I truly didn’t like this book. It has zero romance until the very end. And it’s not a slow-burn romance at all. It makes no sense at all. I thought I was going to read a second-chance slow-burn romance with messy family drama. Instead, there is no romance or relationship at all. It’s literally nothing talked about except why they shouldn’t date or why they should go back to the con game. Literally, it makes no sense at all. 

Honestly, I thought this book was going to be a bit different from her other books. And I should have trusted my gut. Their books aren't  for me. It’s messy and toxic. None of it makes sense. And it drags out too much. I'm just not going to read their books anymore.

The small-town setting is vividly described, providing a stark contrast to Phoebe and Hailey's turbulent past. It serves as a symbol of the normalcy Phoebe yearns for, yet it also highlights the difficulty of shedding old habits and reputations. The authors skillfully depict the challenges of starting over and the societal pressures that come with trying to fit into a new community.

4.5/5 ⭐

Thank you Valentine PR and Berkeley for the eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own. I loved the backstory of this book, and where the authors are deciding to go with it. I think they did a very good job at creating a good tension and slow burn between Phoebe and Rocky, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all the characters, especially the main 6. I also thought the authors did a good job at keeping us on our toes throughout the book. The ending has me wanting more, and I look forward to seeing what the authors do to their story in the second book!

This book had a very interesting concept. 2 friends try to go live a normal life outside of their 2 families of con artists. Hailey’s brother, Rocky insists on following them.

Phoebe is Hailey’s best friend and has an interesting relationship with Rocky.

How will this normal life play out?

2 families who are scam artists and they work together. Phoebe is best friends with Hailey and has a thing for Hailey's brother which their moms would love them to be together.
Hailey wants to have a normal life so her and Phoebe go to a small town and get an apartment and real jobs.
I have never read a book by these 2 before but I plan on reading more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the book to review.

First and foremost, I am now the biggest Trevor Tinrock fan! It's always the side characters that steal my heart. I need to see more of him in the next book. "Dishonestly Yours" definitely suffers from 'first book in a series syndrome' which is something I totally made up, but basically means this book is all rising action. We're just getting to the good stuff at the very end. We do have a very KBR-esque found family going on and I'm loving the small town vibes! Needless to say I can't wait for book two. This series is going to be a wild ride, I can just tell.

What an angsty book!

I was looking forward to this book, especially after loving the Rose and Connor installments of the Addicted series. However, this was a disappointment to me. The main couple, Rocky and Phoebe, felt like an amalgamation of Ritchie’s couples from the Addicted series- namely a less good version of Lily and Lo. This book was too long, and I had a hard time buying into the love story, especially because we didn’t get to see the couple fall in love. The fake-dating aspect came from left field and felt like the Ritchies were just trying to check off another trope box.

I was intrigued by the ending, so I will tune in for the next installments.

This is perfect for hardcore Addicted series fans- we even get a little Easter egg from that series!

Thank you for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had such a great time reading this! I was intrigued by this book from the first time I heard about it and it did not let me down! It took me just a little bit to fully get into the story, but after that I loved it. The found family and all of the characters were great and I know these authors will never let me down with that. The cons were also really interesting and I’ve never read something like that before. The growing tension between Rocky and Phoebe was so good and I can’t wait to see more of them together! The ending of this book has me so ready for the rest of the series! That cliffhanger left me needing more!

This book was one of those books that you can’t help but read all the way till you find out how it ends. It was addicting for me from start to finish. Krista and Becca just have a way with their writing to get you sucked in. I went into this book completely blind and I was so glad I did.

I wasn’t expecting our characters to be con artists that’s forsure but I loved it. Phoebe and Rocky had a lot they were dealing with to make their relationship really complicated, but the angst is so freaking good. I like how we got the past flashbacks thrown in the story. I felt like it added so much more to actually know everything our characters were going through. I loved all the other characters in our story and I’m hoping to see more from them in the other books!

I was not expecting that big cliffhanger at the end, definitely need that second book!

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️

Definitely recommend if you love these tropes:
🍓Best Friends Brother
🍓Grumpy/Sunshine
🍓Con artists
🍓Slow Burn

I had to sit with this one for a week, because I really loved the book but I felt a little conflicted by the fact that all of the main characters are con artists. Someone really close to me was scammed and it was awful, so I would say that if this is a trigger for you or something that you are sensitive to, be aware of that going into this book. Outside of that, this book was really well written and a really great slow burn! I am so excited to read the next one because the cliffhanger in this one is killing me already!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

This book is gripping! The story is incredibly compelling, and I was utterly absorbed in it. I was captivated by the mystery and suspense. I adored the dynamic between the con artists Phoebe and Rocky. Their tension, angst, and passionate desire drew me in! The spice was about medium for me, but I enjoyed it. The heartwarming friendship between Phoebe and Haley never failed to make me smile. Their unwavering support for each other is truly inspiring. Their brothers are just as remarkable, but they are also con artists. Nonetheless, the exceptional teamwork and love among them is truly commendable.

The character Jake intrigued me. I felt like there was something off about him, and I needed to know his backstory, too. The ending genuinely shocked me. It left loose ends yet held significant depth. I can't wait for the next book to see what comes next and to uncover the truth alongside the characters. That's exactly how I felt while reading it.

Read if you like:

🕷️ 🍓Friends to Lovers

🕷️ 🍓 Slow Burn

🕷️ 🍓 Con Artists Family

🕷️ 🍓 Found Family

🕷️ 🍓 Best Friend's Brother

🕷️ 🍓 Morally Grey Characters

🕷️ 🍓 Dual Timeline POV

Love Always, Catherine


Thank you, Valentine Pr, Berkley Publishing Group, and Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie, for my gifted ebook copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This was my first Krista & Becca Ritchie book, and it certainly won’t be my last 💖

Dishonestly yours had so many of my favorite dynamics: solid girl friendship, “it’s always been you” romance & twisty plot points!

Getting to see Hailey and Phoebe take on this new life together was so fun for me! I loved their friendship, and honestly, the more you get to know them, the more you love them. (There’s also some other friendships and found family elements outside of them, and it makes for such a well-rounded group 🥹)

I am a sucker for a best friend’s brother trope and even more so when you throw in a “it’s always been you” feel to it. Rocky and Phoebe’s relationship felt so real. With everything going on and everything they have experienced, the pacing of their story felt right. It didn’t feel rushed. It didn’t feel forced. Every moment and flashback felt intentionally written to provide a romance that is so caring and believable. I can’t wait to keep reading about them 🥹

Also - this book is the first in a brand new series. This is important to note because once you finish this book, you will want the second book immediately & it’s not here just yet. Definitely relying on my friends who have also read this book to keep me sane as we wait haha 😂🫶🏻

(quick side note: I am typically a light hearted romcom reader, so there were a few flashback moments that were a little intense for me. But honestly I was able to kind of speed read through those moments & it didn’t take away from the overall plot)

Overall, Dishonestly Yours was such a good and fun read for me, and I don’t think I have ever needed a second book more than I need this next one 🫶🏻

p.s. if you’re following along and curious about this book, please DM me bc I’d love to share more thoughts with you!! 💖

Thank you to Valentine PR and Krista & Becca Ritchie for an advanced copy of this book!

4.5 stars. I NEED BOOK 2 NOW, RIGHT NOW.

🍓 Grumpy x Grumpier
🕸️ Angst
🍓 Best friend's brother
🕸️ If he can't have her, no one can
🍓 Found family

The premise of this book is what really attracted me. From the first mention of crime and con artists, I was in love. I loved the friendship between Phoebe and Hailey, and how they would do anything to take care of each other. I also loved Rocky as a character. Rocky has been everything you can imagine to Phoebe during cons but they were never able to be everything for each other. Rocky is a great big brother who will do anything to protect Hailey, including following her and Phoebe on their new adventure. Rocky will do anything for his youngest brother and Phoebe and her brothers.

I recently had the privilege of recently seeing Krista & Becca at a book signing and they talked about their inspiration for writing and the plot and it made me fall in love with this book even more.

Thank you to Valentine PR & Krista & Becca Ritchie for the arc of Dishonestly, Yours.

Ummm, what was this?
Because I need more of it immediately. Thanks!

Krista and Becca write some of my favorite stories, and this is a prime example of that. I’m so excited for what’s to come!
Phoebe and Rocky already have my full attention. I need more of them immediately please, like the way this ended!??

I’m in shock, but in love with this series already! It’s such a good read!!!

This was actually my first Krista & Becca Ritchie book and I was so excited when I got my hands on it!

I absolutely loved the con artist plot and how it was mostly set in present day but we were able to get a few flashbacks of previous cons and how that shaped certain emotions and thoughts in the present.

The second half of the book is what really sold me. I was drawn into the plot line, the relationships (real and fake), and was feeling the suspense. The cliffhanger had me frustrated in the best way possible because I just wanted to keep reading!! I’ll be looking out for announcements on the next book because I NEED to know what happens next

-best friends brother
-con artist
-fake dating
-dual timeline/pov
-morally gray characters
-childhood friends to lovers
-grumpy x grumpy

Dishonestly yours is a contemporary romance that explores the complexities of love, trust, and the blurred lines between honesty and deception. This is a fun, fast paced read with plot twists and turns that had me engaged from the beginning. Though It didn’t blow me away, it was still enjoyable. But what really kept me wanting more was THAT ending! I can’t wait to see what the next book brings.

4.75⭐️ Phoebe and her best friend, Hailey, have lived a luxurious life on the run. After a job gone wrong, Hailey invokes their pact to run away together and start over living an honest, normal life. The problem? Hailey’s older brother, Rocky, found them and decided to stay. He’s the one thing Phoebe has always wanted, but could never have. And he feels just as stuck. Can they survive this new life together?

This was so good! Addicted is one of my favorite series of all time, so I couldn’t wait to start this. There are so many complications and things standing in the way of Phoebe and Rocky being together, but oooooohhhh boy the tension was off the charts! I was on the edge of my seat every time they were together wondering if it was finally happening. There are so many family secrets and drama going on around all the characters, and it was so enjoyable to uncover truths while finding a million more questions.

Also? Don’t know why I expected anything less, but the ending?!?! As soon as I turned the page and realized it was over, I almost threw my kindle with how hard I gasped. Now I will be dying a slow death until the next book ☠️

Thank you, Krista, Becca, and Valentine PR, for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Happy release day to @kbmritchie! Dishonestly Yours was a blast to read and I can't wait for the next installment. It takes place in a coastal New England town and follows the lives of two con artist families who are trying to break away from their sinister parents. It centers on Phoebe and Rocky who are the definition of angst.

The Ritchie sisters are masters of writing complicated families and interpersonal relationships. Pick this up if you like:

🍓angsty love
🍓slow, but strong burn
🍓grumpy/grumpy
🍓con artist families
🍓charming coastal town with old WB vibes

(There was totally a town square Dean vs moment 😝)

#bookstagram #instareads #releaseday #dishonestlyyours #kristabeccaritchie #booksbooksbooks #bookreview

Oh my goshhhhh! This book is INCREDIBLE. It is fighting for my top book of this year. Super super easy 5-star to give! Everything about this story is purely incredible and just what I needed.

This book is super angsty, dark, and drama-filled and I am here for it. It absolutely flew by! I had to break it up into chunks due to being busy but I know I would've totally binged this if I were less busy. I totally ate it up and adored every moment. This factor is a good part of why I knew this gave me the 5-star feeling.

Every character is fantastically written. They are all just so addictive. Not just Phoebe and Rocky, absolutely all of them. Some are more devilish than others which upped appeal. Their various complicated relationship dynamics and inherent trust (or distrust) in one another made them perfect for the plot. I really really want to see more from this group. The banter and quips the boys had in particular were especially amusing. The blend of humorous moments with more serious moments was totally perfect.

The cliffhanger has me foaming at the mouth for this to become a major series and never end. I was shockingly satisfied with the answers that were given in the story versus the things that are still secret to perfectly set up for a continuation. I am begging for the next installment to come out as soon as possible because I need it.

This book is definitely a dark romance. There are violent and graphic moments that may be triggering to some readers. There is also open door spice of various levels. If those are not your vibe, sadly this is not the book for you.

If you couldn't tell from the extreme ranty length of this review, I adored it! If you can handle it, you need to read this. Just go, go get the book for yourself, it is worth every penny.

I received this book as an arc from Valentine PR. This review is honest and voluntary

3.5⭐️ I love their writing so much! This really felt like a slow burn for me, but I loved the premise of the book and the details made it seem really original in comparison to other books I’ve read in the past. If you love miscommunication and best friends brother this one is for you!