SWEETNESS AND LIES - Roberta Gayle
BET/Arabesque
February 2005
SYNOPSIS: A savvy defense attorney is forced to choose between saving the man she loves from life in prison and sending her nephew there instead.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: (4) Michelle Henley
REVIEW: Kiley Johnson, defense attorney, is confronted with one of the most trying cases in her career. To make matters worse, she has done the unthinkable - she has fallen in love with her client, Stoney Copeland a man trying to prove his innocence. Already assumed guilty due to his association with Maria Costello, Stone must divulge every bit of information in his personal, as well as his business, life to prove himself innocent.
As Kiley builds her defense to prove her client’s blamelessness in Maria’s unfortunate and untimely murder/embezzlement, she is also confronted with the disappearance of her nephew Kyle who was the private investigator for the case. That together with a bossy, opinionated yet highly reliable secretary sets Kiley just a little bit on edge.
This is my first time reading a Roberta Gayle novel and I was quite pleased. She builds her characters from the ground up, creating a hero and heroine that are appealing and likable. Kiley is a hard working dedicated attorney who is steadfast in her plight towards justice in the cases she handles while Stoney quietly exudes confidence and truthfulness. Ms. Gayle, however, lets the attraction between her two main characters simmer just below the surface allowing them to address their true feelings in one electrifying moment.
SWEETNESS AND LIES is a story with an engaging and realistic plot. Ms. Gayle delivers an effective blend of suspense, drama and romance to effectively create a great romantic mystery!
michelle@romanceincolor.com (28th February 2005)