Ralou’s Review: Dealing in Deception by Samantha Joyce

Posted November 14, 2016 by ralou in Book Reviews, Books, Collage, Release day / 0 Comments

Dealing in Deception From the series: Love in Disguise #2
by Samantha Joyce
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon
Published by Pocket Star on November 14th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Purchase links: Amazon, iTunes
Add to Goodreads
Source: NetGalley

In this companion to Samantha Joyce’s Flirting with Fame, Veronica Wilde finds that playing make-believe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be—especially when it’s keeping her from pursuing the one man who makes her heart go wild.

As an actress-for-hire, Veronica Wilde has made a living out of pretending to be other people. It’s the one thing at which she’s always excelled: taking on someone else’s personality and running with it. So after Elise Jameson, author of the bestselling Viking Moon series, decides she no longer requires Veronica’s services, she needs to find a new gig—and fast.

But when her newest client hires Veronica to help him make his small business look more successful than it actually is, the sparks that fly between them are definitely not part of the act. Suddenly, Veronica finds she’s tired of playing pretend for a living. She’s been acting for so long, she’s blindsided by the one man who sees her for who she really is. And the most terrifying part? She might actually like it.

We received this book/audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.

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Book Review: 6++ “Hero” stars!!

Samantha Joyce has become after this, undoubtedly, one of the authors who gain more and more ground on my heart strings and with her with a huge head-start. Her books have done a delicious, unforgettable, read-over-and-over-again number on me which I don’t seem to bear to let it go. Even though, this book held me ’til the last word of the Epilogue to allow me to decide on my feelings for it.

Dealing in Deception is the second installment in the magnificent Joyce’s debut series, Love in Disguise, whose title couldn’t be more perfect for the stories it cuddles. For those who have read the great first book, Flirting with Fame, which told the soul-captivating story of Elise, the deaf writer of a YA book series, already know this book’s heroine, Veronica. Although, I never would have guessed or imagined the background behind the image of a jealous, selfish, “diva” person she bore during her part in Elise’s story. To say that I was caught off guard of how incredibly much I loved both her and her story would an understatement. I simply couldn’t tear my eyes away for her pages since each chapter had me starving for more. The combination of the intriguing and beautiful complexity of her personality and the amazing, sweet, unselfish, caring soul of Baxter sealed the deal for me. They were on of these couples who not only click with each other instantly, but also YOU. And what more a reader could ask of an author? But let me set the stage for their love’s unfolding first for whoever isn’t familiar with it because s/he went straight for my review before the blurb :p

Veronica Wilde is a woman who works as a high-priced actor-for-hire, pretending to be a different person depending on the demands of each job she takes. Her business is advertised through the classic way, mouth-to-mouth. And that’s how Baxter Linton gets wind of her services. Bax is a guy who wants to get his social-entrepreneurial business of the ground so he can start helping people in need. He’s really an extremely charismatic, kind, unselfish, genius man who is passionate about helping the homeless with his genius invention. But he lacks on his promotional skills, so he decides to hire Veronica to help him look business-like and a serious candidate for big-money funds. There is a Greek expression we say when someone goes to do something, but the outcome is completely different from what he expected; the phrase goes something like this: “Πήγε για μαλλί και βγήκε κουρεμένος” (/phge gia malli kai vgike kouremenos/) which in a completely and maybe non-understandable translation is “Went for wool and came out hunted.”. And both Veronica and Bax fit this description since neither, especially Veronica, didn’t see the life-changing Ace life had dealt her upon her first meeting with him. And what a meeting was that, really?! I was left with my mouth hanging open and my heart beating erratically after the end of it. I wish I could say the “how” but It’s too much of a precious scene for me to spoil it for you and not let you discover it yourself.

That book was wrong. The devil doesn’t wear Prada. I’m pretty sure she wears Channel/

The subjects that I HAVE TO develop here are quite a few but extremely essential for me so please bear with me and keep reading. The first was how they first met which I said above. The second is how light-years different is this book’s Veronica from the brief one I met in the first book. There are some moments that I thought that I was reading a story of a different woman who, by chance, was called Veronica Wilde. Her meeting and working pretty close with Bax, worked miracles on her. Saying that it changed her wouldn’t be accurate since her heart was already in the right place, but it was locked deep down tightly with a bunch of unattainable layers blocking whoever tried to get close. And Bax had the keys for each layer’s lock, making him the one who set Veronica free.

I didn’t stand a chance against those eyes.

Next subject has two sides: the first is, who else than Ari, Bax’s phenomenal retriever? His full name is Armani but whoever knew him called him Ari. His role in the whole story is beyond essential; AND AWESOME! I couldn’t help not fall in love with him since his first appearance. His kind doggy soul and radiant personality pushed Veronica with every encounter to discover her humanity, unselfishness and let herself free to love and feel loved. The second side of the subject is little Connor who also did all the above, but at the same time forced her to see what really was happening around her. His 6-year-old sweetness captivated Veronica instantly – add ME too to that list – and with every meeting, he got to break down a part of the emotional barriers of her heart’s layers, doing Bax’s job even more easy. Who couldn’t love these two pure souls and not consider them essential parts of this story’s unfolding?

Another thing, which was beyond amazing and bonded me more to the book, was the graphical tour of Washington DC through Bax’s eyes. I was experiencing the beauty this wonderful city has to offer all over again, making me missing it even more. The whole time he was introducing the real Washington to Veronica, the feeling that I was right beside them, walking the same streets and visiting the same spectacular monuments, was pretty overwhelming. I have felt this feeling with very few books before, but never as powerful and “real” as this time. One of the things that stayed with me the rest of the story and after the end of it, was the feelings he was describing to her while standing before Abraham Lincoln’s statue. I felt his words deep in my heart and remembered what I felt when I was standing in front of that majestic statue of this great man and leader.

Samantha, you created a real masterpiece and the perfect follow-up for the gem that was the first book. This series is more than promising and will affect you deeply, both with the incredible characters and the unique stories they star in. It would be a shame not to experience it too. This series is 200% MUST for me and the recommendation goes without further thought. Please check it out; it beyond worth it!!