What Lies Beneath by K.A. Pryde and Amber Faye is book one in the Game of Obsession Duet. It is also my first time reading both authors’ work. I picked this one up as I was looking to step outside my comfort zone by reading more romances that were on the darker side. Now this one is not for the faint-hearted, so if dark romance is not your thing, stay away. As for readers who enjoy these types of romances, be prepared for an intense, frustrating and dangerous journey that will leave you itching for the next book.
Title: What Lies Beneath
Author(s): K.A. Pryde, Amber Faye
Series: Game of Obsession Duet #1
Published by Self Published on March 31, 2022
Pages: 340
Genre(s): Adult, Romantic Suspense
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Format: eArc
Purchase: Amazon
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Viola
My grandmama used to tell me the women in our family were all cursed. They attracted danger. Not in bits and pieces, but in droves. She was struck by lightning—twice. Mom died in a plane crash. She was crossing the street at the time.
Me?
I attract obsession.
***
Cain
I swore I would protect her from the monsters.
But who’s going to protect her from me?Viola West is all sweetness and light—so why is she so surrounded by darkness?
I'll do my job. I'll keep her safe.
I'll do whatever it takes to protect her light.
The lengths I'll go to for this woman surprise even me.
People look at me and see a trustworthy, charismatic guy.
It’s skin deep.
Underneath, and all the way through, I’m a liar. A fake. And so many more four-letter words than that.
Until this is over, until she finds out what lies beneath, I’ll be right here. Watching. Waiting.
Once she's safe, maybe then I can tell her the truth.
She doesn't belong to the darkness. She doesn't belong to them.
She belongs to me.
This is a dark stalker romance. If you have any CW questions, reach out to me! Dark content.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
SUMMARY
What Lies Beneath tells the story of :
Viola West, an intern writer at Slander Studios. She hopes to make it in the television industry, but with a sociopath for a fiancée, and a stalker dogging her doorsteps, her dream may never materialise.
FBI Special Agent Greyso Cain made it his mission to unearth the identity of Violet’s stalker before he escalates beyond stalking. However, his need to find her stalker slowly became an obsession, and he soon crosses a line that could end his career.
The characters, though interesting, frustrated me with their actions. Viola is aware of her stalker, but she has no clue regarding his identity. The police can’t help, so she moves to Los Angeles, where she started dating Jack.
Jack is a business owner with a dark side. Definitely someone you should avoid crossing paths with. Now Viola dated him, hoping he could protect her from her stalker. Oh, by the way they have moved on from dating, they’re now engaged. Even though she’s aware of his sociopathic tendencies, she takes serious risks which, if were discovered by him, would put her six feet under. One such risk is her relationship with FBI Agent Greyson Cain.
Viola came on Grayson’s radar when her picture, accompanied by a note from a suspected serial killer, landed on his desk. Throughout the course of his investigations, he made several career ending decisions. He took obsession to another level.
What Lies Beneath began on an interesting note, which had me eager to learn how the story would unfold. However, after a few pages in, I floundered to get through the first half of the story. The slow pacing and the frustrating actions of the protagonists contributed to my struggle. Thankfully the story picked up in the second half.
Delivered primarily from the POVs of Viola and Greyson, with one chapter dedicated to the stalker’s POV, the story gave an inside look into each of their minds. With Greyson’s POV, one sees how issues from his past cases while undercover affect his judgement in this current situation. Viola’s POV revealed her insecurities, fears and uncertainties. It would have been good to have more of the stalker’s POV.
Viola’s relationship with Jack was toxic, and I didn’t feel the chemistry between her and Grayson. Mind you, their intimate moments with Greyson sizzled, but I never felt the connection they supposedly share. Grayson’s obsession and Viola’s insecurities overshadowed it all.
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About Amber Faye
Amber writes romance featuring flawed characters with sizzling connections.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
