Bailey's life is turned upside-down when someone tries to kidnap her and she finds out her biological father is billionaire tech guru Peter Francis, her idol and someone she looks up to. Bailey now has siblings along with Kash, the guy who was assigned to watch over her. Thrust into an unknown world, Bailey knows Kash is guarded and is keeping secrets from her. With her father avoiding her and a stepmother that doesn't want her around, Bailey decides to do what she does best with her genius mind and photographic memory - she hacks into the family's personal life and tries to find out more on Kash. There are twists and secrets uncovered, and Kash is at war with himself to figure out how best to protect Bailey.

I love Tijan's books as she creates male characters who dominate and protects while still having a vulnerability side. Only when around Bailey can Kash be sweet while bossy at the same time. We get some questions answered in this book with a bit of a cliffhanger and an introduction to someone who will most likely come between Kash and Bailey. Looking forward to reading the next book.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

4.5 stars!

The Insiders, Tijan’s first traditionally published book, had everything I’ve come to expect and love from her writing, and it set up the rest of the trilogy so well, leaving you wanting more but rounding off the story enough to keep you satisfied.

Bailey’s life is changed forever when an attempted kidnapping introduces her to a family she never knew she had. Her small-town life with her mother is switched to a life of the elite, moving to her estranged tech genius father Peter Francis’ compound for her own protection, and meeting her siblings and stepmother Quinn. But her true identity is kept a secret, and the most elusive member of the household, Kashton, is the one who takes her in. Kash makes it clear from the start that even though his job is to protect her, he’s not overly happy about it. But Bailey, a tech prodigy in her own right, isn’t one to sit around and wait for answers, she begins to dig, and is introduced to a whole different world. As the tension between her and Kash builds, and decades old secrets are revealed, will Bailey ever feel at home with her new life and family?

Tijan writes romance so well, because even though it’s a part of the plot, it doesn’t overpower all of the other plotlines which tie into everything so well. There’s a perfect balance with her books, the romance is hot and heavy enough to keep you invested in the relationship, but everything else going on keeps you equally as invested in the story line. The mystery, the intrigue, the almost who-dunnit sense in this book was one of my favourites, it had enough suspense and action to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Kash’s elusiveness was part of his charm, the way he kept to himself, letting small pieces of him out at a time, it left you craving more but when he goes all in, wow is it powerful. He’s one of those heroes, that if you’re not in his circle, he couldn’t care less, but if he cares about you, he will do anything in his power to keep you safe, even from himself. I’m looking forward to learning more about his personality and how his love for Bailey develops too, I think we’ve only scratched the surface of the enigmatic Kash.

Bailey’s fighting spirit and ability to always find out the truth was unmistakable; she was definitely her father’s daughter. There’s a lot of work to be done to repair that relationship but watching her get closer to her siblings meant she at least had some of her family on her side when trying to find her place in the household. She found it difficult letting people in, which was understandable but her instant love for her siblings, her ongoing love for her mum and the slow burn of lust turning to more with Kash proved how much she craved that familial unit. I can’t wait to see her grow as a woman, find more independence, and become the person she was always meant to be as the series continues.

So many side characters have intrigued me, mostly Matt, Bailey’s brother and Torie, who I am hoping will become a close and normal friend in the crazy world she now finds herself living in. Tijan’s characters have this way of burying into your mind, and you don’t realise how invested you’ve become in the worlds she creates until you put down the book and don’t stop thinking about them. The Insiders is only the start of this new trilogy, but it has left me ready to see what she’s got in store for Bailey, Kash and the Francis family next.

I have read many of Tijan's books but this is the first one I really didn't enjoy.

What I liked:
1. The opening chapters were awesome! Lots of action and things happening fast.
2. The side characters - I'd love to know more about Matt. He has so many layers.
3. The hacking - I found it to be very interesting how and what Bailey was able to do.

What I didn't like:
1. The writing - Compared to Tijan's other books, this one felt forced. Numerous times things were over explained. It just didn't work.
2. The cover - I'm still not sure who everyone is on cover.
3. The insta-love between Bailey and Kash was really confusing to me. I still don't understand the draw between the two.
4. The secrets came out too slow. I'm not a fan of stories where the tension is because the characters won't communicate.

Hopefully, the second book is better.

Bailey, a 22-year-old genius, who is into technology and has been raised by a single mother being told that her father was in the military and was a casualty of war, finds out that her father is in fact alive and none other than her idols, tech-genius Peter Francis. She is told this after an attempt of kidnapping. Bailey is taken to Peter Francis’ estate where she meets Kashton (Kash) Colello, security for and close friend of the Francis family and is to protect Bailey. Bailey has been completely uprooted from what she knows and moved to be closer to a family she had no idea existed and who in turn know nothing about her. There was an instant attraction between Kash and Bailey. An enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Author and Publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of Tijan. I adored the Fallen Crest and Broken and Screwed series the most but also liked some of her newer series. But this one was a miss for me. I was hopeful since the story seemed to be totally mew and different direction. But it ended up being pretty much her standby - weirdo loner girl with super hot super cool super rich guy who for some reason super likes this weird girl.

Plenty of people will Love this classic tijan. Full of lots of angst and hot guys and if that is what you want this will be a hit for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy

Mind. Blow. This book is everything and more. Tijan has been a favorite author of mine for some time and this story and concept was just utterly everything. I could not put it down once I started and I was dying to know more and get answers. It is beyond intense with twists and secrets! I am dying to get my hands on more!

The Insiders takes you on a wild journey of mystery, intrigue, secrets mixed in with a spicy romance.
This book had me hooked from the first page to the cliffhanger last.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series because this was set up so well.

Bailey is a self-proclaimed computer nerd. She’s grown up as an only child and raised by her single mother.
The book starts off with a rather heart-racing scene, as Bailey is almost kidnapped and things just shoot off from there. She learns that the people responsible for the attempted kidnap are after her because of her father. A powerful billionaire and prominent figure in the tech world. But as Bailey has always been told growing up her father was a war hero who passed away.
So some of the secrets start being revealed and soon she is faced the decision of either going to live with the family she never knew existed or go into witness protection.

She chooses her family, but all things come with a twist in this story. She’s to stay under the protection of Kash. And the family members are not to know her relation to them.
This part of the story had me just as frustrated as Bailey. It hurt my heart to see her come to terms with how different her life would have been if her life had taken another path.

The chemistry between Kash and Bailey was undeniable, but it took a while for me to feel a real genuine connection between them beyond the physical. The pacing was a little slow there but that had to do with the secrets, so I get it.

The story had so many layers, twists and turns, amazing side characters and a world of intrigue. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.

Amazing!! I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but it was twisted and crazy, and I couldn’t put it down!

I voluntarily read and reviewed and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I absolutely fell in love with this book! Bailey is such a strong heroine. She is a brainiac and a loner. It is just her mother and her until a kidnapping attempt brings to life that her idol, a tech guru, is also her father. Enter Kash. He is her father’s head of security and more, so much more. This book has everything. Family dynamics as she gets to know her half siblings and darker things as she discovers all the secrets they are hiding! I was left turning the pages as quickly as I could while also never wanting it to end! Such a great read! Tijan writes the best stories! One of my top reads of 2021! 5 amazing stars

STOP what you're doing right now and read this book! It's so good. Everything I love in a story action, suspense, secrets, instant chemistry, family drama and centered around a smart computer prodigy. My only complaint is it's a duet and I have wait for the conclusion but damn this book was a page turner and hooked me right from the start.

This was my first read by this author and omg she didn’t disappoint! I now know what all the hype is about her books . This story captivated me right from the start I read it in a few hours I flew through the pages of this story! The Insider is a unique all consuming slow burn romance that’s full of mystery thrilling story line and heat . Kash and Bailey are so hot together their chemistry is palpable it’s intense the emotions I felt reading this my heart hurts so much for all the Francis kids but especially Bailey I could feel her loneliness her pain of not feeling good enough or loved this story is just so good I can’t get enough of it and after that jaw dropping ending I need more so much more I have so many questions I need answered and I want to know more about Kash I feel like he’s hiding something from Bailey something big ugh I just need more ! This was a amazing thrilling read and I can’t wait for the next book in this trilogy!

OMG you guys! The Insiders was PHENOMNENAL!! I couldn't put it down once I started it. This book is loaded with secrets that slowly get uncovered and I couldn't wait to find out more. The mystery behind Bailey unravels and had me chomping at the bits with each page. I am fully immersed in this new creation by Tijan and I cannot wait to read what happens next!

This is the first book by this author that have read. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning.
Bailey is young and very smart. There are characteristics she shares with her father. Kash works for someone who Bailey has admired and has wanted to work for. There was a pull between them from the beginning. Kash is there for Bailey. Bailey finds out that there were somethings that were kept from her. She has been lied to. Kash is strong and he bossy. Bailey isn’t a push over. I like the dynamic of these two. I like how they are. I loved their chemistry from the very beginning.
I can’t wait to see how this series unfolds.

3.5⭐️
Kidnapped you say? Crazy wealthy family with a mystery? Why yes, I think I will. This NA had a very YA feel, there was drama, doubt and more drama. What I liked was the romance/chemistry between these two. It was hot! I want more relationship.
What I didn’t like was that over half the book the were in codependent mode with one certain family member. It made me tired. This is my first book by this author and I thought it delivered for a New Adult genre. If you like this genre then you’ll love it.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley.

Where do I even begin? The Insiders was phenomenal and not at all what I expected. I’ve read a few Tijan books, but none of them hooked me in the way The Insiders did. It’s well written and chock full of drama, intrigue, and ends with one hell of twist that I did not see coming.

This story has everything, danger, excitement, mystery, angst and topped off with Kash. The supporting characters are interesting and add to the mystery and angst. From the first heart pounding attempted kidnapping scene to the twisty cliffhanger ending this story will have you turning pages. Bailey is a computer genius. Her world as she knows it is about to be upended. She is introduced into a whole new world. A world of privilege and pretense. Kash is mysterious, dangerous and powerful. He can turn on the protective broody alpha and switch to the lovable guy that plays hide and seek with the kids. When the two meet, the attraction is evident. A slow burn that erupts into a hot passion. The ending leaves you excited for more.

This is an honest review for an arc received.

“You make me want to forget the world.”

This book was action packed right from the very start. This review will not be as detailed as usual, because I don’t want to give anything away. I love Bailey Hayes! I mean who doesn’t love a seriously smart, we’re talking genius level smart, techie who has her normal mundane life turned upside down after one fateful night.

“I fell in love with you before you even knew me.”

Kaston “Kash” Colello is a hot and mysterious guy, who’s watched Bailey from afar for a while. Don’t worry this is all explained. Kash is keeping secrets of his own, knowing his day of reckoning is on the horizon. What neither of them realize is how fast they fall for each other. Kash does his best to resist, but he can’t help but fall for Bailey. His need to protect her from any and everything was amazing. Even though he has his own major issue, he still puts her safety above himself.

5 action packed stars! I loved every book Tijan writes. This book, to me, was nothing like her other books. You will be immersed in a hacker’s world, and it blew my mind. I love all of the characters we meet, the secondary stories, and all of the unanswered questions that I want the answers to. I devoured this book in a day. I could not put it down. Now to patiently wait for book 2.

This is filled with drama, mystery, suspense and romance. I think this is going to be an explosive trilogy. I was hooked right from the beginning. Bailey and Kash were amazing and undeniably hot together. This one ends in a cliffhanger so I can't wait for the continuation to their story.

This book was amazing and somewhat different from what we usually get from Tijan. This book is a bit on the lighter side of “Cole” and “Carter Reed” mixed with “Kian” and some good old love/hate romance. I’m hoping there is another book coming out! I believe this is a trilogy but I can't remember if I've seen anything posted by Tijan confirming this. But I'm pretty sure there will be another book (yay)!! I, personally, have many questions but for the sake of ‘spoilers’ I will not divulge in any of these. This story is straight up intriguing and I want more! There were a couple of twists that I didn’t expect and some turns that I want to see where Tijan is leading us too. I’m hooked on this book.

Bailey - I love her. I love hacker heroines because they always remind me of some of my favorite TV show characters. She has a lot to learn. (Another reason I hope there is another book coming!) She was quirky in the best of ways, wise in some ways but naive in others. However, she seems like a curious person to begin with so I’m surprised that she didn’t do more “investigating” because I know that if I had half of the skills that she had, I would want to know every. little. thing.

Kash - This guy was mysterious in the best of ways. I’m not sure how I feel about him but so far, I like him. There wasn’t too much of the lovey dovey, I-can-see-them-as-a-couple but I’m hoping more romance is to come. But the characters so far seem to match we just haven’t seen the whole picture yet. If you are a Tijan fan, he reminds me of “Cole” protectiveness, with “Carter” level possessiveness and a hint of “Kian” I-will-do-anything-for-you. So the perfect bad boy that fits a non-comforming hacker like Bailey.

If you are hesitating, don’t. If you are a fan of Tijan, you won’t be disappointed. I’m a huge fan of Tijan but I know that if this was my first introduction into her writing world, I would be just as hooked.

I enjoyed the story, I liked the characters but there was something missing for me. It was well written, it was a page turner, the story flows, it was well put together. I think I didn't feel the lust, attraction and love between them in this book.