Veronica Sullivan has a complicated relationship with her district attorney husband, Richard. Richard is all about his image in public, but leads a very different life outside of it.

Ronan is a tall, dangerously handsome hitman who has has no time for relationships and love until he lays eyes on Veronica.

This dark romance is centered around all morally gray characters. I loved the twists to the story. When I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong.

Thanks NetGalley and Moonlight Graves Publishing for the ARC of this book!

I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. While I can see the author's effort, I didn't connect with the story or the characters. I wish the author all the best with the publication.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was the perfect mix of mystery, thriller, and dark romance, and the twist at the end was spectacular!

The story follows the (mostly) dual narratives of Veronica and Ronan, with the occasional mysterious additional narrative of "Taylor". They cross paths after Veronica's husband, the District Attorney, is caught cheating on her and tries to save their marriage by setting her up with her own affair. Ronan has been hired as a hit man, with her husband at the bottom of his list, and after seeing a credit card charge at the hotel she's been sent to, sees her in the hotel bar.

What follows is a brilliant tale of revenge, lust, and intrigue, as Ronan tries to find out who has been setting him up for a series of murders of women in the city. Veronica faces an internal conflict between her fear of what Ronan could be capable of, and the pull she feels towards him.

The characters were excellently written, with interesting backstories and relatable motivations, and Owens has done a fantastic job getting us to root for a murderous hitman. The ending was spectacular, and the twist was shocking without being completely nonsensical. The additional Taylor narrative provides an interesting touch of mystery because, for a while, it seems completely unconnected. It was pretty clear to me early on who the patient was, but the link between that and the main story kept me guessing right to the end.

TL;DR: Absolute perfection. The spicy scenes were top-tier. 10/10 no notes.

Beneath You Lies
Nicole J.Owens
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Vibe Check: Fast paced, twisty
Hook: Fall hard for the man that is hired to unalive your controlling/ cheating husband 🔥🔥
Twists: All the characters involved in “who did it?” - In my opinion are dark and morally grey 😮
Ending: Somewhat predictable 🙊

This was an enjoyable read with well developed characters and an engaging plot. I did find myself invested and wanting to keep reading: however, there are a few minor flaws that stood; for example - Taylor’s story developed too slowly for me and it became an after thought. Even in the end when her position in the plot was explained I was still not thrilled or surprised because the story line was overpowered by the main plot. Overall, I did like to story, the romantic suspense that was delivered but it did not leave a big impact. I will definitely consider casually recommending this book to others to read w/t a side not that it bridges genre of dark romance and mystery suspense.

Thank you 😊

LOVED THIS BOOK!!! SO glad I got the ARC. I literally tore through this, the spice was on pointtt and I loved the characters. Cannot wait for the author's next book!

Dark, twisty, and addictive. The mix of suspense and romance kept me hooked, with plenty of drama and secrets to unravel. A fast, intense read that’s perfect if you like morally grey characters and high-stakes tension

This was a cross between a dark romance and a thriller which I was not expecting but I really enjoyed! I’ve read a lot of thrillers and it’s getting easier for me to see the twists coming, but I was not able to predict any of the twists in this story. On top of that, the spicy scenes were well written. This book gripped me from the very beginning and the short chapters and fast pacing made it a quick read. I couldn’t put it down!

"Alexa, remind me to read this book if my husband ever cheats on me" 🤣
Wow! My jaw was on the floor for half of this and I was cheering for the other (in a dark way? A chuckle, if you will) This was a fast and addicting read. I read it in one sitting! The twists had my adrenaline pumping.
The mmc, ronan, was everything I look forward in a book boyfriend - protective, mysterious and the banter was so clever. The fmc, Veronica, was sassy and so vindictive that she won be over instantly.

I loved this one! What a great romantic suspense. SUPER steamy - it was like a smutty thriller and I was here for it. Will definitely read more by this author.

This book had me constantly looking for the next twist. The main characters provided some great viewpoints and insight with constant questioning of what is happening and what will happen. The pacing of the book was perfect, giving bits of information over time to try to fill in the mystery.

I couldn’t put the book down after 40% cause it was nonstop twists and suspense and mystery. I loved the characters and development of the story plus a shocking twist is always my favorite ending!

4.5 🌟🤩

Wow, so umm that was crazy?

I didn’t put this book down for two consecutive business days.

The way I felt like I was the FBI trying to figure out this absolute tangled web of, lies, revenge, secrets & deceit and I’m still trying to understand how Nicole J. Owen’s was able to put this story into a book that’s about 330 pages, everything that went on was insane, the plot twists, the murder, the romance (that first scene though 🔥🥵), the who’s and the why’s, I thought I knew what was going on but there was soooo many moving parts to this story and I’m grateful I’m not dying from a cliff hanger at the end…. Oh wait… I am 😨

Cannot wait to see what happens in the next book. 💫

I gave it four stars! Very good read. I flew right through it.

This book had so many plot twists. I was psychologically mind blown. The writing was good for a debut novel. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it releases. Thank you for allowing me to review this book. It was refreshing.

4.5⭐️. Thanks for NetGalley for this awesome thriller! This book gripped me from the very beginning and I loved it. Only reason it’s not a 5 start is because I guessed the main plot twist. Amazing book!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the author for the arc. Wow this was so good, I couldn’t put it down. I just love the combo of romance and suspense and this did not disappoint. I can’t believe this was the authors debut but I cannot wait for more of her writing. Just read it.

This was an interesting read with great characters. The plot was a bit predictable but good nonetheless. There was the right amount of steam. I was invested in the characters and enjoyed the ending.

This book has everything I love — spice, thrill, unexpected twists, multiple POVs, time-jump chapters, and just the right amount of mystery to keep me flipping pages late into the night. I honestly didn’t want to put it down.

I was especially drawn to the FMC — she came across as strong yet mysterious, and I loved how she constantly kept me guessing about what her personality truly entailed. The MMC, on the other hand, was brooding with his walls firmly up, and I really enjoyed watching her be the one to break those walls down. Their dynamic felt addictive and made me so invested in their story.

The only reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is that the romance developed really quickly. That’s totally a personal preference, though — and honestly, I can’t even judge too hard since I fell in love with my husband after dating for just three weeks 😂.

If you enjoy romantic suspense with spice, secrets, and characters who pull you in from the very first chapter, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

Beneath Your Lies is thrilling and exciting, following a young woman forced to deal with the expectations of being married to an older man who prides himself on his work as the District Attorney. Veronica was living the perfect life, much to the dismay of the people around her. When she finds out her husband has been cheating on her, Veronica's whole world implodes. Richard, her husband, cares more about his reputation than his relationship, and offers a proposition that allows Veronica to get off his back.

I really enjoyed this book and I really appreciate how you are thrown headfirst into the story, and honestly the fast-paced plot never really lets up. The character and plot development was done really well, despite there being times when perspectives from shift from person-to-person and alternate between the past and current day, which was hard to follow sometimes. Besides this, I really enjoyed Veronica and Ronan's relationship and it was nice to see a fictional couple develop chemistry instead of instantly falling in love with each other.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Veromica Sullivan is the young beautiful wife of Richard, a State District Attorney who is up for re-election. Veronica knows that Richard has been cheating on her and when she confronts him, he comes up with a bizarre plan where Veronica can have an affair herself to aid them in saving their dwindling marriage. However, this will only occur under Richard’s supervision, this guy is an absolute manipulative, and dominant control freak.

After a first disastrous attempt at this scenario Vanessa meets Ronan and this is where the story really talks off. Dark, dangerous, brooding and unbelievably attractive Vanessa is immediately drawn to him. I am not usually a romance person but once I started this book, I was hooked. I loved the relationship between Veronica and Ronan; they go through so much together. Ronan may be the hard man but believe me, Veronica is full of strength and courage, she is one feisty lady

The book grips you from the first page with an excellent plot that moves fast along with twists and turns, weaving a tapestry of suspense that keeps you guessing to the very last chapter. I could not stop turning the pages, I had to know how this was all going to resolve and what happened was not what I expected but very satisfying. For a debut novel, the author has done a fantastic job, and I will be looking out for more books from her. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are mu own.

What a wild ride!

Veronica finds herself in a rather unique situation after her husband's infidelity comes to light and he sends her off to a hotel for a while so she can get a few things "out of her system". Enter Ronan, the devilishly handsome hit man, who falls head over heels for Veronica the moment he lays eyes on her.

The way the author describes the attraction between the MCs is hypnotic and refreshing to read. I do usually prefer more spice in my books and think that this book would've benefited from a touch more, but the insane plot is the real selling point. Nothing in this book is what it seems, and I was left guessing until the very end.

I really hope there's more to come, there has to be right?!

🥀 Suspense
☠️ Morally Grey MMC
🥀 Light(ish) Stalking
☠️ Revenge
🥀 Dark Secrets
☠️ Touch Her and Bye

This is not a particularly dark but check TWs just in case.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶

My rating for this book is complex because I don't feel like my opinion of the book is straightforward. I gave the book an overall four-star rating because it was not a bad book, but a book I wouldn't have probably selected had it not been described as a "Thriller or Mystery" and "Thriller Romance". The storyline does in fact contain a mystery, but I think this would be better described as a dark romance since that felt like the main focus of the story. With that said, I don't think it deserves a lower rating because I am not a fan of a particular genre.

The book in my opinion read in a slower pace the real action didn't really start happening until nearly the end, but the spice was entered in quicky so if you like them spicy, you'll probably like this! I did not feel especially connected with the characters, the cast didn't feel very diverse, and I didn't find any loveable. The development of the characters was there but felt on the more dramatic side - I'll leave it at that to avoid spoilers. (Now I'm aware it's a book & dramatic isn't a bad thing, but the only way I feel like I can describe it).

I will say that the ending was a surprise. I had some predictions that were correct, but it still had that shock value at the end. I like how the author left the ending; it wrapped up the story but left it open enough to continue on via the eyes of another character if they wanted!

I do recommend checking out the trigger warnings if you're sensitive to certain triggers.