Review: Five Stars for This Much is True by Tia Louise

This Much is True by Tia Louise

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Revenge Mission Road Trip Sparks Love In This Hope-Filled Story

In This Much Is True, Tia Louise interweaves our current times in a truly fascinating way, a beautiful love story and a single father’s quest for answers creating an incredibly special book that will leave you better for having experienced it.

(media by Kate Grand)

What you need to know about This Much Is True:
✔ Grumpy & Hot Single Dad on a revenge mission
✔ Opposites Attract Romance
✔ Complete stand-alone
✔ Sunny Heroine who is down on her luck
✔ Mystery/Revenge Story Elements
✔ Set in 2020

Three key elements make Tia Louise’s This Much Is True the excellent piece of storytelling that it is: the backdrop of our own Coronavirus times that lends it a distinct atmosphere, the love story between JR and Hope and the revenge/mystery plot.

Covid isn’t mentioned outright but its haunting specter lurks in the background and manifests somewhat in the background with casual mentions of lost jobs, closed businesses, early releases from jail, temperature checks, muffled voices behind masks, eerily empty highways, shaggy hair and parents who can’t be visited in nursing homes. It’s a record of our current times without being obvious, overblown or too on the nose about it. It actually lends a quiet beauty to the tragedy we are going through.

JR and Hope are not immediately attracted to one another but are slowly drawn to one another during their race cross country. JR is the storm to her light. Once the attraction sparks however, it is inevitable even though JR tries to resist her. The chemistry is incredibly powerful and leads to some great scenes between our hero and heroine.

“Hope Eternal Hill is light and pure, and I can’t be the black storm that smashes all her dreams with my quest for revenge.”

“I’m so happy to be wrapped in his arms, safe in his embrace. He’s the grumpiest, sexiest, most divine man I’ve ever known. He’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever held in my life and it terrifies me.”

JR was imprisoned two years ago for a crime he didn’t commit. He thinks his father set him up. He’s one his way home to confront his father. This mystery / revenge plot is really consuming and weaves itself throughout the book.

The addition of JR’s brother Scout on the trip lends itself to some great lighthearted scenes and JR’s relationship with his son, Jesse is absolutely tear-inducing.

This Much Is True is a story you can really get completely absorbed in and enjoy from start to finish. I highly recommend that you pick it up and start right this minute. I can’t wait to read Scout’s story next.

WRITING STYLE: 5/5
PLOT: 5/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5/5
ROMANCE: 5/5
HEAT: 5/5

View all my reviews

Plot Description

A smart and sexy romance about a grumpy single dad on a mission of revenge, and the girl he can’t leave behind by USA Today bestselling author Tia Louise.

Hope

I blame the alcohol.
I lost my restaurant business, was forced to sell my dad’s cherished 1967 Chevy Impala, and I got a little drunk.
Now I’m waking up with the hottest, angriest guy I’ve ever seen, speeding down the highway like a bat out of hell.
Ice-blue eyes hit mine with stomach-clenching force…
And he swerves onto the shoulder, ready to kick me out.
Needless to say, our romance doesn’t start out sweet.

J.R.

Two years ago, I hugged my little boy goodbye and told him I’d be right back.
Next thing I knew, I was arrested and sent to prison for a crime I didn’t commit.
Until they let me out early…

Now I’m headed home to confront the man who put me away.
A lie put me behind bars, and I’m ready to find the truth.
I don’t have time for a sexy girl with pale blonde hair and bright blue eyes stowed away on the backseat of my new car.
My mission is to get my son back and clear my name.
Love is not on the agenda.
It never is, though, is it?

(THIS MUCH IS TRUE is a single-dad, opposites attract, stand-alone romance. No cheating. No cliffhangers.)