Highly recommend. Dystopian with a romantic twist, this won't disappoint!

I am always looking for a good post-apocalyptic romance to sink my teeth into. This book delivered for me. Lots of chemistry between Charity and Ruin.

She has a lot of secrets that she is not willing to share with Ruin, which makes him crazy. Watching them try to pursue their own agendas while dancing around each other was very entertaining.

I had a lot of fun reading the world that Jami Gray has built and am excited to read more in the series. This is definitely worth a read if you are looking for a great, solid post-apocalyptic!

This is a solid dystopian story that progresses at a nice steady pace. Like everyone, Charity has secrets that makes it hard for Ruin to completely trust her, however, over time they develop a mutual respect that works for them both which also increases the attraction they feel for one another. There was quite a bit of chemistry between Charity and Ruin, and you could feel that coming off the pages as you were reading. I had a lot of fun reading about a world that Jami Gray created and I’m stoked to read more in the series!

Lying In Ruins felt more like an action film than a romance. Picture any Sylvester Stallone movie involving him killing as many bad guys as possible with a badass girl thrown so it could loosely be considered a date night movie.

A violent raid kick-starts the story and where a major player in this post-apocalyptic world gets murdered. The storyline involves kidnapped kids, lots of suspense and characters who normally wouldn’t play well with each other banding together to save a mutual friend and solve the mystery of who is behind the attack.

First and foremost an action-oriented book, we are treated to lots of shoot-outs, knife-fights and even a bit of torture to keep things interesting. It was super bloody and very descriptive when it came to the fight scenes. Weirdly though, I found it super easy to put the book down and find other things to do. One source of frustration was when the characters were given important bits of information here and there, but the reader isn’t clued in. I think it was meant to deepen the mystery, but, for me, it felt contrived and a bit theatrical.

Both Ruin and Charity are badass characters who can take care of themselves. We know from the front end that Ruin is part of a group called Fate’s Vultures, vigilantes known for their brutal justice. Charity’s affiliations are one of those things left secret for a bit, along with the full reason as to why she’s even there. She’s a “hound” so we do know she can fight and is good at finding things.

The romance took a backseat to the mystery which left me disappointed. I didn’t feel the emotional connection between Ruin and Charity at all. The lust was there but not much else. We do get some backstory on both of them but so much was left out the characters felt two dimensional. I didn’t dislike either character, but I wasn’t blown away by them either.

We are left with a happy for now ending for the main characters but the main mystery is left unsolved. There was a segway for at least two more couples for future books. If you are in the mood for an action type plot with a little bit of romance this would be a decent choice, but I’m a girl who longs for balance between the suspense and the romance, and this did not deliver.

Rating: 3 More Romance, Please Stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

The world is no longer a safe place and Charity is doing her best to survive. As a hound, Charity is using her position for her own reasons while doing the job. Ruin is a member of Fate's Vultures and when he and Charity are forced to work together, neither anticipated the attraction nor the secrets that could ruin everything.

This is outside my normal type of story I read, but overall it was good. The story begins and it is non stop action from the get go. I did think at times it was a bit frenzied but it had to do with the details and trying to envision what was going on. Interesting story.

Full of tension, hot characters. Bit difficult to understand to begin with but got there eventually

Power has an agenda in a world that is drowning itself in a quagmire of disease, starvation and deceit until only the strong will survive the chaos that is this dark world. That strength comes at a price and in this dog eat dog world the highest or most lethal bidder uses its puppets to unearth secrets best hidden. It is a deadly job and Charity is good at her work. She is a Hound and her blood runs like ice through her veins and she has honed her skills as both a spy and a strong arm to one day fulfill her own agenda. She hadn’t planned on taking her solo act on the road as a duet until Fate intervenes and Ruin lands like a boulder right in her path.

Ruin is part of the deadly, nomadic arbitrators of feral justice, Fate’s Vultures. He is deadly, vicious and metes out ruthless justice with a vengeance. Charity’s appearance is beyond coincidence and Ruin is positive her agenda is more than meets the eye. It is only the common enemy they chase that brings them to an uneasy truce and an unlikely alliance. Sure, right…

Chemistry is chemistry, lust is lust and although neither Charity nor Ruin will admit it, there is more to their “alliance” then a mutual endgame. Justice and revenge are best served cold, but the heat between these two boils over with passion. Perhaps Fate knows what she is doing as she puts two lethal souls together and brings love to life!

LYING IN RUINS by Jami Gray is proof that love can be found in the most unlikely places and no amount of denial will deter its path! Feel the heat that blossoms in a world that has become a cesspool of death. Charity has secrets, they are deep-seated and nothing, not even Ruin can stop her from exposing both her softer side and the side she has honed to lethal perfection. Then again, he is a man of “justice,” strong convictions and a brutal past, who better to understand this woman who has lived a solitary life? Dark, chaotic, yet populated by two main characters who have a true code of honor! Loved it!

I received an ARC edition from Escape Publishing and Jami Gray in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Escape Publishing - Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd (June 1, 2017)
Publication Date: June 15, 2017
Genre: Post Apocalyptic | Dystopian
Print Length: 307 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

a good solid story

This a solid dystopian story that moves at a steady pace. Charity has secrets which makes it hard for Ruin to truly trust her. Overtime they develop a mutual respect which increases their attraction to each other. It's not a sexy story at all, but Charity and Ruin have great chemistry.