The Truth About Us by Tia Souders
Publication Date: September 7, 2018
Tour Schedule: http://bit.ly/2CC2mlk
The present is built on the past. But what if your past is a lie?
When 18 yr old Abigail Bridges’ grandmother dies, she leaves behind a mysterious letter asking her to unravel a hidden family secret.
There is only one rule: tell no one.
But meeting strangers in the dark and receiving old journals dating back to the Holocaust isn’t what she bargained for. Neither is a chance encounter with the enigmatic, brown-eyed Kaden Oliver, who makes her want to discard her usually reserved nature.
After a key clue goes missing, Abigail ignores her grandmother’s rule and tells Kade everything. Together, they begin to unravel a terrifying secret. The truth may set others free, but for Abigail, it will tear her family apart.
Now, she must decide between continuing to uncover her families’ lies or burying the past once and for all.
Standing, he moved closer, taking the small chair directly beside her in front of the chess set. “So, are you going to tell me the real reason you were late?”
“How do you know I wasn’t telling the truth?” Abby crossed her arms over her chest.
“Because I’m good at reading people. And I happened to be at the library after school. You weren’t there.”
Abigail sniffed. “It’s a big library.”
Kaden cocked his head, his mouth flattening into a thin line. He stared at her wordlessly, but Abby continued to meet his gaze, saying nothing, refusing to crack. If he wanted to have a staring contest, fine by her.
Heat bloomed in her cheeks as she took in the golden flecks in his brown eyes, the way his blond locks swooped over his forehead, and the citrus scent coming from his skin.
She swallowed, her throat suddenly tight. “Fine! You’re right. I wasn’t at the library. Happy now?”
Kaden grinned. “A little.”
“What do you want?”
“The truth. Tell me what’s going on.”
“What makes you think anything is going on. I just forgot to pick you up this morning because it wasn’t routine, and I didn’t actually think you were coming to dinner. I thought you were joking.”
He shook his head, eyes steady on hers. “You’re hiding something. I can tell.”
“How? You barely even know me.”
He reached out to her, placing his fingers on the side of her throat, then spreading them until his entire hand covered the side of her neck.
An electric current zipped in her veins, and her breathing hitched. She wanted to pull away but couldn’t. “What are you doing?”
“The pulse in your neck jumps when you’re nervous. I’d like to say it was just from me, but I think it’s more than that. Instinct tells me you’re hiding something.”
She said nothing for a moment as her nerves twisted in her stomach, and the warmth of his touch seared into her skin. Her eyes locked on his, and she realized for reasons unknown to her, she trusted him. Something about him put her on edge and at ease simultaneously, a feeling she shouldn’t enjoy but did.
The urge to share the burden of the letters and the secret placed in her lap burned through every fiber of her being. But Kaden was a huge risk. After all, what did she really know about him? She had never spoken to him until that night in the park, and their relationship—if you could call it that—had sprung up on her so fast.
“I…” She trailed off, unsure of how much to share, unsure of where to start.
“What is it?” He removed his hand from her neck, allowing her more space and air to breathe. Time to collect her thoughts. But the distance, the separation, knocked her back into reality. Her grandmother’s handwriting, Greg Lawson’s murder, and the old man with the journal flashed through her head like a precautionary sign. Tell no one.
“I can’t tell you. I can’t tell anyone.”
Tia Souders is the author of young adult novels MORE THAN A NUMBER and BETTER THAN THIS, as well as the women's fiction novel WAITING ON HOPE.
When she isn’t writing, she’s likely working with her hubby renovating their century home. She’s a wine-loving, coffeeholic with a sweet tooth and resides on a farm in rural Ohio with her husband and children.
She loves chatting about books and has always wanted to join a book club but her introverted self won't let her. She loves connecting with readers, so reach out!
Visit her at tiasouders.com
Thank you for having me!
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