ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book ages ago, had to re-read to get this review to you!

Ella wakes in a hospital in Italy, a victim of a mugging, and her memories gone, with a handsome stranger by her side. Ella only knows she has something to be afraid of and though the chemistry between them is magnetic, leaning on him for help leaves her desperate to uncover the truth. Kayden Wilkens offers his protection and she can't deny his assistance. Together they begin to piece together the puzzle pieces of her past and the details surrounding her accident, as well as discovering their attraction to one another is so much more than just lust. Ella's past is dangerous though and it seems like it will hunt them down, no matter what they do to discover the truth first.

"I don't want to be an obligation."-Ella

"I don't do obligation, sweetheart."-Kayden

If there is one thing that Lisa Renee Jones does well it is a romantic suspense with a massive cliffhanger ending and Denial has all that and then some. Readers will find Ella's lack of memories and clean slate unique and Kayden's fiercely-alpha nature intriguing. The two have off-the-charts chemistry, the kind of attraction I could feel from the words. Ella is a strong heroine and though she must lean on Kayden, she also pushes herself to find her memories and offer as much information as she can to get to the bottom of things. Kayden is handsome, possessive, and the leader of an incredibly smart organization called The Underground. These two have a romance built on witty dialogue, faith, and smut. Then there's the secondary characters, putting together another piece of the puzzle. The world LRJ built is broad, there is much going on, and many locations to keep track of, but it makes the story come to life. I could picture Italy, the castle walls, the face of every character, and truly feel the emotions as they overtook Ella. There is so much that happens and readers are left with many questions, with promise that Demand, the sequel in the series, will bring answers.

"I need things that are definable. That are real."
"That was real. I'm real. And you are not alone."

I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed Denial. It is the kind of novel you go into blindly and end wanting more. The story will grab your attention and you'll want to know what happens next right away. If you love a good suspense that keeps you on your toes, the Careless Whispers series needs to be on your list. ( )

This had everything I would normally love within in a story, but I just could not get into it. I cannot really pin point why. I just could not connect with the character being so trusting and in lust with Kayden after waking up in Rome not knowing who she is or how she got there.

I have book two as well, but not sure if I should continue with the series or not. ( )

I still haven't made my mind up on this story. There are so many things that make it a book that I really like, but there are also things about this story that make me just like the book. I wasn't completely thrown away by this book, but I did like it.

If you have read the Inside Out Series, then you already know who Ella is. You have bits and pieces about her already. If not, that's really not a big deal. You won't be lost if you have read the other series. This is a spinoff from it. It can be read as a separate series.

There is an abundance of mystery and twists and turns in this book. You definitely won't get bored with this book. You will always be waiting for the shoe to drop from the beginning to the end.

Obviously, there is an attraction with Ella and Kayden. Their attraction and familarity is a mystery in itself. Their journey to find out who Ella is and who she is running from is complication by their want for each other.

Overall, this is a good book that many will swoon over. I had a hard time with it because it felt like I was still reading the Inside Out Series. It has the same feel to it. I was really hoping it would stand out on its own. I just couldn't get completely with the program with this book. For me, it needed to be more original for it to be a great book.

This is a trilogy. That means you will not get your ending in this book. So if you are not a fan of cliffhangers and not getting an HEA right away, then I suggest you hold off on reading this book. ( )

4.5 "Who Am I/Who Can I Trust" Stars!

Lovers of romantic suspense titles with detailed slow reveals will absolutely treasure Denial. Moreover, the heat level of this alpha hero romance is off the charts. This book kept me guessing for most of its pages, and panting through the rest; and it's just the beginning as the full story will only be revealed over the entire trilogy that makes up the Careless Whispers Series.

Additionally, for those of you who are wondering if Denial can be read without the Inside Out Series: yes, it definitely can. Although this trilogy is a spin-off from Ms. Jones' prior successful series, I was able to follow the plot line without any gaps (other than those intended from the suspense angle of this delicious read). All that said, now that I am being exposed to the power of Ms. Jones' intriguing writing, I definitely want to go back and read or listen to the Inside Out Series after I finish this one.

Ella wakes up in a hospital bed in Italy with zero recognition as to how she got there. Even more scary, she doesn't even know her name or if she has any family. All she does know is that she doesn't know Italian (only English) and believes she is an American. Perhaps the only plus--although this raises suspicions of its own--is waking up next to a very attractive and alluring man (Kayden), who claims he saved her from a back alley attack, though he states he didn't know her before, and yet he strangely triggers a spine tingling notion of recognition in Ella. Kayden also claims that their safety is now intertwined, and vows to keep her safe.

As Ella slowly begins to piece together her prior life, one remembered nugget of a memory at a time (which Ms. Jones writes into the book as intermittent flashbacks), she also begins to face dangerous encounters with her past. As attracted as she is to Kayden, she equally starts to question just how smart it is to trust what Kayden states at face value and the actual role that Kayden has played in her past. What is the truth and can there possibly be a HEA under the circumstances?

As previously alluded to, Denial ends in a cliffhanger. I am thoroughly enjoying piecing this romantic suspense title together, bit by bit, and the natural, steamy attraction between Ella and Kayden. Still grappling for possible explanations as to Ella's true past, I can't wait to dive in to reading Book 2, Demand, to hopefully learn some more answers.

Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ( )

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Ella Ferguson awakes alone in Italy, unsure of who she is, and a gorgeous man has claimed her as his own. He's tall, dark, and sexy, with money and power, the kind of man who makes a girl want to be possessed. And he does possess her, whispering wicked wonderful promises to her, stealing her trust and her heart. Soon though, the past finds her, yanking her from a cocoon of passion and safety. Everything is not how it seems. The truth will shatter her world, but it can set her free, if it doesn't destroy her first. ( )