• light my heart on fire @kbmritchie 🔥 •
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You know sometimes when the second book in the series doesn't give you everything your heartdl desires? NOT THIS time, Destructively Mine checked all the boxes and more:
✨️ The page-turning drama... oh and it gets good. The character and story building is chef's kiss.
✨️ Dual POV
✨️ Passion and lust so steamy that you share in Pheobe's butterflies.
✨️ Heartfelt found family
✨️ The answers we have all been waiting for.
✨️ Rocky, gets his own box, because DAMN.
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If you have read Dishonestly Yours (and if you haven't please do, do it now) this book seamlessly picks up where we leave off and them takes us on secret unraveling journey. I won't disclose anything here, but I will say that you will be satisfied with what and how you find out what everyone is hiding. But this book will keep you on your toes...because when you think it won't get anymore juicy IT DOES.
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And if that's not enough, Phoebe and Rocky's relationship will keep you more than happy throughout this book. Rocky is definitely in my book boyfriend hall of fame. He's charming, a bit moody, but the best part about his character is how much he cares about the people in his life, especially Pheobe. 🥹🫶🏻. Friends, this is a must read in 2025. Trust me.
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Page & Pour Rating: 5✨️

While I did enjoy myself I will say it did take me longer to read it than I thought . The pace did not pick up till half way into the book and I think that’s what made me disconnect a little bit. That being said I loved that there seemed to be more twists and plot within this book. It definitely had more spice than book one. I am glad that some of the characters got answers that they needed but I felt that more questions were left unanswered as well lol . A re read might have been needed but I will definitely continue the seires !

Review goes live April

The tension and silent yearning between Phoebe and Rocky continues in this high stakes sequel to Dishonestly Yours. The chemistry between these two is amazingly well written and you can practically hear it sizzling as you read. I also enjoyed getting to see more of our ensemble cast and get to know them outside of our glimpses to past jobs.

I did get confused at some points and there were time jumps that I felt were abrupt or too long (one of them is 3 months long). I also felt like the writing was not as strong as in Dishonestly Yours.

I really love this story of found family and deception. If you love fake dating with a twist (Phoebe is fake dating Jake, not our MMC Rocky) and sizzling tension, this book is definitely for you.

“Belonging is what we’re taught to do.”

I honestly have no idea how to explain how much I enjoyed this book. Dishonestly Yours was a great start to this trilogy, but Destructively Mine took everything that was great about the first book and elevated it to the next level. The angst, the romance, the betrayals, the cons, the small town vibes, the found family, the friendships, the new ships, the surprises, the reveals. All of it had me excited and or gasping. I think that DM flawlessly balanced the romance and the con/small town drama plots while also throwing in unexpected side quests/stories. This book isn’t even out yet and I honestly can’t figure out what I will do until the NEXT book comes out. I guess I’ll just sit here and stare at my screen because the Ritchie sisters have weaved all the webs and now I’m wondering how we will make our way out of them!

There’s just something about KBR’s writing that is like opening something sacred.

Phoebe and Rocky’s relationship is like a cosmic explosion. It’s full of tension, banter, spice, and it’s awe inspiring.

Their connection is so deep and strong that through every moment it was as if they were tethered and it was beautiful to watch a love so consuming

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And then the book rose like the tide till it took me under. The end has me pulling my hair, screaming into the abyss, running around in circles.

Oh my GOD

𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ 3.5

thank you berkley & netgalley for the arc ᥫ᭡

i really wanted to love this book but it sadly fell flat to my expectations. the first half of the bool had me sold, it had me laughing, smiling & genuinely enjoying everything about the book. i really enjoyed the mystery & the little side plots we had & i enjoyed the family dynamics between all the characters but there is just something missing that i can’t put my finger on.

i really enjoyed Phoebe & Rocky’s relationship in the first book but in this one were my least favorites, i found every other character more interesting then them. they had so many sex scenes that i was tired by the first one & skimmed the rest. i also didn’t find myself enjoying the flashbacks as much as i did in the first book. i ultimately don’t have a super strong connection to the characters, i like them but i’m not obsessed with them.

i feel this book has a pacing issue, the first 50% had me hooked then the last 50% had me bored most of the time. i truly believe if this book had more than the two pov’s it would have made for a stronger book. i’m still interested in continuing this series & seeing how it goes.

I was so excited when I was approved for an ARC of this book! I read Dishonestly Yours in a day. I was absolutely hooked. It felt like a modern day Gossip Girl but with an edge - a family of con artists who are looking to escape the lives their parents have created for them. It’s such a unique backdrop for a romance. I also have enjoyed the female friendships in this book.

Destructively Mine was just as addicting as the first book in the series. The progression of Phoebe and Rocky’s relationship was the perfect combination of spice and slow burn.

I may have to give the Calloway sisters series another chance after enjoying these two books so much!

I’m also obsessed with the cover!! It’s so beautiful and will be a great addition to my shelves.

Wow! What a follow up to Dishonestly Yours. This was one of my most anticipated reads, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen after we were left with the cliffhanger in book one. It was such a wild ride, and I loved every word!
This has some of the best found family I’ve ever read, I love all of the characters so much. Especially Rocky and Phoebe, there is so much passion between them. And the whole concept of this story is fantastic. I just love the family of con-artists, and the kids trying to break free from their parents. The writing, setting, connections, characters, all had me hooked and kept me to entertained. I was sad when it ended, I just love them all! I don’t want to give anything away, but I highly recommend!

Read if you like ⇣
Small coastal town setting
Found family
Morally gray characters
Boy obsessed
Grumpy x grumpy
Dual POV
Spice

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this ARC!

Over to others. I missed the first book and felt lost in this one. I know there's a huge audience who know and are entertained by these characters but I wasn't one of them. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I didn’t like the first book of this series but I wanted to give the second book a chance but it was just as bad. Thank you for the arc though.

got to listen to this as well as read it physically and found the experience soooo enjoyable. This book felt like they were setting up a lot so that the final book in the series can be a bang, but that did end up making some of this one feel a little slow and boring at times. I am so invested in this series and these characters and so sad knowing all my beloved side characters will not be getting their own books. I literally love this family so much I would read about all their messy dynamics for many many books. Rocky and Phoebe remain hot and dynamic as main characters!

if it wasn't known according to my profile, krista and becca ritchie are two of my favorite authors and usually i enjoy anything that they write. this unfortunately fell extremely flat to me. they are known for their character driven stories, which i don't mind in the slightest, but i think the fact that we lacked POVs from the other characters was a really big missed opportunity here. especially with how much drama and action is going on with them behind the scenes. it's such a shame because i really did like phoebe and rocky in the first book, but in this they were just kinda eh? (their romance was also boring for me too) and the other characters outshined them in a lot of ways. what really saved it for me was the found family which is what KBR EXCELS at!!

i would think that with the stakes being so high with how the last book ended that the pacing in this would be fast and there would be more action with the cons involved, but really there was a whole lot of filler chapters (which again isn't an issue for me) and nothing really happened until the last 15% of the book. not that big of an issue, but it was very unexpected.

overall, this book was just very average for me. i liked it at some points, but didn't at others. i will be reading the next book when it comes out though!

Destructively Mine by Krista and Becca Ritchie is an intense, emotional ride from start to finish. The chemistry between the characters is electric, and the plot kept me hooked with its mix of tension, romance, and drama. I loved how the authors developed the characters, making them feel real and layered. The darker themes were gripping, and the writing kept me turning the pages. It’s definitely a book for fans of high stakes and deep emotional connections. I’d rate it 4 stars!

Destructively Mine by Krista Ritchie
Book 2
5 stars

arc read for honest review
pub date | 4/29/25

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and the SCREAM I scrumpt when I got my netgalley email with this beautiful arc. Immediately dropped everything and devoured her.

So if yall remember Dishonestly Yours, we find out how the family works, the girls want a break, the boys come to take care of them. Rocky and Phoebe have some TenNNnnnNNsion and when they finally give in to each other, BOOM. IDK if yall can be together, good luck the end. So we start this one off picking right up where we left off. Secret relationships and we are still fake dating Jake.

I know I loved the first one, and I did, but when I tell ya'll book 2 had me gripping, and reeling, holding my breath, seriously what else can get thrown at these people. Hailey is doing WHO? Like this one had me hook line and sinker because I just could not put it down. This book was essentially to grift or not to grift, secrets unraveled, lies unfolded, an epic conclusion but like also... are we gonna get more?

Can't wait for this release date so we can all read and squeal over this sequel together!

3.5 - Coming from somehow who LOVES The Addicted series/Calloway Sisters series, I'm not sure if this new series is for me :( I didn't LOVE the first book, but I did enjoy it and wanted to try the second book to see if I wanted to keep reading the series or not. While there are parts I enjoy in this contemporary romance series, I think I will be taking a pause from continuing reading it in the future.

Destructively Mine is the follow up to Dishonestly Yours. The series is a contemporary romance, new adult series. in Destructively Mine, we follow Phoebe, the daughter of a con-artist and an ex-writer. When her best friend proposes them moving to a college town in CT to leave their prior lives behind, Phoebe thinks it will be a nice fresh start. Phoebe is fake dating a son to a wealthy family, but is secretly in love with her best friend's older brother, Rocky.

The main thing that I don't love about this series is it just seems too similar to the Addicted series :/ And that series is perfect, so if I wanted to return to it I could just go reread the Addicted/Calloway Sisters series again. The tropes, relationships, and settings just seem too similar. Rich kids falling in love, friends to lovers, all with similar issues. I do enjoy the cons in this book that were ongoing and the overall storyline that is being developed, but it dragged on sometimes.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book!!

THIS WAS SO GOOOOOD! I read the first book of the series when it came out and I've been waiting for this one. I was so shocked all time. JAKE! I love him so much! I can't stop screaming about these characters. I've convinced everyone I know to read this series. I can't wait for the last book!

4/5 🌟

wow this was unexpectedly AMAZING. the small mystery/thriller aspect of this book caught me so off guard but i ate it tf up!!! at the 60% mark i was really thinking i wanted to dnf just because it felt too similar to the addicted series but everything else happening in the background became the main focus and it had me SHOCKED & GAGGED. i’m honestly excited for the next book in this series. 🙂‍↕️ if you want a spicy romance with a hint of drama / ✨murder✨ this is gonna be for you!!
*i would also look up trigger warnings since the topic of SA is mentioned multiple times!

thank you to berkley publishing + netgalley for a copy of this arc!!! <3

3.5 stars.

Book one hooked me on the story on con artists Phoebe and Rocky and their conning families, and book two dove deeper into the motivations and backstories of the characters, setting up a potentially explosive third book.

If you haven't read book one, it is an absolute must prior to reading this one. Our favorite grifters are still in the small town where they tried to start normal lives in Dishonestly Yours, and this time the whole family is around, setting up a new con together.

The con itself felt like a pretty small portion of this book. This one was more about the backstory and about showing the various dynamics between all of the characters. I loved the way an additional character was added to the family team and the interactions with the various siblings, which had to be my favorite parts of the book!

This one is spiiiiicy. It felt like every time we got a scene with both Phoebe and Rocky it was all about their fiery chemistry and the way they can't keep their hands off of each other.

At almost 500 pages, I do feel like this one could have been trimmed down a bit and still ended up having the same impact. The ending took off like a shot and will definitely have me excited to read book three!

Thank you to Berkley romance for the gifted copy 💗

Wow!! I got an early copy of this book and after reading the first book and it ending on a cliffhanger I was so excited to see this one picked up right where the other left off.

There are so many twists and turns in this book that had me reading so fast, but then going back to reread so I didn’t miss important parts. I loved trying to guess what was going on and I got some stuff right. Just call me detective Mary!

The mystery and the depth of each character was flawless. Watching Rocky + Phoebe continue their relationship in secret made the angst so good.

And I can’t say much more because I don’t want to spoil any key points. All of this to say, if you want to continue reading about con artists who are trying to pull off a big con in a forbidden town - read this book. Book 3 I know is going to wrap this up so nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

fire on fire by sam smith (for phoeberocky)
mind games by sickick

okay i get why kbr wanted to write about con artists like its the perfect set up for whatever this mixed up trope is …fake exes but actually in love??? mixed with fake dating!! the forbidden love and angst !!!
hotter stakes, secrets, and smut !!!! this series is so different from what kbr has written and i am OBSESSED give me moreeee

this book actually reads like a spiderweb which is genius of kbr but confusing for me especially with the past flashbacks mixed into the present timeline. just all part of the theme of the web they weave