Liars Like Us

Morally Gray #1

by J.T. Geissinger

A young woman on the verge of bankruptcy.
A mysterious billionaire with an offer that will change her life.
An obsession so powerful, it could destroy them both.

Sex
Lies
Secrets
Passion

What Callum McCord wants, he takes.
No matter what he has to do to get it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s note: Liars Like Us is a standalone marriage of convenience romance with an obsessive & possessive morally gray hero and spicy bedroom scenes intended for mature readers only.

Genres: Romance, Dark Romance, Contemporary Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Billionaire Romance, Forced Proximity

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 25, 2023

About the author

J.T. Geissinger is a New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of thirty-five novels and novellas. Ranging from funny, feisty romcoms to intense erotic thrillers, her books have sold over twenty million copies and been translated into more than two dozen languages.

She is a three-time nominee in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book, the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and the HOLT Medallion for Best Erotic Romance.

Newsletter ➡️ http://bit.ly/1IbgZZI
Reader group ➡️ http://bit.ly/2xbtnY3
Amazon ➡️ http://amzn.to/1xQN4za

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was hot and hilarious but I’m pretty sure this hero needs psychiatric intervention.

This was a fun time overall but I’m not giving this full stars because the beginning was a slag, and the heroine could not stop talking about her vagina. Also the twist was incredibly obvious, but maybe it was supposed to be? I mean, who didn’t see that coming?

And there were so many side characters! I couldn’t keep track of which hot girlfriend was which much of the time so I just lumped them together in my head as ‘horny friends with no boundaries’.
But JT, as usual, brings the snark, the banter and the heat and this is a very highlightable book. I like that the heroine fought him on some of his shenanigans, but sometimes she also didn’t? And the body betrayal got annoying. Maybe my sex drive is low or something because no guy is hot enough that I’d overlook him completely taking away my agency because he was a good dirty talker with a big dick. But still he was funny and crazy and reality didn’t really play much of a factor in this, and that’s ok. This was a dark romantic fantasy with some hilarious parts.
Killian Black popping up like Where’s Waldo was a treat.

So I enjoyed this once I got into it, and Callum was a hilarious bulldozing freak, but it was nowhere near at the level of the Queens and Monsters series, or even the Beautifully Cruel duet. I’m giving it four stars but it didn’t *quite* earn them.

Update: did anyone read the acknowledgments?!!?
Here is a quote “ Big things will happen. I won’t spoil anything by telling you which of your favorite characters will survive.”
She’s gonna start killing off fave characters?!? Whyyyyy?

[Mareeva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm sorry this was such a guilty pleasure. This is one of those books that you just know the author had so much fun writing.

The hero exhibited what I call quality, authentic, top-grade, 5 michelin star DERANGED behaviour. Never calling another man a simp again, that's offensive. There is only one simp and that's Callum McCord.

“The tattoo is the first of many I’ll get with your name all over my body.”
[a few days later]
“You tattooed my name on your hand?”
“I wanted to get ‘I Love My Wife’, but I didn’t have enough fingers.”

Callum in a couple months:

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

I found this to be fairly meh, honestly. I feel like this author tries hard to be dark, but since I've read a LOT of super dark romance, it just never lands for me in comparison. A decent read...but not very memorable.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The type of OTT goodness I love in my books

First of all, the OTTness in this book was just perfection. But, what sold the book to me early on was the BANTER!!! And JT does some of the best banter I’ve ever read 🤣. I was snorting and laughing like a lunatic 🤣.

”Why don’t you take a picture of the license plate and send it to a friend? That way if your dismembered body is discovered in a dumpster tomorrow morning, the police will know where to start looking for your murderer.” “You could change the plates after you dump my body.” “Hmm. Good point.”

ETA- the audiobook is DUET NARRATION 😮‍💨. So so SOOOOO good 👏🏻. The way the narrators play the MCs was 👌🏻… I can remember the last time a narrator was eating during an eating scene 🤣 (plus, the intensity depicted like when yelling/feeling the audacity was top notch 👏🏻). Annnnnd… it has a full cast of narrators 💅. I love how good JT does audiobooks 👏🏻

Emery’s (30) bookstore’s tanking after a new, huge bookstore opens up across from her small one. She’s upset and is trying to remain positive, but it’s not looking good 😏.

Her rent’s doubling, she owes over a million in back taxes, her apartment building’s being condemned, and the list goes on and on. She decides to splurge and take her 5 employees to an expensive dinner as a last hurrah and a goodbye before she has to fire them ☹️.

The next day at work, a handsome AF man comes in and propositions her to get married 😳. Callum (35) will give her $10 million so that she can save her business and he can keep his inheritance. His father’s disinheriting him if he doesn’t marry within a certain amount of months. He was at the same restaurant she was at the previous night when he overheard her situation.

It’ll be a marriage of convenience 👀. What could possibly go wrong 😈?

What I liked/loved: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
—the BANTERRRRR 🤣. Did I look like a crazy person while I was driving, working, or doing chores? Oh yeah 🤣. The way Emery and Callum argue and volley back and forth was just 😮‍💨. I couldn’t help but highlight so much, and the amount of times I laughed was embarrassing 🤣

“What?” “It’s just that people don’t often say no to me.” “Meaning never.” “Exactly.” I say flippantly, “If I’m going to be your wife, you’d better get used to it.”

“I see. Well, if we’re going to be married, I suppose I should know your name.” “So you’re accepting my proposal.”… “Just tell me your name, please.” “Callum McCord.” “Great to meet you, Cal. And should I call the police now to report a criminally bad comedian, or are you leaving?”

—the OTTness. Oh LAWD. Callum has no shame, no SHAAAAME being ott 😅. He DNGAF if he seems unreasonable or unhinged 🤣 as long as he has Emery, he doesn’t care 💅

—the tension 👀. Jeeeezus 🔥 so much tension. If looks could cause fires, well then the world would’ve burned down with the way Callum looks at Emery 😅. It’s 🤌🏻

He grips my hips, yanks me against him, and growls, “You better make sure you squeeze hard, schoolgirl, because if I’m not passed out in five seconds, I’ll throw you onto that desk, tear off your panties, and give you what we both know you need.”

—the 🔥. Well, duh 👀. So many kinks in this book 😮‍💨. Their first kiss happens at almost 40% but then they consummate their marriage at about 50% and it’s 🥵. Callum is absolutely O B S E S S E D with Emery’s Os 😉. And the amount of S was just 🤤

—the diiiiirty talk 🥵. Oh GAWD. Give me the strength to survive Callum’s mouth when he gets going 😅

—TMDLAGG 🫠. 👈🏻This is me right there. Actual footage of how I reacted when he said those lines 🥵💦 (take my d like a good girl 😮‍💨)

—praise kink🤤. I mean ^^ look at the previous bullet 💦

—biting 😮‍💨. Gahhh. Callum can use his teeth so so good 🥵

—he calls her Wife and Baby 😮‍💨🫠 (also darling, but let’s not mention that one🫣 🤣😅)

—the swooniness 🥹. Um… she asks and he’ll make sure she receives. The books. The foods. The jobs. This man is doing God’s work out there by being so sweet ❤️

—he’s so JP. I mean. Callum’s about to un a live his brother when he says that Emery’s seeeexy, let’s not mention the other things he’s willing to do to any man that wants her 🤣

—the “revenge” scenes lol. Emery taking out Callum’s favorite car and going over curbs a little too hard was just smart revenge 🤷🏻‍♀️ don’t get me started on the sandwich 🤣

—ASK FOR IT 🫠 SAY PLEASE 🥵💦

—the connections he has 😅. I mean. It’s not everyday the cops pull you over because you won’t talk to your fiancé 😅

—the rings 👀. Getting a more conservative ring so your life isn’t in danger is just 🥰

—KILLIAN!!! Sigh. I loved seeing him again 🥰

—the audacity 😅 it’s hard to explain this one without huge spoilers, but… oh my god… Callum’s audacity is in a league of its own 🤌🏻 👏🏻

—the tattoos 🥹

—his persistence 🥰. Ummm. He doesn’t give up 👏🏻. We need more men like this 😮‍💨

—the twists and truths👀. Did I guess a few of them? Yeah, but I still found myself surprised 🙃

What I didn’t like/wanted more of: SPOILERS
—when he handcuffs her to the bed, I was very irritated at how quickly she caved to him 😐😑. She needed to make him suffer more 🤣😑😐. The sandwich was a nice touch, but not enough 🤣 (btw. Once the twists were revealed, I overlooked a lot of the things I didn’t like 🤣)

—the workers looking like her 😅. Umm… so… are they getting fired now? 😅🤣. I mean. It’s kind of 🥴😬. lol. I
Mean. He only has eyes for Emery, but… come on!!!!

—a longer epilogue. It’s only 2 months later ☹️

—for the book to be longer

Overall, I loooooved it 🤣.

⚠️ safety squad ⚠️
-no cheating*/sharing/owd
-death of parents mentioned
-both are jealous/he’s jealous of any man that’s close to her/she’s jealous of his secretary and other women who look like her
-OMD- the h previously had a boyfriend. She confronts him. She finds out he had been cheating on her
-h hasn’t been with anyone in six months/it’s implied it’s been a LOOOONG time (like years) for the H
-praise kink/hand necklace/dirty talk/anal play/p spanking/boob spanking/spanking/D-s/anal sex/face f/degradation kink/BDSM ish
-no condoms/it’s implied they’re both clean
-HEA/epilogue/2 months later

[Matilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars 📚

i can’t remember the last time i met a hero, so unhinged, it was hilarious

essentially, this revolves around the marriage of convenience, and occurs between emery (h) and callum (H). emery is the owner of a small bookstore that she inherited from her dad. callum is a billionaire entrepreneur. one day this huge bookstore opens up across from emery’s store, essentially driving all her business away, forcing her to close the place.

she wanted to thank her employees and apologize, since they were all losing their jobs, by taking them out to this nice dinner. while she was there, callum overheard her story about how she needed all this money to save the store.

later, callum appears at her store and literally proposes to her. he takes her out to lunch, explained to her that he wants to marry her because his dad give me an ultimatum where, in order to receive his inheritance, he would need to get married. in turn, he said he would give emery $20 million, so she can save her business.

emery originally says no but then all these issues arise, like she gets contacted by someone that tells her she owes almost $2 million in back taxes, her house almost gets condemned, her friends husband loses his job, her landlord contacts her and says her rent is going to double, and gets gets served a lawsuit. because of all these reasons, she decides to accept callum’s offer and they get married…within 20 minutes of her acceptable 😭

now here’s where it goes absolutely fucking insane

spoilers below ✨

i did have a suspicion the whole time about callum’s motives just because of the way he was acting. like the second they got married it was like a light switch went off. callum changed into this very possessive person, something you don’t expect in only your second meeting ever with someone.

before emery signed the marriage certificate, he told her they don’t have to have sex, they can sleep in different beds, they can have other lovers, etc. but the the second she said i do, all the sudden NONE of that was possible.

honestly the biggest red flag was him he not having a divorce clause in their contract sksks

the plot twist is…CALLUM MANIPULATED EMERY AND SET EVERYTHING UP SO SHE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO MARRY HIM



he basically met her five years before at a halloween party, where she rejected him. from that moment, he’s been obsessed with trying to have her, so what he did is—

➟ first off, the ultimatum his dad gave him and never existed. he just use it as an excuse to make a deal with emery
➟ he bought the bookstore that moved across the street from her under a shell corporation to hide the sale then moved it across the street from her bookstore (even though the location made no sense) just to drive her into financial ruin



➟ her friend’s husband losing his job? yeah that was him. he did it so she would ask callum to hire him at his company, making callum seem like a good guy
➟ he convinced her friend’s step-dad to leave her mom
➟ he held a knife to one of emery’s boyfriend’s neck while blackmailing him with pictures of him cheating so he would leave her. he literally disappeared and ghosted her
➟ he made a deal with her landlord to double the price of her rent
➟ the guy that called about the overdue taxes was just some guy who owed him a favor. she never owed anything
➟ the lawsuit that was filed against her about someone slipping and falling on broken tile was all him.
➟ he got her friend’s apartment vandalized, so it would seem unsafe.

SOMEHOW IT GETS EVEN BETTER. when callum filed their marriage license he did it in the vatican city BECAUSE DIVORCE IS ILLEGAL THERE

their first meeting after all this was revealed was comedic gold—

“If I say I’m sorry, will you believe me?”
“I don’t know. Try it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He sighs again. “Good. Because it was a lie.”

“Okay. Here’s the truth. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My backup plan was to kidnap you and hold you hostage until you fell in love with me from Stockholm Syndrome.”

he has such a way with words 😍🤩

morally gray
↠ #1 liars like us — 3.25 stars
↠ #2 fall into you — 1 star

[Warda]

DNF at 56% because this book should’ve never seen the light of day.
I think J.T. Geissinger was taking the piss. On purpose. She had to be.

I already went in with low expectations, but this book went lower. I knew not to take anything seriously and I have been hesitant to read this book since Pen Pal was such a disaster for me, yet this might have been worse.

It tried to be so funny. It really did. And you know what, some parts were. Until the funny turned into foolery.

Nothing about the plot or characters made sense. And something should’ve made sense by the 50% mark.

Characters this crazy and unhinged and obsessive belong in a dark romance. Not whatever this book was trying to be.

If you want something mindless and pointless, look no further.

It was outlandish beginning to end and I just couldn’t bring myself to give a shit.

[Kursed Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enigmatic billionaire, Callum McCord makes Emery Eastwood, owner of Lit Happens, a failing bookstore, an offer she can’t refuse.

Domineering and intense, Callum sees Emery so clearly. So despite their unconventional relationship, his charm is too much to resist.

Liars Like Us is an unexpectedly riotous Indecent Proposal-esque romance with hysterical banter, an obsessed hero, and a sassy heroine I’d give my pinky toe to trade places with. Moreover, it might just be my top book of the year to date.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🩶
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😩🤔🥵😳😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 🧍🏻‍♀️ {Single}

🗂 Genre: Contemporary Romance

✨ Tropes: Alphahole, Jealous/Possessive, Obsessed, Manipulation, Marriage of Convenience, MINE!, Rich AF

💋 Kinks: 🍑 Play, Dirty Talk, Domination, 🐱 SIapping, Spanking

⚠️ Warning: This book may cause blushing, squirming, combusting panties, and/or self-care.

🚩 Safety Squad: There are potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📣 Type: Liars Like Us is part of the Morally Gray series, but can be read as a standalone.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY REVIEW AND OTHERS can also be found on my blog:
╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

ღ 🅻🅸🅰🆁🆂 🅻🅸🅺🅴 🆄🆂 ღ Is the first full length romance book in the (MORALLY GRAY) duet by author J.T. Geissinger . Spoken in dual perspectives. HERO: Callum McCord
HEROINE: Emery

From the cover 🔥 🔥 🔥 to the synopsis, to the author, this was the one book which I was anticipating above all others, once it landed on my ipad. game over! This was inhaled, I couldn't and didn't want to put it down. I was consumed by these two, their too and fro banter had me falling in love with these two wholeheartedly.

❥ Obsessed hero
❥ Billionaire
❥ He falls first
❥ Fake marriage

𝑯𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆.



How far will one man go to get the girl he wants to marry him? And where can I find myself a Callum!?! From his looks to his potty mouth, this guy was HOT!! 🔥🔥🔥

This had more twists and turns than a roller coaster! Blindsided more times than I can count! One after the other sitting with a shocked expression on my face as they just kept coming. From the giggling, to the swoons, to the feels these two were utter perfection. They were dynamite.

Do yourself a favour, one click this release day and go in blind, and like me you'll fall head over heels for all that is Callum. he's everything us girls seek in our book boyfriends.

* Teaser used is off the authors facebook page *

 

Email ಇ Twitter ಇ Instagram ಇ Blog ಇ Facebook ಇ Amazon ಇ Pinterest 

[aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

I never thought I'd find a hero who was so absurdly and insanely obsessed with his woman. But yes. I found him.

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.T. Geissinger knows just how I love my fictional men!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜🖤❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌏
Character development: 😠🙃😍😘🥰

The heroine: Emery - she owns a small bookstore and café that has been in her family for years. She has a small eclectic staff of people she considers her family and loves what she does. Though a chain called ValUBooks just opened next door and her little bookstore is in danger of going under, leaving her with nothing and no prospects for the future.

The Hero: Callum - he is a billionaire media mogul. He has a dominant personality, he knows what he wants, goes after it with ruthless intent and always gets it. What he wants now is for Emery to marry him and he is giving it his all and going after her like she was his next business acquisition. He comes from a family with great genetics and has unnaturally good looks and intelligence.

The Story: the book is told from Emery’s point of view, we don’t get to find out what Callum is really up to till it all comes out, though we do get plenty of hints that not everything is like what he tells Emery at the start. He wants her locked into the marriage as soon as possible and does everything he can to make it happen.

“The man can kiss, I’ll give him that. He might be the single most aggravating human to ever walk the face of the earth, and he clearly has control issues and a boatload of secrets, but he sure can kiss.
What an unfortunate development.”

I have to say, I loved this one from the very beginning. I am a sucker for the fake engagement or fake marriage trope, and this one was all that and a bag of chips. Callum was a super handsome and dominant billionaire and Emery was able to put him in his place from the start. She took everything and gave as good back to him from the first meeting. She was one of the most likable and genuine heroines I have read about in a while, and I loved her wit and ability to surprise me.

“Then I have my Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman moment, going from one expensive boutique to the next while every salesperson looks at me in horror as if I’m wearing a dress made of fresh turds.
In each case, it’s incredibly satisfying when I slap that black Amex down on the counter.”

Callum is over the top possessive, dominant, arrogant and he enjoys a bit of kink in the bedroom. He is wealthy and loves to pamper Emery, protect her and give her everything she has ever needed or wanted, he even washes her hair for her in the shower and he is just the kind of Hero I love.

“You can’t hold it against me that I did exactly what you asked me to.”
“No, but I can hold it against you that you’re insane!”
His tone turns reasonable. “I’m not insane. I’m perfectly rational. My ethics are just a little more bendy than other people’s.”

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liars Like Us is book one in the Morally Gray series by J.T. Geissinger. I really didn’t know what to expect going into this new series except that J.T. continually amazes me with everything she writes. And she did it again! I could NOT put this book down! And I laughed out loud, SO MANY TIMES! It’s going to be a tough review to write because I don’t want to give away a single secret and believe me when I say, this book is full of secrets. So you just might have to take my word on this one and take the leap!



Emery Eastwood is thirty years old and owns her late father’s small book store, Lit Happens. A series of very unfortunate events has turned Emery’s life upside down and she is barely hanging on. When she is on the verge of losing everything, a very mysterious, VERY rich, and shockingly good looking man walks into her life, making her an offer that could fix everything. But at what cost to her? Because nothing in life is as good as it seems.

Callum McCord is thirty five years old. His family owns McCord Media, the largest private corporation in the world. Callum has secrets, so many secrets.



The entire book is told from Emery’s point of view. And I’ll warn you, being in her head is hilarious most of the time. Emery has a huge heart behind all of her snark. She feels everything so big. There is nothing more important to her than the people she cares about, her best friend and her employees. I could not stop reading. I highlighted like crazy! I didn’t want it to be over! Now I have to wait for the next book, Fall Into You, which will be Callum’s brother, Cole’s book. It can’t get here fast enough.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[EmBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so freakin unhinged and I just couldn’t take it seriously. I was ready to put this book down by chapter 4 because a) I figured the whole thing out!!! I knew from the very beginning what’s going on and what’s going to happen. B) I couldn’t take any of the characters or their circumstances seriously. It was all too stupid and too unhinged in my opinion.

Once they got married I found myself kinda having fun? It was all stupid in an entertaining way. It turned out into an entertaining funny stupid too convenient dark romance. It was hysterical and hilarious with all the sass and fire and OTT characters.

An unimportant observation and a 🚫spoiler🚫;
It would’ve been less stupid if we knew from the beginning that he’s a bad blackmailing stalker villain? Who wants to force her into marrying him and went to extreme forces to ensure that, instead of doing it all in a stupid unhinged way. I would’ve preferred if it was done differently, I think. If it was just a dark romance with a blackmailing forced marriage trope instead of doing it in a stupid comedic OTT way?

[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Liars Like Us is the epitome of the boy obsessed trope. If that's your thing, one click this book immediately! You're in for a real treat! 



Side note: Why is it called boy obsessed? I'm not going to lie, that confused the hell out of me at first. Who came up with the name of that shit anyway? In my opinion, it should be the opposite, but I digress.



Emery Eastwood is about to lose her bookstore when Callum McCord walks in out of nowhere and offers to save it. All she has to do to receive his help is marry him immediately. She isn't initially receptive to his sudden proposition, and Callum isn't used to being denied. All this leads to some incredible banter, intense sexual tension, and a damn good time! 




Callum is a sexy, mega rich, morally gray man with a filthy mouth that will have your panties drenched if you like 'em slightly unhinged when it comes to matters of the heart. He's more than meets the eye, and I couldn't help but fall in love with him right from the start. This book isn't told in Callum's POV, so he remains a little bit of a mystery until the end which was the perfect way to tell this story.



As much as I loved Callum's dirty talk, Emery made this book for me. Emery is such a genuinely amazing human being. She had my heart immediately, and her sassy nature and great sense of humor just endeared her to me even more. 



Liars Like Us is my second read from J.T. Geissinger, and it solidified her place as an autobuy author for me. Not only did I feel the heat pouring off the pages when Emery and Callum were together, the scenes with Emery and her friends, coworkers, and Callum's driver/personal assistant were some of my favorites in the whole book. I love the way this author writes her characters and their relationships, romantic and platonic. She's a pro at shocking plot twists, and her writing style is captivating af. I can't wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the series!



Contemporary romance fans that love sarcastic heroines and morally gray heroes, this one's for you! 

[Rachael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Y’all ever just read a book that pisses you off? Yup. This was that book for me. This dude isn’t even “morally gray” - he’s insane. Certifiably bat shit crazy. He needs to see a therapist and get evaluated stat. And don’t even get me started on the FMC. She’s all bark, no bite. All it takes is one look at him and everything goes out the window. Dickmatized. That’s what she is. 100% dickmatized. Classic case of if this guy was ugly he’d be in prison.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the banter, and the steam.

The Not-So-Good: I think there needed to be more reasoning for the H to do what he did. I didn't really get it and it just made him seem more the crazier in the end. And the female employees looking alike -- eww.

The Bad: The ending. It was right after the conflict was resolved and could've definitely been better. I also think it could've benefited a lot by having the H's POV. There was also the side work that the H did that I'm still confused about and unsure how it fit into the story at all in a way that was beneficial (other than maybe connecting it to other books?)

Overall: This was pretty steamy and the H was quite the character! I think it definitely could've been better, but I still did enjoy it for what it was -- a steamy, low angst, and humorous read.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Emery and Callum's story. Emery is down on her luck and when she finally decides she has to close her small family bookstore, Callum appears with a proposition. He needs a wife to keep his family's media mogul inheritance. There is some cat and mouse, some secrets revealed, and some hot sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.

Point Of View (POV): This was told in Emery's POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings the H claims to have loved her at first sight

H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Callum. He was a mess! But a likable mess.... I'm rating him 3.5 stars because that's my from the gut rating, but if I thought about it more it'd probably be less because he was pretty cray cray!

h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Emery. I liked her but I also thought she was a little too pessimistic for my liking (even though it was probably understandable after all she went though)

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes the h pushes away a good bit and the H is the main pursuer of the relationship

Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. rough sex, dirty talk, spanking, mild D/s dynamics, and some bondage

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes the h's ex causes some drama

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: Not between mcs it is found that the h's ex was cheating on her

Separation: Yes They are separated shortly (weeks/month), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Yes Criminal activity/extortion (on page) and loss of parents (off page)

Closure: This ends in a good place and what I would call a HEA ending they're still married, but I would've liked some more time of them together after the conflict was resolved.

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating by mcs
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have the h pushing the H away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

- possessive MMC with a filthy mouth
- snarky & bratty FMC
- billionaire
- marriage of convenience

Holy mother of Jesus, Callum McCord is hot 🥵

The man has one filthy mouth, and while he may be a walking red flag with ambiguous morals when it comes to all things Emery… I was here for it.

Emery’s take no prisoners attitude and snark balanced out his obsessive need for control in all situations. She’s feisty and fiery, and constantly calls him on his shit and I loved it! The banter and tension between was also amazing, and despite guessing the twist early on, I still really enjoyed this.

** editing to add:
- TW: stalking, coercion/manipulation
- No cliffhangers, HEA

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS

You’re something much better than beautiful. And when we’re married, I’ll tell you what it is.”

The queen of sass and banter is back with a vengeance with a new series that will set your kindle on fire and make your ovaries tinge! When I tell you I devoured this book, I mean I devoured this book. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting with a ridiculous grin on my face the entire time.

If there's one thing that JT always delivers, it's amazing characters. She brings uber alphas, sassy heroines, and all the banter. Now the thing with the sass is it's not easy to pull off. It can be over the top, annoying or brash when not done right. But Geissinger hits it out of the park each and every single time.

I say drily, “If you think that was interesting, wait until I tell you what he said to me in the car after the ceremony.”
“What?”
“That he wanted to spank my p*ssy until I squirted on his hand.”
After a moment of silence, Dani breathes, “There is a God.”

I loved everything about this book, starting from the friendships, to the romance, and to the surprise cameos (OMG the cameos!). Wait until you get to this plot twist. This woman's mind is brilliant the way she brings everything together.

This is a marriage of convenience with a layer of suspense and man oh man did I love it.

Emery is a down on her luck business owner who is facing bankruptcy and having to close her family's bookstore because of a string of bad luck and a competitor next door. Enter Callum, mysterious billionaire that needs a wife for his inheritance and offers her the deal of a life time. Only Emery is no pushover and she makes the man WORK to take him seriously. I loved that about her. This is no push over and even when facing bankruptcy and failure, she never loses her spark and tenacity.

That dress is incredible.”
“Oh, this old thing? I bought it with your ridiculous limitless credit card at some fancy boutique in Beverly Hills where the salespeople looked at me as if I’d given birth to Satan’s scaly, forked-tongue baby and was dragging it around by its bloody umbilical cord. So charming, those boutique ladies. They made me feel as if suicide was my only viable option.”

Of course in typical Geissinger fashion everything is not as it seems but that's a whole experience so enjoy the ride spoiler free. Trust me.

His heated gaze rakes over my breasts. “Careful, wife.”
“No, you be careful. Because if you think you married a pushover, think again.”
“I know exactly who I married,” he says softly, his eyes piercing. “Do you?”
“Yes. A psychopath with too much money, too little patience, and too much
confidence for his own good.”

All I will tell you is that I'm practically vibrating in fingerling glee that this is the first in a series and we're getting more. Because this set up? Delicious. Absolutely dellcious.

If you're looking for a wild and sexy romp with plenty of witty banter, suspense, and heat, look no further. This is what they mean when they say book crack. This book was everything and entirely too addictive. I can't wait for more in this series!

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:

[Carla Bulian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is funny, immature and forgettable!
Unfortunately!

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rtc (probably)
HE IS ~THE~ MASTERMIND
🎶 What if I told you none of it was accidental and the first night that you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me?
I laid the groundwork and then, just like clockwork the dominoes cascaded in a line
What if I told you I'm a mastermind?
And now you're mine
It was all by design
'Cause I'm a mastermind 🎶

Honestly this has become one of my comfort reads. OTT, fun, spicy and fluffy. It was exactly what I needed

Check safety WITH SPOILERS info here🫶🫶:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[CeCe · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNFed at 60%. Give me a break! He would not do all that to get HER!!! She was an annoying person. I hate heroines who act like know-it-alls just so they appear strong.
This was so weak. Get a better heroine. I don’t want to be told how amazing the heroine is, I want to form my own opinion. I can’t get this one off my kindle fast enough.

[Erika Braga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE THE FEMALE CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!

Plus she is obsessed with Jamie Frazier from Outlander and what can I say? SAMEEEEE !!!!!

She is so funny and has the best come backs ever. I did like the guy a lot too but she is the book for me. Obviously I love his obsession, possessive personality and crazy lengths he goes to have her. It’s not a dark romance in my opinion, but the guys is morally gray and I enjoyed the story, the spice and the whole friend group. I honestly want to memorize EVERY SINGLE words, come backs and rants she has just so I can use in real life because I wish I was as funny as she is. Nothing is better than a funny person, I will die on this hill !

[Priskah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4, 5 ✨✨✨

This was so sexy and funny, an easy read that I could not put down.🥰😍
I had a great time and I'm looking forward to reading book 2, come September * sighs *😭💔

[Sou · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a let down for me. I used to like JT Geissinger's brand of writng - yes, her MMC are OTT alpha possessive and you kind of need to switch off your brain a bit but it was always an enjoyable piece of escapism. But her recent releases have been lackluster at best, lacking originality and overly redone plot lines and characterizations. Spoilers ahead as usual.
This book is the worst I've read from the author. The plot twist was glaringly obvious from the get go. Although the author tries to create some intrigue by dropping hints from time to time, it never really amounts to anything. The pacing was the worst. By around 40% of the book the MCs get married and from then till about 85% of the book they do nothing but hump like bunnies, which was so darn repetitive and boring. There was no chemistry between them, they never talk or get to know each other (other than the MMC stalking the FMC for years ofc). The FMC was supposed to be quirky I guess but she came across as TSTL rather. The MMC is thorougly obsessed with the FMC, stalks and manipulates the trajectory of her life for several years (which should end with him in a straight jacket in a padded room) and all this stems from a chance encounter at a party! The MMC gives a long ass speech about how he fell in love with her that day - not because of something she did, not her thoughts or personality, no, she just exists and he is obsessed from then on. I could not buy into their love because I just didn't see it. They are at best in lust with each other and that's about it.
There was a line towards the end of the book about how he is a monster but now he is her monster which again brings me back to how Geissinger is just repacking old plotlines. That line about monsters is something that is repeated in pretty much every book starting from her queens and monsters series. And now that I think about it, the MCs have been dumbed down versions of the first and second book from that series too. What an absolute waste of time! Here's hoping that the author wakes up and gets her mojo back🤞🤞

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️

Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Mention of ex cheating
- Manipulation
- Loss of loved ones
- HEA

Not much to say other than I did not enjoy this. I really wanted to, but the guy bugged me so much. It was lacking actual emotions and an emotional connection.

I felt like his attitude was just odd and badly placed and it would have helped if we had gotten his POV.

She was just enamored with him and gave in too quickly.

Also, I figured out the twist from the beginning, so it was just not surprising to me.

The other twist about his other activities concerning a ''secret group'' was just out of the blue and I felt nothing concerning it since it was misplaced into this story and really gave us nothing to move their relationship forward.

Skimmed through the pages and I know I missed nothing special.

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 'Darling wife' Stars!
ARC provided via Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review.


I’ve been a fan of J.T. Geissinger’s work for a while now and specially after loving her last series to death. Imagine my excitement when she announced a new series and said the first book would be a marriage of convenience. I was all over it! And, of course, with the unique twists and turns, the woman has given us another love story to remember. Another amazing crew of characters, an uber alpha, the sassiest heroine and a chemistry that burns the pages being so intense!

So, Liars Like Us is the first instalment in Geissinger’s Morally Gray series and it’s the story of Callum McCord and Emery Eastwood. Emery is a tough working woman who is about to lose the family business when billionaire Callum McCord enters her life. He is the CEO of a massive entertainment company and he is looking for a wife. What happens when he offers Emery ten million dollars to marry him? Is everything as easy as it looks or will obsession and secrets destroy this relationship?

“Sweet little lamb,” he murmurs against my lips. “Hungry, aren’t you?”
“Why do you have to ruin everything by talking?”

Of course, J.T. Geissinger surprises us at every turn. In every single book we discover unexpected things about the characters and their lives. Liars Like Us is no exception. Without spoiling anything for anyone, let’s just say Callum wants Emery to an obsessive degree. And circumstances around that, affect their marriage of convenience and the burning chemistry between this couple. It’s not all amazing sex and all that, it’s so much more. It’s not simply good or bad and you’ll get it when you read it. It’s just different but SO GOOD! And, of course, with J.T’s dose of alphaness, sassiness and steam.

“You wear my ring. You sleep in my bed. You made a promise in front of witnesses to have and to hold me for the rest of your life. You chose me, Emery. And because you chose me, you own me, now and forever, come what may.”

Therefore, I am rating Liars Like Us with 4.5 STARS because it was a great start to J.T’s brand new series. We have a new layer of characters, mixed between good and bad (or morally gray as the series name says!), and a couple with a passionate and emotional love story. Yes, it’s unique and you’ll see why. I don’t want to say more, you’ll just have to see for yourselves! I am sure you’ll love Emery and Callum as much as I did. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series!

[Leticia (jerseygirlsbookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Questions of good and bad are never simple. Nothing is purely black, just as nothing is purely white. It’s the intention that matters, even if blood gets spilled along the way."
JT Geissinger has a pretty unique way of getting into your head, and I love it.
I knew I wanted this book from the blurb alone, and let me tell you—I wasn’t disappointed.
And no, there will be no spoilers here.

"If I were looking at you like you were my next meal, you’d already be eaten."
I have two words for you, and they are very indecent: Callum McCord. Because honestly? It can be a million shades of wrong, and I would still want him. It’s not just the physical side, but… everything.
Morally gray? Yeah, I guess, but I want him to take me away and wreck me. But just me. Sorry, Emery. I don’t share.

"It’s amazing how someone I find so attractive can also make me want to bash him over the head with my shoe."
However… yeah. I also want to slap him silly because he gets really frustrating. Annoying. He’s entitled. He doesn’t really understand the world like we do because he’s wealthy. But he’s also… endearing. Careful. Swoony in a different way. And loving.
But he also has secrets.

"Here’s where you tell me how you want it."
"No, here’s where I tell you my temper goes from zero to life in prison faster than you can blink."
The story is told from Emery’s perspective, and I’m happy that she’s not a pushover. Even if she is going to lose her store. Even if her employees will be out of a job. Even if she is facing bankruptcy and she doesn’t know what to do—she is not just going to roll over for this guy.
His marriage proposal seems like the perfect way to get out of this situation, but he also seems dangerous.
And he undoubtedly is.

"You scared of me, little lamb?"
"Call me a farm animal one more time, and your testicles pay the price."
Still, would I love to trade places with her? Yep. I absolutely would. In a heartbeat. Because despite all his obsessive ways, caveman-like behavior, and all the things he doesn’t say, this is a guy who sees exactly who she is and would do anything for her.
How many of us can say we ever had even a fraction of that?
Is it taken to extremes? Of course it is—it’s fiction. But (and I don’t care what you think of me), I would take it.

"Be a good girl and ask for my dick."
"Or you could be a good boy and just give it to me."
Their banter is absolutely worth mentioning. They had me laughing hard at times, and it only went to show how their dynamic worked. And her friends were hilarious.
His brother… I can’t wait for the second book.

"I know I’m damaged. But all my broken pieces belong to you."
There are a lot of things I’m not mentioning here, and I know that. Be mindful of trigger warnings and hit my messages if you need to, but if you have no triggers, just go on it.
The happily ever after was SO worth it.

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."
It was good to see that this princess doesn’t need a prince to come to her rescue, but she has one who would anyway. And this prince might rip off a few heads in the process and be a devil in disguise, but I would love to burn in that hell ;)

[Vivian Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️ Callum’s obsession with Emery was insane but I loved how unhinged he was. Their banter was entertaining too. I had a pretty good time reading this but it wasn’t perfect. I’m just such a sucker for a relentless, possessive, and obsessed hero which is what I loved about this book 🤭.

This was steamier than what I was expecting. I did enjoy the scenes but I wanted more substance to their relationship. It was purely physical. I enjoyed it for the most part 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I really wish we at least got a few chapters of Callum’s pov 😭. I didn’t fully connect with his character. It didn’t even have to be every other chapter but at least a few would have been nice.

[Poppy Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

If you love a true morally grey mmc then this book will be for you!

This is a billionaire x stalker x marriage of convenience romance, with an extremely morally grey character and hints of mafia!

I really enjoyed this book! Emery is running her family business, a bookstore that is already struggling, when a huge successful chain opens up a new store next to her. Struggling with loads of debt, Callum walks in and tells Emery he needs a wife to claim his inheritance and he will give her 10 million dollars to save her family’s store if she marries him!
He has a lot of secrets and skeletons in his closet about how & why he picks Emery to be his wife

Emerys character is great in this, she’s so witty and funny and I laughed out loud a few times in her POV!
Callum fell a bit flat in terms of his personality for me, he was a bit robotic despite ticking all the boxes for a really strong morally grey mmc, I also feel like their relationship didn’t develop in a realistic way, but still this was fun!

[annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

➳ 3 stars .𖥔 ݁ ˖

it's such a weird book. I did laugh A LOT, but it was extremely cringeworthy. and it reminded me how good 'the maddest obsession' actually is! One thing is for sure, this author knows how to write banter because it always freaking delivers!

➳ Emery Eastwood is THE QUEEN OF SASS!!! istg I don't give a damn about Callum McRod because it's Emery for me all the way 😭. She insulted him literally the whole book and I laughed so much! 😭

➳ It's funny how, without dragging, it went straight to the point where Emery's life was going into a shithole and Callum swooped in as the hero and offered her 10 million to marry her with some lame story. Those scenes were dragged on too much and were kinda funny 😭. Now whatever he was spewing WAS REAL, but it all came as a lie to her because *insert Matilda's story*.

❝I’ve been obsessed with you for years. I’ve watched you from afar, planning, scheming, waiting for exactly the right moment to make you mine. Now all my planning has paid off, and the moment is here.❞ – imagine saying this and being laughed out loud in your face!

all of his plans took him 5 years like istg sir you're a shitty planner 😭 it's not like she as married and you had no choice!

⤷ Callum's private list:
a) Open a lavish bookstore next to hers so that her business goes *poof*.
b) bribe her landlord to double the rent.
c) threaten her cheating bf to leave.
d) Arrange a fake lawsuit and tax fraud bill.
e) have her apartment- (oh sorry you didn't do it but wish you had)


⤷ Reality Checks & Cringe:

1)

❝You scared of me, little lamb?❞
❝Call me a farm animal one more time, and your testicles pay the price. Step back.❞

She's my spirit animal. I'm proud that she handled the situation really well because I wouldn't have. Like LITTLE FREAKING LAMB? 🤡


2)

❝Why do you have to ruin everything by talking?❞

TRUE! FREAKING TRUE 😭. God he was so cringyyyyyy, like you know, full alpha type and spewing poetic shit here and there like STAWWWWPPPPPP!!!! 👺🤬


3)

❝Be a good girl and ask for my dick.❞
❝Or you could be a good boy and just give it to me.❞

THIS GIRL ACTUALLY SLAYED! Hsjshsj like fr, in this whole book she roasted him so badly each and every time and called him names! I swear, those are the highlights because I've never ever read a book where the hero is insulted THAT much 😂😂

4)

❝Okay. My clones—the three housekeepers and your secretary. What’s that about?❞
❝I like having people around who remind me of you.❞

Bitch ajshxjwbaha kill me 😭. I can NOTTTTTT ewwughhh.


5)

❝Because divorce is prohibited there by law.❞

And, obviously! The main highlight of this book. She can't even divorce him because their marriage is registered at Vatican City and divorce is prohibited there... so no divorce 😂😭

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This takes possessiveness to a whole new level, and now the series title makes total sense. Morally Gray is spot on!

I'm a huge fan of the dominant/possessive men in my books, and I do believe this one takes the cake for being the most possessive hero I have read to date. The best part is that it was done right. I have read so many possessive books that take that character too far for me. I'm one that likes them right in the middle of realistic to over the top. I want it to ride that line and I think Callum rode it well. I know a lot of readers will think I'm crazy and say this over the top, but to me, it's all in the way the author handles that character. And remember, I'm gauging this to what I like to see in a possessive hero. I'd love to expand more on this but I don't want to ruin any of the juiciness that happens in this book, so I'll stop there.

Emery was a great balance to Callum. She didn't blindly fall at his feet. The chemistry was there and you feel it through out the book, but she also reacted like a normal person would. She didn't believe what he was offering her because that stuff just doesn't happen. He had to work hard to get her agreement and that's part of why I felt this was a more realistic approach. Plus I loved her snark. She seems like she would be a fun person to hang out with.

I loved this couple and I see myself re-reading this book often. I hope the author decides to do the brothers books. I think it would be fun to see where she would take it.