3.5-4 stars. Emery Bishop, aka Cotton, is Shiloh's best friend and she's back in Jessup Falls. Brodie Gallagher was in town because he was hired for a job to help protect Shiloh, but now that she's safe, he's got a new assignment. He's contracted to assassinate Emery. Which makes no sense once he meets her in person, on top of the undeniable attraction between them. Puzzled by the combination of both, Brodie knows he's not in a position to question his orders, but makes the last minute decision to defy anyway. This drags both Brodie and Cotton deeper into a hunt and chase with both of their lives on the line and little time to find answers. I liked Cotton's fierce attitude and independence. She faced certain struggles and hardships that she couldn't talk about with anyone and yet she found the strength to continue to move forward. And as awful as her situation had been, once Brodie discovers the truth, she has a strong ally and companion on her side. Finally she has someone who is willing to put everything on the line for her, which she deserved. The story is suspenseful and the plot is cleverly written, making the reader believe one thing while still dropping the clues for another. Brodie proves to be solid guy, too, using his judgment and instinct to prove his loyalty and trustworthiness. While there are some dark themes involved, I wouldn't consider this to be a dark read overall and always enjoy a story where assumptions have gone wrong, but justice still prevails.

Complementary copy given for my honest opinion and review. Copy provided by NetGalley.
Brodie and Cotton’s story was one of my favorites. Cotton suffered a traumatic assault but her trust in Brodie was unexpected and therapeutic. Brodie helps her find justice and they both find an everlasting love.

The author tells readers that this book is part of a series and each book is a stand alone novel. The book is a little cliché enemy/lover mob connections. The male lead is what you expect from these type of books all alpha and the female lead readers well be able to connect with quickly. The story is 100% romance with action thrown to move the story alone.

Many readers will love this story other will see the basic story that has a few details thrown in to change the story just enough.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of E.R. Whyte In Lies We Trust.
3 1\2 stars

I was really excited to read this book as the first one was fabulous.
Emery is Shilo’s best frienf. The characters showed themselves in book one and come part of this read too.
Emery is in the military until she is raped and forced to leave. What she doesn’t know is there is a hot on her. Meet Brodie; he’s the man that has been assigned to do the job.
What Brodie didn’t count on was falling for the girl.
Brodie and Emery are in hiding when their feelings start to develop and they are on the hideout from a killer. The replacement killer for a job that Brodie doesn’t want to go.
Fabulous read. Love the author. Cannot wait fir another one
Well done

I received a copy of In Lies We Trust by E.R. Whyte from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was okay, but I was not captivated and felt no connection to the characters. The summary seemed interesting, but the pacing was uneven and the characters were kind of bland. Just not my cup of tea.

In the end, this book is a good escapist read that you can easily finish in a couple of hours. I don't think it'll grab at your heart or throat at all, but it won't leave a bad taste in your mouth either.

Hmmm, I just don't know! In Lies We Trust is definitely well written, but it's really hard for me to get past the mob thing; gangster hitmen just aren't sexy. Brodie's connection to the Irish mafia is spelled out in the back cover blurb though, so I probably shouldn't hold it against the author. But... Ick.

The story is written in the first person and switches between Cotton's and Brodie's perspectives. Cotton's chapters also begin with an entry from a journal she's been keeping, which gives us an eye into her past as well as her present.

The story begins with Cotton driving back from Texas to her hometown in Virginia. She's not in town more than a few minutes before she and Brodie make eye contact in a donut shop. There are sparks, but they don't talk, and then Brodie gets a message with information on his next hit: It's Cotton. Brodie isn't amused; not only had he felt that spark, but he also was confused about the assignment. The basic credo has always been "no women or children," and he'd only ever murdered bad guys (natch). But it's not his job to know the reasons the hit was contacted (which made me wonder how he knew his previous murders were bad guys, but okay). Anyway, he wants to get to know her more before deciding. Time is limited though, and if he doesn't do the job, someone else will. Conveniently, they have mutual friends. Plus, a barbecue!

Meanwhile, Cotton is dealing with a recent trauma and its resulting panic attacks (pay attention to the book's trigger warning), and she's confused by her reaction to Brodie. She has no idea that someone took out a contract on her. I found her overall to be an awesome heroine. If I were just reviewing her, I'd give her four stars. She loses a point for being okay with the mob thing.

Will Brodie figure out a way to protect Cotton and cancel the hit? Will Cotton heal from her trauma or give up? Will Brodie ever stop murdering people and leave the mob behind? At least most of those questions will be answered if you read this book.

If you're okay with a murderous hitman whose love for the heroine is only outmatched by his loyalty to the mob, this book is probably a good choice for you. For me, it was a little too much.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!