Deceptions

Deceptions is a brutal, twisted book written by author Dana Mansfield. It ends with an unexpected cliffhanger. The torture is unbelievable. I don't want to read the next book, but I really need to know what happens to these characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the advance copy.

There is definitely a lot going on in this story. Sometimes too much. Maybe that is why it is being continued as a trilogy. Jack and Penny met years ago at university. Penny was instantly charmed by the way Jack was caring for his little sister. They became the best of friends and apparently that friendship continued as Jack became a rock star and fathered several children with his wife Crystal, none of whom Crystal seemed to particularly want to mother. Jack was not the typical rock and roll type, he loves his children above all else and is a good and decent family man. His wife is the partier in the family and she often takes off for long stretches of time leaving her children in the care of their father and Penny who has become their nanny. Penny has come from a dysfunctional family and having nothing to do with her own relatives she comes to love Jack's children as her own. Penny suffers depression and bouts of anorexia which she tries to hide from Jack along with another darker secret. While spending the Thanksgiving holiday together, Crystal and Jack have a fight and he demands Penny drive him home during a snow storm. On their way they are kidnapped by a strange group who claim that although Jack is the real target they are taking Penny along as well. Someone they call "The Employer" wants information from her.
They soon learn no ransom will be asked for them, and they are to be held prisoner for however long it pleases the employer. Because of the brutal was Penny was treated by the kidnappers considering she was supposedly not even meant to be kidnapped I thought it was a bit too easy to figure out who this mysterious employer was. Still it did hold my interest even if it did seem to be trying too hard to incorporate too many dramas at once into one plot line.

Deceptions
By Dana Mansfield

A Thrilling and Captivating read !http

The story of Penny and Jack best friends from college. Now in a employer/employee relationship. They both find themselves in a dangerous situation,  being kidnapped and held with no ransom demands.

A Thrilling and Captivating read, with a cliffhanger ending.
4 stars !

I graciously received this ARC through Netgalley from Black Rose Writing for a honest review.

Jack was a very smart man, but he could not see the trouble he was in. A Princeton graduate, living a life in the spotlight, but when it came to his family, it was as if he knew nothing at all. Deceived in every way, his marriage had died a long time ago. He thought she was a very good wife, but she wasn’t very good at all. She’d been hiding things from him, the worst he could imagine. But then there was Penny, Jack's long time best friend who herself hid things from Jack - her deepest dark secrets, her internal struggles, and her love. But when she is erroneously kidnapped along with Jack, everything takes one surprising turn.

I can’t say anything about this book without giving any spoilers. For me, a good book is one that involves the emotions, whether its laughter (not much of that) or tears (plenty of those), plenty of tension. I really cared about Jack and Penny and what happened to them was torture - to be away from friends and family for so long. Even though I guessed who was behind the kidnapping about ¾ of the way through it didn’t matter. I wanted to know why it was going on.

I absolutely loved this book; It is the first in a series and I really can’t wait for the next one, hope it comes out soon. 5*

The story stats off with the family of a Rock Star, Jack and his family. They are on vacation in the Poconos for Thanksgiving. Penny his long time friend and nanny/ assistant is busy with the children. His wife is not all that interested in any of them. Penny is the mother figure for the kids. Jack & his wife had a fight and he asks Penny to drive him home in the middle of the night in a snow storm so she can bring the car back to take the kids all home. They are kidnapped on a side road they took to get away from the storm. The story goes on with their ordeal and the problems with the family at home since they have been taken. They are not taken for ransom. Deep psychological thriller. Lots of torture goes on. There are two more books to this series.

An intriguing story. Will read the next installment.Not for the faint of heart.