The last time we saw the Kingsley’s, they were reeling from a disastrous family yacht trip. Richard Kinglsey was looking for a family member to appoint president of his company, Kingsley’s, and he decided to appoint Paige, his daughter-in-law.

Paige has been doing the job for some time now and thinks she’s doing a great job but John, the oldest son, and Ted, Paige’s estranged husband, are gunning for her job. When the biggest deal in company history goes wrong, Paige may be the one to take the fall even though she simply signed off on the deal. Hoping to raise spirits, Paige has set-up a weekend team-building retreat at a luxurious Laguna Beach resort. When Paige senses that Richard is looking to dethrone her as president, the weekend quickly runs off the rails. When Richard’s ex-wife, Serena, and Richard’s wild daughter, Sibley, show up at the resort, tensions begin to grow even hotter. The Santa Anna winds are howling and stirring up more than just dirt. How many of the Kingsley’s can make it out of this weekend alive?

I hate to say it, but this book was a miss for me. I was hoping that the sequel may have been a better match based on the higher reviews, but I still could not seem to connect to the characters. I think this series just may not be a match for me. The story switches back and forth between the points of view of many of the family members. Each perspective is entertaining enough but there is something missing in the depth of the characters for me. 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 but I may call it quits for the Kingsley series. This one just wasn’t for me :)

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

This was the perfect 2nd book for this series - a murder, a natural disaster, and more backstabbing characters than you know what to do with! Can't wait to see this interpreted into live action and cannot wait for the 3rd installment!

This is the sequel to Below the Surface, which I really enjoyed, when we met the messed up family for the first time! This go around, they are holding a business retreat at a 5 star hotel and problems will arise as always! The unscrupulous Kingsley family returns to make more bad choices and to exhibit more bad behavior in this follow up to Beneath the Surface. In Under the Palms, Richard Kingsley’s company, now run by his daughter-in-law, Paige, is off to an executive retreat at the posh Twin Palms Resort in Laguna Beach. This is a family that you love to hate! They’re horrible people who do horrible things in the name of greed. Rouda wrote such a compelling story and I was completely sucked in from the first page. This was a book I didn’t want to put down, and the short chapters made it east to fly through. The multiple points of view worked really well, and that was a great way to get to know each of the characters individually as well as seeing the family dynamics.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer for the opportunity of reading Under the Palms by Kaira Rouda.

The Kingsley's are back and what a story they have to tell!
I'm not going to spoil anything, all I have to say I hope this book will be developed into a movie as Beneath the Surface!

For anyone who want to read this and has not read Beneath the surface, read that first we get to know the Kingsley's a bit better, even though there is a family tree in Under the Palms.



Again, thank you NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer for this ARC.

I have loved this authors, other book, so I was really excited for this one, and actually moved it up my TBR to be able to get to it earlier. However, I was so disappointed in the really simplistic writing and character development in this book. I didn’t really like or care for any of the characters,, and maybe that was the point, but I think in order to get a reader to keep reading there has to be somebody you’re rooting for in this. I figured it out pretty early on what was happening, but the constant mention of the Santa Ana wins, and the impending fire really didn’t seem to add much to the story the way it was supposed to. Overall just a disappointing read.

This is a worthwhile novel, very suspenseful, filled with secrets and lies and surprises that kept me glued to the very first page and held me there until the final revelation.

Thank you to Kaira Rouda, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc of this book.

I was so excited to dive into the antics of the crazy Kingsley family and as expected, this book did not disappoint! I loved reading about the ridiculousness that this family gets into and how they behave. The new additions to the family were also hilarious, along with the returning members usual antics. This was a quick and easy read that readers who loved the first book in the series will also love!

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars out of 5.

I thought this was a great psychological thriller. It was fast paced with a few twists and turns thrown in. Honestly, the Kingsley's are the worst. The family is just terrible but I thought the characters were well developed. I didn't like any of the characters at all but the book was still good. The ending seemed a bit rushed for me but it sets up for another book in the series. I did not read the first book but I think this can be read as a standalone. There is a family tree in the beginning of the book to clarify who everyone was and I found that really helpful. Overall, I would recommend this book since it was so engaging and full of family drama and secrets!

In Under the Palms, The Kingsley crew is headed for a weekend retreat at the luxurious Twin Palms Resort. Paige (Ted's wife) had been named president earlier but it seems the Kingsley men were not happy with Richard's decision. Tempers fly, exes show up, and throw in the Santa Ana winds, it's a recipe for disaster.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC one exchange for my honest review.

Thanks @netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was very fast-paced, but with a lot of unlikeable characters. The author definitely took on the different points of view well, so the various narrators in the book were easy to follow. There were a few twists at the end. One seemed a bit too extreme, but I liked the other one. A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read in my books, especially when you’re in the mood for a quick read. Check this one out in May 2024. #avivaandfriendsrecos

A gifted writer who is a master of storytelling, she creates delectable, fast-paced psychological thrillers. Her stories have vivid descriptive words. I finished the book in a day because I was pulled in and addicted to the very last page. The twists I never saw coming. I love how the author creates tension, well developed characters, and builds layers of twists and turns to the shocking ending.

I love all things Kaira Rouda and this one was a great sequel to Beneath the Surface. Set in Laguna Beach, the novel details this crazy family and their antics as they convene at the Twin Palms Resort for the first annual Kingsley Global Enterprises Executive Retreat. Paige now holds the reins of this Fortune 500 company and is delighted to be in charge, much to the chagrin of her siblings. Nothing goes as planned and there is a sudden death, an engagement, countless rumors, and of course a reading of the will. Just know to avoid this family at all costs (if you ever meet them in person) as they are as nutty and ruthless as they come!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Under the Palms is the sequel to Beneath the Surface and I definitely appreciated that Kaira Rouda had a little reminder in the beginning about who all the characters were and how they were related. This was a decent follow up to the story in Beneath the Surface had an unexpected twist ending similar to the first book which I enjoyed but still same issues I had with the first book. I didn't really connect or like any of the characters and didn't really care what happened to any of them. Would rate this 3 stars would recommend. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another spin around crazy town with the Kingsleys. Holy moly, this family is something. Since it’s a series, I don’t want to give much away. But you don’t want to miss it!

Back with a bang this power family who on the surface have it all but underneath there is
dislike and distrust and a hue secret from the last installment! With an ex wife turning up
to the families break at a posh resort you know its a recipe for disaster!
Loved this 2nd book

Under the Palms is just fun! If you loved the nighttime soaps of the 80's and early 90's, and even if you didn't, this is just fun to read! The story centers around a family of horrible, completely unlikeable people all out to get each other. Lots of suspense and juicy twits and you feel like a fly on the wall. Now, it IS Book 2 in the Kingsley family series and although it would be a decent read on its own, I guess, I highly recommend reading Beneath the Surface first. It too is a lot of fun! Plus, it will help fill in some blanks. Either way, just get on board with Kaira Rouda! All of her books are pretty juicy, fast reads.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Kaira Rouda and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

I really like this series and this author’s books. This is the second book in the rich and powerful Kingsley family series (Beneath the Surface is Book 1). Although this can be read as a stand-alone book, recommend reading the first book for the backstories. It is told from various perspectives, and fun to follow what each of the family of characters is thinking. Recommended!

Looove Kaira Rouda.

This was a fun thriller. It wasn’t a popcorn thriller because it was in depth but it was on of those mysteries that gave you lots of suspense and was just a fun ride.

Paige arranges for a weekend retreat for the board of her company which consists of family members that aren’t too happy that she’s now in charge. We all know when you mix family and money you get a lot of drama, and things can get bad pretty fast. Some of these characters made me chuckle with how far they were willing to go to get what they wanted.

Word of advice to self: keep family and business totally separate!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

Under the Palms is a fun quick read with domestic suspense, unlikeable characters, secrets and family drama! While I think this could be read on its own, I recommend reading Book 1 of the series, Beneath the Surface, first! If you like books about dysfunctional families, you’ll love this one.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

Unfortunately I did not realize this was two of the Kingsley Family. I enjoyed what I started to read but I felt like I was missing out so for that reason I am putting this one down and going to read the first book in the series Below the Surface and then continue with this one.

Thank you to @kairarouda , @thrillerbookloverspromotions @netgalley and the publisher for including me on this book tour! All thoughts are my own.

As soon as I started reading Under the Palms, I was inspired to channel my inner gossip columnist for my review…. So off we go!

🌴 🌴

Hold onto your Loro Piana hats, darlings, because Kaira Rouda is back at it again with Under the Palms, and she's serving up a fresh batch of scandalous Kingsley family drama.

Us OC gossip girls may think we've seen it all, but trust moi, there are so many surprises.

My exclusive source, someone close to the Kingsley family, says this story takes the wicked games to a whole new level.

The plot is a maze of twists that can only happen to the Kingsleys. The multiple POVs give us readers VIP access to the characters inner thoughts, strengths and weaknesses. And the characters? Oh darlings, they're all deliciously unlikable in the most fabulous way – devious and manipulative. They're ready to turn on each other faster than Ted can finish a drink and we all know how much that fading golden boy loves his bevvies….

Under the Palms is the OC's very own Succession combined with the Real Housewives (ugh you just KNOW Krystle would die to get on that cast. Tragic. The OG Carrington would NOT approve). Oh and murder, because we have to have it all in Laguna.

It's the ultimate popcorn thriller for a suspense-loving queen like moi. But I can't spill all the juicy details here – you need to dive into the pages yourself!

XOXO