ARC Review: Being Me by Lisa Renee Jones

Let me start by saying that I love reading books in series! I think that a series allows an author to truly write a great story. They can really show the depth and personality of the characters, and the readers get to be a part of the entire growth process. That being said, im always a bit apprehensive when I go to read the second book from a series...especially if its a series that started off to be one of my favorite reads. There are so many possibilities, not the least of which is that the next book will either keep up the momentum or it will fall flat. After I read If I Were You, it was hard for me to get into any other books. I just wasn't done with Sara and Chris! So as soon as I got Being Me, I knew I would devour it just to see what happens all the while hoping that it would live up to my extremely high expectations. It absolutely did not disappoint!

Being Me picks up right where If I Were You left off, which I was really grateful for since book one ended on a huge cliffhanger. Sara is still working for the gallery while searching for answers about Rebecca, as well as pursuing a romance with Chris. As the story progresses, we see more about Sara's past and what has led her to leave behind a life of wealth in order to be her own person. We also get a little more of Chris's story. The author does a great job of answering questions, while still leaving a ton left to discover. Throughout this book, Sara and Chris struggle with a commitment to each other and trust issues on both sides. They find themselves completely out of their comfort zone, as both of them become more dependent upon the other,though neither will admit it.The scenes between Chris and Sara continued to blow me away! They are hot and steamy and ooze chemistry.

I really enjoyed seeing how the characters have grown and how they are developing. Delving into Sara's past gives so much more understanding to the choices she has made and the person she is. While Chris's past is still mostly a mystery, we get to see how truly damaged he is and some of why he can go from romantic and sweet one minute to tortured and dark the next. I also really liked that Jones gave us more insight into Mark, Sara's boss at the gallery. Seeing Mark outside the work setting and getting glimpses into his life make me hope that he will get his own story told!

Overall this book was a great follow-up to If I Were You. I found that like the first book, I just couldn't put this one down. It was filled with romance and drama, as well as some action. I would recommend that if you haven't read If I Were You that you read that before reading Being Me, and if you haven't read it you definitely should pick it up! Lisa Renee Jones is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I am already counting the days to September and the release of book number 3, Revealing Us.


**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |