This book was amazing. This spicy romantic suspense had be turning the pages faster than ever. First off I loved the writing, it really pulled you in on the first chapter. The suspense starting from the beginning hooked me. Also love the short chapters, just something I enjoy. The twists and turns in this book were a complete mind blow and caught me off guard.

Veronica Sullivan the wife of DA Richard, catches her husband cheating. He has something to help “save” their marriage and very unconventional. Veronica stays at a hotel and prepares for dates with other men to essentially call it even with Richard but the games have just begun. Veronica meets Ronan the hitman ordered to kill Richard, and they have an immediate connection and Veronica can’t seem to stay away from him. They have their own secrets proving some secrets can never stay buried no matter how hard you try.

Her husband cheats. His fix? Let her stray—while he watches. But when she meets Ronan, a hitman with secrets, their affair spirals into danger, disappearances, and murder.

OHHHH MY DANG, did I eat this book up! I finished the entire thing in a little over a day, which I don’t normally do, since I have two feral boys at home and work a full time job. This book is THAT GOOD! It has literally everything a romance/thriller reader like me loves. Suspense? CHECK. A smoking hot morally grey man? CHECK. TWISTS ON TWISTS ON TWISTS?! CHECKKKKK. I will absolutely be buying the physical copy is this beauty when it is released because I need a trophy for this masterpiece!

If you frame a hitman for murders he actually committed, is it technically framing?

First of all, this was a wonderful debut. Seriously. I had so much fun reading this--it's engaging, it's fun, it's an enjoyable very funny captivating read.
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He's a hitman set on offing the DA, she's married to the DA, what could go wrong??
Richard, a corrupt DA mid-reelection campaign, caught cheating by his wife, books her a hotel stay, and has the audacity to set her up on a line of dates that he so chooses -- so that they could "get past this", but Veronica ain't an idiot, she knows what she's worth, and she's got plans of her own.
This man sees her once, says nothing, and immediately decides she’s his. If that sounds horrifying, fair. If you're willing to enter “lol okay delusional hitman in love??” mode -- congrats, you're about to have a great time.
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Sidenote -- this book is pitched as “Adult fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Romance" (in that order) -- and while the mystery/thriller parts are definitely there, they don’t really hit full force until about the 60% mark. Before that, it’s mostly romance with a vibe of “something is going on, but don’t worry about it yet.” -- But that didn't bother me cause I was already fully invested 10% in and the mystery elements that creeped in slowly had me guessing, theorizing, oooing and noooing early on. It was genuinely a really good satisfying read. Still, if you're expecting nonstop action, know that this leans heavily romance.

The book also uses multiple POVs, something I am usually not a fan of, but it was done really well here -- I was happy when the pov shifted, each shift felt satisfying and like it was exactly what I needed at that moment from the book -- this book was really good pacing/structure wise

If you like dark romance with emotional mess, complicated characters, and a plot that slowly opens up and twists around itself, I think you'll enjoy this as much as I did.
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Also, side note? Ronan seems like kind of a terrible hitman with terrible opsec. But he’s got baby-blue eyes and I'll take it Veronica dw
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Alright, I just devoured this book and WOW! 🤯 If you're craving something dark, twisted, and utterly addictive, this is it. Veronica's husband's "solution" to his infidelity is wild, and it throws her right into the path of Ronan, a hitman with an undeniable, scorching connection. 🔥 Seriously, their chemistry is off the charts, but the suspense with the murders and secrets? It's a total mind-bender. This book is NOT for the faint of heart (in the best way!), but if you love a morally gray heroine, a dangerous hero, and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very last page, you absolutely have to pick this up. So good! ❤️

This story is full of secrets, lies, and jaw-dropping twists that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The pacing never let up, and every revelation pulled me deeper in. Suspenseful and addictive all the way through.

Overall 3.5 stars.
This was a fun little read. The foundation of the story was intriguing but I felt like I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have liked. I think if we had more of the back story from Veronica/Ronan or more expansion on present time, it would have given more foundation to the characters, their growth and the readers connection to them.
I did guess part of the twist at the end, but I still felt that spark of surprise. It just felt a bit rushed, so I think there could have been more pages to help the story grow a bit more.
I’m not sure if triggers warnings were promoted re: pregnancy loss.

Overall, I had fun with it. Good for if your looking for a slightly darker (but not pitch black) read, with some gems in rage aspects and unique dynamics with characters.

Everything seems normal for Veronica until she finds him having an affair and her husband suggest she do the same except he will pick her affair partner.
DA's young wife Veronica and hitman Ronan suffered tragedies in their lives that changed their lives forever. They met and they fell strong connection to each other. More time they spent together, they understood each other and also fell in love in the process.
I wasn't sure what I should expect but couple of reviews convinced me to read right away. So I started and finished in couple days.
This book is not what I expected and it made me wonder and question some of the POV's like who is Taylor. There were so many secrets, lies like puzzle pieces and it was solved at the end. And last chapter was even more shocking. I hope there is another book. I enjoyed it and this is first time reading.this author and I enjoyed it.
I received this book via netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

thank you to Netgalley and Moonlit Graves Publishing for the ARC!

is this book high literature? absolutely the fuck not. is it an absolute blast with a ton of twists that I devoured in about two hours? well, yes!

I do find it genuinely endearing that I think the only characters in this book are:
1. the dark romance murdercouple
2. truly awful straight men who only exist to bother the murdercouple, who then murders and/or tortures them
3. very cool lesbians/bi ladies

also did the author watch Supernatural because Sylvie (I LOVE HER??? I am shocked by how much I enjoyed a character in this silly book) is soooo Charlie Bradbury

I couldn’t put this book down! There were so many twists built up throughout that I wasn’t sure where it was headed until the very end. Both Veronica & Ronan had their fair share of secrets but they also had the heat and chemistry. I will admit certain parts seemed a bit cheesy and predictable but the overall story was intriguing. I also wish we got a bit more time with the couple and saw how their relationship develops since it seems a bit insta-lovey. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Butcher and Blackbird or Lights Out as I felt this story paralleled some of the great things about those books!

When I read the description of this book, I was completely sold. And I was not mistaken.

I suspected what had happened to Victoria since almost the beginning (I read a lot of Nordic crime novels when I was in my twenties), but it didn't prevent me to enjoy a very well-narrated plot. The side characters are very well described, and that really helps you get into the book and feel part of the story. I loved Sylvie and Lauren since the first time they appeared on-page.

The spice is top-notch, and who doesn't love a morally grey hero and some "touch her and die" scenes? I definitely do. Victoria and Ronan are perfect for each other, and I was plotting Richard's demise alongside her the whole book.

100% recommended!
Happy reading! 🥰

Veronica, the wife of the district attorney finds out her husband is cheating on her. She confronts him and he offers a solution to ‘save their marriage’, that she can have an affair with someone else of his choosing. Veronica meets Ronan, a hitman and they share an immediate connection and chemistry. They each have their own secrets and past.

I really really enjoyed this book! It drew me in from the beginning. There was so much suspense and plot twists throughout that kept me so engaged and wanting to read more. I absolutely loved Veronica’s character, she was so strong and loved her and Ronan. Loved the different pov of each character, allowed me to learn more about each character. Absolutely loved and the plot twists at the end, oh my!!!

5 STAR READ!!

This book has all the things. A mystery guessing through the entire story, with steamy scenes sprinkled in. Loved, loved, loved it!

I really enjoyed this as a it had that suspenseful atmosphere that I was looking for and was engaged from start to finish and thought worked well in its twists. I was hooked from the first page and thought the overall feel worked in the genre and was invested in what was happening. Nicole J. Owens has a strong writing style and enjoyed the overall concept and how the characters were written. I enjoyed how good the characters were and that they worked in this universe.

Very exciting beginning, draws you in immediately.
The characters evolve as the story progresses, making them realistic and making the story more intriguing.
It's well-written overall, at times there might be slight repetitions but they feel more stylistic and flow well in the book.
There are twists that keep the story intriguing and exciting.

Read this as an ARC on NetGalley and really enjoyed it!
I couldn’t put it down and read it in a day.

It’s a story of true female rage & revenge with forbidden romance and twists that I did not see coming.

The epilogue drew me in right away, as did the first sentence in Veronica’s first chapter. I loved that we were fed little hints of Veronica’s dark past without giving anything away. It kept me reading and wanting to work it all out.

Ronan is the morally grey mmc that you know you shouldn’t root for but find yourself doing exactly that. I’m not usually a fan of the instant love trope but it worked so well in this story and felt more believable given Ronans background.


4/5 star dark romance.

Loved this book! Veronica and Ronans story is so beautiful and I love them! The plot twist was so unexpected and I loved it!

A suspense-filled dark romance where both of the main characters are morally gray. If you are into hitman romance, plot twists, revenge, and forbidden love, then this book is for you.

Veronica is the much younger wife of the District Attorney, living a seemingly idyllic life when she finds out her husband has been unfaithful.

Richard, Veronica's husband, is up for reelection as the District Attorney. When his wife confronts him for cheating he offers a solution to save their marriage and avoid the bad press of a divorce during the election. Verionca can sleep with someone else, of Richard's choosing, to even the score.

Ronan, the sexy and tattooed hitman, spots Veronica while she is at a bar to meet the man her husband selected for her, and they share an undeniable attraction and chemistry right away.

What happens next is a rollercoaster ride of suspense, plot twist and spicy scenes that will keep you guessing all the way to the end. I enjoyed reading this book and each time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong!
This was a riveting story of revenge. female rage, secrets, and seduction. I thoroughy loved Veronica's character as a strong, no BS woman and Ronan was the perfect dark and vicious man she needed. I enjoyed watching Veronica and Ronan learn to trust and love each other through all of the difficulties they both were facing. The dual POVs were helpful to understand each character and really contributed to the overall story.

Nicole J. Owens ventures into morally treacherous territory with Beneath Your Lies, crafting a psychological thriller that refuses to offer easy answers or comfortable protagonists. This is a novel that operates in the gray spaces between victim and perpetrator, exploring how betrayal can transform ordinary people into something unrecognizable. The result is both fascinating and occasionally frustrating—a story that succeeds through sheer audacity even when its execution wavers.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its willingness to embrace psychological complexity without sanitizing difficult emotions. Owens creates characters whose responses to trauma feel genuinely unpredictable, avoiding the therapeutic frameworks that often constrain contemporary fiction about infidelity and revenge. The protagonist’s journey from wounded spouse to active participant in dangerous games feels psychologically authentic, even when morally questionable.

The central relationship crackles with the kind of intensity that makes readers question their own moral boundaries. Rather than presenting straightforward romance, Owens explores how desperation and attraction can become dangerously intertwined. The chemistry between her leads feels genuinely volatile—not just passionate but potentially destructive in ways that create authentic tension rather than manufactured drama.

Where the novel excels is in its atmospheric creation of mounting dread. Owens understands that the most effective psychological thrillers operate through accumulating unease rather than sudden shocks. The sense that violence lurks just beneath civilized surfaces permeates every interaction, making even mundane conversations feel charged with potential danger.

The narrative structure presents both opportunities and challenges. Multiple perspectives allow for complex character development and moral ambiguity, but the frequent shifts sometimes undermine emotional continuity. Just as readers begin investing in one character’s internal journey, the focus shifts to another viewpoint, creating distance that can work against the intimate psychological exploration the story seems to promise.

The genre-blending approach demonstrates admirable ambition but occasionally creates tonal inconsistencies. The domestic drama elements require different pacing than the thriller components, and the romantic threads need space to develop that sometimes conflicts with suspense requirements. When these elements align, the result is genuinely compelling; when they don’t, the story can feel pulled in competing directions.

Owens’ handling of morally complex characters deserves particular recognition. Rather than creating antiheroes who remain fundamentally sympathetic, she presents people whose choices genuinely challenge reader allegiances. This approach requires considerable skill—too much sympathy undermines the thriller elements, while too little makes the story unengaging.

The exploration of power dynamics within relationships adds sophisticated psychological texture. The novel examines how people use emotional manipulation, physical intimidation, and professional influence to control others, creating scenarios that feel uncomfortably realistic despite the heightened circumstances.

The pacing fluctuates between breathless urgency and contemplative character study, sometimes within the same chapter. While this creates variety, it can also disrupt narrative momentum at crucial moments. The story works best when these different speeds feel intentional rather than accidental.

For readers who like:
-Morally ambiguous protagonists
-Psychological thrillers
-Multi-perspective narratives

Final Verdict
Beneath Your Lies succeeds through pure boldness, creating a story that’s more interesting for its willingness to explore uncomfortable psychological territory than for its technical execution. Owens has crafted something genuinely provocative that will likely divide readers—some will appreciate its moral complexity while others may find its shifting focus frustrating. Despite structural issues, this remains compelling reading for those seeking fiction that doesn’t provide easy answers or comfortable protagonists.

Grateful to NetGalley, Moonlit Graves Publishing, and Nicole J. Owens for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“BENEATH YOUR LIES,” BY NICOLE J. OWENS. A stunning dark romance set to release 09/23/25.
🐍 “Good for her.”
🖤 Cheating husband trope.
🐍 Hitman MMC love interest.
🖤 FMC is wife of District Attorney.
🐍 Time jumps ( Present / Past ).
🖤 Insta-crush.
🐍 Forbidden love.
🖤 Dual POV.
Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to review. This one is for the baddies with a praise addiction, who are into overstimulation, and a man murdering for you. We love to see it.
OVERVIEW:
Veronica Sullivan’s seemingly idyllic life gets turned on its head when she confronts her husband about his infidelity. Desperate to maintain his image as the State’s District Attorney and salvage their marriage, he proposes a shocking solution-Veronica can indulge in her own affair, but only under his supervision.
As she embarks on this unconventional journey, Veronica meets Ronan, an enigmatic hitman haunted by his past who has a shared interest. They have an unmistakable, unquenchable connection, yet Veronica guards her own secrets closely, especially as a series of unsettling disappearances and murders grip the city. No matter how hard Veronica tries to deny it, there’s something about Ronan that keeps making her go back for more...
MY THOUGHTS:
I knew from the authors dedication page that this was going to be a riveting tale of revenge, and it turned out to deliver exactly that, and MORE. I was curious about the cast, and the characters were complex, and deep. Veronica was 100% my favorite, as I have a soft spot for candid, no-bullshit women. Ronan was a perfect love interest for her, equally as seductive as he was vicious, dark, and… traumatized. Lol.
Banter was absolutely delicious. More than enough twists and turns to keep me satisfied, and no spoilers… but that FINAL CHAPTER? YK WHO WAS THE KILLER?? OMG. PLEASE LET THERE BE A SEQUEL?? I’ll cry if not. Dual POV was the perfect choice. The MMC wasn’t the only one with a secret, which was an added cherry on the top. And the FMC’s secret is SO juicy that I actually gasped.
All in all, what a fun read!

I absolutely loved this book! Veronica and Ronan’s story had me hooked from page one — the perfect blend of slow-burn romance, raw emotion, and just enough suspense to keep me turning the pages late into the night. The chemistry between them felt real and earned, built through stolen moments, vulnerable conversations, and unshakable trust that developed over time.

What stood out most to me was how the story showed that trust takes time, people carry hidden battles, and love — while messy — can also be deeply healing. It’s a reminder that the past doesn’t have to define the future, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is open your heart again.

This book gave me all the feels, and I’m already excited for my next read from Nicole J. Owens!