Customer Reviews

Lie with Me (Shadow Force Series, Book 1)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the first book of Stephanie Tyler's `Shadow Force' series readers are introduced to the suspenseful and deadly world of men who straddle the line between working covert black ops missions and serving in the elite military. As the synopsis of the book indicates, after being framed for a double murder he didn't commit Delta Force leader Cameron Moore was imprisoned and serving 2 consecutive life sentences. Cameron was 19 years old, and while street wise and tough, being caged in prison and subjected to inmate brutality left deep scars. Then 2 years after his conviction Cameron was approached in prison by CIA chameleon extraordinaire Gabriel Creighton who arranged for his record to be erased, and freedom. However, Cameron was pressed into another type of imprisonment. After entering military service and becoming an elite warrior, Cameron was threatened and forced by Gabriel to do his bidding and complete black ops jobs that had chipped away at his conscience and soul over a period of 10 years.

The good work Cameron does on his missions with Delta Force are what keep a man such as himself with pride and a soul, honorable. It was during one of these missions that he saved a wounded Dylan Scott who eventually became his close friend and confidant. After a near death experience, when Cameron is forced to take out one of Gabriel's `people' Dylan reveals some valuable Intel regarding the man who has had a noose around his friend's neck for a decade. Dylan has discovered that Gabriel has a daughter, Skyler Slavin and he convinces Cameron that he must use his military background to ingratiate himself, kidnap her and do whatever is necessary to finally rid himself of Gabriel Creighton.

Skyler Slavin has come back from the dead, literally. After her kidneys failed she required extensive dialysis treatment, a donor was located and she underwent a transplant. Following a dicey recovery where she hovered between life and death, Skyler continues a long road to regain her health and strength but is back on her feet. Needing a break, she takes a working/vacation in the mountains of the Adirondacks. Skyler is an author and she lost her muse following her recovery and she needs to start writing again. When a knock comes to the door and Cameron Moore flashes his military ID indicating he has been sent by her father to protect her, she is naturally suspicious. However, Skyler has been receiving threatening notes and tried without success to reach her father, she therefore accepts the handsome military officer's story.

In the meantime Dylan uses his numerous contacts, inside and outside the military to try and unravel the mystery surrounding Cameron being framed for the murders. As well, he looks for a now missing Gabriel. One of the people he approaches is Riley, a woman who is ex-military, a deadly killer turned black ops for hire, and she has a major grudge against Gabriel. Dylan and Riley have had an explosive on again off again affair and Ms. Tyler weaves a very hot romantic subplot into the narrative concerning these two people.

Skyler is very attracted to Cameron and the last thing he plans or expects happens, he wants the daughter of the man he hates most in the world. As I've mentioned here before, one of the reasons I love romantic suspense so much is that I think danger amplifies the sexual tension and sensuality of the interaction between the hero and heroine exponentially. Skyler and Cameron's story is no exception. Cameron Moore is Alpha, sexy as hell, a trained killer, but he is also written to possess an innate sensitivity and kindness that comes rocketing to the surface during intimate encounters with Skyler. Trouble does arrive in spades, and Cameron is forced to protect and save a still recovering Skyler from hired guns, intent on kidnapping her. As they fight and flee these aggressors their feelings for one another intensify, but can they forge a relationship founded on lies and betrayal?

Ms. Tyler also introduces the sociopathic and elusive Elijah, leader of Dead Man's Hand (DMH), a home grown terrorist organization that began by funding terror camps, and then branched out to black market weapons and organ trafficking. This is one scary group and Elijah is in the background, pulling the levers of what is an extraordinarily fasted paced, action packed plot that takes a number of surprising and exciting twists and turns.

If you read this review, you may think there is a lot going on in "Lie With Me", and you would be right. However, Ms. Tyler deftly ties the subplots together, making for a conclusion that is not only exciting but hosts a number revelations. If you enjoy a heart wrenching, thrilling, gritty and action packed military romantic suspense, you may like to give,"Lie With Me," a try. Ms. Tyler sets the foundation for the next story in her "Shadow Force," series "Promises In the Dark," which is Navy Seal, Zane Scott (I love this guy) and Dr. Olivia Strohm's story. I'm SO primed to read this one!

What is the Shadow Force? Read "Lie With Me," and you will get an idea as to how it begins.

Because the story summary has already been given above, I'll just add rave reviews for another winner by Stephanie Tyler. LIE WITH ME blasts readers with an explosive and edgy thriller combined with sizzling and heart-wrenching romance. A marvelously well-developed storyline with an enticing group of characters makes this book a must read for anyone who loves romantic suspense.

I read the 2nd book of the series 1st (Promises in the Dark) so i thought i would give this book a chance. I never finished Lie with Me. I read over half of it was sick of it. I read the last few chapters because I knew i would never finish reading it all. Skylar a transplant recipient and heroine was totally unbelievable to me. Her father is basically blackmailing Cameron to continue on with his black ops work among other not ethical activities which she finds out about. She continues to have a sense of loyalty to him which I didn't feel developed. Cameron was convicted of killing his father (which he didn't do) and gets a 2nd chance and joins Delta Force. He has to has to continue working for Skylar's father in his black ops or be explosed. I didn't buy this premise at all. I never felt the anger he felt in having to carry out this work other than being told. I think I am being generous with the 2 stars. If this was the 1st book I read by Stephanie Tyler I would never read another.

I read Stephanie's Hard to Hold trilogy and loved it. I couldn't wait to read the first of her Shadow Force Series. As I expected, it did not disappoint. Lie with Me was definitely worth waiting for. I loved the book! Great action, hot romance, well developed characters. Will be purchasing the next one as soon as it is released.

I will start with the bad: I am disappointed that Amazon allows these psuedo-reviewers to spoil the book for future readers. Since I started with the 2nd book in this series, I then came on here to order the book only to find the first reviewer told the whole story. It should be titled "Beware: This is the Whole Story."
On the plus side, since I had already read the second book, I still got the first book. It was very good. And while the second book could stand alone, the first book connects very well and is a great first book to a trilogy. And unlike other authors (i.e. Lora Leigh), the characters are not the same but with different names. Ms. Tyler gives each character their own personality. If Amazon could fix the spoiler reviews, then the purchasing process would be way better.

a slow start but pickes up quite nicely
the two main character cam and sky feel believeable. Dylan and Reily are good future characters. And Zane and Olivia were set up well for the next book looking foward to it

Stephanie Tyler writes some of the best heros I have ever read. Period. Strong, yet they all have a vulnerability and a realness that just comes through so clearly as they move through the tale. Cam is no exception. His conflict is explored and revealed so that the reader can feel his angst leaping off the pages.

The pace in "Lie With Me" is perfect. Not so fast that I lost track of what was going on, but plenty of action to keep me interested. I admit to being skeptical when I read there were several subplots. Honestly, not too many writers can pull off heading in 3 directions at once. But Ms. Tyler pulls it all together seamlessly, giving us a bonus couple with Dylan and Riley. I really liked their backstory, and the way they came together. Riley is one of a kind, with her own share of angsty history.

Sky worked for me, too. She hasn't had it easy, but she showed an inner strength throughout the book. She has the wisdom to see the gray areas, and is exactly what Cam required.

I started reading Ms. Tyler with the Hold trilogy, and then read the Sydney Croft books she co-writes with Larissa Ione. I can honestly say I have never regretted one dime I have paid for her books. She is one of my favorite authors, one I can count on to come through with a great story each and every time.

Loved this book, and am anxiously awaiting the release of "Promises In The Dark".

The Shadow Force Series are exciting and sexy. This, being the first in the series, introduces the reader to the participants and the thread of the stories.

After reading other reviews on this series I was looking forward to this book. I finished it, but didn't really need to. It's predictable and the characters left me feeling indifferent. Brockmann, Melton and Gerard are all better in my opinion.

This was a well written story, and kept my interest and attention. Good charaterization; and diversified in the plot. Hope they will be more stories using these characters and theme.