First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if, instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

The Rules:

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.
• Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

“What does it mean to take control of your life?

Does it start with drinking green juice in the morning and end with a sleep meditation at night? Or is it something bigger than that? Does it mean you’re free to be yourself without the burden of a raised eyebrow? Or does taking control of your life mean doing what’s in your heart, even if you’re bound to hurt someone you love along the way? Maybe it’s saying yes. Yes to sex, yes to stretching out like a starfish on satin sheets with the breathlessness of love’s endless potential, yes to tangled limbs and dewy mornings, yes to more wine, yes to dessert, yes to youth, yes to life.”

This kind of reminds me of the opening monologue from Trainspotting – “Choose life.” But it also reminds me of what it was like when I contemplated my own life and future during the early years of my adulthood. I learned what it meant for me but only much later in life, and I was curious to see if the character thinking this learned what it meant for them.

Do you recognize the lines?

Here’s a hint:

This is a romance novel.

Still not sure? Here’s another hint:

It is written by Raz Tal Schenirer.

The First Lines Friday book is:

Where Love Lies.

About the Book:

• Title: Where Love Lies
• Author: Raz Tal Schenirer
• Page Length: 281 pages
• Publication Date: August 20, 2024
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Synopsis:

When Ella Davidson’s world is turned upside. down, and she is forced to transition from her picture-perfect all-American life to two years of mandatory military service abroad, the last thing on her mind is finding love. Then she meets the officer in charge of her unit, Liam Levine. Mysterious, confident on the verge of cocky, and unbearably gorgeous, Liam is everything Ella never knew she needed. And the spark between them? Magnetic. Undeniable. Dangerous. But as she and Liam navigate their secret love affair, Ella finds out that Liam is hiding a secret of his own—one that could ruin them both.

Building to an unforgettably emotional climax, Where Love Lies delves into the longings and lies of falling in love, the slippery slope of controlling relationships, and the strength it takes to find your own voice, reminding us of how hard it is to let go when everything in you wants to keep holding on.

Links: Goodreads     

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