BOOK REVIEW- THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE & MURDER

BOOK REVIEW- THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE & MURDER- The truth is that life is uncertain. 
Meg Quinn hasn’t been to war, but her father has, and it changed their lives for the bad—and for the good. Now she has a sharp tongue and a mind to match ... and she doesn’t trust easily. The best person she knows is losing a fight with death, and Meg is guardian of her friend’s seven-year-old son. 
Easy MacLean, the co-guardian, is Meg’s dying friend’s brother. The former Marine has been hibernating in his Colorado mountain home, and Meg lets him know that he needs to be by his sister’s side in Milwaukee now.   Easy is attracted to his sister’s clever friend, but life gets complicated when he gets involved in a search for a missing veteran. After living alone with his rescue dog for so long, Easy and his dog are now sharing a home with a beautiful woman, a boy, and a cat. Even as he watches his sister die a little each day, he’s finding out the truth about love and life ... and murder.    AMAZON

This was a well written,emotional story.  The interesting thing is that two of the main characters (Easy and Meg) were adept at compartmentalizing their feelings and lives.   Meg thought like a man.  Well, how men are accused of thinking.  She didn't really need a man except for one thing.  Sex and only sex.  Her childhood was tough and so she had to depend on herself; she wasn't going to put herself out there for anyone else.  That worked just fine for her.  That is until Julie and her son, Ollie captured her heart.  I liked how the author wrote and one of my favorite things that she wrote in the book is this, " Easy had a lot of baggage.  She (Meg) decided long ago that she wasn't going to be any man's baggage handler."  (paraphrased)
Easy, what a name to carry but also a good description of how he wants things to be.  He keeps to himself most of the time but finally has a fire set under him when Meg sends him email "blasts" to get his butt home for his dying sister.  The thing is, when people ask for his help he does step up and keeps his word when he gives it.  The skirmishes between Easy and Meg made me smile.  But if you think maybe this isn't my kind of book because of the possible romance, hang on there is a mystery and more.   Julie and Ollie, what a bitter sweet set up.
Watch for Jeff; he starts out the story.  Kept me on my toes, wondering if he was going to make it out of the story.  Alive, that is.   All in all, I felt that there was a good pull on the emotions in this book.   You could feel the fear, anger, desperation, love, hopelessness AND hope.

Each chapter starts with a short note from "Mom".  This must be from the notebook that Julie is keeping for Ollie.  Nice Touch.  I had a few favorites.   I'm trying not to give to much of the book away.  But can I just add one of my favorite "Mom notes"?  I hope so, because  here it is...
"At some point in your life, someone will disappoint you.  The best thing you can do is forgive them, but they will pay.  You will know the truth about them.  But don't let it embitter you, or you will let them win."

There is a bonus excerpt from the book, " Rules of Love and Murder".

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.