This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.5


First Impressions
Denial is the first book in the "Careless Whispers" series and in this book we have a story that sets up this couple. Our heroine, wakes up with amnesia of everything in her life before she meets Kayden who is dark and handsome and mysterious and full of secrets. I found Denial to be such a captivating read, I was so easily pulled into this story which is very common with Lisa Renee Jones and I love how I was so swept into this romance and I absolutely adore AMNESIA setups and this one was so curious because there are so many secrets and mysteries with everyone involved so its like trying to solve a puzzle. Lisa Renee Jones does a good job in slowly building up the trust between Elle and Kayden, while also giving the reader enough cookie crumbs to keep them invested.

First Line
I blink and open my eyes to stare at the familiar white ceiling, a dull throbbing at the back of my head.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Kayden Wilkens
The Heroine: Ella Ferguson

Summary
Ella awakes alone in Italy, with a throbbing headache and a gorgeous man she labels a "beautiful angel" and with zero memory from her life before. Not her name, where she is from or anything about her family. She is sheltered by mysterious powerful ...Kayden Wilkens, who runs a underground operation in saving priceless art and artifacts and returning them to its rightful owners. He is a man of mystery but she connects with him and there is a part of her that just knows that she can trust him despite the endless secrets and mysteries behind him. But when she learns some truths about the man that has been protecting her....will she continue to trust him or will it place a doubt and wedge between them?

What I Loved
Denial completely knocked my socks off and while it wasn't a perfect book or my favorite Lisa Renee Jones, it definitely delivered in all the ways that I expect from this author and the suspenseful notes were just right in this one here. Denial is a story that really takes this young woman who is lost and alone and pairs her with this rich powerful man that is so full of mystery. They both have some powerful chemistry that is slowly built over the story and their romance is just starting in this book. It didn't quite have the romance as impactful as I was hoping for but books 2 and 3 definitely made up for that. We also see so much strength that comes from our heroine, she was a delight. I really resonate with Jones heroines most of the time, and Ella is no different.

What I Struggled With
Its a bit slow going at times, there is a certain build up on this story and it can take a bit before you completely get swept away but it does happen and it wasn't enough to take away any true enjoyment of the story for me.

Narration
BRILLAINT! Can that be all that I say for it? haha Anyway yes the narration was just right for this book. I did this book in a combination of physically reading and listening to it and BOTH are great editions to read or listen this book in. She really captured the mystery and the character essence so well!

Overall View
Denial is a captivating read that sweeps you away into the heart of Italy, with mysteries galore and a powerfully built romance that is just beginning for our couple....be prepared to be living on the edge with this story and not wanting to let go of Hayden and Ella till the conclusion!

Favorite Quote(s)
“You’re mine to lose—not his to take.” Mine to lose. The proclamation implies he has to work to keep me, not that he owns me, and it hits a nerve in a good way. “I was never his to take, Kayden.”

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Alpha Hero, Morally Grey Hero
Themes: Danger/Suspense, Hot Smexy Times, Cliffhanger, Touch Her and Die
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Protector, Amnesia

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
J. Kenner
Jennifer Ryan
Meghan March

Song This Book Inspires
Chances by Air Supply

Recommendation For Reading Order
YES! You must read this in order, although I would also recommend reading the Inside Out series first if possible but you don't have to, but I think it would make other factors from the series make a bit more sense overall

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

Narrators:
Elizabeth Louise