Review: Kisses and Lies

Title:  Kisses and Lies

Author:  Lauren Henderson

Review Copy Provided by:  publisher, Delacorte Press (Random House)

About the Book:  After discovering that someone saw what looked like Dan’s emergency EpiPen in A-lister Plum’s designer handbag, Scarlett and her tough American sidekick, Taylor, sneak into a posh London nightclub, where Plum has a private table. Scarlett is stunned to discover a piece of evidence that might implicate another girl in Plum’s exclusive circle, Lucy Raleigh. Which means Scarlett must cast a wider net in order to catch the right suspect.

Back at school, groundskeeper Jase is hoping to take Scarlett’s mind off her troubles with some heart-stopping kisses. Scarlett can’t help but feel guilty for indulging in romantic rendezvous when she should be hunting down Dan’s killer. However, once Scarlett finds out how Lucy is connected to Dan, she knows she must drop everything and travel to the McAndrew estate in Scotland to hunt for more clues. But when she arrives, Scarlett becomes the target of a dangerous hunt herself.

My Review:  This is Henderson's follow-up novel to Kiss Me, Kill Me, which I have not read.  However, that did not keep me from understanding or enjoying this book.  I thought the topic of this book was interesting.  I really liked how Henderson evolved the story line from the first book and created a whole other novel out of solving the mystery behind Dan's death.  The scenes at Castle Airlie were intense and at times I was afraid for Scarlett.  She has a fard time fitting in and doesn't seem to be liked by the family she is forced to live with, especially her aunt.  Scarlett doesn't have a choice though, as her parents are no longer alive, but I felt sorry for her because her aunt doesn't really care for her at all.  Her grandmother tries, but she and Scarlett don't really have a great relationship either.  The only person Scarlett can really count on is her friend, Taylor, who doesn't let Scarlett take on the mystery alone.  This story takes place in a boarding school, which many American girls do not know anything about, and I think this book does a great job in giving insight into that lifestyle and how tough it can be for some girls who are in that situation.  I loved the character of Jase, Scarlett's love interest and son of the boarding school's groundskeeper.  He has a level head even though his father is hard on him.  Will he and Scarlett get together?  If there is another book after this one, maybe.  Who knows?  I would like to think they do, because they make such a great couple and I would love to see their story unfold.