Richard Kingsley is living the life. He is a billionaire and CEO of his family's company. He's had 5 wives and various children. He invites his sons and their wives, Ted and Paige and John and Rachel, on his new yacht for a weekend trip to Catalina Island. They all want to take over the family company since they know Richard is getting ready to retire. None of them care for Richard's latest wife, Serena, and are in for a surprise when their youngest sibling, Sibley, suddenly shows up to join them. Will Richard find the perfect replacement? Are any of his children reliable?

BENEATH THE SURFACE was an engaging read from start to finish. This book is filled with drama, lies and backstabbing. Richard was full of surprises and there are a few twists along the way kept this book interesting. The only likeable character was Paige. I felt sorry for her, but in the end I think she did okay. If you love a good family drama, you will like this book. I am a fan of Kaira Rouda, I think her books are just really fun to read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
Wealth and greed is the theme of this book, but there's more to it. When you think you've figure out the ending and what will happen, then there's an interesting turn.

A kind of succession story! Uber wealthy Richard Kingsley invites his progeny to his new yacht to discuss plans after he steps down as CEO. The three children, all half siblings hate each other and there are plenty of zingers and double crosses.

I felt like there was a lot of telling over showing in this story and did not really buy decisions made by characters. It was a fund read though! #Thomas&Mercer

This was less of a thriller and more so a domestic drama. Lots of secrets, hence the name. I disliked every single character. And not in a good way.

Billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley invites his sons Ted and John, along with their wives, on a weekend away on his luxurious yacht, The Splendid Seas. While each son was under the impression that he would be spending the weekend alone with his father, they were both distraught to discover that would not be the case. Ted and John both correctly presume that their father will use the weekend as a test to determine which of them should win their father’s trust and the coveted CEO position at Richard’s successful company. Tensions grow even higher as their estranged and wild sister, Sibley, arrives unexpectedly with her own agenda. With secrets piling up and a storm in the forecast, can the family make it out of this weekend alive?

I hate to say it, but this book was a miss for me. The story switches back and forth between the points of view of many of the family members. The only person I remotely connected with was Ted’s wife, Paige, although even I found her worrying to be excessive. While I typically have no problem with unlikable characters (a Kaira Rouda specialty), I do believe that the characters need to have something interesting about their story to draw you in but I didn’t find that with any of the characters in this book unfortunately. I will definitely continue to read what Kaira Rouda writes. This one just wasn’t for me :)

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cruise that unravels the marriages, the secrets, the motives . To empower some that will not be taken in again. Changes for the company have happened some will remain loyal in theit new positions. A story that for once reveals what lays beneath in this gripping story. Given ARC by Net Galley and Thomas Mercer for my voluntary review and my honest opinion ……releases. Sept 6 2023

I always enjoy Kaira Rouda. This was great to get into but then maybe a bit predictable?? It so reminds me of the HBO show Succession. I see that it’s to become a series & I hope to enjoy the next book more. 3.5 stars, a good guilty pleasure read. Unfortunately, the Kingsley family aren’t familiar with the feeling of guilt. Or shame. Anything along that moral line….

Synopsis (It's a fiction book, so it helps….)
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On a weekend voyage, the power-hungry children of an aging billionaire are unprepared for a storm of deceptions in a novel about ruthless family ambition by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.
You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the Splendid Seas. An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favour, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win. Then Richard’s estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She’s the least of the night’s surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion.

Let the games begin for a family who has everything money can buy, and has used lies, deception, and more to keep it. This weekend one of them will be crowned heir. One is in line to lose everything. That’s the plan. But in the coming storm, so much can go dangerously wrong.

This book kind of reminds me of the tv show "Succession" but the difference is that I like his book and I don't like the show...at all. I especially like Sibley - she is a pip and enjoyable to read about whereas the other children are just heinous. Decidedly excellent, this is a quick and enjoyable read and the first in a series which makes it even BETTER.

HIGHLY recommended.

Beneath the surface by Kaira Rouda publishing date Sept 2023 by Thomas and Mercer
At first I was t sure I wanted to read this one as the reviews were a mixture of some good some not so good but I don’t usually let that always deter me as what is good to come may not be to others and vise versa. Whew wee, dysfunctional with a capital D was this family!! Lots of secrets and lies for sure. This one was a fairly fast read for me. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one early for a honest review. Off to look for more by Kaira Rouda!!! Thx again much appreciate.

I love a family drama, especially with rich and unlikeable characters and this was all of these things! This was a quick and fun read, and I’m looking forward to continuing the series!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬. 𝐍𝐨, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫...𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈'𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈'𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲; 𝐰𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡.

I am a fan of anything Kaira Rouda writes, and I was so excited to see this was going to be a series. Reminiscent of Jackie Collins' 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒐 series, the Kingsleys is about the trappings of wealth and the lies and deception for one person to gain control and become the Kingsley heir.

Billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley sends an invite to his sons and their wives for a weekend getaway on his yacht, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒔. His sons Ted and John instinctively know this weekend will be a test to gain their father's favor and controlling interest in the company. What they don't know, however, is that Richard has invited the estranged brothers on the same weekend. Pitting brother against brother, each vying for Richard's attention, is a dangerous game to play, especially with the secrets this family has. Coupled with Richard's newest trophy wife Serena and his unhinged daughter Sibley who crashes the party, this will be a weekend someone won't survive.

This story almost read like a tabloid. On the surface it's full of rich, spoiled people who flaunt their wealth and privilege, but there's much more to many of the characters. I especially liked Paige, Ted's wife, who is full of morbid trivia about drownings, and even Richard is not as shallow as he appears to be. I can't imagine what it would be like to wonder if I was loved for myself or for my money, but Richard seems to have his family figured out. This was such a fun read, and I'm already excited for the second installment. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the early copy. Publishes September 5, 2023.

Beneath The Surface is yet another perfectly on-brand Kaira Rouda novel: twisty, fast paced, and filled with characters you love to hate. I also loved the locked room element of the glamorous yacht setting. Unlike her previous novels, this one seems to be the first of a series so I am excited to read whatever Rouda dreams up next!!

this was such a good mystery novel, it had everything that was terrifying of the sea. I was engaged with the plot and getting to go on this journey. It worked well overall and I thought the characters were real people dealing with this situation. I enjoyed the way Kaira Rouda wrote this and can't wait to read more from them.

"I guess I’m a little nervous,” I say, my heart thudding in my chest. I can’t tell him I’m worried about trying to kiss him, about instigating things. No, I can’t admit that. He’s my husband. I’m being ridiculous. So I make up a little fib. “I’m worried about sitting out here. It’s so exposed. What if a rogue wave hits, washes us over?” “You aren’t kidding, are you, my little tragedy monger?” Ted says, stifling a laugh. “You’ve read way too much about bad things that can happen on a boat. You’re safe, on a massive yacht, in a harbor. Look, that’s Descanso Beach. You could swim to it from here.”

An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win.

I will automatically pick up any book from Kaira Rouda, she really is one of my favourite female authors. In this instance I do have to say this was probably the one I have least liked, but I still did enjoy it. Typical bunch of unlikeable characters but that are never an issue for me, as they personalities are so important to the story. Don't get me wrong the story is good, I just found it a bit repetitive in some parts and did just not grab like her other books. Lots of family members treating each other deplorably all in regard to money - bad how it brings out the worst in people. I am not going to say anymore but please do read it nd see what you think. I will still be a loyal fan of Kiara's books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions are my own. 3 stars

This was a very fast-paced book with lots of build up of secrets and drama. It kept me entertained right until the very end, which was so un expected but a fantastic ending to tie everything up. The characters were very well developed, I enjoyed reading about the little mind games that they played with each other.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a crazy ride this family drama was! If you're a fan of many unlikable characters within a single family- buckle up and hang on tight! This was filled with twists and turns and didn't let up til the final page.

A weekend getaway to Catalina Island on billionaire Richard Kingsley’s yacht turns into all drama for the entire Kingsley family. Ted and John, along with their wives, agree to the weekend away, thinking their father, Richard will be naming one of them as the successor to his company.

The story switches perspectives each chapter, moving between each family member. The book is loaded with drama and secrets. The unfortunate part is that, it’s very repetitive and we hear the same things from each family member over and over.

There were a few shocking bits at the end, but thrilling? Nope. While reading I found myself wondering how a 268 page suspense novel could possibly be slow, but this was!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Kaira Rouda for this advanced copy. This novel is due out Sept 5, 2023, and is set to be the first in a series!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Beneath The Surface by Kaira Rouda. The characters are what really stood out in this book. None of them were likable but they were all well-written and had really interesting stories, so there are reasons to dislike them. Most of the book establishes the characters and their backgrounds, so don’t go in expecting a thrill a minute, just let the (twisted) personalities sink in. The part of the book and that reveal came out of the blue for me, so I realize I should have paid more attention to the ‘little things’ happening and what people said. The story was a diabolical and cautionary family tale.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

Book: Beneath The Surface
Author: Kaira Rouda
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Pub Date: September 5, 2023

Oh me. It just wasn’t good. It’s a short read and honestly you can read the first and last chapter and miss a whole lot of nothing yet know what’s going on. This book was full of repetition. We had the same conversation from different perspectives page after page after page. It was just a soap opera with terrible dialogue. It was all predictable from the get go with no twists or aha moments. I have liked some of Kaira Rouda’s books. Best Day Ever was really good but this needed a lot of work.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is September 5, 2023.