop the killing and to talk it out! I don’t mean any disrespect and I have to give credit where credit is due so with that being said, I appreciate that this author created this, it was entertaining, just not in the capacity it was meant to be. I did like the idea of the story and I will say Mathew had to be my favorite character over all. This story has potential but it has to develop at a slower pace without rushing into situations and rushing relationship development. I just couldn’t connect with it but I want to thank the author for allowing me to read it.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously this is not my normal read, but I enjoyed dipping my toes into a different genre. I'm still not sold on being a fan of New Adult, though. This was definitely a step in that direction, though. Leigh James is an excellent writer, and I'd seek out her works regardless of what age category they fall in.

My fault with this book (and other NA books, it seems) was the main character. There were so many times whenever I was left shaking my head at her rash decisions. I felt like the author stayed true to Liberty during the entire story, but I had such a hard time grasping why Liberty did and said some of the things that she did. I wanted to reach into the pages and smack some sense into her. I honestly liked the character of John Carter Quinn. (It doesn't hurt that John Quinn is the name of my favorite Southern Vampire Mysteries male!) He was dominant and protective without being abusive and crazy. For that, I thank you Leigh James. You showed me that it's possible to have a swoon-worthy love interest without all of the nasty abuse and control that rears its ugly head in New Adult.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, and it does end on a cliffhanger. But I really enjoyed it. I liked getting to know the characters. I feel like Leigh James was able to give them their own voice and showcase them as individuals. She kept my attention during the entire story, and I had to start reading the second book as soon as I finished this one to know what happened.

New Adult fans will adore Liberty and John's story. Just have the second book on hand, because the ending will leave you craving more of their story! Check back in a few hours to see my review of book two; Liberty At Last.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Leigh James.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liberty is doing what she has to do to survive after her mothers death and escaping that horrible life. Unfortunately, what she is doing to survive is stripping in Vegas and going home every night to a run down, bug infested apartment. She is trying to hold on to herself and not step over the line into private dances and the "champagne room." But that line is getting harder and harder not to cross and Liberty doesn't know how long she can survive without going over it.

The last thing she expects one night when her boss says someone wants to meet her is John and the wild ride she will find herself on with him.

When she surrenders her heart and learns the whole truth will she stay and commit or do what she does best and run?

This was a really good story. Right from the preface chapter I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out exactly who John was and what client he was working for. John is about 20 years older than Liberty best I can figure and this is pretty much an insta-love relationship that they have so consider yourself warned if neither of those things are for you.

Parts of this book are also very similar to other stories out there...rich older man, young emotionally damaged virgin but there is enough new content to make it a good story.

My thoughts:

Quick hook or slow starter? 5 (I was hooked from the first chapter)
Character development: 4
Level of Romance between characters: 4
Passion/Heat level: 4 (there is a lot of teasing and build up but the pay off is worth it)
Angst/Heartbreak: 3.5 (there are a couple of parts but not anything too angsty)
Cliffhanger?: Yes, a huge one!!

Overall, I enjoyed and can't wait to jump into book two to see what happens next!!

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

When I first started this book I was like ok....this seems good. It really held my attention for a while and intrigued me. However, as the story moved on there were more and more things that started to bother me about the story.

For example-
"I'm just a stripper" the word or profession, to me seemed to be used a little derogatorily. What because she chose to dance that some how made her less of a person? I bugged me!

Age difference. Now for the most part a gap in age never bothers me but in this case it felt a little....inappropriate. He started his business because of his long lost daughter that is about the same age as Liberty. In my mind I would think that in a case like that he would see her as more of a daughter figure then some one he wanted to boink! Had he not had a daughter that age then it would be far more acceptable to me.

Why the hell did he need to train her and involve her so much in the operation? It never really made much sense to me.

I thought the sisters reason for never contacting her was a really lame one and it made little sense.

The fact that she was always having to have wine was annoying. Alcoholic much!

Fast love.....come on what was that about? I'm all for love at first sight when its done right but I was just not feeling this one.

A little dumb? Any person in this day and age that watches TV reads books ect....knows what sex is all about and her thoughts at the beginning about where IT goes and what not was just stupid. No woman is that much of a dumbass to not know how it all works. Nervous yes, a little unsure of yourself yes but not all out dumb.

So thats enough ranting for now. Over all it was not a tearable book but many things made no sense to me about the story.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received a free copy for an honest review **

This book was a good read. It made me want to be a vigilante and fight the bad guys. ha. Liberty was a great character, one who grew on me the more I read. At times I was frustrated with her thought processes but it just reinforced how young she was and how she was naive in her thinking despite the fact she had seen and experienced so many things in her life. I enjoyed her personality and the ways in which she grew throughout the story. She grew as a character and the natural development of her shedding her past and stepping into a new future was well represented in the way her character was written. John was every bit the retired armed forces man. His dedication and drive made him an admirable character. His determination to fight the evil in the world and make it a safer place for those he loved was one of my favorite characteristics about him. The age difference was hard for me to adjust to at first but as the story progresses I forgot about the difference and enjoyed as the story as it unfolded. When John's daughter is more introduced into the story, it is a bit strange to. The story starts on fast forward with the instant "love" and foundational story situations but as the foundation was established it began to pace forward a bit more slowly and I enjoyed watching the relationships and friendships develop. The plot was interesting and enjoyable. I am a sucker for stories in which the characters fight against the bad and good overcomes. It is worth the read! The story ends on a cliffhanger so be forewarned, so make sure that you look for the second book in this series!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

At the beginning of the book, Liberty is living a lonely life, stripping so she can have enough money to pay rent. She is only 21 and is lonely, shy and obviously different from the other strippers.

As we learn about Liberty and all that she went through, it is easy to sympathize and to like her. She lives a pretty sad life until she meets John and she feels like she has a reason to smile. They meet at the strip club and from the moment they first see each other, their connection is undeniable. After they briefly meet for the first time, John keeps showing up and helping her, but what does that mean? What are his intentions? Can she trust this rich man and older man?

One night her life really turns upside-down, what John really does for a living is revealed and she finds herself being taken away from Las Vegas to Rhode Island, where John lives. What else is he hiding? What does he want from her? Questions like these are one of the reasons why this book keeps us hooked from the beginning, it really is a page turner.

This book is very well written and has a really good and interesting story, so if you like books with a bit of mystery, action and love, you will definitely like this one!
It has a huge cliffhanger, so be prepared to start reading the second book immediately after this one!

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, not sure where to start with this one. Liberty is a 21 year old stripper at a club in Vegas, she is alone and scared...her mother was a junkie and found herself hooking up with the wrong guys and the last one she was with was Trouble with a capital "T"..her sister took off a few years earlier to get away from everything....when her mother dies of an overdoes and Liberty takes off to Vegas.
John is in his early/mid 40s, ex-Navy, Something terrible happened in John's life 6 years earlier that made him leave the Navy and start up his own "mergers and acquisitions" company (and I say that with the looses meaning of the word...he's more of a vigilantly). He has 20 ex-military men working for him and they take on cases that others can't. He travels to Vegas on a mission where he meets Liberty.
There is an instant attraction between the two.
Without getting into the story and giving any spoilers I will say that it was action packed, filled with Bad guys, Good guys and Lots of sex.

This book left us with a major cliffhanger so I am now off to read Liberty At Last to see what happens with Liberty and John.

***I was given this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.***

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains adult subject matter and is intended for mature readers.

I love Liberty. She is spunky and she does not give up. Life keeps
throwing her lemons and she just keeps on making lemonade. She is living in
Las Vegas of all places, but she reads when she does not have shifts at the
club, and eats mac and cheese out of a box for dinner every night. Her car
won't go over forty miles an hour and she is very shy and private, not the
kind of girl that one would expect to work at a club, but she drew me into
her world and made me glad to be there. Even when life starts being nice to
Liberty she is skeptical and refuses to get her hopes up too much, she knows
they will probably come crashing back down around her. John Quinn meets her
at the club and is nice to her, he sends her props for her act, and tries to
be her friend and gradually she begins to trust him just a bit, and when he
helps her out she does her best to do something nice for him in return, but
as you might expect it does not turn out the way Liberty hopes. I loved
watching Liberty evolve through this book, I was silently cheering her on as
she tried to figure out what she wanted when she was given chances and
choices.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Book one:
I did enjoy the concept of this book but I feel like the relationship development between the two characters was very rushed. I also think that the transition of Liberty going from stripping and living in a bug infested apartment to living on the beach in a mansion needed a little more attention. I liked the twists that the book took and I really enjoyed Matthew's character. I did not understand why Liberty just got thrown into training, and into the same lifestyle as all of the guys. I was hooked on the book right from the beginning even though there were some slow spots to get through I did enjoy the book overall.

Book two:
I enjoyed the beginning of book two and also how we met some more of the characters and learned more about them and their personalities. Some points in the book dragged on but most of it was full of action and suspense. The writing was very well done as it was very descriptive and action packed. The ending definitely kept you guessing as to what was going to happen.

[Nancy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally buy books that I know are going to end in a cliffhanger unless I have read previous books by the author. However, this book sounded interesting enough to catch my attention; so I took a chance. I am now glad that I did.
This is the story of Liberty, a twenty-one year old stripper who is struggling to make ends meet while maintaining her moral beliefs. Enter John, a forty something, well to do gentleman who becomes completely captivated by Liberty. And there is more to John than Liberty originally thinks. After a shootout at the strip club, Liberty is on her way to RI with John, and a new future.
This book is written from Liberty's point of view, so you don't know what motivates John until he elaborates on his actions. However you do have clear insight to Liberty's feelings of confusion and fears as she and John fall in love.
This book starts out slow but quickly picks up pace once John comes onto the scene. I have already purchased the second book in this series. And as soon as I'm done with this review, I'm curling up in my favorite chair and plan on losing myself in another good book.

[Catherine Arnaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the plot of this story. Liberty has nothing more in her life, she lost her mother, she doesn't know where her sister is, and she has no money.
To save herself, she starts to work as a stripper in Las Vegas, trying to rebuild her life. She doesn't think she deserves better, and she has a huge problem with her self esteem.One day she met John, a misterious and sexy man who changes her life when she didn't expect and she sees herself obliged to face her old demons .
John is rich, beautiful and his encounter with Liberty has a propose. What he didn't expect is to fall in love with her. His life is and was tough and he has demons from the past too.
Together they found love, but with so many problems in their mind, will they be capable to forget and move forward?

Starting book to now, can't wait...

Thank you Leigh, for the copy given.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Liberty. This poor girl is pretty messed up. She's had beyond the short end of the stick life thrown at her. Making do with the hopes of coming out on top, she is thrown into the arms of John -- literally. John isn't your typical hero but he is her hero and while helping her come to terms with the past that brought her to the present, she helps him just as much. Bringing him back to the land of the living.

I was annoyed and frustrated with how easily she gave in to her passion and feelings but then I was glad she did because I knew that it was mutual and real. I believe under insecure, naive and hurt demeanor is a fighter.

I look forward to book 2 and watching her grow into the woman John has helped her become. And I look forward to some more sexy John Quinn.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
Let me start of by saying I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow to start but not slow enough it didn't keep me wanting more. At about a forth of the way in I really started to enjoy the H/h. I was a huge fan of the age difference but I was able to over look it in the book because they worked good together. There were times I was laughing my butt off and times I was angry. John was amazig and kept me most intrested in the book. Liberty wasn't a bad h but There were times he annoyed me but not too bad. The twists in the book were awesome. And I can't wait for the next one, that ending was crazy!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review. First, this book was one of those I couldn't put down from the start. I was hooked at chapter one. Liberty and Johns relationship was a little rushed for me, but for those who enjoy the "love at first sight"... its def for you! There were some interesting twists that kept me interested. I liked that it was suspenseful and of course had plenty of romance. As soon as I finished, I immediately started reading book two (which I LOVED)

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner! I loved the character development and the unfolding of both Liberty's and John's "inner demons". The reasons they were drawn to each other and how, though they are both seemingly "broken" by past events, they may possibly be each others savior. But will have too see how the sequel turns out!!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

really 3 1/2 stars. I can't wait for the next book. Liberty was a bit erky with all her inner whining. I would have liked more action especially when they found Ray. I love John and hope Liberty comes to her senses in the next book.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and can't wait for the next one to find out if she finds her! And find each other again.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED this book. It gives a different twist to the books I'm used to reading. Looking forward to many, many more books by Leigh in the future!

[Andrea B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It held my interest to finish it. I like headstrong sassy female and to me she just seemed whiny. The ending left me feeling like- all this for that???! I did not like it enough to read the next in the series

[Shannon Cheatham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the book for an honest review.

I enjoyed the idea of what was going on but there was just something that didn't do it for me. I like Liberty, most of the time. I liked the idea of John, most of the time. But... I never felt their love, seemed more like a hero worship/ complex to me. I personally felt like I was being told things (the Ray memory) instead of feeling an investment into the story and characters.

I probably would have enjoyed it more had Liberty been older, or John younger. She acts more of the correct age, but John doesn't act like someone his own age (I mean come on do the math his daughter disappeared at 17/18 and she's been gone I think 5 years. That makes her older than Liberty) I also wanted to know why stripping. She said it her self no talent she was just pretty. Most girls who have been through what she went through (the memory of Ray), and who are virgins ( surprise surprise) wouldn't have chosen stripping as their go to career. Of course if she had had a background in dancing like ballet as a child or she had always enjoyed performing as a child then I could understand the job path more. But she didn't. And I didn't understand how she could go from 'hey I can't believe you shot him' to 'take me now'. Because she could flip her emotions so fast there was no way as a reader I could emotionally connect with her in important moments.

The ending was the best part because she finally decides to do something that felt real to me. I mean most normal ppl wouldn't decide to do what she does in hopes to change the vengeful attitude of a loved one. But hey at least I felt her love for another person, which I had not believed in until then.

I am curious about the second book, and I do have hopes that I will feel more involved with Liberty because I do like her. So fingers crossed.

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**

Liberty is a young girl working at a job she hates. She's alone in Vegas with no family around and likes it that way. Nobody to bother her and nobody for her to be afraid of.

Then she meets John and her whole world is turned upside down.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing throughout the whole thing. And I guessed wrong a couple times too!

It has the schmexy scenes, not too much and not too little. And it has the mystery and suspense at just the right speed. Now I have to read book two to see what happens with Liberty...

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't mind the cliffhanger

I didn't mind the cliffhanger

I have not been fond of the recent trend of cliffhangers but this book was so worth it. Not entirely believable but we'll written and you really feel for the characters. I will continue reading The Liberty series because it is so well written and if this book was anything to go by it well be a rollercoaster of emotion with characters you just want to cheer on

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat as I turned to each page. I love Liberty all that she went through and still tried to be as normal as she could. And John wowee he maybe alot older but man they were suppose to be together. I loved how he protected her and he was so loyal. I hated about his broken heart something nobody should ever have to suffer. All the supporting characters in this book were awesome. Gonna read book 2 now