Review: Between the Lines by TJ Ryan

Meet Tessa, a hardworking student with a tragic past who is in her upper years of a screenwriting course. Meet Jonathan, a Hollywood actor with famous parents who has seemingly lived a perfect, privileged life. What could the pair possibly have in common? Well, there is the small issue of a drunken one-night stand that has just made headlines. Then there is the fact that Jonathan's 'people'  are in damage control mode after he has lashed out at a reporter. To them, Tessa seems like the perfect distraction. Orchestrate a fake romance between the two, and make the bad publicity go away. Even better is the fact that Tessa desperately needs a leading actor to star in her latest film project.

But what happens when the pair fall in love for real?

TJ Ryan's Between the Lines is a superbly written romance packed full of depth, heart wrenching situations and a whole lot of heart. Tessa and Jonathan are characters to fall in love with, while they fall toward an explosive ending. I loved this one. It's intelligent, heart wrenching and packed full of diversity. I love that we have a mixed race character as one of the leads who protests the fact that he is often cast as a token actor. Another thing I really appreciated was Tessa's backstory and the way one particular scene, which shows the very human side to violence and what it means to lose control. And that ending! It truly shocked me. I cannot wait for part two to see how things pan out for Tessa and Jonathan.

Recommended.

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