Stranger in My Bed: Waking Up — Kristen James

Megan wakes from a coma to a life that doesn't feel right and a husband who acts like he loves her…but is he lying to her? Tricking her? What's really going on? All the evidence says they're happily and legally married, and yet her shattered memories say otherwise. Everyone she meets seems to be in on it, unless she's suffering from paranoia due to her brain injury. Ellison is the key to her past and future, even if she can't trust him. That doesn't stop her attraction to him. Megan plays a double agent, working with “Eli” to rebuild a life while trying to uncover the truth. Why would he do this? Does she know something she shouldn't? He has an explanation for everything until new answers lead to an even more twisted story. What will she have to do to uncover the truth and learn who she really is? Teaser: My hand in his, he leads me back to the bedroom. Alarms go off in my head -- how did I miss it? He's trying to seduce me. “We can go pick out some furniture soon, if you like,” Eli says as we sit down by the fireplace in the bedroom. He hands me my wine glass, which I didn't even see him carry back. “And we can get cable.” “We could get internet.” A pause. A look. “That too.” He pulls a blanket over me and pauses. I think he wants to lay it over both of us but I'm still not comfortable being that close to him. So he sits on the other side, conceding. I could be wrong about all of my doubts. The fact hits me like a cup of cold water to the face. Here I am imagining him to be some kind of monster, but he hasn't hurt me. Why play house like this…? And which is scarier, if I'm right and this is all a lie, or I'm wrong and crazy? We watch the flames in silence for a few minutes as I sort through what I've learned here. I'll have to find a way to write it down, even if I have to hide it. “Megan?” I look his way, hoping all of my thoughts haven't been playing out on my face. “I found your wedding ring in the hospital bag. Someone must have brought…” He holds out the ring I had found in the hospital: the little diamonds in the braid of gold. It's breathtaking. I'm not sure what to do so I take it, turning it to watch the facets gleaming. I check his hand and see a silver band. While I'm thinking, he takes the ring and slides it onto my finger. “You've seemed uncertain about things… I thought it might help to have your ring on again.” Again? I don't see how it'll help at all. But it's gorgeous. *** What are readers saying? "I want to root for Meg and Eli so bad! I feel my heart breaking each time he lies and each time she doubts him. A beautiful story of mistrust, love, and redemption." "The story itself was well written and even had an otherworldly feel to it because the author does a great job of making us feel like we are right in the moment with Megan as she is trying to recover her memory and her life." "Who is this woman? Is her name really Megan? Who is Ellison? Does he really have her best interest at heart? So many questions and so few answers. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put the book down. Ms. James does it again. This is a great story where Ms. James took the time to build the characters and storyline."