Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

In this thriller, we follow Kes, a profiler and therapist, who focuses on her family and their wellbeing. So much so that she even takes in her stepsons best friend and eventual girlfriend Brandee. But when Brandee goes missing and leaves Kes an unexpected gift in the back of her call, she knows something is run. But she has no idea that it will be tied to her past. A past that she has tried to leave behind to help protect herself and family. But in crisis situations, she has had to pull on to her connections to help get her family back. This read moved along quickly and tied all the characters in the end, a successful mysterious thriller!

I'm really quite sad that I didn't love this one. I've enjoyed other books from this author and was excited about the this plot. The book started off great - I loved the introduction of the character and how this mysterious baby ended up in her life. After a few alternating chapters between Brandee and Kez, the plot started to slow waaay down. I hate to admit it, but I ended up skipping pages throughout the book, and was still able to understand what was going on.

As far as building suspense, I didn't feel any of that. Mostly because chapters seemed to go between "don't look for me" and "I need to track her down" with no real reasoning between each until about 80% of the way through. By the end, I wasn't fully surprised at the reveals, and still felt a bit...meh.

The writing was done well, and I appreciated the themes of racism and sexism. It was sobering to read those specifics from a black female's POV.

<spoiler>Not sure that this is a spoiler, but just in case: I'm glad that the themes of toxic masculinity and cultism were represented here in full description. It's such a rampant problem in our society right now, and it needs to be addressed.</spoiler>

This book had alot going on. I do like the social media influencer theme if executed well. I am not sure if it was 100 percent. I don't mind spice but I don't expect it in a thriller book . It wasn't bad just think it could have executed a little better

“Profiler and therapist Kez Lanyon is shocked when she finds a baby on the backseat of her car, with an unsigned note asking her to take care of him.

Kez has a pretty good idea who the mother is - Brandee, a popular social media star with a troubled background, who once lived in Kez's house.”

I have officially entered my Dorothy Koomson era!! I really loved this one and I’ve not read a thriller book like it! The story does not take you in a direction you expect!

This had quite a bit of spice in it which I was not expecting as it’s not something I come across often in crime/thriller books!! The prude that lies within could have done without that in the story. 🙈🤣

I loved the main character, Kez. She was so smart but also had a lot about her and she made the story so interesting! There’s quite a bit of back story and I am really invested in Kez’s life.

What would you do if you found a baby on the backseat of your car and are asked to care for it?

In true fiction fashion, the police are not contacted. Kez doesn't even know exactly who's baby this is, but she thinks she knows and so that's enough for her to keep her mouth shut. She also decides to step in and try to save the baby's mother. Of course, this is dramatic as it risks Kez's family in the process.

I have to admit, I was interested to see where this book would go, but I did find the plot just too far fetched and outside of reality for me to really sink in and connect to it. I gave it a good go, but didn't finish it in the end.

I think readers who enjoy a little fantasy with their thrillers will enjoy this. I think those that are able to bend their mind and sink into a new world would enjoy this.

This book earned 4 stars. The main character is a profiler and therapist. She finds a baby in the backseat of her car and a note asking her to take care of him. It was my first book by this author but I will be looking for more! You should read this one!

This was my first book that I have read by Dorothy Koomson. I was not disappointed. Our FMC finds a baby in her car with a letter wanting her to take care of the little boy. Kez thinks she knows who the baby belongs to, but why was the baby left? Is there something sinister going on? Is the mom in danger? Did she just not want the baby? Dorothy kept me guessing til the very end. Amazing read!

Not a fan of this one - case in point, the cover was better than the story. It was packed with a bit of everything which sometimes gets too crowded. Overall fine suspense - I do think the social media as a character gets overdone lately.

I really liked the dual prospectives and the storyline!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The dual perspective used in this book is brilliant to show just how immersed one can become in social media platforms. The other perspective from a mother doing everything she can to protect her family is that not everything on social media is as it seems. A cautionary thriller on just how deep social media runs in all of our lives.

Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for the copy to read and review.

Dorothy Koomson delivers another gripping read with Every Smile You Fake. The blend of suspense and heartache had me hooked from the first page. Kez’s struggle between protecting her family and risking everything for Brandee creates a gripping emotional core.

The mystery surrounding Brandee and the danger she faces is expertly woven, keeping me on edge with every chapter. The stakes feel incredibly personal, making this more than just a thriller—it’s a story about trust, sacrifice, and doing what’s right.

Highly recommended for fans of suspenseful and emotionally charged reads! 🍼🔍✨

I really enjoyed the main storyline and the ending. The switching between characters and timelines was easy to follow. The beginning of the story hooked me, so I knew I wanted to finish.

However, I feel that the book was too long and drug out. It took a while for me to finish, I kept putting it to the side to read something else before remembering to get back to this book. Would have rated higher if it was less.

I do like the helpful information and tips in the authors notes at the end of the book. Great addition.

I think premise of the book was very interesting. I did feel like it was overly complicated at times. I have not read anything else from this author but I would give another one of her books a try.

Happy Release Day! Every Smile You Fake had such a unique and compelling plot. Every Smile You Fake follows the story of Kez. She is a therapist who was previously a criminal profiler. She leaves a book event to find a baby in the backseat of her car with a note asking her to take care of him. She realizes she knows the mother of this baby as Brandee who was a young woman who used to live with her and is now missing. Brandee asks for people to not come looking for her, however, Kez does what she believes is right (even if her own safety is in jeopardy). You also get Brandee's POV through social media and videos. This creates an element to how immersed we are in the online world and how much we believe everything we see online. This book was fast-paced and a good time!

This is my first book by this author. I really enjoyed it, and the plot was unique to me. I would love to read more by this author. There were some great twists in the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Profiler and therapist Kez Lanyon is shocked when she finds a baby on the backseat of her car, with an unsigned note asking her to take care of him! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! It wasn’t one of my all time favorites but still worth reading! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Unfortunately I was unable to review this book since I was given a pdf file. Pdfs are barely legible on my e-reader so I couldn't read this book.