The story follows Addison Stern, a ruthless Hollywood PR exec who’s made a career out of burying celebrity scandals, and her ex-boyfriend Connor Windell, a disgraced private investigator trying to claw his way back into relevance. When a dangerous conspiracy involving the world’s most powerful elites surfaces, the two are forced to team up—despite their messy past and unresolved chemistry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC!

This is a tough one to review because there were aspects I loved and ones that just missed the mark for me.

The premise and synopsis had me practically drooling, I was so excited to dive in. Lovers to enemies forced back together to solve a murder, yesss! However while the banter was great, and the search to catch a murderer felt exciting it was too much build up for what we got.

The ending left me feeling kind of let down. It was a kind of Scooby Doo ending which would have been eh okay but then we went a step too far. The last few pages just left me feeling kind of confused.

To sum it up, despite the potential this ended up being just an average read for me. But I’ve really enjoyed other books by this author so still wanting to read more from her.

Read if you love:
❤️ Romantic thriller
🏛️ Politics
👥 Dual POV

3/5 stars! This is a thriller by Elle Marr. I really liked the legal components of the story. The characters were good and I liked the timeline the story took place on. That said, I really struggled with this not feeling edgy enough; it felt like a lot of the suspense wasn't very suspenseful and was easily resolved.

Waiting on HBO to turn this into a show. a thrilling, fast-paced rollercoaster of suspense, romance, and high-stakes intrigue that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Addison Stern, a sharp-tongued, ruthless PR exec for the notorious Ovid Blackwell Group, and Connor Windell, a disgraced private investigator trying to rebuild his career, are forced to team up after Connor blackmails Addison into helping him with a job. The catch? This job leads them into a world of dangerous conspiracies tied to Hollywood's most powerful people, and they quickly find themselves racing against time—and deadly forces.

The chemistry between Addison and Connor is electric. Their history as ex-lovers who harbor plenty of old grudges adds a compelling emotional layer to the plot, while the rivals-to-lovers dynamic is executed perfectly, mixing snarky banter with undeniable sexual tension. But the real heart of the story is the high-stakes conspiracy they uncover, which is as deadly as it is complex. The narrative takes readers on a globe-trotting adventure, from the neon lights of Las Vegas to the sun-soaked beaches of Monaco, and the thrilling plot twists will have you second-guessing every character’s motivation.

Addison is a force to be reckoned with, a woman who knows how to manipulate the media and protect her clients’ dirtiest secrets, while Connor is a man seeking redemption, haunted by the betrayal that ruined his career. Their dynamic is what elevates this book above a standard action thriller. Both characters are flawed, complex, and driven by personal stakes, making their partnership (and slow-burn romance) all the more satisfying. The pacing is relentless, the stakes are high, and the suspense keeps building to a heart-pounding climax. This book perfectly balances action, mystery, and romance, making it an ideal pick for fans of globe-trotting thrillers with a side of passion and drama.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this book

This book is a suspenseful mystery with a touch of romantic tension...but It was also a bit difficult to keep up with all the characters and storylines, which made the read at times feel a bit incomplete

Your average, everyday generic thriller. Nothing new to see here. Fine if you need a book to read on a plane, or if you don't read much and don't have a lot to compare it to. But for me, this is one I will forget as soon as I finish writing this review.

Your Dark Secrets is a stand-alone mystery.

An advertising executive becomes a suspect when one of her clients is found dead.

I found this a struggle to stay with it until the end. I have read others by the author that were
much more interesting that I liked better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC! I really enjoyed this thriller and it really kept me engaged

Big thank you to both NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC copy of this one!

Unfortunately, this fell quite flat for me. I found myself checked out regularly and never getting succked in to the story. I was a bit bored and did not care much for the characters.

I'm a big fan of Elle Marr and have read and loved all her previous and subsequent books. This is probably my least favorite of the lot, but still a worthy read. More of a traditional mystery and a slow burn with some cliches (the hard-boiled private investigator is not my favorite trope). Also clocks in a little overly long at 400 pages. But Marr's writing is always solid, twisty, and thoughtful and I enjoy whatever she writes. Can't wait to see what's next from her. 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest release by Elle Marr. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Addison is a public relations executive, charged with keeping celebrities in the right light and out of trouble. When her biggest client is murdered before an award show, Addison's fate at the company turns sour. Plus, the police begin investigating her. Enter an old boyfriend, Connor, a disgraced private investigator whose image was tarnished by Addison, but is trying to recover. They must now work together to figure out the mysterious death as well as keep themselves out of trouble.

This was a fun, cat-and-mouse type mystery, where you weren't exactly sure who you could trust and where allegiances truly were. There's some reignited sparks between the two main characters, and I found myself rooting for them. They are flawed but likable characters and it's a fun ride following them around the world as they find themselves trying to stay one step ahead of the law as they are forced to work together to figure out the truth behind some mysterious deaths.

A fast paced thriller that will take you many places as there are a lot of secrets to reveal. The story blends suspense with romance. The writing is crisp and engaging and the chemistry between Addison and Connor adds an extra layer.
Many thanks to Hyperion Avenue and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What I thought would be a thriller turned out to be a slow moving, rivals to lovers type romance/mystery told through multiple perspectives. I didn't not like it

Unfortunately this book was not for me. It started off strong, but I got about halfway through and lost interest.

I think the idea of this was very unique. It starts of with a bang, I think that the beginning was a little slow for me, but it started to pick up about 1/3 of the way in. This was a good, but a bit of a slow-burn romantic thriller. Addison is a feisty PR Executive who is trying to make partner at her firm, and it looks like she is on track because her tactics are ruthless. She finds herself in a bind when one of her high profile clients winds up dead, and she’s the one who found the body. She ends up working with a person from her past to try to get to the bottom of things and that is where the plot thickens.

I love Elle Marr’s writing. I think she did a great job with the use of multiple POVs - I think it was the formatting of the eARC that messed with me a little. She does jump around a bit and that leads to more suspense. It was interesting to see the references that were included, and the degrees of Kevin Bacon just made me laugh. Overall, I enjoyed this as a quick read. I look forward to more from Elle Marr!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, and Elle Marr for the eARC of Your Dark Secrets in exchange for an honest review. Again, I’m a little behind - pub date for Your Dark Secrets was 30 July 2024.

thanks netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

this book was lacking a lot. the synopsis made the book seem like it had so much potential.

I think the book lacked character development, the real tension in romance with mystery and thrill.

I did not finish this novel. After two weeks of barely wanting to pick it up and hating the main characters, I chose to move onto something else.

This was fine, but about 100 pages too long, and tightening up the pacing would have made a big difference. The very scene-y, LA, PR fixer bits were the best part of the book, and I did enjoy this. I feel like this was going for contemporary Sunset Boulevard type vibes.

the premise of this book was so interesting but the pacing was way off for me. the relationship between the exes was intense. It was an easy read but I had difficulty following and staying interested. It wasn’t my rule of thriller and then the spin with the romance just didn’t intrigue me enough to stay exciting.

Description
An LA PR exec and her private investigator ex uncover a dangerous conspiracy led by Hollywood’s most powerful people, whose deadly sights are now set on them.

This propulsive up-all-night read seamlessly blends globe-trotting adventure, suspenseful thriller, and rivals-to-lovers romance, perfect for fans of The Flight Attendant and The Recovery Agent.

Addison Stern is unparalleled when it comes to spinning a story. A ruthless PR executive, Addison is the star employee of the infamous Ovid Blackwell Group where the rich and famous go to hide all their secrets.

Connor Windell, on the other hand, is in the business of finding out information others would rather keep hidden. He used to be LA's top private investigator until a betrayal from his ex-girlfriend ruined his reputation and sent him into early retirement. That ex? None other than Addison Stern.

Connor has one chance to redeem himself and salvage his career, but he needs Addison’s help. Addison would rather lick the bottom of her Jimmy Choos than assist, but with some good old-fashioned blackmail, she agrees to team up for one job. But when that job proves bigger than either imagined and they uncover a dangerous hidden web of influence led by Hollywood's most vindictive and powerful people, they’ll have to rely on each other to expose the truth…and stay alive.

From the Vegas Strip to the beaches of Monaco, this globe-trotting adventure is filled with misplaced trust, competing motivations, and more than a little sexual tension. This gripping romantic thriller will have you up reading all night!

I am a romantic thriller girlie, but this book came to me when the mood reading rode me hard and I was not in the mood to read something dark and twisty. As a consequence, most attempts to read this book were met with difficulty and I was unable to fully love or hate it: I am right in the middle. That said, if the premise intrigues you, give it a try.