Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Lying Beneath the Oaks by Kristin Wright.

The author went so hard with this novel that I don't have any choice but to respect it! If you love a colorful bouquet of steamy romance, longing, murder, mystery, secrets and total tomfoolery, this might be just the ticket.

Molly wakes up completely hungover in her car to discover that she is also, married? After a wild night in Vegas, she now has no money, no prospects, and a handsome southern husband, Cooper.

In order to figure out their predicament, Molly goes home with Cooper to stay with his family for a time. Molly is immediately enamored by most of his family, but very put off by his dad, Ted. At the same time, Molly might be falling for Cooper, but will Cooper still accept her when he discovers her secrets?

Like I said, this went hard. The dialogue, the plot, all of it a bit OTT, to a giggle worthy degree, but you know what? I dug it, it was entertaining as hell and read smooth and quick. I tip my hat to that.

<i>"In-laws. Sweet Baby Jesus. In-laws'll drive you crazy."</i>

Just looking at the cover, it's hard to know what you're really getting in to with this story. I imagined a funny, silly book about 2 people who wake up married in Vegas and try to make a go at it. I mean, waking up married in Vegas, it's a hard sell to try to get me to believe people would try - but the author does a great job of really laying out personalities and reasonings as to why this might happen and it was enough to keep me reading.

However, this isn't the light fluffy read you think it is. It's pretty ominous as soon as the two get "home" that these two are hiding some pretty big secrets. And this family...it's not all it seems on the surface. It was interesting to untangle it all as the MC does, but I don't think it was pretty predictable and easy to see where the story was leading. But it was entertaining and I enjoyed it.

A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

What an outstanding debut for author Kristin Wright!

One quick glance at the story’s blurb and I knew it was for me: drunken Vegas elopement between strangers, low country South Carolina and twisted family secrets that could endanger both protagonists.

Strangers, Molly and Cooper wake up in the front seat of a car with a hangover and new rings on their left fingers. They head back to Cooper’s home state of South Carolina, which plays a charming secondary character, to figure out their next steps. Which includes unraveling the inter workings of deranged family members and damage control of their lies.

This suspense and sweet romance story is a wonderful inaugural novel for the author! There were a few editing issues throughout the story that once fixed, would make this a 5 star for me!

This book was provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars!

This book definitely exceeded my expectations, I was really excited to read it after reading the blurb and surely, Lying Beneath the Oaks did not disappoint. It was atmospheric, thrilling, whimsical and diabolical. Everything that I could have asked for.

Lying Beneath the Oaks follows the story of Molly Todd, who wakes up after a wild and drunken night in Vegas and founds herself married to Cooper Middleton, a guy she met only three days ago. Molly is jobless and broke, therefore, when Cooper asks her to join him in visiting his hometown in South Carolina, while they get through their annulment, Molly sees it as a moment of relief from her already messed up life.

Once there, Molly finds herself in a bit of a muddle, you see, Molly, is hiding a very big secret about her identity and it doesn't help that she is completely charmed by Cooper and has also discovered some things about the Middleton family, which if out, will destroy everything that Cooper holds dear. What will Molly do?

This book reads more like a domestic thriller than a psychological one but I loved it nonetheless, the setting was gorgeous with the perfect amount of uncomfortable and creepy. I was hooked from beginning until the end despite the certain predictability of the general story line. However, the best thing about this books was it's characters. I rooted so hard for Molly and Cooper.

Heck! I was so invested in all of the characters arcs. I loved Molly's character so much, it broke my heart to read about everything that she had to go through in the past and on that note, I also think, that the author did a brilliant job in her portrayal of troubled teens and the predicaments of children, who comes from abused families. I loved how the relationship between Molly and Cooper progressed and the ups and down they had to go through. It only made their relationship strong and more realistic. I also loved Caroline and Aurelia's character and loved the relationship that existed between Cooper and his sister as well as little Mia.

My only complaint is that villain of the story was very obvious since the beginning of the book and I would have really loved to read some more about his motivations, other than that, I think it's quite an impressive debut on the author's part, what with intense family drama, buried secrets and an ultimate showdown. I can't wait to see, what Kristin does next.

Such a great story! It’s a thriller/suspense story with a good plot and some romance thrown in all set in a very descriptive background. Really enjoyed this book!

Lying Beneath the Oaks is tight, enticing, seductive with its taunts and twists...The author pulls you in, wraps you tight in the embrace of his words and then teases and taunts you while taking you on a twisted journey. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely.”

I have received this ARC from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Lying Beneath the Oaks was such a good book. I have no idea why I waited so long to dive into this beautiful mystery book.. but I regret it so much. In it, you will meet Molly and Cooper. Their relationship was completely adorable and shippable. They had amazing chemistry and just made me laugh and smile at times.

Not going to lie, the beginning sucked me in. I love when prologues do it.. but I was just so consumed and wanted to know what the hell happened. Then you dive into the first chapter, where you meet Molly and wham-bam! She wakes up married to a complete stranger.

Now this where you remember the saying, "what happens in vegas, stays in vegas." Or heck, the movie What Happened in Vegas that ha Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. If you don't automatically think of either of those.. then what rock do you live under?

Other than loving the romance part of this book, there's definitely a mysterious and creepiness factor that keeps you on edge. Especially when they meet his family. I was constantly waiting for something to happen while also trying to figure out who was who in the prologue. My constant guessing game sucked ass though because these two had so many freaking secrets. Even when some came out in the open, I had so many trust issues with these characters and myself.

Overall, I loved everything about this. Cooper and Molly are genius characters that kept me on the edge of my seat. I definitely need another book by Kristin stat!

This book starts off interestingly enough: Molly Todd, recently jobless and pretty much perpetually broke, wakes up in a car in Vegas ... and she's not alone. Next to her is her new husband, Cooper, similarly hungover (but neither jobless nor broke). They decide that it would be easiest to secure a divorce from Cooper's home in South Carolina so Molly heads back with him to stay in the family home while they procure all the needed information. Once they get back to Cooper's home, we are introduced to his family: sister, niece, and his less-then-welcoming father. There's a lot of mystery surrounding certain aspects of their family, the biggest being Cooper's first wife's up and leaving him with no warning a few years prior. As things progress in the book, you get to see Molly and Cooper get closer ... but there's a few things they're going to have to get past first.

I found it hard to categorize this book - it has elements of women's fiction, mystery, romance, and thriller. I found the romance part to be the strongest; I was invested in the relationship between Molly and Cooper more so than most other parts of the book. Actually, thinking about it, it's really the relationships that Wright did best. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics between Cooper and his sister, and between his sister and niece. The thriller element kept me turning the pages, although I pegged the mystery part almost immediately. (I think had it not been for my investment in Molly & Cooper and what would happen to them, I probably would've had a hard time finishing.) The bad guy was so bad in every way it felt a bit more like a stereotype than an actual person - whereas I acknowledge that baddies like this do exist, it was just every single thing about them was deplorable and it became almost eye-rolly at times.

Ok, wait..I have to go back and amend something here. I previously stated that Wright's strongest part of this book was the relationships, but I'm going to have to take that back and bring up that the beautiful way that she describes the South Carolina Lowcountry was spell binding - it made me miss the South so much! I could feel the humidity, hear the cicadas, and smell the wind in almost every page and I truly loved that feeling. It's so great when an author can make you feel a setting so vividly, and Kristin Wright does exactly that!

I will definitely be keeping my eye out for Wright's next novel, and hope that her characters and settings are as strong as they were in this one!

Molly and Cooper wake up together in a car in Vegas sporting brand new wedding rings. Apparently somehow the night before, they tied the knot. Cooper needs to get home, but Molly has no such issues. Recently fired and pretty much footloose, she tags along with Cooper under the understanding they will stay together until an annulment is filed. And it's best for her if the annulment is filed sooner rather than later. She has a major skeleton in her closet that she doesn't want people to find out about or they will change the way they look at her.

Meanwhile, they arrive in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Cooper brings her to his familial home. Dad isn't too thrilled with him bringing a Yankee into his house and family. Sister is happy for Cooper and Molly as are most people they meet. Molly receives some cryptic offers of help, if she needs it, from a couple of the townspeople.

Molly's background helps her to spot some skeletons in the family closet. These are skeletons that Cooper wasn't even aware existed. And as they are revealed to Molly, the danger increases for her especially, but for other family members as well.

Lying Beneath the Oaks by Kristin Wright is a pretty suspenseful Southern Gothic tale. There is no supernatural, but there is definitely the odd character here and there and suspense as well as the setting for much of the novel being the southern family home.

I really liked the eccentric and helpful Miss Aurelia. And I absolutely didn't like Cooper's father. He's too manipulative among other things. My dislike for him, to me, means Ms. Wright wrote his character really well. Molly and Coop were both likable.

The book moves along at a good pace. Clues are revealed at an increasing speed as Molly puts things together as the book progresses.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well written Southern Gothic. I enjoyed the mystery and the romance. The suspense and tension are done well. If you like romantic suspense or Southern Gothic, then you will probably enjoy this first novel.

Lying Beneath the Oaks by Kristin Wright was published January 15th, 2019 from Bella Rosa Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

There are so many things about Lying Beneath the Oaks that drew me into the story. From the description starting with “Molly Todd wakes up in a Vegas parking lot with a headache, a virtual stranger, and a wedding ring.” to the setting in South Carolinas low country the story is one I recommend for anyone interested in suspense with a romantic touch.

After waking up in Vegas married to a complete stranger Molly decides to fly with him to his home outside of Charleston, SC to spend Thanksgiving and then go through the annulment process since not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. As she spends time with Cooper, her new husband, she realizes he is not only attractive but the most caring and considerate man she has ever met. This mistake of a marriage is something she wouldn’t mind pursuing and having actually turn into a real marriage, that is if she wasn’t hiding a gigantic secret. Throughout the time she is in South Carolina she finds that she may not be the only one hiding a secret. Cooper's sister Caroline is going through a divorce she doesn’t want and is back living in the family home with Cooper and their Dad who is absolutely up to something. Throughout the book, I knew something was wrong but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. I found myself with hunches and a couple of them turned out to be correct.

Kristen Wright did an amazing job setting the scenes and making the readers able to not only find themselves in the story but feel what Molly was feeling the good, the bad, and the icky. I cannot believe Lying Beneath The Oaks was her first book and am excited to see what comes next from her.

I also want to thank Bella Rosa Books, NetGalley, and Kristin Wright for the opportunity to read a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The story follows Molly and Cooper a couple who, after a drunken night in Vegas, find themselves married but are almost complete strangers. Molly is terrified that Cooper will find out the secrets she holds from him, all the while learning how much of a kind soul he is, as she flies to his hometown near Charleston, SC where Cooper insists she stays for a while. The story starts to pick up pace as Molly meets his sister Caroline, his niece Mia, and his overbearing dad Ted. She soon realizes even in the beauty of their sprawling home under the oak trees that something isn’t quite right and there may be things here that overshadow her own secrets.

I really enjoyed the book and the characters within. Kristin Wright did an excellent job in her vivid details of the area, the scenery, and of illustrating each character to help the reader become accustomed to each personality and make their own assumptions throughout. I look forward to their books written by Kristen.

This book grabbed me right away from the blurb!
This is Author Kristin Wright debut book and it is outstanding.
Well written, captivating & so vivid as the story came to life off the pages as I read.
I really liked the setting of where this story was set back in the South. After reading it makes me want to take a trip down there.
Molly & Cooper are wonderful characters.
This book is filled with a delightful build of suspense and makes you wonder till the end of what the outcome will be. No way predictable which I loved.
If you are looking for a great romantic fictional read with that sprinkle of suspense to keep you on your toes, this is the book for you!
Go One Click it!
I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
**ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review***
5 🍒🍒🍒🍒🍒popped!

A story of redemption and perseverance. Molly had a rough upbringing that led to her incarceration. Finally free to live her life she finds herself in an awkward situation after getting drunk and waking up to a new husband.

Cooper finds something he wasn't necessarily looking for, a wife. Once Molly and Cooper realize their predicament they set out to make things right. Intent on having their marriage annulled Molly and Cooper travel to Cooper's hometown to meet with his attorney friend to set the proceedings in motion. While they wait, since it is the Thanksgiving holiday, Molly stays with Cooper and his family. They spend the week talking and hanging out when Molly and Cooper both realize they have feelings for one another. But nothing is what it seems in Cooper's home which leads Molly to do some of her own investigating. Fraught with lots of twists and turns this story will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This book was beautifully crafted, well written, with strong characters, and definitely well researched material. Molly’s character was fascinating, and I loved her story though it definitely had some trigger warnings for child abuse. So, here are the warnings first before I dive into the full review:

Warnings: child abuse, suggested child sexual abuse, suggested child trafficking, attempted murder of both child and adults, suggested rape of adults and child, some swearing, steamy romance bedroom scenes, sexism, light racism (only one character), talks about fires, talks about hurricanes, a few chapters regarding religion/going to church, other

This book, though certainly dark and twisted at times, made me almost long for a trip back to Louisiana or any of the places down south for its rich atmosphere. Of course, having been to the south, those emotions were few and far between. There were also plenty of triggers in the book that made me want to flinch away and hide, but the book tells such a good story that I was mostly able to ignore it.

Molly is a complex, blunt, and strong female character. She’s served time for possibly accidentally killing her mother, and has paid for it for years. There’s lots of interesting (and depressing) history there, but the focus of the story is her waking up married to a complete (handsome) stranger named Cooper, who happens to belong to a wealthy southern family.

It’s a fascinating story, completely with twisted plots that I didn’t see coming, though a lot of it I did notice right off. I loved Aurelia, the town eccentric, who is one of my favorite characters. I loved Mia and the golden retriever and just all of this book shown with creative clever schemes and strong characters so that I couldn’t turn away from it. I read through it in most of a day, and wish that there was more available, and that I could have seen the bad guy getting his due, aside from the tiny snippet of it at the end of the book-that’s my only real complaint, really, is that we didn’t see him getting published enough.

I really liked reading this book, and highly recommend it-especially if you love gothic, southern crime/romance fiction. It’s rich in detail, and you won’t regret reading it, unless you absolutely loathe reading about the south. 4.5/5 stars!

3.5-4 STARS!
I really enjoyed this debut by a new to me author.
The blurb caught my attention at the first line, "Molly Todd wakes up in a Vegas parking lot with a headache, a virtual stranger, and a wedding ring."
When she goes home with Cooper Middleton to the Lowcountry of South Carolina and meets his family as his wife, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the underlying feelings they seemed to share, the heated gazes and touches, the yearnings that seemed to say more than what they could say aloud. Yes, they were waiting for an annulment that had to wait the long weekend, forcing them to not consummate their marriage, but I loved the angsty feelings they shared of wanting more.
This coupled with Molly's secret backstory that she has not shared with her husband, his creepy as hell dad, the mystery behind his first wife's disappearance makes for a suspenseful, unputdownable story of intrigue and mystery. The beauty and character of the south shined through making such beautiful imagery that I could imagine it in my mind as I read. I completely fell in love with Miss Aurelia, and the epilogue left a smile on my face imagining the most perfect future. I would most definitely read this author again. Readers looks for more than just a simple romance story should give this one a try.

*I received this book from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness! Kristin Wright hits it out of the park with her first book! Lying Beneath the Oaks is full of suspense from the very first page. I felt like I was right alongside Molly and Cooper (the main characters) as they go from waking up in Vegas newly married to the end of the line- whatever that may be. This book has a touch of everything and as such will be a great read for anyone (as long as they're an adult or very mature, there are a few very intense romantic scenes but nothing explicit)! Take my advice, go get this book ASAP!

Let’s kick off the new year with a little genre math: Southern gothic + romance = winning formula!

Kristin Wright’s debut novel, LYING BENEATH THE OAKS, checks all my boxes for a great romantic suspense: richly developed characters, engaging suspense, satisfying romance. And to top it off, it’s set in the South Carolina lowcountry, the place of my birth. Winning!

Wright weaves a handful of highly successful elements of southern gothic literature into this suspense, like the return of a buried secret from the past that corrodes the present, and nobody wanting to admit it. Hell, it’s even got a slaughterhouse tableau. The south has a memory as deep as the roots of an heirloom Oak, y’all, and not all of our dirty secrets are duked out in the media.

The setup is a crowd-pleaser: Molly Todd wakes up in a car in a parking lot in Las Vegas, hungover and wearing a wedding band … next to a handsome man wearing a matching wedding band and hangover, with only a vague recollection of the preceding days. It’s a good thing Cooper Middleton is a good guy, because things could’ve gone, well, south, very quickly. But the mystery of how Molly and Cooper wound up married is not the focus of the book. The secrets that Molly is keeping are.

As Molly and Cooper spend their time in the lowcountry, she finds herself more and more charmed by the man she’s temporarily calling husband. His home and his land call to her, offering some semblance of comfort and camaraderie as she works out her problems beneath the canopy of the grand sentinels. The dichotomy between her tough life and experiences, and the kindness of Cooper and his traditional southern upbringing is glaring, and a heavy burden to Molly. She’s at once wrapped in the warmth of the man who knows her to be lost and shrouded in secrets, and burdened with keeping repressed the violence and truth of her past that wants to be revealed with every heartbeat. And let me tell you, Molly’s secret isn’t the biggest threat.

This is one of the lighter suspenses I’ve read in a while, but it’s really enjoyable. Wright uses the lowcountry setting to lull the reader into a lassitude of comfort, much like Molly, so you don’t see the monster lurking in the dark until it’s almost too late. The romance that develops between Cooper and Molly is believable, and the gothic atmosphere makes me feel like I’m home.

* Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/southern-gothic-romance-winning-formula-lying-beneath-the-oaks-by-kristin-wright/

This was fantastic. I figured out the "secrets" alluded to in the synopsis pretty quickly, which would usually bother me in a mystery/thriller. I think it didn't because I thoroughly enjoyed watching the beginning romance play out, bawled through a good portion, and then got sucked up in the suspense of the end.

Lying Beneath the Oaks is a southern romance/thriller/mystery. The writing is lush and full of that heavy southern charm that so many books try and recreate. Molly and Cooper are an interesting match and Molly discovery of the secrets of Cooper's family kept the pages. This is the perfect book for a summer day, laying in a hammock, in the shade of an oak tree.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.