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Beauty in Lies #0.5
Until Memory Fades
I came for war. I left with an obsession.
With one look, Isa captivated me. She consumed me, drawing me into her world without ever knowing the dangers of mine.
But secrets lurk in the depths of her multicolored eyes, and I’ll do anything to understand what broke her before I had the chance.
Because one day, she’ll be mine to break.
With one look, Isa captivated me. She consumed me, drawing me into her world without ever knowing the dangers of mine.
But secrets lurk in the depths of her multicolored eyes, and I’ll do anything to understand what broke her before I had the chance.
Because one day, she’ll be mine to break.
72 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2021
80 people are currently reading
2678 people want to read
About the author
Adelaide Forrest
30books3,058followersAdelaide fell in love with books at a young age and quickly discovered her love for writing soon after. Since then, she’s become a self-professed plot hoarder of over 300 book concepts.
After receiving her degree in Psychology, Adelaide went on to work in a therapeutic riding facility. When her daughter was born, Adelaide traded out her boots to be a stay-at-home mom. In 2019, she added author to those job duties after a lifetime of dreaming about it.
She lives in New York with her husband, two children, and their dog and cat who all make up the center of her world.
For updates, please visit or follow her on facebook:
or instagram:
After receiving her degree in Psychology, Adelaide went on to work in a therapeutic riding facility. When her daughter was born, Adelaide traded out her boots to be a stay-at-home mom. In 2019, she added author to those job duties after a lifetime of dreaming about it.
She lives in New York with her husband, two children, and their dog and cat who all make up the center of her world.
For updates, please visit or follow her on facebook:
or instagram:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
July 2, 2023
the H at the beginning: 🕴
the H after seeing the (sixteen going on seventeen year old) h for the first time literally from across the street: 👁👄👁
the H by the end of the book: 😈
i love obsessessive heroes, stalker romance as much as the next girl. 😌 this one definitely got me intrigued. the (15 year, i think) age gap gave me the creeps not gonna lie, but im eagerly anticipating the MCs official meeting when the h is finally of legal age (18 year old). so far, the reason for the Hs obsession is superficial or cliché. i hope theres actually something that connects them cause, otherwise, the scenario of the H becoming obsessed with the h because of her heterochromia would be too silly and farfetched. 🤭 im glad im listening to the audiobooks because the male narrators voice & his Spanish American accent is positively entrancing. overall, this novella did its job well, and based on what ive read i think the series has the potential to be great.
(read as an audiobook)
I couldn’t imagine any single woman ever being worth risking my life for.
the H after seeing the (sixteen going on seventeen year old) h for the first time literally from across the street: 👁👄👁
I was no pedophile, but nothing would stop me from taking what was mine when she came of age.
the H by the end of the book: 😈
“No. I won’t abuse her, though I imagine there may be times when my definition of that word differs from hers,� I chuckled.
“Isa is mine,� I said. “When she’s old enough, that will become official. Your job is to befriend her and monitor her in a way that your brothers can’t do. I want you to be her confidante. I want to know every thought that runs through her pretty little head. I want to know what boys she has a crush on, so I can crush them.�
i love obsessessive heroes, stalker romance as much as the next girl. 😌 this one definitely got me intrigued. the (15 year, i think) age gap gave me the creeps not gonna lie, but im eagerly anticipating the MCs official meeting when the h is finally of legal age (18 year old). so far, the reason for the Hs obsession is superficial or cliché. i hope theres actually something that connects them cause, otherwise, the scenario of the H becoming obsessed with the h because of her heterochromia would be too silly and farfetched. 🤭 im glad im listening to the audiobooks because the male narrators voice & his Spanish American accent is positively entrancing. overall, this novella did its job well, and based on what ive read i think the series has the potential to be great.
(read as an audiobook)
November 2, 2021
Not bad. A bit slow but entertaining enough.
May 25, 2022
STATS:
OVERALL RATING - 1 / 5
CHARACTERS - 1 / 5
WRITING - 1 / 5
PLOT - 1 / 5
I was planning to read the whole series but just couldn't bring myself to. After reading this prologue novella, it felt like it was lacking in certain areas and that everything felt a bit too forced. The characters seemed under developed and the whole plot was just not as intriguing as it promised to be. The female MC was giving very 'not-like-other-girl' vibes and was just excessively helpless which became irritating over time.
OVERALL RATING - 1 / 5
CHARACTERS - 1 / 5
WRITING - 1 / 5
PLOT - 1 / 5
I was planning to read the whole series but just couldn't bring myself to. After reading this prologue novella, it felt like it was lacking in certain areas and that everything felt a bit too forced. The characters seemed under developed and the whole plot was just not as intriguing as it promised to be. The female MC was giving very 'not-like-other-girl' vibes and was just excessively helpless which became irritating over time.
August 9, 2021
If this is setting the tone for this series... it will be magnificent!
Excellent start to Rafe's story. Can't wait to read more!
Excellent start to Rafe's story. Can't wait to read more!
June 19, 2021
This definitely got me excited for the story that is to come!
September 27, 2021
What a promising prequel. Can't wait to read how will the story unfolds since this is part four series.
January 11, 2021
I normally despise novellas. Once the story gets good it ends. That being said I am a huge fan of this author's work and devour everything she writes.
Rafe is much edgier than even the Bellandi men. He's willing to push your boundaries more and is darker. He enjoys torture and killing.
When he sees Isa he knows he has to have her . Isa is young and she's a good girl.
I loved this novella and can't wait to see how Isa and Rafe are together. This is one novella that I'm so glad that I read. Stay tuned for the couples full story to go live.
Rafe is much edgier than even the Bellandi men. He's willing to push your boundaries more and is darker. He enjoys torture and killing.
When he sees Isa he knows he has to have her . Isa is young and she's a good girl.
I loved this novella and can't wait to see how Isa and Rafe are together. This is one novella that I'm so glad that I read. Stay tuned for the couples full story to go live.
September 15, 2024
I don't know if it's because it's a novella or just the writing style, but so far it's too cliched and predictable. The world-building and character setup is non-existent 🤷🏼♀�
But I'm in the mood for mafia captor/captive, so I'll continue for the time being 🤞
But I'm in the mood for mafia captor/captive, so I'll continue for the time being 🤞
January 5, 2021
Honestly, I've been in love with Rafe since Enzo's book. He's my kind of man. Truly dark. The obsessive love he feels for Isa makes my heart beat faster. There isn't a line this man won't cross for her, and he doesn't even have her yet. Perhaps most telling of his true feelings is when a man, so used to denying himself nothing, waits over a year for the girl he's falling for. I loved getting a glimpse into the lives of Isa and Rafe, and the security and failsafes Rafe put in place to protect Isa. Hes a man who will go to any lengths to ensure her safety. He recognizes that she'll own him every bit as much as he owns her, so I cannot wait to see how the rest of their story plays out. The hints of the Bellandi men that you saw, through Rafe's eyes added a nice touch, and I hope they appear in the rest of Rafe and Isa's story.
January 10, 2021
WOW this prologue it's amazing! i can't wait to read their book! i need it ASAP!
I know it will be dark, but i truly hope he stays true with his protection for Isa, i cross my fingers nothing really bad happens, i hope she will be with him as first, in the other series i hated their times apart and OM the girls had, this time around i can see why there will be a time apart, i just hope and pray it will be not as the others, i want to give 5 stars to their books, cross my fingers.
I know it will be dark, but i truly hope he stays true with his protection for Isa, i cross my fingers nothing really bad happens, i hope she will be with him as first, in the other series i hated their times apart and OM the girls had, this time around i can see why there will be a time apart, i just hope and pray it will be not as the others, i want to give 5 stars to their books, cross my fingers.
June 30, 2021
•This book is full of sweet, sweet promises from the author!�
I know the author will deliver onto the next books! Rafe is another level of JP anti-hero! I can't wait to see how much more he can go further with his obsession with Isa!
I know the author will deliver onto the next books! Rafe is another level of JP anti-hero! I can't wait to see how much more he can go further with his obsession with Isa!
September 30, 2021
Rafe 😍
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Trope: stalker/age gap
Angst: 😱
Smexy: none
Triggers: attempted sexual assault
Perfect introduction to the series �. Can't wait!!
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Trope: stalker/age gap
Angst: 😱
Smexy: none
Triggers: attempted sexual assault
Perfect introduction to the series �. Can't wait!!
June 16, 2022
"I'd thought myself the captor in our relationship, but I suspected she'd own me just as thoroughly as I possessed her."
Rafael "Rafe" Ibarra. El Diablo.
A man who lives in a world where mafia is life and women are a risk not worth taking. That is...until he spots HER from across the street. She would be his and he would have her.
Isabel "Isa" Adamik. Innocent Chicago girl.
She saw HIM from across the street. A faceless man shrouded in darkness. A phantom in the shadows. She was captivated none the less.
Only, she is sixteen. Not old enough for him to claim. He would have to wait. Be patient. Bide his time. Sixteen months. And that's just what he does. He puts people in place to protect her. Watches her every move until he knows everything he can about her. Until the day SHE could be HIS.
I have been wanting to read this series for ever! It is finally time. Rafe & Isa. She is already his obsession. How far will he go to get and keep her?
Nicknames: Princesa
In our lives, women were a weakness. I couldn't imagine any single woman ever being worth risking my life for.
It had been nearly a week since I'd watched the life bleed from someone's eyes. Considering there were only two ways to make a man like me feel alive, fucking and killing, I desperately needed a fix.
As pretty as she was, there was nothing about her that should have demanded my attention. Nothing that should have captivated me so much that I froze solidly in place and studied her, but something did all the same.
It wasn’t desire that settled over me so much as an instinctive knowledge that one day, when she was older, she’d be a force to be reckoned with. One day, when she was older, she’d be mine.
I waited for him to emerge from the shadows, willing back the rare sunshine so I might see the face of the man who captivated me. He remained faceless, an enigma that I couldn't quite grasp as darkness clung to him like a second skin.
I could almost feel the tendrils of darkness enshrouding him, reaching across the street to wrap me in his endless night.
My entire world had flipped upside down, with only a glance from a man I couldn't even see.
I was no pedophile, but nothing would stop me from taking what was mine when she came of age.
Good things came to those who planned.
“I’ll be leaving men in Chicago to keep an eye on her,� I returned. “Will that be a problem?�
“Not as long as their sole purpose is to keep an eye on your girl, but I don’t want her harmed. Until the time comes and you take her to Ibiza, she is to live a happy and peaceful life.�
“She’ll be my wife,� I answered, knowing the answer would placate him. I hadn’t made the decision prior to speaking the words aloud, but something in them felt like the truest words I’d ever spoken.
"Have you ever seen something and known it was yours the moment you laid eyes on it?"
Never in my life had I met someone with multi-colored eyes besides myself and my mother, and finding it in the woman who captivated me from a distance? The odds must have been impossible.
"Phantom," she whispered softly, the breathy note to her voice making the void in my chest clench. If I'd had a heart, it would have beat for her.
She watched me cautiously, and not for the first time I wondered what she saw when she looked at me. Even in her only half-awareness, I couldn't help but be conflicted about what I wanted her to see.
Rafael "Rafe" Ibarra. El Diablo.
A man who lives in a world where mafia is life and women are a risk not worth taking. That is...until he spots HER from across the street. She would be his and he would have her.
Isabel "Isa" Adamik. Innocent Chicago girl.
She saw HIM from across the street. A faceless man shrouded in darkness. A phantom in the shadows. She was captivated none the less.
Only, she is sixteen. Not old enough for him to claim. He would have to wait. Be patient. Bide his time. Sixteen months. And that's just what he does. He puts people in place to protect her. Watches her every move until he knows everything he can about her. Until the day SHE could be HIS.
I have been wanting to read this series for ever! It is finally time. Rafe & Isa. She is already his obsession. How far will he go to get and keep her?
Nicknames: Princesa
In our lives, women were a weakness. I couldn't imagine any single woman ever being worth risking my life for.
It had been nearly a week since I'd watched the life bleed from someone's eyes. Considering there were only two ways to make a man like me feel alive, fucking and killing, I desperately needed a fix.
As pretty as she was, there was nothing about her that should have demanded my attention. Nothing that should have captivated me so much that I froze solidly in place and studied her, but something did all the same.
It wasn’t desire that settled over me so much as an instinctive knowledge that one day, when she was older, she’d be a force to be reckoned with. One day, when she was older, she’d be mine.
I waited for him to emerge from the shadows, willing back the rare sunshine so I might see the face of the man who captivated me. He remained faceless, an enigma that I couldn't quite grasp as darkness clung to him like a second skin.
I could almost feel the tendrils of darkness enshrouding him, reaching across the street to wrap me in his endless night.
My entire world had flipped upside down, with only a glance from a man I couldn't even see.
I was no pedophile, but nothing would stop me from taking what was mine when she came of age.
Good things came to those who planned.
“I’ll be leaving men in Chicago to keep an eye on her,� I returned. “Will that be a problem?�
“Not as long as their sole purpose is to keep an eye on your girl, but I don’t want her harmed. Until the time comes and you take her to Ibiza, she is to live a happy and peaceful life.�
“She’ll be my wife,� I answered, knowing the answer would placate him. I hadn’t made the decision prior to speaking the words aloud, but something in them felt like the truest words I’d ever spoken.
"Have you ever seen something and known it was yours the moment you laid eyes on it?"
Never in my life had I met someone with multi-colored eyes besides myself and my mother, and finding it in the woman who captivated me from a distance? The odds must have been impossible.
"Phantom," she whispered softly, the breathy note to her voice making the void in my chest clench. If I'd had a heart, it would have beat for her.
She watched me cautiously, and not for the first time I wondered what she saw when she looked at me. Even in her only half-awareness, I couldn't help but be conflicted about what I wanted her to see.
May 22, 2022
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 ⭐️s
A little bit of a slow start, but I can appreciate the groundwork that’s laid here for the series. For a novella, I feel like Adelaide did an amazing job of establishing characters. Isa is intriguing with a lot of mystery in her past. Raphael’s less layered, and I don’t quite buy him as a mafia boss yet. Seeing him on his our turf in the start of the series will probably help with that. I love the tension Adelaide built between Raphael and Isa though! For two characters who hardly interacted, I’m definitely invested in seeing where they go next!
*Until Memory Fades is the prequel novella in the Beauty In Lies series and should be read before beginning the series*
3.5/5 ⭐️s
A little bit of a slow start, but I can appreciate the groundwork that’s laid here for the series. For a novella, I feel like Adelaide did an amazing job of establishing characters. Isa is intriguing with a lot of mystery in her past. Raphael’s less layered, and I don’t quite buy him as a mafia boss yet. Seeing him on his our turf in the start of the series will probably help with that. I love the tension Adelaide built between Raphael and Isa though! For two characters who hardly interacted, I’m definitely invested in seeing where they go next!
*Until Memory Fades is the prequel novella in the Beauty In Lies series and should be read before beginning the series*
March 28, 2023
Interesting. Really looking forward to the series 😍
Make sure to read trigger warnings before you plan to read the series
Make sure to read trigger warnings before you plan to read the series
April 14, 2021
Until memory fades
Beauty in lies #0.5
♟DARK ROMANCE
♟KIDNAP/ CAPTIVITY
♟AGE GAP
˟M
˟S
˟Cᴡҷ
♟MATURE CONTENT
♟FORCED MARRIAGE
Beauty in lies #0.5
♟DARK ROMANCE
♟KIDNAP/ CAPTIVITY
♟AGE GAP
˟M
˟S
˟Cᴡҷ
♟MATURE CONTENT
♟FORCED MARRIAGE
January 5, 2021
Whoa baby! This little tease was perfection and entirely too short! I know it's only a prologue but I promise once you start reading you will NOT want this to end. I almost threw my kindle when I realized it was over! Rafe and Isa have barely begun and already they are promising nothing short of one hell of a rollercoaster ride to come! Rafe is deliciously dark, shows no mercy to those that wrong him, and gives not one *f* what anyone thinks of his actions. I absolutely LOVE him already! Isa is sweet, innocent, and full of secrets for such a young age! I cannot wait to find out what haunts her eyes! She has no idea that in 16 months, her life will never be the same. The mystery and intrigue in this short prologue are enough to keep you guessing and dying for answers! I cannot wait until book 1 comes out so we can enjoy more this couple!
September 2, 2021
i mean–i kind of expected something along this lines but..
the age gap doesn't bother me that much, but here it felt a little predatory, just saying.
oh and maybe I'll read the other books, the one about the other couples
the age gap doesn't bother me that much, but here it felt a little predatory, just saying.
oh and maybe I'll read the other books, the one about the other couples
September 24, 2021
This was just ok. I will give the first book a shot since it was getting so many positive reviews. I am hesitant to read books where there is OTT insta-love because those stories tend to be very one-dimensional and lacking in substance. This one didn't seem much different.
January 5, 2023
This definitely set the tone for the next book. Diving right in! I enjoyed this novella! I am really looking forward to this series! STALKER ROMANCES & MAFIA ROMANCES ARE MY FAVS!!!
February 27, 2021
5STARS
I have been waiting for this series for so long and now to get a glimpse into the life of isa and rafe is a bliss. This book sets the story fot them, how rafe cam to know of her, some background aboyt isa, Rafe's connection to the Bellandis and if you have not read the bellandis series you gotto go and read it. I'm a sucker for mafia romance and after a really long time i have read something that is satisfying.
And i hate Odina how could she, damn she is evil.
I have been waiting for this series for so long and now to get a glimpse into the life of isa and rafe is a bliss. This book sets the story fot them, how rafe cam to know of her, some background aboyt isa, Rafe's connection to the Bellandis and if you have not read the bellandis series you gotto go and read it. I'm a sucker for mafia romance and after a really long time i have read something that is satisfying.
And i hate Odina how could she, damn she is evil.
January 9, 2021
Wowww
Exactly what I needed for my Rafe fix...for now lol! I can’t wait to read their story now more than ever! Great job doll Rafe is fire! I can tell this one is going to be your best one yet!
Exactly what I needed for my Rafe fix...for now lol! I can’t wait to read their story now more than ever! Great job doll Rafe is fire! I can tell this one is going to be your best one yet!
Want to read
January 12, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/12/2021)! 🎁
May 13, 2023
No comment
November 7, 2023
This was a great introduction novella into how Rafael and Isa first met. Rafael has set his sites on Isa and nothing will get in his way of making her his when she becomes of age.
September 26, 2024
2/5
⭐⭐
I don't have much to say about this book because it's just the prologue and I am starting the series. But the writing could've been better.
-Sohini
xoxo
⭐⭐
I don't have much to say about this book because it's just the prologue and I am starting the series. But the writing could've been better.
-Sohini
xoxo
February 17, 2021
Rated: ⭐⭐⭐⭐�4.5/5
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥3/5
Angst:🖤🖤🖤🖤 4/5
Novellas are hard for me to get into because I crave more at the end. But, since this is a prequel I was drawn in like a moth to the death light. And I got exactly what I came for...scorched!
This is a delicious toe dip into a deep, dark pool of chaos! Rafe and Isa's buildup to current happenings is the eclipse I've been needing. I'm ready for it all!
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥3/5
Angst:🖤🖤🖤🖤 4/5
Novellas are hard for me to get into because I crave more at the end. But, since this is a prequel I was drawn in like a moth to the death light. And I got exactly what I came for...scorched!
This is a delicious toe dip into a deep, dark pool of chaos! Rafe and Isa's buildup to current happenings is the eclipse I've been needing. I'm ready for it all!
March 15, 2021
Absolutely LOOOOVED this!!!
Ooooh, Rafe & Isa's story begins & I NEEEEED MORE!!!
Wonderfully written with mesmerizing characters!
Cannot wait until the next installment!
Ooooh, Rafe & Isa's story begins & I NEEEEED MORE!!!
Wonderfully written with mesmerizing characters!
Cannot wait until the next installment!
January 6, 2021
Adelaide Forrest knocked it out of the park. I was so in love with the Bellandi men in her Bellandi Crime Syndicate series but man this girl just jumped shipped to the Rafael Ibarra team. I mean I still have room in my heart for Enzo and Ryker but move over boys there is a new alpha in town and he is definitely flexing his muscles on who he wants and the lengths he will go to make sure that happens. No one will stand in his way, not even Isa's family. This is just the prologue of Isa and Rafael's story but you can see the chemistry between the two even in these beginning stages. This is a series that will not disappoint readers at all. This has everything any reader could want in a good book. A love story, whether it is tragic or not, remains to be seen, action, hot chemistry between characters, and a hot alpha not afraid to show his dominance with anyone who gets in his way. If you haven't read any of Adelaide Forrest's books yet, I feel sorry for you that you are missing out on such an amazing writer. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I definitely would! It deserves that and so much more!
February 17, 2021
When I first met Rafe in Enzo and Sadie's story, Shielded Wrongs. I just loved how dark and twisted he was. While reading Until Memory Fades and seeing how both Rafe and Isa each react when they first catch a glimpse of one another, you really get the sense that they both just want to own each other. I just loved how from the get go Rafe is overprotective and possessive he was of Isa. Though, as Isa is still underage, that is a line that Rafe will never cross. There is so much that I would love to write but I hate to give away the storyline of Until Memory Fades. There is nothing that Rafe will not do to make sure that Isa is protected from the evils, i suppose you can say, of life. I am waiting, patiently for the rest of Isa and Rafe's dark tale in the A Beauty in Lies series. Once again, thank you to the fabulous Adelaide Forrest, for another fantastic short story, that will keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat while you read. One word of caution though, their short story does may some triggers.
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