Things aren’t always as they seem…
I’ve lived by that motto for most of my life. I’ve hid who I am, who I used to be, and what I’ve done from anyone who dares to get close to me. At nineteen I lost my parents. I thought nothing in the world could be more painful. I was wrong.
When I met Leo, my world seemed brighter. I felt hope for the first time in months. He promised me a life of luxury, but things aren’t always as they seem. Leo had a dark side, one that he hid from me. He pulled me under and held me captive, making death seem like the only way out.
It took me two years to escape. I ran never looking back until now. My life is finally coming together. I have people I trust, a job, and a safe place to call home, but things aren’t always as they seem.
One night, one phone call, one moment causes it to all crash down. Leo has my sister, and he wants to trade her for me. The one person I can trust is the only one who could also tear me apart… Detective Jeff Horn. He’s got secrets just like me, and seems to understand me better than I do myself.
How do I tell him my darkest secrets? How do I go back to a place that nearly broke me? How do I let him see Below the Surface?
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
Although this is the 5th book in the series it can be read as a standalone. I have read most all of Heather D’Agostino’s books and this one is darker than anything she has written before. I don’t usually read dark and I was able to enjoy the book.
Lena has not had an easy life and is not very trusting. She was able to get away from Leo who she thought loved her but really only used and abused her. Lena was able to get away and found a place to hide and a job. She made sure no one knew much about her so that no one could find her. Until the day she found out Leo had her sister and if she didn’t return he would do the same to her sister that he did to her. She decided she had to put her trust in someone and decided that was Detective Jeff Horn.
Jeff was assigned a case dealing with Sexual abuse and human trafficking. Imagine his surprise when he realizes the beauty that bartends at Rusty Nail can help him close his case. The question is will Lena make it out again if she goes back in to help Jeff to close his case?
This one had some hard chapters to read. To see what Lena and her sister were put through and knowing that Lena was able to get away once only to voluntarily go back broke my heart. To see the way Jeff treated Lena and went slow with her letting her realize for herself that he was nothing like Leo was so heartwarming. The date Jeff and Lena had I think I fell even more in love with Jeff and the whole tree decorating scene I got choked up. The scene that was most touching was seeing Lena and her sister chatting like sisters do. I loved seeing all the guys at the dinner. The best was seeing Mark meet his new partner Toni. OH man cannot wait for his book to come out this is going to be great.
Heather D’Agostino is an avid reader turned Bestselling Author of the Contemporary Romance Series The Broken Series, The Shattered Series, The Second Chances Series, The Cook Brothers Series, and Romantic Suspense series The Witness Series.
She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics.
She currently lives in Central New York with her husband, two children, two dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing she can usually be found at the dance studio, soccer field, or one of the many other places that she plays ‘Supermom’.
You can follow her here:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/H.DAgostino.Author
Twitter: @hdagostino001
Website: http://hdagostinobooks.weebly.com
Reader Group/ Street Team on Facebook:
Heather’s Hotties: https://www.facebook.com/groups/877863252256341/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7034328.Heather_D_Agostino