Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc early.

I’ve read other books by this author, so I knew what to expect with this story. Unfortunately, the book fell a little short for me. It took a few chapters to “get into” this book. The storyline consists of two people from different paths in life. You know the idea, the woman was told to stay away from men like him. But predictably, he wasn’t as bad as they said. It’s a fairly predictable storyline. Bad boy, good girl fall in love. I’ll leave it up to you ok whether it’s your thing.

"My Little Secret" by L.A. Casey .

My first time reading that author.

I liked it but didn't love it.
I did love the cover though!
I generally love a good girl falling for a bad boy story even though I've read that many times. I just couldn't connect with the characters. I didn't feel there was chemistry between them.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

*3.5 stars* This was an enjoyable book. Very well written with lots of Irish sass. Ash and Ryan are the ultimate bad boy/ good girl couple. He grew up on the streets of Dublin and now he's leading a division of rough Irish gang. She is the only child of an overprotective barrister and has led a very protected life. When Ryan's father is sent to jail Ryan is forced to go live with her aunt and cousin in a very rough part of Dublin. Although they warn her to keep her head down and work hard Ryan can't resist the pull of Ash. This is the part of the story I couldn't quite feel. I would have liked a little more chemistry between these two but it just wasn't there for me. Overall though it's not a bad read and one I would still recommend.

I am upset or more like sad because I have so many books to read and catch up on and unfortunately for me I picked this one and have to say that it was not what I expected..I disliked the main characters and couldn't get into the story mainly because I could not get the feeling that these two had much interest in each other. I love opposites attract and that was the only thing that I could agree on, I also could not understand why we got a descriptive sex scene with one of the main characters that was not with the other main characters, yeah that should have told me that I should have stopped from there, lesson learned..

Ryan Mahon has always led the perfect life she is a child of a wealthy father and as always had privileged but when daddy is charged and sent to prison her life crumbles She has to go live with her Aunt and her family and that is in a town controlled by Irish gangsters. Ashley Dunne is an enforcer for the local Irish mob and he has done many ad things and he is locked into a world he cannot leave When he meets Ryan he sees another kind of world. Ryan is warned to stay away but the two of them are like moths to a flame they just keep drawing one another in.

On the whole this is a book that you can neither like or dislike it is just a oh hum read I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either It dragged a little in the middle

The story develops slowly but hang in there because it gets sweet and interesting. It has a mystery that Ash needs to solve to make sure the people he cares about are safe. And in the process you will notice one main topic in this book, appearances can be deceiving. Every character here is surprisingly different than what they portray. They have real feelings, worries and responsibilities. They are in the middle of the worst situation they could have but they work hard to change that. And it is admirable. Something I loved about the story is that Ash is a protector and a family man. I love that Ryan is understanding. That she gives opportunities for others to show their true selves. Using communication as a key. And more than anything, she teaches others to better themselves by giving chances. An open mind and heart works wonders for their happiness. It's a story that starts sad but develops into something beautiful full of opportunities.

Like all of LA Casey books, this was no exception it was good. I liked how flawed he is and the fact that in her very sheltered life her heart is given so easily. This does get slow and the ending was really quick.

It pains me to write this but I don’t know where it went wrong 😩

I love this author’s books so much and saying I was excited for this book would be an understatement.
I had such high expectation for My Little Secret but it just didn’t quench my fix for an L.A. Casey book.
I was mentally having a fan-girl moment when I started this book. I was honestly expecting to be swept off my feet with Ash and Ryan’s story just like how the Slater Brothers or any of her books ruined me in the best possible way.
As dramatic as it sounds, I had a hard time convincing myself to continue on reading because I lost interest halfway into the book. I persevered but the end result was a dud for me

Here’s the thing though,My Little Secret wasn’t all that bad (this is me, a die hard L.A. Casey fan, trying to ‘salvage’ and convince myself that it wasn’t all that bad). Ash and Ryan’s chemistry was very intriguing …at the beginning. I swear, it really was. I think that was one of the few things that made me giddy with excitement. But alas! That didn’t last. Where’s the fiery chemistry? Where’s the witty sarcastic banter? NOTHING! 😤
This book infuriates me to end because I can’t believe that this is the same author who wrote so many of my favourite books.

Apologies but I am going to pretend that I didn’t read this book because it actually hurts me that this book was such a disappointment.

Moving On!

I hate to give a low rating of a book, but I have to say that I just couldn't finish this one. There was just something about it that I couldn't connect with and as others have said, I had a problem with one of the first scenes in the book between the main male character and another character who is not the heroine of the book. Just my preference and I just couldn't get beyond that. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

3.5 stars .I enjoyed this book but for me there was something missing. I quite liked the brooding character of Ash and the feisty character of Ryan but together I did not feel the chemistry between them. I would have liked to have known more about the gang and have more happen involving the gang. They had a reputation but there was nothing that happened in the book to deserve it. I think this would have made the book more exciting I felt like the reveal of Mr Nobody was a bit of nothing.. So much more could have been made of it.

4.5 stars!

I've only read two of this author's other books, but I liked the other books that I've read from her! I'm not sure why I haven't continued with her books and read all of them lol! Anyway, I saw this book on Netgalley and I was able to read it without requesting it, so I decided to give it a read after I had finished a series! This book also sounded like something I would definitely pick up! After reading this book, I can say that I enjoyed it! I found the characters interesting and the plot developed at a nice pace to keep me intrigued and wanting to find out what was going to happen next! It only took me a few sittings to read as well! I also liked that the romance was slow to develop and that it wasn't instant love! It actually took the romance longer than I was expecting to develop, but I loved that the author did this! There was a bit of suspense in the plot too and it added a lot to the plot! The characters were also amazing and made this book even better! Ryan was the main female character, and in this book she was by herself and her life had changed! She had went from being in a big house and having money to being on a bit of a rough estate and wanting to get her own money! Ryan did try in this book to adjust to her new surroundings and I think she actually did a pretty good job at it! She got herself a job and wanted to provide for herself! This made me respect her! I liked that Ryan stood up for herself too! Ashley 'Ash' was the main male character and love interest of Ryan! Ash did some and was involved in some very dangerous stuff in this book, but he was trying his best to provide for his younger brother and raise him to be as good a guy as possible! This made me respect Ash because he really did try! He also had a soft side to him as well, even though he was part of a gang! I loved the way that Ash was with Ryan too! It was easy to see his feelings for her develop and he was different with her! I loved that this book was written from both Ryan and Ash's point of views! I was hoping that it was going to be before I started reading, but I wasn't sure after I read the synopsis! I'm really happy that it was written from both characters point of views because it helped me connect and understand both characters more and it allowed for more things to happen, especially as the characters were going through their own situations and took the first 25% of the book to actually meet lol! I can also completely understand why this book is a standalone! Everything was wrapped up in the plot and all the questions raised were answered! I will miss all the characters, but the ending was left at the perfect place and summed up Ryan and Ash's story perfectly! I now can't wait to find out what this author is going to release next and I'm definitely going to be reading the books of hers that I haven't already read! The cover for this book is also seriously hot and is perfect for the book! It really suits the vibe of it and would draw me to the book! The cover model also looks pretty hot from what I can see of him lol, which suits the character of Ash! Big thank you to L.A. Casey, Montlake Romance, and Netgalley for an ARC of My Little Secret!

Ash and Ryan are the couple most likely to not work out....yet they do. They are from very different backgrounds. She has been warned to stay away from him as he is active within a local gang. But Ryan sees past the exterior and really sees Ash for who he is - - the good hearted man who got caught up with gang activity as a teenager and now has no choice. His primary concern now is to raise his younger brother to be able to have a better life than he does. Ryan has her own secrets. Like the one where her father is in prison.

In addition to the romantic interests, there are quite a few other twists in My Little Secret that keep you guessing. I really enjoyed the book. This is my second read by L.A. Casey and I look forward to continuing to work my way through her list of books. There were a few things in this one that felt a little rushed here and there but overall it did not significantly affect my experience. In addition, I connected with the characters which is a must for me to truly enjoy a story. Initially, I was drawn to this book because Ash had a "bad boy" vibe (which is kind of my jam) but it definitely delivered in more ways than I expected.

My thanks to NetGalley who provided this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book pulled me in from the start: it’s an exciting story about family, young love, deception, and what people are willing to do for those they love. It began strong, then seemed to weaken a bit towards the middle, getting repetitive and the characters seemed to not match how they were in the first part of the book, then the end felt rushed and lacked the draw that the beginning of the book held. There are sex scenes, so if you’re not into that, this may not be the book for you. I probably wouldn’t read this book again, but I’d read more from the author.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book (given by Netgalley)...

I absolutely enjoyed this book, reminded me of the Slater brothers but a little darker ;)

Ok the book did move quickly, but that didn’t bother me in the least. I loved all the characters in this book, but my favorite was Anton, when you read this book you will understand why. The book focuses on Ashley (guy) and Ryan (girl) and they had quite a story, so much mystery, secrets and gang activity. There was never a dull moment in this book and especially loved the bond between Ash, Dean and Anton.

The only thing I wish we had more of was Anton and Eddi, I would love a novella just on them because that man was character. I would have loved to have seen their story unfold especially since Eddi doesn’t let him get away with anything. I would have also have liked to have seen how it went down between Eddi and Anton’s second cousin.

I couldn't get into My Little Secret very well. I like the whole "good girl, bad boy" vibe, but it didn't really engage me.

Ryan (our good girl) was naive and boring, honestly. And Ashley (our bad boy) was the typical tortured bad boy who wants to be good. Throw in the Irish dialect/vernacular and you have a book that is hard for me to read.

Overall, was a relatively light and sweet story. The ending seemed rushed, and everything fell into place a little too easily for me.

I had a hard time connecting to this story. Ryan and Ash just weren't grabbing my attention enough, I felt like I skimmed a majority of the book. I did like the epilogue, I'm a sucker for a HEA though.

L.A. Casey is a talented writer, I have read and enjoyed many of her books, but the past few releases have been hit or miss with me. I think I've just outgrown L.A. Casey as a reader,

My Little Secret isn't a "bad" book, it just wasn't for me,

This is an amazing book. Again the blurb does not do the story justice. Love the good girl bad boy dynamic. Leads to very interesting conflicts and character clashing that has you wanting to turn the page. I did feel the story was a little slow to start which is why only 4 stars

This is my second novel by L.A. and she’s quickly became one of my favorite authors.

Ryan is a girl who’s lived the life of privilege and she only has her father who is but in prison for a crime then she’s sent to live with her aunt and cousin. This is where things turn. She’s entered into a world that she has no place being but would never turn back from.

She meets our hero Ash, in the gang riddled town where she’s sent to live. Ash is a member of The Disciples. He isn’t exactly what you think he is. He’s a different kind of hero. A victim of his surrounding or maybe circumstances.

Their love story isn’t too angsty or too steamy but it’s cute, sweet and once in a while I like reading romances like this. Don’t expect a dark romance. That isn’t this book. While it’s not exactly white, it’s definitely not black.

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.











P

I don't even know where to start.
Ash?
Ryan?
The storyline?
So hard to choose from! *sigh*
We'll go with Storyline, this was amazing.
The characters to the side characters to the events that happen in this book. Amazing.
It's more of a slow burn to what I’m use to but i didn't even realise the time was flying past, the banter between Ash and Ryan or Anto and Ash, Eddi and Ryan.. there was so much banter it was great! They knew how to have a laugh, they all had that witty sarcasm about them too.
The whole falling for the bad boy is one of my favourite tropes so i was sooo excited for this one!
Ryan, she was funny and sarcastic, she had a goodish life, well she made it what it could be considering the circumstances. She held her head up strong when there was times she wanted to be anything but. She was a fighter and believed in who she loves.
Ash! Gah i loved him.
He had to grow up very quickly to look after his little brother, to give him the best life he could considering what he does but he was always willing to put someone else first even if it meant he didn't get the girl but luckily enough he decided to screw what others thought and met Ryan.

This story was amazing and I’m so happy and grateful that i got the chance to read ot early.
You guys won't want to miss this one!

❤

While the concept of this story was clear; “good girl falls on hard times and meets boy from the wrong side of town”, I felt the main characters lacked chemistry. It was obvious that Ashley had fallen into the wrong crowd; he also projected a lack of respect for women in the early part of the book (as per the first sex scene). Ryan was understandably rudderless after her father’s fall from grace, but her reasons for seeking a relationship with this “bad boy” were shallow. This was my first read by L.A. Casey and while it wasn’t a great story, it did have some redeeming factors. As I have read many positive reviews for this author’s other series, I will probably read something else before I pass final judgement.